Zee Avi: Zee Avi (Brushfire Records)

By Kevin Yeoh  •  27 Aug 2009 in Review

Thirsty for JUICE content? Quench your cravings on our Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp

This YouTube phenomenon orginally made waves as KokoKaina, which was her account name. She decided to change it to Zee Avi after British singer-songwriter Kris Rowley posted her songs on his site. The 23-year-old’s last posted video, ‘No Christmas For Me’ got her over 800,000 and counting messages, a record deal with Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records and a flight to LA to record this album. Often compared to the likes of Billie Holiday for her old soul vocals, ‘Poppy’ showcases her classic voice melted over a slide guitar. Zee Avi puts Malaysia on the map with ‘Kantoi’. Yeah! Rolling Stones may have given this album a 2 star rating, but hell who died and made them God of music? The album tone seldoms fluctuates, but after a few replays, you may fall in love. It’s going to be interesting to see where she takes it next.