Orlando visionary Zoya Zafar finally releases her debut album

Observing the singular artistic progression of Orlando singer-songwriter Zoya Zafar over the last few years — as we have — is a compelling study in harmonious contrasts.

The Pakistan-born and longtime Orlando resident Zafar has been a force to be reckoned with locally for nearly a decade, but since the pandemic years she has come into her own by throwing artistic caution to the wind.

She's everywhere and in-demand. By the end of this month, Zafar will have played Judson's Live, Stardust Video, Framework Coffee, Lil Indie's and an ever-swelling calendar of out-of-town gigs all in the last 12 months.

Zafar is at ease playing alongside artists as diverse as Wave Temples, John Dorney, Sweat FM, Future Bartenderz, Jonas Van den Bossche, Fast Preacher and Ash's Shadow. For her it just makes sense. "In the Orlando music scene, it's very easy to cross genres and be exposed to wildly different sounds," says Zafar. "It's no fun being in just one circle, one genre."

Zafar has also been switching things up live, embracing synthesizers, loops and trying her hand at instrumental ambient sets; it's a leap of faith for an artist known best for torchy, indie-folk songs to de-center her own voice.

"You can't be afraid to experiment. Vocals don't always have to be the focus," explains Zafar. "When I was going through my own grieving [Editor's note: More on that below], it was almost like words didn't feel true, and sounds were the only thing that made sense."

Most importantly of all, Zafar is at last unveiling her debut album, Some Songs, at the end of the week. These Songs — well-known to those who follow Zafar as heartbreak hymnals and breathless acoustic laments — have been radically reinterpreted into lush electro-pop.

The album is a departure if you've seen Zafar live over the years, but the album is a strong argument against creative complacency — brimming with the joy of exploration. "The songs are fresh for me now, too, in the production and sounds," says Zafar. "This album is as much for me as it is for other people. Working with different producers got me excited about these songs, ones that I've grown with and lived with for so long, again."

Some Songs began life during a series of off-the-cuff recordings at the Chicago home of Jagjaguwar artist and longtime friend Gia Margaret. Work began in earnest, though, during the pandemic lockdown, in remote recording sessions with Nashville resident and Florida native Max Helgemo.

Helgemo and Zafar sent demos back and forth, and though collaborating at a remove had its disadvantages, the results were a drastically overhauled take on Zafar's familiar works. A new sound came as a culmination of years of hard work and careful honing from Zafar.

"These songs are snapshots of my life," says Zafar, "I work out songs in my head before I write anything down — humming melodies, working out lyrics. If I remember how to play these parts, then I write it down."

The contrast between the buoyant electronic-indie the duo were creating and the circumstances in Zafar's life at the time couldn't have been more stark. (Beyond most of the album being recorded during a global pandemic.) Weakened by an auto-immune disease, Zafar was ill and barely able to walk, isolated except for visits to doctors. It gave her some measure of solace, bringing her music to new and vivid life amongst trying times.

Despite those obstacles and simultaneously dealing with personal loss and grief, Zafar would rally to record the shiver-inducing vocal takes of Some Songs.

The album has been wrapped since last year, but Zafar has been taking her time, releasing a string of singles, including the ambient-pop gem "Wordz." It was closely followed by "You Meant Nothing, Too," an ethereal piano and organ swoon that coalesces into sprightly folktronica.

"Ideally I'd like people to listen to the album in one sitting," says Zafar of the chain of singles. "But I just wanted to try something different, test things out."

Most recently, there was the dreamy, Lynchian blue-drenched music video for "Sweet Talk," a Mazzy Star-meets-drum machine head-nodder.

Some Songs is at last out on Friday, on cassette through newer European imprint Start-Track, and on CD and streaming services courtesy of Zafar herself. The cassette is ocean blue, appropriate for the music contained on the spools of tape. "It feels good to be part of a new thing in another country," says Zafar of the faraway imprint.

Momentum is undeniable. There are a lot of shows upcoming — with Odie Leigh at Tuffy's in Sanford on Wednesday, May 1; Judson's Live with Claire Vandiver on Thursday, May 9; and then a string of out-of-towners in St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Mexico City and San Francisco. Likely more will be added.

"A huge part of all this is just trying new things to keep me excited. Because you know, what else is going to bring me joy?" Zafar laughs knowingly.

She's joking. We promise.