[Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia] Ze! is Asia’s Electro-pop sensation on seriously good vibes. With a new album soon to be popped early 2010, Zul Andra asked about her aspirations, perspirations, inspirations, exasperation and nations.

Hey Ze!, how you be? Are you raving or behaving? What did you tripped over this time?
Right now, I’m behaving. My ego?

You came out in 2003 with your first solo EP ‘My Make Believe’. That’s what, 6 years ago? And you don’t look any older than 20-ish now. So what, you started when you were 13 years old? That’s Gold!
Pfft! I started gigging 10 years ago performing with my 2 girlfriends doing R&B covers by TLC and Destiny’s Child. I was the rapper in the group and I wanted to be Left Eye. I did a verse of hers in a Hitz FM contest and won tickets to see Beastie Boys live in Melbourne so I couldn’t have been all that bad!

Has it always been Electro-pop as your poison of choice?
No, it was a long long way to Electro-pop. Apart from R&B, I’ve experimented with acoustic stuff, rock, drum & bass, 60s pop, reggae and even classical music. None of them have worked out for me as well as it has with dance music – it comes so naturally.

When dancing, do you let your hair down or tie your hair up?
If it ain’t aerobics, I’ll let it down of course!

In a house party, are you the one that starts the party, keeps it going or push people to the very edge of human insanity?
What’s the difference? All of the above!

You and I know pretty well that Malaysia’s a pretty conservative nation and you being you: loud, energetic and mad as fuck might get you a few sticks. How has that been treating you?
I’ve always felt like an outcast ever since I was little so being strange and rejected is nothing new to me. I hardly perform in KL anymore, but when I used to, they looked at me like I’m doing some kind of strip show or something. Like, it’s so bizarre I should be shot at once. All this only because they know I’m local and therefore I’m supposed to be behaving like them, only i’m not. And they find that hard to accept.

Your selections has always been dirty, in your face and rebellious. With tunes like ‘Shameless, Boys I Like, Hello Disco, Candy and I Am Glam’; are you being it or becoming it?
I’m perfectly comfortable now with who I am and what I do, so I guess I AM IT. My songs are a direct reflection of who I am as a person and the life I am living. There’s honesty within the lyrics where you sometimes need to read between the lines. For example, ‘Boys I Like’ was written after my perfect love life fell apart and ‘I Am Glam’ was written out of frustration over the local music scene. It’s my way of showing a third finger.

Santogold, Yelle and M.I.A are so similar to you. Is that question right or should it have been: you are so similar to them? Whatever it is, how much do they rock your boots off?
They have without a doubt became huge influences on me and my music but I don’t think I am a carbon copy of any one of them. And being a newcomer, it’s only normal that I’m being categorized into a certain group of artistes people are already familiar with – in which case, I’m happy that I’m placed amongst these girls cause they kick ass!

Sometimes you’ll sit at the corner of your window, reflecting, understanding your rabbit hole. What’s in your heart on times like those?
I wonder why I can’t just be normal.

Have you been there? Down the rabbit hole? What have you seen so far?
Oh, yes I have. I’d call it my quarter-life crisis; a time I came to fully realise that no one was gonna be responsible for my future but myself. It was scary.

How’s your family like, are you guys tight like tigers?
There are only the 4 of us so yes we’re very close. My dad used to have hair like Jimi Hendrix in his younger cooler days so he still has lots left. My mom is a bigger shopaholic than I am so we do the girly thing lots and my sister probably wishes she sees less of me as we live and work together. Thankfully, we don’t share the same group of friends or we may as well be glued together on our foreheads.

Your younger sis and yourself started a fashion label called Osixnine, what’s a good buy now?
Our first-ever design, the OSIXNINE Disco Tee, which has been worn by Reefa, MC Syze and KLG Sqwad is slowly becoming a classic!

Osixnine looking massive, did you guys started the label because you couldn’t find what you wanted anywhere else?
A bit of that but mostly because we were excited to share what we like with other people. And we wanted to make the world a more colorful place – we don’t and shouldn’t live in black and white.

You’ve got a new album coming up, how much will that one rock?
Yes I do! I’m very very excited and can’t wait to release it and I think it’s gonna kick some serious ass. There will be 12 tracks – half of which are being produced by Ruben Debusschere and the rest are collaborations from a variety of artists and producers. It should be out by January 2010, downloads will be available via iTunes and CDs will be sold at my upcoming shows.

You mentioned Belgian Ruben Debusschere will produce. Is that man awesome or what?
He is amazing. We met while studying in S.A.E Byron Bay 5 years ago and it’s funny I’ve had to go half way across the planet to find my music soul-mate because we understand each other so well. I can give him peanuts and he’d make magic out of it.

How was your European tour?
My first attempt was last year when I decided to pack my bags and left to stay in London for a few months to try my luck in Europe. I started from scratch. Oddly enough, I found Berlin to be my place. So this year I went directly to Berlin in end of June and did a month’s tour of 9 shows including stops at Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels and Zurich. I did a Reebok party during the Berlin fashion week and opened for Chicks on Speed, Afrikan Boy, Don Rimini and Mickey Moonlight. It was exhausting, and I can’t wait to go back and do it all over again!

Is there a different form of acceptance level to your music there compared to home? What gives?
Certainly. I was happy to discover that there was already a following for the sort of music I do. Not that I didn’t know it, I mean everybody knows Europe is the place for dance music but being able to experience it myself made it real. I don’t blame the people here for not understanding my music, otherwise how’s an artiste like Siti Nurhaliza gonna make money? I’m against globalization and so I think the different ways in how people react and what they want is a good thing.

Yourself, Hunny Madu and Zee Avi are regarded as people that could change the music landscape in Malaysia. How has the musical agriculture, specifically on the roles of female musicians been different from say when you first started?
There are a lot more female singer/songwriters who are taking charge of their directions -being able to compose your own songs is no longer a wow factor. And then there’s also been a huge wave of new faces whose careers begin from reality TV shows, and they all sound the same. I think what we’re missing now are girl bands. I miss the good ol days of Feminin.

What does a good fertilizer makes, for an awesome musical landscape in Malaysia?
I think we lack uniqueness. When we have a Siti Nurhaliza, everybody wants to be the next Siti but we don’t need another Siti. And then there’s a Yuna now, everybody wants to put on a tudung (veil) and sing. I don’t think we lack talent either, but we’re afraid to be ourselves. What we need, I think, are a pair of balls.

All this talk about landscape, agriculture and fertilizer making me
think about food. Heard about the food identity fuss? Between Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore that certain dishes belonged to them.
I really, honestly don’t give a shit. French fries didn’t come from France but do we hear the Belgians complaining on national news? We southeast Asians need to find better things to do.

You are young and awesome. A pop artiste, fashion label co-owner,
you’ve got awards in your bags and you’ve got the attitude and character to go along with it. How does the road look like from here?
I want to tour the world, and I see lots of that coming. It’s always been a dream of mine – I’ve not been to places like Brazil, Ibiza and Tokyo. I love the challenge and I enjoy learning the different ways in which people live.

What’s next on your schedule?
Releasing the album and my music video. I’m also organizing my high school’s 10th year reunion, surprisingly everybody’s finding excuses not to come. I wonder why.

Lastly, Malaysia boleh or tak boleh (can or cannot)?
Boleh lah! I guess we’re a comfortable lot and we’re lucky to have what we have -and unlike other countries we don’t have much that we need to really fight for. So at the end of the day, I’m happy to be able to come home to a peaceful place.