1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:01,360 Speaker 1: Music Saved Me. 2 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 2: The thing is, it's like purging yourself right, Like it's 3 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 2: not walking around caring the sadness. And I think that 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 2: like music helps us free ourselves of that prison. 5 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: I'm Lynn Hoffman and this is the Music Save Me Podcast, 6 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: the show where we highlight the healing powers of music 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: and the stories from the musicians themselves. Now, if you 8 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: love this episode and this podcast, first, thank you very much. 9 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: It means a lot. And second, please share with your 10 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: friends and also don't forget to follow and subscribe on 11 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: your favorite platform, whether it's Apple Podcasts or Spotify or 12 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. Our guest today is American 13 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: singer songwriter zz Ward, who channels so many of the 14 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: great blues singers of the past while also sharing her 15 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 1: lessons of authenticity about one of the biggest challenges someone 16 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: can go through in life, motherhood. Zz Ward, Welcome to 17 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: Music Saved Me. 18 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 3: Thank you. 19 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: When did you first discover your deep connection to music? 20 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 2: Well, my dad really loved music when I was growing up. 21 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 3: My mom did as well. 22 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 2: But my dad was singing and he was playing in 23 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 2: a blues band when I was growing up, and they 24 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: were kind of My parents were kind of doing a 25 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 2: deep dive into the blues. When we moved to Oregon, 26 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 2: I was about eight from the East Coast, and my 27 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 2: brother's friend's dad had started a blues cover band, and 28 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 2: so I think my dad just like got into this 29 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: big exploration of the blues at that time. And so 30 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: my parents were always playing blues music around the house. 31 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,559 Speaker 2: So it was just like all around me all the time, 32 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: and my dad was always really encouraging of me, like 33 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 2: getting up and singing in front of people and things 34 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 2: like that. So that's kind of where like my like 35 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 2: openness toward music started. 36 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: And when when did you so you're talking really young, 37 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: like eight nine, yeah, And what when did you get 38 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: to find your authentic voice? 39 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 3: Yeah? 40 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 2: There's definitely been times like within my career where I've 41 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: definitely you know, been my authentic self and my writing. 42 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 3: A lot most of the time, I would say, but. 43 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 2: It is very hard when you navigate a career in 44 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: music to not listen to all of. 45 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 3: The feedback that you hear, because, like. 46 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 2: You know, like a handful of people is probably good 47 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 2: or less. But I think that once you start listening 48 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 2: to like too many opinions, you start to get like 49 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 2: the little maybe a little lost, and so I just 50 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 2: think that, like, yeah, if you're like trying to be 51 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 2: your authentic self, and like when did I kind of 52 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: become my authentic self? I think I've always been very 53 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: authentic in my writing, but I think that there have 54 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 2: been times when I haven't felt maybe supported, And at 55 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,119 Speaker 2: this point in my life, I think that I have 56 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 2: the support that I that I need from. You know, 57 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 2: a few people in my life and my team, you know, 58 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 2: between my management team and my label that really believe 59 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 2: in me and encourage me to be my authentic self. 60 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: And so I think I'm in a good spot. 61 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: I think you are too. Considering what the blues have 62 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 1: meant to generations of artists and fans, there's a spiritual 63 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: nature in the genre of music. It's blues, and a 64 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: lot of people don't you know you blues. You'd think 65 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: it would be sort of a sad connotation. But music 66 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: has supernatural healing powers, does it not, whether it's blues 67 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: or rock or pop. 68 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I think that, you know, I think that that 69 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 2: the thing is it's like purging yourself, right, Like it's 70 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 2: not walking around carrying the sadness. And I think that 71 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 2: like music helps us free ourselves of that prison. You know, 72 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 2: Like I think that making happy music all the time 73 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 2: is like one thing making sad music all the time. 74 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 2: Think about how much music is, you know, sad and 75 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 2: heartbroken and emotional, and people connect with that because it 76 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 2: moves them. It makes them feel a spiritual awakening in 77 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 2: a way. So there's definitely something to that for sure. 78 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: So who are some of the musicians that have influenced 79 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: and inspired your journey so far? 80 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 2: Gosh, Well, that's always such a hard question, is it. 81 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 3: Well, it's a. 82 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: Lot of different artists, but I you know, I could 83 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 2: give you some some artists that have been kind of 84 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 2: inspiring my recent work mostly, which is like Edda James, 85 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 2: Big Mama, Thornton, Muddy Waters, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Nina Simone. 86 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 2: I always loved those artists so much, but I think 87 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: like I have felt like a lot more freedom to 88 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 2: really really make the kind of music that I want 89 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 2: to make. So I would say, those aren't this right now? 90 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: And you only just happen to pick some of the 91 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: worst artists there ever, was, I mean, my goodness, that's 92 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: quite a list. You have a new project, speaking of 93 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 1: which it's an EP project coming out called Mother and 94 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: a New Song. Can you share a bit about that 95 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 1: project and how this came about. You were moved by 96 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: the birth of your own child, Is that right? 97 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 3: Yeah? 98 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, having my first child was like 99 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 2: such a life changing experience and one that I could 100 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 2: have never quite prepared myself for. And I, through having 101 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 2: that experience, really had this new kind of love and 102 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 2: appreciation for other women that have gone through the same thing, 103 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 2: because like, unless you've gone through it, you don't quite 104 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 2: know how how twenty four to seven it is and 105 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 2: how life changing it is and how much it just 106 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 2: like you have to be such a strong person to 107 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 2: be able to do that, and I wanted to write 108 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 2: about that. You know, I knew I was going deeper 109 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 2: into the blues and the music that I grew up 110 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 2: listening to. And one of the things that blues taught 111 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 2: me growing up was to. 112 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 3: Be authentic to your word, which means to really tell 113 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 3: your story. 114 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 2: You know, I don't have the same story as the 115 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 2: blues artist that I grew up listening to, but I do. 116 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 3: Have my own struggles. 117 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 2: Obviously a wonderful side of being a mother, and you know, 118 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 2: it's having my boys is the best thing I've ever 119 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 2: done with my life, without question. But when we're talking 120 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 2: about the blues, I want to hear someone's struggle. 121 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 3: I want to I want to hear somebody telling it 122 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 3: to me how it really is. And so that's what 123 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:52,600 Speaker 3: I try to do with mother. 124 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: No tell me what it's like when when someone is 125 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: moved by your music and you get to witness it, It's. 126 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:02,159 Speaker 3: A really amazing experience. 127 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 2: I've had so many experiences over the last you know, 128 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 2: decade of people listening to my music and getting tattoos 129 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 2: and coming to shows and crying and telling me the 130 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 2: craziest stuff like that the music has helped heal them. 131 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 3: You know. It's just it's it's really wild. 132 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 2: And I think that if anything, I you know, it 133 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 2: inspires me to keep making music and telling my own story, 134 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 2: I think, because that's the best thing that people can 135 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: connect with, you know. 136 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 1: Yes, and motherhood is definitely something that I would say 137 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: a large group of people can connect with for sure. 138 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 139 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: Yeah. And in closing, how do you think your new 140 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: music will connect with your audience and lift them up 141 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: during challenging times? 142 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 2: I hope that me being my most authentic self in 143 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 2: the kind of music that I want to make and 144 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 2: the kind of music that I want to sing. I 145 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 2: hope that that resonates with you know. I just have 146 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 2: to write it and then like let it go out 147 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 2: into the world and do my absolute best at you know, 148 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 2: following my heart. And I think when I do that 149 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: then people will connect with it. But I'm really excited 150 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 2: to see what people think of the EP. I can't wait. 151 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: I'm excited for you as well. Mother is what it's called, 152 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: and it's zz Ward who you're looking for. And thank 153 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: you so much for sharing your story on music saved 154 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: me and keep making that incredibly inspiring music and best 155 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: of luck with everything in the future. 156 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 3: Thank you so much.