Zee Avi, 25, is a talented singer/songwriter from Malaysia. Her second album, Ghostbird (the literal translation for owl in Avi’s native language), is due out August 23rd on Jack Johnson‘s Brushfire Records and Monotone Records. Working with producer Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys, Bebel Gilberto), Ghostbird is the follow up to Avi’s critically acclaimed 2009 self-titled debut. Since the release of her first album, Avi has been touring extensively, including dates at Outside Lands, Bonnaroo and various venues throughout her homeland of Sarawak, Borneo, where the gifted young artist picked up an International Youth Icon Award.
In addition to being an accomplished singer/songwriter, Zee Avi is also a multi-talented musiscian, playing both the guitar and ukulele. The one time fashion design student was discovered by Patrick Keeler of The Raconteurs who passed a YouTube link on to his band’s manager, who passed her music on to Emmett Malloy who ultimately signed her to Brushfire Records. Since being signed, Avi has toured with Pete Yorn and had a song featured in the season 2 finale of U.S. TV show Private Practice.
Preceding the release of Ghostbird is the album’s first single, “The Book Of Morris Johnson,” (which can be downloaded for free HERE) an up-tempo song written after a trip to the Florida Everglades and inspired by the Floridian folk artist of the name. Fans can watch a video preview of the album’s recording process HERE, featuring three new songs, “The Book Of Morris Johnson,” “Swell Window,” and “31 Days In June.” Listen to “The Book Of Morris Johnson” above and download the single on U.S. iTunes HERE if you’re interested in supporting the artist. Also, check out the video for Avi’s debut U.S. single “Bitter Heart” below.