Kicker (album)

Kicker is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Zella Day, released on June 2, 2015 by Pinetop Records and Hollywood Records. The album's first single, "Hypnotic", was released on February 27, 2015. It was followed by the album's second single, "High", which was released on May 1, 2015.

Background and development

Production for Day's self-titled EP began shortly after Day moved to Las Vegas in 2012. The majority of the song writing and production took place during April 2014 in Los Angeles. Many of the songs from the eponymous EP would be featured on Kicker. In addition to "Sweet Ophelia", and the b-side "1965", "East of Eden" was also produced during this period by the Wax Ltd team of Wally Gagel and Xandy Barry.^[1]

We're really excited to be working with this young girl called Zella Day. We signed her when she was only 15. She was coming from a more Nashville background and she wasn't happy with how they were trying to make her sound like a young Taylor Swift.

The Wax duo talking about Day in a interview.^[1]

Kicker was then released June 2, 2015 via Pinetop Records and Hollywood Records. The album title references the old Arizona mining town where Zella’s parents married while exploring toxic relationships, breakups, broken homes, love and lust. Speaking about the album, Zella explains, "The music’s spiritual resonance is clearly influenced by the Northern Arizona mountains that sheltered my creative energy from any outside implications of city mentality." In addition to the Wax LTD Team production, Julia Micheals helped to co-write "Shadow Preachers".

Promotion

February 27, 2015, marked the announcement of Kicker with the release of the album track listing, cover art, and "Hypnotic" music video. The video now boasts over 8 million views on Vevo, placement as the iTunes Single of the Week, and the #1 position on the Alt Nation Alt 18 Countdown at the start of 2015. The first live performances of the songs were made at South by Southwest Festival and Ortlieb's in Philadelphia.^[2]

Kicker charted at number 65 on US Billboard 200 and number 7 on US Top Alternative. Interview Magazine praised Zella's uniquely "own charmed style” and BlackBook Magazine declared, “it’s safe to say this girl’s on her way to being a household name."

In May 2015, Zella debuted the single "High", and performed it live the following month on Conan as her television debut.

On December 17, 2015 Zella performed on Last Call With Carson Daly. On January 4, 2016 she performed "Hypnotic" on Late Night with Seth Meyers. The 20-year-old’s third national TV appearance was followed by a number of high-profile festival performances at Billboard Hot 100 Fest, Music Midtown, and the iHeart Radio Music Festival. Zella’s debut at Coachella in 2016 caught the attention of Los Angeles Magazine, describing the performance as “hypnotic”, Billboard hailing her set as “stellar”, and Consequence of Sound exclaiming “it’s entirely possible that Zella Day looks back on Coachella 2016 as the moment that launched her career in the earnest…Day is an undeniably powerful vocalist."

On May 4, 2016 Zella Day was featured again as a musical guest on Last Call with Carson Daly, this time debuting her newest single, “Mustang Kids” live. As the latest single ahead of a headlining tour in June, “Mustang Kids” was officially released June 9, 2016 featuring a guest verse from Florida bred rapper Baby E. and a music video directed by Tim Mattia. Following the North American headlining tour in June 2016, Zella embarked on a supporting run with LA neo-soul outfit Fitz and The Tantrums throughout July and then another supporting slot with Michael Franti & Spearhead in August.

The song "Compass" was used in the trailer for the disaster drama film The Finest Hours. It has also been used in The Shannara Chronicles.^[3]

Critical reception

Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated that Day "sings about desire and self-destruction, about pleasure bound up with addiction, betrayal and surrender."^[4]

Track listing

Credits adapted from AllMusic,^[5] and Tidal.^[6]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Jerome"	Zella Day Kerr Xandy Barry Wally Gagel	WAX LTD	3:32
2.	"High"	Kerr Barry Gagel Erica Driscoll	WAX LTD	3:38
3.	"Ace of Hearts"	Kerr Barry Gagel Gustav Jonsson	WAX LTD	3:37
4.	"1965"	Kerr Barry Jonsson	WAX LTD	3:38
5.	"East of Eden"	Kerr Barry Gagel Bonnie Baker	WAX LTD	3:06
6.	"Hypnotic"	Kerr Barry James Bailey Ryan Ogren	WAX LTD The Blueprint	2:56
7.	"Mustang Kids" (featuring Baby E)	Kerr Barry Gagel Ethan Lowery Alexander Vasquez	WAX LTD	3:02
8.	"The Outlaw Josey Wales"	Kerr Barry	WAX LTD	3:08
9.	"Jameson"	Kerr	WAX LTD	3:08
10.	"Shadow Preachers"	Kerr Barry Julia Michaels	WAX LTD	2:37
11.	"Sweet Ophelia"	Kerr Barry Gagel	WAX LTD	3:09
12.	"Compass"	Kerr Barry Michaels	WAX LTD	3:13
Total length:				38:10

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[7]	65
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)^[8]	7

Release history

Region	Date	Format
Worldwide	June 29, 2015	Digital stream, Digital download
America	June 2, 2015	Digital stream, Digital download, CD, Vinyl
Canada
North America

References

1 2 "Wax Ltd: the sound of East LA". musicradar. May 17, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
↑ "Zella Day wants to impress with her live show; see her at Ortlieb’s". Philly.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
↑ chase_k (5 January 2016). "Music from The Shannara Chronicles: Season 1 PREMIERE".
↑ Pareles, Jon (May 29, 2015). "New Albums Feature Mbongwana Star, Karen Dalton Covers and Zella Day". Retrieved June 3, 2015.
↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/kicker-mr0004405035
↑ http://listen.tidal.com/album/45462421
↑ "Zella Day – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Zella Day. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
↑ "Zella Day – Chart history" Billboard Top Alternative Albums for Zella Day. Retrieved December 23, 2015.

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