Zendaya at the Hollywood Premiere of Disney Channel's Let It Shine on June 5, 2012
Background information
Birth name	Zendaya Coleman
Born	(1996-09-01) September 1, 1996 (age 16) Oakland, California, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock[1]
Occupations	Actress, singer, dancer
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Walt Disney, Hollywood (2012–present)
Associated acts	Bella Thorne
Website	www.zendaya.com

Zendaya Coleman (born September 1, 1996), known mononymously as Zendaya, is an American actress, singer and dancer. As of 2013^[update] she stars on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up as Rocky Blue.
She has starred in two films and played one of the lead roles in the film Frenemies as Halley Brandon. She voiced Fern in the Pixie Hollow Games. She appeared in Good Luck Charlie as Rocky Blue and in a Good Luck Charlie and Shake It Up crossover title Charlie Shakes It Up. She appeared on PrankStars as herself in the episode "Walk The Prank" and on A.N.T. Farm as Sequoia Jones in the episode "Creative ConsultANT."
Zendaya is also a musician. She signed a deal with Hollywood Records on August 8, 2012 and started recording songs for her debut album on August 12, 2012. She released a single from an independent label called "Swag It Out" and another single with Bella Thorne called "Watch Me," which is featured on the Break It Down album.
On March 20, 2012, Zendaya and Bella Thorne released an album together called Shake It Up: Live 2 Dance, each have their own song on it, along with a mash-up of both songs together as one. On August 21, 2012, Zendaya and Bella Thorne released an EP called Shake It Up: Made In Japan. Zendaya has a Christmas song called "Shake Santa Shake," which is on the Disney Channel Holiday Playlist CD, which was released on October 2, 2012. On March 5, 2013 the third Shake It Up soundtrack was released, entitled I <3 Dance; on it, Zendaya has two songs with Bella - "Contagious Love" and "This Is My Dance Floor" - as well as one solo song, "Beat of My Drum."

Early life

Born on September 1, 1996 in Oakland, California to Kazembe Ajamu Coleman and Claire Stoermer, Zendaya grew as a part of the nearby California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda where her mother works as the house manager in addition to training at the theater's student conservatory program. Zendaya has performed in numerous stage productions. Zendaya also helped her mother seat patrons and sell raffle tickets to benefit the theater.
While she was attending Oakland School for the Arts she starred as Little Ti Moune in Once on This Island at the Berkeley Playhouse and the breakout role of the male character Joe in Caroline, or Change at Palo Alto's TheaterWorks. Zendaya also studied her craft at the CalShakes Conservatory Program and at the American Conservatory Theater. Her other stage credits include Richard III, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It.
Zendaya has stated that her name means to give thanks in Shona (A Bantu language native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe). She also spent three years dancing with her former dance group called Future Shock Oakland. They danced such dances as Hip Hop and Hula.^[

Zendaya spent three years of dancing in a dance group called Future Shock Oakland. The group did hip hop and hula dances when she was eight.^[19] Zendaya currently lives in Los Angeles with her family and dog, a Giant Schnauzer named Midnight.^[3] Her interests include singing, dancing and designing clothes.^[3] In October 2010, Zendaya told Variety, "I love singing and would love to record an album at some point".

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2010–present	Shake It Up	Rocky Blue	Lead role; Disney Channel Original Series
2011	Good Luck Charlie	Rocky Blue	"Charlie Shakes It Up" (season 2: episode 13)
2011	PrankStars	Herself	"Walk the Prank" (season 1: episode 3)
2012	A.N.T. Farm	Sequoia Jones	"Creative consultANT" (season 2: episode 1)
2013	Dancing with the Stars	Herself	Season 16 contestant; finished second

She's only 16 years old, but Zendaya Coleman already has her own hit Disney TV series, "Shake It Up," was runner-up on this season of "Dancing With the Stars" and is gearing up to release new music in July

Still, she's not the first to accomplish so much so early in her career, and now, as she transitions from Disney star to pop star with her single "Replay," which will be released next month, she understands that she'll be compared to Disney starlets who have come before her.

"Everyone has done it differently, and my main thing is that I don't want people to compare me," Zendaya told MTV News. "Everybody has their own way of doing things and they do it great. It's beautiful to see people grow up, especially in this industry — it's hard. But for me, I'm gonna grow up like Zendaya would grow up. Who knows how that's gonna happen, but I think it's going to be pretty great because I have great parents."She may not want the comparisons, but she will certainly take some advice. Earlier this month, Demi Lovato sat down with MTV News and described Zendaya as a "talented and beautiful" person before offering up some words of wisdom.
"My advice would just be to not let anything get you jaded. Just really appreciate. Be thankful for everything," Lovato said
Her advice didn't stop there: When Zendaya met the "Heart Attack" singer, whom she calls "inspiring" and "genuine," Lovato made sure that Zendaya was aware that if she ever needed anything, she would only be a phone call away