Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s next Rookie is making a splash!
DJ and TikToker Xandra Pohl, who has 1.2 million followers and is known for her viral “get ready with me videos” and vlogs, has been named one of the magazine’s 2024 rookies.
SI Swim announced the news on Instagram with a behind-the-scenes look of the fiery photo shoot shot by Derek Kettela in Belize. Pohl shows a feistier side to her style in various red swim looks, from a barely-there bikini layered with a mesh cover-up to a mega cutout one-piece accentuating her curves to a lifeguard zip-up suit that channels all the Baywatch vibes.
“I feel like I’m going to come out of this like a whole new b—h,” she says in the clip, which is set to Rihanna’s “Needed Me.”
In an interview with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Pohl shared her excitement about the magazine’s “legacy” and how it continuously excels at representing women of “all shapes, sizes, races” and, in turn, sets the precedent for the next generation. “We are all beautiful [and deserve to be] confident in our own bodies. I feel like that is the best legacy you could ever leave.”
She expressed the same sentiment in a TikTok video recounting how this moment came to be. “This has been my dream since I was a wee little lad.”
SI Swim editor-in-chief, MJ Day, shares that Pohl “epitomizes the unapologetic fusion of beauty and talent, shattering norms as she takes the DJ world by storm.”
“Her unfiltered authenticity is what inspires us the most, and we’re thrilled to be a part of her journey,” she adds.
Pohl isn’t new to the SI Swimsuit universe. In July 2023, she made her debut in the brand’s fashion show in Miami, radiating confidence down the runway in a bright yellow bikini and crimped waves. But being a part of the milestone issue — which includes the Be Legendary campaign — made this opportunity extra worthwhile.
“[Being] a legend is just being confident in yourself and whatever you are, whatever you stand for, just being passionate about it,” Pohl said. “I feel like if you’re passionate about it, you’re a legend.”
She’s definitely had to stand her ground in certain areas of her life, like in DJing, an industry that is mostly dominated by males.
“Some common misconceptions I think people have about me is that because of the way I look or the way that I act means that I have an inability to do something,” Pohl said, adding: “I just want people to know [that] I love who I am.” She’s currently on her Drunk Tour and will play at the Lollapalooza music festival this August.
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SI Swimsuit is pulling out all the stops this year. With Pohl as its newest addition, the 2024 Rookie class includes Brittany Mahomes (who revealed her title days before her husband, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, played in the 2024 Super Bowl) and seven finalists from its Swim Search, per Parade.
The magazine under Day’s direction and leadership also managed an epic shoot with its past models, including Martha Stewart, Maye Musk, Christie Brinkley, Tyra Banks, Kate Upton and more iconic stars.