All that Jazz
In 2013, Zian Bhamgara, stage name Zian B, had just returned from studying jazz vocals in Germany and the Netherlands, under Sabine Kühlich, head of vocals at Conservatorium Maastricht. She was on a high note. She had completed Grade 8 (Rock and Pop) from Trinity College of London with distinction. The release of her first album Take a Chance with her brother, Tizaan Alphonso, led to a contract with record label Crescendo Music, distributed by Universal Music.
They recorded a feature for VH1 Music Diaries, and toured Pune, Goa, and Delhi. As part of QuinTiz, a Jazz/Jazz-fusion quintet from Maastricht, Netherlands, with Alphonso on keys and Zian Bhamgara on vocals, life was a song. Lightning struck when Zian was diagnosed with two debilitating illnesses of the stomach and heart. “These conditions led to numerous hospital visits, tests, procedures, surgery and constant medication over the years,” she says.
Eventually, Zian learnt to manage her symptoms and overcome the ill effects of her conditions. Zian’s struggle against her illness made her sensitive to the frailty of human life. She raises funds for Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA) to fight cancer. This struggle also led to her creating her first jazz single Uncertain, released in December 2024. She explains, “Writing this new song became a way for me to process the pain and find strength in it. It’s the first time in 14 years that I’ve opened up about my personal journey with endometriosis and SVT publicly.”
Despite the heaviness of its theme, Uncertain is peppy and uplifting. Zian’s deep vocals, well-suited to jazz and inflected with hints of funk and RnB, and her mastery of the scatting technique, result in a foot-tapping number. Her collaborators on the song include her brother, whom she credits with bringing her vision to life; Giorgio Stienstra on bass, Joey Schins on drums, Sondre Kvingedal on trumpet, Gregor Oehlmann on saxophone and Hersch Desai who put together the final mix.
“This song is about embracing life’s uncertainties, the constant changes that shape our paths, and finding strength through resilience, gratitude, and love. It’s a reminder that while we can’t control everything, we can choose how we respond. Although I wrote it in a state of melancholy, there’s a bittersweet element to it, which is why I felt the track needed a groovy vibe. I wanted the composition to inspire others to hold onto hope and find strength within themselves and in the love of those around them,” she smiles.
The singer is a businesswoman who co-owns dancewear brand Dress en Pointe with friend Delnaz Billimoria. Its tagline is ‘Dress apart, dance the part’. She hasn’t added the obvious phrase that personifies her, ‘standing apart.’