Today we’d like to introduce you to Zarah (also Zarah Maillard).
Hi Zarah,
Today we’d like to introduce you to Zarah (also Zarah Maillard).
Hi Zarah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up in LA was the perfect place for a musical artist like me who had dreams and aspirations. Music was very much a way of life and a form of entertainment and expression that ran in my family while I got involved in the Hollywood scene. I knew early on I wasn’t satisfied with just being a performer, and I was sort of thrust into the world of not only ‘songwriting’ but ‘writing’ in general by default as I simply didn’t want to wait for somebody to hand me a song one day whenever that person comes into my life. So, I began to learn how to write my own songs and emerged myself as a songwriter and an author, which turned out to be the right decision and, necessary. My first break came when I started to open up for the rock band Goo Goo Dolls on the East Coast and back to LA. I was and still is grateful for the opportunity that Johnny and Robby gave me and I knew right there and then that I had to deliver the goods and so, I did.
As I reached the level of success came my television hosting career for the nationally syndicated music-based weekly series “B InTune TV” teaching while entertaining teens with an A-list roster that covered the gamut from Rhianna, Alicia Keys, and Jared Leto to legends like Clint Eastwood. We were in partners with major record labels like Universal and Warner Records, and I remember going back and forth in their studio to interview their artists. “B InTune TV” was cleared by major broadcasts and cable networks like Viacom/CBS Television Group, NBC, ABC, FOX, and DirecTV, seen in 120 million homes in the US alone, with an additional 80 million households in international territories. This set the stage for my writing career, where more opportunities came about as I became the contributing writer for the show.
Years later, I visited the French Riviera, and I made the decision to become a novelist and write a murder mystery. But like the old adage goes, every good thing in life comes to an end and when I experienced the tragic loss of my late husband, I was never the same again. It totally transformed me in ways that was incomprehensible though enabled me to publish my first book “Diamonds are For Cocktails” dedicating it to him and release songs from my upcoming debut album “Blind Woman” thereafter. My story is one of redemption, survival, and triumph, where an unforeseen journey in my life was dealt with grace, perseverance, and determination and by beating all the odds against me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think life is full of challenges or at least that is how I see it. There have been many obstacles along the way of course, like your daily or even your future challenges whether it’s your career, business, relationships, etc. For example, I never wanted to become a writer my whole life even though ironically, it led me to the success that I have today. By sheer force, hard work, and determination, I had painfully taught myself on how to write songs, teleplay, screenplay, and lately, a novel, which I would argue is the most difficult to achieve in writing, considering it requires an incredible amount of time, thorough understanding, dedication and skills, and relentless practice to pay attention to all the details.
None of these came easy for me especially coming from someone who disliked writing with passion growing up. But as difficult as some of these challenges were, I’ve always been able to overcome all of it. However, the passing of my late husband put me out of my element for the first time in my life, even for a well-experienced person like me. I had to face yet the biggest challenge that tested my inner strength, capabilities, and resolve all at once while trying to heal and recover and adjust to my new life. Again, it is not for the faint of heart nor for the delicate individuals. Being able to go through such a tragedy is not only immensely difficult or near impossible but it is only meant for the ones who can and will survive it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a multi-entertainer who’s been known in the industry as Zarah or Zarah Maillard. I’ve been a singer-songwriter, author, television personality, and producer for many years now. And because of the tragedy I had experienced lately, my work more than ever, became the basis of my solace and fortitude along with my faith as I worked towards the healing process, channeling my grief into my creativity. Because I am an artist at heart, I had to work on something that I was passionate with. That’s how music and writing played a critical role not only regularly in my life but during my utmost needed moments. It was my form of therapy that lets you stay focused and serves as an outlet but in a healthy and not a self-destructive way that unfortunately some troubled souls would sometimes find themselves in. Hence, the publishing of my first novel “Diamonds are For Cocktails” was endorsed by Fox News and featured on Times Square billboard in New York, and now the release of my critically acclaimed singles “What Have We Become?” and “Blind Woman” that’s been added to 124 Spotify Playlists up to date including the Editorial and Radio Playlists in the US and Europe from my upcoming debut LP “Blind Woman”. These are the products of my story, and being recognized for my work has been bittersweet but by the same token, thrilling.
Another passion of mine is working on meaningful projects that my husband and I have started to help advance music and arts education for youth through the power of music in the edutainment space where we worked with U2, particularly Bono, and brought in local high school musicians during their rehearsal through The GRAMMY Foundation as well as other music related youth initiatives in the past. That said, I am working on re-launching our television series “B InTune TV” along with other media initiatives and youth programs in a global capacity in conjunction with the United Nations to support and promote their humanitarian goals. Through these initiatives, we are able to use music as a tool to help educate and entertain youth and children around the world, heal their emotional and mental pains, inspire their dreams, break barriers in their languages, and give comfort and hope to those who are lost, abused, displaced, disadvantaged including stimulating the minds of young adults and children with special needs.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I’ve always been a believer that challenges in our lives are brought upon us so to test ourselves and take away the good lessons that we can learn from and share it with others. I’ve been a thought leader edutaining teens for many years, even at the early stage of my music and writing career, and the one thing I tend to underscore is that crises are designed to make you stronger and wiser and simply to recalibrate your life so you can be the best version of yourself to help others. In my case, I had to be twice as determined and work my hardest to earn all of the success and accolades in my career and I have proven people wrong time and again. For instance, I was told that I couldn’t publish my book because the publishing world is a difficult one and same goes with my music that supposedly it wasn’t good enough. And if that wasn’t challenging enough, I had to go through such tragedy of losing my husband where I have to battle all sorts of unimaginable circumstances in life.
But evidently, I had defied my own boundaries and limitations I didn’t know I had all because people told me I couldn’t do it and that my belief and desire to reach the fullest of my potential was simply too strong to ignore, especially when I encountered such tragedy that changed me perpetually. In a matter of only a couple of months, I got a publishing deal, and when I realized one day that I wasn’t done with my music at all, I also decided to release songs from my upcoming album “Blind Woman”. Suddenly, it was that simple just when things got so complicated in my life. I became all the more, bolder and fearless. It is through the pains we encounter in life that define our very characters and how we perform as humans. A record producer once called me a ‘phoenix’ as I’ve not only been able to survive anything in this world, but I’ve resurrected myself in more ways than one could ever imagine. As I always say, “the bigger the pain, the better the story” and despite of it all, I am immensely grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zarahrocks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zarahrocks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thezarahrocks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/zarahrocks
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thezarahrocks
Image Credits
Personal Photo # 1: Singer-songwriter and author Zarah Publicity Image (Courtesy of Black Dog Ent Grp) Additional Photo # 2: Recording artist Zarah performs live in Hollywood, CA (Photo credit: Michael Bezjian) Additional Photo # 3: Singer-songwriter Zarah performs live with her band in LA (Photo credit: Michael Bezjian) Additional Photo # 4: Singer-songwriter Zarah Publicity Image (Courtesy of Black Dog Ent Grp) Additional Photo # 5: Rock Singer-songwriter Zarah Publicity Image (Courtesy of Black Dog Ent Grp) Additional Photo # 6: Recording artist/Author Zarah and Bono at the EJ Oscar Viewing Party in Hollywood (Courtesy of Black Dog Ent Grp) Additional Photo # 7: Zarah and John Rzeznik backstage at the Goo Goo Dolls concert (Courtesy of Black Dog Ent Grp) Additional Photo # 8: B InTune TV host and recording artist Zarah interviewing David Ellison, Tour Manager of the Goo Goo Dolls (Courtesy of Black Dog Ent Grp)
