LISTEN: Sui Zhen drops ‘Sleepless’ a stunning tribute to grief

‘Sleepless’ has evolved into a personal meditation on finding your way through life’s darkest corners, a deep dive into grief, and hanging on with grit

Sui Zhen has made a sweeping return with her latest jam, ‘Sleepless.’ The single, hitting us via the trusted labels Dot Dash / Cascine, is a total mood.

‘Sleepless’ isn’t just your regular pop song; it’s a heartfelt nod to the unyielding spirit we all summon in the face of heavy losses.

Born out of Sui Zhen’s own grief journey after her mom’s passing, the track became her go-to during those restless nights and tough moments.

Then life threw another curveball, as her newborn son left this world in 2021, flipping the script on the song into a powerful anthem that flips the bird to the usual ideas about healing.

At a whopping 13 minutes, ‘Sleepless’ throws the rulebook out the window, inviting you on a mesmerising ride through the deep end of grief.

Influences? Oh, they’re all over the place, from post-punk to krautrock. The track serves up spoken-word vibes, catchy hooks, pulsing synths, distorted guitars – a whole mishmash of electronic and live beats.

Sui Zhen shares, “This song is a vehicle for grieving in the moment.” Initially, it was a freestyle around some vocals and lyrics back in 2019.

But since then, it’s morphed and grooved with input from various collaborators, creating a sound that’s as emotionally rich as it is relatable.

Starting as a reaction to the loss of her mom in 2018, ‘Sleepless’ has evolved into a personal meditation on finding your way through life’s darkest corners, a deep dive into grief, and hanging on with grit.

Mixed, mastered, and given an extra sprinkle of magic by Nao Anzai, ‘Sleepless’ captures the highs and lows of Sui Zhen’s emotional rollercoaster.

With shoutouts from all the major media players, Sui Zhen is steadily making her mark as a real-deal, down-to-earth voice in the alternative pop world.

‘Sleepless’ is more than just a tune; it’s a reminder of the healing power of music. It’s that friend who gets you, no matter how choppy the waters of grief get.

Packed with raw emotion and vulnerability, this single is a love letter to the resilience of the human spirit and the shared journey we all take towards healing.