KCRW Exclusive: Zee Avi — Milestone Moon

Two years ago at SXSW, our headliner Ida Maria cancelled at the last minute. Immediately, I thought of an artist who Jason had been playing recently who did a great cover of Morissey’s “First of the Gang” and could end the evening on a perfect note.

Zee Avi. The Malaysian singer brought her ukelele and everyone in the crowd had a massive musical crush on her. Soon after, she made her Morning Becomes Eclectic debut with her laidback sound that seems so effortless, but is clearly the result of someone who is truly authentic, self-assured and has a unique point of view.

As the story goes, she was discovered, of all things, on You Tube. Her debut, including the single Bitter Heart, was a big success and now she’s back with her sophomore album “Ghostbird” on local label Brushfire Records. I dare say its better than the first.

When you can’t decide which of the new songs is your favorite, that’s always a good sign. We decided to debut a new song most folks haven’t heard yet, “Milestone Moon“.

Stream “Milestone Moon”

“Ghostbird” was written in her Brooklyn kitchen, the Florida Everglades and in Jack Johnson’s Solar Powered Plastic Plant studios in LA, where she laid down the 11 tracks in just two weeks with producer Mario Caldato Jr.

The album will be in stores August 23. All her tour dates are below and you can find her in LA on October 15 at the El Rey.

RR

Summer Tour 2011:

Sep. 24, 2011 @ Popped Fest – Philadelphia, PA

Sep. 25, 2011 @ Life is good Festival – Canton, MA

Sep. 26, 2011 @ Highline Ballroom – New York, NY

Sep. 28, 2011 @ Club Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA

Sep. 29, 2011 @ Grog Shop – Cleveland Heights, OH

Sep. 30, 2011 @ Southgate House Parlour – Newport, KY

Oct. 03, 2011 @ Off Broadway – St. Louis, MO

Oct. 04, 2011 @ Schubas Tavern – Chicago, IL

Oct. 05, 2011 @ Triple Rock Social Club – Minneapolis, MN

Oct. 09, 2011 @ A Club – Spokane, WA

Oct. 10, 2011 @ The Crocodile – Seattle, WA

Oct. 11, 2011 @ The Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR

Oct. 13, 2011 @ The Independent – San Francisco, CA

Oct. 15, 2011 @ El Rey Theatre – Los Angeles, CA