Ears Wide Open: Zzzahara

Kevin Bronson on November 16th, 2021

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Zzzahara is the solo project of Zahara Jaime, guitarist for Eyedress, one-half of the Simps (with Eyedress’ Idris Vicuña) and one-half of the new project U.S. Velvet (with Stones Throw engineer Collin Davis, fresh off their first single).

The Highland Park-reared artist, just signed to U.K.-based Lex Records, cites inspirations such as queer culture, absurdism, love, lust and feeling lost — and more than one might reveal itself in the swirling new single, “They Don’t Know.”

Zzzahara grew up on a diet of bands such as My Chemical Romance, the Cure, the Ramones and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and “They Don’t Know” has some of those artists’ outsider aesthetic amid its driving guitar, washes of synth and emotional lyrics.

“The song means something along the lines of not feeling seen, feeling a bit rejected from the world as in queer relationships mattering less in the grand scheme of relationships,” the artist told Atwood magazine, where the song premiered. “I think it’s an insecurity that I have with being queer and something I have experienced a lot of in my life. I wanted to channel that frustration into ‘They Don’t Know,’ and make a song that can resonate with people. ‘They Don’t Know’ can also just be a secret relationship.”

The video for “They Don’t Know,” starring Jade Johnston, was directed by Ross Harris. The new single follows last February’s release of “I Do OK Alone.”

||| Stream: “They Don’t Know”