ZAND has spoken to NME about their Studying Competition debut, queer neighborhood of followers, touring with Peaches and up to date collab with Jeremy Corbyn. Watch our full video interview above.
- READ MORE: Studying Competition 2023 liveblog: all the weekend’s motion because it occurs
The rising various star caught up with NME backstage, shortly after performing on the competition for the primary time – one thing they’ve dreamed of doing since they first got here as a 16-year-old.
“This has been on my bucket-list for a long, long, long, long, long time – so it is crazy to actually be playing the thing,” mentioned the London-based artist, actual identify Zander Sweeney.
With an viewers they describe as “very slay”, ZAND mentioned the turn-out was very consultant of their followers who are typically “probably non-binary, or just queer as fuck if not!”
“They probably have dyed hair, or just some part of their head shaved,” ZAND defined. “They have fantastic style, every time. I hate this term but probably some sort of misfit people who feel that they find some sort of community in my music. A lot of the queers and the sex workers love my shit, and I love them.”
Thanks @ihatezand and @DelilahBon_ to your superb performances ultimately evening’s #MusicForTheMany present at Sheffield @Leadmill.
We should battle for the way forward for grassroots music venues. Discover out extra concerning the marketing campaign to avoid wasting this iconic venue: https://t.co/Pmb0tqC09g pic.twitter.com/kYPq1yoCgY
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) August 20, 2023
Earlier than heading to Studying & Leeds, ZAND’s earlier gig was in Sheffield with former Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn – in a bid to “to save The Leadmill, and bring awareness to music venues and landlords fucking them over”.
Describing her time with Corbyn, ZAND mentioned: “He’s a G. He was a lot funnier than I expected him to be. When that came about, I was in my dressing room and they were like, ‘Oh, Jeremy wants to come and say hi. He comes through and he’s like, ‘Can I touch your hair?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah…’ We were taking hip-hop duo photos together. He’s cool and he’s very passionate about what he does, so it was really an honour to collaborate with one of the last politicians in the country who has a beating heart.”
ZAND continued: “It was actually fucking random the way it got here collectively. His Peace & Justice Venture DM’ed me on Instagram, simply reaching out in solidarity and mentioned they wished to become involved in one thing.
“I didn’t have ‘ZAND and Jeremy Corbyn collaboration on my bingo card for 2023’, but everything is happening this year so… wows!”
One other current profession spotlight got here when ZAND supported Peaches on tour – an expertise they describe as “insane”.
“When I got the email about that, I was literally screamed so loud in my room,” mentioned ZAND. ” The evening we flew out to the primary date in Amsterdam, she simply got here out to my room and was like, ‘Hello!’ and I used to be like, ‘Mother!’
“Her entire show is just insane as well. Everything is just so theatrical. She literally brings out a giant inflatable penis and shoots shit out of it. She’s crazy, and the definition of a real artist.”
Subsequent month sees the discharge of ZAND’s new ‘SEWERSTAR’ EP, taking their idea of “ugly pop” into formidable new territory.
“The concept of this EP was, ‘Let’s go to this underground sewer realm where there’s some gremlin, dragonoid, humanoid creatures creating debauchery and fucking society,” they defined. “Every tune is its personal character and narrator and perhaps not a hero, however an anti-hero of some type telling their very own story.
“I like the idea of creating different characters and alter-egos in my music. I’m obsessed with cartoons. I’d rather it be like that some kind of straight tunnel-vision.”
And what’s subsequent after that?
“I have some really fun collaborations coming up, like bucket-list shit that I’m excited to have out. One of them is a good friend of mine whose name starts with the same letter. The album is also in the works. That’ll be coming some time next year.”
ZAND releases the ‘SEWERSTAR’ EP on September 7, with a full UK headline tour following in October. Try full dates under and go to right here for tickets.
OCTOBER
21 – AATMA, Manchester
22 – The Storage, Glasgow
24 – Headrow Home, Leeds
25 – The Victoria, Birmingham
26 – Previous Church, London
27 – The Moon, Cardiff
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