SZNS (pronounced Seasons) is a group that you might not have heard of yet. But if the you like the idea of a fresh take on the classic 90’s girl group music blended with elements of EDM, Latin-synth, and House inspired beats, check them out. Yes, they were created in a lab, as they joke (one of them, Winter, is an Indiana native). But just as they were getting reading to launch, COVID forced these young women together and produced an extended opportunity for collaboration and group meshing that truly shines in their work.
Since COVID hit, SZNS had only had a few live performances, small, private, regulated opportunities to play. Nashville's Blended Fest was their first main stage performance, and they're now beginning to schedule more events and EP releases.
In our interview below, James Grady talks to LGBTQ+ members of the group Winter and Autumn about forming the band, how they spent their COVID isolation together, and what the future might hold!
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INTERVIEW WITH SZNS - WINTER AND AUTUMN!
James Grady:Tell us a little bit about your band and how you guys got together?
Autumn: So we're SZNS! We are a pop group. Were really trying to bring back kind of that like 90's classic girl group sound, but also adding like, kind of more modern techno, electronic ... you know, some Latin inspired beats.
We got together at the end of 2019. We actually ... we joke and say that we were put together in a lab, but we kind of were! We all auditioned in like this really crazy process, and we like met each other. And then we got in the group and immediately moved in together.
It's been pretty, a pretty crazy ride. Because almost immediately when we were putting out our first song, the pandemic happened. And so we were locked up for a year. But that really gave us a little time to like work on our music and work on our sound and get to know each other. And now we are doing our first festival in Nashville!
James Grady: Before we address that one ... what was that year like? Did you guys work on writing music together? And were you able to perform any?
Winter: No, we weren't able to perform. But we did write a lot of music. It was really interesting. We were on a lot of zooms, writing music. I mean, before the pandemic had started, we had a good go in studio. So we had written probably like five to ten songs before the pandemic. And then, yeah, the pandemic hit, and we were like, 'Okay, now we're being tested on our skills,' because everything was online.
Producers were like showing us beats online. It was really intense is a good word, I would say. And then we were kind of split up for about a month because we each went to our families, because we had no idea what was going to come up all of this. Zoom writing was interesting.
We unfortunately didn't get to perform at all before the pandemic, except for our first music video, for "Tequila w Lime." I guess that was kind of like a performance. It was our first thing that we'd ever done that was like, for us, and it was a whole day shoot, which was really cool. That happened the last day of January of 2020. And then, yeah, March came and changed our plans a little bit.
James Grady: So as things are starting to open up, have you have you had a chance to perform yet, or are these are these upcoming shows sort of your first gigs out?
Autumn: We've done like a couple private shows, you know, just within regulations and everything, but this is going to be our first opportunity to step out and do a whole a whole full set with dance numbers and choreo and outfits. It's gonna be really, really exciting for us!
Winter: So excited! And also I'm from Indiana, so I used to vacation and, we would go to Nashville for all of our like family stuff. So I'm so excited to be going to Nashville as like our first real show where we're getting to like go full out. I think it's gonna be a really fun environment for all of us.
And I don't think any of the other girls have ever been, so it's cool. It's a little flip on... We just went to New York together like a month or so ago and I was the only one that had never been, so now the roles have reversed!
James Grady: You guys should have a have a pretty friendly audience warmed up by the festival which is Blended Nashville. A lot of cocktails will be flowing!
Winter: Yeah, hopefully their wine is treating them nicely. So you've got Nashville in August. What are some of the other upcoming shows that you guys have?
Autumn: We're gonna have our first LA show in September, which is going to be really exciting because we are LA-based, and I grew up here. Summer also grew up here. You know, it's an opportunity to really like pack a house with familiar faces. And then after that, we're doing Blended Fest San Diego. And then after that we're going to be doing Art Basel in Miami for our swimwear line!
James Grady: What music do you have out? I know that you've just recently released the video for "Build a Boy," which I know our listeners being LGBT a lot of us wish that we could do that. What other music do you have out there that people can go see on YouTube or other places?
Autumn: Yeah, so our first song "Tequila w Lime" came out in July of last year, so it's just over a year old. And that was the first time we wrote together ever! That one really ... we were all just hanging out talking about clubbing and how dating is stressful, and it just like came out. We cut that and immediately we're like, this is the first one that's gonna come out.
We've another song, a single "Faster," that's our second one. That's more EDM, more dancey. And then, and then was "Behave."
"Behave" is actually really special to me and Winter as well. That one, I don't know, if you haven't heard it, the whole I never learned how to behave... I'm from LA so I never really felt that I had to act or be a certain way with regard to my sexuality. But in general, everyone is always telling you how to behave, who you're supposed to date, how are supposed to dress.
So this was really kind of like, you know, a coming out song for us. And just really like sticking it to the man being like, this is who we are, you know, we're not going to be any different. And if you don't like that, that's kind of your problem. And then "Build A Boy" was most recent one.
James Grady: So some of you guys identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community?
Winter: Yes, Winter and Autumn, we identify in the LGBTQ+ community.
James Grady: Cool. I know you guys have a lot of songs written. Does that come out in some of the music that we'll hear from you guys?
Autumn: I definitely think so. Just because everything that we write, we are so conversational, we don't really write anything out in our songs that we wouldn't just say to each other or say to ourselves. I mean, we just talk about our lives, and our lives include dating men and women and everybody. So you know we're going to talk about it, and we're gonna have stuff to say.
Winter: Honestly, Autumn has a song that I love. I can't give too much away. She wrote it by herself, maybe with some other co-writers, but it's so good. And it's so good. And I love it. And I'm pushing for it to be put out, but it might be a little too ... out there. Because it's not that it's just a gay song, it's a little wooo ... but maybe SZNS 2.0!
James Grady: So for our for our Nashville viewers, what would you say to them, to get them to come out to see SZNS?
Winter: For me, I would just say, we are going to have so much fun! We bring so much energy, and we just want everybody to have an incredible time, being themselves and just having fun and living your best life. And that is really what I think our performance brings. There is just so much fun between the four of us. So if you're ready for some dance moves, some harmonies, and some funny tidbits in between, I think you should definitely come check out SZNS at Blended Fest!
James Grady: I hope you guys enjoy Nashville, and I hope that as many of our viewers as possible can get out to see the show and enjoy some cocktails at Blended. And we look forward to hearing some of that very gay music in the future!
In addition to their upcoming performances, SZNS are getting ready to release a series of four EP’s - each specifically crafted for a member/season, emanating power, vulnerability, wit, and reality, musically ranging from bass dropping dance beats to sultry ballads! Stay tuned to SZNS’s socials (Instagram, YouTube, website) for more information on upcoming tour dates and new releases in 2021.