More Than Just “Bubble-Gum Pop”: Zinadelphia is Here To Tell a Story – And You’ll Want To Hear It
Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Zinadelphia sounds like she was pulled straight out of the 1960s with her charming and raspy vocals.
Crafting timeless and exciting songs that will have you dancing in admiration, Zinadelphia makes it easy to fall under her enchanting spell. With infectious melodies and heartfelt lyrics, she has carved a niche for herself in the music industry, resonating with fans on multiple levels. About to embark on her first headline tour, Zinadelphia is undeniably on the rise, bolstered by the recent release of her highly anticipated EP, The Magazine.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Zina and delve deeper into her life and career. Exploring artistic inspirations, the challenges she faced while navigating the music industry, and her vision for the future, Zinadelphia’s passion for her craft and her dedication to connecting with her fans mark an artist ready to leave her stamp on the industry.
Influenced heavily by jazz, funk, and Motown music, Zinadelphia combines elements of these genres in her songs. Growing up, her parents weren’t too big on music, however, Zina credits her guitar teacher for providing her with a decent music education. She states that she connects deeply with musicians Gloria Gaynor and Tammi Terrell – who she adorably calls “the girls” – and that this is the kind of music she hopes to be able to make, feeling that she is getting closer to this with every project she creates.
Always having been creative, Zinadelphia grew up “singing in the shower” and soon after picked up a guitar.
As a teen, she joined her local performance group, and it was not long after this that her teacher discovered her strong vocals. She states that she always knew she wanted to have a career in music, however, it felt like an “embarrassingly big goal”, and in this doubt, she decided to start college as a photography major. Eventually, she took the leap and switched paths to study media, where she began taking courses in music production. Emerging in the bustling Philadelphia music scene, Zinadelphia began her performing career by playing house shows and in small venues across the city, and this is where she “fell in love with it”. Most of her friends were involved in music, so eventually she recruited a few to begin performing alongside her and following this “people started showing up”.
Zinadelphia’s first single, Mirrorball, was released as a school project, however it was this release that provided her with the final push to realize she could turn this into something more. Following the release of her 2023 EP ‘Lucky’, Zinadelphia began performing live as a support act for artists such as Medium Build, Teddy Swims, and TALK. She remembers this touring run as “the most life-changing experience”, and shares that it gave her the opportunity to play live for demographics that she had never been exposed to previously. During this tour, she captivated audiences and began to build her own fan base across the United States. On stage with her band, Zinadelphia puts on quite a colourful and unforgettable show.
Her most recent project, The Magazine, gives listeners a glimpse of Zinadelphia’s newly crafted musical identity. She shares that this EP feels the closest to her, and that she feels that she has finally figured out what she wants out of her musical journey. The songs pair energetic tempos with reflective themes such as misogyny and body image, giving listeners a realistic idea of who Zinadelphia is. Releasing this music felt “scary”, as up until this point most of her music was what she describes as “bubble-gum pop”. In creating this EP, Zina reached a point where she felt that it was finally time to start moving toward these topics. Finally being able to express herself fully, she shares that she has now “found her sound” in making The Magazine, and that things have “never felt more right”.
“I’m experiencing this too. If I’m lucky enough to do music for a living, I might as well say something important.”
As a young woman in the music industry, finding a place to shine can be a difficult process. Zinadelphia has opened up about what she calls “shut-down mode”, describing the feeling of being in a room full of people and feeling unworthy or like she has “nothing to add”. In these scenarios, she simply freezes – her body seems to shut down. She shares that she has worked on this and “found her people” and is slowly learning to confidently speak her voice. She discusses this in more length in her physical copy of “The Magazine”, which will soon be available for purchase. Throughout the writing process of The Magazine, Zinadelphia has become more comfortable saying what she wants in a room and has tapped into this strong sense of self to push herself as a still-developing artist.
The first single from this EP, Love Over Glory, is a slow build delivering a retro sound backing smoky vocals. She tells me that if I were to share one song with others that represents her as a musician, this would be her pick.
On TikTok, Zinadelphia shares some details on the lyrics, stating, “This song is for anyone who gets preyed on, or told you won’t be able to do it alone, told the most important thing is that you look pretty. Hidden in this song are my stories and the stories of many. Just as much as it is mine, this is YOUR story”. These words and the song itself provide an influx of female empowerment, which seems to be a common theme in Zinadelphia’s music.
Diving off topic and into some of Zinadelphia’s favourites, she shares that a dream of hers is to play a hometown show at The Mann, an outdoor venue in Philadelphia. As far as collaboration goes, her dream artist to perform with or write with is RAYE. Most recently, she attended The Marias’ The Submarine Tour and was taken aback by their performance, recommending these shows to anyone who has the chance. Finally, she states that an album she has on repeat is I Love You, Honeybear by Father John Misty.
Heading out on The Magazina Tour in October, Zinadelphia will be playing in 19 cities across North America, debuting her new tracks live.
Despite the small venue sizes, Zina’s maximalism will still be apparent at her shows, aiming to provide audiences with plenty of colourful visuals. Having been compared to Amy Winehouse, her soulful vocals allow her to deliver mesmerising performances, and I’m confident that this tour will only increase her following.
Zinadelphia is a powerful artist, bringing life back into a classic genre. Her raw vocal talent paired with her colourful and bubbly demeanour creates a captivating persona. Fresh off the release of her new EP, I would suggest keeping your eyes on Zinadelphia – my intuition tells me she’s going to be very big one day.
