What does it take to keep your voice strong enough to sing for millions, your body ready for endless travel, and your mind steady under the weight of criticism? For Nutsa “Za Za” Buza, the answer is a blend of warrior resilience, daily rituals, and an unshakable belief in love over hate.
The Georgian-born singer first captured hearts on American Idol, later stepping onto the Eurovision stage with a firefighter-themed anthem about extinguishing hate with kindness. But her journey hasn’t been easy. She has battled cultural barriers, online hate, health setbacks, and years of unhealthy dieting, all while carving out a career on the global stage. When Za Za sat down with Sam Tejada, CEO and Founder of Liquivida®, on his “A Healthy Point of View” podcast, she revealed the habits and hard-earned lessons that keep her grounded, healthy, and ready to shine.
American Idol Star Exposes the REAL Secrets Behind Stage-Ready Health! Nutsa Buza | Ep. 86
Carrying Georgia With Her Everywhere
Za Za proudly calls herself an ambassador for Georgia, the small but culturally rich country where she was born and raised. “We have such deep traditions and such beautiful culture,” she said. Her father comes from the mountainous region of Ti, a place known for warriors, horses, and resilience.
That warrior energy, passed down from her father, who served as a soldier in multiple wars, has shaped her outlook on life. “Even though I love being feminine, I know I carry his fire in me. It’s helped me so much.”
This strength even inspired one of her most powerful performances. When she represented Georgia at Eurovision, she sang as a firefighter, someone fighting flames of hate with love. “There’s so much negativity in the world. I wanted to spread the message that we can’t fight bad with bad. We have to put out the fire with love and kindness.”
Food, Culture, and Wellness Shifts
Georgia’s culture is also built around food, wine, and celebration. From farm-fresh vegetables to homemade cheese and meat, gatherings are full of rich dishes and overflowing wine glasses. “It’s impossible to diet in Georgia,” she laughed. “Everything is fresh and delicious, but heavy too. You’ll gain weight, but happy weight.”
That lifestyle made it hard to stay in shape, especially while traveling. It wasn’t until she started spending more time in Los Angeles that her wellness journey began. Seeing how people approached health there opened her eyes to better habits. “Living in America, especially LA, changed my perspective. I learned how to eat to feel better, not just look better.”
Chasing the Dream: From Dubai to American Idol
Za Za’s dream of performing globally was planted early. Her family told her she belonged in Hollywood long before she knew what it was. At 13, she began singing, and by her late teens, she was traveling alone to festivals and TV competitions worldwide.
While living in Dubai, she sent a video to American Idol. Against all odds, she became the first foreign contestant ever accepted. After six auditions and a rule change by producers, she landed on the stage she had dreamed about since childhood.
“When I found out, I was flying,” she recalled. “I cried and thanked God. I’ve always believed in miracles, and that was proof.”
Handling Stress, Hate, and Pressure
But American Idol wasn’t all joy. Competing as an outsider brought extra challenges. Some contestants gave her side-eye for how she dressed. Some fans questioned her presence. She even faced false accusations from another competitor.
“At first, I cried a lot,” she admitted. “But then I realized it was hurting me more than helping. I couldn’t control what others said or did. The only thing I could control was my reaction.”
Her solution was to rely on daily practices, including journaling, meditation, prayer, affirmations, breathwork, and exercise. “If I skip those habits for a few days, my mental state starts to rot just like your teeth would if you didn’t brush them.”
Mental Health on the Road
Traveling often brings unexpected stress: lost luggage, delays, or bad press. Instead of panicking, Za Za chooses what’s worth worrying about. “If I can’t control it, I let it go,” she said.
For emotional crises like family illness or personal attacks, she turns to three people: her priest, her mother, and her fiancé (formerly her agent, now her partner). “Talking to them always brings me peace.”
She also practices meditation daily, often with personalized recordings made by her healer, or through Wim Hof’s breathwork techniques. Before every performance, she prays and does breathwork to ground herself. “The butterflies never go away, but prayer and breathing turn nerves into energy.”
Staying Healthy as a Performer
For singers, nothing is scarier than getting sick before a big performance. Za Za doesn’t dwell on the fear, believing that what you focus on, you attract. Still, she has faced her share of challenges.
Earlier this year, she caught both COVID and bronchitis at the same time. With an important Elton John Oscar viewing party on the horizon, she pushed through with the help of IV therapy, supplements, and support from her fiancé. “I wasn’t at my best, but I showed up as my best self. That’s what matters.”
Her go-to health habits now include hydration (at least two liters of water daily), Omega and Vitamin D supplements, and regular IV treatments when she feels depleted. She also avoids plastics, choosing glass bottles to limit toxins.
A Painful Relationship With Dieting
Despite her success, Za Za admits she struggled for nearly a decade with her body image. “I was never overweight, but I was never happy either,” she said. She often starved herself before performances, only to binge after, leaving her bloated and guilty.
The breakthrough came when she wrote down her reality, her finances, career, health, and personal life, and then burned the paper. On a fresh page, she wrote her dream life. “In my dream life, I move every day, even if it’s just a 15-minute walk. I eat what nourishes my brain and body. I’m consistent, not extreme.”
She now focuses on accountability by writing daily to-do lists with three priorities. She also permits herself to rest, allowing one day a week with no plans. “Progress, not perfection. That’s what keeps me going.”
Clean Beauty: A New Mission
Her wellness journey eventually extended beyond food and fitness to skincare and beauty. Using a product scanner app, she discovered just how many toxic chemicals were hiding in makeup, creams, and lotions.
“Why train and eat healthy if I’m poisoning my skin every day?” she asked. That realization inspired her to launch her own fragrance and beauty line, vegan, cruelty-free, and safe for hormones.
“I want women to look beautiful without damaging their health. So many illnesses women face start with hormone disruption from the products we use daily.”
Childhood, Family, and the Next Generation
When asked how she would raise children differently, Za Za said she would focus on nutrition and mental health from the start. “I wouldn’t feed them so much sugar or junk food. And I’d work with a child psychologist to help me handle situations the right way. Childhood shapes our subconscious, and those patterns show up later in life.”
She believes acknowledging childhood trauma is critical for growth. “People don’t want to talk about it, but if you want to reach the next level, you have to dig deep and face it.”
Her Message to Dreamers
To anyone who wants to follow in her footsteps, Za Za offers simple but powerful advice: believe in yourself and do the work. “We’re all equal. I’m no more special than anyone else. Every person is born with a star inside them. The difference is whether you choose to let it shine.”
Her suggestion: sit down, write your reality, then write your dream life. Don’t wait for permission. Start building habits that match the life you want.