Zella Day

Zella Day Kerr (born March 13, 1995), known simply as Zella Day, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician from Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona.

Zella Day
Day performing in 2017
Background information
Birth nameZella Day Kerr
Born (1995-03-13) March 13, 1995
Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2009–present
Labels
Associated acts
Weyes Blood
Websitezelladay.com

Day began recording music in her early teens, independently releasing her debut album, Powered by Love, in 2009. Following its success, Day worked as a songwriter for BMG Publishing Group and eventually landed a Hollywood Records artist deal. In 2015, Day released her major label debut, Kicker, which was preceded by singles "Hypnotic" and "East of Eden". Day followed the release with promotional appearances for publications including Vogue, Playboy, and The Huffington Post, and on televised programs including Late Night with Seth Meyers and Conan. In 2016, Day performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Early life

Raised in Arizona, Day was immersed in the café and art space her parents helped to create in their small mountain town of Pinetop-Lakeside. Her mother has Bohemian origins. She was first encouraged by her mother to learn guitar as practical means for achieving a sustainable career as a musician. Her first songs, written soon after picking up the guitar at age 9, took influence from the classic singer-songwriter records of her parents and the mystique of the rugged desert landscape around her.[1][2][3]

Career

2009–2012: Powered by Love and Cynics vs. Dreamers

In 2009, Day self-released her debut album Powered by Love. The album was funded and recorded by a family friend. The initial success of Powered by Love brought the attention of BMG Publishing, who connected her with John Paul White of the Civil Wars and Meghan Trainor for writing sessions.[4]

In 2012, Day self-released her first extended play, Cynics vs Dreamers. The album was produced by Wally Gagel and Xandy Barry of Wax Ltd.[5] "Simple Song" was featured in the film Tooth Fairy 2.[6]

That year she also released a cover of The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army", which reached number one on Hype Machine's charts.[7] The song received over 50 million plays on Spotify. In 2013, Day was featured on Sultan & Ned Shepard's "All These Roads" alongside Sam Martin. The single, which debuted in early October 2014 on Pete Tong's BBC Radio 1 broadcast, was celebrated by Billboard for its "ebbs and flows with harmonies and rhythmic shifts."[8]

2013–2015: Major label debut with Kicker
Day performing live in 2015 in Austin, Texas.

In April 2014, "Sweet Ophelia" was released as the first single off of the Zella Day EP with the b-side "1965". The music video was directed by Gianennio Salucci and released on April 7, a day ahead of the 7" release by tastemaker B3Sci Records in coordination with Day's Pinetop Records, an imprint of Hollywood Records.[9]

The Zella Day EP was released on September 23, 2014. It was celebrated as an "intangible tapestry of sound and raw emotion, blanketing the pop, alternative, and folk genres" by Atwood magazine. The EP peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and garnered critical acclaim.[10] The final track on the EP, "Hypnotic", was picked as an iTunes Single of the Week and was later released as the second single from the album.[11] In December 2014, Day was featured as a guest vocalist on the acoustic version of Borns' "Electric Love" off his debut EP, Candy.[12]

Day performing in West Hollywood in June 2015.

On February 27, 2015 Day announced her second studio album, Kicker.[13] The video was directed by Gianennio Salucci and now boasts over 8 million views on Vevo. In May 2015, Day debuted the single "High", and performed it live the following month on Conan as her television debut.[14]

Kicker was released on June 2, 2015 via Pinetop Records and Hollywood Records. The album title references the old Arizona mining town where Day's parents married while exploring toxic relationships, breakups, broken homes, love and lust. Speaking about the album, she explained, "The music's spiritual resonance is clearly influenced by the Northern Arizona mountains that sheltered my creative energy from any outside implications of city mentality." The record was hailed as Day's most intimate yet gorgeously expansive album yet and charted at number 65 on the US Billboard 200 and number 7 on the US Top Alternative.[15] Interview Magazine praised Day's uniquely "own charmed style", and BlackBook Magazine declared, "it's safe to say this girl's on her way to being a household name."

On December 17, 2015 Day performed on Last Call with Carson Daly.[16] On January 4, 2016 she performed "Hypnotic" on Late Night with Seth Meyers.[17] Her third national TV appearance was followed by a number of high-profile festival performances at Billboard Hot 100 Fest, Music Midtown, and the iHeart Radio Music Festival. Her debut at Coachella in 2016 caught the attention of Los Angeles Magazine, which described the performance as "hypnotic"; Billboard, which hailed her set as "stellar"; and Consequence of Sound, which exclaimed, "it's entirely possible that Zella Day looks back on Coachella 2016 as the moment that launched her career in the earnest... Day is an undeniably powerful vocalist."[18]

2016–2018: Departure from Hollywood Records
Day performing with Lana Del Rey in October 2019.

On May 4, 2016 Day was featured again as a musical guest on Last Call with Carson Daly, debuting her newest single, "Mustang Kids", live.[19] As the latest single ahead of a headlining tour in June, "Mustang Kids" was officially released on June 9, 2016 featuring a guest verse from Florida-bred rapper Baby E. and a music video directed by Tim Mattia. Following the North American headlining tour in June 2016, Day embarked on a supporting run with L.A. neo-soul outfit Fitz and the Tantrums throughout July and then another supporting slot with Michael Franti and Spearhead in August.

In October 2016, Day released the single "Man on the Moon" and announced a 7" release via B3Sci. November 2016 saw the digital premier of "Hunnie Pie" as a b-side to the "Man on the Moon" 7".[20] On November 29, 2018, Day uploaded a letter to her social media accounts explaining she had been released from her label and production deal.[21] On December 14, she uploaded a video announcement alongside a new song titled "I Don't Know How To End" to her website.[22] Day appeared as a guest on Lana Del Rey's LA to the Moon Tour in 2018.

2019–present: Where Does the Devil Hide

Day performed a cover of "For Free" alongside Weyes Blood with Lana Del Rey for her The Norman Fucking Rockwell! Tour show at The Hollywood Bowl on October 10, 2019.[23] The trio later performed the song at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.

On October 25, she released a cover of "You Sexy Thing".[24] After signing a deal with Easy Eye Sound and Concord Records, Day released the singles "People Are Strangers" in April and "My Game" in May, alongside accompanying music videos.[25] On April 27, she announced an EP titled Where Does the Devil Hide.[26] The announcement was followed by the releases of "Purple Haze" and "Only a Dream" in July.

Discography
Main article: Zella Day discography
  • Powered by Love (2009)
  • Kicker (2015)

Tours

Headlining

  • Zella Day on Tour (2015)

Supporting

Guest

Filmography

Web
Year Film Role Notes
2014–2015 DayxDay Herself Main role; 6 episodes

Music video
Year Film Artist Role
2020 "Let Me Love You Like a Woman" Lana Del Rey Herself

References
  1. Thomas-Hansard, Artemis (June 2, 2015). "Indie-Pop Songstress Zella Day Comes From a Long Line of Hardcore Bitches". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  2. "Zella Day: "I'm Not Entitled to Anything"". Rread.tidal.com.
  3. Thomas-Hansard, Artemis (June 2, 2015). "Indie-Pop Songstress Zella Day Comes From a Long Line of Hardcore Bitches". L.A. Weekly.
  4. Accomazzo, David (July 19, 2016). "When Will Pinetop Native Zella Day Get The Break She Needs to Become a Star?". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  5. "Zella Day: The Best of What's Next". Paste. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  6. "Tooth Fairy 2 (2012) Direct to Video - Soundtrack.Net". Soundtrack.net. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  7. "Zella Day". 1883 Magazine. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  8. "CODE First Play: Sultan & Ned Shepard featuring Zella Day and Sam Martin: 'All These Roads'". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  9. "Zella Day – Sweet Ophelia". Blahblahblahscience. February 25, 2014. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  10. "Zella Day: Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  11. "Join in on the Obsession with Zella Day's "Hypnotic" – Atwood Magazine". October 21, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  12. "Video: BØRNS feat. Zella Day – "Electric Love" (Acoustic)". Pursuit Of Dopeness. December 12, 2014. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  13. "Zella Day Reveals 'Kicker' Album Details". Buzznet. March 17, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  14. "Zella Day – High [Live on Conan]". Dailymotion.com. June 11, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  15. "Zella Day – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  16. "Last Call With Carson Daly – Luke Bracey/Zella Day/Torres". Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  17. "Zella Day 'Hypnotic' Live with Seth Meyers". Dailymotion.com. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  18. "Coachella 2016 Festival Review: From Worst to Best". Consequence of Sound. April 18, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  19. Day, Zella (May 4, 2016). "Had so much fun performing Mustang Kids on Last Call with Carson Daly. Download the song here". Retrieved August 2, 2017 – via Twitter.
  20. "Zella Day – Man On The Moon/Hunnie Pie". blahblahblahscience.com. November 18, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  21. "Answers". Retrieved December 17, 2018 – via Twitter.
  22. Day, Zella (December 14, 2018). "Happy 12 days of Christmas everyone! Watch the interview to find out more and then head over to http://Zelladay.com for the full experience.pic.twitter.com/4G1bxnPVXx". Retrieved December 17, 2018 – via Twitter. External link in |title= (help)
  23. Breihan, Tom (October 10, 2019). "Lana Del Rey, Weyes Blood, & Zella Day Sing Joni Mitchell's "For Free" Together: Watch". Stereogum.com. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  24. "You Sexy Thing – Single by Zella Day". Music.apple.com. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  25. ago, Anna Milo Devine·Music·15 hours (April 24, 2020). "Zella Day Debuts New Single and Video, "People Are Strangers"". noisetrend. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  26. "NEW MUSIC: Zella Day Releases "People Are Strangers" – B-Sides TV". Retrieved April 28, 2020.
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