Blossoming into Pop’s most promising prospects, Singer-songwriter Zaina Berri returns with her sleek ethereal R&B offering ‘Release’.

Produced by Jean Kent, ‘Release’ is a luscious slice of 90’s R&B that boasts a profoundly personal message about love. Zaina’s silky vocals cushion her every word, and capture the depth of the song’s meaning, in accompaniment with greatly produced instrumental, inviting listeners to get more acquainted with Zaina like never before.

“Release is about longing to be with the one you love, and missing time alone with them. It definitely is a sexy song so it was fun to explore that side of myself and express my love to my future husband (laughs).” Zaina explains.

Zaina has been writing songs since she was 10 years old. It was something that came naturally to her. She would write lyrics in her composition notebook decorated with doodles of cats and Britney Spears songs. But her songs were anything but simple. 

How did you get to where you are now?

Well, I’ve been writing songs since I was 10 years old. It was the only way I knew how to be. Everything I felt and experienced had lyrics and a melody. It wasn’t until my early 20s when I began to record songs and release them independently.

What is the favorite song you wrote and why? 

My favorite song would have to be “Home” because of the way it came to life. I remember waking up, still half asleep and spilling the lyrics and singing the melody immediately as I was awakening. It was finished by the time I was fully awake. The song was inspired by my grandpa who wasn’t doing too well at the time. He always encouraged me to pursue music growing up, amidst all the drama and lack of support I received from my parents.

Who are your all-time musical icons?

Najwa Karam – a Lebanese Pop singer that has been singing since I was in the womb, and Christina Aguilera.

Who are you binge listening to these days?

Alina Baraz. Her album It Was Divine is so beautiful! I love the chill vibe and her vocals are so soulful.

Favorite movie or TV show?

Jurassic Park! And the Harry Potter series of course. My favorite shows are the 90s sitcoms Sabrina the Teenage Witch and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Tell us about your latest release and how it came about

“Release”, an R&B song, is the latest song out right now. It was recorded last month but was written in 2015 or so. All of my songs (except for “Stop”, which was penned in 2019) were written years ago and have now been recorded.

What’s the future looking like for you?

I hope to attract more fans that truly resonate and enjoy my music so I am releasing two more songs in the next three months. I also am working on a song completely written in my mother tongue – Arabic. It’s my first time writing and recording a song in Arabic so I’m excited!

Who inspires your style and aesthetics?

Myself. I enjoy expressing myself in whatever I feel that day. Most of the time it’s “casual cute”, with a touch of glam like nice earrings and fancy headbands.

What is the achievement or moment in your career you are the proudest of and why?

I was most proud of my first official single “Me & My Mind”. It was a very honest song and I was happy to open up to the world with such a raw and honest debut song.

(The song “Goodbye Lie” by the way doesn’t count – I wrote it for another artist but they didn’t want it so I took it).

What is the best way to break through the noise as an artist these days?

To be honest, most of it is internal. Self-discipline, support from loved ones, love of your craft, self-respect, and never-ending determination. Keep recording, keep releasing material, and keep going no matter how many “no’s” you get. Stay true to yourself and take care of your mental and emotional well-being.

What would you change in the music and entertainment industry especially after this past year?

I would change the pressure artists face to always be “on”. Sometimes we need time to be human and live our lives, see and be with our loved ones, create new memories, feel our feelings, take care of our mental health, etc. Sometimes the creative process isn’t as automatic as the industry demands so I hope people recognize that now.