ZARA RAJAONA_ SINGER & SONGWRITER (jazz, fusion jazz, world music...)
Zara RAJAONA, author-composer, decorated “Knight of the National Order of Malagasy Arts and Letters and Culture” in 2015, specializes in jazz, particularly the fusion of jazz with the Malagasy style of music. This fusion trend has already been noticed in his 3rd album ANGOVO MIABO released in 2020.
Zara Rajaona aims to promote Malagasy music through jazz because jazz is considered universal music. This fact facilitates the understanding of our music on a global level.
Having started his artistic career in 2012 in the WALKING JAZZ event organized by Radio Lazan'Iarivo, she was described by the press as a revelation of Malagasy jazz at the time;
This first performance was immediately followed by collaborations with the famous names of Malagasy jazz, including Samy Andriamanoro and Datita Rabeson in concerts and cabarets and above all participation in all the events organized within the MADAJAZZCAR International Festival (from 2012 to 2024)
Noticed by other promoters and organizers, she has performed in various cabarets, concerts, and festivals including recently the Nosy Be Symphony Festival in 2023 and the DAGO MADNESS BEATZ Festival 2024
ALBUMS:
- RAHOVIAN’INDRAY? in 2013
- THE TRIBUTE in 2016
- ANGOVO MIABO in 2020
- in progress NOSY MENA (Red Island) which will mix Malagasy music with jazz. The release of this album is planned for early 2025
URBAN CRAFT MAGAZINE ARTICLE :http://www.urbancraftmagazine.co.zw/2018/06/zara-r-announces-3rd-album.html
ZARA R. Announces 3rd Album
Author Avatar By Nashe Kelz
11:09 0
In the aftermath of her first public performance, Madagascar's local media called her a 'revelation'. Since then, the Antananarivo jazz singer/songwriter, Zara Rajaonarsoa, has -without a doubt - lived up to the hype!
She is today in the process of putting her 3rd album together and looking to take her music to an international audience.
"I am now working on my 3rd album that will contain all my new compositions, the sound will be a fusion of jazz and malagasy music styles. I plan to release it in one or two years time.
"My next goal, in the medium term, is to reach a larger audience (nationally and internationally) and to release another album containing other compositions. This 3RD ALBUM will be a mirror of who I am", she said.
Having released her 2nd album back in July 2016 titled 'THE TRIBUTE' her fans will surely be ecstatic to hear that a new album is in the works.
The Tribute was an album that paid homage to some of her favourite authors and composers, the likes of Duke Ellington, Thelenious Monk and Andy Razaf, to name but a few.
She is a Madagasdcar University graduate where she majored in Management and had a very comfortable job as a Monitoring and evaluation Officer at the United Nations Office in Madagascar but ZARA chose to quit in order to pursue her passion for music!
Even though the industry is not yet bringing in the desired rewards, the jazz musician is determined in her path and shows no signs of wavering.
"Jazz is not the kind of genre that artists can earn huge amounts of money from, especially in a country like Madagascar where a limited number of people follow jazz music. In my case I have to combine it with other work ( I own a business in handicraft fashion, where I am my own stylist: it's my second passion).
"I am an independant artist and have to finance myself, including all my music-related expenses but, as I become more and more well-known, I can earn money from cabarets in differents restaurants, concerts, and private festivities", she said.
Zara R's art education began as a member of various choirs, in church, school where her talents always shone the brightest leading to her often being given the role of group soloist. Having a serious and powerful voice, she is also very comfortable as an Alto in the choir. Her passion for jazz naturally developed because she emerged from a family of artists and great jazz music lovers, and the airs of jazz rocked her teen years.
"My goal as jazz singer is to perform at a lot of international jazz festivals and to make exchange experiences with a lot of jazz musicians.
"To ameliorate my stage performance, I follow training in tap-dancing, I love it, and will combine it with jazz singing. I also follow percussion playing", said the musician.
ZARA made a successful debut in 2013 with an 11 track album and In 2015 the Ministry of Culture awarded her the decoration of the 'Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts, des Lettres et de la Culture' award.
In order to enrich her creativity and her experiences with jazz, Zara also works with young talent, including members of the jazz club of the Germanic Cultural Center of Madagascar and other locally renowned jazz musicians.
https://www.amazon.fr/Tribute-Explicit-Zara-R/dp/B01JCY6OUO/ref=sr_1_4?ie
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/zara-r/id498144223