ZEKIEL REVEALS NEW SINGLE “ENERGY”CO-WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY TAKA PERRY
Sydney-based rapper ZEKIEL has returned with his second single of the year “Energy”, co-written and produced by critically acclaimed producer Taka Perry, who has previously worked with the likes of M-Phazes, Mick Schultz, Max Frost, and Ruel. The song’s darkly addictive flow marks a pronounced growth in Zekiel’s sound, distinguishing him as one of the most exciting new artists in Australia’s hip hop scene.
“Energy” is the follow up to Zekiel’s first single of 2020, “9 Days Straight”, which was praised by Music Feeds, PileRats, Fen Hong Se and more, as well as scoring an addition to Nic Kelly’s Project U playlist.
“This is a track about how you spend your energy,” said ZEKIEL. “It’s a currency in itself & sometimes its wise to avoid spending your energy on something that won’t give you any in return.
‘Energy’ is a track exploring the idea that certain people will bring you down if you engage with them. The narcissistic, the hypocritical, the prejudiced - all of them are energy vampires and those are the people you avoid trading energy with. I’ve had to navigate the conflicted feelings in my head between constantly pleasing people and standing up for myself.
The track can feel quite braggadocious and obnoxious in the first 16 bars but as the song progresses you really feel it switch up half way through the second verse about how I'm finally learning where and who to spend my energy on.”
In Taka Perry’s words: “Zeke and I were hanging at my place one evening and we started working on some ideas in the studio. I started putting together a beat, and within 20 minutes I pretty much had most of the beat for ‘Energy’ done.
Zeke jumped on the mic and within another hour we had pretty much recorded the whole song. The song came together so naturally and effortlessly, the vibe in the room was great. The vocals on the song are for the most part the first take that Zeke recorded that night”.
Growing up in the Queensland town of Mackay, 23-year-old ZEKIEL is one of six children. Moving to Brisbane at 18, ZEKIEL flexed his newfound passion for writing and performing, while working hard independently promoting his music, before the hustle saw him move to Sydney in 2019.
Since this time, ZEKIEL’s work has always emphasised his storytelling ability, as well as a knack for versatility and musical range; each track feeling different to the last, but somehow connected through his ability to illuminate the stories behind each one.
“Skipping School” – his 2019 break-out single which carved the musician a place as one-to-watch in the year ahead – dissected high school pettiness and teenage crushes through butter-smooth R&B choruses, while comparatively, the song following - “9 Days Straight”, released earlier this year - was more verse-focused; a quick-firing vocal pace and emotive lyricism telling a story of exhaustion and mental health.
It’s clear that ZEKIEL is quickly finding his pace. As a songwriter, he’s worked with musicians such as Thelma Plum, Cosmo’s Midnight and Jack Gray, while his own work features on tastemaking music sites such as PileRats and Life Without Andy, both quick to jump onto his vision and prowess.
However, he’s only just getting started. Throughout the remainder of the year and into early 2021, ZEKIEL plans to release one song a month, each one showing his versatility. The releases draw upon a difficult time for the rapper, one which saw him process addiction and personal turmoil through songwriting in a way that allowed him to eventually overcome his demons, and reassess his life.
Praise for Zekiel:
“Stay tuned for more to come from this talented rapper.”
- Life Without Andy
“[9 Days Straight] gives us more of ZEKIEL than we've ever seen before.”
- PileRats
“Above a trap-influenced backdrop of guitars and understated percussion, Zekiel's latest single ‘9 Days Straight’ sees the Sydney rapper reflect on a long period of insomnia.”
- Music Feeds