Category Archives: Music Notes

Los Angeles Life and Style, Music Albums, Music Notes

ZZ Ward Releases ‘Dirty Shine,’ Ushering a Fresh Era for the Renowned Artist.

Leave a comment

OUT NOW! ZZ Ward’s ‘Dirty Shine’: A Bold Independent Debut Ushering a Fresh Era for the Renowned Artist.

Los Angeles, Calif. – Today, ZZ Ward‘s highly anticipated album ‘Dirty Shine’ has officially landed on streaming platforms, released via her own Dirty Shine Records. A cinematic 11-song album, spilling over with an intoxicating cocktail of bold electronic textures, rugged hip-hop beats, fierce rhymes and pop hooks, acoustic Delta blues riffs, sensual R&B singing, and juke joint harmonica, ‘Dirty Shine’ represents a new chapter in ZZ’s career, as she embraces life as a new mother and removes the constraints of the major label system.
 
To celebrate the release, ZZ has shared a riveting Official Album Trailer directed by her brother, Adam William Ward. Capturing the essence of classic horror films, the trailer delivers a tongue-in-cheek nod to cult classics like Knives Out and Halloween, showcasing another layer to ZZ’s expansive creative realm. Continuing her ambitious endeavor to blend music and cinema, this album trailer stands as a testament to the seamless collaboration between ZZ and Adam. As seen with the thrilling music video for “On One,” their shared vision has once again manifested in a captivating amalgamation of sights and sounds.

ZZ is hitting the road to share the sounds of ‘Dirty Shine’ with fans nationwide. Kicking things off at Philadelphia’s World Cafe Live on September 6th, the tour weaves its way through a diverse range of cities and venues. Highlights include an evening at New York’s Gramercy Theatre on September 9th, a mid-tour stop in Chicago at Park West on September 16th, and a stop in Nashville at The Basement East on September 24th. After connecting with fans across the country, the tour will wrap at the Belly Up in Solana Beach on November 18th. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.zzward.com/

ZZ started singing the blues at the age of 8, inspired by her father’s record collection. At 16, seeing the similarities between blues and hip-hop, she ventured out to the clubs in her hometown of Eugene and began singing and performing with acts around town. She busked, booked her own tours, sold demos in parking lots, and slept on an air mattress at her brother’s place while hustling for shows. It wasn’t long before she became a buzzed-about artist, earning a record deal with Hollywood Records. She quickly broke into Billboard’s Top 40 with her debut release, and her sophomore album peaked at #1 on the Billboard Blues chart, highlighted by singles featuring GRAMMY-Award winners Fantastic Negrito and Gary Clark Jr.

In ZZ Ward’s fan community the phrase “dirty shine” means being your authentic self; imperfections and vulnerabilities all included. Recently, “dirty shine” became something of a mission statement for ZZ. “The concept of ‘dirty shine’ is larger than the record,” she explains. “When I put out my first album, my fans and I started saying we are ‘dirty shine.’ It was about embracing who you are—we are all dirty, a little rough around the edges. I’ve always had this vibe, but I feel like this time in my life is like ‘dirty shine’ on steroids. I can fully be myself, and nothing can stop me.”

Now, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist is also a video director, record label owner, and even a milliner. Her iconic fedoras, once a source of confidence on stage, now serve as a personal expression of her newfound energy and confidence, as she handcrafts and sells fedoras directly to her fans, sharing the gift of “confidence” that these hats have bestowed upon her. By removing the influence of big corporations, ZZ has fostered a profound bond with her fan community, engaging with them directly every morning, and strengthening the connection that fuels her artistic vision.

The addition of motherhood has brought profound changes to ZZ’s life, as she discovers a new connection within the community of parents. This shift in perspective has fueled her determination, as she recognizes that her music now carries a deeper meaning beyond her own self-expression. Balancing the demands of motherhood and a music career has required ZZ to find equilibrium, but as a touring musician and a mother, she understands the importance of maintaining flexibility. With Bruce Kalmick, Why & How / Red Light Management, leading the charge on the management side, and her husband, the GRAMMY-winning songwriter Evan Kidd Bogart, always in her corner, this time of creativity and personal growth is especially meaningful.

Her third studio release, ‘Dirty Shine’ was produced by a who’s who of award-winning producers, and frequent collaborators of ZZ’s, including Oscar, GRAMMY and Emmy-winning producer/composer Ludwig Goransson (Oppenheimer, Black Panther, Mandalorian, Childish Gambino, Haim), Oscar and GRAMMY-winning producer Mike Elizondo (Encanto, Twenty One Pilots, Carrie Underwood), GRAMMY-winning writer/producer Jason Evigan (Troye Sivan, Dan + Shay), GRAMMY-nominated Dave Bassett (Elle King, Vance Joy, Alice Merton), iconic hip-hop producer S1 (Eminem, Drake, Lorde) and the alt-rock producer-duo Mark Jackson & Ian Scott (Bishop Briggs, Dorothy).

‘Dirty Shine’ by ZZ Ward
1. Welcome to Dirty Shine
2. Ride or Die (feat. Vic Mensa)
3. Fadeaway
4. On One (feat. Jean Deaux)
5. Slow Hum Hymnal
6. Dead or Alive
7. Forget About Us
8. Friends Like These
9. Baby Don’t
10. North Bank Blues
11. OverdoZZe
12. Cut Me Loose
13. Tin Cups (feat. Aloe Blacc)
14. Don’t Let Me Down

ZZ Ward – Tour Dates
Wednesday, Sep. 6 – World Cafe Live – Philadelphia, PA
Friday, Sep. 8 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
Saturday, Sep. 9 – Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY
Sunday, Sep. 10 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
Tuesday, Sep. 12 – House of Blues Cleveland – Cleveland, OH
Wednesday, Sep. 13 – XL Live – Harrisburg, PA
Friday, Sep. 15 – Saint Andrew’s Hall – Detroit, MI
Saturday, Sep. 16 – Park West – Chicago, IL
Sunday, Sep. 17 – Bourbon & Beyond 2023 – Louisville, KY
Tuesday, Sep. 19 – Majestic Theatre – Madison, WI
Wednesday, Sep. 20 – Woolys – Des Moines, IA
Thursday, Sep. 21 – Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN
Friday, Sep. 22 – Madrid Theater – Kansas City, MO
Sunday, Sep. 24 – The Basement East – Nashville, TN
Monday, Sep. 25 – Delmar Hall – Saint Louis, MO
Wednesday, Sep. 27 – Buckhead Theatre – Atlanta, GA
Wednesday, Nov. 1 – Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
Friday, Nov. 3 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
Saturday, Nov. 4 – Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO
Monday, Nov. 6 – The State Room – Salt Lake City, UT
Wednesday, Nov. 8 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Boise, ID
Thursday, Nov. 9 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
Friday, Nov. 10 – Knitting Factory Spokane – Spokane, WA
Sunday, Nov. 12 – Revolution Hall – Portland, OR
Tuesday, Nov. 14 – Ace Of Spades – Sacramento, CA
Friday, Nov. 17 – The Roxy Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, Nov. 18 – Belly Up – Solana Beach, CA

https://www.zzward.com/
https://www.instagram.com/zzward/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/ZZWard/
https://twitter.com/ZZWard/
https://www.tiktok.com/@zzward
https://www.youtube.com/c/zzward

Grammy Museum, Los Angeles Life and Style, Music Notes, Taylor Swift

GRAMMY Museum® to present a special pop-up exhibit, I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (At GRAMMY Museum), open now for through Sept. 18 in celebration of Taylor Swift’s history-making six sold-out SoFi Stadium shows in Los Angeles.

Leave a comment

LOS ANGELES (AUG. 2, 2023) — In celebration of Taylor Swift’s history-making six sold-out SoFi Stadium shows in Los Angeles starting this week, the GRAMMY Museum® proudly presents a special pop-up exhibit, I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (At GRAMMY Museum), open now for a limited time through Mon, Sept. 18. The exhibit is on display in the Museum’s 4th floor theater gallery.

I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (At GRAMMY Museum) immerses the visitor into the world of Swift’s recent “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” music video, with a display of 11 costumes and two instruments for a total of 13 artifacts from the video. The costumes were all worn during Swift’s original Speak Now era. The music video for “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” features actors Joey King and Taylor Lautner breaking Swift out of a museum vault while Presley Cash waits in the getaway car—a symbolic representation of how it has felt for Swift to have her fans help her reclaim her music. Swift wrote and directed the music video, realizing her dream of directing fight scenes and a heist storyline, with help from Director of Photography, Jonathan Sela, ASC. 

“Taylor Swift is about to make history in Los Angeles by setting the SoFi stadium record for the most performances as a headliner,” said Jasen Emmons, Chief Curator & Vice President of Curatorial Affairs at the GRAMMY Museum. “We’re thrilled to honor this achievement by creating an immersive space for her fans and our community to continue celebrating her all month long.”

Exhibit highlights include 13 artifacts, all of which were worn and played by Swift during her original Speak Now era, and featured in the “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version)(From The Vault)” music video: For more information regarding ticket reservations for the exhibit, please visit www.grammymuseum.org.

  • Swift’s vintage lace dress from her Speak Now Tour
  • Swift’s Eric Winterling dress from her Speak Now Tour
  • Swift’s custom REEM ACRA dress from her Speak Now Tour
  • Swift’s Valentino gown from her Speak Now Tour
  • Swift’s Jenny Packham dress from her Speak Now Tour
  • Swift’s Susan Hilferty dress from her Speak Now Tour
  • Swift’s Jenny Packham dress from her Speak Now Tour
  • Joey King’s Monsoon white dress & wig from Swift’s “Mean” music video
  • Swift’s Temperley dress from her “Mean” music video
  • Swift’s vintage flapper-style dress from her “Mean” music video
  • Swift’s Zara dress from her “Mine” music video
  • Swift’s Gibson Les Paul red sparkle top guitar from her Speak Now Tour
  • Swift’s Deering banjo from her Speak Now Tour

Step into the lobby of the GRAMMY Museum and there begins The Taylor Swift Experience. You’ll be immediately greeted with the piano Swift performed on her RED tour and, before you hop on the elevator to go up to the second floor where the exhibit resides, you’ll find a display case of Swiftie items — artifacts created for Swift by her fans. And that’s just the beginning. Dubbed “This. Sick. Exhibit.” by Buzzfeed.com, The Taylor Swift Experience opened on Swift’s 25th birthday, December 13, 2014, and gives visitors and fans an in-depth look at the GRAMMY winner’s career trajectory as a singer, musician, songwriter, entrepreneur, and style icon. From her “as seen in New York” outfits to looks from past GRAMMY Awards shows, visitors can peruses cases full of artifacts from Swift’s personal collection, including home videos and footage. Additional artifacts on display include: HANDWRITTEN LYRICS FOR THE SINGER/SONGWRITER’S HIT “22”
SWIFT’S BANJO USED DURING HER PERFORMANCE AT THE 54TH GRAMMY AWARDS IN 2012
THE “SILVER SPARKLE GUITAR” SWIFT USED DURING HER PERFORMANCE OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BEFORE THE 2008 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES
THE GUITAR SHE PLAYED DURING HER FIRST WORLD TOUR IN 2009
A LETTER SWIFT WROTE TO THE CREW OF HER FIRST HEADLINING TOUR IN 2010, AND HER SKETCH FOR THE SET DESIGN OF THAT SAME TOUR But that’s not all. Have you ever wanted to try and sing like Swift? How about mix one of her songs? You can do that, too.

ABOUT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM
The GRAMMY Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and exploring music from yesterday and today to inspire the music of tomorrow through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the Museum values and celebrates the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds and music’s many genres, telling stories that inspire us, and creative expression that leads change in our industry.

For more information, visit www.grammymuseum.org, “like” the GRAMMY Museum on Facebook, and follow @GRAMMYMuseum on Twitter and Instagram, and TikTok.

Los Angeles Life and Style, Music News, Music Notes

After Ms. Marvel and Loki, composer, pop singer A-ZAL unveils new summer pop single, “Movie Script” set to be released August 11, 2023.

Leave a comment

NEW YORK – A-Zal, the emerging popstar from New York, is ready to captivate audiences worldwide with his latest release, “Movie Script.” This sensational single, packed with a funky vibe and pop-infused melodies, is bound to hook listeners from the very first play. Scheduled for release on August 11, 2023, “Movie Script” is poised to become this summer’s anthem, destined to be on repeat for fans. A-Zal’s infectious melodies and relatable lyrics make it impossible not to groove and sing along to this unforgettable track.

In “Movie Script,” A-Zal’s musical brilliance shines through, showcasing his unique style and talent. With infectious rhythms, catchy hooks, and top-notch production, the song demonstrates his ability to craft music that transcends genres and leaves a lasting impact on listeners.

Pop singer, A-Zal releases new single, “Movie Script.” Also known as Atif Afzal, is a New York-based pop singer known for his soulful voice and impactful songwriting.
Pop singer, A-Zal releases new single, “Movie Script.”

A-Zal brings a fresh and unique perspective to his music. Affectionately referred to as the “American Ed Sheeran” by his fans, A-Zal has a talent for creating heartfelt and resonant melodies. His soundtracks have graced popular television series Ms. Marvel, which was not only famous in the US but gained admiration worldwide. His compositions have also been featured in Loki, NCIS: Los Angeles, and The Twilight Zone, as well as Netflix films like Resort to Love. He has collaborated with major studios and networks like Marvel Studios, CBS Network, Netflix, and Viacom18.

“Movie Script” further cements his reputation as an artist who flawlessly blends pop sensibilities with soulful elements, creating a sound that’s both contemporary and timeless. Listeners can look forward to accessing “Movie Script” on all major digital streaming platforms, ensuring that fans can enjoy the song anytime and anywhere. 

Mark your calendars and get ready to experience A-Zal’s latest musical masterpiece. For more updates on A-Zal and the release of “Movie Script,” be sure to visit his official website and follow him on social media channels –  Instagram Facebook YouTube TikTok 

About A-Zal

A-Zal, also known as Atif Afzal, is a New York-based pop singer known for his soulful voice and impactful songwriting. With a childhood immersed in British pop culture in London, A-Zal brings a fresh and unique perspective to his music. He has collaborated with major studios and networks such as Marvel Studios, CBS Network, Netflix, and Viacom18.

A-Zal’s fans affectionately refer to him as the “American Ed Sheeran” due to his ability to create heartfelt and resonant melodies. His compositions have graced popular television series like Ms. Marvel, Loki, NCIS: Los Angeles, and The Twilight Zone, as well as Netflix films such as Resort to Love.

Growing up in London and receiving training from a Royal College of Music alumnus, A-Zal’s musical journey took flight after pursuing a career in engineering and working at KPMG. Since his debut in 2013, he has composed scores and soundtracks for a range of international films, including Gift, Then a Hero Comes Along and The Alternative. A-Zal’s previous music has been released by prominent labels such as Universal Music Group and BMG.

Recognized for his talent as both a composer and singer, A-Zal has enchanted audiences with his vocals in various songs. His music transcends borders, captivating listeners with its universal appeal.

A-Zal continues to push artistic boundaries, captivating fans worldwide with his evocative melodies and storytelling. His music resonates deeply, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of his audience. A-Zal is an extraordinary artist, poised to make a lasting impact on the pop music scene.