Maleigh Zan’s rise feels less like a sudden breakout and more like a natural evolution—one shaped by culture, community, and an unshakable sense of self. Born in Savannah, Georgia and raised in Atlanta from the age of nine, her creative world was built early. Music wasn’t something she stumbled into later; it surrounded her from the beginning. With a mother who once appeared on MTV’s Making The Band and an uncle, DJ NSA, deeply rooted in Atlanta’s house and ballroom scenes, Maleigh grew up inside sound, rhythm, and movement.
That upbringing gave her an ear for energy. Long before she ever stepped into a studio, she was absorbing house music, funk, hip-hop, pop, and underground club sounds, learning how music could move bodies and speak identity at the same time. Those influences now live at the core of her artistry—a sound that’s unapologetically bold, club-driven, and rooted in Black and queer cultural expression.
Before music took center stage, Maleigh carved out space in the fashion world. She began modeling at 16 and quickly found herself working with major brands including MAC, Fenty, Guess, Target, and Sephora. That chapter wasn’t a detour—it was training. Fashion sharpened her confidence, expanded her creative instincts, and helped her understand how image, performance, and presence all work together. When she transitioned fully into music, she arrived already knowing who she was.
Her breakout moment came with the release of “Gag,” a bass-heavy, ballroom-infused anthem that exploded out of Atlanta’s underground and spread far beyond it. The track caught fire organically, racking up tens of thousands of streams and turning heads across the industry. One of those listeners was Timbaland, who co-signed the record and later collaborated on a remix—a rare nod that confirmed what fans already knew: Maleigh Zan was different.
Since then, she’s continued to build momentum with releases like “Studio54,” “Go Crazy” featuring Anycia, and the fearless, high-energy track “CUNTY.” Each song reinforces her commitment to movement, confidence, and freedom—music designed for packed dance floors but layered with cultural meaning. Her work doesn’t chase trends; it reclaims space, blending house music with rap cadences, ballroom attitude, and pop instincts.
On stage, that energy translates instantly. Maleigh has performed at major festivals including Rolling Loud Miami and SXSW, and has toured alongside acts like Nia Archives, proving her ability to command a crowd just as powerfully as she does on record. Her presence—both sonic and visual—has earned her recognition well beyond music circles, including a spot on the DAZED100 list highlighting creatives shaping modern youth culture.
At the heart of Maleigh Zan’s artistry is authenticity. She openly embraces her Burmese, Black, and Native heritage, and channels the communities that raised and inspired her—ballroom culture, underground dance spaces, and fashion-forward creatives who live outside the box. That honesty is what gives her music its edge. It’s celebratory, defiant, and rooted in lived experience.
As her catalog continues to grow and her audience expands globally, Maleigh Zan stands at the forefront of a new wave—one where dance music isn’t just about escape, but about identity, pride, and power. She’s not just entering the conversation; she’s helping reshape it, one record and one dance floor at a time.
