Talk about a dream team! After linking up with Zayn Malik for a stunning rendition of “A Whole New World” from the classic Disney film Aladdin, Zhavia, 18, is the first to admit that at first, she didn’t even believe the that the opportunity was real. “My manager got an email from Zayn’s manager saying he wanted me to be part of it. At first, I didn’t think it was real,” she recalls. “When I found out it was legit I was so stoked! He’s an amazing artist and it was a huge opportunity,” The Four alum gushes.
As one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year, the live action remake of Aladdin has captured hearts of fans across the country, and to work on the film’s soundtrack was a dream come true for Zhavia. “I love Disney,” she tells HollywoodLife. “The premiere was really cool. The movie was amazing and our song played at the end of the credits!” she said. “We waited to hear it.”
However, Zhavia is also hyper-focused on her solo music these days, and amidst her work on Aladdin, she found time to hit the studio to record her forthcoming album. Her most recent single, “17” dropped on May 31, and it’s an ultra catchy track with an upbeat vibe, that has a surprisingly deep meaning if you take a closer listen to the lyrics. The singer admits that the track is deeply personal and was penned about her own experiences. “That song is bout my life and how I got to where I am now. It’s very personal. “It’s just a bunch of experiences I’ve had,” she says, before explaining that penning relatable tracks is important to her. “I feel like as a writer one of the struggles is that you don’t want to make it too personal to where it could hurt you, but you also want people to understand and relate to it.”
Zhavia fans can expect much, much more from the singer in 2019! “Hopefully I’ll be going on tour!” she excitedly says, looking ahead to the months ahead, “and I’ll be working on a full album,” she adds.