Best of What's Next: Zola Jesus

Photos by Indra Dunis

Nika Roza Danilova stumbles when asked to describe the concept behind the music video she’s in the midst of shooting. “I can’t even explain it, so I’m not going to, but it takes a lot of neon and a lot of fog and it’s going to be really intense,” the twenty-year-old Zola Jesus mastermind says, offering only a slight hint as to the cinematic wonderland awaiting fans when the video for “Night”, the lead single off of her new EP, Stridulum, is unveiled later this month. The classically trained opera singer turned Siouxsie-devotee doesn’t mean to be aloof, but she’d prefer people come to their own conclusions about the solo project she started in high school and now balances with philosophy studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Already bored with the media’s attempts to decipher her industrial-tinged gloom-pop, the Wisconsin-native requests that you simply listen to her music and enjoy, ignoring the urge to stamp her spooky balladry with some up-to-the-minute buzzword. After an electrifying performance at SXSW last month, Paste talked with Danilova about opera, Wisconsin and not having a plan.

Paste: How did Zola Jesus come about?
Nika Roza Danilova: It just happened really naturally. I’d studied opera for a very long time, but had given it up because I was so self-critical—so Zola Jesus was my way of coming back and trying to make music without any sort of technique in mind. I didn’t want a plan because I think when you have a plan, you set yourself up for expectations, and that’s not what I want. Zola Jesus is my way of just exploring whatever I want, however I want, and trying to heal from the process of studying opera, which was really productive and amazing, but at the same time made me really self-critical.

Paste: What has your background in opera brought to this project?
Danilova: Definitely an appreciation for vocalists. I think the vocals should be very strong because it’s the most human part of the music—the way the voice can connect with people is incredible and I’m very aware of that.

Paste: How do you feel about the term “goth” being used to describe your sound?
Danilova: I was fine with it until I realized that it’s something that’s come back in style a little bit. Whatever I’m doing with Zola Jesus is never about adhering to trends so people putting tags on it is kind of defeating—it’s something I’ve been trying to avoid my entire career. I think it also hinders people from listening to me who have certain stereotypes or clichés attached to goth.

Paste: What has been inspiring you lately?
Danilova: I’ve become more and more inspired by soul and have been listening to so much Marvin Gaye. The way he sings, and the way his songs are, is just so emotional. With The Spoils, which is my previous album, it was very focused on the sound and the texture of the music and with Stridulum, it’s more about the emotion and passion. I tried to write songs that grab hold of you immediately and challenge your emotions, so that’s kind of the soul influence.

Paste: Are people often surprised when they find out you’re from Wisconsin?
Danilova: People assume if you’re from Wisconsin, you’re wearing camo or a cheese hat or something really cliché. So yeah, people tend to be dubious when I say I’m from Wisconsin.

Paste: What is the biggest misconception about Zola Jesus?
Danilova: Sometimes I think that because I get thrown into so many passing trends, people just assume that I’m just another one of those. I’m so completely passionate about what I do and so determined; I’m in this for the long haul and I’m not sure people understand that.

Paste: As a student of philosophy, do your studies ever influence your music?
Danilova: I think more so with my mindset and my dogma for creating music. I’m passionate about philosophy because it’s very practical and it teaches you how to live your life. I’ve had the realization in studying everything that I’ve studied, that this is your life and you really have to take the path you want to take, and that’s what I’m trying to do.

Paste: What is it like to play live with a band after making records as a solo artist?
Danilova: The backing band I play with live is so talented. They don’t expect to be a part of Zola Jesus, but I’m starting to think that they should be because they’re what really keep it together when I play live. More and more I’m starting to think of the project as a band, which is a very transitional idea for me, but also amazing.