ABOUT

“…a world where the past is ever-present and music knows no borders. FOUR STARS” – The Courier Mail

Three-time Queensland Music Award winners MZAZA deliver Balkan-French inspired sounds to folk lovers internationally. Led by enchanting French-Sephardic vocalist Pauline Maudy, this group of musicians from around the world has been mesmerising audiences with powerful and inspired performances. The impressive musicianship of MZAZA – deftly realised with accordion, violin, percussion, double bass and Flamenco guitar – embraces diversity, the old and the new, the familiar and the foreign, through timeless melodies.

It is the timelessness of the music and stories that fuels an intense live show, an unforgettable musical journey, that has enraptured audiences at MONA FOMA, Queensland Music Festival, Cygnet, National and Woodford Folk Festivals, and visited airwaves and venues internationally. Jaw-dropping technique, unique compositions and captivating shows have earned MZAZA supports for the likes of the Violent Femmes (USA) Yasmin Levy (Israel), Melbourne Ska Orchestra (AUS), Baba Zula and Baro Banda (Turkey), and DJ Click (France).

MZAZA’s third studio album, The Birth & Death of Stars, described by Songlines Magazine as “a supernova of an album” was recorded at Sierra Studios in Athens, Greece. The twelve-track album is accompanied by a critically acclaimed theatre show devised by Pauline Maudy (2023 Australian Folk Music Awards — Artist of the Year) in collaboration with director Benjamin Knapton (Circa). 

HIGHLIGHTS

The Birth and Death of Stars is touring Nationally in 2024 with Nicholas Clark Management

Finalist in the Australian Folk Music Awards Best Folk Album of the Year 2022.

Theatre show, The Birth & Death of Stars, premiered at Brisbane Festival to sold out audiences (2020) + return season (2021)

20 date Queensland tour (2020)

European tour & recording (2018)

18 date Qld tour (2017) with the support of Artour and Arts Qld

20 date European tour (2016) inc. 4 festival appearances

2 successful crowdfunding campaigns (total $18,000 AUD raised)

3 Queensland Music Awards (2015, 2016, 2021) + 6 tracks Highly Commended (2011, 2015, 2016) + 2 tracks finalists (2019, 2020) Album of the Week on Kanaliena Radio (Greece)

1 EP and 3 albums released

Australian Festival Highlights: Woodford Folk Festival, MONA FOMA, National Folk Festival, Queensland Music Festival, Brisbane Festival, Lorne Festival of Performing Arts, Cygnet Folk Festival, Crossbows Festival, Karavan International Gypsy Music Festival, Q150 Tour, Illawarra Folk Festival, Peak Festival and more

Supports: Yasmin Levy (Israel), Baro Banda (Turkey), DJ Click (France), DVA (Linsey Pollak and Tunji Beier) (AUS), Band of Brothers (Grigoryan and Tawadros brothers) (AUS), Waiting for Guinness (AUS), Katy Steele (Little Birdy) (AUS)

 

RELEASES

The Birth & Death of Stars (2020) (Album)

“A supernova of an album – FOUR STARS” Songlines Magazine

Queensland Music Awards Best Song [World] 2021, Queensland Music Awards Best Song [World] Finalist 2020

Dying to Dance with the Devil (2016) (Single) Echoes BEMAC Compilation

Dying to Dance with the Devil (2016) (Single) (Universal France – Boris Bergman box set)

Enfants du Chemin (Children of the Road) (2016) (Single) Echoes BEMAC Compilation

 

Ghosts (2015) (Album) (Planet MGM)

“Ghosts? There are plenty here in a world where the past is ever-present and music knows no borders. FOUR STARS” – The Courier Mail

Queensland Music Awards Best Song [World] winner (2015 & 2016), finalist (2019) four High Commendations.

Airplay on major radio stations including SBS, ABC Radio National, Triple J, RRR, OP Racija (BH Radio 1) (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina), QANTAS, Virgin and more

Feature Album with Melbourne’s PBS

5 weeks in 4ZZZ’s Top 20

Single ‘Enfants du Chemin’ spent 3 weeks in the AMRAP Metro Charts

Nightwatch (2014) (Single) Echoes BEMAC & QUT Compilation

Sous La Lune (2014) (Single) (Universal Music) SBS Chill Compilation

Sous La Lune (2012) (Single) 100 Songs Project

 

Journey Over Skin (2011) (Album) (Planet MGM)

Held together by their coherent arrangements and energetic playing, Mzaza have crafted a joyous and diverse listening experience.” – 4ZZZ

Airplay: ABC Radio National, ABC Classic Fm, SBS, Triple J, Qantas, PBS, 4ZZZ, 4EB and many more.

Album of the Week on Kanaliena Radio (Greece)

Two tracks highly commended in the Queensland Music Awards 2011. Parliament of the Birds (EP) (2009)“Each track displays such a high level of musicianship  […] Mzaza’s driving rhythms and haunting melodic lines made me yearn for exotic places and adventures.” – The Folk Rag

Reviews

 

“A supernova of an album – FOUR STARS”

Songlines Magazine, 2020

 

“It was great to see Pauline and the MZAZA crew back in Melbourne for the 2013 edition of AWME. I was lucky to see them last year and their gig and stage performance really grew despite the little stage and the noisy crowd (not easy to be the first band out in…) Pauline and MZAZA did a fine job.”

Christophe Mallet, SBS Chill, 2013

 

“Maudy and band darted across bright, asymmetrical rhythms with persuasive ease.”

Jessica Nicholas, Sydney Morning Herald, 2013

 

“Mzaza take the listener on a colourful international tour on their excellent eight-track mini-album Journey Over Skin which features the dexterous playing of Flamenco guitarist Andrew Veivers. […] French-born lead vocalist Pauline Maudy, who sings beautifully in several languages, has a wonderfully dramatic delivery and sounds particularly alluring on Mon Amant De Saint Jean. […] The music is of a uniformly high quality and it is easy to see why the band has achieved airplay on ABC Classic, Radio National, Triple J, SBS and Qantas”

Graham Blackley, Trad and Now, 2013

 

“If the utterly remarkable level of musicianship on display doesn’t pique your interest, then take a look at astonishing front woman Pauline Maudy, she’s entirely captivating and her vocals soar!”

Ben Preece, Mucho Bravado, 2012

 

“Lead singer Pauline Maudy sings in enough languages to make a UN conference translator’s head spin.”

Josh Donellan, Rave Magazine, 2012

 

“These are serious musicians, and the blend of elements in their songs generate intricacies to which each of them must rigorously commit. Yet there are no pretensions in their manner, no studied pseudo-mystical facades. Mzaza is a band comprised not only of skilled instrumentalists but of consummate and generous performers, who truly relish a direct and celebratory connection with their audience. Pauline Maudy—a mighty talent, capable of raising the roof in four languages—could easily have assumed a primadonna role at the front of such a group, but such an idea clearly could not be further from her mind.”

Rob Rimmer, Weekend Notes, 2012

 

“Journey Over Skin is a rollicking ride through a range of musical traditions, rhythms and languages from Spain to the Balkans and Turkey. Held together by their coherent arrangements and energetic playing, Mzaza have crafted a joyous and diverse listening experience.”

Garry Williams, 4ZZZ, 2011

 

“Passionate, infectious, haunting, Turkish, Bulgarian, Andaloucian – words won’t express it.”

Tony Preece, Big Orange Chair, 2011

 

“Brisbane based Pauline Maudy, an expatriate French singer, heartbreakingly channelled Edith Piaf […] More, please.”

Ken Lord, The Sunday Mail, 2008

 

“Mzaza are one of the day’s most intriguing acts. The locals perform with traditional percussion and wind instruments as well as acoustic guitar and accordion, as singer Pauline Maudy sings multi-lingual ballads that transport the listener to Parisian alleyways one minute, then Eastern European gypsy campfires and dramatic Spanish landscapes the next.”

Matt Thrower, Rave Magazine, 10th of June 2009

 

“This EP release, Parliament of the Birds, from Mzaza is my case in point. […] Each track displays such a high level of musicianship  […] I was particularly impressed by Pauline’s easy vocal style which belies her level of skill and technique and astounded by her capability to sing in such a range of languages. Mzaza’s driving rhythms and haunting melodic lines made me yearn for exotic places and adventures.”

Lonnie Martin, The Folk Rag, 2009

 

“Mzaza have a unique style and incredible passion which echo through the transfixed audience.”

Lisa Lamb, LifeMusicMedia, 25th of April 2009

 

 

Shows

 

MZAZA has performed The Birth and Death of Stars at theatres including:  Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre, The Tivoli – Brisbane, The Empire Theatre – Toowoomba, Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre, Studio 114 – Sunshine Coast, Moncrieff Entertainment Centre – Bundaberg, Gladstone Entertainment and Convention Centre

MZAZA’s festival appearances include: Woodford Folk Festival, National Folk Festival, Queensland Music Festival, Brisbane Festival, Lorne Festival of Performing Arts, Cygnet Folk Festival, Crossbows Festival, Karavan International Gypsy Music Festival, Q150 Shed Tour, Illawarra Folk Festival, Snowy Mountains of Music Festival

MZAZA have supported: Yasmin Levy (Israel), Baro Banda (Turkey), DJ Click (France), DVA (Linsey Pollak and Tunji Beier) (AUS), Band of Brothers (Grigoryan and Tawadros brothers) (AUS), Waiting for Guinness (AUS), Katy Steele (Little Birdy) (AUS)

 

Workshops

The MZAZA team are experienced teachers and workshop facilitators and have a wealth of experience in designing and delivering community engagement activities. They have worked as classroom, instrumental, and language teachers, community engagement consultants, arts producers and music therapists.

Workshops can be targeted towards primary and high schools, emerging artists of all ages, adult music groups, language learners, cultural groups, groups with a lived experience of mental health or disability, and seniors. Check out this video about our community engagement program delivered as we toured The Birth and Death of Stars.

Available workshops include:

• World music singing for all levels
• World music workshops for instrumentalists
• Musical collaboration and song development
• Storytelling: explore your ancestry with MZAZA
• Schools: interactive show
• Schools: vocal or instrumental workshop (can include performance outcomes)
• Cultural connections workshop (for example with refugee groups)
• Professional Development: workshops for emerging artists and cultural workers
• One on one mentoring (music, performance, community engagement or arts career coaching)

CONTACTS

REPRESENTATIVE
International
Greta Kelly
admin@mzaza.com

MANAGEMENT
International
Pauline Maudy
management@mzaza.com

PUBLICITY
Australia
Leigh McGrane
leigh@atgpublicity.com.au