Meet Zenya | Music Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zenya and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zenya, how do you think about risk?

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” – Mark Zuckerberg.

From a woman that started out my singing, song writing and performing career in Australia to working retail and nanny jobs to pay for my ticket to move to NYC over a decade ago, I’d say I’m a huge risk taker. That risk of moving to another country with fourteen hundred Aussie dollars was something most people wouldn’t dare to do but I did it. I networked, sung and vocal produced other peoples demos, was in any and every writing session I could get into, charging no one a dime, just to be seen, known and heard was good enough of a payment to get me started. My networking evolved tremendously after that. I ended up on stages with Demi Lovato, a tour with Jay-Z and became a part of Justin Timberlake’s band The Tennessee Kids that had me at the Grammy’s, White House, Super Bowl and traveling the whole world. Taking risks didn’t come without an empty belly at times and not being able to afford nice things but the hunger I had was for greater things and I wasn’t going to stop till people recognized I had a lot to offer with my innovative creativity and voice.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started out as a solo artist and came to the US to amplify my knowledge as a creative and grow solid roots in the scene. I ended up as a background singer for the biggest stars. It wasn’t quite my plan but it did help my career exponentially. It’s not been an easy road for me in the pursuit of my music career. I moved across the world to a totally different place with a completely different pace and way of life to where I grew up in Newcastle Australia, not to mention the music I grew up on is not the music of where I’m from . I was a baby listening to African music. It was an obsession from the age of innocence. I would learn to arrange vocals like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and learn Zulu and Swahili words so I could sing just like them. The love of African music lead into my love for reggae and that’s where my heart grew passionately. Of course I listened to pop and R&B but my soul was global music. I also LOVED the Gypsy Kings. My whole life I have traveled and created music with people from all different cultures from India, indonesia, Jamaica, Trinidad and African. My heart is global but the world isn’t always accepting of that. I’m usually a fish out of water in the studio sessions I’m in but because my ear is trained melodically and with a cadence that is different to mainstream music, when I walk into a creative recording session I am able to add a unique sound that’s different to most and for that I’m proud. The greatest thing I’ve learned is to be as authentic and true to myself at all times and everything will always unfold in perfect divine order

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting me here in LA I would take them for a day at the beach, dinner at Castaways and to go dancing on a Saturday night at Station 1640 for a Tomi Tribe Afrobeats event. Anywhere Tomi Or DJ Hkeem are spinning is a night of guaranteed fun. I love to paddle board weekly when the sun is hot out at Newport but to be honest I would drag my friends to my studio session with me. I live in the studio. 

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

There are a lot of people that have been pillars for me on my music journey. Mr Zux from Tanzania was one of my greatest teachers in the studio. In Australia he was committed to producing for me and making sure everyone knew my name. No one knew where this little soulful global girl came from and they weren’t warm to giving me a chance in Sydney cause I didn’t look the part but he made sure everyone heard my songs and let the music do the talking. Eventually everyone came to collaborate with me. Adam Blackstone is an incredible music director. He gave me a huge start in the US by trusting me to sing with Demi, JT, Jay-Z and many more. I’m grateful forever for that. Kasey Phillips, has been my rock in LA. A Trinidadian raised award winning musical producer for Ciara, Chris Brown and Lil Baby, he’s also a phenomenal mix, mastering engineer. If I could say there has been a consistent person that has helped me with not only my product but as a friend, it’s him.
And lastly Cheekychizzy, Fredy Muks and Kheil Stone. Without these Kings I wouldn’t have the amazing music I have in the tank ready to share to the world

Please be sure to click the link below to hear my new single “I Still Love You”

Instagram: Misszenya

Twitter: Misszenya

Youtube: Zenyarita

TikTok: @zenyarita

Others: https://tr.ee/X4OVZxJnu_

Image Credits
Mark Von Holden Chellsea Pena Brandon Juarez Mark LAShark