ZZ Ward New Album: Liberation Released April 18 on All Formats via Sun Records

WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO TO CURRENT SINGLE 

“NAKED IN THE JUNGLE” HERE

One of the most profound lessons ZZ Ward learned from growing up listening to the blues greats was to stay true to your own story. When the LA-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist began writing new music, she found herself in the midst of one of life’s biggest transitions: motherhood.

The resulting material is her most authentic and blues-infused to date. ZZ’s new album, Liberation – out on all formats in the UK on April 18 April - reflects both the truth of lived experience and a bold creative spirit. It marks her debut for Sun Records and signals an exciting new chapter, as she returns to her blues roots on a label long recognised as a vanguard of Americana.

“I didn’t plan to make a blues album about motherhood—it just happened naturally,” ZZ shares. “I’ve always written to get through things in life. Suddenly, I was faced with a new job that’s 24/7 with no breaks, and that’s what I wrote about. But when you get tested, you discover who you are, and this album comes from a place of empowerment.”

At the time she wrote this deeply personal body of work, ZZ found herself without a label home, following a decade on a major. It was a painful and complex period, and she turned once more to the blues—her first and most formative musical influence.

ZZ began singing the blues at the age of 8, inspired by her bluesman father and his enviable record collection. She was performing live blues by the age of 12. Yet as a professional female musician, she often felt pressure to dilute her blues instincts to meet industry expectations.

“I used to care so much about what other people wanted my music to sound like, but after I became a mother, my priorities shifted,” she says.

As she began writing new material, ZZ viewed her experience of early motherhood through a blues lens. She had just completed her first tour as a working mother, with her son in tow, and had welcomed her second child. The challenges working mothers face began to seep naturally into her writing. It became a time of self-rediscovery and empowerment, and she brought this expansive new collection to multi-platinum producer Ryan Spraker (Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Weezer, In This Moment).

The songs began to take shape, drawing on the soul-blues stylings of Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Nina Simone, alongside the early blues icons she grew up with: Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Etta James, and Big Mama Thornton. Signing to Sun Records for this new chapter felt like a moment of perfect alignment.“It was the perfect fit for me—Howlin’ Wolf recorded for Sun!” ZZ enthuses.

On Liberation, greasy Chicago blues, foot-stomping Delta blues, rootsy garage rock, and vintage soul all converge in a project that feels like ZZ’s own curated tour of the blues. The album blends original compositions with reimagined blues classics, all delivered in her singular style.

The lead single, Love Alive, channels classic Son House-style blues, complete with handclaps, call-and-response vocals, and ZZ’s distinctive touch. It builds into an emotionally resonant chorus that’s nothing short of spine-tingling. “Love Aliveis about keeping a relationship vital during challenging times,” ZZ says. “Having kids can really test your relationship. This song is about holding onto love in the thick of early parenthood.”

Naked in the Jungle brings to mind the raw Americana of Creedence Clearwater Revival, with vivid metaphors exploring the intensity of new motherhood. “It’s like being dropped in the jungle with no tools and no one to guide you,” ZZ explains. “What works one day doesn’t work the next, and you’re constantly battling exhaustion.”

The title track is a tear-stained soul ballad, brimming with longing and reminiscent of timeless sides by Etta James, Nina Simone, and Aretha Franklin. “Years ago someone said to me, ‘You know what you want to do with your music, but you always look to men to give you permission,’” ZZ reveals. “This song—and this whole album—comes from no longer being that little girl asking for approval to follow what’s in my heart.”

ZZ’s first single, Put The Gun Down, from her 2012 debut Til the Casket Drops, broke into the AAA Radio Top 10, where it remained for 10 weeks. The follow-up single, 365 Days, climbed to No. 2 on the same chart, and the album itself entered the Billboard Top 40 Alternative Chart. Her 2017 sophomore release, The Storm, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, bolstered by collaborations with GRAMMY-winning artists Fantastic Negrito (Cannonball) and Gary Clark Jr. (Ride), the latter also featured as the end credit song for Pixar’s Cars 3. Most recently, ZZ was handpicked by Slash to open his summer tour, in support of his own blues release.

Liberation by ZZ Ward

Mother

My Baby Left Me

I Have No One

Cadillac Man

Love Alive

Naked In The Jungle

Liberation

Lioness

Grinnin’ In Your Face

Dust My Broom

Sinner’s Prayer

Something You Got

Clairvoyant

Next To You 

About Sun Records:
Established in 1952 by Sam Phillips, Sun Records is renowned for discovering music legends including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The label moved to Nashville in 1969, where it continued cultivating acclaimed artists such as Jeannie C. Riley, The Dixie Cups, Linda Martell, and many others.

Now a part of the newly-formed Sun Label Group under Primary Wave, Sun Records continues to foster musical innovation while honouring its rich history of shaping American music culture. For more information, visit https://sunrecords.com.

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