ZZ Ward Talks Debut Album, Hip-Hop, Old Soul and More in Exclusive Interview

The first time you listen to ZZ Ward sing, you'll probably be surprised to hear such a seasoned and soulful voice come out of the singer/songwriter who looks like she could be an H&M model. The small town Oregon girl who now lives in Los Angeles, CA has turned a lot of heads within the last couple of years with her unique combination of heartfelt blues and hip-hop attitude. We caught up with ZZ Ward (born Zsuzsanna Eva Ward) before her show at the Pyramid Scheme last week (June 25).

ZZ Ward released her debut full length album, Til the Casket Drops, last October. The musician began her musical journey at a young age, forming her first band at the age of 12 with her father. Even with all that experience Ward was still nervous about the release of her record.

"I felt I had put so much of my life into that record," Ward says. "So when it came out we were going to see if it was going to fail or if it's going to succeed. Sometimes that's the scariest times in life when you actually put yourself out there. You have to risk failure and what everyone will think about it. I remember the day it went up on iTunes I was nervous."

If you're already familiar with ZZ Ward, then you're well aware that many of her songs are about relationship problems. The singer admits that she's made some mistakes but that has helped her grow as an artist.

"A lot of bad choices make for good songs," Ward playfully replies. "I think there are parts of me that over thinks situations and there's a beauty in that. That's why I'm a songwriter, you know?"

Listen to the interview in its entirety below. ZZ Ward's debut full-length album Til the Casket Drops is available now. Ward will return to Michigan on Monday, July 8, for the Common Ground Music Festival in Lansing. If for some reason you miss her at Common Ground, ZZ Ward announced her Down and Dirty Shine tour for the fall and will perform at The Shelter in Detroit October 6.