Today we’d like to introduce you to Zen Desire.
Hi Zen Desire, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Who I am today is an artist composed of a lifetime of moments, influences, gifts, and encouragement. I’m currently living my childhood dreams of being a singer, leading a band of jazz musicians, and using my creative expression across mediums from music and fashion to social media and business.
Reading, writing, singing, and arts and crafts made up most of my childhood. I like to think God used the isolation of my youth to cultivate my creativity, which I’ve always been deeply comfortable with. There was no one to tell me to make art a certain way; to this day, I’m still guided by my inner voice.
Music gradually became the center of my work when I picked up a guitar 15 years ago. Inspired by Amy Winehouse, I entered a school talent show and performed her song “Stronger Than Me” playing guitar and singing. To my surprise, I won first place. I never stopped doing it after that. Only pauses here and there.
Being a musician, singer, songwriter and artist has always been an emotional outlet for me. Pursuing my craft professionally has taught me a lot about being a businesswoman but above all, a person. I’m still a human while I’m performing, and when the show is over. Learning to take care of every aspect of who I am, while also cultivating relationships with people where the support is mutual, has helped me create a life I dreamed of but is more beautiful than I imagined.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh no, haha. The road hasn’t been smooth. But in fact, some of my greatest successes came from facing obstacles. To be frank, I’ve struggled with my emotions, the learning curves of the music business, being an adult, and understanding how to navigate turning my creative and emotional outlet into a business and career. My dream has always been to work in music full-time, so I struggled with working full-time jobs and pursuing music outside of work. A few years ago, I took the leap of faith and quit my job, and found myself working in music in Memphis full-time, piecing together gigs, side hustles and freelancing, and working in different music institutions. I learned a LOT, but I found myself outside of my craft and I became burnt out. I’ve officially been a full-time artist for the last year, and it has been immensely challenging, but the intensity of the path requires me to adapt more quickly. Consequently, I find myself in a momentum within my career, something I have to hold with grace and compassion. One choice leads to the next. I’m always trying to make choices that feel aligned.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a singer, songwriter, musician, and artist. I have been known for a lot of things – posting acoustic covers online, working in a local record store, being a vinyl-only DJ, working with Tommy Wright III. Now, I’m known for performing in the jazz scene and building my own shows within the community. I hope soon I’m known for my original music, which we perform at my shows and some of which is available on streaming platforms.
I’m most proud for making the switch from all of these music-adjacent roles to the one I feel the most called to do: sharing my music and my artistic vision and philosophy. Everybody has a unique voice, and it has taken a lot of work to overcome the fear of sharing mine. What’s beautiful is, all that fear was uncalled for – people receive my work with empathy and appreciation, and that’s something I’ll never take for granted.
What sets me apart from others is both my commitment to my influences and my refusal to be boxed in. I think a prime example of this is my work in jazz: I’m not a traditional jazz artist by any means, and I didn’t grow up in any jazz scenes. But I have been studying jazz for 15 years, and applied the theory and philosophy to my craft as a performing and recording artist. The philosophy is not limited to a genre: I sing and write hip hop, R&B and soul, rock and pop music. But of all the music I’ve studied, I feel the most alive in and the most frustrated by jazz, haha. It’s a style I could study for the rest of my life.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
My upcoming show with Tommy Wright III is a manifestation of something I spoke about earlier this year: being a bridge between jazz and hip hop. I worked in hip hop for years, alongside prominent artists, producers, and engineers in the genre, because I love hip hop, even though my style and workflow are different. Returning to jazz in a community sense this year has helped me expand my work even more. I never would have imagined my unusual career path would result in this collaboration with a Memphis legend and some of the best jazz musicians in Memphis.
Above all, I want my work to be centered in music and community. It’s my prayer that we can all get together, enjoy some good music, have fun and go home safely. Everyone with a heart for that is invited to this show, and the next shows to come.
The next show is:
When: Friday, September 25th
9 pm – until
Where: The Cove 2559 Broad Ave, Memphis, TN
Who: Zen Desire & 5th Element, Tommy Wright III, and DJ Mikey
What: Gonerfest Afterparty Show
Why: Community, culture, drinks, food, good music, good times
For more information, visit ZenDesireMusic.com and Enter the Zen Garden to sign up for free updates!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zendesiremusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zen_desire/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serena.desire.37
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@zen_desire
- Other: https://roseofmemphis.com
