As Zamani Millar adapts to life as a first-year student at AV俱乐部, she's doing so on the heels of her most successful year yet as a musician.
The 18-year-old writer, producer, arranger, and vocalist picked up the Emerging Artist of the Year Award from the African Nova Scotian Music Awards in March, followed a few months later by Stingray鈥檚 Rising Star Award. International festival slots, including a well-received performance opening for R&B stars Ginuwine and Mya, added further upward momentum, as did winning an award for Best Musical Score at the FIN Atlantic Film Festival last month.
But the shift to university has been a natural and welcome next step for Zamani, who grew up in an environment steeped in both beats and books.
鈥淢usic and academics are the two biggest things in our household,鈥� she says.
Zamani鈥檚 mother, Delvina Bernard, was a founding member of a cappella quartet Four the Moment and is currently completing a PhD. Her father, Harvi Millar, is a seasoned guitarist and a professor of statistics at Saint Mary鈥檚 University.
A good fit
Years ago, as Zamani began to consider where her own educational journey might take her, she felt strongly that her area of study should have a strong creative element to it but also be practical. Architecture and planning had always captured her imagination and seemed to satisfy both criteria, so she settled on the Faculty of Architecture and Planning鈥檚 Bachelor of Community Design program.
With an older sister already at Dal and a handful of friends from high school as well, Zamani has plenty of personal support as she navigates her first term at Dal. She says she鈥檚 thrilled to see such a diverse campus 鈥� one that embraces both her African Nova Scotian and Caribbean heritage from her mom and dad, respectively.
鈥淚 have Caribbean roots, but I鈥檓 also Nova Scotian, so I鈥檒l be able to go back and forth between those worlds,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 important.鈥�
Zamani has jumped headlong into campus life, taking in sports games with friends and getting to know staff and other students at the Black Student Advising Centre.
Balancing act
Balancing the demands of first-year university with those of a musical career has meant some sacrifices, such as taking a break from performing so much to focus on her studies.
That doesn鈥檛 mean she isn鈥檛 still creating new music. Whenever Zamani needs a study break, she often uses it as an opportunity to make a little music.
鈥淚 use my laptop, go in my room and program some beats,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 work a little bit at both things, so that they are happening simultaneously, so they are both getting done.鈥�
It鈥檚 an equation Zamani sees as being beneficial over the longer term.
鈥淲hen you are performing a lot, you don鈥檛 have time to make new material,鈥� she says. 鈥淲ith this, I鈥檒l be able to step back a bit, reflect, write and do my schoolwork. Then, as the summer comes next summer, I鈥檒l be able to show what I鈥檝e been working on.鈥�
Listen to Zamani's music now on