Nashville, Tenn. (July 27, 2018) – Sultry pop artist Zāna released her debut EP THE BEAUTY OF ZORA today across all streaming platforms following the exclusive streaming premiere with PopDust. The EP is already home to her latest single “Wish He’d Stayed,” an emotional ballad with an accompanying video that premiered with Ones to Watch earlier this month – watch here. Adding to the excitement, she will take the stage at the world class Mercury Lounge in NYC on August 21. For ticket information click here.Listen to THE BEAUTY OF ZORA here.
“Not only was writing this EP a liberating experience for me, but I also truly loved every moment spent working on the production of these songs. It was completely new territory for me,” shares Zāna. “After bringing in a live band with amazing musicians and recording the songs straight through in one day, I went into the studio with my demos that I originally made for each song and millions of crazy ideas. Al Hemberger, who is the coolest guy ever, was there with open arms ready to experiment on my music with me. At one point, Al even pulled out every single percussion instrument that he had in the studio, just for me, until I found my favorites. We had too much fun. I am so excited and just a little nervous—the good kind of nervous—to finally be able to release my first EP!!”
The EP title, THE BEAUTY OF ZORA, is dedicated to Zāna’s grandmother, Nana Zora, who she is named after. The name Zana Zora, means “Beauty of Dawn.” Zāna found inspiration in this for several reasons, one of them being that “dawn” means new beginnings. This release represents the closing of a chapter in Zāna’s life, which in-turn opens up a world of new possibilities, new beginnings and a fresh start.
Working at The Loft Recording Studios in Bronxville, NY, Zāna self-produced THE BEAUTY OF ZORA in collaboration with engineer Al Hemberger (Rihanna, Christina Aguilera). For Zāna songwriting serves as a form of self-exploration, and THE BEAUTY OF ZORA bravely divulges all she’s uncovered without ever turning heavy-handed.
Proving the subtle precision of Zāna’s songcraft, “Wish He’d Stayed” mirrors her emotional unraveling by beginning with a stark confession of disappointment, then gradually tracking her descent into delusion and ending on a deceptively upbeat note. On “Toss N Turn,” she speaks to the maddening effects of insomnia, but brightens the song with her jazzy vocal delivery and an infectiously breezy tempo. “Why Can’t You” looks at the loss of self that often attends depression and anxiety, offsetting her sometimes-somber lyrics with delicate percussion and smoldering guitar work. Another meditation on insomnia, which came accompanied by paranoia, “Dreaming” casts an irresistible spell with its poetic lyricism, lush guitar lines, and hypnotic rhythms. And on the seven-minute-long bonus track “Gone”—for which she played all instruments except bass—Zāna offers up a slow-burning epic laced with quietly devastating lyrics (“There’s a hole where my heart used to be, but it’s gone”).
THE BEAUTY OF ZORA Tracklisting:
- “Wish He’d Stayed”
- “Toss N Turn”
- “Why Can’t You”
- “Dreaming”
- Bonus Track: “Gone”
Zāna, a versatile musician with a sultry voice, incorporates influences from different genres and cultures, such as Arabic and Latin, to create her unique sound that she describes as “gypsy-pop”. The rising star has collaborated with Grammy winning producers Tim Mitchell (Bob Seger, Shakira) and George Noriega (Ricky Martin, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez). She has recently released tracks “Wish He’d Stayed” and “Call Ya,” which premiered with Just Jared Jr. and the video garnered over 1.4 million views on YouTube.
For more information or to connect with Zāna, visit: