Sydney-based pop newcomer Zhuli has just revealed her alluring debut track IKEA – produced by Harry James (Hi Life) and mixed by Tim Watt (Golden Features, MUTO, Crooked Colours).
Glimmering with ethereal synths and underscored by deft percussion, the track is effortlessly capped off by Zhuli’s endearing melodies. Thought-provoking production melds with her elegant infectious hooks to deliver on a sophisticated slice of modern indie-pop. Additionally, the track is a light-hearted homage to knowing your self-worth and confidently placing yourself out of someone else’s league.
Zhuli talks about the inspiration behind IKEA: “The concept for IKEA came from my friend who had an experience with a guy that didn’t want to go down on her because ‘I just don’t do that’. This story came up in a writing session and Harry (my co-writer/producer) had this beat that radiated this fun, hype-my-bitch-up kind of vibe, so we wanted to write something that expressed this frustration while also seeing the funny side of it. If you’ve ever spent hours assembling something from IKEA just to find you have a screw left over at the end and have to start over, then you can probably get something out of this song.”
Zhuli is the exciting new project from Sydney-based artist Alana Patmore. Taking cues from the likes of pop luminaries Charli XCX, Tinashe and Ariana Grande, Zhuli’s fun and fey music straddles the line between mainstream and experimental worlds yet retains a bona fide cohesiveness that is inimitably her.
The name Zhuli is taken from a book called ‘Do Not Say We Have Nothing’ written about the Cultural Revolution in China. The character Zhuli is a prodigal music student whose passion brings trouble for her when the revolution begins. Having been raised by a Chinese mother who lived through similar experiences, the story felt close to home, with the name partly acting as a tribute to her Mum.
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With thanks to Good Intent