Review: Trying to Hit the “Fame Jackpot” With Zoe Sparks’ New Single “Famous”
ZOE SPARKS MIGHT NOT BE FAMOUS YET — but boy, does she know how to write a catchy tune.
Sparks released her latest track, “Famous,” today, an effortlessly catchy funk-pop melody that captures Sparks’ experience as a musician working in today’s music industry.
The recent graduate of Berklee College of Music began releasing songs in 2020 with her debut single, “Admit It.” Ever since then, her signature funky grooves, powerful vocals, and dazzling bass skills have continued to charm listeners. In under three years, Sparks has one EP and an abundance of singles under her belt, but even so, the singer-songwriter expresses that she feels as though she is perpetually stuck on the “big break waitlist,” patiently waiting for her turn to become the next global sensation.
Sparks confesses that while “Famous” centers dissatisfaction with her progress career-wise, she penned it in a light-hearted mindset. “I came up with the initial idea for this song as a joke, and the chorus still makes me laugh,” she shares. “The experience of being surrounded by so many successful peers at a school that seems to churn out famous musicians is such an absurd and wild concept — one that a very specific demographic can relate to. I decided to take a very literal approach to writing this song, and it made me realize that what I was feeling wasn’t so unique after all.”
Within the roughly four minutes of “Famous,” Sparks unabashedly compares her own career to those of her peers who have found overnight fame on TikTok and other social media platforms. Her friends have been busy getting “record deals and fancy wheels,” but when it comes to Sparks, she confides that it feels “like I never existed” and “all that I get is rejected.”
Though Sparks has principally trained as a bassist, her vocal chops take the lead on her new single, effortlessly smooth as she belts out her grievances. All her frustrations come backed by a tight soundscape, consisting of a bright horn chorus, peppy keys, and a punchy bassline as she belts out, “All my friends got their shot / Each day a new one hits the jackpot / They’re getting tons of streams / And living dreams of mine.”
“Dealing with rejection is a skill that all musicians and performers have to become good at quickly,” Sparks notes. “Facing rejection … has been one of the most difficult hurdles to jump [through] in my career thus far. I have faced rejection in many forms and it never really gets easier. Having your heart set on something and watching it not pan out is very painful, but keeping perspective is always important for me. I have to remind myself that I have a long and marvelous career ahead of me, and the failures and misfortunes that I experience now will be insignificant in the long run, even if they feel like the end of the world at the moment.”
The music industry is full of different kinds of pressures, and it’s safe to say that Sparks is feeling them all as she sings, “I’m running out of time / I say I’m fine but / My sanity is on the line.” Stuck comparing of herself to others, she loads expectation after expectation onto her shoulders, critiquing her every move until she finally eases up, articulating, “I’m not tryna be mean to me / But I’m not where I wanna be / But I should be happy (I should be happy).”
Despite what Sparks might declare within “Famous,” her personal definition of success is, in fact, not living in the limelight, having the most expensive car collection or signing to the biggest record label.
Instead, success to her is intangible: “I define success as a state of being happy and thriving in my career,” she affirms.
Though, when it comes to Sparks, she cannot foresee ever reaching the pinnacle of success — this journey is instead continuous, full of learning and endless moments of self-improvement. “As a perfectionist and ambitious person, I do not see myself ever reaching the limit of success because I will always want to improve and grow,” she confides. “Simply put, I want my music to be my main source of income, and I want to be able to dedicate my life to my art. I want to find a balance where I can be financially stable yet … have the time to nurture relationships and gain experiences that, ultimately, will contribute to my art.”
Rest assured, you don’t have to be a musician to relate to the themes that Sparks is laying down. The singer-songwriter stresses, “The lyrics about my specific experiences with friends having their ‘big break’ really come down to basic feelings of insecurity and comparing yourself to others. Writing ‘Famous’ was definitely therapeutic because it helped me connect with others who have had similar experiences and self-doubt.”
Even though Sparks might be feeling dejected about her current circumstances, it’s truly all expressed in good humor. After all, if Sparks is unsatisfied, at least she can ruminate to this funky soundtrack. With the release of “Famous,” she offers listeners an exceptionally tight groove, bound to get anyone up and out of their seats dancing — or at least bobbing their head to the beat.
Take the release of Sparks’ “Famous” as your sign to become an OG Zoe Sparks fan, before this young musician gets her long-awaited turn to hit the fame jackpot.
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