Angie Miller

Angela Kristine "Angie" Miller (born February 17, 1994), also known by her stage name Zealyn, is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She came in third place on the twelfth season of American Idol in 2013. Her debut EP, Weathered, was released independently on November 12, 2014. Miller rebranded in 2016, opting for the stage name, "Zealyn". Since 2016, she has self-released four extended plays. In 2020, she founded the Los Angeles based nonprofit, Push-Up Bra LA, a music development organisation with an emphasis on supporting independent female musicians and songwriters in the recording industry.

Early life Angela Kristine Miller was born on February 17, 1994, in Beverly, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. Her father, Guy, and mother, Tana, graduated from Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The couple relocated to Massachusetts after Guy attended Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton to prepare for ordination as a Christian minister. The Millers served at churches in Lynnfield and on Cape Cod, where they resided for eight years, before becoming co-pastors at Remix Church, a member of the Assemblies of God protestant denomination, in Salem. Miller has an older brother named Jonathan. He was an integrant of hardcore band, Exiting the Fall, from 2013 until 2015. Consequently, she had ear tubes placed and, a month prior to her American Idol audition, fits for silicon spray ear plugs. Miller's condition has affected her singing, obstructing her hearing of her surroundings, rather than herself. She claimed that she learned to manage it a couple of years prior to her American Idol audition. She initially began playing guitar, but switched over to piano after receiving lessons from an instructor in Cape Cod.

Miller attended Beverly High School from 2008 to 2012, involving herself in the school's choir, honors vocal ensemble, and theatre program. She was an active participant at her father's church as well, leading music during services. Miller proceeded to perform without her piano, despite the judges' suggestions; she permanently retreated to the piano during the Top 7 episode. During the course of the series, Miller tackled songs by Jessie J, Beyoncé, Colton Dixon and others, and was called out for her resemblance to singer Miley Cyrus.

Miller was considered a fan favorite, often placing in the voting's top ranks and becoming the season's sole contestant to not land in the bottom 2 or 3 until her elimination in the Top 3. The elimination was described by journalists as "shocking" and "surprising," to which they attributed competitor Kree Harrison's victory to support from Vote for the Worst, voting from Middle America, and pity votes prompted by her homecoming video. Others ascribed her choice to perform Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" without playing the song on the piano. as well as an eventual acting career. Of her intents for her debut studio album, Miller revealed that she wanted to write or co-write all material. She also intended to show all sides to her personality in an intricate and artistic manner which she feels current mainstream music largely lacks. She further explained, The top three finalists – Miller, Candice Glover and Harrison – recorded background vocals on a song for judge Mariah Carey's fourteenth studio album, though it is yet to be confirmed whether it will be on the final track listing. On May 17, 2013, subsequent to the series' finale, Miller released her debut single "You Set Me Free" to digital retailers via her American Idol contract with 19 Recordings. On May 22, 2013, reports surfaced that Miller had signed a publishing contract with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), and is in midst of searching for a record deal.

On December 3, 2013, Miller released a Christmas single, called "This Christmas Song" and a cover of "O Holy Night." In April 2014, Miller embarked on the "Angie in Asia" tour in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

A PledgeMusic campaign for her debut EP, Weathered, was launched on August 28, 2014 and was released on November 12, 2014. On October 13, 2014, Miller premiered a song from the EP, "Lost in the Sound," and a second song, "Miles" was premiered by Billboard on October 29, 2014. On November 20, 2014, Weathered debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and at number 131 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2015, she released her first music video, for the song "Simple", the only single from the EP. In September 2015, she traveled to Kolkata, India to perform several small concerts around the city.

2016–2019: Limbic System and A Weekend in Maine In February 2016, Miller announced that her new music, which she had begun writing in early 2015, would be released under the pseudonym Zealyn. According to Miller, the name Zealyn originated from the country New Zealand, with a friend recommending her to make it into a girl's name. Miller expressed a desire to change her stage name and the direction of forthcoming music releases in order to separate herself from the image she had created as a contestant on American Idol in her late teens. She did not believe that her previous music or image were marketable under her birth name due to its lack of appeal. On February 20, 2016, her song "Tides To The Moon" was featured in a trailer for "Little Mermaid."

She debuted her first single, "Talk:Listen" for streaming on February 26, 2016; it was released on March 4, 2016, for digital download. A second song, "Sleep On It", premiered via Nylon magazine's official website. The song was available for digital download on April 1, 2016. Her alternative rock and electropop EP, Limbic System, was released on June 24, 2016, containing seven songs. "Limbic System" was recorded in two months during July and August 2015 at singer Aaron Marsh's studio in Lakeland, Florida. She co-wrote the songs for the album, along with her then-fiance, David Williams. The album's title song, "Limbic System" featuring JMR, was released for streaming on April 29, 2016. "Overwhelmed" featuring Aaron Marsh was released for streaming on May 25, 2016. and features music remixed by Jon Santana, Sleeping Lion, The Lulls in Traffic, Stephen Laurenson, and Austin Cannon.

On May 17, 2019, her second EP, A Weekend in Maine, was released. Miller returned to her hometown of Beverly, Massachusetts to perform a concert, featuring music from the EP on June 13, 2019. The concert was the first show for her 2019 tour in the United States. The EP's title was inspired by the family trips to Maine when she was a child. The song, "Faster Now", written in 2015 and originally intended for her debut EP, was written as a reflection of Miller's struggles with the pressure of songwriting and expectations of the recording industry.

2022 to present: I Think I'm Struggling with Getting Older and Keep Your Chin Up, Kid In September 2022, her third EP, I Think I'm Struggling with Getting Older was released on streaming platforms. She performed songs from the EP at its official release party on September 19, 2022 in Los Angeles. The single, "Odd Behavior" and its accompanying music video, was inspired by Quentin Tarantino's work, of which Miller is a fan. Her fourth EP, Keep Your Chin Up, Kid, was released for streaming on June 24, 2024. Miller revealed in an Instagram post that the single, "Glory to God", was written about her childhood as a pastor's kid in a strict household and her experience with religious trauma due to her upbringing.

Other ventures Miller is the co-founder of the music development nonprofit, Push-up Bra LA. The nonprofit was started in 2020 due to Miller's belief that female musicians, songwriters, and producers, needed to have equal representation in the male-dominated recording industry. The nonprofit hosts female-only songwriters camps and talent showcases, featuring female-only musicians in the Los Angeles area. Artists who perform at the showcases are paid through audience donations. Miller has performed at several Push-Bra LA showcases, singing music of her own composition from various independent EP releases.

Personal life Miller moved to Los Angeles, California, in early 2014 to continue pursuing a professional music career after her participation on American Idol ended. She and her longtime boyfriend, David James Williams, became engaged in late November 2015. They married in a small ceremony in Massachusetts on July 7, 2016. Williams serves as a co-writer, co-producer, and guitarist for her EP recordings and tours. She is a fan of the English band, The 1975, Danish singer, MØ, Khalid, and The Killers, and expressed in an interview in 2019 that she desired to collaborate with all of them.

Discography

As Angie Miller

Extended plays + List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Details Peakchartpositions US USHeat USIndie WeatheredReleased: November 12, 2014 Label: Independent Format: CD, Digital download 131 1 13

Singles

Music video "So Simple" (2015)

Releases from American Idol "I Surrender" "Yesterday" "Shop Around" "Bring Me to Life" "Anyone Who Had a Heart" "Love Came Down" "I'll Stand by You" "Halo" "Who You Are" "Cry Me a River" "Diamonds" "Someone to Watch Over Me" "Try"

As Zealyn

Extended plays + List of extended plays Title Details Limbic System Released: June 24, 2016 Label: Independent Formats: CD, digital download A Weekend in Maine Released: May 17, 2019 Label: Independent Format: Digital download I Think I'm Struggling With Getting Older Released: September 9, 2022 Label: Independent Format: Digital downloadKeep Your Chin Up, KidReleased: June 24, 2024 Label: Independent Format: Digital download

Remix albums + List of remix albums Title Details Limbic System: Reimagined Released: June 17, 2017 Label: Independent Format: Digital download

Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Album US "Talk:Listen" 2016 — Limbic System "Sleep On It" — "Limbic System(featuring JMR) — "Overwhelmed(featuring Aaron Marsh) — "Enjoy Your Holiday" 2018 — A Weekend in Maine "Airline Wine" — "Faster Now" 2019 — "So Damn Charming" — "Odd Behavior"2022—I Think I'm Struggling with Getting Older"Glory to God"2024—Keep Your Chin Up, Kid"Christmas Eve"—

Music videos YearTitleArtist2016"Talk:Listen"Zealyn"Sleep On It" "Overwhelmed"(featuring Aaron Marsh)2019"So Damn Charming"2022"Odd Behavior"2024"Glory to God" feat. SilasZealyn and Silas"Christmas Eve"Zealyn

Tours 2013: American Idols LIVE! Tour 2013 2013: Nice to Meet You Tour (Guest Star for Jessie J) 2013: Celebrate Christmas Tour 2014: Fox International: Angie In Asia 2023: I Think I'm Struggling with Getting Older (as Zealyn) 2024: Keep Your Chin Up, Kid (EP release show in Los Angeles as Zealyn)