Zito Talks Debut EP, Her Voice And More

 Vocalist and songwriter Zito first appeared on our radar when she released her single ‘Slay’ which we really enjoyed at JLTT. Her debut EP ‘Wanna See Red’ is out now and she chatted to us all about here new music and more: 

Your new EP ‘Wanna See Red’ is out now. How did you want to approach the making of the EP?

It was all providence – after experimenting with song ideas for a long time for fun, Peter Reilly and I fell into the incredible opportunity to work with FAMA Collective and bring them to life, and everything took off from there. 

 Where did you record it and who produced it?

This EP was born at Fama Studios in Santo Domingo, DR, where most of it was recorded by the wonderful Arturo Piña, with the exception of a lot of home production & some bass/drums at Criteria (formerly The Hit Factory) in Miami, recorded by longtime-friend Carlos Bedoya. 

 Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

There are a looooot of memories from these sessions as I went through a major break-up & Covid in the midst of them, but those stories will have to wait to be the subject of future torch songs. 

 Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

York, Pennsylvania. Rural, country, solitary, down-home, peaceful.

 Who are some of your musical influences?

My influences are all over the map – but my heroes are artists like Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Carole King,  Linda Rondstadt, and the Beach Boys. 

Do you have any favorite stage instruments, effects, or pedals?

Hahah not particularly, I’ve never been a gear-head. I can work on any piano (the piano I do most of my writing on at home is in such bad shape it’s practically firewood). I notice a huge difference in microphones when recording, but I don’t like to be fussy.  An SM-58 is always just fine.

Do you have any live plans for 2024 in the UK and Europe?

We have a few things on the horizon, stay tuned 🙂

What was the inspiration/story behind the title track ‘Wanna See Red’? What was the thought process behind the music video?

Wanna See Red was a really happy accident, to be honest. I was writing late on a Tuesday thinking about what was missing from my catalog, and wanted to see if I could tackle a pop/dance banger… something light and fun to which you can roll the windows down and turn volume up. I picked a three-chord progression, started riffing with nonsense words, and three hours later had tracked and produced out the whole demo (which was almost exactly how we recorded it). I never had more fun working on something – from the demo to the tracking in studio to the music video, and I think so much of that is because it was always an experiment at heart. I’m really proud of it.

Who is in the band on the EP?

The album’s older tracks, Slay & Away, feature Brian Lange on drums & co-production. The remaining songs all have Armando Lopez on drums & Andres Ferret on bass. Peter Reilly lays down guitar and co-produces on most and I cover all keys. Please Don’t Leave Me had two special guests – I had my friend Garrett Stoner of the Opry Staff Band play guitar (we were in our first band together in high school), and an incredible multi-talented violinist Steffen Zeichner on fiddle.

 How do you look after your voice?

The voice is the most fickle instrument. Singing opera always kept me well-supported, and I’ve had to step up that work lately to keep things lined up with all the pop stuff I’m doing. And like anything else, sleep, rest, diet & exercise make all the difference. 

Do you have any specific warm-up techniques, dos and don’t or specific beverages that you drink?

I stay away from red wine and dairy or things that can spark reflux, and prefer room-temperature water like a weirdo. A lot of singers don’t like caffeine, but you’ll have to pry my coffee out of my cold, dead fingers. 

I stick with opera singing as daily maintenance. In the studio, I like to warm up by singing jazz standards to keep a neutral larynx position, and I frequently sing  my own songs that way to practice out any tension.

 Was it a difficult EP to write?

It was, but not musically. The songs were written in different years, and recorded in the era of Covid when nothing was ever a sure thing. I experienced some of the most profound life shifts I’ve ever had during those years, and wound up beginning to produce my own music out of necessity in that time. I hear a lot of that self-discovery and the progression of my musical maturity in those songs parallel to that timeline.

 What makes Zito happy and what makes you unhappy?

In general, I’m trying to re-wire from chasing happiness to contentment instead. Focusing on having peace in simple things keeps raw “unhappiness” at bay. Going for a long run, dancing around the kitchen, singing in church, being outside – that life is pretty net-wonderful. 

Photo Credit:  Supplied By PR

Zito’s debut EP ‘Wanna See Red’ is out now released by FAMA Collective.

You can listen and stream it here: https://links.altafonte.com/wannaseered 

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3Es71DQ (@zitomakesmusic)

TikTok: https://bit.ly/3lXTRrR (@zitomakesmusic)

X: https://bit.ly/3xGp0m7 (@zitomakesmusic)