[Cover photo credit to Mu Tunc]
In the wake of her sixth studio album release, Arkhon, out now on Sacred Bones Records, Zola Jesus has released Alive in Cappadocia. The performance video includes “Desire” and “Into The Wild” from her new album as well as classics “Skin” and “Siphon.” The video is available for streaming and download now on select platforms and the audio will be available on this Friday, November 18th, 2022.
Shot in a 2,000 year old chapel these solo piano performances feature Nika Rosa Danilova alone, at the piano, without any additional embellishments. Created while in Turkey on the video shoot for “Lost,” director Mu Tunc and Zola Jesus shot Alive in Cappadocia in the ancient chapel, historically known as Bezirhane, the remains of which were unearthed during construction of the Argos Hotel.
On Alive at Cappadocia Zola Jesus says:
While I was in Cappadocia filming my music video for ‘Lost,’ Mu Tunc and I took over this beautiful former monastery on the grounds of Argos to film a rogue concert. Hearing my voice resonate through that ancient space was nothing short of a souvenir I will keep with me forever. Grateful for that moment to be archived in this film.
Director Mu Tunc adds:
The chapel has such a strong spirit that any sound created inside it resonates differently. When you consider that Nika performed without any kind of professional audio equipment and that it is only the piano and her own voice that end up conveying such a strong and clear sound it is pretty amazing. The whole experience was magical.
Nika Roza Danilova, the singer, songwriter, and producer who since 2009 has released music as Zola Jesus, uses her voice to reach buried places that “tend to hold pain” in order to uncover truth. The new album, Arkhon, “finds new ways of loosing this submerged, stalled pain”.
