Sounds like: La Roux, Lady Gaga, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
What’s so good?
Some artists have that creative force that sucks you in right away. The type of energy that, when the artist is on stage, you can’t help but be totally and utterly fixated in their presence. This was the case with New Zealand-based Zowie (pronounced zo-ee) at her U.S. debut held at L.A.’s Viper Room on Friday, October 15.
A younger, bubblier, and punk-poppier version of Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the 22-year old Zoe Fleury jump-started the crowd with her heavy, electro-laden songs backed by a guitarist, drummer, and synths. Her petite frame bounced across the stage in hot pink Doc Martens, singing, yelping and occasionally chatting with the crowd from behind thick black bangs and a low-slinging angular bob.
Despite the sparse crowd in attendance (it was the first show of the evening at 8pm), everyone was immediately hooked. As I looked around, folks were bobbing their heads, snapping photos, and cheering the newcomer on.
Sharing management with The Presets, Zowie’s signed to Sony Music overseas and her debut is due out sometime next year. Her single “Broken Machine” debuted within the top five on the singles charts in Australia and New Zealand. She’s now off to NYC, where she’s scheduled to play six shows at the CMJ Music Festival.
In the exclusive Indie Shuffle interview, I had a chance to ask Zowie about the origins of the band, her inspirations, dream collaborators and more. Check it out!