Zee Avi Biography
Zee Avi real name Izyan Alirahman is a Malaysian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and ukulele player born on 15th December 1985 in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. She is also known as KokoKaina. Avi has the distinction of being the first Malaysian singer to have albums on the US Billboard Hot 200 Albums chart and top a Billboard chart (Heatseekers Album).
In December 2012, Zee Avi was conferred the state order and medal of Pegawai Bintang Kenyalang (Officer of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak) for her service to the state of Sarawak by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Head of State). The award is the Fifth Rank of the Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak (Most Illustrious Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak).
Zee Avi Career
At the age of 12 Zee Avi moved to Kuala Lumpur from Mir, located in Sarawak, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. At the age of 17 she self taught herself to play the guitar. She played rhythm guitar in a couple of bands while in Kuala Lumpur.
Zee Avi moved to London to study fashion design at the American InterContinental University.
After moving from London she started writing her own songs. In September 2007 she posted her first song, “Poppy” on YouTube for one of her friends who had missed her first performance in Kuala Lumpur. She received positive feedback and this inspired her to put more videos on YouTube.
On the eve of her 22nd birthday she posted, “No Christmas For Me”, which was supposedly her final video. Her video was put on spotlight the next day by YouTube. She received more than 3,000 emails and offers from record labels.
Zee Avi was signed by Bushfire Recors and ‘No Chrismas For Me’ turned out to be her first official song with Brushfire Records. It was featured on Brushfire Records’s 2008 charity Christmas album This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday (Vol. 1).
On 19th May 2009 her self titled album was released. On the day of the release, YouTube featured her on the front page in Spotlight: Music Tuesday. The album became ninth best album of 2009 according to the Associated Press.
Zee AviOn 23rd August 2011 her second album Ghostbird was released.The album topped the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. Singles “Swell Window” and “Concrete Wall” were featured in Season 5 of the hit television series ‘Gossip Girl’.
On 22nd April 2014 she released her third album ‘Nightlight’ which composed of nine tracks. Zee Avi released two tracks from the album, The Velvet Underground’s “Who Loves The Sun” and Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” in February 2014, as teasers for her new record. Nightlight made it on the iTunes Best of 2014 Albums (Children’s Music) list.
On 26th November 2016 Zee Avi won Best Original Film Song at the 53rd Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards for Arena Cahaya, the theme song she co-wrote and performed for one of Malaysia’s highest grossing films of all time, Ola Bola.
Zee Avi Albums
- Zee Avi
- Ghostbird
- Nightlight
Zee Avi Songs
- Bitter Heart
- Poppy
- Honey Bee
- Just You And Me
- Is This The End
- Monte
- Kantoi
- I Am Me Once More
- First of the Gang to Die
- Darlin’ It Ain’t Easy
- The Story
- Let Me In
- Swell Window
- Anchor
- 31 Days
- Milestone Moon
- Siboh Kitak Nangis
- The Book of Morris Johnson
- Madness
- Bag of Gold
- Concrete Wall
- Roll Your Head in the Sun
- Stay in the Clouds
- Don’t Worry, Be Happy
- Colors of the Wind
- Who Loves The Sun
- Ben
- Rainbow Connection
- The Circle Game
- Mockingbird
- Dream A Little Dream of Me
- Nightlight Medle
- Is This The End (remix)
- I Wish I Never
- Just You And Me (remix)
- The Story (remix)
- No Christmas For Me
- Frosty The Snowman
- Tomorrow Is a Long Time
- Heart Of The Moment
- We’ll Be Happy
- Heart Of The Moment
- All The Way Up
- Our Vintage Love
- Arena Cahaya
Zee Avi Video
About InformationCradle Editorial Staff
This Article is produced by InformationCradle Editorial Staff which is a team of expert writers and editors led by Josphat Gachie and trusted by millions of readers worldwide.
We endeavor to keep our content True, Accurate, Correct, Original and Up to Date. For complain, correction or an update, please send us an email to informationcradle@gmail.com. We promise to take corrective measures to the best of our abilities.