GRAMMY-nominated artist ZHU released his new album, GRACE, via Astralwerks. His most ambitious and unique project yet, GRACE begs to be listened to from beginning to end, as ZHU takes listeners on a journey from darkness to light, tension to release, uncertainty to peace.
The album – which is the soundtrack to a forthcoming film that ZHU created – finds him collaborating with such artists as BANKS, Emotional Oranges, UPSAHL and Zero 9:36, among others, and, on his new single, “Settle for Less,” Puerto Rican/Cuban songstress Sabrina Claudio.
“Settle for Less” is a shining example of how ZHU stirs powerful emotions with his stories and sounds. Beginning with only pensive piano keys, he builds an ethereal atmosphere through Claudio’s reverbed vocals and subtle background harmonies. Finally, the track opens up further with an urgent, percussion-led rhythm as ZHU fights for a love on the edge: “You know you touch me in the broken parts / So don’t you leave.”
ZHU and Claudio perform the track in the sumptuous, sensual official video, which was directed by Leeay Studio and produced by Wyatt Whitaker.
A decade into his career, ZHU is sharing his world in a way he hasn’t done before. “I felt like I needed to go back to where I grew up,” he says, “to tell the story of where I’m going next.” GRACE was recorded mainly at iconic Grace Cathedral in his hometown of San Francisco.
Amid the stained-glass windows and marble columns where generations have sought answers from a higher power, ZHU channeled the grandness of the setting into the album with transcendent organs, string players and even a choir. Most of its tracks are live, first-takes.
With his sleek synth melodies, billowing basslines and undeniable hooks, ZHU creates tracks that are as sexy as they are sinister and as indulgent as they are dark. Though many know him as a producer and DJ, he’s much more than that: he’s also a singer, performer, instrumentalist and, perhaps most importantly, a songwriter. “There’s a lot of value in songwriting because at the end of the day, the most powerful thing we have is to be able to tell stories,” ZHU observes.
“Thrill Again” featuring UPSAHL – the first single from GRACE – was hailed by Rolling Stone as one of the “Songs You Need to Know” and featured among ET’s “favorite new music of the week” upon release. This Song Is Sick said, “ZHU dives head first into rock and roll vibes on ‘Thrill Again,’ starting the track with distorted guitar riffs and a stellar vocal from UPSAHL. Trap beats make their entrance along with entrancing arpeggios to add an electronic spin to the track.”
In the days leading up to the album’s release, ZHU brought “GRACE Listening Sessions” to secret locations in Santa Fe, New York City and San Francisco. The sessions featured a first listen to the album followed by a performance by ZHU. Pitchblack Playback hosted GRACE album listening premieres in the dark in Berlin, Istanbul, London, Mexico City and Sydney, Australia earlier this week.
Online leading up to release, ZHU offered up “7 Days of Grace,” which daily featured a different, exclusive limited edition merch item, each tied in thematically with GRACE:
Day 1 – COMMUNION – mini MP3 players with the album
Day 2 – SACRAMENT – handwritten lyrics on a scroll
Day 3 – HOLY WATER – water bottled at Skyhawk
Day 4 – VALIDATION – parking validation tickets – with ZHU promising to put the fan who received the sole gold validation on a song
Day 5 – CONFESSION – phone call with ZHU on a burner phone
Day 6 – GRACE EUCHARIST – NIGHTDAY duffel bag, hand painted by ZHU and filled with GRACE items
Day 7 – HIDDEN BIBLE – a Bible with a safe inside containing a pendant and a USB with unreleased music
ZHU resumes the GRACE tour with a series of festival performances that includes Lollapalooza in Latin America, ZOUK in Singapore and Creamfields Hong Kong. He previewed songs from his new album during the 2023 leg of the tour, which included three sold-out shows on each coast – the Hollywood Palladium in Southern California and Brooklyn Mirage in New York – and a three-show San Francisco weekender.
Continue the day by viewing “ZHU: Red Rocks Live in VR,” available exclusively on Meta Quest Oculus Experience, HERE The episode is from the new immersive concert series produced by Dorsey Pictures for Meta.
ZHU – TOUR DATES
3.15-17 Santiago, Chile Lollapalooza Chile
3.15.24 Región Metropolitano, Chile Sideshow Lollapalooza
3.15-17 Buenos Aires, Argentina Lollapalooza Argentina
3.21-24 Bogotá, Colombia Estéreo Picnic
3.22-24 São Paulo, Brasil Lollapalooza Brasil
4.12.24 Singapore, Singapore ZOUK
4.13-14 Hong Kong Creamfields
Press Release
