Zāna – For Winter

By starrymag | July 21, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I describe my sound as “Gypsy-Pop.” “Pop” being the main genre and “gypsy” because I love incorporating elements from different genres and styles, such as Arabic, Latin, Balkan, RnB, Jazz, Reggae and the list goes on and on. I really love experimenting with my music and I love mixing different styles and genres together. Another way of looking at it is like free-spirited pop music.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) I have so many…The list is endless, and the genres are all over the map, but if I have to narrow it down to a few then I’ll base it more off of vocals. So, I’d say – in no specific order – Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, Marvin Gaye, Toni Braxton, Lauryn Hill, Sade, Al Green, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Sam Smith and Adele. But overall, I am influenced by everything I listen to and I grew up listening to A LOT of good music because of my parents.

Q) How did your time at Berklee College of Music help shape you as an artist?

A) I learned a lot of important techniques and tools at Berklee, but I didn’t really start coming into my own and shaping/defining my gypsy pop sound until I moved to NYC after graduation. I began performing all over the city and challenging my voice and my songwriting skills more and more. It was fun keeping up with NYCs fast-paced lifestyle.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Don’t Wanna Know.”

A) “Don’t Wanna Know” is the response to one of my previous songs, “(You Deserve) Better” from my EP This Is Autumn. “(You Deserve) Better” is about a guy realizing that he messed up with the girl that he loves and wanting to make a move back into her life, but also recognizing that he can’t sacrifice her happiness for his. “Don’t Wanna Know” is the girl’s response to him telling her that she deserved better and wanting her to be happy more than anything. She is angry at him for coming back into her life and angry that she still loves him, but most of all she’s scared that he may have actually changed, and they could really work this time.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) I think everyone has experienced the feeling of head vs. heart. Your heart wants to let you fall back into situations where you’ve maybe been hurt before because your heart is hopeful. Your head analyzes the situation more and hesitates because it recognizes the pattern and that you’ve been hurt before in a similar situation.

Q) What was it about your song “(You Deserve) Better” that inspired this single?

A) It felt like the guy was able to express how he felt to the girl, but the girl didn’t get to say how she felt. The story felt one sided and unfinished and I wanted to give the girl a voice so she could say how she felt about the situation and the words he shared with her.

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) I think it expresses her frustration and the sort of “idk what to do with myself” feeling that often occurs when you are conflicted. She feels a whirlwind of emotions and doesn’t really know what the right answer is. You can see that she’s sort of killing time getting distracted in her room and then distracting herself with a walk in the city.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) My songwriting process varies. Sometimes I play around with different chords and plucking/strumming patterns on my guitar until I find something I like in the moment and from there the lyrics just come together depending on the mood of the chords. Or sometimes I’m washing the dishes or walking down the street and have chorus lyrics just pop into my head. I also have times where I pick a topic to write about and then work towards creating a storyline around that topic. I don’t restrict myself when it comes to writing, it’s really about letting the ideas and creative process just flow and then once you get all the ideas out, you can make it make sense and sort of chisel it from there.

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) I am pretty heavy handed in all aspects of my music. Some people really enjoy that about me, and some people do not. [laughs] I love giving producers and musicians creative freedom. I try not to say “no” to ideas, even if they sound absurd, but I love being there for the process and giving my honest opinion. I strongly believe that challenging each other gets you to a better place in the end. I am also the kind of person who says wacky stuff to express what I want things to sound like. The other day I used an example of Voldemort’s face passing through Harry in The Sorcerer’s Stone as how I wanted the reverb/delay throw to sound on my vocals. I have also used examples like “picture yourself as an ant and then what a raindrop would sound like to you” in order to create the right kick sound in a song. It’s quite absurd, but I feel like it also amuses a lot of people I’ve worked with, and they appreciate my weirdness and openness to creativity.

Q) What are themes you explore on your new EP For Winter?

A) I think For Winter explores making decisions. “Never Again” was a decision to never let yourself feel like this again. To never let anyone manipulate or hurt you in that way again. “Beating Bold” is the decision to be honest and straight forward with a new love interest right from the start of the relationship. “I Cry” is about deciding to feel that pain. Accepting that you’re not okay, and that’s okay. “Nearly” is about walking away from hurtful things. A lot of people will stay friends with someone who hurt them because they don’t know what to do and they don’t want to seem dramatic or whatever it may be (depending on the situation), but screw that. Take care of yourself. Don’t people-please, especially not with someone who hurt you. It’s about deciding not to sacrifice your wellbeing for someone else’s. “Don’t Wanna Know” is about deciding between head vs. heart. “I See” is about deciding to be hopeful despite how hard anxiety and depression try to pull you down.

Q) What songs on the album hold a special place in your heart?

A) I think “I See” is the one that I connect with the most. It’s strongly rooted in mental health, and I have had my fair share of struggles with anxiety and depression and feeling like I’m drowning no matter how hard or fast I swim. The chorus lyrics are so simple but say so much for me. “It’s a lot.” It really is. Life can be a lot, but it’s about perspective. Yes, it can be a lot. A lot of bad things will come your way, but there is also a lot of good out there just waiting for you.

Q) Which tracks challenged you the most to create?

A) I think “Never Again” was maybe the most challenging for me when it came to capturing the true emotion of that song. The production came together pretty quickly, but I was absolutely exhausted after recording the vocals for that song because I really had to get into character. It was emotionally exhausting more than anything. I had to get angry, but the anger had to be rooted from true deep harsh pain and channeling that took a lot of emotional energy.

Q) How did you shake off a long day in the studio working on this EP?

A) This EP took many hours to shape up and it was a very emotional EP, so after the long sessions I would just do something that was relaxing for me like doodling and watching funny TV shows like “New Girl” or spending time with my family, including annoying my dog. [laughs]

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from checking out For Winter?

A) I hope listeners can maybe relate to it and know that they’re not alone when they get upset or angry or have anxiety or depression. I hope that’s the biggest take away from all of my music. You’re not alone in what you’re feeling. We’ve all been there even if it doesn’t seem like it on the outside. I also hope that they can dance to some of the For Winter EP and maybe connect some fun little memories to it.

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) I really love performing at The Roxy Hotel. It’s such a fun vibe. I like that I get to experiment with different cover songs and throw in some of my originals as well. I really, really enjoyed performing at this dive bar in Astoria, called Gussy’s. It’s closed down now, but those shows were always so fun because it’s a small place and the crowd is always ready to jump around and sing along. I also dig the environment at Rockwood Music Hall and The Bitter End. The audience is always a riot in some way. Always ready to dance or participate in the show in some way. One of the most memorable shows for me was at Mercury Lounge. It was a Tuesday night at 11pm and the room was pretty packed. I invited all of my musician friends that came to the show to watch up on stage to perform with me and the rest of the band. There was over ten of us on stage. It was a great night.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) In the future… Maybe Ed Sheeran or Adele. I love their songwriting and they also seem like such fun people to be around. I would also love to collaborate with my college roommate/best friend. We’ve written some songs together before that are super dear to me and I would love to write a few more together and maybe drop a little EP.

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

A) This is a really tough question because I mostly have music on repeat from like before the 2000s, not much after like 2013, but from the new music that I do check out I really dig Taylor Swift’s last two albums. The storytelling and production were super beautiful. Felt like I was listening to a book of stories about different people from varying places and times. I really enjoyed both albums, especially Folklore.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) Social media is so strange. It’s a very powerful tool. It can be super harmful, but it can also build such a huge feeling of community and unity if used the right way. Negative things can be said about every generation, but what I love about this generation is the way we can communicate through memes and funny videos and we like get each other without having to explain too much. You just send a meme and say “me” and you are like totally connected with that person now and have this sense of knowing each other so well without ever even meeting in person. It’s super awesome and extremely important when it comes to connecting with your fans that may live in other states or countries. It’s also so fun that fans can connect with each other the way that they do. I love reading the interactions on my posts and joining those conversations. I also try to answer all of my DMs and comments (even if it takes me a few days) because I really want my fans to know that I do care about them and cherish their support. Social media provides that platform for me to do that instantly. It’s really awesome and vital to building that connection.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) I would just love to thank you all so much for your love and support. I truly wouldn’t be able to do any of this if it wasn’t for y’all and I am in awe with how much love and support you have to offer me and each other. It means so much to me to read all of your kind words and to talk to you all. It really is the highlight of my days and I thank you all so much for being so kind to me and to each other. I can’t thank you enough for streaming, purchasing and most of all sharing my music. I am beyond blessed and I hope you’ll enjoy all of the new music I have coming your way