New York City songwriter Zsela has announced Big for You, her long-awaited debut album. Arriving June 14 on Mexican Summer, the album will include recent single (and Exclaim! Staff Pick) "Fire Excape," as well as new track "Lily of the Nile."
"Lily of the Nile" is a constant tumble of a song, playing with the same silvery guitar tones and elastic rhythms as "Fire Excape," this time dashed with vague shades of Joni Mitchell's Hejira. It comes attached to a video directed by Chester Raj Anand.
"So much of this video has to do with identity, and the manipulation of it. In a funny way, that's how it felt on set," Anand said of the video. "Our egos had dissolved or morphed into one harmonious expression. Zsela and I have a history of collaborating, but this instance truly felt like an evolution in the most fun and natural way. I don't think I can be happier with how the video turned out."
Big for You was co-produced with Daniel Aged and Gabe Wax, and features contributions from Nick Hakim, Casey MQ, Marc Ribot and Jasper Marsalis of Slauson Malone 1.
"It was important for me to stay open in this process, finding the truth of what the songs want to be," Zsela explained in a statement. "That meant breaking them down and building them back up again and again, not being precious and trying to listen."
Big for You is the follow-up to Zsela's 2020 Ache of Victory EP. In 2021, she shared the AOV (Remixes) EP.
Check out the video for "Lily of the Nile," plus the Big for You tracklist, below.
Big for You:
1. Lily of the Nile
2. Fire Excape
3. Not Your Angel
4. Still Swing
5. Watersprite
6. Brand New
7. Now Here You Go
8. Easy St.
9. Moth Dance
10. Play