Philadelphia rockers, Soraia, have released their new single, “I Seek Fire.” The track is available for streaming anywhere you get your music. The band’s upcoming album, Bloom, will be released on October 28th, 2022.
Soraia consists of ZouZou Mansour on lead vocals, Travis Smith on bass, and Brianna Sig on drums. Of the album, ZouZou says, “Ultimately, our new album is about rising above all of the slights, injuries, and traumas we’ve all experienced – personally and together – and positioning ourselves into a new place we’ve chosen. A place with renewed courage and vitality. We realize we are all deserving of a life driven by our choices and power.”
Discussing the newest single, she explains, “The original idea behind ‘I Seek Fire’ came from reading a Rumi quote: “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” A mix of that personal desire plus a healthy dose of romantic and tragic love ideas floating through my head created the backdrop for the lyrical story of the song. As soon as I heard the cutting, staccato riff co-writer Travis Smith played for me, I knew I had to capture that exquisite contradiction: enthralling, obsessive passion usually comes with that tragic cut. The music brought the lyrics to life in this one more than most other songs we’ve written together.”
Bloom consists of ten tracks: Jokers, Thieves, and Liars; Tight-Lipped; I Seek Fire; Broken Cocoon; She’s Already Dead; Hammer and the Anvil; Secret Medicine; Strutter; Jackson’s Song; and Mephistopheles. Official music videos are available on YouTube for “I Seek Fire” and “Tight-Lipped,” and just the audio is available for the songs “Strutter” (which is a cover of the KISS song of the same name) and “Hammer and the Anvil.”
ZouZou’s voice, singing style, and overall look are a dead-ringer for Joan Jett. It’s safe to say that Soraia is heavily influenced by Jett, especially considering they recently performed a few shows together. Soraia has a grungy, dirty, 80’s girl-punk vibe—and personally, I’m here for it.
“I Seek Fire” is about a toxic relationship and the unexplainable draw to the person you know is bad for you. The song is incredibly relatable, with lyrics like, “I wanna die in love/We can live forever/I’m fadin’ fast – this drug/Leavin’ me restless and wired/Just one more try for love/It’s too late for never/New moon is rising up/It’s time/So come show me/I seek fire.” The music video’s production quality is fantastic and the story is intriguing, but watch at your own risk—there is gore, some scary imagery, and a jump-scare.
“Tight-Lipped” is a powerful song about love, finding your voice, and freeing yourself from societies constructs. The track is simple and poetic, with lyrics like, “See, all I wanted was a piece of your heart, man/So here’s a piece of my mind/Your love’s afire, but your mind’s the liar/It gets me every time”. The video for “Tight-Lipped” features ZouZou being interrogated by a masked man, whom she eventually overpowers and kills with a sledgehammer.
Overall, I really enjoyed “I Seek Fire” and all the tracks I’ve heard so far from Bloom. I can’t wait to see what Soraia has in store for us next.
Check out Soraia on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.