Zaida Rio Visits Section 36 Music!

Section 36 Music is thrilled to have another visitor! Zaida Rio is an incredible singer with a music catalog you have to check out immediately. I was thrilled she was willing to visit with us and discuss her music, her goals, and a bit more. I'm sure you'll love what she had to say.

So, let's see what happens when Zaida Rio visits Section 36 Music!

You were featured on takenonote’s recent single, “Matcha”. What can you tell me about that collaboration?

Collaborating with Mark, aka Takenonote, was a dream come true. Last Fall, he sent over the mix and I got in the studio to start freestyling the hook. It was then that the “boy you on my mind” part came to me. We put it all together, shot a music video (coming out soon) and got to perform it for 2 concerts on campus.This is the first fully R&B song I've ever been on and I’m super excited for more people to bop to it. Huge props to Mark for his insane flow and production. If you haven’t checked out Takenonote, you definitely should.

Your recent single, ‘Tell Me” has a wonderful music video. What was it like putting that together? 

I had the best time jumping around on my bed lol. I sent the song to my friend Linden Skalak, by far the coolest videographer ever (definitely check out her page). She put together a pitch within a week and we blocked out an entire Saturday for bedroom shots and performance shots at a nearby blackbox theater. My favorite frame is the silhouette against my window with a mixed color temperature and blue lighting to go with the dark mood of the lyrics. While jumping on my bed and stomping on my journal, I did lose a ring in the process... but it was all worth it for the vision!

What would you consider your biggest musical challenges?

I really want to elevate my music with the textures of my live performances and preserve its authenticity. I’ve started almost all of my songs on my guitar and don't want to lose this in my music. Prioritizing live instrumentation and rawness is really important to me.

What do you enjoy most about performing on stage in front of an audience?

Nothing tops the deep emotional connection of sharing my music to a room full of strangers. My favorite part is after a performance and hearing people’s stories of how my lyrics may have resonated with them, allowing us to connect through shared experience. This deep intimacy and community building is what I live for. Whether I’m singing, dancing, or acting, I love being able to reconnect to my inner child through performance. I got my first taste of this when I performed “Fallin” by Alicia Keys for my 4th grade talent show. I became addicted to the psychic journey of singing and have been in love with it ever since.

If you could cover any Disney song, which one would you choose? Why?

Anything by Miley Cyrus to be honest. “The Climb” definitely defined my childhood. I was obsessed with anything and everything to do with her and her journey. I owe a large part of my drive to pursue music to her.

What are your immediate musical goals?

The overarching goal is to further establish my emotional foundation through my internal brand, visuals, and artistry so I can connect with wider audiences that relate to my music. This upcoming calendar year, I plan to release a song a month, leading up to an EP in the spring, and continue growing my online presence. I want my listeners to be able to associate a color, a smell, an outfit, or a genre to my identity as an artist. I hope to do this through deep internal branding of my Neosoul alt R&B vibe and help listeners recall an unforgettable feeling and memory through my music.

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A song a month sounds amazing! I can't wait!

As always, I want to thank Zadia for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to follow her and see what she has going on. I would follow her on Instagram and Spotify to make sure you don't miss a thing. 

Thanks again, Zadia, and good luck reaching your goals!