The Vancouver-based alternative artist and singer-songwriter Cenzina touches on reality vs. fantasy with her recent chilling single, "COLLIDE."
Known for weaving her poetic lyrics with dreamy alternative-inspired soundscapes, Cenzina truly isn't an artist to forget. Through her soulful vocals merged with psychedelic and alt-pop influences, Cenzina is eager to take her hybrid genre to new levels and audiences.
Highlighting her recent dreamy single, "COLLIDE," Cenzina touches on the racing mind and the creatures that haunt the depths of her thoughts. With help from a lush array of alternative sonics, from downtempo drums to celestial synths, Cenzina's single truly makes for a captivating listening experience.
Opening "COLLIDE" are soft keyboard melodies and Cenzina's delicate vocals accompanied by a powerful and robust downtempo reverbed kick. As her vocals begin to layer with the utmost soul and harmony, Cenzina later elaborates on the song's lyrical message that touches on the creatures that roam the corners of her mind and come to life in her dreams.
We can't help but feel chills and thrills throughout the entirety of this lyrically and sonically dense single, as the alternative production makes tidal waves through our speakers with its reflective and haunting undertones. As Cenzina makes her way to the outro, she ends the song off with relatable and self-deprecating lyrics like "believe the lies, you're not enough, your demise is just a bluff."
Cenzina and her recent single, "COLLIDE," are bound to bring any listener into a deep state of reflection and introspection. Not to mention the song's fluid and vibrant soundscapes, "COLLIDE" is a track we'll be hitting repeat on all summer long. Find Cenzina's single, "COLLIDE," on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Cenzina. We deeply admire the lyrical density and sonic soundscapes of your recent single, "COLLIDE." What inspired your deep lyricism within this single? What did you want to get across to listeners?
Thank you so much! Writing this song was a little like remote viewing my own anxieties and inner worlds; dancing with the monsters in and mysterious worlds inside my mind. My intent was to make light of a dark place, and take my listeners on a journey with me into that space, hoping they might feel seen there too. We all have insecurities and fears, ultimately we have a choice: to ride, make friends with our monsters or collide and feel like we are drowning.
Did you work with any producers when crafting the intense and haunting sonics for "COLLIDE?" What was this process like?
I did! It always feels a little bit magic pulling in sounds for a project. I brought this one to multi-talented artist and producer Teon Gibbs, who sat down with me and helped select the sonic bones of this song and record etheric vocals and harmonies. We then collaborated with my producers David Ziehr and Ben De Caiman for the mix. I have worked with David and Ben on quite a few singles now which is always a lot of fun. They really get me and my sound. Overall it was a cathartic, intuitive, and fun collaborative process bringing this single to life.
How can your audience get to know you better through singles like "COLLIDE?" How do songs like these represent your artistic brand?
Each of my singles is like a window into my muses, a mini time capsule of the occupants of my heart or mind. Collide feels especially intimate as it explores some of the darker, more liminal places I sometimes inhabit. A bit of a dream world. I hope my listeners can meet me in this vulnerability and know they aren’t alone.
When creating "COLLIDE," did you look to any of your artistic influences when formulating the sound, feel, and lyrical atmosphere for this single?
For this single, it actually wasn’t until after, when it became time to pitch the single and classify its genre that I sat down and thought about where it fits in the scope of my influences. I usually try not to contrive my songwriting during the initial writing stages; mostly melodies will just pop into my head and I honor them by writing them down on the spot. I knew I wanted this one to sound dreamy, dark, and moody. My team really helped me achieve that sound during our creative recording sessions. That said, Marina (formerly Marina and the Diamonds) pops out as a definite number one subconscious influence for this song. I admire how she blends pop and operatic sounds, in singles like Froot, with lyrics that deliver a powerful message. Lana Del Ray is another strong influence of mine, chasing moody vocals with melodic poetry.