| Hill Zaini | |
| Birth Name: | Hilmi Zaini |
| Birth Date: | 1987 10, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Brunei |
| Origin: | Brunei |
| Instrument: | Vocals |
| Genre: | Pop |
| Occupation: | Singer, songwriter, actor |
| Years Active: | since 2008 |
| Label: | Sensible Records |
| Website: | www.hillzaini.com |
Hill Zaini (born 13 October 1987), popularly known as Hill, is a Bruneian singer and actor.[1] [2]
Hill was born on 13 October 1987, in Brunei. Singing has been his passion since a very young age. He performed regularly in school and on talent shows.[2]
P2F[3] is a television show in Brunei which has a similar concept to the Idol series. Hill was a contestant on the show in 2008 and was put through to the 'Final 12'. One of his most prominent performances was a duet of the Malay song "Lagu Jiwa Lagu Cinta".[4] After 3 weeks in the 'Final 12', there was controversy as Hill had to withdraw from the show for personal reasons.[5]
After P2F, Hill was given the lead role in the RTB (Radio Television Brunei) TV series Aku Bukan Milikmu (I'm Not Yours) which was aired in May 2009.[6] This was Hill's first venture into acting and was a hit in Brunei.[7] This was followed by starring roles on other RTB dramas Usaha, Rindu Lagi and Korban Kasih which were aired in the latter part of 2009.[6]
After being spotted by a talent scout, Hill headed to London, England and signed with Sensible Records.[1] [8] His first single, "Stay in the Middle", a duet with Irish platinum-selling artist Samantha Mumba, was released to iTunes in August 2009,[9] with an album scheduled for release in 2010.[2] Hill would be the first Bruneian to have a record contract with an international label and to have released a song with an international pop star.[10]
The music video for "Stay in the Middle" features a cameo appearance by US recording artist Mariah Carey. The superstar was so impressed with Hill's performance at an event in London that she agreed to appear in the video.[11] It was a recipient of a 2010 AVIMA (Asia Pacific Voice Independent Music Award) for Most Mindblowing Music Video where it came in third place.[12]
He was Brunei Pelangi FM's 'Spotlight Artist' in September 2009 and 'Artist of the Month' in May 2010.[13] [14]
In March 2010, Hill released a single exclusively for his Bruneian fanbase entitled "Buat Selamanya".[15] The song entered straight into the Brunei Kristal FM Top 20[16] and reached number 1 on Pelangi FM.[13]
In July 2010, his third single, "I Heard", was released to iTunes as well as radio stations in Brunei.[17] It reached number 1 on Brunei's Pelangi FM chart in September 2010.[13] The single's music video stars Kristin Kreuk[18] and Faye Dunaway.[19]
Hill performed at the Sounds of Hope Charity Gala Night on 3 October 2009. The concert aimed to raise awareness about poverty in Brunei.[20] Hill said of his involvement with the charity: "I am a sensitive person, so it is actually saddening to learn that these poverty-stricken families are most of the time mistreated or looked down upon. Help the poor, like how you would want to be helped if you were in their position."[10] The concert was one of the most successful and extravagant shows in Brunei in 2009.[21]
On 13 March 2010, he performed at The Noble Gift Gala in London, which was hosted by Eva Longoria.[22] The event raised money for Make-A-Wish Foundation UK, which grants wishes to terminally ill children,[23] and Eva's Heroes, an organization founded by Eva Longoria which aims to enrich the lives of children with special needs.[24]
| Year | Award | Category | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | AVIMA (Asia Pacific Voice Independent Music Award) | Most Mindblowing Music Video ("Stay in the Middle" – featuring Samantha Mumba) | (third place) |
| Cool-Tones Awards | Best Male | [25] |
| Year | Single | Brunei Pelangi FM Chart Position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "Stay in the Middle" (featuring Samantha Mumba)
| Filling in The Pages | |
| 2010 | "Buat Selamanya"
| Filling in The Pages | |
"I Heard"
| Filling in The Pages |
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "Stay in the Middle" (featuring Samantha Mumba) | Omero Mumba |
| 2010 | "Buat Selamanya" | Daryl Prince |
| "I Heard" | Caswell Coggins |