San Francisco-based bassist, trombonist, composer, and arranger Leela Paymai (ZHENIIA) grew up steeped in the sounds of Persian Pop music—Googoosh, Marjan, Dariush—before landing in the Bay Area and diving headfirst into the tangled, boundary-less world of modern jazz. What emerged is ZHENIIA: a genre-blurring, emotionally charged project that filters ancestral memory through a contemporary lens.

ZHENIIA’s music is a collision of identities and histories, layered with microtonal scales, hip-hop rhythm, and psychedelic textures. Bass-driven and politically pointed, the songs reach across genre and geography, weaving oud melodies and Persian folk motifs through thick, improvisatory grooves. The band’s ever-shifting lineup reflects the fluidity of its sound—one show might feature electric violin, the next trombone—but there’s always a core of rhythm, synthesis, and soul. “I take a lot of inspiration from my grandparents and parents,” Paymai says, “who, despite surviving the Iranian revolution, always found time to make music. That spirit—of resilience, of beauty in chaos—fuels everything I do.”

ZHENIIA premiered in February 2025 with a sold-out debut at San Jose Jazz’s New Works Festival, backed by a dynamic band of Bay Area collaborators including Chili Corder on oud, Julian Lopez on synths, and drummer Jaycie Grady. Press coverage quickly followed, with features in Mercury News, East Bay Times, and Mission Local.

The debut single Saraab is out now, with the full album releasing April 23, 2026.  ZHENIIA is just beginning. These are songs for survival, movement, and deep feeling—music to grieve to, dream through, and rise with. Stay tuned.

Condensed bio:

The solo project of San Francisco-based bassist and composer Leela Paymai, ZHENIIA blends Persian music with modern jazz, psychedelic rock, and hip-hop. Drawing on her family's musical legacy and a deep commitment to social justice, Paymai crafts emotionally charged, politically rooted songs that move across genres and generations.

Backed by a rotating cast of Bay Area musicians, ZHENIIA made its live debut at San Jose Jazz’s New Works Festival in 2025, earning immediate attention from local press. With bass at the center and electric oud weaving through every set, ZHENIIA is music for grief, resistance, and joy.