User:Queenlaza/sandbox



Zahyia "Z" Rolle (Born October 17, 1975), often referred to as "Lady Z" or "ZZ Rolle", is a singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, choreographer, and music producer. Zahyia grew up in Liberty, NY, a small town in the Catskill Mountains. Her father, a jazz musician/educator, began teaching her piano at 5 years old. By the time Zahyia was 7, she was performing on stage in various community theater productions. Zahyia began writing and producing original material at the age of 12. Sometimes performing her originals out with her father.

In 1995, while attending the University of Rochester, Zahyia wrote and produced her first EP entitled "Afro-di-Ziac".

In 2005, Zahyia performed as a member of The Boston Praise Collective on their debut CD From Exile to Exaltation on Dissonance Resolved Records. Two of her original works were featured on the CD, Questions, which was nominated for a 2006 Independent Music Award for "Best Hip-Hop Song", and HWP #11, a Latin driven song based on a quote from The Hidden Words Persian, revelation number 11 (hence the name, which is the acronym HWP). Her vocal contribution on the track entitled "My God, My Adored One" lead her to the 2006 Independent Music Award for "Best Gospel Song".

In 2007, Zahyia teamed up with Filthy Funk and rap artist Ric Rude to create the single entitled Music which was featured on Filthy Funk Records Eklectric CD

In 2009, Zahyia continued with her musical contributions to the Baha'i Faith by teaming up with her spiritual brother Damien-Adia Marassa to create the acoustic EP Magnify, a collection of direct quotes from The Hidden Words set to music.

After a year delay, Zahyia released her second solo EP in 2011 entitled I Breathe Music, featuring the single Umm Duh, a light hearten testimony of the financial struggles she was facing at the time.

In 2012, Zahyia released the single It's Our Love, a dedication to the marriage of her sister-in-law.

Zahyia currently performs nationally with an upstate NY show band Nik and the Nice Guys, and her own DivaZ show (a tribute to the lives of Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, and Tina Turner. The show also features her original music and her two daughters).