Zaina the Phenom: Tiny Tunes, Big Dreams
By Emma Schwichtenberg
At just four years old, Zaina the Phenom answered music’s call, and the world took notice. Now seven, she continues to captivate audiences with her infectious enthusiasm and heartfelt lyrics.
Zaina's foray into music started with a simple yet profound dream: to become a rapper. Inspired by her love for radio songs and the encouragement of her father, she began crafting her own songs, with her debut track, "Watch Your Mouth," setting the stage for her future success. This song, which focuses on appreciating what one has, not only marked her entry into the music scene but also resonated deeply with listeners, highlighting her ability to convey meaningful messages through her art.
Today, Zaina's impressive repertoire includes songs like "I Can Be," which encourages children to pursue their dreams, and "Children Are the Future," a track dedicated to supporting and uplifting young people worldwide. Her music goes beyond entertainment; it serves as a powerful tool for social change, touching on important issues such as education, gratitude, and child protection.
Converge Music is thrilled to interview Zaina the Phenom to delve deeper into her inspiring journey and creative process. This interview offers a unique opportunity to explore how a young artist’s personal experiences and dreams translate into impactful music. As Zaina continues to rise as a motivational figure and a beacon of hope for kids around the world, Converge Music aims to share her story and celebrate her contributions to the music industry.
Converge Music recently spoke with Zaina and her father Lewis Brooks, about the heart behind her music and the aspirations driving her career.
So how are you doing today? You seem a little bit excited to be here.
Zaina: I'm doing okay. Today's a pretty nice day, and it's a good day for an interview because I love doing interviews.
Do you ever get nervous before interviews like this?
Zaina: Just a little nervous.
What do you do to kind of get over those nerves?
Zaina: I just shake it off. Shake it off.
So the first thing I noticed, obviously, when I walked up, was you were shooting your outfit for Zaina the Phenom. When did you start doing your clothing line?
Zaina: When I was maybe about two years old or something.
Brooks: Two years ago, we started an online store on Shopify, and it's been going pretty well. We began with just two items, and now we have over 300. We offer a variety of products, including Zaina's shoes and dresses for kids. The only thing we don't offer for kids is tennis shoes—only slides and house shoes. Overall, the store has been doing really well.
What's your favorite thing in your shop?
Zaina: Well, my favorite thing in my store is all my dresses, especially the women's ones, but I like the kids' ones better because they're just so adorable. They're so cute. And also, we have a little doggy outfit, so that's my favorite one too. And my necklaces.
So what kind of inspired you to start rapping or trying to pursue music?
Zaina: I wanted to start rapping when I was about four years old. I remember listening to the radio and trying to memorize the lyrics to the songs. My dad noticed this, and one day I asked him, "Hey Daddy, can you write me a song? I really want to be a rapper." He agreed, and I was thrilled because becoming a rapper had always been my dream. Our first song was "Watch Your Mouth," which is about appreciating whatever your parents give you. It’s about showing gratitude and making them happy, and I’m really excited to be a part of that message.
What did you think about that at first?
Brooks: I wouldn't say I took it very seriously. Just being honest with you, you know, but when she kept asking and asking, I knew she was serious. And so, like she said, I started writing songs with her. And when she was able to remember them so easily, we went and recorded her first song at a studio, and the rest is history, man. We shot a video for her, like she said, for her fourth birthday, and that's when her career just took off, you know. We've just been supporting her.
What was that experience like? Like actually being in the studio for the first time when you were four?
Zaina: It was fun. I think that's the word I should use. It was fun because I got to experience what it was like to be in a music studio for the first time since I was so little at the time. But I had fun. I got to see how the studio looked, and I got to listen to myself and how the beat was going. It was pretty nice. I liked the studio.
So is that what you do when you shoot music videos, too?
Zaina: Oh, it's pretty much the same thing. Pretty much the same thing.
So your dad shoots a lot of your videos, right?
Zaina: Yep. Yep. My dad does. He doesn't record my videos, but he does direct them, though, with my videographer. My dad just tells me what to do, and then I just do it.
What's that process like, shooting those videos?
Brooks: It's fun, man. So we pretty much sit down and come up with an idea, and then we go out there and just shoot it. And it's just fun for us, man. Like, her first video, like she was saying, was a mermaid-themed birthday party. We had her cousins and a whole bunch of little kids running around at the park. So it was fun, man. That's what we did. The first video actually went viral—over half a million views.
So when did you start noticing it gaining traction?
Brooks: When we dropped it, man, everybody on Facebook—friends and family—just started sharing it. And it just took off, man. I was like, wow. It was a good feeling. And like I said, it inspired us to keep going. We didn't stop after that.
So kind of bringing it back to what you said earlier, what do you think inspires your songs? How do you get your ideas?
Zaina: Well, my ideas come from my daily life. I think about my daily life every single day. So the songs just come out. I just have to tell my dad about them.
What is your favorite song that you've made so far?
Zaina: My favorite song so far is probably "Watch Your Mouth" because it was my first song. It's special to me because it's about appreciating what you have.
How do you come up with ideas for your songs?
Zaina: When I think of something, I might say, hmm. I already have a song called "Watch Your Mouth," and I have a lot of songs. For my next song, I wanted it to be about "I Can Be"—like, I can be whatever I want to be. So I asked my dad, "Daddy, can we write a song about that?" And he said, "Of course!" So we started writing and recording it, and it got a lot of views. It’s about how you can be anything you want to be, like a lawyer or a doctor.
Brooks: To expand on what Zaina said, we come up with the subject matter together. I like our songs to have a message that helps society, especially kids. For example, "Watch Your Mouth" is about appreciating your parents. "Time for School" emphasizes the importance of education. "I Can Be" encourages kids to work hard and stay on their goals. Our song "Children Are the Future" promotes helping kids around the world, touching on issues like child trafficking and exploitation. We aim to inspire and uplift through our music.
What is your current single about?
Lewis: Our latest single is "Children Are the Future." It’s one of my favorites because it emphasizes helping children and improving their lives. The song touches on important issues like child protection and encourages everyone to stand up for those who need it most.
What do you do outside of rapping?
Zaina: I have fun with my cousin, go to the farm, do gymnastics, and take piano lessons. I also love swimming.
Do you think you'll ever add piano to one of your songs?
Zaina: Yes, I want to add piano when I get better at it. There's a young girl who is a producer, and I think I could learn to make my own beats too.
Lewis: We’re considering buying some equipment for Zaina to explore beat-making. It would be great for her to be able to create her own music and save money in the process. We also have a nonprofit, Ziona Cares, and are working on opening a Learning Center to help kids with various activities and learning opportunities.
What do you think about before you go on stage?
Zaina: I think about how many people will be there. I get a little nervous, but I tell myself to calm down and just do my thing.
What’s your favorite thing about performing?
Zaina: I love when the crowd engages with me. I enjoy pointing the microphone at them so they can sing along.
How do you feel being a motivational figure for kids around the world?
Zaina: I feel happy and proud that I’m helping others. I want people to see my work and know that children are the future.
Zaina the Phenom has an exciting lineup of events ahead. On August 25th, she will be featured at the Arms Around You Foundation event, also in Seattle. In September, Zaina will make a special appearance at the Langston Hughes Center to share her new book, Zaina: Mermaid or Not (exact date to be determined). She’s also nominated for Best New Artist and the Expressions of Dance Award at the Girls Entrepreneur Society event in Chicago, Illinois, on October 12th, where she will open the show with a live performance. Zaina will also star as a six-year-old named Tiffany in the upcoming Netflix comedy, The Rogers.
Her latest single, "Children Are the Future," is closing in on 40,000 views, and she is gearing up for the release of her new single, "I Do It Big," on her birthday, September 8th.
For more updates, follow Zaina on her website and Instagram @zainatvofficial.
