Nov 24, 2021

ENZI on Exploring Her Sound with Her Latest Single "Sickly Sweet"

The Nashville alt-pop artist is releasing yet another bop that deserves your attention.

Nashville alt pop singer ENZI (@iamenzi) releases her newest single Sickly Sweet which was featured on Billboard Music. — Photo: Jordan Altergott

Your new single “Sickly Sweet” is AMAZING. What was the process behind it?

Ah, thank you! This is definitely a new style for me and I'm glad people are really digging it. As for the process, the day we wrote the song I went into the studio with a totally different idea in mind. My producer (Bobby Campbell) and I just weren't really getting anywhere and when we decided to take a little break, I got a text from my ex – dun dun DUN! I thought it was hilarious but I definitely would be lying if I said I didn't entertain the idea of responding. When I got back into the writing room, I brought it up to Bobby and we thought this would be a cool concept to run with. Everyone has an ex that's maybe a little toxic, definitely not a good fit, or just simply someone you don't want to be with. But naturally, we want things we can't have. So sickly sweet came from the idea that something might be really good in the moment but when you actually look into it, it's not a good idea. My favorite line in the song is "poison dipped in honey" and I think that really encapsulates the gist of the song.

What’s the main feeling of “Sickly Sweet” and can you tell us more about the creative decision of the cake in the video?

The mood of the song is definitely a bit seductive... maybe even a little bit psycho? I swear I'm not crazy but it definitely is pretty insane to see something, recognize that it's a bad idea, and still think "mmm... maybe just one more time". The cake visual was both a spontaneous decision and something that I'd been wanting for a long time. I had always seen this image of a cake with worms inside of it in my head, but I never had a reason to use it so I just filed it away in the back of my mind. Then like 3 days before the photoshoot, I texted my photographer — Jordan Altergott of Altr. — and was like "HEAR ME OUT: WORMS IN A CAKE" She ran with it and I had to somehow source worms and a custom cake in 72 hours. Big shout out to Hunter and Ethan from altr. for being the official Worm Wranglers. I'm so grateful for a creative team that's willing to run with my crazy ideas.

You’re currently abroad in London. Has the city provided any inspiration for new music?

Definitely. I have really dug into the alternative and underground scene here, cause that's how I got started back in the states as well. I've found some great producers and writers here to hang out with and hopefully some new things come out of it! This city has really just provided an opportunity for me to get out of my head and "start over". Writing music as a job, I often find myself getting stuck in the "rules" of it all and then I remember... there aren't any rules!

What’s it like to be an alt-pop artist in America’s country music capital?

I don't think there's any one word to describe it, truthfully. I have actually been very inspired by the storytelling skills of classic country writers. But sometimes the country twang comes out a little too heavily in the writing rooms. It's a balance for sure but these are all seasoned veterans of the industry. If something doesn't work in a song, no one takes it personally and we're all working towards the same thing: writing something good.

You’ve opened for huge artists like Fitz and the Tantrums, Walk the Moon, and Thirty Seconds to Mars. Which artists do you look up to and who are you listening to the most right now?

It still amazes me that I've gotten to open for acts like that. I think I've blacked out every time. Currently, I'm in an Imagine Dragons phase again. I'm a huge nerd so when I found out they did the theme for the series "Arcane" on Netflix (based off the video game, League of Legends, for anyone that doesn't know), I put their discography on shuffle. I'm also really into Bea Miller, Fletcher, Au/Ra, and Fleurie right now.. Basically a lot of alt-pop badasses with some cinematic drama mixed in there.

Listen to ENZI's new single "Sickly Sweet" on Spotify and all streaming platforms. Make sure to follow her on Instagram to keep up with new music.