Kayvon Zand

Last updated

Kayvon Zand
Born Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres Electronic
Occupation(s)Singer, performer, actor
Years active2011–present
Website kayvonzand.com

Kayvon Zand is an American nightlife personality and founder of Zandwagon, a model management and specialty casting company.

Contents

Background

Kayvon Zand was brought up in a single parent household by their mother. [1]

Nightlife

Zand is the "ringleader" of the Zand Collective, a performance group of a dozen members. [2] In July 2010 they gained attention when their act was banned from the Highline Ballroom, as the venue deemed their act to be too shocking. [3]

They were nominated for a Paper Magazine award in 2012, [4] and they are known for throwing extravagant parties. Their dark, dance party, Dorian Gray, ran for the year of 2013, [5] causing a controversy in the LES when the original venue for the party, the DL, came under fire from the local community board. [6] The DL claimed they fired Zand because they were unaware they were throwing a dance party. [7] Zand moved Dorian Gray to the Bowery Electric for its duration, and the party continued to receive favorable press. [8] [9]

In 2014 Zand began a new event called Sex Fifth Avenue. The first edition took place at the Museum of Sex, where it was successful in cementing Zand's reputation for revitalizing NYC nightlife. [10] [11] [12] Zand proceeded to launch Kayvon Zand's Metropolis at Webster Hall across 2016–2017. [13]

Zand has partnered with the Eventi Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants for a Halloween event in 2016. [14] [15] After taking 2020 off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zand's popular 849 party returned in 2021 with an Edward Gorey themed event titled Gorey 849. [16]

Music

Zand creates '80s inspired electronic dance music. They write their own music, but work with producers including Chew Fu and Gomination to create the final tracks. They are a self-taught pianist, [2] [1] and also play the violin and viola.

Zand performed at the Life Ball in Vienna in 2011. [17] [18] They have also released two EPs; the One Way Flight remix package (2012) and Just Give It Away (2014). Zand was featured in Paper Magazine's music issue in 2012. [19] Zand has created one music video for each of their EPs. One Way Flight and Just Give It Away were both directed by Mike Ruiz and have both received favorable press, being launched by Interview Magazine [20] and Wild Magazine [21] respectively. Zand headlined the Jersey City Pride festival in 2021. [22]

Acting

Zand has been both a film and a stage actor. They played a terrorist in RuPaul's film Starrbooty, Elvis Presley on an episode of the popular Japanese show The World's Astonishing News and starred in Alfred Preisser and Randy Weiner's "Caligula Maximus-Featuring Kayvon Zand", produced by Stephen Pevner. [23] [24]

Zandwagon

In June 2017, Zand launched "Zandwagon", a model management and specialty casting company. [25]

Personal life

Nadia Zand is a trans woman, [26] Nadia is married to her longtime partner, Anna Zand. They have three children. [25] [27]

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References

  1. 1 2 Berusch, Martin. "Spotlight on Kayvon Zand: An Intimate Exploration Into a Wondrous Mind", The Blog (The Huffington Post), June 28, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Raygoza, Isabela. "Kayvon Zand: From Iranian Heir To New York Nightlife Icon" MTV Iggy, July 16, 2013.
  3. ↑ Coscarelli, Joe. "Miss the Old New York? Head to Highline Ballroom Where Fire-Eaters Have Sex Onstage", Village Voice blogs, July 10, 2010.
  4. ↑ Webb, Rebecca. "And The Nominees For The 8th Annual Paper Nightlife Awards are...", PAPERMAG.com, October 2012.
  5. ↑ Hagopian, Mark. "We're Not Sure What Happened At Dorian Gray, But We Loved It" Village Voice, August 29, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Op-ed: An Open Letter to the DL from LES Dwellers". Bowery Boogie. September 26, 2013. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022.
  7. ↑ Peck, Jamie. "Is The DL Nightclub Restaurant Lounge Operating Illegally? Its Neighbors Say "Yes!"" Village Voice blogs, October 9, 2013.
  8. ↑ Lewis, Steve. "Two Nights With Kayvon And Anna: The Best Halloween Party" Black Book Magazine, October 30, 2013.
  9. ↑ Lewis, Steve. "Where To Go Out This Week In New York + Brooklyn" Black Book Magazine, May 21, 2014.
  10. ↑ Lewis, Steve. "This Weekend In Sex, Stones + Savoia" Black Book Magazine, May 2, 2014.
  11. ↑ Lewis, Steve. "Another Michael Alig Day + James St James And I Make Up" Black Book Magazine, May 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ Ferrell, Alannah. "Sex Fifth Avenue" Wild Magazine.
  13. ↑ "Kayvon Zand Archives". NickyDigital.com {SMILE}. July 28, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Celebrity Photos from Kayvon Zand's Epic Halloween Bash: Hospital 849". www.out.com. November 2, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Watch Luann de Lesseps & Sonja Morgan Turn Up the Fright as Sexy Nurses Ahead of Halloween Bash". People. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  16. ↑ Feitelberg, Rosemary. October 20, 2021
  17. ↑ Schreiber, Abby; Kessler, Max. "PARTY PROS SHARE THEIR CRAZIEST SPRING BREAK STORIES" Paper Magazine, March 22, 2013.
  18. ↑ Zand, Kayvon. "Kayvon Zand and the Zand Collective Live Performance In Life Ball" December 14, 2011.
  19. ↑ "JUST A FEW 'WILD AND CRAZY GUYS' (PLUS ONE GIRL)" Paper Magazine, June 30, 2012.
  20. ↑ Visco, Gerry. "Exclusive Video Premiere: One Way Flight, Kayvon Zand" Interview Magazine.
  21. ↑ Visco, Gerry. "Just Give It Away" Wild Magazine, May 25, 2014. Archived July 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ↑ August 24, 2021
  23. ↑ Galloway, Jordan. "Until The Last Star Falls From The Night" NY Press, April 13, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Kayvon Zand Leads CALIGULA MAXIMUS At House Of Yes 3/31-4/17" Broadway World, March 30 2011.
  25. 1 2 "Zandwagon: The Queer Model Management Company Breaking All The Rules" Osenlund, R. Kurt June 21, 2017
  26. ↑ "Our 2024 Entertainment". Jersey City LGBTQ+ Pride Festival. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  27. ↑ "The Zand Family Reveal How Their Daughter Inspires Them To Be More Accomplished" Nazim, Hafeezah July 8, 2017
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