A young, Brisbane-based industrial pop artist who's bending genres similar to the likes of Rina Sawayama and Charli XCX, ZZADE comes from a background of playing in alternative-punk bands.
Formally the singer of The Blockades (an under-age band who gained local notoriety when they played to 5,000-plus people at a school climate strike march), last year ZZADE decided to focus on a solo project dedicated to her new-found love of industrial pop.Earlier this year, ZZADE debuted her first solo song 'Hollywood Ending', releasing an accompanying music video as well.
ZZADE'S latest sonic chapter is the cheeky, sultry, alt-pop indietronica mind-bender 'Triple Diamond Status' – a satirical take on capitalism and the culture of over consumerism that descends into a maelstrom of electrified noise-rock by song's end.
"'Triple Diamond Status' is a song I'm super proud to release. I am excited to show this more satirical and politically-driven side to me and I hope you love listening to it as much as I did making it.
"My dream is for you to sing-along and use it as an affirmation to keep fighting the good fight against capitalist greed and the profit-over-people agenda. You have now reached the 'Triple Diamond Status'."
With a band backing her, ZZADE is prepping for a monster 2023 with more releases planned alongside performing live at every opportunity.
Who is ZZADE... I'm an industrial pop artist from Meanjin (Brisbane). I have been playing in alternative bands since I was 14, but this is my first ever solo project and it's only a baby, a one year old.
Born from a few self-produced demos and a new-found love of all things industrial pop, I started a live band, found a producer to help me finish my songs and here we are. I've just released my second single and I'm super proud of it.
I sound like... St. Vincent, Lady Gaga and Rina Sawayama mixed with Nine Inch Nails, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Ocean Grove.
Our first gig was... At Black Bear Lodge last November supporting Dream Dali with Kalopsia. It was such a fun, special way to launch the project and I'm so grateful for my friends and family that came to support me.
When did you settle on your artistic name... So my name is Jade and my brother's name is Zac, so my mum would always accidentally call us Jack or Zade. When I was trying to think of a name, she called me Zade by accident again and I remember thinking I really liked how it sounded. I put it in all caps and added an extra zed for an industrial edge and that was that.
My brother is really chuffed that his name is mixed with mine and quite often asks for royalties because of that (which he will never get). I now have a zed tattooed on the back of my arm, so I'm committed for life (or until I want to get it removed).
In the studio I usually... Talk sh.t for two hours with my bestie and producer Tom Megalos and then create the best song in the world. Nah, just kidding but we have had moments where we walk in with no ideas and come out with a fully formed new song; those are special days that I really cherish.
If I could tour with anyone... It's really hard to pick but my band and I's latest obsession has been Ocean Grove. We love their mix of genres and I really resonate with that as I tend to try to genre bend as well. They're not quite metal and not quite any genre really and that's what's so sick about them. We love Ocean Grove!
Social media is... Incredibly toxic and incredibly addictive, and as I say that I'm taking a ten-minute break from typing this, mindlessly scrolling on Instagram reels. Honestly, I could go on with an essay about this but to summarise, some parts are really cool and some parts of social media suck.
I don't really know life without it, but my parents say it was better in the '90s. I guess I'll have to take their word but follow me on Instagram @zzade.music. I'm playing this bullsh.t algorithm game and I want to win.
My favourite app at the moment is... YouTube and always will be. I love the random stuff I find on there and I genuinely think I know more about ancient civilisations and celebrities' morning routines than I ever have before. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I'm not quite sure.
To date, my most embarrassing moment was the time... I played an entire set with my bass pick stuck in my strings and didn't see it until after the show. My playing sounded so strange and out of tune and I had no idea why. The lighting was purple and my pick was purple, so I just didn't see it. My band has never stopped giving me sh.t about it and probably never will.
Life on the road can be... Epic! At least I hope it will be. I haven't had a chance to tour yet, but it's on the ZZADE bucket list.
If you'll have me on your bill, all I ask is that the rider contains... A bunch of weird food as I have heaps of allergies and intolerances. I'm allergic to egg, dairy, seafood and gluten, so absolutely none of that. Also double strength deodorant for the band, they get stinky. Maybe some hairspray for me and 100 purple bass picks just to be sure.
The most scary scenario I've found myself in, was... I once stepped on a toad.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... I think Jack Black would be able to really talk me up in a very excitable way. He'd probably say something about this rock project blowing your mind and changing the world and kicking ass all at the same time.
Then he would do some type of rock growl that would really sell it. Then Dave Grohl would come in dressed as the devil and we'd have to defeat him by playing him the best song in the world (mine).
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? I would live in London and do my best British accent and see if anyone could tell I was actually Aussie.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... I'd invite two sick booking agents and convince them to let me support all their artists and then I'd invite Courtney Love just for some drama.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? I'd put Gyg on some plates, hide the bags and say I made it.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? Lover of dogs, hater of cats. Big lover of my staffy Leila.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... Vodka. A case of vodka.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Never. I pick my brother up from the gym and that's about as close as I'll go.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Grocery shopping, something about it is so depressing and boring. Maybe that's because macadamias are like $10.
Do you have any phobias... I don't have any phobias, but I do have anxiety so that's kind of like a phobia of a phobia, right?
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Sometimes I joke that I'll end up on 'Married At First Sight' if I'm single at 40, but honestly I don't think reality tv is for me, unless I get really fit and do 'Ninja Warrior'.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? I'd prank my producer Tom by bringing in a really sh.t song and trying to convince him it's a hit and then making him produce it all day. I would then get Prank Patrol in and Scotty Tweedy to help execute this.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? Don't really do take away because of my allergies, but a couple bowls of dry cornflakes in the middle of the night really hits the spot.
Which fictional character best describes your personality? Dylan Sanders from the early 2000s 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'. She was bad-ass and rode motorbikes, which I do and I always wanted to be her when I was little (still do to be honest).
Last show you binge-watched? I honestly can't remember, I'm too stuck on Instagram reels. My attention span is max ten seconds now.
