Billie Zizi - “A Picture of a Picture”
Photo by Julio Assis (Buio)
Edmonton-based singer-songwriter Billie Zizi arrives on our blog with her first new single since 2016: “A Picture of a Picture.”
The soft, melancholic plucks from a shimmering guitar gets things started, followed shortly by the resounding and ethereal cries of a pedal steel. We’ve said this many times before, but when comes to creating a cinematic vibe, the sounds of this instrument truly cannot be surpassed. The reverb is wide and the mood is somber, perfectly nailing down our niche.
“A Picture of a Picture” gradually settles into a Fleetwood Mac-esque kind of rhythm, propelled along its path by softly brushed percussion. At this point, Zizi’s vocal performance breaks the surface, filling the listener with a rush of introspection as she traverses the “ephemeral nature of existence.” Her voice has a lovely Edie Brickell way about it that flawlessly ebbs and flows while she masterfully delivers the lyrics.
Between the glorious sounds of the pedal steel and Zizi’s dreamlike voice, listeners will likely have a difficult time choosing which element they love more. With the way that they compliment each other, interweaving themselves throughout the arrangement, you are sure to return to “A Picture of a Picture” for multiple listening sessions.
About the track, Zizi explains: “It’s about searching for the lost memory of love and finding it only in fragmented shadows… Like a ghost, longing paces the imprint of the heart and lives in the recesses of one's mind, dull and intractable, a diffused grief - AKA when you break up and you can barely remember their smile but you’re longing for that ecstasy in the sunshine, that young love feeling, oblivion.”
The track was co-produced with Zizi’s close friend Austin Parachoniak, whose remarkable guitar work can be heard throughout. This is our first time hearing from Billie Zizi, but if “A Picture of a Picture” is indicative of her future releases, we simply must hear them all. Connect with her: Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
-HD