Minneapolis artist, producer, singer, rapper, and overall powerhouse ZORA has her eyes set on success by all means necessary. Through discussion of post-structural values like dissolving the capitalism that oppresses us, the most radical element of her debut album Z1: The Cuntification Of Zora, out May 20 on Get Better Records, is the unabashed joy, love for life, sexual prowess, and liberation of a young, Black, LGBTQ+ woman.
“I really want to shed light on so many of the oppressive, hierarchical structures in our society. I think that Black girls are taught that we have to behave a certain way in order to be seen as society wants to see us, when in reality, femininity can come in many different ways. I want to be one of the reasons that there is a girl uprising in the next few years! On Z1, I touch on a lot of themes such as heartbreak, self-expression, mental health, and some songs just about escaping reality and just remembering to have fun.”
The ground that Z1 covers is vast. The style of production that ZORA brings to the table covers so much ground, from the future bass in “RUNNITUP” to intimate ballads like “CLIFF” to songs like “ALL AROUND THE WORLD!” which would fit in comfortably on late 2000s pop radio. ZORA’s influences come from across the board—citing artists like Beyoncé, A Tribe Called Quest, Britney Spears, SOPHIE, and many others as inspiration, she is determined to show off her range as much as she can.
“I really wanted to showcase all of the different musical styles that I’ve been inspired by. I think in the past, I have been told to only stick to one genre in order to sell, or kind of pigeonhole myself into just R’n’B, just hip hop, or just pop. In reality, I like so many different genres, and I can make so many different genres of music, so I just wanted to do it all with Z1.’”
“I really just want to continue to take my career to the next level. I want to show girls like me that we can be pop stars; we don’t have to take the cards that are given to us. We can tear them up and make our own cards. My career has always been about making my own way; I don’t think there’s anyone that has taken this specific path. I want to open doors for those that come after me and give my community hope and spread positivity.”
With a current place of skill and talent like ZORA has, there is no doubt that her future will be star-studded. Success is woven into her DNA along with the fighting spirit to make it happen.
Listen to “Happiest I’ve Ever Been” featuring Myia Thornton here:
For more from ZORA, find her on Twitter and Bandcamp.
Photo courtesy of William Hawk
