Zig (album)
Zig is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Poppy, released on October 27, 2023. The album was released through Sumerian Records, marking her return to the label after briefly signing with Republic. Produced by Ali Payami, the record marks the artist's return to pop music, and features a more industrial sound than her previous album, Flux (2021).
Zig
October 27, 2023
February 2022–March 2023
30:29
Background[edit]
In a December 2022 interview with Revolver, Poppy revealed that she was working on her fifth studio album.[1] In March 2023, she announced a new single called "Church Outfit", which was released on April 4.[2][3][4] The single marked her return to Sumerian Records following a short signing with Republic Records for her fifth EP Stagger (2022).[5][6][7][8] On July 19, 2023, Poppy released the single, "Knockoff", and announced the album, Zig for release on October 27, 2023.[9][10] Following the announcement, the album was immediately made available for pre-order.[11] The album's tenth track, "Motorbike", was released as its third single on September 12 after being previously leaked online.[12][13] "Hard" was released as its fourth and final single on October 20, with Poppy having performed it live prior.[14][15]
Recording and composition[edit]
Poppy made over 40 songs for Zig, though just 11 made the final tracklist.[16] She primarily worked with Simon Wilcox and Ali Payami, the latter of whom produced every track from the album.[11] The songwriting was organized into four different journals, based on the idea of the song. Poppy said of the album's conception, "I'll come in with a skeleton and we piece it together. I feel the need to make sense of my own code, in an effort to understand myself."[16]
The album has been labeled as dark pop,[17][18][19] industrial-pop,[20] electropop,[17] alternative pop,[21] nu metal,[21] industrial metal,[21] and "dark" electronica.[21] Sputnik Music described the tenth track "Motorbike" as "sheer bubblegum pop", whereas Sumerian Records describes the final track on the album, "Prove It", as switching between "unfettered and vulnerable" to "double speed, fuzzed-up, distorted screaming."[16]
Promotion[edit]
In 2023, Poppy and Pvris co-headlined the Godless/Goddess Tour.[34][35]
In September 2023, Poppy announced that she would be embarking on the 2024 Zig Tour to support the album, revealing UK dates for February.[36][37] On the same day, she was revealed as a support act for the Bad Omens tour Concrete Forever.[36][37] In November, Poppy was announced as a support act for Thirty Seconds to Mars' 2024 world tour in the United States.[38][39]