Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Gabriel Teodros, host of Early on KEXP, is "Someplace Somewhere" by King Zaae, a 2022 self-released single.
Seattle-based artist King Zaae may be young at only 17 but he already has a widespread discography of genre-fluid sounds in the six years he’s been making music when he started fiddling with making music on his iPhone at eleven years old. Since 2021, though, his music has really started to take shape, refining his production techniques for a fully formed yet ever-changing musical identity.
His earlier mixtapes like I Hate This Town and debut album Being Sad is a Cliché saw King Zaae lean into the emo influences he gleamed from his auntie like My Chemical Romance, Hawthorne Heights, and American Football. In recent singles (of which he’s released over a dozen since the start of 2022), he’s explored everything from R&B and funk to hyper-pop. Our Song of the Day, “Someplace Somewhere,” is a softly-strummed R&B ballad that leans on King Zaae’s smooth vocals while a warbling synth and a hypnotic electric guitar melody keep meter. The main element of emo - longing - is still present but in a more Frank Ocean than Gerard Way manner.
King Zaae will compete in this year’s 2nd annual 21-and-under Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) music showcase, Sound Off! He’ll perform on Saturday, February 25th alongside other up-and-coming local artists Pilot Seat, defsharp, and lavenderhayez. Watch the official video for “Being Sad Is a Cliche” below.
