Shayna & The Catch

"Shayna’s soulful voice is incredibly unique. It's in the way her grainy and sexy vocal timbre stands out with a smoldering style and leaves you with a powerful impression... her exotic beauty and charming personality is just the icing on the cake! ...Mature beyond her years and stepping beyond her borders, Shayna Zaid is a promising creative force..."

- Johan Fernandez
(Star Magazine, Malaysia) - Star Magazine (Malaysia)

"Brimming with passion and enthusiasm, Shayna Zaid exuberates creative energy...Look out for her in years to come and watch her glow." -Patricia Anthony, Marie Claire (Malaysia) - Marie Claire (Malaysia)

"Throw a microphone and camera in front of Shayna and she will bring the whole room to life..." - Michael Christian Simon, Executive Producer, TV3 (Malaysia) - New Straits Times (Malaysia)

"...I've never seen a fifteen year old take the stage and look shockingly comfortable...Shayna Zaid is a natural born star." - Sonja Mustaffa, The Star (Malaysia) - The Star (Malaysia)

Shayna was also chosen out of thousands of Malaysian women to represent DOVE beauty products at the tender age of 16.

To view it online, please visit the following link:
http://unilever.com.my/dove/index.htm - TVC

Shayna Zaid - Au Fait EP
2008, Shayna Zaid

Shayna Zaid has quite the back story. Born to an American mom and Malaysia dad, Zaid grew up in Malaysia, leaving only when it became time to go to college. Zaid is something of a real celebrity in Malaysia, where she was nominated in that country’s 2007 ERA Awards for Best New Artist, Best Female Vocals and Best Pop Song. Shayna Zaid is also a television personality in Malaysia as one of the stars of the talk/variety show Speak Up. Upon arriving in the US Zaid began studies at Berklee, but quickly moved on to New York City to work on writing and recording. Her second release, Au Fait, arrives in 2008 with a sound you’ll be hard pressed to forget.

Au Fait opens with Just Because, a jaunty cabaret love song with a come hither attitude and a Cheshire grin. The arrangement is just slightly messy and wonderfully real in the cabaret style. Closer has a slightly more polished sound in a pop ballad that really features Zaid's esoteric vocal presence. Closer is the sort of ballad that sticks out in your mind after hearing it, and would have real commercial potential. It's You sounds like the sort of love song Sarah McLachlan might write. Zaid contrasts this with a voice that is closer to a throaty Norah Jones. I Remember is an almost upbeat acoustic ballad with great instrumentation woven around the melody. Take Your Time returns to the slightly muddy sound of the opening track.

It is in these muddy waters that Shayna Zaid shines brightest. Zaid has an earthy sound that is best practiced close to the ground in an organic or live sound. Zaid has a strong ability to emote and project her personality into songs, and the tracks on Au Fait live through her personality. Au Fait EP is an incredibly rich, brief introduction to Shayna Zaid, leaving the listener always wanting more. Shayna Zaid is one to watch. - http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2008/11/review-shayna-zaid-au-fait-ep.html

Cover story: Shayna Hidup Bagai Lukisan (Shayna's Life as a Painting)

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please visit:
http://www.beritapublishing.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=50&Itemid=57 - Berita Publishing (Malaysia)

"..it's safe to say that Shayna is one of the scene's most promising bets." Kevin Yeoh, KLue Magazine
(May 2007, Malaysia) - Freeform Snd. Bhd.

"I think I've figured out why there is so much love in the room whenever Shayna Zaid plays the Rockwood Music Hall. Rockwood regulars have enjoyed seeing her and her band play many times this year as they write and record the new album that is currently nearing completion. The reason for the Rockwood love fests is that Shayna has a magical way of writing and singing a love song; when you hear her sing songs like "Closer" and "It's You", all of her songs really, it seems like she is singing them directly to you. Combine that with superb arrangements given these songs by her band, especially the highly melodic playing of Yan Izquierdo on violin, producer Joel Dean on guitar, Brendan O'Grady on bass, and drummer Chris Heinz who always has just the right touch at the right time, and well it all adds up to a really special live music experience.

The show opened with a debut of a new song called "Morning Sun" featuring Yan on mandolin and a nice upbeat slice of morning optimism. "I Need an Answer" will be happily familiar to anyone who's seen Shayna more than once. "Just Because", one of the newer songs in the set, is a bouncy little tune embellished with some great facial expressions by Shayna, it also leads off her new EP, Au Fait.

"Closer" knocked me out the first time I heard it last summer, and over the past few months, they've enhanced the slow and beautiful arrangement with some gorgeous violin from Yan and some nice acoustic guitar work by Shayna and Joel. "I Remember" came next with the band continuing the highly melodic vibe. "Take Your Time" sounded all the more powerful by virtue of it's simplicity, now featuring just Joel's guitar and Shayna's voice. "Stay" had some more great violin by Yan. Next up was "Love" with the audience now totally in Shayna's capable hands. The show ended on a high note with "It's You", a song that I think I've heard her sing every single time out, and I've got to say that with the current arrangement by Joel and the band, Shayna's ultimate love song has never sounded better.

Shayna and her band, now named "The Catch" have worked hard all year writing, arranging and recording, and it shows whenever they play live. They're now putting the finishing touches on an album's worth of great songs, maybe more; they recently released a five song preview EP, Au Fait,currently available at Amazon, iTunes, and other download retailers.

Come and check out the new bass player Michael Pearce on January 23rd when Shayna makes her Living Room debut, and she'll be back at Rockwood on February 7th. See her now in the intimate confines of these great Lower East Side venues while you still can; based on the level of her singing, songwriting, and live performances, her days of playing such rooms may be numbered." - William Kates, Music & More.

www.billsmusicblog.blogspot.com - William Kates

"The enormous talent this petite sized Malaysian bred singer possesses should not be underestimated. Her outstanding vocals could be compared to fellow international singers and has appealed to many at home as well as in New York. You wouldn't be disappointed if I told you that every song on this album is the best!" -Cosmopolitan

June 2008 edition of Cosmopolitan (Malaysia)

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http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s189/jaydeasel/COSMOREVIEWcover.jpg - Cosmopolitan