ZHU Releases New Album 'Grace'

GRAMMY-nominated artist ZHU today released his new album, GRACE, via Astralwerks.

His most ambitious and unique project yet, GRACE begs to be listened to from beginning to end, as ZHU takes listeners on a journey from darkness to light, tension to release, uncertainty to peace. The album – which is the soundtrack to a forthcoming film that ZHU created – finds him collaborating with such artists as BANKS, Emotional Oranges, UPSAHL and Zero 9:36, among others, and, on his new single, “Settle for Less,” Puerto Rican/Cuban songstress Sabrina Claudio.

“Settle for Less” is a shining example of how ZHU stirs powerful emotions with his stories and sounds. Beginning with only pensive piano keys, he builds an ethereal atmosphere through Claudio's reverbed vocals and subtle background harmonies. Finally, the track opens up further with an urgent, percussion-led rhythm as ZHU fights for a love on the edge: “You know you touch me in the broken parts / So don't you leave.” ZHU and Claudio perform the track in the sumptuous, sensual official video, which was directed by Leeay Studio and produced by Wyatt Whitaker. View HERE.

A decade into his career, ZHU is sharing his world in a way he hasn't done before. “I felt like I needed to go back to where I grew up,” he says, “to tell the story of where I'm going next.” GRACE was recorded mainly at iconic Grace Cathedral in his hometown of San Francisco. Amid the stained-glass windows and marble columns where generations have sought answers from a higher power, ZHU channeled the grandness of the setting into the album with transcendent organs, string players and even a choir. Most of its tracks are live, first-takes.

With his sleek synth melodies, billowing basslines and undeniable hooks, ZHU creates tracks that are as sexy as they are sinister and as indulgent as they are dark. Though many know him as a producer and DJ, he's much more than that: he's also a singer, performer, instrumentalist and, perhaps most importantly, a songwriter. “There's a lot of value in songwriting because at the end of the day, the most powerful thing we have is to be able to tell stories,” ZHU observes. 

“Thrill Again” featuring UPSAHL – the first single from GRACE – was hailed by Rolling Stone as one of the “Songs You Need to Know” and featured among ET's “favorite new music of the week” upon release. This Song Is Sick said, “ZHU dives head first into rock and roll vibes on ‘Thrill Again,' starting the track with distorted guitar riffs and a stellar vocal from UPSAHL. Trap beats make their entrance along with entrancing arpeggios to add an electronic spin to the track.”

Vinyl editions of the album and exclusive new GRACE merchandise can be purchased HERE. In the days leading up to the album's release, ZHU brought “GRACE Listening Sessions” to secret locations in Santa Fe, New York City and San Francisco. The sessions featured a first listen to the album followed by a performance by ZHU. Pitchblack Playback hosted GRACE album listening premieres in the dark in Berlin, Istanbul, London, Mexico City and Sydney, Australia earlier this week. Online leading up to release, ZHU offered up “7 Days of Grace,” which daily featured a different, exclusive limited edition merch item, each tied in thematically with GRACE:

ZHU resumes the GRACE tour with a series of festival performances that includes Lollapalooza in Latin America, ZOUK in Singapore and Creamfields Hong Kong. Further details are available HERE. He previewed songs from his new album during the 2023 leg of the tour, which included three sold-out shows on each coast – the Hollywood Palladium in Southern California and Brooklyn Mirage in New York – and a three-show San Francisco weekender. View “ZHU: Red Rocks Live in VR,” available exclusively on Meta Quest Oculus Experience, HERE The episode is from the new immersive concert series produced by Dorsey Pictures for Meta.

ZHU – TOUR DATES

3.15-17 - Santiago, Chile - Lollapalooza Chile

3.15.24 - Región Metropolitano, Chile - Sideshow Lollapalooza

3.15-17 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Lollapalooza Argentina

3.21-24 - Bogotá, Colombia -             Estéreo Picnic

3.22-24 - São Paulo, Brasil -                Lollapalooza Brasil

4.12.24 - Singapore, Singapore -       ZOUK

4.13-14 - Hong Kong -         Creamfields Hong Kong

About ZHU

Over the years, ZHU has won broad acclaim for his boundary-pushing music, including a Best Dance Recording nomination at the 2014 Grammys for “Faded.” GENERATIONWHY topped Billboard's Dance/Electronic albums chart and landed on the Billboard 200. He's also had dozens of tracks hit on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, including “Faded” and “Working For It” with Skrillex and THEY. These accolades have earned him partnerships with brands including Pokémon, Luminosity and Mortal Kombat.

Of late, ZHU's tracks have been part of the moody soundtracks for film and television—“Desire” appeared in the Netflix series The Sandman, and he reimagined Survivor's “Eye of the Tiger” for the Paramount+ film The Tiger's Apprentice. A clothing designer since 2015, he previewed his high-end NIGHTDAY collection at EDC Las Vegas 2022 and recently opened his showroom, NIGHTDAY by ZHU, at the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles.

About Sabrina Claudio

Puerto Rican/ Cuban songstress Sabrina Claudio recently released her new album, Based On A Feeling. With a series of critically acclaimed projects, sold-out headline tours and more than two billion combined global streams, she confidently projects sensuality, spirit, and soul beyond barriers in her music. In 2017, she released her debut full-length project, About Time, featuring standout single "Unravel Me" and the RIAA certified Gold "Belong To You." About Time charted in 31 countries, hit No. 1 on the iTunes R&B chart, and her song "Frozen" landed among the Top 40 on the iTunes R&B chart.

She has since released three additional full length projects and has collaborated with The Weeknd, Alicia Keys, Khalid, ZAYN, 6lack, among others. An acclaimed live performer, Sabrina has sold out headline shows worldwide and performed for massive crowds at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Life is Beautiful and more, including a headline tour following the release of her album. In 2023, Sabrina won a GRAMMY for her participation in writing Beyoncé's, “Plastic Off The Sofa.” Claudio also dropped an extended version of her most recent album titled, “Archives & Lullabies.”

Photo Credit: Jason Renaud

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