ABOUT
Actor, director, music maker and much-loved Play School presenter, Zindzi Okenyo’s life has always been about exploring and discovery, finding new modes of expression.
Her kids project Zindzi & the Zillionaires is one of her most exciting adventures yet. A stunning hybrid of joyful R&B musical grooves combined with songs and themes that every child can love - friends, family, love, sharing, the wonders of nature. And of course, good vibes for the parents too!
Since its release the debut album - Zindzi & the Zillionaires - has gone from strength to strength earning an ARIA nomination for Best Children’s Album along with wins for Best Album, Song and Newcomer at the MMMA Children’s Music Awards.
With a live band and her fluffy dancing Zillionaires friends on stage, Zindzi has seen the welcoming reaction from children and parents alike through her performances around the country at acclaimed festivals VIVID, DARK MOFO, Queenscliff, Wonderstruck, DreamBIG and Cairns Children’s Festivals.
Zindzi is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. Her stage roles include An Ideal Husband for Melbourne Theatre Company and Grand Horizons for Sydney Theatre Company, as well as a Director for their shows Is God Is, Sweat and Destiny.
She is a familiar face on Australian TV screens with roles in series such as Fisk, Critical Incident, Troppo 2, Deadloch, Wakefield, The Code, Janet King, Harrow, and Sisters.
Her 10 years as a presenter on Australia’s longest-running children’s TV program, is where she learnt how to express herself authentically, without fuss. Working with early learning experts on Play School combined with her vast life experience and skill led her to create Zindzi & the Zillionaires.
“It’s been important to me to have an artistic outlet with OKENYO and now for The Zillionaires. That’s where I can express what I am about as opposed to as an actor, interpreting a character. It’s invigorating having all these different aspects of my artistry happening at once."
Zindzi & the Zillionaires is a world that welcomes everyone to the party!