Zolita

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Zolita
Zolita performing at The Grove in Los Angeles, California in June 2018
Zolita performing at The Grove in Los Angeles, California in June 2018
Background information
Birth nameZoë Montana Hoetzel
Born (1994-09-23) September 23, 1994 (age 29)
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • director
  • photographer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
Years active2015–present
Labels
  • Tuxedo Media Group LLC
  • AWAL
Websitezolitamusic.com

Zoë Montana Hoetzel (born September 23, 1994), known professionally as Zolita, is an American singer-songwriter. In 2015, she gained recognition when the music video for her song, "Explosion" became a viral video. Following its success, she released the music videos for the singles "Holy" (2016) and "Fight Like a Girl" (2017) directed by herself. She has released three extended plays: Immaculate Conception (2015), Sappho (2018), and Falling Out / Falling In (2023) as well as one studio album: Evil Angel (2020).

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

Zolita was born on September 23, 1994, in New York to Heidi Schwarck and Holger Hoetzel, and was raised in Calabasas, California. Her father is of German descent, and her mother is of Danish descent. Her father inspired her to start making music and she grew up playing bluegrass and flat pick guitar.[1][2] She has a brother, Max Montana, a basketball player, and a sister, Luna, a YouTuber and ballerina. She and her siblings all share the middle name Montana.[3]

Career[edit]

In 2015, Zolita gained recognition when the music video for her song, "Explosion" became a viral video.[4] On October 13, 2015, she released her debut extended play Immaculate Conception.[5] In June 2016, she released a video for the single "Holy", the concept is exploring themes of female sexuality, spirituality, and feminism.[6] In 2017, she released the first single from her second extended play Sappho titled "Fight Like a Girl", which is a protest song with feminist themes inspired by the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign.[7] On October 26, 2017, she released "Come Home with Me" as the second single, and on May 4, 2018, she released "New You" as the third single from her second extended play Sappho which was released on May 18 of that year.[8][9][10] Also in May 2018, she released "Like Heaven", which was listed on the list of "30 Lesbian Love Songs" by Billboard.[11] On December 5, 2018, she released "Truth Tea" along with a music video as the lead single from her debut album, Evil Angel.[12] On March 8, 2019, she released "Black Magic" along with a visual video, however, the song wasn't included on the final tracklist of her debut album. On June 28, 2019, she released "Shut Up and Cry" along with a lyric video as the second single from Evil Angel.[13][14][12] On February 14, 2020, she released a cover of Usher's song "U Remind Me" with a music video.[15] On August 7, 2020, she released "Oblivion" along with a music video as the third single from Evil Angel.[16] On September 25 of the same year she released "Bedspell" as the fourth single from the album, and on November 20 she premiered the music video on the online magazine's website Them.[17][18] The promotional single, "Loveline" was released a week before the album's release,[19] and on December 4, 2020, her debut studio album, Evil Angel, was released.[20] She released music videos for "Somebody I Fucked Once,"[21] "Single In September,"[22] and "I Fucking Love You"[23] as a trilogy. Her love interest is played by Tatchi Rigsby. Zolita's close friend Shannon Beveridge was the creative director for the latter of the two videos. Within the first week "Somebody I Fucked Once," had 5 million views.[24][25][21] She released the EP Falling Out / Falling In via AWAL in February 2023.[26]

Artistry[edit]

Zolita's music has been described as "a blend of dark-pop and R&B".[27] Her musical style incorporates witchcraft and religion. She says that religious and witchcraft magic aesthetics are a huge part of her life saying "I feel like queer people are so drawn to Wicca and witchcraft because it's always been the alternative religion, it puts the power in yourself, and it's not historically been a religion that doesn't like queer people."[28] She also cites Lady Gaga as her biggest influence.[29]

Personal life[edit]

Zolita is a lesbian. In a 2017 interview, she stated that she was afraid to come out to her female friends, saying "I was also worried that my female friends would no longer want to have girls' nights or sleepovers for fear that I might be attracted to them. So, I decided to keep my newfound queerness a secret."[30] She also identifies herself as a witch; she explains this in videos on her YouTube channel, but also in her music videos where witchcraft is incorporated.[31]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Title Details
Evil Angel[20]
Queen of Hearts
  • Released: May 31, 2024[32]
  • Format: digital download
  • Label: AWAL

Extended plays[edit]

Title Details
Immaculate Conception[5]
  • Released: October 13, 2015
  • Format: Digital download
  • Label: Self-released
Sappho[10]
  • Released: May 18, 2018
  • Format: CD, digital download
  • Label: Tuxedo Media Group LLC
Falling Out / Falling In[26]
  • Released: February 10, 2023
  • Format: CD, digital download
  • Label: AWAL

Singles[edit]

Title Year Album
"Explosion"[33] 2015 Immaculate Conception
"Holy"[6] 2016
"Fight Like a Girl"[34] 2017 Sappho
"Come Home with Me"[8]
"New You"[9] 2018
"Truth Tea"[35][12] Evil Angel
"Black Magic"[13] 2019
"Shut Up and Cry"[14]
"U Remind Me"[15] 2020 Non-album single
"Oblivion"[16] Evil Angel
"Bedspell"[17]
"Somebody I Fucked Once"[36] 2021
"Single in September"[37] 2022 Non-album singles
"I Fucking Love You”[38]
"20 Questions"[39] Falling Out / Falling In
"Ruin My Life”[40]
"Ashley” 2023
"All Girls Go to Heaven" 2024 Queen of Hearts
"Small Town Scandal"

Promotional singles[edit]

Title Year Album
"Like Heaven"[41] 2018 Sappho
"Loveline"[19] 2020 Evil Angel

References[edit]

  1. ^ Sirisuk, J.L. (August 4, 2017). "Video premiere: future queer icon zolita's feminist pop anthem". i-D.
  2. ^ Callwood, Brett (June 2, 2022). "Zolita is the Pride of LA". LA Weekly.
  3. ^ Schmitt, Ralf (February 7, 2019). "Basketball-Profi Max Montana Vom 90. Geburtstag zu den Towers" [BASKETBALL PRO MAX MONTANA: From the 90th birthday to the Towers]. Bild (in German).
  4. ^ Daw, Stephen (October 4, 2022). "20 Questions With Zolita: On Her New Single, Queer Representation & Why Music Videos Are the 'Perfect Marriage' of Media". Billboard.
  5. ^ a b "Immaculate Conception - EP by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Bulut, Selim (June 21, 2016). "Watch love blossom in a dystopian schoolhouse". Dazed.
  7. ^ Moran, Justin (August 17, 2017). "Zolita: The Queer Feminist Pop Star We Need". Out.
  8. ^ a b "Come Home with Me - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). October 26, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  9. ^ a b "New You - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Sappho - EP by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). May 18, 2018.
  11. ^ Russell, Erica (February 13, 2019). "30 Lesbian Love Songs: Tegan & Sara, Hayley Kiyoko, Le Tigre & More". Billboard.
  12. ^ a b c "Zolita Talks 'Big Dyke Energy' and Her Queer Heartbreak Banger". Papermag. December 5, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Black Magic - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). March 8, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Shut Up and Cry - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). June 28, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  15. ^ a b "U Remind Me - Single by Zolita". Apple Music. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Oblivion - Single by Zolita". Apple Music. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Bedspell - Single by Zolita". Apple Music. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  18. ^ Cuby, Michael (November 20, 2020). "Premiere: Zolita Delivers a Sexy Pop Fantasy in a New Video for Single "Bedspell"". Them.
  19. ^ a b "Loveline - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). November 13, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  20. ^ a b "Evil Angel by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  21. ^ a b Zolita - Somebody I F*cked Once (Official Music Video). September 22, 2021 – via YouTube.
  22. ^ Zolita - Single in September (Official Music Video). February 16, 2022 – via YouTube.
  23. ^ Zolita - I F*cking Love You (Official Music Video). April 27, 2022 – via YouTube.
  24. ^ Demshenas, Sam (September 22, 2021). "Premiere: Zolita pays tribute to the "lesbian cheerleader narrative" in 00s-inspired music video". Gay Times.
  25. ^ Zolita (June 27, 2022). "Zolita on Why We Need More Joyful Queer Love Stories". The Daily Beast.
  26. ^ a b Major, Michael (February 10, 2023). "Zolita Releases 'Falling Out / Falling In' EP". BroadwayWorld.
  27. ^ Pitts, Ciara (January 18, 2019). "Zolita Is The Lesbian Indie Pop Artist Of Our Fantasies". GO.
  28. ^ Damshenas, Sam (December 4, 2020). "Zolita solidifies her status as the reigning queen of witch-pop with her debut album". Gay Times.
  29. ^ Damshenas, Sam (July 3, 2018). "Zolita on the importance of being a "feminist lesbian" in the music industry". Gay Times.
  30. ^ Zolita (October 11, 2017). "Zolita on Coming Out & Owning Her Queerness in Music". Out.
  31. ^ Damshenas, Sam (February 18, 2019). "Zolita on why she incorporates witchcraft into her music". Gay Times.
  32. ^ "Zolita Returns With New Album 'Queen Of Hearts' in May". Broadway World. March 14, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  33. ^ "Explosion - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). August 11, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  34. ^ "Fight Like a Girl - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). July 28, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  35. ^ "Truth Tea - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). December 5, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  36. ^ "Somebody I Fucked Once - Single by Zolita". Apple Music. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  37. ^ "Single in September - Single by Zolita". Apple Music. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  38. ^ "I Fucking Love You - Single by Zolita". Apple Music. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  39. ^ "20 Questions - Single by Zolita". September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  40. ^ "Ruin My Life - Single by Zolita". Apple Music. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  41. ^ "Like Heaven - Single by Zolita". iTunes Store (US). May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2018.

External links[edit]

  • Media related to Zolita at Wikimedia Commons
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