Blending RNB with a jazzy-fusion, gospel sound, MOZË is back with a powerful display of empowerment and the beauty of femininity in ‘Ruse’.
Armed with emotionally charged, soulful vocals and a penchant for enteral yet intimate soundscapes, ‘Ruse’ is the newest track from Wangaratta-raised, Melbourne-based self-produced female artist MOZË, the moniker of Zoe Marshall from indie-rock band Zoe and The Milkmen.
The follow up to her spellbinding debut single ‘Afraid’, ‘Ruse’ shines a light on the beauty of femininity, championed by a beautiful blend of Zoe’s soaring falsetto, lush harmonies and stunning cinematic production.
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In this captivating three minutes and 50 seconds, a vibrant RnB backbeat carries you along while you’re entranced in an incredibly powerful vocal performance.
With delicate instrumentation and swelling production, a highlight of ‘Ruse’ is the lush, layered harmonies throughout a ridiculously catchy chorus that seems to be heavily rooted in gospel, a considered call-back to the great RnB songs and singers of days gone by.
Influences from female powerhouses like Lianne La Havis, Jorja Smith, Eliott, Florence and The Machine and London Grammar surge and flourish throughout the track as Zoe returns to the airwaves with the candid vulnerability that’s instilled within her songwriting.
Arriving hand in hand with powerhouse vocals that simply soothe the sadness in your soul, ‘Ruse’ is another delicate, raw and emotionally fuelled ballad, pushing femme empowerment to the forefront.
Initially written three years ago, ‘Ruse’ is utterly intimate and personal, encompasses MOZË’s experience through a parting friendship. With deep introspection and understanding, she found the courage to confide in herself, and manifest the hurt into creativity. While working alongside other producers in the beginning, Zoe took back creative control and the result is a rich, exquisite and tender expression of love, loss and growth.
“The journey of creating RUSE is so special, I have grown up so much throughout the whole process and it really has been a massive learning curve for me,” Zoe says.
“I worked with some other producers on the track who were both great, but there was something inside me that wasn’t sitting well with their versions. In the end, I took ‘Ruse’ and completed it myself, I was the only person that knew what I wanted out of the song, and no one else could replicate that.
“So I guess I learnt to back myself and have faith in the process, it is scary trying to complete a project without the influence of other people and trusting that your sound will carry through. I am completely proud of myself because ‘Ruse’ was born three years ago and it has blossomed into such an empowering song, I guess I am somewhat ready for it to leave the nest.”
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We can certainly see that with songs as powerful and vulnerable as ‘Ruse’, MOZË is without a doubt carving out a place for herself in the music scene. This is just the beginning and hopefully, we get to hear more from her inner-soul soon.
‘Ruse’ is out now via Squinked Records. Keep up to date with all the latest from MOZË here.
