Words by Annie Barber
Queer and Wasian artist Zara Smile has become adept at balancing the dualities within their identity. The London-born turned Manchester-based singer and songwriter’s latest release, ‘Listen’, draws on these experiences and the frustrations that accompany them. The track is the second to be released off their forthcoming sophomore EP and is an unbridled account of the desire for belonging.
The song straddles several genres — alternative, rock, indie, folk — merging each to create a singular track that refuses to be boxed in. The song slips between alternative-indie, folk-tinged, and loud, rocky moments, to create a fresh and bold track. Much like Zara’s diverse identity, the song is very varied, and a credit to their range as an artist.
The song’s lyrics are honest and vulnerable, focusing on Zara’s experiences of trying to fit into spaces where they feel they do not belong. The artist pleads with the listener in the line “I don’t want you to touch me / I just want you to listen”, which brings home their desire for kinship.
Speaking about the track’s meaning, Zara says, “‘Listen’ came from a place of being completely fed up with feeling like I had to explain myself to people who had already decided they didn’t understand or care what I was standing for. There’s a lot of anger in the song, but underneath that is exhaustion, the exhaustion of constantly trying to fit into spaces that weren’t made with people like us in mind. I wanted it to feel like the moment where you lose your cool for a second, and just want to scream ‘listen to me!’”
‘Listen’ is a diverse and fearless song, which showcases Zara’s candid songwriting skills, and genre-defying capabilities. Zara Smile’s second EP is due for release in October.
Catch them live on their upcoming debut tour:
London at The Finsbury, 5th September
Liverpool at Rough Trade, 11th September
Manchester at Fuel Cafe, 18th September
Leeds at Oporto, 25th September
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