Last week, rising R&B neo-soul singer-songwriter, ZADA, unleashed her infectious standout lead single, Nomad. The first serving of her music, Nomad is a proclamation that celebrates ZADA’s roots and journey to date, and is a reflection of her graceful sound aligned with production that is fresh, uplifting and full of new ideas and promise. Today, the song’s stunning music video premieres, bringing the evocative imagery from the track on to the screen.
“I wanted to write about what it’s like to be an immigrant…and for me – coming from Ethiopia – that meant excessive TSA checks, accustoming to new cultures, and travelling,”says ZADA of the song, which was produced by Vancouver-based JUNO Award-winning producers, Chin Injeti and Brian West. “There are beautiful parts about this lifestyle and the perspective gained from my story, so I wanted to bring light to that. It felt right to have the production reference afro-beats, ‘call and response,’ and even have a breakdown mimicking Ethiopian markets and airports.”
Reflecting on the creation of the video, ZADA says, “Everyone from Untold Creativehad great energy and really sat down to hear my story! I wanted this video to mirror my experience as a Canadian Immigrant, which required a long conversation with Cole Northey. From there, the team brought everything to life. We captured so much beautiful scenery thanks to B.C.’s incredibly diverse environments. The setting was crucial to the concept – and the long drives were well worth it – to stay true to my story.”
Along with Nomad, ZADA shared the companion track, Tear Us Apart – a poignant reimagining of a story told by her grandmother. As the matriarch recalls how her royal bloodline was impacted by the actions of a palace gardener and a princess, ZADA flipped the script and character roles; the woman, a rugged nomadic bandit and the man, now a prince, flowed into a tale of young forbidden love, backed by a fast-paced instrumental to create vivid scenes amidst lyrics that echo longing and rebellion. Listen to both Tear Us Apart and Nomadhere.
With more music on the way, ZADA’s career has many pathways, all open and ready for her to thrive. The artist is bringing new meaning to the word ‘nomad.’ Home is where the heart is, roots are grounded in every stride, and her journey is unfolding in every note.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
July 22 – Whistler, BC – Whistler Olympic Plaza
Sept 24 – Vancouver, BC – Bloom Inspiration Summit @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre (support for Jann Arden)
*more to be announced soon!
