ZANA

When Zana sings, it is immediately apparent that this is indeed a soul singer, yet, it is something out of the ordinary - something pleasantly unusual about the music and her style. The beat and the rhythm is indigenously Balkan, obviously owing to her familial upbringing. The expression reflects, on the one hand, the song of a true gypsy, however, stretches across the great Atlantic to the souls of black folks. The expression is bold, yet sensuous; fiery, yet soothing. An article about Zana in Gringo magazine quotes well-known concert promoter, describing her music as “a different kind of soul.” “Zana and Süperstar Orkestar are turning Balkan into new Jamaica,” says Metro Though she is a long distance away from Mostar, a small town in Bosnia/Herzegovina, it is apparent that it is within arm´s reach of her heart. She left the town at age eleven, along with her mother and siblings. Escape is actually the better word. They fled a war, which raged at the time. All of any value was sold. All the rest was left behind in a hasty departure from the only world she had ever known as Mostar rapidly faded from sight in the bat of an eyelash. She knew then instinctively that she would return. Upon reaching Sweden, her musical studies resumed. She was noticed and taken under wing by world-renowned jazz pianist and vocal coach Steve Garrick (Barbara Streisand, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, etc). He immediate saw something world-class in the neophyte diva and began working with her vocal abilities. The association only ended with Garrick`s untimely passing when she was thirteen. At age fifteen, Zana recorded her first demo which immediately landed her a record offer from Sony Music. By seventeen, she was singing in before a live television audience of 20,000 in Sarajevo. Since then, Zana has performed on numerous stages and venues throughout Scandinavia and the Balkans, drawing accolades and fans from many diversities. She has been guest on Swedish TV show, Nyhetsmorgon, as well as television and radio interviews and performances in Bosnia and Hercegovina , Croatia and Montenegro. Her video, Gotta Stop, is regularly rotated on the digital channel Balkan Media. Zana has performed at the Hoodsfred Festival in Sweden and Budva Music Festival in Montenegro. Additionally, she was chosen as Artist of the Week on the prestigious Hitquarters website. Presently, Zana is engaged in putting finishing touches to her new CD, Balkan Soul, due to be released this summer. Zana teaches music at United World College in Mostar. So, in more ways than one, Zana is drawn back to her roots … in song and in person. SEE: myspace.com/zanamusic ZanaMusic.com