Rising Stars: Meet Zëta Ræ of Nashville, TN

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zëta Ræ

Hi Zëta, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Growing up, I was always heavily interested in singing and performing. I vividly remember putting on shows in my family’s living room before I started publicly performing at 6. I sang at church, in local musicals, choir, talent shows – anywhere I could find a stage. However, I didn’t discover my artistry until college. I went to Berklee thinking I would become a session vocalist or something. After taking a few songwriting and production classes, I discovered that not only was I a creative person after all (which I hadn’t previously considered myself to be) but that I love making songs as much as I love performing. I created and released my first two EPs “Hôme Invæsion” and “everywhere you are is a garden” while in school, flying back and forth from Boston to Nashville. After graduating in 2022, I finally moved to Nashville to continue my journey as an artist. Since then, I’ve released a slew of singles, played as many shows as much as possible, and now here we are doing this interview!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In many ways, pursuing music is like founding a company. People come and go, you make bad business and financial decisions, and finding the money and time is hard in general. There have been plenty of challenges along the way.
To be an independent artist is already a bit of a juxtaposition. Attempting to create without judgment while branding and promoting yourself in a pallet-able way, doing it for yourself but needing others’ approval to have a career, and having a safe space that is constantly being infiltrated and criticized. It takes a lot of mental gymnastics to arrive somewhere in between all of that.
Many of the artists I know are brave but insecure, including myself. In a sense, I pursued music to be able to hide. Getting up on stage and showcasing who you are through a song is easier than telling someone who you are. I didn’t want to be on camera or TikTok or have 40 one-on-one conversations after playing a show – but I’ve grown to love and appreciate those parts of the gig. I love a challenge and thrive under pressure so, somewhere deep down, I know that the difficulties are part of what draws me. Even if nothing comes of it, my confidence growth while pursuing music has made me a better person in my real life – and that’s the real payoff.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a singer, songwriter, producer, and visual artist! Known for being a multi-faceted, genre-bending musician – this is also what sets me apart.
As for what I’ve been up to lately, I just released a feature on Heart of Gold’s new single “Love Me First”. It’s a beautiful, ambient ballad about showing up for yourself before you can show up for someone else. I’ve been listening to Michael’s music since I was in high school, so getting the opportunity to do that was such an honor and felt like a massive milestone for me!
I have a new hyper-pop single “EGO” coming out on September 20th (currently available for pre-save). It’s glitchy, glossy, and abrasive; about the painful realization that you can’t force someone out of their own way. It’s a bit of a departure, but probably one of my favorite songs I’ve ever made.
I just finished the final tracking for a song called “24” which is coming this fall. I wrote it on my 24th birthday and it’s about coming to terms with the present moment. Being in your 20s comes with so many expectations, past and future unrealized versions of you – which can be hard to reckon with. It’s sad, hopeful, shoegazey, and very 90’s. It’s my favorite lyric writing of mine so I can’t wait to release that one.
Lastly, you can catch my shows at DRKMTTR on September 20th, and at Blueprint on September 25th!

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
People might be surprised to hear what music I love and where I get my inspiration from. There are some more straightforward ones – Paramore, Radiohead, The 1975, Beabadoobee, Ariana Grande, Trent Reznor, and Brian Eno. Those I think are present at face value. But, I also love to start somewhere and end up in a completely different place. For example, Death Grips, Tyler the Creator, 100 Gecs, Hiatus Kaiyote, Frost Children, SOPHIE, Bring Me The Horizon, Aphex Twin, Thundercat, and Jamiroquai have all directly inspired songs of mine. Even Gregorian chant and coral music have made their way into the songs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/zetarae
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/z3t4_r43/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/z3t4r43/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxDrdW6_lUvVOuoOPMMddPw
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0BvdeyLRSrnmkWV32sGrox

Image Credits
Lindsey Webb
Anna Jedrejczyk
Jack Nahigian/ Lindsey Webb
Jill Schmeling
Jesse Paul
Lindsey Webb
Lindsey Webb
Lindsey Webb
Hannah Schmeling