Multi award-winning Zulya Kamalova is the leading proponent of Tatar music in Australia as well as one of the most versatile and accomplished vocalists on the world music scene today. A native of Volga-Kama region of Central Russia, Zulya began performing Russian and Tatar songs at the age of 9. Later she studied music and languages at university level. Inspired by the diversity of cultures, she made a dramatic decision to settle in Australia in 1991 and began to not only share her traditional music with Australians, but to explore the musical and linguistic riches of the multitude of cultures living in Australia. As a result, Zulya has developed a totally original approach as an affirmation of her unique identity - an affirmation that takes her Tatar and Russian background to totally new places and in completely new ways.
Zulya, with her band The Children of the Underground - Anthony Schulz (piano-accordion), Andrew Tanner (double bass and Jew's harp), Lucas Michailidis (guitar) and Justin Marshall (drums, percussion) - builds upon the time-honored Russian songs with her own experiences and musical styles to create something truly original.
