Sisters do it for themselves
Catch Zee Avi and NJWA at a concert to mark International Women’s Day, but only in June, writes
SINGERS Zee Avi and NJWA have known each other for quite some time, but it is only this year that the two have been given the chance to work together, and in a concert to boot.
Originally planned by FM Showlab Ventures to take place on March 22, the concert which is organised in conjunction with this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, has now been postponed to June 22.
Farhan Aizat from FM Showlab says: “It is unfortunate that we have to schedule another date for the concert but the essence of the celebration remains.
“Everything else will remain the same. It will still take place at Dewan Merdeka in Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur with the same theme — to accelerate gender balance across all industries.”
GENDER EQUALITY
“We’re honoured to be working together to celebrate a day which honours women and hope that we can further contribute in creating better gender equality in the music industry,” says NJWA.
Zee adds: “We’ve known each other for more than 10 years. I remember we were performing at No Black Tie when we first met. It’s a good time for us to be working together. And for a good cause too.”
In line with this year’s International Women’s Day campaign theme of #BalanceforBetter, the production design for the concert is classy, sophisticated and encapsulates both artistes’ and their music.
At the 120-minute concert, the duo is set to perform separately.
They are still finalising the songs to perform at the event.
“My songs are shorter. So I may be performing more numbers compared to NJWA,” says Zee, who also writes and
composes her songs.
“When I compose and write, I just flow with the idea.”
The audience can expect to experience all elements in stage design and background visuals which will be coordinated to enhance every performance.
NEW MUSICAL DIRECTION
After releasing her EP last April, NJWA, 32, whose real name is Najwa Mahiaddin, toured Japan and Jakarta, Indonesia.
“I’m glad that the response was good. Despite not being able to understand the lyrics to the song Togok, those I met in Japan were intrigued by the Malay track which features gamelan music,” she adds. The EP includes two other tracks — In
The Name Of Love and Ocean. All the three tracks were produced with a new approach to music, with one showcasing the sounds of nature.
“The new sounds have been conversation openers and have motivated me to continue this musical direction.”
Besides busy preparing for the concert, which includes training with her band regularly, the recipient of the Best New Artiste and Best Local English Song awards at the 18th Industry Music Awards, is getting ready for her third album, which she hopes to release in the third or fourth quarter of the year.
RAISING AWARENESS
NJWA is thrilled to be sharing the stage with Zee for a good cause.
“People are easily impressed or surprised when a woman does something a man also does, and even more so when she does it exceptionally well.
“They go ‘wow, you’re a woman but you can produce tunes too!’ but why can’t women be producers? The industry is not as balanced as I would like it to be, and this is why we are raising this awareness,” she says.
Even when she was studying music at Berklee College of Music in Boston, the United States, stereotypes involving female talents persisted.
“People tend to be like ‘oh, you’re a girl so you must be a vocalist, right?’
“I don’t know why that is, but I find it so inspiring to meet people from all over the world, especially women who pursue different things and they’re not all vocalists or pianists. That’s such a powerful thing.” BREATH OF FRESH AIR
“I have other songs too you know,” jokes Zee when Kantoi was mentioned.
Kantoi gave this petite Miri-born singer-songwriter the attention of Malaysian music followers back in 2008.
Soon after, she packed her bags and flew to the US to seal a record deal with Brushfire Records. She then quickly released the single No Christmas For Me and Bitter Heart, followed with her selftitled debut album in May 2009.
The 33-year-old artiste, whose real name is Izyan Alirahman, received The International Youth Icon Award in 2011.
One of her hit songs, Swell Window ,was featured in American TV series Gossip Girl.
Zee has been back in Malaysia for almost a year now.
“I’ve been performing at various places such as Langkawi and Bintulu since I came back, besides doing music gigs in Europe, China and in Bali, Indonesia. I’ve been busy travelling” she says.
After having been based in the US for more than 10 years, she wants a breath offreshair.
“I’ve been away since I was 17. I spent four years in the UK and then another four in New York before I moved to Los Angeles.
“I’m an independent artiste now. Maybe it’s time for me to make a move. Who knows what’s next?” she says with a smile. Among Zee’s latest work is Decadence
Of My Love, the theme song for the 2018 web-series, The Bridge, starring Bront Palarae.
Also in the pipeline is her collaboration with Indonesian skateboarder Reno Pratama, a project that she’s keeping mum for now.
It’s a good time for us to be working together. Zee Avi