Kaleena Zanders, Billboard’s Up-and-Coming Dance Artist of the month in April, is a stunningly talented singer, songwriter, producer and DJ based out of Los Angeles. She is a genre-melding electronic music phenom and pulls influence from a wide variety of styles to create something uniquely and authentically her own.
Her debut album, “Anything Goes,” released today on Helix Records, is a testament to Kaleena Zanders’ identity as an emerging artist in the dance music scene.
The album is a seven-track project that features Bipolar Sunshine, Shift K3Y, Hayley May, and more. “Anything Goes” explores many of Kaleena’s different facets, leaping from upbeat, bouncy UKG-inspired beats to stutter house to reflective melodic anthems with many sonic vibes in between.
When asked about “Anything Goes,” Kaleena Zanders had this to say:
First, typically, the way I experience music is fluid and without boundaries. I’ve always been drawn to blending genres, and this album became a space where I could explore and let electronic sounds I love exist freely. I also wanted to show a range of emotions that I feel like I typically don’t share with my audience.
Also, “Anything Goes” is a reaction to the world around us. It feels like the people shaping it are constantly rewriting the rules, shifting systems, redefining what’s possible, whether we’re ready or not.
There’s a kind of chaos to it… like everything is up for grabs. So this album is my answer: create without fear. Move without limits. If you have something to give, give it.
Because in a world that feels like a free-for-all… maybe the most powerful thing we can do is not hold back. The next steps for my project is to tour my album and keep developing the feeling that I tapped into with the title track “Anything Goes” a little harder and more specific. I’m excited to share with my audience.
Kaleena Zanders has been a prominent artist in the dance music scene long before her debut album. She has collaborated with giants in the industry like GRiZ, Chris Lake, Tchami, LP Giobbi, AC Slater, and Yung Bae. She also has had standout performances at many legacy festivals including EDC Las Vegas, Coachella, Outside Lands, and was featured at the inaugural Seven Stars Festival alongside GRiZ during his headline sets. Kaleena imbues strong emotions her lyrics, and this ability shines through crystal clear on her brand new debut album “Anything Goes.”
We got the chance to sit down with Kaleena Zanders and discuss “Anything Goes,” her upcoming performances, creative process, and musical journey. We hope you enjoy the new album as much as we enjoyed speaking with her!
If you want to experience Kaleena’s trademark sound live, be sure to check her out at one of her tour dates listed below the embed under the interview. Seeing her live is otherworldly.
HIHF: Congratulations on your debut album. We’re so excited for it’s release! How would you describe this debut project to your fans?
Kaleena Zanders: Well, I named it “Anything Goes” because I have such a unique, eclectic sound, and I also love so many different genres within dance music. I wanted to break the rules within what is popular, I guess, and then transmute it through my own experience, my own thoughts, and, kind of like, tell more stories. I have a pop and rock background, so I really like to make sure that I’m infusing that. It’s also called “Anything Goes” because I think the world is so insane right now, and I feel like people are just doing whatever the fuck they want to do. From our government to just people losing their security or losing what they thought was right, you know, I feel like it’s time to give everything that you have. Like if you’re a creative person, you know, don’t be shy, do anything. Do anything that helps move us forward in a positive way. That’s kind of how I’m thinking about it when I think about “Anything Goes.” The title track is like home-based for me, where I want to go.
HIHF: Could you talk a little bit about your creative process? Like, how do you blend all the genres? When you’re in the studio, what does that look like?
Kaleena Zanders: So I always think about how I’m going to be performing stuff. I’ve been doing live performance since I was a little kid in musical theater. And so I always think about how I’m going to be able to tell a message, and that’s usually how the music is inspired, even if it’s like a more chill song, I just love movements, and I like things to feel like clicky and almost like a high definition, body experience. So I approach songs from that way, and even when I’m in the studio, I’m always jumping around, moving, to like feel something, you know? I’m not like, really heady, I guess. You know, I can’t just sit at the computer or sit down and just be like, here’s a melody and here’s a blank, I have to move, you know? I also work with quite a few people at this time, just because I’m so busy. So one of my favorite friends to work with is Will Leong (No Bills). He’s an amazing producer, and we write really well together. We’ve been writing together for years. So, from producing to writing, he’s my favorite collaborator. Honestly, I just work with people I’ve grown with over the years because when they know you, you can feel free. And I’m also, you know, I’m moving around so much, so I rarely have like alone time.
HIHF: I know your identity is very important to you. How did you let that shine through on your new album?
Kaleena Zanders: Well, I try to be more honest in this one and not really think about trying to appease whatever perception. You know, sometimes when you’re in this industry, you think like, oh, I need to make music for this person, make music for that person, make music for the industry, and I want people to like me, and I want to get, placements on the playlist, and like, you’re just overanalyzing, overthinking every single aspect, and I’m trying my best now to be a more authentic, honest artist in my sound. I mean, I am in my personality. I’m very honest and very forward and upfront and all those things, but I think in the last three years, I’ve been a little bit shy and not knowing how to fuse that big rock personality that I love into dance music. But now that everything is getting more in your face, everything’s so big, especially with the resurgence of bass music, I feel like it’s giving me the opportunity to open up more, you know.
I’ve been on tour with GRiZ, and that has been so liberating because he plays so hard. And all the acts are really hard, and like, I’ve been doing after parties and playing drum and bass and just digging in. So I’m so excited to be in this part of music and like really feeling the change, you know?
HIHF: You’ve collaborated with a ton of big names in the space, like GRiZ, Chris Lake, Tchami, LP Giobbi, AC Slater, and Yung Bae. What’s it like working with these artists? How do you balance putting your voice and your artistic direction into the projects when they have their own vision?
Kaleena Zanders: So a lot of these people that I have collaborated with have been my friends for a long time. Even the bigger DJs. I’m still a fan of getting to know somebody, and I never really send out top lines. Like, I don’t just send music. I don’t just send my voice out; I have to really know you, I mean, you don’t have to, like, love me, but you have to want the experience of my artistry, not just, ‘sing this song.’ You know, I’m not really into that. I’m old school, you know, like the let’s get in the studio, let’s see what we cook up, you know? And I know that the industry definitely moves differently. Like, you know, people will send out their music all the time, but then if people don’t know who you are, they’re more apt to not respect you and screw you over. So, yeah, I kind of really just work with people I like and who I’ve known over time. That’s straight up.
HIHF: Who are some of your musical influences, and how did they help shape “Anything Goes?”
Kaleena Zanders: My musical influences are Prince, Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Luther Vandross. I have old school ones because I’m a vocalist first, and I grew up on a lot of soul music. So I would say more like, you know, R&B, instrumental, butt rock. My mom was really big into Aerosmith and Toto, that’s literally what I grew up on, you know? So my influences aren’t necessarily like of today. I mean, now, when I make playlists, it’s just like, I listen to a song, and I put it in a playlist, and I don’t think about the artist right now, you know? So yeah, I still love the old school.
HIHF: You have a packed summer line coming up. You got the “Anything Goes” tour, and then you have a ton of festival spots at events like Force Fields, Electric Forest, and Beyond Wonderland at the Gorge. What can fans expect from these sets?
Kaleena Zanders: From the festival sets, I’m gonna be digging towards jungle, UKG, harder stuff. I’m gonna play some on my tour, but right now, just because I’m finishing this album, you know, it’s a little bit lighter, I guess. But I’m gonna dig into more of my rock side and break beats, jungle, UKG, like aggressive-ish, but not where it’s like, you don’t feel it. I don’t know, I can’t explain. harder, a little bit harder. A little harder in your face.
HIHF: You had a landmark performance at Seven Stars during a weekend filled with magic. Can you talk about what it was like from the stage looking out?
Kaleena Zanders: Yeah, so that was my actually first time with GRiZ. I just met GRiZ in rehearsal in August. I guess he’d been watching me online and wanted me to be a part of this experience. At first, I was a little bit resistant just because I had my own little thing. But we talked, and we talked for like an hour on Zoom, and just got to know each other. I actually didn’t know how massive he was. You know? I really didn’t. And he was doing his comeback thing and stuff. I was so nervous, actually, because I also really wanted to please him too. He didn’t know me. And I wanted to make sure that I was able to sing all the notes and get all the lyrics right. And then, yeah, combined with thousands of people, you know, I mean, I’ve done a lot of big things, but that, that was like massive, you know? Yeah, and touring with him continues to be massive. It’s still nerve-racking. But now at least I know all the songs.
HIHF: You came from a band background, and now you’re releasing a project in the EDM space. What kept you in EDM, and are there any similarities between the two genres?
Kaleena Zanders: I got into dance music because of my friend. He introduced me to SNBRN, and we ended up doing “California,” and that was really big. So that’s like why I initially got here. Then, during the pandemic, actually, I wanted to go back to doing like indie style, like more band-oriented, singer-songwriter stuff. I literally started a whole project, made an EP, made visuals, and everything. And then, I don’t know, I just woke up one day, and I was like, I think I’m just gonna stay in dance music. You know, partly because of the community, there’s nothing like this. Like, in any other genre. I’ve been looking at people in the rock community lately, and they’re dramatic, like, really dramatic, and I’m just like, that’s not for me. I’m very positive, and even though I like hard stuff, I still love that we get to be a part of the community. That’s the most important thing to me right now. I used to coach basketball, I’m all about all about, you know, coming together. So I think in terms of EDM, I stayed in it because of the people.
HIHF: What is one hobby or fun fact that most people don’t know about you?
Kaleena Zanders: I mean, I love squirrels. I love them so much. I love birds and cats. I love to hike. I don’t know what’s interesting about me anymore. I used to explore more, but now that I just do music every day in and day out, it’s like now I’m just trying to catch up on sleep. I do like comedy a lot lately. It’s been so nice, just like laughing. I love Caleb Hearon. I like listening to his podcast. I love things that make me feel light and happy, and like being sarcastic.
HIHF: He’s so funny! What’s next for the Kaleena Zanders project? Where is your artistic vision taking you?
Kaleena Zanders: I would love to start turning my musical bodies of work into a film crossover, like, where you’re watching a film, but then it’s music, you know? Like a scripted thing, but music is like the meat of it, you know? Kind of like how Michael Jackson was doing stuff like that. Lil Dicky does stuff like that. But yeah, I would love to see where I can do a Netflix show or something like a movie musical, or TV musical, something in TV and film. That’s what I want to do a lot.
HIHF: That would be epic! We know you would crush it doing that. We are so excited for your debut album, thank you so much for chatting with us!
Huge shoutout to Kaleena Zanders and her team for coordinating this interview and having our team out, be sure to show her love on social media!
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