When the Summer of 2008 came to a close, Nadine Zahr had much to celebrate. Over 250 performances successfully completed, thousands of digital downloads and albums purchased and distributed, performances with Ani Difranco and other internationally-known artists, continuous radio play, and songs on CBS Television, MTV, and Lifetime Television.
"It was a blast," she states, "completely fulfilling on all levels."
Nadine began focusing on a professional music career when she was 19 years old. Raised in the suburbs of New York City, her passion for performing started at the age of 6. Whether it be on a summer camp stage, belting out Whitney Houston hits, or crashing her older sister's living-room dance recitals, in her footsie pajamas, mic in hand, Nadine found performing her most comfortable place to exist.
In response to Nadine's uncontrollable restlessness, her Mother reluctantly enrolled her in local performing arts programs when she was 8. She began performing in several musical reviews and shows each year, mentored and directed by the late Bertin Rowser.
"If it wasn't for him and his consistent encouragement, year after year, I would have never really known my full potential," Nadine recalls. "Every performance I do, from the 1500 seater-stage to my own bathroom shower, I dedicate to him. He was instrumental in my development as a performer and as a human being on this strange planet."
Bertin's guidance lead Nadine to the Broadway stage at the age of 12 as well as the black-boxes of the Julliard School during her high school years, right before Bertin's unexpected death in 1998. By that moment, Nadine found herself completely in love with the performing arts.
She did not, however, expect her life to take a more permanent turn to song-writing, until after Bertin's death.
"During the time I was on Broadway, my oldest sister was given an acoustic guitar for her birthday. Whenever she wasn't home, I would go into her room and play it. When she complained that she couldn't play her guitar because it hurt her fingers too much, I borrowed it again, but this time, I never gave it back."
After only a few lessons, Nadine began writing songs as a sort of sideline therapeutic hobby.
"It became my outlet. I was an angry girl at the time, with a lot of pent up emotion, but the guitar became my couch and my lyrics became my shrink. Needless to say, I broke a lot of strings and cracked a lot of notes."
At the age of 18, Nadine was accepted to a University in Washington, D.C. for Music Theater. That lasted about one year.
"After my freshman year at CUA, I had decided that was enough for me. I was old enough to be on my own, legally, and I knew that this was what I wanted to do and be. I didn't want to wait anymore."
Prior to her withdrawal, however, Nadine sold her car to purchase a nicer guitar than the one she was still borrowing from her sister, as well as buy some studio time in the basement recording studio of her music school.
"It was a studio designed for opera singers and orchestras, but I was just elated to be in a place that could record me from an actual CONTROL ROOM! It all felt so fancy."
She recorded her first demo, "The First Stage," in 2 hours, using only one take per track.
"I was a kid back then, just wanting to have something to give to people. I wanted so badly to be noticed and recognized for something that was all me, the-heart-exposed-on-sleeve-me."
She did just that, and sold 750 copies of her demo in just 2 months of being on campus. That was when her dreams began to shift from the performing arts to making music.
Offers to move out to Los Angeles presented themselves during the summer after her freshman year. Without her Mother's consent, and at the age of 19, Nadine dropped out of College and moved across the country on her own.
"I had never been to Los Angeles before, so I didn't know where to go or what to do. I just knew I wanted to make music for the rest of my life."
After landing in Los Angeles, Nadine found the offers that enticed her to move there were all just empty promises, and she would have to start from ground zero. So she did. While sleeping on the floor for a few years and working odd jobs in the restaurant and retail industries, Nadine began to frequent the popular open mics that Los Angeles offered. Quickly, she became noticed for her four-octave range voice, her showmanship, and her candid lyricism. Booking agents and venue owners began to approach her for full-set performances. While working full-time, Nadine also pursued her career full-time, and was quoted as, "one of the hardest working female singer/songwriters in LA."
Building a local fan base from the ground up, Nadine began playing bigger and more reputable venues.
"There was a time when I would play basement bars for just one person - my best friend, but I would still play a full set and just ask if she had any requests."
Now, Nadine can safely say that all of her hard work has paid off. In 2006, Nadine released her debut album, "Underneath the Everyday," fully-produced by Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Grandaddy, OK Go, and many more), and built a national tour that continued on for 2 1/2 years.
"Working with Dave and having access to his arsenal of incredible studio musicians brought me to tears at least once a day during our sessions. Listening to 9 different instruments enhance what me and my guitar had become so accustomed to... I was so moved."
After the official release of "Underneath the Everyday," Nadine booked her first National Showcase with NACA and signed a booking deal with the Auburn Moon Agency and a management deal with Degy Management Services. The rest, as they say, is history.
(Nadine is currently back home in Los Angeles preparing to go back into the studio to record her next album.)
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