Album Review: Now You See Me by Zola Simone

In Now You See Me, Zola Simone presents us with a vignette of dysfunctional adolescent love, all the while caterwauling her misgivings about modern life. 

Singer-songwriter Zola Simone released her first single “Real to You” in 2016, when she was just 13 years old. Five years later, her sound has developed into a mixture of indie, pop, and R&B. Simone’s work is bold and genuine; she takes her listeners along as she navigates her identity and the tumult of modern life. The expressive, barefaced quality of her music has not gone unnoticed. “Easy,” the first single off her debut album, Now You See Me, was featured in the season four finale of the Netflix original Atypical in July. It earned Simone the BMA 2021 Song of the Year, which paired nicely with her other 2021 BMA win, New Artist of the Year. 

“Easy” kicks off Now You See Me with a progression of reedy synthesizer chords, establishing a somber tone before Simone’s crystalline vocals come in. She careens: “I’m so damn cold but you make me melt / I can’t help it.” The track is about a forbidden infatuation, her lyrics unapologetic but pleading for understanding. The soundscape thickens but doesn’t stiffen as instrumentals are layered atop the synths—a crisp beat, glittering bells, and moving electric guitar notes. The song moves fluidly, effortless but rich. 

Simone shifts from pop stylings towards an R&B feel in “Witness.” With a heavier swing and sharper guitar, she leans into an aggressive tone and her lower register. The beat pulsates to biting lyrics like “Act so innocent, but / You’re a pyromaniac” and “I’m coming for blood / I’m not gonna leave a witness.” Simone employs a caustic edge reminiscent of Lorde or Billie Eilish; the smoldering quality of “Witness” brings Eilish’s “&burn” to mind. Simone plays with dynamic extremes, exploding with wrath at moments, and seething under her breath at others. Themes of distrust towards a partner subsist in the reverb-laden “Anxiety.” This is the only track on the album where Simone raps, showcasing a simple rhythmic flow. The section displays her versatility as an artist and serves as an unexpected contrast to her ethereal vocals throughout the rest of the album.

The album pans out from the relationship centered in the first few tracks during “Sideways.” Musically, the song is bouncy and upbeat with fuzzy filtered vocals. This instrumental playfulness is contrasted with darker lyrics. The whiplash-inducing mention of social issues, from police brutality to climate change, is a portrait of chaotic times. “Have a good day at school but just watch out for the shooters,” sings Simone. Boston rap group STL GLD is featured on the track, matching her tone of disillusionment through cutting remarks like “It’s politics and bullshit” and “dripping in Purell from hell.” Simone’s passive aggressive verses compliment a catchy hook: “How am I supposed to keep my head straight when the world has gone sideways?” 

The second half of the album is sonically and tonally softer, save “Not Like Other Girls,” a scathing criticism of the young generation’s superficial culture. “Harvard Square,” stands out as a stripped-down folksy song, composed of only Simone’s voice and acoustic guitar. It’s sweet and nostalgic for the Boston of Simone’s childhood, yet mournful that the city has been overtaken by gentrification. During “A Year in My Room,” we grieve again, this time for life before COVID-19. Simone returns to the story of two young lovers, singing, “I long to hold you / And see your face / But I can’t remember the shape of it.” The slow piano ballad paints escapist fantasies of driving down the highway with the windows open—a dramatic representation of freedom. Reflective and melancholy, the silky melody drives us through the dusk as the sun sets on a relationship.

Love Me Right” concludes the album with a cathartic release of feeling. A simple piano progression echoes alongside a drumbeat, which builds up to a slow, dynamically eruptive wail during the chorus. “Love me right / I’m tired of fighting” is one last wishful plea that she knows will not be fulfilled. Brassy electric guitar riffs propel us wistfully towards the conclusion of the song. Simone reflects upon the loss of a partnership with pain but is steadfast about the decision to break it off. “I can’t sit and wait / For you to love me right,” she sings. Vulnerability and strength mingle in this last piece, a fitting encapsulation of the album. 

Over the course of twelve songs, Simone’s composition shines as a whole while showcasing thematic and emotional range. It’s the dawn of her career as an artist. 2022 has just begun, and we can only wait to see what Zola Simone will do next, as the world continues to go “sideways.”