After many hours of venue-hopping in the rain, I think it’s safe to say that many CMJ-attendees were feeling understandably defeated by Thursday evening. But the lucky ones who decided to check out Neon Gold Records‘ New Shapes showcase at Santos Party House were treated to the best medicine: sets by Twin Peaks, Kate Boy, Fenech Soler, Verite, and a whole bunch of others. One of the major standout performers was Zella Day, the Arizona-born siren whose brilliant Seven Nation Army cover garnered serious attention a few years ago. Her voice is beautiful and raw, and she managed to sound even better live than on her self-titled EP.
She played each of the tracks from said EP, along with some new ones and an excellent rendition of “Time of the Season” by The Zombies. Her sound was harder, a little more rock than what I’d been expecting, but that was in no way a bad thing. She was also wearing these really incredible, crushed velvet bell-bottoms and some enviable jewelry (bonus points for the choker), so she’s definitely somewhere at the top of CMJ’s best-dressed list.
After finishing her first-ever CMJ performance, we stepped outside to chat about the music marathon, finding inspiration, and some other interesting facets of life. Spoiler alert: she’s really awesome.
So, this is your first time doing CMJ — how’s it been so far?
It’s been great. I got in last night and I’ve just been running around all day in the rain. This first show was a really good introduction to the whole week, so I’m excited.
Is there anyone you’re really looking forward to seeing?
Borns! I don’t know if you’ve heard of him, but he’s awesome and he just released a single called “10,000 Emerald Pools.” He’s actually playing with me on Saturday at The Wild Honey Pie showcase. He’s great and I’m really looking forward to seeing him play.
Before seeing you live, I thought your sound was a bit more electronic – particularly your song “East of Eden” – so I was going to originally ask how or why you made that transition. But now I’m not sure if that question applies so much.
I work out of a studio called Wax Ltd. and over the course of a few years, I feel like my relationship with my producers has really grown from me bringing in my ideas on the acoustic guitar to building tracks together. So, East of Eden was born from a track that we built together. We started out with a beat and put some chords down on the piano, and that’s how that song was born. Like you said, it was more electronic-based than it is acoustic because it was sort of created in the studio. It just happened that way.
I’ve read a lot about how you got started by performing Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley covers in your parents’ coffee shop, which is really cool. Aside from the two of them, do you have any other major influences?
I’ve gone through phases – you know, like, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jack White, Joni Mitchell, they’re all amazing artists – but with the way my personality is, it was always just phases. I’ve never really tried to emulate anybody, like, I never felt so deeply in love with one artist and had tunnel vision. I’m the kind of person who takes in everything. I’m recording my album right now and I’m trying not to listen to one artist too much because I fear I’ll start translating that into my tracks. I try to just stay inspired by life and the people around me – I’m always taking it in, observing, and reading is a big inspiration for me, as you can probably tell from “Sweet Ophelia” and “East of Eden.”
Want to offer any literary recommendations?
I’m reading a lot of old Western stories right now. Like, Billy the Kid…a lot of John Wayne stuff. What’s funny is that I’m reading these stories since I moved away from Arizona. Since I moved, I’ve been more inspired by home. It kind of keeps me feeling at home and grounded, and like I can pull from the aesthetic, and the visuals, and the stories and legends from Arizona, more so than before.
I have to ask — who are your fashion or style influences? Your style is amazing.
I’m really influenced by the ’60s and ’70s. I’d say Jane Birkin – not necessarily because I pull from her style-wise, but I love her aesthetic. I mean, I loved her baby doll dresses and her little ballet flats, but I think it’s her confidence that I pull from because she can wear anything and it looks beautiful. So yeah, Jane Birkin… Bianca Jagger… I love her pants suits, they’re just next-level. And Stevie Nicks, as of recently.
I was just going to say, you definitely have a Stevie Nicks thing going on.
That makes me very happy! Yeah, I’d say recently, people have been comparing me to her, which is so flattering because she’s so great and iconic. But yeah, those three women, in general.
That’s an excellent answer. Did you ever have a moment when you realized wow, this is really happening?
That’s a really relevant question because I’d say it was two days ago when my song “Hypnotic” was free single of the week on iTunes. I think it really hit me more than ever that like, people who had never heard of me before were going to be hearing me and downloading my single whether they knew my name or not. There’s been a change in the tides as far as me just recording and releasing music and having fans close by – people in California and Arizona and Colorado, people in my proximity who know who I am or know of me just through Spotify. So iTunes is really blowing up the Zella Day name, which has been really interesting. I have people who would have probably never heard my music hear it now, in the past few days, so that’s been a moment for me.
That’s so cool, congratulations!
Thank you very much.
Any future plans that you’re particularly excited about?
We’re anticipating a tour and I can’t really say much about it but… a tour is in the works right now! And that’s what’s next, after CMJ. As a person and an artist, I’m very in the moment so I make sure that I’m not thinking about tomorrow or the next day or the next show. Tonight, all I was thinking about was the performance because that’s the most important thing that I have going on right now.
Anything last words?
Thank you for being a part of my journey!
More Zella Day.. Soundcloud
Interview by Nicole Woszczyna. Follow her on Twitter @nicolewosz.
