The name Zinnia has stood out to me for a long time. I don’t actually remember where I first heard it, maybe it was in a song, but ever since then, it has stuck with me. There’s something about the name that feels both mysterious and powerful, as if it carries a story of its own. I knew I wanted to use it for a character, but for a long time, I couldn’t find the right place for it.

In the worlds I’ve imagined, I tried making Zinnia one of the main characters, but it didn’t really fit. I remembered a recurring dream I used to have: standing in an endless grassy meadow beneath a starry sky. One day I wondered, what if the meadow wasn’t grass, but flowers instead?

That simple thought remained with me, and I realized none of my existing worlds was directly linked to flowers (or to dreams), which somehow felt like a missing piece. I began to imagine Zinnia’s world as one where flowers were at the heart of everything, maybe even a world born from a flower, or perhaps just a fleeting dream.

As for Zinnia herself, I imagine her as kind and graceful, yet enduring, like a flower that bends in the wind but never breaks. She has a role to play in the main overarching story, but for now, I’m keeping it a secret. Currently, Zinnia and her story exist in its own timeline, set in a parallel world apart from the main story, though it is still tied to something (and someone) very important.

I wrote music for Zinnia when I was in the early drafts of her story. The first piece I finished was a prelude, which I handwrote and gave to a close friend as a gift. Since then, I’ve been working on more music and developing her story further.

I’m excited to share more with you as Zinnia’s story continues to bloom, and I hope you’ll continue exploring the world of Zinnia with me.

Ngiam Teo