Sass. Sultriness. Strength. Those are the three s’s that come to mind when thinking about Zāna. The multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter has mixed Arabic and Latin influences to create a new genre considered “gypsy pop.” Zāna can belly dance to traditional Arabic tones while appealing to the usual pop crowd. Not only is she the sole creator of her music, but, in some cases, she produces as well. Music has been her passion since she was young, making it a viable career path when she earned her BA in Professional Music at Berklee College of Music. She has written with Grammy Award-winning producers Tim Mitchell (Shakira) and George Noriega (JLo). Her past release “Call Ya” amassed over 1.4 million views since its release.
Zāna’s debut EP, The Beauty of Zora, is dedicated and named after her grandmother who had schizophrenia. Each track touches on different mental health struggles she (Zāna) has dealt with. By addressing these complex issues, Zāna can open up to fans and relieve the pain she has experienced.
“Nah”, produced by LEFTI and written by Zāna, is a song that every woman can relate to, and every man can learn from. As Zāna walks into the club, every guy attempts to make a move by catcalling her or approaching her. Yet with the simple wave of her finger, Zāna wards off the intrusive men. She shows no interest in any of them; instead, she walks confidently towards the table where her girlfriends are sitting. Throughout the night, the men don’t back down and still try to impress her from across the bar, but Zāna doesn’t even notice. Sometimes it is not about you guys! Girls simply want to look great, feel great and go out without being hit on at every turn. A simple and respectful approach is fine but after the first “no” just walk away. This anthem is the perfect representation of what people think and feel when met with unwanted, creepy gestures; all they want to say is “Nah” over and over again like Zāna. You can see some of the girls having fun and dancing with the guys in the bar but in the end they walk out alone because not every female-male interaction prompts a one night stand. Girls just want to have fun—on their own terms.
