ZHU shares haunting new single, ‘Changes’: Listen

The evolution of ZHU throughout his career, from faceless enigma to fashion-forward icon and visionary has been an extraordinary ride for his fans and the entire industry to bear witness to. With his latest single, Changes, the San Francisco producer laments the impact of his work and lifestyle upon his own psyche and mental health, swooning over the impact of life in the spotlight.

It is hard not to listen to ZHU without comparing his works and vocal stylings to that of The Weeknd, whose recent project, The Idol, depicts the struggles and forces of the life of an artist and how they impact one’s decision-making and feelings of self-worth. The new single, Changes, would not be out of place on the program, as it delivers a haunting and disjointed production, flowing between dark piano chords and swirling synths and heavy production. Also like The Weeknd’s character in the show, ZHU continues to show a fearless ambition with his own work, never afraid to expand his sound and style, exploring different rhythms and energy while never feeling forced or out of place from his already varied yet incredible back catalog.

As ZHU prepares to spend much of the back half of  2023 on the road, bringing The Grace Tour to cities across North America, he continues to sound as inspired as ever in the studio, and that energy will no doubt translate to the clubs. Changes is yet another stunning piece of art in the producer’s already brilliant career and the evolution across the four-and-a-half-minute track is a reminder of his immense talent and boundless ability to create. While the introduction will have listeners’ hearts breaking for his words of struggle and pain over the piano chords, the driving synths and percussion of the outro culminate in the energy making the life of a star so intriguing and fascinating to those who idolize the artist.

ZHU (Image Credit: Taylor Regulski)