Exploring Kaleena Zanders’ Latest EP and Most Exciting Year Yet as a Queer Artist

The release of the single “Anything 4 U” in August served as a precursor to her monumental EP collaboration with Night Bass Records entitled Rumble in the Disco, unveiled on Friday, December 8. Often dubbed as “EDM’s Oprah” or “EDM’s Whoopi Goldberg,” Zanders’ powerful, gospel-infused house vocals draw comparisons to renowned artists such as Robin S., CeCe Pension, and even Whitney Houston. On the contemporary electronic music touring circuit, K.Z. stands out as a unique and unmatched artist.

Zanders took her career to new heights by teaching herself the art of DJing on top of the singing, emceeing, and composing she’s already well known for. Facing a pivotal moment in her musical journey, she seamlessly blends flamboyant vocals with meaningful lyrics and pulsating, joyful beats. Her ability to attract fans from various genres, including EDM, gospel, soul, hip hop, and dance music, positions her as a versatile artist, often likened to the next Missy Elliot.

The EP features the sultry and mysterious “Nightmares,” followed by the nostalgic ’90s dance vibes of “Higher Again,” seamlessly transitioning into the vulnerable and inspiring “Hammer (Fire Again).” The title track, “Rumble in the Disco,” concludes the four-song EP, showcasing Zanders’ signature style—creative, soulful, and uplifting EDM fused with popular contemporary house beats that set new standards for vocalist-driven dance music.

OFM recently caught up with Zanders to delve into one of her most eventful years yet and discuss what audiences can anticipate from her latest release. Rumble in the Disco is now available for streaming on all platforms.

I’m here with Kaleena Zanders, the one and only at Breakaway (Festival) 2023 at Bill Graham Civic in San Francisco. Kaleena, thank you so much for sitting down with me. 

You’re welcome. Thank you for having me. 

You just wrapped your set. How did you feel like your set went tonight?

Tonight I felt my set went really well, , and I don’t always feel that way. I get in my head sometimes, but tonight I really liked it. 

The last time I saw you perform was in June at San Francisco Pride, and I almost feel like you opened the season. 

Oh yeah.

So how was your summer touring season? What have you been up to? 

Oh my god, I’ve been doing the most actually. I’ve been playing a ton. And I went to London for two and a half weeks, and I wrote a ton of music and walked around everywhere. I did the most.

What were your gigs in England like? Highlights?

To be fair, I didn’t do any gigs in England. I specifically was in the studio from, like, 12, afternoon to like 8 or 9 at night.

Ohm you were in the studio.

Every single day. This is what I wanted out of it.

So who are you working for? Are you allowed to say who you were working with?

I can say who I was working with. I’ll tell you my favorite song that happened. So I really challenged myself this time to get real because I think sometimes in dance music, from the perception, it’s not, like, super like deep, right? Dance is not—It’s more about celebrating and dancing but, like, sometimes the lyrics aren’t super deep. But I really challenged myself this time to write from my heart, and so with these amazing writers, especially this one specific one, Melody, I don’t remember everybody’s name because my labels aid it, but I got really a song that I think is a hit and also is really honest.

What sort of general themes have your lyrics been about recently?

Oh my god. It’s been about, like, unmasking. It’s been about a lot of self discovery and literally, I know I said the word “honest” previously, but it’s literally about being a more honest artist. Yeah, like I’m trying to be real.

I’m not trying—I mean I want, I crave to be real, and I want to make sure that whatever I’m giving out to an audience, I want them to know that this is literally from every single aspect of—It is from my actual like honest self.

So what I want to know, how does that tie into your new singles? 

“Nightmares,” on Night Bass, and there’s a line that says, “I’m in love with my nightmares,” meaning I’m in love with my fears, and that’s me embracing my fears. Also, I have a really crazy love for horror films and because since I was little, I was always, like, a thrill-seeker even though I was really scared. 

So it’s just literally it’s about embracing your fear, hugging them; you’re in love with them so that you are comfortable every time you get that sensation of fear. You know that you can just change it. 

What are some things that you’re afraid of just in general?

What am I afraid of in general? Holy shit. Okay. What am I afraid of in general? So I’m actually quite paranoid, and so I always think this is the one I’m most afraid of. This is a strange fear.

I don’t know why, but I always think that someone’s gonna come up and run up on me. And so I almost, so in my friend group, they call me the Secret Service because I’m always scanning. Like I’m a protector, so because I’m always (scanning), I’m also protecting myself; it’s selfish. I’m protecting myself, but as a result, I’m protecting the other people. So I will scan, and sometimes I’ll even walk backwards and turn circles just to see what’s in my view or my perimeter.

Coming from the Bay Area, I know you’re a Bay Area OG. I completely understand. 

Right?! And I always have, like, one foot forward, like, my left foot forward, my right foot back, always. Like, if I have to. No, I’m crazy.

Well, I’m gonna roll with you from now on.
Like, yo, I’m ready to fight all the time.

Okay, well, speaking of being a Bay Area artist. Who are some Bay Area artists that you really roll with, vibe with or look up to? 

I know, there’s literally only one, though. I don’t hate people for this, but E40. Don’t hate people for that. You know why I like him? It’s because he broke the mold. And he broke out of, like, you know, I’m not saying necessarily, like, Bay Area culture because Bay Area culture is amazing. Oakland, you know, all of that. But he broke the mold and made it global. And that’s— 

I consider him the mayor of Oakland. 

Yeah, yeah. And it’s like, when you are able to go worldwide, like, that’s really like putting on.

I’m pretty blown away by your vocal talent.

Thank you. 

So when you’re at home, Swiffering or folding your laundry or, you know, getting ready, what do you tend to sing when you’re all by yourself? 

When I sing by myself? 

When you’re just in the moment, what do you like to sing?

Oh man. When nothing is being expected of me. Yo, I actually rap. I usually rap a lot of Biggie lyrics.

I’ve never seen you perform any type of flow. I would really like to see that in the future.

You know what? I’ve written rap songs. I have some dope ones, but I just haven’t put them out because it just doesn’t fit with like whatever brand I’m grading, but like, I would love to, like, put out some rap stuff that I’ve done. I would love that. I’d have to be like… I don’t know. I don’t even know when that would happen, but I definitely know how to rap.

Please allow me to record on video. Please let me know.

Yeah. To be fair, can I tell you? The “Nightmare” song is a little bit—It’s not me singing. I’m not singing at all in it. I’m just, I’m like, “I’m in love with my nightmares.” I’m alone in the bed, but I’m not scared. Inside, blacked out, no light. Late night cream shit. Like I’m actually not singing. So, okay, that’s the first thing.

So E40, if you’re reading this, please hit us up for remix. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, yes. 

How does queerness fit into your music? 

Bitch! Just that.

That sums it up?

Sometimes you just say the word, bitch; it’s the tone in the way you say bitch. Honestly, like, I have not, I will say that being in this day and age, I have felt more comfortable being queer than when I was growing up. Like, I feel  more out, more free because I feel like the younger kids today really don’t give a fuck. They don’t care about what people think about them. And so it’s encouraged me to be the same way. So, bitch, I’m queer!

That’s such a great answer. That’s why I ask that question.

Yeah?

Because I always get a cool answer. 

Yeah, yeah.

Is there anything else that you would like to say to OFM or to anybody else who might be reading this interview? 

Live your best life.

Thank you so much. And the new material—I can’t wait to hear it. 

No, you’re gonna love it.

Catch Kaleena live at Fresh Start in San Francisco December 30th and in Miami at Dreamland New Year’s Festival December 31st.

Stream Rumble in the Disco here. Follow Kaleena Zanders here.

All photos in this article by Rose Eden, unless otherwise credited