about zazuka
Biography:
zazuka is the artist name of Jordanian-born Berlin-based composer, producer and
songwriter Zeina Azouqah. Her at times atmospheric and at times percussive music utilises both acoustic as well as
electronic elements. She started her path in music as a keyboard and piano player in bands, theatres and sufi poetry
groups as well as Adige (Circassian) folklore groups. Through these multicultural experiences, she developed an authentic style for intercultural
music arrangements and composition. Some of her pieces have been performed by the renowned Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg, the WDR Funkhausorchester in Cologne and various intercultural chamber ensembles in Berlin, Beirut, Cairo, Cologne and
Amman.
After moving from Jordan to Germany in 2009, she completed her studies in Film and Animation in Nuremberg and learned about all aspects
of filmmaking, eventually stepping into the film music world, writing and orchestrating music for dozens of films as well as working as a score editor and providing sound design for animated and live
action films. "NICO" (dir. E. Gehring, prod. and starring S. Fazilat), which she scored with her colleague Doro Bohr was on the shortlist for the German candidate for Best International Feature for the OSCARS in 2022. Most recently, she was
awarded the DOK.composition Award at the DOK.fest film festival in Munich for the yet-unreleased soundtrack to the upcoming documentary "Harvest Moon" (dir. R. Ayasa).
As a singer-songwriter she has released two chamber-pop and classical crossover singles as well as an album under the artist
name zazuka. She has also worked as an arranger and producer on
various upcoming EPs and Albums with other Berlin-based artists, including Mia
Diekow, Barbara
Cuesta and Wizzy. She has recently released an EP of 4 songs produced by Maxi
Menot and funded by Initiative Musik to be released in 2023 with the publisher Kick the Flame and Edition B+.
Albums and EPs: zazuka (2019) Azem yi
Pxu (2023)
Singles: Hadeel (2022), Family Portrait (2021), Turn Everything (2017), Hudna (2017), Orira (2023)
Organisations:
ATEM e.V. Rockcamps and Creative
Social Projects for Girls and Nonbinary Youth
Track15 Collective
Alliance for Women Film Composers
WIFT Germany
Press
"...a pop record with dense tonal, rhythmic and thematic weight..." - Bandcamp Best of Folk July 2023
"New sounds and sensibilities are exactly what we are getting from Zazuka's delicately and fastidiously produced distinctive work." - The New Arab
"…her Middle Eastern roots are combined with contemporary classical music into beautiful, absorbing songs.” – beehy.pe
“Her music is a pick-your-sound adventure: emotive piano; spirited strings; atmospheric rhythms; vocals from sensuous to mischievous…”
– dbs Berlin
“Reflections and Thoughts” – a feature on the debut Album “zazuka” at Project Revolver.
Nominations and Awards
Best Music for a Short Film @RAGFF, Mexico for "Cadence of the Valley" (2020, dir. Rama Ayasra)
Peer Raben Music
Award 2020 (for the soundtrack to “Revolvo”)
Druckversion 