Emily Zuzik is an indie singer/songwriter based in New York. Having been active in the industry for over a decade her signature sound is a blend of electronic and alternative rock. Raised in Pennsylvania (like your crusty chronicler) Zuzik first performed in public at her Catholic school where she sang Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" to her fifth grade religion class. By junior high school, she was doing her original material in front of her school.
She continued writing and performing in public through high school and college. As the new millennium opened Zuzik was featured on The Fainting Room (2000), the premiere platter by a San Francisco-based, acoustic roots pop group named Sexfresh. She would also shine on the band’s next album Vacancy which hit the stores in 2003.
Perhaps the most important event that same year would be the release her ten-track, solo debut disc, The Way it's Got to Be, on the Mother's Discontent Music label. Just short of 40 minutes, it includes such fun, catchy cuts as “The Fall” ant the psychedelic “Trippy Falls” complete with a Led Zeppelin-like intro-percussion. The record received critical acclaim from such sources as The Village Voice, Time Out, and scored in Performing Songwriter Magazine's Top DIY Picks.
In fact, the record’s lead-in, "That's the Way" was a semi-finalist in the JANE Magazine Readers compilation the following year. Zuzik is more than a talented performer though—she’s also a pretty face. 2004 was also the year she appeared as one of IGN for Men's "Babe(s) of the Day" and the next year would become an endorsed artist and calendar girl for Epiphone Guitars. (In fact, Zuzik’s girly goodness can even be seen on the cover of Penguin Paperback's reissue of James Bond's Thunderball as the spear-gun toting Bond girl.)
But lest her lovely looks distract anyone, the multi-talented Zuzik continues to focus on her music and in 2006 she put out her second solo selection, You Had Me At Goodbye. Produced with Joshua (The Bravery) Kessler and mastered by Scott (Steely Dan) Hull, this 11-cut disc contained such songs as “It Don’t Matter to Jesus” and “Subtraction” as she showed her “Potential”. Her acclaimed back-up band included: drummer Keith Carlock and bassist Tim Lefebvre-- both from James Taylor’s band as well as Dan Mintseris --Marianne Faithfull’s former keyboardist.
In the years that followed she toured to promote her music both here and abroad and even had her music featured not only on numerous radio stations but also on television. Specifically, her music was featured on your randy writer’s favorite CW program, Smallville. Her music video "Try a New Line on Me" received significant play on the Austin Music Network and even aired nationally on the Trio Network. Zuzik added: “My music has also appeared . . . in the artist CD for Esopus Magazine, and the indie film, Fifth Form.”
2009 witnessed the release of a new album, Jagged Life, a three song digital EP. Here Zuzik leaves the audience wanting more with less than 10 minutes of her original music. Those in the know say listening to this disc is like being in the studio with her. It includes a trio of tunes: the title track “Jagged Life”, “Janaina” and more of her musical “Magic”.
Zuzik continued to work on her ever-changing image as well as more new songs. The next year (2010) a four-year partnership with bass player Tim Lefebvre finally gave birth to a baby of its own named Domestic Blitz. This release not only demonstrated her ability to work well with others but it showed listeners that her music was often enhanced by this tuneful team-up.
Zuzik confirmed her cooperative writing abilities stating:”I’ve also collaborated with a number of musicians including Moby ('The Low Hum' on his new disc Destroyed) . . . Marwood ('Another Last Goodbye') Will Hawkins ('Ghost Town') and Tom Glynn ('Passing Dream').”
Additonally, Zuzik has performed on the same stage as artists such as Norah Jones, The Silos, 1980s teen pop –star Tiffany, the Burning Man phenomenon Funkmobile as well as San Francisco’s Sh*tty Sh*tty Band Band. Zuzik has also sung backing vocals for other performers such as Ari Hest, RYKO recording artist Leslie Mendelson and UK-based acts Sizzlax and REFIX. She is also still part of the previously-mentioned electronica partnership Domestic Bliss. Zuzik hopes to release her latest album, The Wild Joys of Living on June 25th. With May gigs booked both in both San Francisco, CA and Spike Hill, New York and the upcoming new record release party, Zuzik is one busy rocker!
My name is Phoenix and . . . that’s the bottom line.
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