Pop Thoughts With Zealyn

Zealyn is making great moves with her newest single "Enjoy Your Holiday". Zealyn is an immensely talented artist that Billboard Magazine has praised as "poetic". Zealyn made her first EP in 2016 with Limbic System and is now back with new music to showcase a different tone to her. She has an unbelievable craft as an artist and lyricist where she is able to mold sounds and vibes into her music providing perfect ear candy. "Enjoy Your Holiday" showcases a different tone to Zealyn and her music which I adore. The song is fun, chill, and provides a dreamy beat.

I was able to chat with Zealyn about this newest single, her journey thus far as an artist and more. 

With the release of “Enjoy Your Holiday” finally here, how does this single stand apart from previous music including Limbic System?

I think the most notable difference will be the tone of this song. Limbic System was a beautiful first EP (in my opinion), and one that I'm very proud of. It's artistic and moody, but it's also two years old. And, within those two years, a lot has changed in my life, so I really wanted to write songs that were a little more playful and bring more energy to my live set, and I believe that is exactly what I've done with this new single!

The aesthetic with the promos for “Enjoy Your Holiday” is bright, chill and almost euphoric which makes for a pretty amazing combination. Is this pretty accurate of how the song is in your eyes?

Absolutely – you are spot on. I'm impressed... I wanted to give people a picture of what this song looks like in my mind. It was really important for me to have the visuals, the promo photos, the colors, aesthetic, etc. all match the creative direction of the song.

How long did it take you to produce the single "Enjoy Your Holiday" as well as come up with the aesthetic for it?

 From start to finish the process was about 9 months. I mean, the production was only 3 days in the studio, but I wrote this song back in December of 2017 and just had a demo of it then. I knew immediately I wanted to release it in 2018, so I would play it live at some shows to kind of gauge the feedback from the audience. It was a long journey to get everything in place and to get ready to release new music again, but now I'm feeling pretty good about it all. The aesthetic actually came together really quick. I knew right away the look that I wanted and what photographer I wanted to use. That part was a breeze.

Can we expect any other music once we get the release of “Enjoy Your Holiday”?

100% – You will hear about some more music coming shortly after "Enjoy Your Holiday". Like I mentioned earlier, it's been over 2 years since I released something new. I am eager to show what I've been working on!

What is the most exciting thing about releasing new music for you? 

The most exciting thing about releasing new music is seeing / hearing peoples reactions to it. Especially this song, since I've been sitting on it for almost 3/4 of a year. It's an incredibly rewarding feeling when your hard work is appreciated by others. The second most exciting part is playing it live. Performing is absolutely my favorite part about being an artist and bringing these songs to life and taking it from city to city is just the coolest feeling.

What has been the best advice you’ve gotten throughout your career thus far?

I saw someone post on an Instagram Story a quote that "If you want to make it in the music industry you either need 1) to be a genius .. or 2) work harder than everyone else."

If you could describe yourself as an artist in three words, what would they be?

I like to think of myself as determined, innovative, and complex.

If you could collaborate with any artist right now, who would it be?

I would totally geek out over the opportunity to collaborate with SG Lewis. I've just been loving everything he's released.

What are some of the challenges for an artist that is still getting their music out to everyone? 

 Personally, what I find to be the biggest challenge is money. I have so many ideas that I would love to do, but I find I'm always held back because I can't afford it. Music isn't cheap. As an independent artist, I obviously don't have the backing of a label to distribute my music with ads, billboards, big tours, press, etc. But thankfully the small team of people that I work with amazing, and our main goal is to have quality songs and content, and build some long-lasting relationships in the industry.

You have grown immensely from appearing on American Idol which has been awesome to follow! What were some of your biggest takeaways from appearing on it?

Thanks! Honestly, that whole process was a trip. I learned pretty quick exactly what I never want to do in the music industry. It made me grow up quick and realize who / what I don't want to be associated with.

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing new music?

I'm heavily influenced by life – some people are great about writing from other perspectives, or about scenarios, but I find most of my songs are pretty introspective and are an honest response to what's happening around me.

How has social media influenced you as an artist and your career?

I have such a love/hate with social media – I mean, on the upside, I think it's the main reason why I'm still able to release music. It's definitely an effective way to reach thousands of people in minutes. Pretty wild when you think about it like that. But the hard part is getting people to pay attention, and then having them stay interested in you. That's what I've been working on a lot lately. It's definitely influenced me in creative decisions for sure. Quality photos are now more important than ever, when you're filming anything it's important to have short enough clips for your socials, and even vertical videos are a thing now. There's just a lot to take into consideration when you're making a creative decision.

What are your two favorite songs at this very moment?

Do I only get to choose two!? I'm constantly making Spotify playlists of my favorite songs. Some that I have really been into lately "Bathwater" and Sweat Dreams" by Weslee, "Bedroom" by Litany, "Goodie Bag" by Still Woozy, and "Wait" by Eryn Martin. I know that's more than two, but I just couldn't help myself.

A huge thank you to Zealyn and her team for letting me chat!

Be sure to stream "Enjoy Your Holiday" below, as well as follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!