Boston based singer/songwriter Zoe Behrakis has released her first single, “Grace,” an anthem for everyone who has ever felt alone.
Behrakis chatted with ECHO about the new single, her writing process that often draws on her own experiences and what fans can expect next.
You just released your debut single, “Grace.” How does it feel?
It feels absolutely amazing and quite unreal at the same time. I’ve always dreamed of making music and putting it out there, and now that I finally have, it almost doesn’t even seem real. Plus, the feedback I’ve gotten on it has been unbelievable and I am so thankful for people listening to it and enjoying it truly as much as I do. But overall, I don’t think there’s one word that I would be able to describe how I feel now that “Grace” is out. It’s just so amazing!
What inspired you to write “Grace”?
I go once a month to Nashville, for a program that I’m involved in called “PCG,” and about two months ago, I was down there meeting with two new writers and I kind of wanted to write a song about hope and how life can be so so hard sometimes but you are not alone, and that you can come out of this stronger and better than ever, like I did. It all drew from my personal experiences, and the song honestly came pretty quickly after that. But the main reason why “Grace” exists is because I drew everything from my life and experiences.
What did the writing process look like for this song?
The writing process for this song was actually pretty fast; it probably took about an hour and a half to fully finish the lyrics. Like I said, I was in Nashville with these two new writers, I had never met them before and I was going into this session completely open minded and honestly didn’t really know what to expect! But after a little time passed I got comfortable and started just talking about my personal experiences and what I’ve gone through and “Grace” kind of just sprouted from that!
If you could set fans up in the perfect environment to listen to “Grace,” what do you imagine it looking like?
Hmmm…that’s a great question that I am not sure I know the answer to. I know that whenever I listen to music, I need it to be loud so I can really feel it and hear it, so I would hope they can listen to it and blast it through speakers. I feel like there is no better feeling than listening to a powerful song as loud as you can! Also, I feel like you could listen to this song with headphones on, lying on your bed. I definitely think there is a range of how people can listen to this song, and I would actually love to hear when and how people do haha.
How do you hope people feel after listening to ”Grace”?
I hope that people know that if they feel how I express in the song, that they are not alone and there will be times in our lives when we can’t control the bad things that are happening, but what we can control is how we react. And also that you will come out on the other side, so much stronger and better. I want people to feel hope when they listen to this song!
For people who aren’t familiar with your music, how would you describe your sound?
I would classify myself as a pop singer, with some R&B sound in there. But I would also say that I don’t think my songs fully sound pop. I feel like it’s almost like “new pop”, if that makes any sense lol.
How did you first get interested in music?
I think I’ve always been interested in music – I remember when I was younger I would always pretend to put on on stage in my bedroom, and sing along to the tracks, while also recording myself singing covers probably starting in middle school. It wasn’t until I think seventh grade, when I found my voice teacher, when I started to pursue singing in a more “professional” way. Maybe professional isn’t the correct term, but it wasn’t until I met my voice teacher, that I actually started knowing “oh maybe I actually can sing” and using my voice more.
What can fans expect next?
I plan on releasing more music (hopefully) soon! I keep writing and creating and thinking of ideas for songs/melodies. I can’t wait to release more!
What is one quote that you’ve heard or you go by that you want to ECHO out to the world?
A quote that I’ve always lived by, is “Everything happens for a reason.” I think it resonates with me so much it’s quite scary haha, but I truly believe that everything really does happen for a reason, because I have had experiences that have not gone my way, or not benefited me, and everyone does, but I soon realize that the next thing that happens, is so much better for me and that the first time around just wasn’t meant to be! I hope people can take that, especially in these times now and believe that this will pass, and we will come out on the other side stronger and SO much better.