EP 16 | Zee Avi - A Malaysian Youtube Sensation Making Waves From Local to Global

“I was actually born and bred to be a lawyer but I was very rebellious. I did not tell my family or friends that I was posting music on Youtube as Kokokaina. My parents knew that I love singing but I was really afraid at first, that’s why I did it in secret.” --- Zee Avi   In this podcast episode, Zee Avi shares her dreams growing up as a Sarawakian. She talks about what made her come home and how she reconnected with the local music scene after residing in the United States for many years. She shares being an advocate for anti-bullying and mental as well as what inspired her to do so. She talks about her process for song-writing and practical advice to anyone who wants to succeed in the local Malaysian music scene.   To check out Zee Avi’s music as mentioned in the podcast, here are the links:  https://www.zeeavi.com/ https://spoti.fi/3k8fQab   Zee Avi (@zee.avi) is a Malaysian singer/ songwriter, guitarist, ukulele player and visual artist. She started her music career in 2009, when she was signed to Brushfire Records, making her the first Malaysian to reach many international marks in the US and Asia.    She has performed at esteemed festivals and in many iconic venues and stages, performing tours in the US, Asia, and 6 different cities in China, and much recently, Bangalore, India.    Zee’s songs have also appeared in ads, TV series such as Gossip Girl, Parenthood, Private Practice, Good Doctor, SPY as well as in Movies such as 21 Jump Street, The Oranges and Ola Bola.   Now, more than 10 years later, Zee is a self-funded, independent artist who is still creating music for her long term supportive appreciators around the world.  If you enjoy the podcast, do leave us feedback on Apple Podcasts/ iTunes! It will help us understand our listeners better and help convince high profile guests to join us on the show.   Follow our host, Derek Toh: Instagram: instagram.com/derektohc Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/derektoh Follow Hello Mentor!: http://wobbjobs.com/hellomentor