January 5, 2013 – Santana Lopez and Mercedes Jones grab dinner in downtown L.A.
I walk into the restaurant, excited to see Mercedes again. She had been on tour so much these past months that it is hard to get together with her. Mercedes is one of my few really good friends in the industry. She and I went to high school together in Lima, and then she moved to L.A. straight out of high school to become a singer, she got her big break doing back-up vocals, but soon got her own contract, and now she is really successful and on a world tour. To say she has been an inspiration is an understatement. Mercedes and I were always the ones with really big dreams and really big egos, but Mercedes always seemed to do more with hers. I think it's because she really had no doubts, no fear about moving forward, whereas I was a little more cautious.
Bottom line Mercedes has been a huge help in helping me adjust to all the changes in my lifestyle and I have to say, I have really adjusted pretty well. My album's doing amazing, and Tennman is really pleased, Quinn has been helping me with my fear of interviews, and I think pretty soon I'm going to be able to get my own place instead of sharing with Kurt, my stylist.
The hostess seats me at a table near the bar, but not before I see one of the cutest things I've ever seen. Seated at a table a few feet away is this family, they are all laughing and talking and the girl looks really embarrassed about something the guy (her brother?) seems to be saying. It's so cute and domestic, it kind of reminds me of my family back home, my mom, and my dad, and my two sisters. Gosh I miss them. But I don't linger long on the pain of missing my family because I see Mercedes walking towards me and I immediately get up to give her a big hug.
"Girl it has been way to long!" She says as she returns the hug.
"Hi love, it's been a second hasn't it?" I smile as we sit down to talk.
We talk about everything from work to Mercedes new boyfriend Anthony to my upcoming interviews. We laugh and dish, but as always it eventually comes back to work and singing, because it's what we both love.
"You are not going to believe this I found the prefect choreographer for my Grammy performance" (Oh yeah did mention Mercedes is preforming at the 2013 Grammys?) Mercedes squeals.
"She's never actually choreographed professionally before, but she is an amazing dancer and the recommendation came from Madonna herself, so I think she ought to do the trick."
"I sure hope so! With a recommendation from Madonna this girl better be mind-blowing!" I say in shock. God, to get a direct recommendation from Madonna this girl is one lucky duck.
"So what's her name?" I ask all of a sudden intrigued by such a highly recommended dancer.
"Brittany Pierce" Mercedes says as she finishes her wine.
Brittany Pierce. She sounds like a cute lucky duck.