Distraction was given the distinct opportunity to be VIP at the Neiman Marcus Cusp event on September 25th, which included a fun live DJ, adorable finger foods and a private concert by up-and-coming artist ZZ Ward. Incredibly down-to-earth and easy to talk to, Ward sat down with Distraction to talk about being on the ‘cusp’ of fame: “Fashion is a big part of music,” Ward said. “And the more I see the country and the world, the more inspired I get by fashion.” The singer-songwriter takes pride in her fashion, and she will soon team up with Neiman Marcus to start her own fedora line. Fedora is her signature fashion accessory,which she wears to pay homage to the blues artists who inspired her to sing. When asked about her musical influences, Ward listed an interesting array of both older artists and current ones. “I really like Etta James, Tina Turner, Big Mama Thorton and, on the hip-hop side, Nas, Jay-Z and Outcast,” she said. Due to the variety of her preferred genre combinations, ZZ Ward’s sound is so versatile that she can successfully perform in front of an audience of both college students and a middle-aged crowd alike; all rocking out to her slower jams. Her debut album, Til The Casket Drops, features two singles, and she hopes to go far with it. “It’s about the ups and downs of a relationship,” Ward said, pulling away from the makeup artist who was finishing her look before the show. “Sometimes you have to go through a war to find the right love.” Her favorite from the album is “Lil Darlin” — the blues-iest song on the album. ZZ Ward has a distinct sound—she has been described as a folksy combination of Adele and Amy Winehouse—a comment that took her by surprise. “I just can’t believe that people know the lyrics to my songs,” Ward said. “I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do and be as happy” Ward was a pleasure to talk to; nothing more than an incredibly approachable woman with a passion for music and fashion who is riding the surging wave towards fame. “I just hope that I can keep making music for people that appreciate it. I never thought I would have fans. As long as that keeps happening, then I’m fine with it,” Ward said. Til The Casket Drops is available on iTunes and Spotify, and Ward also remixed “Yonkers” by Tyler, the Creator which is currently on YouTube.
