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Steven Zhu is a producer and musician working under the stage name ZHU who was born in 1989. He has been active since 2014, becoming one of the hottest names in electronica with one E.P and one single, the latter of which was a hit around the world.

All that we really know about Steven Zhu as a person is that he was born in 1989 and doesn’t really like to say all that much else about himself. He’s an intensely private person, preferring to keep himself as anonymous as he can and let the music speak for itself. The unfortunate thing for him is that the music is so outrageously good that we must know more about him, and considering he’s created this much hype despite the debuting in February 2014, he’s going to have to get really good at staying anonymous very, very quickly. His first track was “Moves Like Ms Jackson”, a mashup of several Outkast tracks that he posted onto his Soundcloud account.

That track gave him an audience thanks to it featuring on a number of blogs. That audience began to grow at an alarming rate when he started producing more tracks and put them on his Soundcloud page. He soon signed a contract with the record label Mind Of A Genius, who put out his first E.P “The Nightday” in April 2014. His first single was released on the same day as the E.P, and “Faded” ended up being a top five hit in both Australia and the U.K. As if that wasn’t enough, it ended up being nominated for Best Dance Recording at the following year’s Grammy Awards as well, almost exactly a year after he put his first track on Soundcloud.

Clearly, Zhu is an artist with a very bright future. Very few other artists have caused such a phenomenal stir in their first year of existence, and chances are it’s going to keep building with time. The sky’s the limit for ZHU, and he comes highly recommended.

Live reviews

I have been listening to ZHU for a decent while now. I enjoyed a number of songs from his first EP, and ended up purchasing the entirety of the one that followed.

For a while, I have wanted to see one of my favorite artists play in Detroit. Luckily, ZHU ended up doing so. This marked my first ever concert and, honestly, this was a perfect introduction to the experience.

Gallant, who opened for the show, was truly incredible. His vocals are off the charts and as he played through his discography I was absolutely blown away by the fact he could maintain such accuracy for such a long time. On top of that, his band played great.

ZHU's performance was mesmerizing. He put together a show that was so unique. His guitarist and saxophonist play as great, maybe even better, than they do on the actual tracks. ZHU ended up singing, and he made sure that the crowd was having a good time. Luckily, it looked like they were having a good time as well. Everyone was fired up, and apart from hearing almost every ZHU song, we were given a first listen to future songs of his new album.

There's a lot more I could say but it's hard to put it into words. All I can say is, this is an artist worth checking out if you're not already familiar with him. His performance ranges from pure head banging to a slow, emotional "hands waving side to side"

He pleases fans who just want to hear the music as well as those who want to see the actual instruments being played.

In conclusion, truly an enjoyable concert.

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Steven Zhu may have only appeared in 2014 yet he is already gaining quite a reputation on the electro music scene. For almost the whole year he remained completely anonymous as many artists of the genre have as he wanted to be judged on the music alone. Luckily the music was very strong so his personality never particularly came into it. He showed huge promise with his first track 'Moves Like Ms. Jackson' demonstrating his mixing and producing abilities and it has now become a highlight in his live show.

The follow-up single 'Faded' became an international hit and earned him a Grammy nomination which seemed to be a huge shock for the musician who claims the project is solely about the art. There is no doubt this has helped with demand to see the performer live as his stages seem to be constantly expanding in size yet Steven handles this with ease as he is really confident in his mixes and abilities as a DJ. There is some great music included from 'The Nightday' EP and the full length debut looks to be a promising affair.

I just saw ZHU yesterday at red rocks and tbh, Overall very disappointing show. ZHU is my favorite dj and ive seen him many times and this wasn't the best at all. The 1st half of the show was ok but the 2nd half was just awful. His band started playing jaz which is cool but thats not what im going to see ZHU for. Im going for deep house. It felt like I was at a lettuce or string cheese show. Side piece which opened on day 2 (Saturday) was amazing and should have been the primary act. ZHU also barely played any of his real bangers. Not going to another ZHU show if he keeps this up.

It was kind of ridiculous that no makeup, such as lipsticks or compact powders, was allowed in. And we have to pay for checking our items with the valet. I believe there must be a reason for this but I would appreciate a little bit more notification. Because makeup is an unusual item to be prohibited, it would be much more considerate if SK would have notify us in the email with confirmation.

However, the concert itself was a blast! I absolutely loved it and it was the best way to celebrate my high school graduation!!! I love ZHU!

I would highly recommend seeing Zhu live! If you're a fan of his music....he is fire live! The concert was unreal. There was a boxed canvas where the attendees were able to paint on something they wanted. We got a gift as we walked into the venue. He played a whole extra set which lasted nearly an hour past the time he was supposed to finish. It was literally one of the best concerts I've attended. It was my first time getting to see him live and I'd go to any concert he performed at!

nice music, terrible venue. such a shame :( - NCG is way too small for the amount of people in attendance and the people on the dance floor were just not enjoyable to dance with. it felt too commercialised - people were on their phones the whole way thru.

This was the best show of my life! He is such an amazing artist and puts on a great show! It was so worth traveling to the US for the weekend to see him! I will be ofllowing him around when he gets to Europe! Please hurry!!!

Madrid awaits you!

Electrifying! Looking back at it, it all feels like a dream. The energy generated by the crowd and the music was almost explosive. The setup and warehouse theme add to the uniqueness that is Zhu. I will attend every set of his within my reach.

Zhu is incredible live. I've seen him 4 times, and each set was truly a unique mix. He mixes from his his whole catalog seamlessly and throws in other mixes on top. He knows how to get everyone dancing and rolling. A true artist

I LOVE ZHU BUT THE ACOUSTICS IN 130 BOwery was Terrible . I've listen to the live said said ultra music Festival live Liston to Coachella sex I wish the acoustics at 130 would have been equally as impressive

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ZHU is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 4 concerts across 3 countries in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

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GRAMMY®- Nominated Artist ZHU To Embark On The Grace Tour This Fall

ZHU PLANS TO RELEASE AN ALBUM THIS YEAR

Sign up now for the artist  pre-sale   starting june 20, general on sale june 23.

Today, GRAMMY®-nominated artist  ZHU  announces his North American headline tour, produced by Live Nation.  The Grace Tour  will kick off in Toronto on September 14 and bring ZHU to major cities including Brooklyn, Chicago, and San Francisco before wrapping in Los Angeles with two nights at the Hollywood Palladium. This is ZHU’S first headline tour since his 2018  Dune Tour.  Sign up now for the artist  pre-sale . 

The tour will see additional support from Channel Tres (DJ Set) at the Brooklyn and San Francisco dates, Claptone at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, Hayden James at the Los Angeles dates, as well as Noizu on multiple select dates throughout the tour. 

Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale for U.S. dates beginning Monday, June 19. Additional presales will run throughout the week, including an Artist Presale starting Tuesday, June 20, ahead of the general on sale beginning Friday, June 23 at 10AM local time. Citi is the official card of  The Grace Tour  US dates. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, June 19 at 10AM local time until Thursday, June 22 at 10PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit  www.citientertainment.com . 

The announcement of the tour comes on the heals of ZHU’s recent collaboration with the video game franchise,  Mortal Kombat 1 . The original track entitled  “Fatal (Mortal Kombat 1) ” is set as the backdrop of all gameplay matches – listen  here .  ZHU’s latest single,  “Revelations,”  which saw ZHU team up with  Devault  and  BabyJake  on the silken, slow-burning single .  Listen  HERE  and watch the video  HERE . The new track was the first preview fans saw from ZHU’s upcoming album. Stay tuned for more info on the album coming soon! In addition to the upcoming tour,  ZHU  kicked off summer performing at Lighting in a Bottle and will be playing numerous more festivals this summer, including Bumbershoot and Goldrush. In addition to the festivals, ZHU returns to London on August 4th for his first headline show in the UK capital since 2015. ZHU will play an extended set alongside his full visual show at the beautiful Lafayette in King’s Cross. See below for itinerary or visit   https://zhumusic.com/pages/tour . Last year, he joined  Swedish House Mafia  on their Paradise Again tour. After joining  ZHU  backstage for  this  feature,  VMAN  noted ,  “ZHU has curated a slick persona with a massive influence far beyond his music, specifically in the fashion space.”   HYPEBEAST  said,“ZHU consistently delivers stunning audio-visual experiences drawing from a broad range of influences, with high fashion and rave being recurring themes.”

He previewed his  NIGHTDAY  fashion line, designed in collaboration with  Emmy Slattery , during his EDC Las Vegas set last year. The name for the collection, which will soon be available at select retailers, was inspired by  ZHU’s  massively successful debut  EP , which included the GRAMMY-nominated hit “Faded.” Billboard   noted,“It’s an accomplishment for an artist to partner with a swanky fashion house, yet a next-level achievement is unlocked by designing a collection oneself, from inspiration to garment.”

ZHU  THE GRACE TOUR  DATES

ZHU – FESTIVAL AND EUROPE TOUR DATES                                                                 

07.20               Ostrava, Czechia                      Colours of Ostrava 2023

07.21               Dubrovnik, Croatia                   Revelin Culture Club

07.22               Zurich, Switzerland                  ZOA City

07.28-30          Plock, Poland                           Audioriver Festival 2023

07.29               Istanbul, Turkey                       Zorlu Center

07.30               Izmir, Turkey                            YUZU Beach

08.4                 London, UK                              Lafayette         

08.5                 Cluj-Napoca, Romania             Untold Festival

09.2-3              Seattle, WA                              Bumbershoot 2023

10.7-8              Avondale, AZ                            Goldrush 2023

11.17-19          Mexico City, MX                      Corona Capital

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit  www.livenationentertainment.com .

For more information on  ZHU , contact:

Chris Iacullo / The Lede Company 

[email protected]

Sami Brensilber / The Lede Company 

Courtni Asbury / The Lede Company 

Galia Slayen / The Lede Company

Nikki Crystal / Capitol Music Group

[email protected]  

Monique Sowinski / Live Nation Entertainment

Maya Sarin / Live Nation Entertainment

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ZHU Announces The Grace Tour And New Album This Fall. 

GRAMMY®-nominated artist  ZHU  announces his North American headline tour, produced by Live Nation. The Grace Tour  will kick off in Toronto on September 14 and bring ZHU to major cities including New York, Chicago, and San Francisco before wrapping in Los Angeles with two nights at the Hollywood Palladium. This is ZHU’S first headline tour since his 2018  Dune Tour.  The tour will see additional support from Channel Tres (DJ Set) at the Brooklyn and San Francisco dates, Claptone at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, Hayden James at the Los Angeles dates, as well as Noizu on multiple select dates throughout the tour. 

Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale for U.S. dates beginning Monday, June 19. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, June 19 at 10AM local time until Thursday, June 22 at 10PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit  www.citientertainment.com . Additional presales will run throughout the week, including an Artist Presale starting Tuesday, June 20, ahead of the general on sale beginning Friday, June 23 at 10AM local time. Sign up now for the artist  pre-sale .

The announcement of the tour comes on the heels of ZHU’s recent collaboration with the video game franchise,  Mortal Kombat 1 . The original track entitled  “Fatal (Mortal Kombat 1) ” is set as the backdrop of all gameplay matches.  ZHU’s latest single,  “Revelations,”  which saw ZHU team up with  Devault  and  BabyJake  on the silken, slow-burning single .  The new track was the first preview fans saw from ZHU’s upcoming album. Stay tuned for more info on the album coming soon! 

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ZHU Announces First Headlining Tour Since 2018, The Grace Tour

Grammy-nominated artist ZHU is coming back to the spotlight in 2023 with his first headline tour since 2018, The Grace Tour.

Beginning in Toronto on September 14, The Grace Tour will run through major US cities like Brooklyn, Chicago, and San Francisco before wrapping up in Los Angeles with two nights at the Hollywood Palladium .

Some incredible names will join him as support including smooth vocalist/DJ Channel Tres , masked chart-topper Claptone , viral favorite Hayden James , and house hit-maker Noizu .

The tour is only part of the “ Faded ” producer’s big news as he also confirmed he is releasing a full album this year.

His latest slow-burning single “ Revelations ” with Devault and BabyJake is the first preview of the upcoming album, featuring ZHU’s signature sexy vocals alongside BabyJake’s raspy croon.

It’s been quite a while since ZHU fans have been able to experience a fully curated tour by the fashionista and industry innovator, although he did provide direct support for Swedish House Mafia on their Paradise Again comeback tour last year.

But now ZHU is back in full performance mode, kicking off summer with a slot at Lighting in a Bottle last month, and he has an extended set in London coming in August as his first headline show there since 2015.

Artist presale for ZHU’s The Grace Tour begins Tuesday, June 20 with presale signups available here . General on sale begins Friday, June 23 at 10AM local time on ZHU’s website here .

Featured image credit Jason Renaud

Danielle Levy

Danielle Levy is an MBA with a concentration in Corporate Social Responsibility. Danielle has several years of experience in the sustainability education world and has held various positions in human resources and intern management. Danielle is passionate about the ties between sustainability and social impact.

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The Grace Tour will kick off in Toronto on September 14.

Published on

Zhu has announced his North American headlining tour, produced by Live Nation. The Grace Tour will kick off in Toronto on September 14 and bring the artist to major cities including Brooklyn, Chicago, and San Francisco before wrapping in Los Angeles with two nights at the Hollywood Palladium. This is Zhu’s first headlining tour since his 2018 Dune Tour. Sign up now for the artist pre-sale.

The tour will see additional support from Channel Tres (DJ Set) at the Brooklyn and San Francisco dates, Claptone at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, Hayden James at the Los Angeles dates, as well as Noizu on multiple select dates throughout the tour.

Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale for U.S. dates beginning Monday, June 19. Additional presales will run throughout the week, including an Artist Presale starting Tuesday, June 20, ahead of the general on sale beginning Friday, June 23 at 10AM local time.

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Citi is the official card of The Grace Tour US dates. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, June 19 at 10AM local time until Thursday, June 22 at 10PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program.

The announcement of the tour comes on the heals of ZHU’s recent collaboration with the video game franchise, Mortal Kombat 1 . The original track entitled “Fatal (Mortal Kombat 1)” is set as the backdrop of all gameplay matches.

Zhu’s latest single is “Revelations,” which saw the artist team up with Devault and BabyJake on the silken, slow-burning single. The new track was the first preview fans saw from Zhu’s upcoming album. Stay tuned for more info on the album coming soon.

In addition to the upcoming tour, ZHU kicked off summer performing at Lighting in a Bottle and will be playing numerous more festivals this summer, including Bumbershoot and Goldrush. In addition to the festivals, Zhu returns to London on August 4 for his first headlining show in the UK capital since 2015. Zhu will play an extended set alongside his full visual show at the beautiful Lafayette in King’s Cross.

Visit Zhu’s official website for more information.

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ZHU, an electronic dance music artist, performed at The Sylvee while on his fall 2023 tour "Grace". 

San Francisco’s DJ ZHU brings the Grace Tour to Madison

On tour promoting his new album “days before grace,” dj zhu gives the sylvee an unforgettable performance..

Steven Zhu, better known by his stage name ZHU, performed at The Sylvee on Oct. 11 as part of his nation-spanning Grace Tour.

ZHU, a San Francisco native, is a true tour de force when it comes to live performances. ZHU embarked on the Grace Tour, which is set to include a staggering 24 stops across North America from Toronto to Hollywood, to promote his latest EP “Days Before Grace.” 

The tour intends to create anticipation for his new album, which will release on Jan. 19. Charismatic Los Angeles-based house and techno DJ Noizu came along for the ride, accompanying ZHU for his Madison performance. 

Noizu started off the night with house music mixes as the floor slowly filled with fans. His calming stage presence, combined with flashy on-stage visuals and lighting, immediately captivated the crowd. Even those buying merchandise or drinks couldn’t help but bop their heads or move their feet to the floor-shaking bass and snare hits. Everyone from the older audience to a small child in attendance could not stop dancing. 

Noizu was a great opener who introduced everyone to the house, techno and EDM music that dominated ZHU’s act. 

Shortly before ZHU went on, the lights shut off and red letters illuminated the screen. 

“On May 23, 2023, Steven Zhu started to record his fourth studio album in Grace Cathedral, San Francisco,” the letters read. “He went back to his hometown to find inspiration for his next mission. He wanted to share some of these moments with you tonight.”

The mention of a church meant the show would have a religious undertone or contain religious imagery. Shortly after these letters faded away, figures in monk robes walked on stage, one of which donned a “matrix-esque” leather coat and glasses. 

What ensued can only be described as midnight mass meets rave. Flashing lights and lasers illuminated The Sylvee as ZHU and his band effortlessly enthralled the crowd, the backdrop adorned by images of stained glass.

ZHU’s setlist, which consisted of his hit songs like “Cocaine Model,” “Faded” and “In the Morning,” was a mix of dubstep, house, techno and R&B. ZHU effortlessly transitioned through each genre, likely due to his skilled band consisting of a saxophonist, drummer and guitarist. 

The instrumentals complimented every song that evening. For one of the tracks, ZHU and his band took a step back and let the saxophonist take center stage for an impromptu solo. Although this may seem like an oddity, it added a unique jazz flair to the “in your face” nature of EDM music.

The production of the show was nothing short of spectacular. The mixing was incredible, and ZHU’s vocal mixes perfectly accounted for his particularly high register. The band's instruments also shined through in spite of the booming 808s and sparkling synthesizers. 

All in all, ZHU is a performer that left everything out on the stage. His sheer effort was evident in everything from stage production to musical talent. He is an artist who radiates talent and is capable of conquering various musical genres with ease.

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ZHU: State of Grace

For His Upcoming Album and Tour, EDM Sensation ZHU Turned to a Hometown Landmark for a Dose of Unique Inspiration. 

Steven Zhu has spent the last decade working his way to the top of his musical craft and, by most measures, he’s certainly succeeded. What first began as a mysterious project from an upstart artist has, in a few short years, become an electronic-music mainstay.   

Known simply to EDM fans as ZHU, San Francisco-based DJ/producer/vocalist/instrumentalist first exploded onto the scene in 2014 with his massive single “ Faded . ” Since then, he’s evolved into a mature, in-demand name on the club and festival circuits. Over the years, he’s garnered chart success, a Grammy nomination, and in addition to his standalone singles, EPs, and mixtapes, has released three studio albums: Generationwhy (2016), Ringos Desert (2018), and Dreamland (2021). And now, it’s time for ZHU to enter his GRACE period.  

Slated for official release on Astralwerks in late January, ZHU’s upcoming studio album, GRACE , will be a collection of tunes inspired by San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, a historic, art-rich Episcopal church in the city’s Nob Hill district. This past September, ZHU released four LP tracks – “ Take My Soul ,” “ Blind Believer ,” “ Devil’s Prescription ,” and “ Days Before Grace ” – ahead of the official album drop. He also began a supporting tour that will run through mid-November.   

As an experience creator, ZHU’s extensive discography spans the course of a decade, and with each of his EPs, mixtapes, and albums, ZHU’s coinciding live shows always find a way to reflect the themes found within each body of work. And this time, for the GRACE period, while quite conceptually different from the others, the gigs will once again deliver a different aesthetic and overall atmosphere, he says.  

With ZHU, it’s so much more than just your typical DJ set. There are live vocals from the performer, and it’s usually an interactive experience that goes beyond expectations. In November of 2022, at ZHU’s tenth sold-out show at Denver’s fabled Red Rocks Amphitheatre, he dazzled the crowd with sound, lighting, video and more.  During the set , fittingly following the release of his Musical Chairs Mixtape (Vol. 1) , ZHU’s vision included a set-up of a large-scale game of musical chairs. Consisting of illuminating gold-lit chairs, the effect required hundreds of Martin Rush PAR 2 Zoom fixtures stationed under 260 clear, plexiglass chairs onstage.  

This followed ZHU’s set at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas that May when he put on a full-blown fashion and runway show at the circuitGROUNDS stage. Considering a set that included two of his thematic tunes, “ Mannequins & Egos ” and “ Cocaine Model ,” it was rather fitting. The event, of course, was also a great opportunity for ZHU to showcase his fashion line, NIGHTDAY.  

DJ LIFE sat down with Steven Zhu just after the start of his GRACE tour, and here’s what the talented artist had to say…   

DJ LIFE: How and when did you first begin exploring music? Was this something you always knew you wanted to do?   

ZHU: For me, when I was young, I was a kid who needed stimulation. So, my mom sat me down and she said, “You’ve gotta go try to play piano.” I was playing piano when I was young and I think when playing other people’s stuff, I realized I didn’t like copying everybody else. I found that I was wanting to change notes here and there. From there, I started to play more instruments and that led me to eventually, with technology, be able to compose, make tracks, write songs, and produce. That’s the point when I was able to put together a vision from my mind.   

DJ LIFE: Aside from playing instruments, what came first for you? DJing or producing?   

ZHU: Production was the first thing. I grew up listening to bands and hip hop, and then rave culture came to me a little bit later. Writing and putting together beats was the first thing that I’d ever done. I used to make beats for other people and make tapes. That was actually the first way I was able to get my music heard.  

DJ LIFE: Did you always perform or produce under the name ZHU, or were there other stage names you’d considered or went by?   

ZHU: I never really had any other stage names. I may have had a couple of different bands that I would dabble in, but none of them were super-serious. People called me Zhu – you know, there’s a lot of Stevens. People just tend to call me by my last name and that just kind of stuck.  

DJ LIFE: What did your early DJ setup consist of? What’s your current DJ setup?   

ZHU: When I’m DJing, I’m on the Pioneer DJ CDJ-3000s. When I’m DJing, specifically, it’s quite different from when I do a live show. So, when I DJ, I pretty much only spin on [Pioneer DJ] CDJs.   

DJ LIFE: Do you have any memorable or standout moments from when you first started playing DJ sets?   

ZHU: Yeah! Really, really early on, there was a festival [in Dallas] called Lights All Night. They ran a contest, and you could submit a track and basically the winner of the contest [for best track] got to play a set there. I’ve actually never told this story before because it was super-early [in my career]. I submitted a track, and I won. I went to go play a set and there were maybe 10 people there. This is way back, before I had even put out any music of my own under ZHU. I remember walking around in what was pretty much an industrial shed. I [also] remember just looking around, thinking to myself, “I’m gonna be back!” So, that’s actually a really early, inspiring moment, that I’ve never really told anybody because winning a contest wasn’t something that comes up in a casual conversation [laughs]. Looking back, I think that was a memorable moment for me. I don’t even know if any of those people [there] actually remember anybody that they saw at that time.   

DJ LIFE: What does your production set-up consist of? Do you have a studio or tend to make most of your music on the road?   

ZHU: I do all of it! I have a studio, but I also travel and like to make ideas. I feel like I’m a Logic person. I do use Avid Pro Tools and Ableton Live, but I’m a Logic person and I do most of my work in Logic. I’m kind of a sound designer, and I think that as I’m making music, instrumentals, club tracks, and stuff like that, for me, I’m primarily a drums and drum-and-bass-first guy. That’s when I’m doing something like that, but obviously as I’m expanding the way I’m writing music. Especially on this particular project [ GRACE ], a lot of stuff is done on keys and guitar first, and then going backwards and producing.   

DJ LIFE: That said, let us dive into the GRACE period. The album was recorded at the Grace Cathedral in your hometown?   

ZHU: Yes, a majority of the album was done at the Grace Cathedral [in San Francisco], especially in terms of the sound and all of the sound capturing.   

DJ LIFE: Is that the reason behind the GRACE album title?   

ZHU: There’s actually a couple of different reasons why GRACE , but that is one of them. San Francisco, for me, is a place where a lot of inspirations came from early on, musically…. historically, and also for me being in this sort of “gothic” cathedral with so much history. I think, sonically, I very much wanted to capture that. I don’t think that that sound has really been done in that way.   

DJ LIFE: Did working at the Grace Cathedral inspire the music on the album itself?   

ZHU: Yeah, absolutely! From the architecture to the marble concrete columns, the reverb, etc. I mean I could really go deep, but the way that I hear it there and the way that even the drums sounded there. It really does have its own essence that I don’t think you can sit in a bedroom and imagine it, never mind replicate it.   

DJ LIFE: How long were you working on GRACE ? What’s the typical track-selection process like for you when constructing an album, as opposed to your EPs and mixtapes?   

ZHU: I think a ZHU album is tedious. I think a ZHU album is also something that, in real-time, gets changed all the time. I’m still working on the album now as I’m having all these different ideas, trying to perfect things, understanding how it’s going to translate live, and what will work here and there. If we were living in the ’60s and ’70s, [the album] gets pressed and it’s put out, so you don’t really get to change much. But today, which to be honest might not be such a good thing, is that you can change things so much. Part of me wants to set it in stone, and that’s why going into the cathedral gave us a limited amount of time. I think it’s kind of important to let the clock run down and be able to be at peace. However, for this particular project, the clock is still ticking.  

DJ LIFE: Some artists look back and wish they could change things, while others feel what’s done is done. Would you say you’re more like one type over the other?   

ZHU: I think, as a producer and as a person who’s obsessed with sound engineering, yeah, there are a bunch of records that I feel could be updated. But, as an artist, I think my job is to capture the moment and capture the energy of that time, my generation and my surroundings, the message, and the culture around me. So, I don’t feel like that should be tampered with because that’s what makes great records great, too. It’s because they were very much intentional in that moment.   

DJ LIFE: You’ve recently embarked on your GRACE tour, which coincides with the new album. What can you tell us about the tour itself and how it differs from some of your past shows?   

ZHU: Recording in the cathedral and having been there, I tried to take a chunk of that energy and bring it around [into the show]. I wanted to give a sneak peek into what this world – sonically and aesthetically – was going to be. For this tour, I have a band with me, and I feel like it sits in an electronic world, but it’s very much human. There are human beings playing instruments. I’m performing. For me, this is kind of taking control of being personal with all of the different technologies that we’re capable of using. Day in and day out, I like the raw stuff and I like that there are mistakes; I like that things are different night in and night out.   

DJ LIFE: While on the live-show aspect… your sets are often an experience that showcase your creativity as an artist… from a runway and fashion show at EDC Las Vegas to the biggest game of musical chairs. How do these out-of-the-box ideas come to fruition and how are they executed?   

ZHU: So, for EDC Las Vegas, I’m working on the fashion line NIGHTDAY. All throughout the pandemic, we were kind of forced to do these remote live streams and stuff like that. We even did one in a warehouse where we had these models with no audience. For me, fashion has always been a big influence, in terms of the aesthetic and presentation of my music. I feel like, even going on the early tours, I was always investing, trying to upgrade merch, and just give a better product to my fans. At that time, even in 2016, it’s not even close to what electronic artists and DJs are trying to curate on that level, and I feel like I was one of the early few people to really kind of try to bring fashion into our scene. I wanted people to take a look and realize that these kids and these artists have influence and they have a style. I didn’t really like the way that the general public was perceiving dance culture. Now, I think a lot of artists are kind of intentional about their designs, the quality, and all of those things. Those are the things early on that I did care about, so for EDC, I wanted to put a runway into my festival show and really show that it is possible.   

DJ LIFE: You developed a signature sound that’s been distinct from the very beginning. Which artists first inspired you?   

ZHU: I think very early on, a couple of artists that I looked at as super-unique and inspiring were deadmau5 and Justice. Then, there were bands like Massive Attack and Portishead. In terms of electronic music, those acts, to me, sounded like nobody else. Obviously, people have copied and emulated, but they were the first to really do things in a way that really felt original.   

DJ LIFE: You first exploded onto scene with “Faded” nearly a decade ago. It went on to receive a Grammy nomination and catapulted your career. Did you expect that or know before releasing the song that it was going to be the one to jump-start your career?   

ZHU: I mean, I do think that we knew people loved the sound, but we didn’t know how far it would go or that it was going to travel around the world. We also didn’t know how quickly it was going to take off. I remember one week we had sent the record over to Triple J [Australian Broadcasting Company] – this was very early on, and it was also self-funded, you know? At that time, there was no label; it was the SoundCloud and Hype Machine era. I think me and my team were sort of like: “Well, we have one shot, so let’s test this at radio.” Basically, a week went by, and nothing happened [laughs]. We had just spent all this money, so we were like, “Is this a thing?” And then immediately onto that, I think it was the following week, it was added. It went No. 1 on Triple J and then crossed over to Nova. It felt like within 24 hours it went from absolutely nothing to… this is a hit – in Australia! From there, it went around the world – and that journey around the world probably took me about a year and a half to get back to America. People in the scene knew [about the song], but the average person probably hadn’t heard “Faded” until about a year or so later.   

DJ LIFE: When that song became such a big hit like that out of the gate, did you feel any added pressures at all when it came time for a follow-up?   

ZHU: Definitely! I feel like at that time I had experienced raves, and I was very much in tune with how I wanted people to move to music. But at the same time, I was also inspired by Pink Floyd and Zeppelin, so there were a lot of things that I knew I had to offer. I didn’t want to purely make another club track, and that’s it. But at the end of the day, dance fans were the first ones to embrace me, and I have a lot of appreciation for them. At the end of the day, I think making people move is a core of what I do. Was there pressure? Yeah… but I think I like that, and I liked kind of being in the moment in terms of being able to have the pulse on kind of making what’s next.     

DJ LIFE: As an artist who also tends to also sing on their own tracks, would you say it’s easier to write and record your own vocals than it is to rely on other writers and vocalists for toplines?   

ZHU: In the beginning, nobody wanted any of them. I had made all these tracks; I had made all these demos – and nobody really wanted to cut anything. So, with SoundCloud and blogs at that time, it was easy to upload stuff. A lot of the early songs were songs that I wrote and was imagining other people cutting it, you know? But I just put them out, and people liked it; they really fucked with it. It came out of necessity, but it also came out of the fact that I had no other choice. Because of that, I started perfecting my voice, trying to produce around it, trying to replicate it, and get better at using my voice. Obviously, I still like other people’s voices on my tracks because I do think there are some things I sound good but, there’s some things that I don’t. I like a variety of different textures on my projects, but I’m usually the person who comes up with the idea and executes those visions. Then, maybe I’ll find somebody who can either do it better than me, give a better take or even just a different take.   

DJ LIFE: If you could play a back-to-back DJ set with any other DJ who would it be, and why? How about a collaboration?   

ZHU: Honestly, I think it would have to be with deadmau5. We’re doing some shows together, but we’re not doing any back-to-backs. I just think that he inspired that early progressive sound that has been a big influence on a lot of producers. In terms of collaborations, I would have to say Sade because she’s one of my favorite artists, so it would be dope to have her vocals on something.   

DJ LIFE: Is there something you can share with fans that might surprise them or that they don’t already know about you? Any hobbies you can share outside of the music space when you aren’t consumed by music?   

ZHU: I grew up being a huge basketball fan, and I feel like there’s a lot of similarities when you’re playing, in the flow of the game and that stream of consciousness when you’re DJing, too. It’s very fluid because you’re reacting and proactive at the same time… if that makes sense.   

DJ LIFE: What advice would you give to aspiring or up-and-coming DJs that you wish you would have gotten early on in your career?   

ZHU: Even to this day, I still try very much to give feedback. I think don’t really care too much about what other people think earlier on. Stick to the stuff that makes you want to do this… not just as a career, but as a life choice. Because at the end of the day, if you end up not liking it, loving it, or burning it, then you’re just never going to get to that point where you put in enough hours where you’re great at it. I think that’s the thing where, early on, I had people pulling me this way and pulling me that way, telling me: “You should do this, you should do that.” I think I kind of fought a lot of people and I still continue to fight people all the time about what things should be. So that’s definitely something I would tell a new artist because they have a vision and everybody else is just there to help mold it or put it into place, but the vision has to come from them.   

DJ LIFE: Where do you see yourself five years from now?   

ZHU: I feel that this project is a project that gives a story of me in a club atmosphere, me in a performance atmosphere, and me as a storyteller. I think this is kind of, to me, a comprehensive phase for me. A lot of my fans up until recently didn’t know that I did the vocals or sang on my songs until they saw me do it. I think because of the nature of how my career started and with people not knowing, it was very mysterious. They don’t know that I’m involved in so many aspects of the project to the degree that I am, and I think I want to just be able to tell more stories as I venture into this part of my career.    

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ZHU: the DREAMLAND experience

During the early part of the pandemic, DJ and producer ZHU went on a road trip with his bandmates, recording his new album in remote locations along the way. Born of isolation, and inspired by the beauty of these landscapes, his new album ‘DREAMLAND 2021’ is an epic document of that time. DJ Mag catches up with him over Zoom to talk about what inspired his journey, his rise to fame, and the concept behind his Blacklizt events

Steven Zhu can’t sit still for long. It’s a characteristic that has always served the artist, better known simply as ZHU, quite well. Since he launched his eclectic dance music project in 2014, the Chinese-American multi-instrumentalist and producer has nurtured a career that carefully flits between being absolutely massive and intentionally mysterious, often at the same time. 

ZHU spends the beginning of an afternoon Zoom call with DJ Mag rolling a joint, as he chats about his remarkably productive quarantine year from the porch of his Los Angeles home. Donning a baseball cap and white sweatshirt, he’s dressed down compared to the high-fashion looks he sports on stage during his live performances and Blacklizt DJ sets.

“I get pretty antsy when I don’t have a lot of stuff to do, and I just needed to continue making things,” ZHU shares, summarising the emotions that led him to embark on a life-changing road trip during which he clocked more than 10,000 miles. While en route, he also wrote, mixed, and tweaked much of his new ‘DREAMLAND 2021’ LP — a scorching body of work that is equipped to be played for packed, sweaty nightclubs, even though most venues were shuttered at the time of its genesis.

Last March, ZHU touched down in a locked-down Los Angeles after catching a flight home following his Cercle performance in Nagano, Japan. As the streets around him sat quiet, he knew it was only a matter of time before he’d grow anxious. Before that could happen, ZHU rallied a few of his bandmates together and organized a game plan.

“We were like, ‘Okay, cool. Well, we can’t play music at shows, but maybe there’s a way to do it in the middle of the desert,’” he reflects, letting out a chuckle. As it turns out, there was. ZHU and three of his colleagues — a saxophone player, a guitarist, and a cameraman — piled into separate cars and headed east. The pandemic’s unusual circumstances sent the quartet to remote areas of the country that they’d formerly only seen from far above as patchwork shapes.

“It was probably the dopest trip I’ve been on, you know, because usually I fly from city to city,” he says. “I don’t really go through the rural parts of America. But I found a whole new appreciation for all of the different intermediate parts in the process of getting to each location. And I think, regardless of whatever cheesy metaphor that ends up becoming, that is something that I pay attention to now.”

Unfamiliar locales like Billings, Montana and Coral Pink Dunes State Park in Kane County, Utah lent inspiration to the shadowy productions, which ZHU describes as being more “crunchy” and “earthy” than previous records. The rocky terrain at each stop offered otherworldly stages for the livestreams that churned the primordial make up of ‘DREAMLAND 2021.’ What emerged in April 2021 was a gritty collection of mostly techno-leaning cuts, tinted with the post-apocalyptic vibes that felt all too familiar during the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At some points in life, it seems like you’re just watching everything happen. And then, there are other points in life where you get to be in the driver’s seat making the decisions”

INSIDE ZHU’S RIDE

“I did a lot of the mixing and sound designing in the car, because that was where I spent a lot of time, and it was where I had the loudest speaker,” ZHU says of ‘DREAMLAND 2021’s unusual beginnings. “There weren’t any clubs. We weren’t really recording, and studios, per se, were all closed.” ZHU embraced the unexpected limitations with an open mind.

He packed a camping bag with the essentials. Yeti-brand GOAL ZERO portable power stations offered enough energy to run a mobile rig through his Apollo xFour audio interface. “And just like that, we were able to build a campsite with enough inputs for a guitar, keys, vocals, laptops, and that was it,” he says. With this roving set-up, ZHU and his bandmates worked steadfastly during a period when the rest of the world sat on pause. Though ZHU had planned to release an album in 2020, he says the majority of ‘DREAMLAND 2021’s tracks took shape after the lockdown.

“I think the energy and the vibe, even just the tone of the music was very different, because I was isolated and I was also yearning for movement and wanting to make something happen,” he explains of infusing new experiences into his beats. “Because I was driving so much, I needed [to feel] how the music hit in the car, and everything was kind of referenced off that,” he explains. “Because of this, the bass had to be really fat, and I think against other records the drums sound different too.”

Like the rugged land that surrounded him, the productions boast a range of atmospheric and crispy effects. A solitary electric guitar occasionally injects a piping-hot jolt of long-gone Americana — it’s an unfamiliar take on playa tech that feels oddly at home in this COVID-era collection. ZHU’s signature breathy vocals and minimal style ensure that there’s no question as to the mind behind the wheel.

‘DREAMLAND 2021’ is the epitome of content made during quarantine. Lyrics like those in ‘Distant Lights’ capture what it felt like to crave live entertainment during a suppressed and silent season. It blasts off with a bold guitar riff, before an energetic drum machine and ZHU’s reverb-drenched voice offer a therapeutic audio-escape. It’s got a clean, pulsing rhythm that screams “after-hours gold” — though in the absence of parties, ZHU says its sentiment resonates among a sea of sand too. “That was a song that I just made a beat for to fill some time in the Coral Pink livestream ,” ZHU says. “I was just making up lyrics on the go. And afterward I thought, ‘this should really be a song.’” It’s a love letter to crowded late-nights passed, and an eager plea for nightlife’s revival.

‘Only’ is a sultry ode to loneliness. The collaboration with singer Tinashe is a melancholic and progressive production that gets a twisted-touch from unusual distortion and synths. The music video, which was shot while Los Angeles was under a state of emergency, snaps a desperate moment in time with artistic finesse.

“That was a very memorable experience. I will never forget making that music video,” ZHU says. To stay within social distancing restrictions, a small film crew rented multiple studios and turned to abstract storytelling. The resulting video depicts two weary souls struggling to connect from separate rooms — a concept that ZHU says was born out of necessity. “It was the only way we could outsmart the protocols,” ZHU explains. The co-director, Jack Murgatroyd (ZHU is also credited), took his position on a roof across the street from the video’s stars. Fancy camerawork and a second building ensured the duo could act out their sequences from behind their own respective windows. While the process of capturing the footage was anything but traditional, ZHU says he welcomed the unexpected curveballs.

“We were forced to do it this way, and honestly sometimes limitations are the best thing for creativity, because it’s about evaluating the options that are available, and just using the tools you have to the best of your ability,” he explains. “I think looking back at this phase of art we’ve all created, we’ll have strong memories and nostalgia for it.”

Though isolation and uncertainty are present and potent themes in ‘DREAMLAND 2021,’ the LP is not without rave-ready bangers. Channel Tres chimes in on 'How Does It Feel', a jangly, futuristic number that speaks to poppier sensibilities, while ‘Zhudio54,’ a track produced alongside partywithray (who appeared on ZHU’s 2019 slang-slapped hit, ‘Came For The Low’), is a tech-house heater that nods to ZHU’s love of fashion. Plus, it’s a not-so-subtle invitation for weary revelers to lose themselves in the groove.

In May, ZHU played a sold-out, six-night run at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater venue in Morrison, CO. If ‘DREAMLAND 2021’ is the search for a discernible light at the end of an unbearably long tunnel, these shows were the sun. “I didn’t know what people were really listening to at that time,” he says. “I don’t think I really connected until I was there in the moment, and I saw people singing my lyrics back three days later after the record came out. Anybody who thinks they can come out of the pandemic knowing what people like is wrong. Nobody knows.”

After that unveiling, it’s safe to say that ‘DREAMLAND 2021’ has received an anecdotal stamp of approval from critics and longtime ZHU followers alike. More than 10,000 of them braved inclement weather to join ZHU in his triumphant return to the dancefloor. “It rained two nights and it snowed two nights,” he laughs. “It was definitely like a movie.” In the presence of massive rock formations and sienna tones, snapshots from those dancefloor reunions looked like a dream come true.

INSIDE ZHU’S RISE

Born in Hangzhou, China, ZHU moved to the West Coast with his parents when he was six-years-old. In search of new opportunities, the immigrant family landed in San Francisco’s Bay Area, where ZHU would spend his childhood years. Music was an integral part of that upbringing — his mother enrolled him in piano lessons from an early age, though it was a pastime that sometimes left ZHU restless.

“My first non-keyboard instrument was a flute, and after that it was the trombone, which is kind of where I really started to play on horn sections,” he shares of his formal training. “With the piano and classical music, you’re always playing other people’s stuff and repeating what other people are writing. It almost felt mechanical and robotic to me. Once I started playing horns, and the charts were for chords, I just improvised, and that was the first time I actually really enjoyed creating music.” Jazz became an outlet for creative expression, its loose format enabling ZHU to scratch a stubborn itch.

ZHU eventually made his way to University of Southern California, where he loaded up on business courses in an attempt to learn more about the inner-workings of the music and entertainment industry. During his free time, he produced music, often crafting beats in a two- bedroom apartment that he shared with a roommate. For cash, he took lighting gigs at a music venue in Hollywood two or three nights a week.

“I’d probably get paid 100 bucks a night, and I was running lights for DJs who honestly sucked,” he laughs. Amateur hour or not, ZHU still found the environment enticing, shrugging off his parents’ concerns that his passions might lead him down a difficult path. “Their only idea of an artist was a starving artist,” he says.

Though sitting at a piano and recycling works had proved unsatisfying to ZHU during lessons, creating his own covers were a different story. In 2014, writers at leading EDM blogs received emails including a link to a track titled “Moves Like Ms. Jackson”, along with an image of the Z-Flag logo.

The groovy, deep house medley of Outkast tracks took recipients on a walk down memory lane, spotlighting the hip-hop duo’s greatest hits (among them ‘The Way You Move,’ ‘So Fresh, So Clean,’ ‘Ms. Jackson’ and ‘The Whole World’), all sung by what would eventually become known as ZHU’s unmistakable falsetto. Though the lyrics and some rhythms are borrowed, the rework is quintessential ZHU, bathed in mystifying minor chords and flowing with flawless transitions. It took him just a week to record what would be his second big introduction into mainstream airwaves (some outlets have reported that an early ZHU track was featured on a Jersey Shore reality series spin-off, but good luck finding that on the web.) This release was different. It was calculated, low-key, and it did the trick — house heads were hooked.

The melodic hip-hop cover was uploaded to a blank SoundCloud profile owned by the moniker, “ZHU”. With no face or photograph to lend clues of the composition’s creator, people began searching for answers.

Rumors swirled. Who or what was “ZHU”? One prevalent theory put Skrillex at the center of the speculation. Could it be that Sonny Moore had launched a secret house alias? Fuel was added to the chatter during the 2014 Stereosonic Festival in Brisbane, Australia, when Skrillex popped out from behind the decks during ZHU’s set, a prank he recalls with a smile. As the familiar chords of ‘Faded’ transformed into the opening stabs of ‘My Name Is Skrillex,’ the packed tent erupted into mayhem as attendees inside celebrated the false notion that they were the first to solve this perplexing puzzle.

But those hoping to tie the intoxicating Outkast-laced arrangement to an established tastemaker would find themselves disappointed. ZHU was as fresh as they come — a natural talent who wanted clear control of his privacy and artistic vision. 

“Though I was the driving force, my whole entire team at that point in my career had really rallied behind the idea of letting the music be the centerpiece,” he explains. “And I think it was just authentic at that time. Every DJ was trying to be a poster boy for something, and it was all about selling a certain look and lifestyle, and everything just looked very generic to me.”

During his career’s infancy, ZHU defied norms, choosing instead to perform behind a screen. Mostly hidden among a motif of grey and black visuals, he covered his face and let his tunes do the talking, a choice for which he has no regrets.

“All the early records were made in a very grainy, grimy, small, insular, solo-type space,” he shares, cognizant of how drastically his life has changed since that launching off point. “I wasn’t that thing that everybody wanted to sell, you know? I was just some kid, in some random apartment making some songs that people really fucked with.”

INSIDE FADED

Among the most “fucked with” of ZHU’s tracks to this day is his debut hit ‘Faded’, for which he nabbed a nomination at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards (2014) for Best Dance Recording. Clean Bandit’s ‘Rather Be’ took the award home that year, but ZHU’s inclusion in the category demonstrated a palpable shift in the dance music landscape — now an unknown name with a dark sonic edge could hold his own in a scene that craved candy-coated pop.

Following a hit like 'Faded', which topped dance music charts around the world and garnered official remixes from artists like DJ Snake and ODESZA, it was clear that ZHU’s identity would not remain in question for long. When his debut album ‘Generationwhy’ dropped in the summer of 2016, it felt like he was finally ready to evolve and personify his project.

“After ‘Faded,’ I knew this kind of magnitude can rarely be replicated,” he explains of his choice to be forward-facing in his music. “So, I was more focused on just creating bodies of work, and doing those things that I skipped, like really taking time on the road, paying my dues, and trying to not chase hits.”

Regardless of whether he was chasing them, ZHU churned out chart-toppers all the same. Not afraid to dabble in different genres, the sonic aesthetic of ‘Generationwhy’ careened between moody house, electro-jazz and downtempo future trap. ‘In The Morning’ only cemented ZHU’s reputation for writing hits, hitting #23 on Billboard’s Dance chart in March of 2016. Skrillex even made an appearance on the album as a collaborator, along with THEY., in the track ‘Workin’ For It’, which hit #5 that May.

“I really wanted to focus on crafting the whole entire project based on the sounds that I wanted to deliver to the fans. I mean, people didn’t really realize what I was like, or what I did. One day, they thought it was some random girl singing on the tracks, well that happened to be me,” ZHU says.

As he continued to unleash more singles, EPs and full-length LPs, so did fans stop trying to predict his next move. When the independent label Mind Of A Genius released his 2018 album, ‘Ringos Desert’, fans were taken on a progressive, alternative ride. The 14-track LP, which featured well-known names like TOKiMONSTA and Australian rockers Tame Impala, packed serious crossover power. ZHU dominated main stages when he performed standouts like ‘Desert Woman’ and ‘My Life’ at large-scale events such as Governors Ball and Bonnaroo the next summer. But, by then, he was craving intimacy that festival settings rarely foster. Thankfully, he’d established another outlet to fill the void.

INSIDE BLACKLIZT

New Yorkers with a taste for adventure first heeded ZHU’s call in 2017. Hundreds showed up in-person to an address in the Lower East Side, where they bought non-refundable tickets to a show at an undisclosed location. After purchasing their admission to “Blacklizt”, attendees were handed a paper flyer and a phone number to call on event day for details regarding time, dress code, and address. For ZHU, the process paid homage to the golden era of underground raves.

“I had started to play more live shows with the band and at festivals with crowds of 20 and 30 thousand people,” he explains. “The club aspect that I grew up on had started to disappear, and Blacklizt to me was this idea of focusing on the most pure thing — it’s about the club, the darkness, the energy.”

To the relief of buyers, the first iteration of Blacklizt popped off at a warehouse in Brooklyn (some ticket holders had been told “it might be in Jersey” — it didn’t stop the show from selling out anyway.) Guests were instructed to wear all black. Those that followed this simple rule were treated to a new taste of ZHU, one without a need for live instrumentals or arena theatrics. 

“DJing and performing are two different things, and some people understand it, and some people don’t,” ZHU says. “When you’re performing, especially with a band, it’s much more of a conversation between you and the people on stage. When you’re DJing, it’s much more of a conversation between you and the audience.”

During Blacklizt, ZHU knows he’s “conversing” with tough critics. He’s unlikely to hop on the mic, and if he does choose to sample his own vocals, they’ll be presented as accessories to slammin’ acid and heavy techno cuts. It’s a celebration of heft, and turned-up human connection.

"At the core of the club, it’s [a place] where people come together to be shrouded by the dancefloor, and they continue to do their thing. That’s the most beautiful thing about it,” ZHU explains. “It’s like everybody’s on the same rhythm and pulse. What else can you ask for?” 

When on the rare occasion Blacklizt transcends its typical backroom or warehouse setting, the vibe remains preserved. ZHU recently treated a crowd of approximately 2,500 to his stylings at Seismic Dance Event in Austin, Texas after he was pulled in as a last-minute replacement for Charlotte De Witte, who was unable to travel for the May dates.

ZHU accepted the challenge, integrating just a handful of his own tracks (‘Risky Business’ was a highlight) and lending his signature touch to a techno set that people are still lauding on the festival’s socials.

“In an underground atmosphere, even if you play a record that maybe 1,000 people have heard, then it’s already too big,” ZHU says matter of factly. “But, you know, some great records are just great records. I’d maybe play a Massive Attack record in a Blacklizt set if it was the right time.” But don’t expect too many of those — most of ZHU’s Blacklizt bag will represent genres that “Faded-only fans” have never heard... and that’s the point.

INSIDE ZHU’s DREAMLAND

The swift transition from anonymity to stardom might shake less grounded artists, but ZHU met sharp turns with grace. That said, he has pondered whether his discreet entrance into dance music had an effect on his rapid escalation.

“If ‘Faded’ had come out with my face plastered all over it, would it have done as well? I don’t know. Probably not. But then again, maybe the track was just that good,” he says, weighing the hypothetical. “But I really can’t say, because the story happened the way that it happened.”

His meteoric rise evokes memories of that “cheesy metaphor” he mentioned at the top of his interview with DJ Mag. When he was still an enigma, he jetted quickly from show-to-show, skipping over those intermediary pit stops on his ride straight to the top. Only following his number one hit has he revealed intricate, lesser-known facets of his identity. These weaving freeways and unforeseen routes each contribute to ZHU’s journey.

The big reveal is far from over: ZHU wants to showcase more of himself in his work. Last summer, he teamed up with rapper 24KGoldn on the I Admit It Experience, a virtual fashion show that spotlighted new designs from ZHU, and culminated in the performance of the low-rumble trap track of the same name.

“24 grew up in the same town as me in the Bay Area, and we actually went to the same school,” ZHU says. He and 24KGoldn share memories of a similar San Francisco, one ZHU talks about like a forgotten place that has eroded over time. “I think there’s a lot of history from where I spent my early life that hasn’t really fully made it onto the records,” he says. “And maybe people don’t even really know about that part of me, probably partially because I never disclose it. But I think little by little, some of the influences that I had growing up... I think I’m going to try to, in the best way I can, put those on to pieces of music.”

ZHU acknowledges trailblazing rappers like E-40, Too $hort and Dr. Dre, who set the tone for the flourishing West Coast hip-hop scene, back when Oakland and other parts of the region were still virtually untouched by big tech. Retro rock outfits like Sly and The Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane and Santana, all of which had roots in SF, have also stirred a creative spirit in ZHU.

Perhaps festival goers will sense those flavours this October when ZHU has his homecoming at Outside Lands, a multi-day event in Golden Gate Park. Ask him about his heritage, and ZHU is quick to respond with takes from West Coast culture. He came of age in his parents’ “dreamland” of sorts — an unfamiliar land they whisked away to when possibilities near home had dried up.

“At some points in life, it seems like you're just watching everything happen. And then, there are other points in life where you get to be in the driver’s seat making the decisions,” ZHU says, looking back on how the pandemic sent him on a transformative journey through a wild and untamed country that he realizes, now, he too barely knew.

“I like to be on the move — that’s what I discovered,” he reiterates with confidence. “I like to stay in a moving pattern.” For those who have followed ZHU’s offbeat progression with fascination, that’s fabulous news. And if the planet happens to find itself in another global crisis, then at least we can be sure of one thing: ZHU will step on the gas and crank out some valiant jams to get us through.

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Charli XCX Announces Short International Tour in 2024

E nglish pop star Charli XCX just announced that she will be kicking off a brief international tour this year to promote her upcoming album Brat . The tour is set to bring the artist to Spain, the UK, the US, Mexico, and Brazil. Charli will be performing live for four of the tour dates and performing a DJ set for three. It doesn’t look like there are any supporting acts for this mini tour.

The Charli XCX 2024 Tour will begin on June 1 in Barcelona, Spain at Primavera Sound Barcelona, where Charli will perform live. The seven-date tour will end on June 22 in São Paulo, Brazil at Zig Club, where she will perform a DJ set.

As of now, it looks like this tour has sold out through Charli XCX’s website. However, not all is lost! There are still tickets available through Viagogo and Stubhub.

We recommend getting your tickets through Viagogo for the non-US tour dates since they often have the best deals and availability. For US-bound fans, we recommend Stubhub . Stubhub is an excellent source for tickets after a tour or specific tour date has sold out. Plus, all purchases on the platform are protected by the FanProtect Program, meaning you won’t have to worry about scams, fake tickets, or fraud. It’s truly worth looking into!

Tickets are selling out extremely fast for this tour. Get your tickets now before it’s too late!

Charli XCX 2024 Tour Dates

June 1 – Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound Barcelona

June 7 – London, UK – Here at Outernet (DJ set)

June 11 – Queens, NY – Knockdown Center

June 12 – Chicago, IL – Radius

June 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Shrine Expo Hall

June 19 – Mexico City, MX – LooLoo Studio (DJ set)

June 22 – São Paulo, BR – Zig Club (DJ set)

Photo by Terrence O’Connor

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The post Charli XCX Announces Short International Tour in 2024 appeared first on American Songwriter .

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