A different tune to Zee Avi’s third album
UNITED States-based singersongwriter Zee Avi is thrilled to be working on her latest album.
It will be her third to date, not counting Nightlight, which was a special project featuring cover songs.
“Over the past years, I’ve been exploring with different angles to my sound, voice and story,” Zee said.
The 31-year-old artiste, who was recently on break here, said she would integrate all the musical instrument sounds in the world that she loved and had experienced in her travels.
“I’ve never been an artiste with a set ‘style’ or genre.
“I don’t want to be tied to a certain feel because as people, we grow and evolve by the minute.
“Life is too short to not explore yourself and your growth.
“That would sum up the philosophy of the album I’m working on. We are all ever-growing, everknowing and ever-learning. We are always a ‘work in progress’.”
Zee said she did not have a tentative date for the album release and that she was “tying up loose ends and finding time to finish some tracks as ideas keep coming and going”.
“I want to polish it before I send it out into the world. I would say it’s about 67 per cent done... approximately.”
Fans can expect the album to be a little more upbeat, though
We are all ever-growing, ever-knowing and ever-learning.
her love for acoustic sounds is audibly visible.
“You’ll hear a difference. Yet, it’s still me. It’s just different sides of me. The stories are much simpler and wider.
“It will be an album that I will like listening to.
“I hope listeners would agree with me.
Born in Miri, Sarawak, Zee’s musical career started in 2007.
She had posted a video of her first song Poppy on YouTube and continued to post her videos throughout the year.
On the eve of her 22nd birthday, Zee posted the video for No
Christmas For Me. The next day, she was featured by YouTube and her mailbox received more than 3,000 e-mails.
Patrick Keeler from The Raconteurs band discovered Zee through this feature and it lead to a record deal with musician Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records and a publishing deal with Monotone, a management company who represents the White Stripes and The Shins.
Zee released her self-titled debut album in 2009, followed by
Ghostbird in 2011. In 2014, she
released Nightlight. Arena Cahaya, which she cocomposed with fellow Malaysian composer Rendra Zawawi, won Best Original Film Song at the 53rd Taipei’s Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards and Best Original Theme Song at the 28th Malaysia Film Festival last year.
It was also the sound track for award-winning movie Ola Bola.
Zee usually writes and composes her songs, but within the past few years, she has collaborated with other artistes, songwriters and producers.
“I’ve grown to really love it. As artistes, why shouldn’t we all collaborate? For this album, I’ve worked with different songwriters. Most are my own stories, with a little help from friends.”
The new album, however, will only contain English tracks.
“I would love to sing and write more songs in Bahasa Malaysia, or in the Sarawakian dialect, should the opportunity arise,” Zee said.