Zuzu is an upcoming indie singer songwriter (and comic book fan) from Liverpool. Since her signing with EMI and debut single 'Beauty Queen' in 2018, she's been consistently creating more and more ambitious tracks and even an EP. In 2021, Zuzu releases her first full length project, 'Queensway Tunnel', and The Mic's Gemma Cockrell is here to break it down.
The defining feature of the album is that Zuzu is Scouse. Not only that, but she is immensely proud to be Scouse, from naming the album after the tunnel between Birkenhead and Liverpool, to refusing to mask her strong accent whilst singing. She even worked alongside fellow Scouser Kieran Shudall from Circa Waves on multiple tracks on the record.
Even though the album opener Timing reminds me quite a bit of Wolf Alice (which is by no means an insulting comparison) and My Old Life’s acoustic guitars are tinged with a hint of Avril Lavigne influence (again, a pretty flattering comparison), Zuzu’s sound is remarkably unique. Only Zuzu could have made Queensway Tunnel, and for me, that’s what marks a standout, once-in-a-lifetime artist.
In an interview I did with her a few months back, Zuzu spoke about being inspired by “noughties Avril [Lavigne], Sleeping With The Light On [by Busted], Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus – emotive, acoustic guitar that makes you feel like you’re 15 again,” and this can definitely be heard on My Old Life. However, she managed to successfully borrow from these influences rather than letting them overpower her.
"...the track shows Zuzu doing what she does best: writing about exactly how she feels, and not being afraid to say it as it truly is."
My Old Life ultimately feels like a moment of emotional release for Zuzu, and this is a theme that carries over to the majority of the tracks on Queensway Tunnel. Lie to Myself, one of my personal favourites on the record, is an emotional cry-out to an ex-partner as she begs them to stop flaunting their new life in her face, whilst the title track Queensway Tunnel is about leaving someone in the past and finally receiving closure.
However, there are some things that Zuzu has not quite accepted yet. On Toaster, a more downbeat track, she sings about the realisation that she has grown up, a sentiment that is symbolised by receiving the song’s namesake as a birthday gift. Ultimately, she is not too chuffed about this, admitting that she is struggling to find the silver lining of emerging into adulthood.
Never Again is another moment where Zuzu hasn’t quite reached closure yet. On the track, she vents her anger at someone is presumably an ex-lover. While “You’re a piece of shit and so are all your stupid friends” is not the most mature lyric ever written, the track shows Zuzu doing what she does best: writing about exactly how she feels, and not being afraid to say it as it truly is (in true Northern spirit).
Funnily enough, Never Again is followed immediately by Endlessly Yours, an entirely contrasting track where Zuzu devotes herself entirely to someone, straight after vowing never to trust anyone again. She proves immediately that not everything said in the heat of the moment remains true over time, and that this is an important and essential part of self-growth and realisation.
This sentiment is something that defines Queensway Tunnel as an album. It is an album about growth, acceptance, closure and embracing imperfections. Queensway Tunnel is one of the most honest albums I’ve ever heard, and on top of that, it might also be one of the best debut albums I’ve ever heard too.
Written by: Gemma Cockrell
Edited by: Elliot Fox
In article images courtesy of Zuzu via Facebook. Video courtesy of Zuzu via YouTube.
Comentarios