Zoee: Spreading Positivity

Having already performed at the CMAs and headlined countless music festivals, Australian-born singer-songwriter Zoee is one of the most exciting alternative country/Americana/pop artists to hit the UK country music scene.

“I think the power of music had such an effect on me as a kid growing up, and getting to play my first ever show in Nashville is really what made the ultimate decision for me that music was the direction I had to steer my life and career in,” she tells Headliner.

Prior to the arrival of Covid, the multi-award winning songstress and her band had a full UK tour planned, followed by a tour of Scandinavia and continental Europe before heading over to the US and Canada.

“Obviously when Covid hit, everything fell to its knees and we had to cancel the tour - we were heartbroken,” she reflects. “First and foremost, being an independent artist putting together a tour like that is ridiculously difficult. Touring is of course one of your main sources of income as an independent artist, so not having either of those things this year has been tough.”

Zoee has in the past shared stages with some big US country stars including Cam and Jessica Lynn during tours of the US, UK and Sweden.

Her storytelling ability and uplifting songwriting style meanwhile has been compared to artists such as Rod Stewart, James Blunt, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift.

Despite not being out on the road this year, Zoee has found solace in the studio, something she admits she probably wouldn’t have done had it not been for lockdown.

“It’s actually been a super creative time for the band and I,” she reveals. “I’ve written so much new music and we’ve really focused on live-streaming and recording new music while we’ve been in lockdown. The team and I have also shot new music videos, very safely with Covid-19 precautions in place of course.”

One of Zoee’s new singles — The Song We Sing — is about unity and standing together, a particularly pertinent topic during these uncertain times.

“I wrote it with the idea that it will help inspire others to live a full life and celebrate the process of climbing back up when life knocks you down,” she explains. “It’s been a really good song for the lockdown I think, and I’ve received so much positivity from my fans who have found light in it during these dark times. To give back through music, that’s what it’s all about.

“There’s so much competition in this industry, and it’s sad to me because we are all so unique and different in our own ways,” she adds. “It’s impossible for anyone to compete when we are so different and special... We should all hold hands and help each other grow in this life.”

Break My Heart on the other hand is a song about getting your heart broken, yet it also carries an underlying message.

“I like to write with multiple meanings,” she explains. “It’s a story of this young person coming into the working world filled with hopes and desires of opportunity, and the realisation as we get older of how those dreams and desires are suddenly compressed and taken from you by society often without us even realising.

“It’s about the realisation that it doesn’t matter if the world tries to break your heart, because it’s not going to succeed.”

With these new releases in the bag, Zoee is quite clearly laser focused and looking forward to 2021 when she can get back out on the road.

“I’m also learning some new instruments, including the drums which I’m awful at,” she laughs. “I’m relearning the mandolin and learning new styles of playing guitar which have fascinated me for a long time.”