Renee Zawawi

Artist Information

Biography

Renee Zawawi, or should we say: “Renee WOW – Y,” is Hollywood’s new “IT” girl. Through being an American vocalist, writer and a photographer, she has taken L.A. by surprise, and is relentlessly pursuing higher reaches of success. Renee is multi-talented and definitely has it ALL! She is charming, confident, and most of all, she is a petite beauty queen with wide eyes and large smile that can fill any room!

Her stirring dance – pop sound has been America’s best – kept secret – up to now. That won’t be the case for much longer! Her voice is sincere, honest, and has a childlike earnestness added with a bubbly effusiveness. Her sultry girl next-door appeal will bring to mind artists like Jennifer Love Hewitt and Britney Spears. Yet, what separates Renee from everyone else is her distinctive life story and how she coped with various traumas throughout her life. When people discover that Renee has had and overcome an extremely difficult childhood, while being able to maintain her sense of humor, deep personality, and achieve far – reaching success at the same time, they are truly blown away and inspired!

The journey to stardom for this pop – princess has not been an easy one. Renee is mysterious and strikingly beautiful. She has holy blood running through her veins by way of her being a descendent of an Arabian family line originating from – Mecca – The Arabian Peninsula. Renee was definitely a spiritual child, and was able to read verses from the Tura, the Bible, and the Quran beautifully, all by the age of three! Here parents were both physicians and in medical school at the time of Renee’s birth. Renee spent her early childhood in America before she was abducted from her home in Philadelphia by her nanny and taken overseas. Renee was held as a hostage for 15 years away from her parents and any signs of a nourishing environment. Eventually, Renee would find herself moving around from different homes and orphanages throughout the Middle East and Europe until she found her way back to the USA. In regards to this experience, Renee says: Although music wasn’t allowed, I used to sing as a way to release my soul and rid myself of the heartache that I was going through. Truly though, I wish I was here in the USA as a teen! I would have loved to experience either Disney or WB studios, and propyl would have done well.” Through perseverance and determination, Renee eventually reunited with her father in Philadelphia. Upon her return home, Renee was still confronted with many difficult challenges: “I searched for my mother all of my life. By the time I had finally found her, she had passed on. The only time I saw her after my return was in the funeral home.”

To help keep focus during this time of turmoil, Renee’s father put education in the forefront of his daughter’s life. As Renee worked to catch up on her education, she became a victim of her alcoholic and jealous stepmother, who treated her bitterly. As a teenager in America, Renee spent her nights driving in the streets or walking into late – night movies as an attempt to remove herself from any further abuse within her own home. Renee quickly adapted to the pop – culture scene and nightlife in Philadelphia. Renee would go on to compete and find success in local and national beauty pageant competitions. She would win the title of “Miss PA” and win at the USA World Showcase talent completion at the MGM in Las Vegas. Renee would move on to New York City and during her brief stay in New York, Renee found time to work at the NYC comedy club, while also self – producing and recording her first Pop/Dance album “Legends.” “Legends” contained 12 original songs with worldly danceable beats and lyrics.

The debut of the “Legends” album certainly generated some positive reviews. Paul Zimmerman from NBC News remarked: “Without a doubt, Renee has an amazing past and a fascinating story to tell. Her song “American Girl” makes it obvious that we could have a true diva in the making here. “Legends” was mostly an “audio art recording rather than the typical love and political sound. The record came to life as a one – woman show in an art gallery. The show was a combination of her paintings, drawing, photography, music, and videos. Renee would go on to open a live dance performance with the song “Wind Was Music.” “Wind” was performed live and A Cappella style without any music. Renee’s first multimedia performance was certainly interesting and brought to mind visual artists and pop icons like Andy Warhol. The show was a smashing success and the event was consistently “sold out.” Yes, it seems that fans just couldn’t get enough of Renee, or her life in art however; Renee decided not to install the show again. When fans flocked to social media sites like Facebook and MySpace to ask her why she decided not to do the show again, Renee would ultimately delete both her Facebook and My space pages. Renee was suffering through a major case of PTSD (Post – traumatic Stress Disorder) as she fought to overcome the pain brought on as a result of her childhood trauma.

Renee decided to relocate to Hollywood, California to not only further her musical pursuits, but expand her career options as well. Renee started to take film and photography classes at Brooks Institute. Aside from being an honor student, Renee would go on to begin working for Olan Mills Family Portrait Studios. Sooner than she could have imagined, Renee was able to utilize her artistic talent and energy towards producing an alluring and high – fashion music video for her hit single “American Girl.” The video earned Renee best pop dance video nomination at the Canada Toronto Magazine Awards in 2007. That same year, Renee produced her famous 17 – month calendar featuring her in many different outfits, fashion, and colorful wigs. Renee would receive positive reviews for both her playfulness and creativity. This was also the same time Renee decided to start a children’s fund aimed at helping victimized and deprived children from all over the world. She also used her musical and artistic talents to assist various hurricane and natural disaster relief efforts throughout the United States.

Renee was still trying to manage her bout with PTSD without the assistance of medical help. During a dance rehearsal prior to a promotional tour, she took a big fall. Despite the fact that Renee had literally and symbolically broke her foot, she still produced another fun pop – music video for her second single: “Happy Hour.” The video features Renee complete with real casts and crutches. The video was both humorous and sexy. Renee was having a “cake orgasm” while singing French inserts and dancing with a camel while killing hospital staff. Renee promoted her both her single and video during the Cannes 2008 music festival, in the hope that her work would be reproduced with a record label and bigger budget. Critics and fans alike both had high praise for Renee’s “Happy Hour” video, which helped to catapult the both the video and Renee’s website to the top of Google search engine results in the process.

While preparing for her “Happy Hour” release party, Renee collapsed. She was suffering from chronic fatigue and major PTSD symptoms. This forced Renee to take time away from the stage and public eyes in order to heal properly. Through it all, Renee still managed to create the wild pop – dance songs; her work was not only unique, but inspiring to other artists and producers as well.

Renee has now regained her health and is working on publishing a movie script based on her life story and recovery from PTSD. “ I healed my life via searching for God’s light. God blessed me with Vision and Voice. I sing for pleasure and I write with light”. Renee decided to take a new milieu approach to music and recorded cover songs “Fever” and “Smooth Operators” with a live band. The song features Renee’s voice at its absolute best: “sassy and sweet.” Renee can be found performing at upscale Martini lounges, wine bars, and on the Sunset Strip, in particular at the “Whiskey a Go – Go.”

Aside from her musical talent, Renee is creating an entire chic fashion and cultural scene where women of all sizes, ages, and backgrounds are coming together to follow Renee’s lead. This includes wearing tight skinny jeans, fitted tops, leather/velvet jackets. Renee is adopting the classic Hollywood style of clothing, combined with a touch of elegant Arabian accessories, gold, diamonds and other luxuries to her wardrobe that further compliments her “Barbie – doll” like figure. Renee has yet to be discovered as Hollywood’s new and latest fashion icon. Currently, Renee is working as a fashion and celebrity photographer. Renee socializes with musicians, actors, producers, and writers. Best of all, Renee is living the American Dream and continually elevating herself celebrity status, while continuing to remain a humble and public – friendly figure. Renee is rapidly coming to be known as the pop – star photographer!

Instrumentation

Renee Zawawi - Vocalist

Discography

Renee Zawawi “American Girl” has been added to more than 200 colleges & community stations and has been charted on (peak positions):
KEUL#1RPM, KDNK#1RPM/A, WRFR#1RPM/A, KEUL#1RPM/A, M3#1A,
WEFT#1RPM/A, KWCR#1RPM/A, M3 #1RPM/A, WBIM#2RPM/A,
WRLC#2RPM/A, WERU#2RPM/A, M3#2RPM, WUMD#3RPM/A,
WUPJ#3RPM/A, KMUD#3RPM/A, WTCC#3RPM/A, KDWG#4RPM/A,
WVUA#4RPM, WAIH#4RPM/A, KBUT#4RPM/A, WRIR#5RPM/A, KFAI#5RPM/A, M3#5, WMHC#5RPM/A, KAMP#5RPM/A, WSUW#5RPM/A, WRLC#6RPM, KFAI#8RPM, KSJD#8RPM, WERU#9RPM, KEUL#15.

Official Website

http://www.reneezawawi.com

Audio

• smooth Operator
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• Happy Hour Club
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• American Girl Club
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• Fever Club
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Video

America Girl

Photo Gallery

Press

• PRESS Reviews [+ Show ]
  

  Reviewer Magazine-Kent Manthie " Pop Princess Renee Zawawi is smart young woman; she has written ...
  Reviewer Magazine-Kent Manthie
  " Pop Princess Renee Zawawi is smart young woman; she has written a bunch of songs, recorded them and the result is "L-E-G-E-N-D-S", her debut CD; 12 tracks of danceable exotic pop-phoria. "L-E-G-E-N-D-S" is a CD with some vividly expressive vocal chords. Its syncopated Euro-style neo-disco with a tinge of the Middle Eastern to it, but mostly it's a dance-pop record with a European flair to it.”
  
  Chicken Fish Speak Review of Renee's Calendar by Grog Mutant
  She is stunning and has a very classic yet versatile style. Each month has a theme and she does a great job of capturing the moment. Other cool things are the extra Black & white photos on each page which Renee took herself and the fact that all the text is in three languages English, French and Spanish.
  
  Windy City Review
  On the cover of her debut outing L-E-G-E-N-D-S, Renee Zawawi wears a skirt made up of flags representing various countries and a top designed out of Old Glory. This Philadelphia native finds pride in her uniqueness on the opening number, “American Girrrl” which was nominated for best international dance song at
  The Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards.
  
  Grave Concerns Ezine-Robert Eaton
  “There is a dearth of intelligent, earnest pop music currently; Renee Zawawi's "Legends" is just the sort of thing that could fill such a void. The album is full of haunting melodies, catchy bass lines, and thoughtful lyrics. The album seems to try and to take you all of the places which the artist has traveled, and all the places she has been emotionally: from ecstatic, to despairing, rather a whirlwind of contemporary pop. All together, it is an interesting and enjoyable album.”
  
  Online Rock
  Why doesn’t more dance music feature singers who can actually sing? LEGENDS, the debut album from Renée Zawawi, doesn’t make that mistake. Zawawi’s voice is smooth and sassy, shaking its hips across a series of danceable world beats. This album recalls Madonna’s Ray of Light, a sweet, sharp example of what dance music can be when it showcases
  a talented vocalist.
  
  Agenda Magazine – Sean Mckenzie
  “Prevalent in L-E-G-E-N-D-S, Renée experiments with different and unique sounds. The beats are infectious and very synonymous with clubs and DJs. Renée's voice is soothing and smooth—very reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto, in that she can hold a note in a comfortable range with so much control, making it seem effortless.”
  
  First Cost News by Paul Zimmerman
  “Renee has potential and "American Girrrl," makes that obvious. It seems as though the more up-tempo the song the more comfortable Renee seems with her voice and as a result it would almost seem that this is the direction she should pursue. Legends is an album of potential, if Zawawi continues to make more up-tempo songs, we could have a diva in the market!”
  
  Feedfury.com Review of Legends by C. W. Ross
  “With its club world beats and strong lyrics you should be hearing the songs from Renee Zawawi's Legends pumping from both your local club and favorite radio station.”
  
  Hot Indie music Review of Legends By Ralph White
  “ Tracks like "Mah" display the electronic-dance side of her personality while "Papa" is a worthy effort any World Beat artistwould be proud of. Other tracks are perfumed with a Madonna-esque pop scent listeners can choose to dance with.”
  
  Orcasound Review Of Legends by Cary
  “Sounding like she is straight out of some European dance club, Renee Zawawi keeps things light and syrupy. Though the album moves from sound to sound seemingly effortlessly, she is at her best when she is doing light dance club tracks which are infused with Middle Eastern beats.”
  
  Nuevorevolution.com
  “Let's dance the night away and forget that problems that face us. Renee Zawawi brings a dance alt. sound to the world with "Legends." The track Reunion is one of the tracks that make you want to grab your dance shoes and hit the dance floor. Fun dance music with an international appeal.”
  
  

Setlist

Basic Requirements

Calendar