Zada Will Release Her New EP Heart Of A Lion

 ZADA Will Release Her New EP Heart Of A Lion

Ethiopia-born, Whistler, British Columbia-based artist ZADA steps into a bold new chapter with her forthcoming EP, Heart Of A Lion. Blending alternative R&B with soul, Afrobeat, reggae and international rhythms, ZADA creates music where beauty and grit, vulnerability and strength, and introspection and hope coexist. The project builds on the distinctive sound she has been developing since 2022, exploring identity, connection, self-worth and the courage to remain yourself in a world that can challenge our differences. That spirit comes through on “They’ll Never Find Us,” with ZADA explaining, “Whether it’s something to do with how you look, what you identify as, or where you’re from, there’s a part in all of us that dreams of a place where we can be celebrated for the beautiful differences within us.” Heart Of A Lion follows a prolific run of releases including “Access Denied,” “Breath Away,” “Leave The Show,” “Galaxy” and 2025’s soul-inspired The Respect Sessions.

ZADA’s debut album, Water In The Desert, established her as an artist unafraid to experiment, pairing intimate songwriting with alternative R&B, inventive kalimba and samples created from found objects. Recorded between Los Angeles, Vancouver and the UK’s Real World Studios, the album brought together an acclaimed team including producers Chin Injeti (Eminem, P!nk, J. Cole) and Brian West (Nelly Furtado, Sia, Bono). The project earned multiple accolades, including a Western Canadian Music Award nomination, a SoulTracks Readers’ Choice nomination for New Artist of the Year and an Unsigned Only semifinalist placement, alongside support from Spotify’s EQUAL Afro and Sizzlers playlists and CBC Music programs including The Block and The Drive.

Beyond the studio, ZADA has brought her music to stages including JUNOfest, SXSW and Black Girls Rock in collaboration with BET at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center, alongside performances across Canada and in New York. She has supported artists including Alex Porat, Tei Shi and Too Many Zooz, while also lending her voice to initiatives supporting Bring Back Hope and BC Children’s Hospital. With Heart Of A Lion, ZADA brings these experiences together in a project grounded in resilience, individuality and possibility, bridging classic soul and R&B influences with contemporary production and global rhythms while continuing to build a creative world entirely her own.