On July 22nd, I was listening to the “Young & Free” playlist on Spotify, and the song “Love Over Glory” came on. The angelic voice and compelling words spoke to me, causing my jaw to drop. I immediately cranked up the volume and checked to see who this mysterious, jazzy, and soulful singer was. Her name was Zinadelphia, who I’d never heard of before.
She’s from Philadelphia, hence the stage name, and went to Tyler University of Art and Architecture, where she initially majored in photography but switched to music production. She released her first single, Mirrorball, in 2022. Although her songs have been out there for a few years, she’s spreading her name beyond Philly through her tours. She’s even opened for popular artists such as Tori Kelly and Teddy Swims.
On tour, Zinadelphia goes all out with her vintage 60s/70s inspired style, showcasing beautiful dresses, bold colors, chunky rings and earrings, funky shoes, big oversized glasses, and distinctive eye makeup. Her latest EP, The Magazine, comes in the style of old magazine paperbacks, showcasing different outfits. Accompanying her album covers, her music videos incorporate clips of her dancing around, posing for photos, and close-ups of her shoes. I cherish the video for her song “Love Over Glory,” where it slowly zooms out from just her lips and singing, and we see that she has tears in her eyes that eventually fall down her face. It then gets more upbeat and displays a bunch of different clips of her in fun retro outfits; the whole vibe is very unique to her.
Jazzy, acoustic, and folk songs always deeply connect with my soul, making me feel spiritually understood and protected. Zinadelphia’s lyrics, mixed with her soulful instrumentals, speak to me regardless of what I’m doing or how I’m feeling. The reason why her music, starting with “Love Over Glory,” was a love-at-first-sight moment for me was that her confidence, pain, love, and wisdom cut through the songs, making anyone who hears it feel empowered and seen. This song is about a man who seems perfect on the outside but is actually using her, and how she realizes that she is a strong and powerful woman on her own. By the end, she belts the words “You want a girl, I’m a woman,” contrary to the previous lyrics of “You want a girl, not a woman.” The change in one word personalizes it and shows that she can’t be messed with. Many of her songs represent the struggles of being a human, a woman, or not feeling strong or good enough.
One of Zinadelphia’s most powerful songs that connects with many people, women specifically, is “The Magazine.” It’s about how we obsessively compare ourselves to others and forget our true beauty. Magazines were created to entertain or inspire us, but with photo editing, it turned into a way to impose unrealistic expectations through lifestyle choices, diet, or body image. It has become toxic for girls and women, especially making us feel like we should look exactly like the people we see in magazines, social media, movies, and media in general.
Zina is like a cool older sister and role model to me, guiding me to recognize my worth, raise my standards, and sing and dress loud, bold, and proud. Take my advice, and listen to her 12-13 songs in your room with no distractions and solid headphones, and soon enough, you’ll understand the power of “ur lucky penny,” Zinadelphia.