New York-based singer/songwriter LENNY ZENITH has released his single “One of Us Should Go” from his upcoming album He/Hymn, which is set to drop on October 29, 2024, via XYYX Records. This indie-pop anthem captures the heartache of a relationship on the brink of collapse, reflecting Zenith's own experiences with sleepless nights and struggles with addiction. As a pioneering transgender artist, he has gained recognition for his deep songwriting and fearless exploration of identity, drawing from his journey of self-discovery in New Orleans. He/Hymn features diverse sounds and collaborations with notable musicians, showcasing Zenith’s growth as a songwriter as he explores themes of love, loss, and authenticity. The album's nine tracks offer a rich listening experience, with lyrics that navigate the complexities of human connection and personal reflection, recorded remotely during the pandemic. Zenith invites listeners to immerse themselves in the album's depth and recognizes the collaborative effort that went into its creation, emphasizing inclusivity and community throughout his work.
**Q: In your opinion, what are the essential qualities that make a “good songwriter”?**
A: A good songwriter must have a tremendous amount of vulnerability, authenticity and the perfect synthesis of language to convey the powerful emotions we feel as humans. The ability to combine the former with melody and deft phrasing serves to create a work that will reach many listeners initially and hopefully later, a few listeners more deeply. Also, a good song should be equally good played solo as it is in a fully-orchestrated lush arrangement.
**Q: What is the basis for writing attention-grabbing music in this day and age?**
A: The sonicscape is so saturated and our attention is so limited, some writers feel an urgency to put a hook right at the top, or creating a super-catchy chorus. Personally, I don't write like that. For me, the music and lyrics often come simultaneously, and I've never (consciously) focused on the requisite verse-chorus-bridge-verse-chorus formula. If my song even has a chorus, I'm lucky. I've sometimes even included a single 'chorus' at the very end of the song (eg., "Mask"). As much as I would like more people to listen to my music, I find (as I did in my youth), that it takes focus and attention to get into some bands/artists especially when they're not very formulaic. I like the 'grab and go' simplicity of a lot of pop music today, but the songs that stay with me elicit a strong emotional response either from the melody or instrumentation.
**Q: Can you pinpoint some specific songs and songwriters that changed the way you write music?**
A: While I was largely shielded from pop music (my dad was a preacher, and my mom was from Cuba), I listened to a lot of classical music and show tunes growing up, only being exposed to pop music later on. When I first considered writing, I was drawn to Elton John since I loved his and Bernie Taupin's work. Not too long after -- in high school, Nick Lowe, XTC, the Clash, Blondie, Television and of course Elvis Costello made a huge impression. I loved Costello's aesthetic and the mixing of punk and actual songwriting with his deft lyricism and quirky delivery. Elvis' song "Allison" sealed my decision to ditch the pursuit of becoming an orchestral conductor and start a punk band, much to the chagrin of my instructors at NOCCA (New Orleans' performing art high school) Later in the 90s, I was drawn to the angularity of bands like Pavement, and Blonde Redhead as well as the orchestral components of Radiohead and Sigur Ros.
**Q: Do you find it hard to be inspired by your peers? Can you name any new artists you find inspiring?**
A: As I slowly move away from pop and rock, I have to say my next album will be inspired by the likes of Olafur Arnalds, Kjartan Sveinsson, Jóhann Jóhannsson and Joep Beving. I'm sure my actual peers may be dismayed to hear this revelation. I will give a shout out to some of my actual peers, like Lianne Smith (an exquisite songwriter), Suss, Bird Streets, Matt Hunter and the Dusty Fates, Parker Woodland, Rafael Gayol (who played drums on a lot of tracks on my record but is an excellent writer/singer as well) and Elk City whose records I like a lot.
**Q: For your new album, what inspired the lyrical content, album title, and overall vibe?**
A: The album title 'He|Hymn' is a take on my being transgender and the fact that as a preacher's kid, I spent a lot of time singing hymns. It's largely a collection of songs where I am bidding farewell to the past while reflecting on the promise of the future. There was the dissolution of a long-term relationship, the loss of a sibling and musician friends, and the shifting of what I once considered solid ground. I reflect on difficult and painful memories, disappointment -- while trying to inject gratitude for the good things that I currently have in my life. There's also a song about adopting pets (instead of buying) and one about doing laundry. I tend to be somewhat melancholy, and if that appeals to people, they'll like many of these songs.
**Q: Do you find that you ruminate over writing songs and hold on to them for a long time before including them on a record? Or do you prefer to write them, release them, and be done with them? Do you ever revisit old material to do a re-write or once it's done it's done?**
A: A lot of these songs were written several years ago, some even many years ago. I sat with them and brought them to James Pertusi (the producer) who took a set of many songs who culled them down to make what he thought was cohesive work. There have been times when I've been particularly enamored with a new song and wanted to release it right away so there are several inchoate singles out there, LOL.
**Q: Were there any lessons you learned in the writing and recording process for your current release that you will take with you into your next project?**
A: My entire music career, I've recorded indie rock albums with all the members in the same room for the basic tracks and then a few overdubs. Because of the lockdown, most of these tracks were assembled across the country at different times. I would send them basic demos with a click track and a few suggestions and because I was fortunate enough to work with some of the best musicians I've ever worked with, and a great producer my fears of it not sounding cohesive were soon dispelled. Some may think stylistically it's 'all over the place', but that's just the kind of writer I am -- I've never had a 'concept album' aesthetic -- what comes out, is what comes out.