AJMF Spotlights Local Rising Star
Zale performs at record release event March 14
By David R. Cohen |david@atljewishtimes.com
If you haven’t heard of Hannah Zale, you will soon.
The young, driven and talented singer-songwriter will perform at Steve’s Live Music on March 14 for the third official event of the 2015 Atlanta Jewish Music Festival.
Zale will premiere her first album, “Fortress,” which was recorded with Louisiana-based rockers Baby Bee. At the event she’ll play through her entire album, which consists of nine original tracks.
Local singer-songwriter Julie Holmes will open the show.
“I’m pushing my own genre here,” Zale said. “I call it alternative Americana. It’s got a rock vibe, but I’ve got a reggae tune, a rock tune, a soul tune. I’ve really got something for everyone. Everything has a pop structure and sensibility about it, but it’s all over the place. It’s an experiment of sorts to see what people like.”
The album may be new, but Hannah Zale (www.zalemusic.com) is no stranger to the AJMF. The University of Georgia alumna performed at the 2014 festival with her Athens-based rock band, Boomfox. Since then, the songstress has gone solo, recorded an album and shortened her stage name to Zale in an effort to create a stronger brand.
The AJMF has made a point this year of choosing festival acts that have a stronger connection to Judaism. Festival organizers also have a stated goal of attracting younger intown Jews to events.
Zale is quick to acknowledge that her music isn’t directly Jewish, but she is proud of her background and heritage growing up as one of the few Jews in Warner Robins.
“Although I do write secular music,” she said, “it’s all through a very Jewish lens and from a very Jewish place, which is my heart. I’m very prideful of my Judaism, and anyone who goes to one of my shows will find out within the first 10 minutes that I am a Jew. Even though my music doesn’t necessarily have Torah context, my life does.”
Besides blazing her own path in a solo music career, the multitalented rocker has competed in beauty pageants, performed onstage in over 30 musicals and is classically trained in opera. She’ll take the next step of her musical Journey when she releases “Fortress,” first to the crowd at Steve’s Live Music on March 14, then to the world on March 24.
Who: Zale
Where: Steve’s Live Music, 234 Hilderbrand Drive, Sandy Springs
When: 9 p.m. Saturday, March 14
Tickets: $10
comments