Zella Day – ‘Radio Silence’

Zella Day epitomises the need for female bodily autonomy in emotive new single ‘Radio Silence’.

With recognitions from Rolling Stone, MELODIC, and Talkhouse, support for LA-based artist Zella Day has only grown in recent years. The singer-songwriter released a number of songs throughout 2021, including solo tracks ‘Golden’, ‘Dance For Love’, and ‘Girls’, as well as some collaborations, namely ‘Holocene’ with Weyes Blood, and a ‘Golden’ remix with Twin Shadow. New single ‘Radio Silence’ signals the beginning of a new chapter for the indie-pop artist.

Written last Autumn, ‘Radio Silence’ is arguably Day’s most personal track yet, as she vulnerably describes her experience of life-threatening complications which arose from an unintended pregnancy. The track combines haunting synths and drum beats with Day’s ethereal vocals, as she talks openly about the stigmatised topic. With recent implications stemming from the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Day’s new single highlights the real-world significance of women’s right to decide over what happens to their bodies. 

Directed by Alex Casnoff, the music video for ‘Radio Silence’ follows Day around the streets of Downtown Los Angeles. The iPhone-shot visual depicts a psychological chase, which seems to perfectly capture the mental weight of the situation described in the candid track.

With her upcoming album ‘Sunday In Heaven’ already being teased, it seems that we can expect to hear a lot more from Zella Day in the near future.

Words by Emily Savage