Known for pushing boundaries and creating visual and sonic landscapes, ZHU introduces the next chapter, Grace, with an album and tour in 2023.
Oftentimes the artists that captivate most are the ones who are elusive, shrouded in some air of mystery beyond the music they put forth. In 2014, when “Faded” dominated the dance and mainstream spaces, little was known about the artist besides their moniker, ZHU. In the nine years since, the songwriter/singer/producer has crafted sultry, club-forward hits, including “Working For It” and “Came For The Low,” as well as a handful of albums, the last being 2021’s DREAMLAND. As the artist gained global acclaim and rose higher into the stratospheres of electronic music, we learned about Steven Zhu, the man behind the project, raised in the fog of San Francisco, now based in Los Angeles.
Throughout his career, ZHU has been vocal about pushing his music’s boundaries with little regard for chasing trends. Much like the success of “Faded,” every step has been through refinement and experimentation. “For me, experimenting and trying new things is just the basis of what creativity is. You kind of have to try and fail, try and fail, because that’s just the process. What happened at the very beginning of my career was also trial and error. It just happened to work – what appeared like quickly, which wasn’t,” he explained.
All of these cycles are individual growth, as well as just collective growth. I’m trying to make music for what’s relevant now. I mean, I don’t look at what it used to be, and I know that a lot of fans probably relish what used to be. But the reality is, we’re here today, and I’m always trying to stay in the pocket of where I feel the future is going.
ZHU
Born from the pandemic, DREAMLAND sparked new inspiration for ZHU, who, along with some bandmates, embarked on a road trip to remote reaches of the country. Locales like Billings, Montana, and Coral Pink Dunes State Park in Utah would not only inspire the more crunchy, earthy sound of the album but would influence the visual component. While most of the album was mixed and literally road-tested over car sound systems, the live performances were embodied by safety cone orange, big block lettering, and road construction signs.
This year, we’re seeing a new chapter of the ZHU story take shape.
Soaked in deep red, robed figures, Gothic lettering, and religious motifs, the Grace era is revealing itself through cryptic posts. As with previous albums that were largely inspired by the environment and landscapes around him, ZHU is turning homeward to San Francisco as his muse.
“The recording of this project, as well as the whole purpose and design and visuals, has a lot of tribute to [San Francisco] thematically,” he said. “I think a lot of people don’t even know that I grew up there because very early on, there was very little information about me. A lot of what people learn in everyone’s life, especially mine, like the origins of how things come to be, makes up a lot of what you talk about and how you do things.”
I’ve never really shared a part of the city, but I think it’s time to pay some tribute to some of the great influences that have come through the area. The Bay Area has a lot of legacy that maybe people don’t even realize a lot of things that come from there.
ZHU
With an album expected later this year, ZHU also announced a North American headline tour that will define this new era. Starting in Toronto on September 14, he will make his way through 24 cities, including Brooklyn, Chicago, and San Francisco, before wrapping in Los Angeles with two nights at the Hollywood Palladium in November. Joining as a support are Channel Tres, Claptone, Hayden James, and Noizu on select dates. The Grace Tour will see ZHU bring the new era fully to life without the constraints DREAMLAND faced over the pandemic.
“I have a renewed understanding of my music in a live environment more so than during ‘Dreamland.’ Many of the records I was making at that point never fully got to be in the environment I imagined when I was creating them. Now we finally have a chance to bring some of these to life,” he said.
Maybe [music] just isn’t fully understood until you get to an environment where you get to hear it in a certain way. I think many songs are like that – some songs are great listening songs, some are great dancing songs, and some are great to film – they all have different purposes. I’m happy that there are some things that I get to put out in more of a live environment.
ZHU
Expected to join ZHU once again on The Grace Tour are his live bandmates; a guitarist, saxophonist, and drummer.
Pushing the boundaries also applies to his live shows as he utilizes live instrumentation and interactive experiences to connect to fans. In the recent past, we’ve seen games of musical chairs or fashion shows during his sets.
“In my shows, the way that I look at it is combining different elements that maybe people never thought was possible, and exploring, and reaching further into possibility,” he explained. “The first time I put a band together, people were like, ‘Why are you doing that? Why would you do that? It doesn’t make sense.’ These are human beings that play instruments; why wouldn’t they work in a musical environment?”
Fans have been able to get a glimpse of what’s to come for this tour and album from ZHU’s latest single, “Revelations,” with Devault and BabyJake, but the full sensory experience is still a mystery. “I know that, obviously, the music is not out, and sometimes I feel like I’m talking out of context because I’m talking about something that will happen, but people don’t understand now. I think once it finally connects, and people see the visuals and the story, it will definitely make way more sense,” ZHU teased.
I think, thematically, people will start to understand deeper into the cycle, and some of the things I tried to dive into are a bit more complex so they take a bit more digging and thinking. It’s going to be a longer period of time to connect them.
ZHU
On May 25, some fans in San Francisco got a more intimate taste of the Grace chapter.
Donned in all-black attire, fans lined up around the block of Grace Cathedral for the chance to hear ZHU finish recording his album live within the walls of the church. The lucky 500 attendees had their phones locked away as red smoke plumed from one of the cathedral’s towers. Inside, the cavernous space was cast in a red hue, lit only by production lighting. ZHU, surrounded by robed figures, mixed tracks off the album at the main altar before moving to the center of the cathedral to play his hits in a 360°, boiler-room-type setting.
It became clear that Grace Cathedral was the physical representation of the new album and tour in more ways than one. It was a symbol of ZHU’s roots in San Francisco, a visual connector to the more ritualistic themes explored, and most importantly, by inviting fans into the space to be a part of the creation, it embodied the collaborative nature ZHU is seeking in this new phase.
Just the idea of the cathedral itself and what it represents in so many different facets is just very fascinating for me. I’m kind of at a point where I’m exploring some deeper motifs.
ZHU
“Ever since the pandemic, I didn’t really want to make music alone. I think a lot of electronic music, the great thing about it early on is that you could do it alone – that one person could make everything, and I had to for so long,” ZHU reflected. “Throughout the pandemic, I realized the recording process in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s was never a solitary thing all the time. For a lot of dance or electronic artists, the strength and weakness comes in both. You can do it all yourself, and that’s great, but I think certain records are meant to be more of a communal thing.”
The process of making a record has kind of been lost, in my opinion, in terms of being able to have synergy between a group of people so I think that Grace was the origin for me to remind myself and everybody that was there. There was a limitation to what that was – but it was just kind of a glimpse of something that happens in the moment. That was really just a moment, and then it just passed.
ZHU
For anyone, a brand new album and headlining tour would seem like a huge undertaking – but this isn’t enough for an artist like ZHU who can’t sit still.
ZHU’s NIGHTDAY fashion line, designed in collaboration with Emmy Slattery, is also on the way. The line was previewed in a full fashion show onstage during his EDC Las Vegas set last year, which fans were invited to walk in. Anyone paying attention will know that fashion has always been an integral part of ZHU’s artistry, from what he wears on stage to now and what he’s producing with NIGHTDAY. “The designers that I grew up really interested in are still the same; the Yohji [Yamamoto]’s of the world, Rick Owens, Alexander McQueen, and Raf Simons, and to the classic like Hedi Slimane that’s Saint Laurent and Celine,” he shared.
Fashion, from the get-go, was always an important part of expression for me. We’re all kind of premeditated based on our perception of what people wear. I think all those things challenge how you think about things, and they’re used throughout history to reinforce an idea.
ZHU
The clothing line will soon be available in select stores and sees ZHU taking his love for luxury fashion and the rave scene to create an elevated ravewear line. Designed with dancing and movement in mind, the line features flowy silhouettes like kimonos and varied textures from embossing to silk and leather that all make sense in the context of the rave scene. ZHU’s eye for cleanliness and minimalism shines through, adding yet another accolade as a fashion designer to his talents.
I definitely like minimalism, but being able to DJ and do club stuff, I’ve also embraced a bit of chaos. Little by little, as I’m getting older, I’m much more okay with things going wrong, sometimes, especially music, like I prefer when it goes wrong. With fashion, there is definitely an existing hierarchy that is in place. All these companies have a certain way they want to do stuff, and I think artists with their merch, and I’m trying to offer a different perspective to how apparel and all these things are consumed. One of the biggest things is I don’t really want to be on a cycle. I want to make what feeds the hunger, and I don’t want to have a bunch of excess stuff. I want to kind of do it in a way where I’m not wasting anything.
ZHU
This year is shaping up to be another massive year for ZHU as he looks forward to the full unveiling of the Grace era.
He is staying busy as fans anxiously await the album, tour, and launch of NIGHTDAY, but with the level of detail that goes into everything ZHU does, the wait will be worth it. At the end of our call, he shared what he’s been into outside of his projects. “Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Massive Attack. I can’t just pick one, but it would probably be the first album, which is ‘Mezzanine.’” So in the meantime, while you’re waiting for the album and tour, listen to his single “Revelations” and take a gander into Massive Attack.
Artist presale tickets for the Grace tour begin June 20, with general sales starting June 23. To register for presales and RSVP to the city nearest you, visit the official tour website.
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