zzzahara started making music when they were 12, ripping beats from YouTube and creating parody songs out of “Hey There Delilah.” That initial joke turned into a lifelong love, joining bands throughout high school, finding new music through skate clips, and linking with friends like Eyedress and Collin Davis for collaborative projects in their 20s (The Simps, U.S. Velvet).
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zzzahara’s solo music falls somewhere between emo, punk, and indie rock, drawing as much influence from My Chemical Romance as Sufjan Stevens. With their latest album, Spiral Your Way Out, zzzahara harnesses all of their heroes and spits out their own gutsy homage. Written in the aftermath of a breakup, zzzahara wears their vulnerability on sleeve, penning poignant cuts about living in their head, being afraid to change, and finding a way through the mess. Through it all, they take even greater risks, including moving from their bedroom into a proper studio and tapping multiple collaborators (Jorge Elbrecht, Sarah Tudzin, former Ducktails guitarist Alex Craig, and Halsey tour drummer Franco Reid) to help shape its raucous, sun-kissed sound. In the wake of the album’s release earlier this year, they filled us in on their top inspirational tracks.
This Providence – “My Beautiful Rescue”
I think I may have found this track on a Fueled by Ramen mix, but I may be wrong. I definitely found this track in a compilation somewhere. I can’t say much for this band, because I don’t think I dug beyond this track. I need to check out this record, but definitely one of my all-time fav emo songs.
My American Heart – “The Shake (Awful Feeling)”
I first saw the music video for this song possibly on Steven’s Untitled Rock Show on Fuse. I remember my impression of Larry Soliman and how cool I thought it was that this band had a Filipino frontman. The instrumentation and the vocals are so solid. They got piano parts, disco parts, and even an acoustic break. This song has been on my rotation heavy since [I was] a teen to now.
PlayRadioPlay! – “Compliment Each Other Like Colors”
Dan Hunter is a genius. I wish his career went on for longer. I remember downloading his entire discography on LimeWire and waiting for his first shows. When he jumped onto Warped Tour, that was my first time seeing him. His music was synth-heavy and had these pop vocals that had such emo lyricism and melody. “Compliment Each Other Like Colors,” the OG demo and the major record release, are still some of my favorite tracks ever. Even the music video is iconic. He was like the Postal Service for the emo kids.
Elliott Smith – “Everything Means Nothing to Me”
This song is a masterpiece. Starting off with Elliott’s emotional voice and piano then transcending into a full-blown band that gives it an orchestra feel. The piano riff and his vocals are synced up, giving the song a powerful feeling. The repetition of “Everything Means Nothing to Me” is so cold, yet you feel confident in the way Elliott is singing it. This is a song I definitely want played at my funeral.
The Academy Is… – “We’ve Got A Big Mess on Our Hands”
I remember seeing this music video on rotation on Fuse. It features Pete Wentz. This song blew my mind. William Beckett’s vocals, style, and lyricism has been something that always stuck out from the scene. This band helping bring pop sensibility into the emo world.
Kill Hannah – “Love You to Death”
The use of synths in this song and heartfelt vocals are my favorite elements in this song. I love the breakdown in the bridge. Kill Hannah was one of those bands that had a unique vocalist, Mat Devine, and a different sound in the scene. “Lips Like Morphine” was also a banger in the MySpace era.
My Chemical Romance – “The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You”
Gerard Way’s vocals with the chorus effect on there were so different from the rest of their tracks on Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. I feel like all his songs tell an action-packed story, but this one for me always caught my attention. The instrumentation has a goth cowboy feel. Also love when he says “Check into the Hotel Bella Muerte,” with an accent. He’s got some cool accents in this song.
Panic! At The Disco – “Time to Dance”
The opening of this track, with Brendon Urie singing, “Well, she’s not bleeding on the ballroom floor…” is iconic. The instruments on this track are popping. “Time to Dance,” has such a burlesque/emo/theater feel. All I can say is that this track has some of the best lyrics, song arrangements, and instrumentation I have ever heard. This was the first time I learned what a shotgun wedding was. Thanks Brendon for expanding every teen’s vocabulary.
Chiodos – “A Letter from Janelle”
“A Letter from Janelle” is probably one of the softest Chiodos tracks on their record. The piano paired up with Craig Owens’ voice is perfect. I think the chorus is my favorite part of this track. The guitars are putting in work, too. Chiodos is such an iconic band, especially with their logo design. Glad they’re touring again.
Sufjan Stevens – “Death with Dignity”
This song actually makes me cry every other time I listen to it. I think it’s the context behind his record, Carrie & Lowell, that makes me bawl. If you ever lost someone close to you, this song hits hard. It’s a masterpiece, with emotional vocal delivery a cappella style almost with only acoustic guitar, and a piano part at the end. The lyricism behind this song and the whole record really transforms you from where you are into Sufjan’s world. I first saw Sufjan on MTV many years ago. He is one the most prolific artists of our generation and keeps putting out amazing music.