‘You Just Got to Believe in It’: Zaina The Phenom on Her New Book, Music, and Growth
Nine-year-old Zaina The Phenom recently joined host Trae Holiday on “The Day With Trae.” A consummate performer, rapper, songwriter, and speaker, Zaina has added "author" to her impressive resume with the release of her children's book, “Zaina The Mermaid... Or Not?”
The book was inspired by a simple conversation between Zaina and her father who encouraged her to write the book after she told him she wanted to be a mermaid. This creative collaboration led to “Zaina The Mermaid... Or Not?” that is now available in 200 countries and 50 languages through major retailers like Amazon and Walmart.
The success of the book has been immediate, selling over a thousand copies in its first 30 days. "I guess I was born to do this stuff because anytime I do it, I just get happier and happier,” Zaina said, describing the joy she feels sharing her book with kids around the world.
Zaina uses her platform to encourage other young people to pursue their own ambitions. Her core message is clear: "You can do anything you want. You just got to believe in it,” she said.
Even with the success of her first book and a second part already in the works, Zaina isn't slowing down. She recently secured a distribution deal with Roc Nation for her music, with new singles "Stay Humble" and "I Look Cute Everyday" scheduled for release.
For Zaina, the journey is about growth. "You want to go the hard way, not the easy way. Because when you work hard, you get more passion,” she said while addressing her peers.
Check out Zaina The Phenom’s work at zainathephenom.com, and stay up to date on her upcoming releases. Grab a copy of her book here.
Catch “The Day With Trae” Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11 a.m. on all Converge streaming platforms.
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