By Alissa Arunarsirakul // September 4, 2020
On a mission to make people feel less alone through his music, Zaia is the Atlanta-based rapper breaking boundaries you didn’t even know existed. With undeniable innovation and a hustle we’ve never seen before, Zaia dropped his well-received EP, Very Alone, earlier this year. One particular track off the EP, “WINGZ” is now getting the attention it deserves with a dramatic new music video.
Written as an homage to his grandfather and the life many of us take for granted, “WINGZ” reminds us that we only live once, so we’d better live with no regrets. Within seconds of the dim music video’s opening, Zaia appears to have his wings literally clipped off, just as the eerie lyrics suggest. Zaia’s melodic bars and the infectious production complement the “WINGZ” video perfectly as we’re taken through a narrative of mystery and danger.
On “Wingz,” Zaia explained,
“I wrote that song around the time my grandfather passed. I was at a low point. A really bad one. It showed me this life is temporary. My parents are gonna disappear. I need to do this right now. I might not get another chance. I don’t have time to lolligag. A lot of time[s] people tell me I move too fast and don’t take the time to enjoy the things I’m receiving, but I don’t have time to do that. I have to get what I need now. So I can be alright and my family can be alright. I think that was really big for me, that situation. That’s reflected in the sound.”
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