Zauntee has been writing songs since he was 10 and producing music since he was 14, now he has dropped a new full-length album, We Already Won, from BEC Recordings. He has a gift to connect with a large audience and is motivated to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ through both ministry and music. Zauntee can do it all, as he not only has received a Dove Award Nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year, performed on three arena tours, but also has been a speaker and partnered with churches.
Let’s get into the interview with Zauntee and learn more about this artist!
Nick: Why should parents be excited to listen to your music?
Zauntee: I believe that I’m the artist a younger me would have needed. I’m just trying to prove to the next generation that it’s cool to follow God and it’s the right choice to choose him. I started writing songs when I was 10. I think you are never too young to work on your calling. Love Jesus and be all about him.
What encouraged you to make music?
I remember being at a concert with my parents. I think it was Winter Jam. I remember being blown away and thinking this is crazy! These people are on stage rocking out and pointing to God. I was like I want to do that someday. I remember writing my first song around 10 years old on a Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme napkin. We just left some concert or event and I remember writing that and keeping it. Then I started producing when I was 14. By the time I was a senior in high school, I put out my first song.
If you could work with any artist who would it be and why?
Probably Bono from U2. He’s such a global artist and he loves the Lord. He’s from a previous generation, so I think it’s like this global voice for God for the betterment of humanity. That would be crazy. I used to watch him on YouTube concerts all the time and learn from the performance and stage presence. I’m inspired by artists who are movement-oriented or focused on change and people being a part of something. He’s one of those artists. I want to be my generation’s version of that.
With you already having a variety of genres in your catalog, are there any others you would like to try?
I want to make fuel for people who are living life. Gotta have some emotional worship vibes and some grind mode. What I want to get into is something in the studio we are calling stadium sound. Like what’s something that’s built for an arena on tour. What’s a sound that’s taking elements of rock, taking elements of rap, and making something that’s an experience.
What is your songwriting process?
I have two processes. I have something I want to talk about. For example ‘God Had Other Plans’, I woke up and had a show the next day and I kinda had this melody and idea. All the times I was really close to giving up, I’m glad I didn’t because God had a plan. I started with the melody and then thought about what beat could support it without distraction. Then there is a process where I’ll get sent a loop or make a loop or make a beat, and I’m in love with that melody first, and I really like how it sounds, so I have to write something to it. I usually write words first. I write what I feel like I need to share.
What is the biggest difficulty acquiring a large audience?
Showing up over and over. People look at all my viral videos and assume I got lucky. I have put so many songs up over and over again, in so many different content formats. It’s just constantly showing up, learning, and proving. When you hit the gold rush staying on it. Then find that balance where you aren’t being corny or letting the quality suffer. Bringing quality and quantity. The hard part of building it is keeping brand integrity and showing up over and over again.
In the Christian hip hop scene I know there are a lot of struggles in faith-based music. What would you say is your biggest struggle?
I don’t really fit. I feel like the audience that consumes my music is a wide range. People who grew up in the church or people who are fully in the world. We have everyone from youth pastors to OnlyFans models who post to this music. It’s not the healthy that need a doctor, it’s the sick. We want to be the light of the world. I’m not catering to the Christian market. I’m just making the real music I need to make and trust the right audience will find them. We are making a place where there is nowhere to fit or belong. We aren’t making the radio single or the worship-driven hook. We’re in a new era. No one has done what I want to do, so I don’t have a blueprint.
What is the best part of being a musician? And worst?
The best part is hearing how it’s impacted the people. To talk to someone and have them say they listened to it when they were going through this. I just did my first headline tour in the Fall. Going city to city and hearing people sing the words was really emotional. I just live life and make this music. It’s just a natural thing for me and when you hear how it impacted people it gives you a whole new perspective. That’s by far my favorite part.
The most difficult part is being consistent even when it doesn’t feel good. Put out the best thing you think has ever been made and then you have to keep taking shots no matter the results. You can’t dwell on losses or wins. I don’t look at the immediate results, I look at in 10 years there’s going to be a person who needs this song. If I don’t put it out there now the guy in 10 years won’t be ok.
Have you always made music that glorifies God?
I always have. I grew up in church and made music that glorified God as a kid. All the songs I was writing were super focused on my relationship with him. There was a season in my life when I started to walk away and it was because I wasn’t strong enough to face the pressure of being different at the time. The bullying, the being left out, being an outsider. But in that season I couldn’t mix making music. That gift always felt like something that came from God so when I wasn’t living for him it didn’t come out of me.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
The first one that comes to mind because I was just talking about it earlier is I listen to a lot of classic rock. I only listen to rap music to study. Most of the time I’m listening to all 70s stuff or 80s stuff or 90s stuff. I have been listening to a lot of Creed lately which people think is funny. I’ll play Madden and have Creed playing in the background and I be throwing dimes.
If you could guest star on any kid’s show, what would it be? Why?
It would have been crazy if my voice was on The Backyardigans. That would have been so hard! The Backyardigans was the show! I love music so much and I was super creative so that was one of my favorites. For live-action, it’s iconic if you are on Sesame Street. You pull up on Sesame Street and make it to the street you certified. Or The Muppets. They are known for all the cameos.
What motivation would you give out to starting Christian musicians?
Every time I’m on stage I say this. You have stories only you can tell and gifts only you can give. Your survival is proof to someone else that they can make it. That’s something I say every time I hold the microphone because I truly believe you might have a sibling who has a similar story to you, but they don’t have your gifts. You might have a gift similar to those in your field, but they don’t have your story. Whatever your gift, is the vessel for your story. My second piece of advice is don’t make what you think you want to hear. Don’t make what you think people need from a sense of approval. Make what you’re called to make. Make what you need that’s not out there. Make what you think people need from the standpoint of helping them and serving them. If you make music for yourself, chances are someone else needs it.
Special Thanks to Zauntee for taking the time out of his busy schedule to do this interview, for more information about the artist, visit www.zauntee.com and you can find his music on all streaming platforms, so give a listen!
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