Zaxai celebrates new beginnings with his single "Goodbye"
Exclusive Q&A with one of the stars from NBC's "The Voice"
One of the best parts about running a platform is forging friendships with the artists and watching their careers take off in real time. In 2017, when Gritty Vibes was only a year old, we covered Zaxai's first EP, proclaiming the Brooklyn artist as a must see up and coming talent. 3 years and around 10 million Youtube views later, the secret is out: Zaxai is the real deal. For many, the introduction was his deep run on NBC's The Voice, where he captured the hearts and minds of a national audience each week.
With a larger fan base and an album on the horizon, we thought it was a good time to reconnect. Zaxai is fresh off a recently released single "Goodbye", which bids farewell to an ex after a breakup. His upcoming album will focus on his day's after The Voice, and showcase a side of Zaxai that many have not heard before. We talked about this, his upcoming album, his time on The Voice and even his acting debut below.
1. So much has happened since we've last spoken. Your run on The Voice was incredible. How did it feel performing so well on a national stage?
Thank you! So much definitely has happened! In and out of relationship, up and down in weight but music definitely stayed consistent and my life is consistent and ironically that's thanks to Covid. Anyways, being on that stage felt like home! I’ve always wanted to prove that I can perform in any situation, any type of pressure but also enjoy myself in front of people I look up to but also consider my contemporaries. I’m referring to the coaches. They just so happen to be in a different tax bracket than I am at the moment haha. It was even more fun getting to know other indie artists from around America honestly. I grew because of them. The entire experience was the “summer camp” I never got as a kid.
https://youtu.be/gupkbh9yzf8
2. After almost a year and a half, you're back with "GOODBYE". I read you say "You need to go through ish to sing about ish." Can you tell us what you've been through while on the show and how it inspired the track?
Yes sir! That’s my first single off my upcoming album “Son of The Xrown: Warrior”. Honestly it’s about my last relationship. This one is different because I felt as if she would have been my last. You don’t get a lot of those in your life, so although it almost broke me, I appreciate it and that experience. What I’ve been through? Hahah it’s in the lyrics of this song and 2 more. I throw slight shade at it. Whether it’s relationships, friendships, travel stories, etc, it all plays a roll in your life. How can one tell a story if they never been through it. I don’t care how good of a liar or story teller you are; nothing is more captivating then when someone talks about their experiences. There’s an authenticity and emotion behind it. I put that into the music and took my time. I don’t care that the industry wants us to release music at crazy rates and speed. Quality over quantity will always be my motto and you can ask my friends, im always about details.
As you know, in the past I’d write and co produce these beautiful love ballads or break up ballads which hinted to hope but I got tired of that. I got tired as a musician, as a person and writer. I figured if I’m going to write about a break up song, it won’t be a sad song. It will be a celebration as the record hints and drop it in the summer. For now, I’m hanging up the ballads. Before her, I’ve had failed relationship and at one point, engaged ,so this record was inevitable. I’m thankful for each experience though. It taught me about myself but also what I’m willing to take and looking for.
https://youtu.be/b7hyOBnlH2M
3. The next album is on the way. What should we come into it expecting from you?
For this album, you’re not getting the “new me”, you’re getting the TRUE me. Meaning, I love music in its purest form. That’s SOUND! At the very same time, I’m a fan of genres you probably wouldn’t expect me to sing because of the projects I’ve released in the past and performances on NBC “The Voice”. “Goodbye” is one of them. I have another record releasing Thursday August 20th entitled, “I want you” featuring my mentor, big bro, engineer & fellow indie artist, Kay’Vion Sire. It’s my take on what a sex song should sound like lyrically. If Chris Brown, John Legend, Usher we’re to make a record with a sprinkle of Zaxai, that would be it. That’s another example. I haven’t completely abandoned my ballads, there’s just a time for it. I hinted to one entitled “Kiss Me Again” featuring Nafsica Gavrilaki, on my “acting debut”. I did a short under “Root Level Films” directed by Christopher Aran. That was a selfish plug haha. Basically, I’m more open, honest & raw on this project. I feel like my writing got a lot better and I’m also collaborating. It’s going to be a fun one. It’s the story of how I lost and redeemed my “Crown” or “Xrown”. Meaning, my smile, joy and identity. Everything that happened after the voice and a little before it is on the table. I had to for the sake of context. You can’t tell a good story without starting from its roots; a flashback.
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