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Artist
Zana Messia
8+ albums
about
An established performer across the Balkans, Zana Messia, has gained a solid reputation as a singer-songwriter, appearing regularly on screen, stage and radio. Her voice embodies the spirit and emotion of Balkan Roma music and flirts with r&b, soul and jazz. The result is a pure cross-cultural blend of the traditional and contemporary, with influences that stay true to her rich Balkan roots and her passion for jazz standards. Her music has been referred to as "Balkan Soul” or "World Soul". A typical set list might include Zana's original material, jazz standards and a few gypsy standards in Roma language. Zana has recently placed her music in domestic and internationally released films including her song "If You're Wondering", featured in the movie "The Lightkeepers", which was submitted to AMPAS for consideration as "Best Original Song" in the 2010 Academy Awards. Zana’s band"The Balkan Soul Orchestra" has had notable performances at well known venues including: The Mint, House Of Blues, The Pasadena Music Festival, The Walk Of Fame festival. Zana's background alone is a whirlwind ride. She spent her early childhood in Mostar in the former Yugoslavia, learning to play piano and winning local dance contests. But her musical sensibilities were quickly curtailed at the age of 11 - war broke out in Bosnia/Herzegovina. Her family was forced to sell their possessions in exchange for bus tickets, and flee as refugees to Sweden. Despite the upheaval, Zana resumed her music studi
