Alternative-indie artist zzzahara (they/them) has finally let themselves go on their forthcoming release, Spiral Your Way Out, set to drop on Jan. 10, 2025 on Lex Records. The Los Angeles-based artist, who first emerged on the alt music scene with their reflective 2022 debut liminal spaces, has built a reputation for exploring themes of love, lust and self-discovery. Their sophomore album, Tender, delved into a more vulnerable side, but with Spiral Your Way Out, zzzahara confronts the aftermath of a failed relationship, trying to grow into the expectations placed upon them.
“I think I finally came to this acceptance that I don’t have to be perfect. I want to be a good role model to my fans and stuff like that, but I also don’t want to hide who I am.”
zzzahara shared that the anger they carried into the studio while making Spiral Your Way Out was directed both outward and inward. They felt frustrated toward another person for treating her poorly, but even more so at themselves for not leaving the situation sooner.
“I think in that situation I just kind of let things be, and I was mad at myself for letting myself isolate for so long and never putting my foot down. In the end, I just took it all out on the record.”
zzzahara, known for writing songs in their bedroom, takes on an ambitious new sonic deviation on Spiral Your Way Out. Featuring more collaborations, they worked with a range of producers, including Jorge Elbrecht (Japanese Breakfast, No Joy, Sky Ferreira), Sarah Tudzin (boygenius, Cloud Nothings, The Armed), former Ducktails guitarist Alex Craig (Jelani Aryeh, re6ce) and Halsey tour drummer Franco Reid, who helped harness their intimate style of writing and expand it into something more panoramic. “It felt comfortable to have them lead or translate what I’d written and make it better.”
Tracks like “If I Had to Go I Would Leave the Door Closed Halfway” and “Pressure Makes a Diamond” revisit familiar themes, showcasing sun-soaked guitars and heartfelt vocals. Yet, zzzahara’s signature open-hearted confessionalism now unfolds over layered bass lines and subtle nods to The Smiths. The single “Head in a Wheel” delivers an angsty garage rock punch, described as a track ‘for everyone feeling discontent, apathetic, or just dead inside.’ In contrast, “In Your Head” finds comfort in a gentler space, with slow-burning melodies and a hazy, shoegaze-infused guitar sound.
zzzahara describes music as therapeutic. However, she says “Wish You Would Notice (Know This)” was the biggest weight off their shoulders, pouring out fast and straight from the heart in just five minutes.
“The perspective that I wrote it from was just like letting somebody drive the car. I wrote it about my ex, and it felt like she was always driving the car and instead of being vocal or communicative. I felt like had tried so much by that point that I just let the car drive. That song was me just spitting bars about how I felt.”
After a turbulent year, zzzahara has finally found a sense of “calm.” Spiral Your Way Out feels like the musical equivalent of venting frustrations through several rounds on a punching bag. Reflecting on this journey, zzzahara notes, “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become [more] tender, but I’m not against embracing that wild side either.”
“My whole life, all I’ve known is destruction. Having a dysfunctional family, trying to figure out where I lie in this world… I feel like that’s the kind of life I lead. Very spirally, very chaotic. It’s one big fucking mystery,” they smile. “It takes so long for me to feel comfortable in any place, but working on not giving a fuck has been my vibe recently. Like, I could spiral out of control, but that’s just who I am. That’s what I figured out at the end of this journey: I don’t need all this therapy. I don’t need to be sober. I can just be, and it’ll be okay.”
