Zola Jesus
Zola Jesus
Nika Roza Danilova, known by her stage name Zola Jesus, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. She has released three EPs and five full-length albums that combine electronic, industrial, classical, goth...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMusician
Date of Birth11 April 1989
CountryUnited States of America
song trying honest
I try to create songs that are really massive and intense, but at the same time remaining honest and raw.
stupid littles musician
It sounds kind of stupid, but I've never not wanted to be a musician. It's been inside me since I was little so I don't know what else I would do.
thinking universal
I think I'm making music that's pretty universal.
jesus years zola
I started performing opera when I was 10 years old. I didn't perform as Zola Jesus until I was probably 18.
opera different influence
I don't find much influence in opera. It was such a different part of me.
falling-in-love fall love-you
When you fall in love, you become weak.
children emotional voice
As a child, I was always making sound; it was a compulsion. I loved to scream and yell and sing; it freed me from all the thoughts in my head. I begged for opera lessons because opera singing is the most formidable, most emotional way to use your voice.
reflection synthetic duality
Everything I do is a reflection of the duality within me. Musically, I really love things that are very synthetic and unnatural. And I also like the organic and human... the intrinsic, I guess.
humble artist keys
I guess something people wouldn't expect me to listen to are artists like Alicia Keys. But she is so incredibly talented. She has this huge voice and great work ethic, which I really respect in an artist. She is also very humble and gracious and devoted to her skill.
song empowering benefits
The greatest benefit of being a solo performer is that it is seriously frightening, but at the same time very empowering. It's just you and the audience. All the weight is on you to deliver the songs.
I know for sure that nothing matters.
believe singing opera
The word 'theatrical' makes me cringe, because it suggests a performance is staged, put on, rehearsed. And while all this is true for an opera, I believe the act of singing and performing should always be honest, raw, guttural.
expression vocabulary pieces
True expression is hard when performing opera. The problem is that opera relies on the dramatic context of the piece. It can be interpreted and represented, but there are guidelines; there is a vocabulary within the pieces that you must know objectively and reflect.
song mean disease
I feel like humans are a disease. It's a hard thing to communicate in a pop song. I mean, who wants to hear that?