Zoya Zafar - “Sweet Talk”
Photo by Ada Chen
Pakistan-born, Florida-based singer-songwriter Zoya Zafar has returned to our blog with “Sweet Talk,” a dreamy reflection on longing and infatuation from her forthcoming LP, Some Songs.
For those of you who have been paying attention, you’ll already know that this is not the first time we’ve featured Zafar, as she has previously won (and removed) our hearts with “Tunnel Vision” and “You Meant Nothing, Too.” “Sweet Talk” follows a similar, melancholic formula, landing it perfectly within our niche.
An exaggerated, electronically-driven beat gets things started before the song embarks on its dream-pop journey through the “bittersweet complexities of human connection.” The arrangement consists of a meandering bass line that clears a delightfully melodic path for the shimmering, arpeggiated notes from an electric guitar.
Zafar’s breathy and intimate vocal performance soon arrives, gloriously conjuring the spirits of Mazzy Star and Cat Power as she weaves her emotive lyrics around our very existence. Her delivery is captivating and it immediately reminds us of why we were initially enchanted by her craft.
“Sweet Talk” is quite simple in its structure and it enters the ears as more of a melodic spell being cast upon its listener. It is not at all difficult to imagine the lyrics as a means of wishing something into existence; however, we can also imagine the song as the backdrop in any number of cinematic situations, be it falling in love or completely falling apart.
Zafar has a talent for breaking your heart and then convincing you to thank her for it. “Sweet Talk” is just another wonderful reason to look forward to the album’s release, but, until then, you can catch her live:
April 11th / Ormond Beach, FL / MAD Cafe
April 19th / Orlando, FL / Lil Indies
May 1st / Sanford, FL / Tuffy's Music Box
May 9th / Orlando, FL / Judson's Live @ Dr. Phillips Center
May 17th / St. Augustine, FL / Sarbez
May 25th / Mexico City, Mexico / Grieta
June 1st / Tallahassee, FL / The Bark
July 16th / San Francisco, CA / Koret Auditorium, SFPL Main Branch
Connect with Zoya Zafar across the internet: Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify
-HD