Ali “Zero” Zwayen

Ali “Zero” Zwayen was born in Baghdad, Iraq, where music was always present in his home thanks to his father, a self-taught keyboardist. Drawn early to the power and energy of heavy metal, Zero purchased his first guitar—a Yamaha electric—in 2008 and set out to pursue music as a career. Along the way he developed a distinctive style while expanding his skills as a songwriter, recording engineer and mixer, while also programming synthesizers and keyboards. Among his favorite creative projects has been transforming familiar cartoon theme songs into high-energy heavy metal interpretations, a process that reflects both his sense of humor and his technical creativity in the studio. During the 2026 NAMM Show, Zero became the first person from Iraq to be interviewed for the NAMM Oral History collection, representing both the rich cultural traditions of Iraq and its promising future in music.