Zoe Wees’ healing musical powers, and her suspension of love songs

Following the success of her first three singles Control, Girls Like Us, and Ghost, 18-year-old Zoe Wees is ready to spread her Golden Wings and share her empowering EP with the world.

HAPPY: Through your song Control, you have spread awareness about rolandic benign epilepsy – When you were growing up, did you have anyone who you could look up to as a role model that had epilepsy?

ZOE: I hadn’t had a role model that had epilepsy too but I wish I had a song like Control. I did have a teacher when I was in preschool and she helped me – I mean that so funny because that’s a teacher – but she worked with kids who struggled with epilepsy a lot and then she came in to my class and was my teacher and she helped me out and was my angel in need, you know? She was always there, My family and I could call her 24/7, she was always there for me and was like my role model. Even when I had the seizures, we had another room next to the class for me and I could just have the seizures there. It’s so sad but I was there when we shot the Apple ‘Up Next’ video and I was in the same room again after all these years.

HAPPY: The lyrics “Give me your hand and we’re going to make it” was the advice given to you by this teacher whom Control is dedicated to – what was her response to the song?

ZOE: I wrote to her and said ‘I’ve got to come to school and you’ve got to hear a song. I’d written the song (laughs) and then like two minutes later, I showed her the song. She was crying and took me in her arms and was so happy.

HAPPY: What advice do you have for someone going through a tough time or living with an illness?

ZOE: For me, it was always good to know that I’m never alone. Even though it feels like you’re all alone in it and you’re not going to get out of the situation, you’re never alone and there’s always something or someone that will get you out of the situation. It just feels lonely, but you’re not. That’s something I need to realise and I’ve learned that you’re never alone

HAPPY: You’ve mentioned that music and songwriting is a form of therapy for you – how does it feel to hear feedback from fans who have had similar experiences to yours?

ZOE: The feedback feels so good because that’s all I ever wanted, you know? When I’m in the songwriting session I’m writing music because of my personal experience and when I release it, I really want to help people with my songs. That’s why I’m writing deep stuff. It’s so important to help other people if you can and this is my chance, why shouldn’t I do it?

HAPPY: Girls Like Us and the TikTok challenge of the same name create awareness about the unrealistic beauty standards shown on social media – do you have any tips for young girls and boys who are struggling to accept themselves?

ZOE: Basically, I mean, how I’ve learned it, I was in a songwriting session and I had a co-writer coming in and she told me, ‘Zoe, just look at yourself in the mirror every morning or every evening and just tell yourself how beautiful you are’. At first, it feels super weird to talk to yourself, but when you do that more often, it becomes normal and you believe yourself more. I only trust myself, and when I tell myself I’m beautiful, I believe what I say. So it’s just like, by talking to yourself and telling yourself you’re beautiful and with accepting yourself, after that you’re going to learn to love yourself. But it takes some time and it’s totally alright.

HAPPY: Your collaboration with Tom Walker, Wait For You, much like your own tracks has positive, empowering lyrics: Did this influence your decision to jump into the recording studio?

ZOE: Definitely, I mean I wouldn’t do it if it’s about love. At first I just directly asked him, ‘Tom what is this song about?’ and he said ‘it’s about helping a friend during a very, very tough time’ and I was like alright, I’m on it. I had to do it. I’m not into these love songs, I hate love songs.

HAPPY: We’ve got enough love songs!

ZOE: Yeah, I wanted to say so too because there are so many love songs, it’s kind of too much right now.

HAPPY: Do you feel a responsibility to write music with a positive and hopeful message?

ZOE: Definitely, but there’s a song on my EP, Golden Wings, (which come out May 21st) – called ‘Overthinking’ and there is no hope in this song. No hope. But of course, sometimes you do need that too – to hear that. When I was in that situation…it’s not always hopeful. There’s always hope but at some points, you feel like giving up is the best decision and I just wrote a song about this situation.

HAPPY: Speaking of the EP, can you tell me a bit about your writing process? Which comes first, music or lyrics, or does it depend?

ZOE: It kind of depends, I was in London for two weeks to write songs and they wrote completely differently to how I always do in Germany. I kind of had to get used to their writing process, like they do the melody before they do the lyrics and whilst they’re doing the melody they kind of do some lyrics. In Germany, we just talk about the lyrics and then figure out that the piano’s going to play a bit, and then we figure out a melody. But I’m just all into lyrics. For me, lyrics are 99% of a song and the melody is the rest. The lyrics are so important.

HAPPY: How has it been working from your home studio? Do you find it makes a difference in terms of productivity or creativity?

ZOE: I’ve got my own small studio here and I prefer to be in the real studio just because I feel like I’m more creative in that place because I kind of grew up in that place. Since I’ve been writing songs, I’ve always been in the studio and during lockdown, I had to do it here and it’s just so weird. I mean, I was so creative because I was sad, and I feel like if I’m sad, I’m more creative. I can’t record stuff because every time I want to do it at home, I’m not happy with the vocals, so I have got to do it in the studio.

HAPPY: I’m curious to know, has your experience with epilepsy affected how you work as an adult?

ZOE: I think it doesn’t really affect anything right now. It just showed me that it’s so important to write about real stuff – that’s actually it. I’m here, the childhood epilepsy has healed. I mean, it’s still in my head and I’m still writing about this but I’ve just kind of grown and I’m getting better and better every day. It’s in the past.

HAPPY: Golden Wings is coming out soon. Looking to the future, what are you most excited about?

ZOE: Of course, Golden Wings, and then also I have a song coming out probably a few months after Golden Wings, and it’s my absolute favourite song. It’s just my favourite song. I can’t wait to release that song and see what happens and how the world reacts to the song. I’m so nervous because it’s completely different – the vibe is different, the lyrics are different, it’s more trap and rap. So, I’m so excited about that.

HAPPY: Has it been difficult not being able to perform for your fans in person?

ZOE: Yeah I’m so sad about it, I’m very sad about it. But, I couldn’t imagine myself doing promo, doing concerts, going on tour, doing all that together. So yeah, everything happens for a reason and I think it’s alright that I do it right now like that. I’m getting used to all that, but I couldn’t imagine myself right now doing those things.

HAPPY: You could have had a very different experience, were all this happening two years ago or two years later.

ZOE: Oh my god, it’s so crazy how everyone did it.

HAPPY: Without giving too much away, can you describe your EP, Golden Wings, in three words?

ZOE: It’s storytelling, it’s pretty deep and there’s a bit of hope.

HAPPY: Can’t wait to hear it. I’ve only just got Girls Like Us out of my head and now Ghosts is stuck in my head. Thank you, Zoe.

ZOE: (laughs) Love that.