Singer, songwriter and producer, Zapho, is set to release her second single of the year after the successful release of her alt-pop collaboration with Ryan O’Shaugnessy. ‘Fight Me’ is written, produced and performed by Zapho and will be released tomorrow, March 20, followed by an accompanying video on April 3. ‘Fight Me’ tells the story of a strong modern woman. The sultry lyrics portray a hustler with money in the bank, respected and adored by her friends and fans, calling out her haters and asking “which one of you will fight me?”
As a female producer, Zapho herself is already in a minority and she challenges notions of stereotypical femininity with every release. True to Zapho’s aesthetic, the woman in the song is also an underdog with a queer aesthetic and an LGBT+ influence, a character who sets herself apart from the binary ideal of mainstream beauty. ‘Fight Me’ is symbolic of female empowerment and drives the point home that anyone can have a fighter inside.
Zapho says, “Fight Me was one of the most enjoyable songs to write. I’ve been experimenting more as a producer and coming into my own style, having fun with themes and groove-based instrumentation. I included a little brass section to tip my hat to the Rocky movies and the theme song, ‘Eye Of The Tiger’. I made my fighter more sleazy and flashy, a rags to riches storyline about being at the top of your game.”
26 year-old Zapho (Ele Breslin) is a rising star. In 2019 she released two singles, ‘Do like I Do’ and ‘Water Me’ and recorded her debut album. ‘100 Ways’, which premiered here, was her first single of 2020, a collaboration with Ryan O’Shaughnessy. ‘100 Ways’ achieved considerable success, making Hotpress’ Track of the Day and nialler9’s Best Songs of the Week, and spots on two English Spotify playlists, R&B UK and Spotify Chill as well as being played on BBC Sounds and ATL BBC Ulster.
Zapho has a gig planned in Whelan’s Main Room on April 10. If going ahead, the show will have support acts from Toshín and Audible Chocolate, with guest collaborations from Tolu Makay, Bobbi Arlo, and more to be announced.
Follow Zapho on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and listen to ‘Fight Me’ below.
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