People
Meet the Dockers: EverythingZEZE
EverythingZEZE is a gifted singer-songwriter hailing from the Royal Docks. We caught up with the rising star to hear about her musical journey, the inspiration behind her latest release ‘One Love’ and her advice for other aspiring artists looking to make their mark in the music industry.
I love music. It’s one of my greatest passions in life. I’ve been singing and songwriting for as long as I can remember. I come from quite a musical family with singers, rappers and DJs. My Dad and his friends used to DJ at parties across the UK when they were younger. From an early age I was inspired by them and loved listening to his collection of vinyl records. As a child, I went to drama school on the weekends in east London. It was there I realised my talent for singing.
I describe my music style as versatile. I enjoy creating all genres of music including reggae, RnB, grime, rap, soca and trap-soul. This diversity of music is why my artist name is EverythingZEZE. I like to do a bit of everything. I prefer not to follow trends. I aim to be authentic and create my own.
I’ve recently released my debut album, One Love. The feedback from the public has been so uplifting and inspiring. I feel there are songs on the album everyone will love. It’s great finding out the public’s opinions and their favourite tracks. I also love listening to people sing along. Knowing that my music has contributed to someone else being able to dance or express an emotion is humbling.
I love writing my own music. It’s one my favourite parts of the creative process. The title track is called One Love. The music video features some amazing shots of the Royal Docks area and east London, highlighting the area's beauty and the community vibe.
It’s important to follow your dreams especially when they are part of who you are, just like music is a part of me.
The song is inspired by my Caribbean roots and pays tribute to reggae music and community. I wrote the song during a jam session with my band in the kitchen. Everything happening around me inspired me to write it.
I remember the smell of rice and peas, fish and ital soup cooking, I could hear Patois and English being spoken amongst friends and family and I saw children running in and out of the kitchen for snacks and drinks as they played. I felt the vibrations of the bass guitar, keyboard, drums and guitar and I wanting to capture that moment as best as I could through words and share it. I just zoned out and started writing. It felt like I couldn’t write the song fast enough because there was so much excitement from the room as I started singing the ideas out loud. Something powerful happened in the kitchen that day.
My band is called ‘The Big World Collective Band’ or ‘The BWC Band’ for short. Most of the band members are from east London and have ties to the Windrush generation. I really enjoy working with BWC Band. The band was formed just before lockdown. I always wanted to work with a band because I love live music. I believe there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from our musical seniors and I have learnt so much from performing with seasoned and celebrated musicians. We started out often rehearsing in one of the band members' homes which created a real authentic vibe. I love that ‘One Love’ emerged from that home-base creative environment.
Advice I would give to someone starting off in the music industry is this - if music is your passion, you should pursue it. It’s important to follow your dreams especially when they are part of who you are, just like music is a part of me. I take great joy in knowing that my music brings joy to others. I’d also advise them to try and be true to themselves throughout their career.
As an independent artist, completing a project from idea to distribution is not an easy task. It’s a process that I’m continually fine tuning. I navigate the music industry supported by family and friends. My mum likes to let people know that she is my ‘MUMager’. My dad is also very supportive with the technicalities of my online music. It’s a real family affair.
I’ve always lived in east London. My dad grew up here and it’s where he and my mum raised my older brother and me. I have now lived in the Royal Docks for over seven years I have had strong ties with the area. I’ve performed at local talent shows, studied at University of East London and I was also a member of their women’s basketball team. We achieved victory in the British University and College Sports basketball championships 2012 - 2013 and 2013 – 2014.
I socialise in the area a lot too. There’s always so much to do and something exciting happening. The Royal Docks is very close to my heart. One of my favourite places in the area is Art in the Docks, based in Royal Albert Wharf. I absolutely love it there. There are so many different art studios to visit, talented artists to meet, classes to attend and exhibitions to see. I find it so serene as it’s by the water.
I’ve been attending art evening classes with Art in the Docks at least once a week since summer 2024. The teachers have become, not only my mentors but, good friends. They have supported me in my musical journey, as well as my artist journey. My classmates are all incredibly talented and together we have created a community.
I have always enjoyed art, but it was never something I trained in. Since attending Art in the Docks, I’m proud to have had two paintings featured in their exhibitions. I have even been asked for a commissioned piece of artwork! I always encourage others to attend the classes. The tutors have helped me to develop skills I didn’t realise I had.
I’m really excited about the future of my musical journey. I plan to continue to write and record music that will outlive me. Whether I'm singing or rapping, my goal is to create music that has meaningful impact on the culture. Watch this space!
Find out more about EverythingZEZE
Follow EverythingZEZE on Instagram and YouTube to stay up to date. To listen to her music including her new album ‘One Love’ search ‘EverythingZEZE’ on streaming platforms Spotify, Amazon, Soundcloud, and Tidal.
