Zak Waters

Zak Waters is an American musician, singer, songwriter, disc jockey, and record producer born and raised in Los Angeles, California, currently recording music under the alias Pretty Sister. Waters founded the Universal Records pop rock group Blueskyreality in 2008. He became a solo artist thereafter, releasing two EPs and two studio albums. He launched his solo musical project Pretty Sister in September 2015.

Career

New Normal (2007–2012)

Zak Waters was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He first started writing and recording music with the pop rock group Blueskyreality, who signed to Universal Republic Records in 2010.^[1] After the group's departure, Waters began writing music as a solo artist. He released his debut single "Unstoppable" on June 21, 2011.^[2] He wrote, recorded, and mixed his debut EP album, New Normal, with friend and record producer Jarrad Kritzstein.^[1] The album was released on August 2, 2011 and was recorded at The Room Of Requirement and The Woods Studios in Los Angeles.^[3]

Waters released the single "Skinny Dippin' in the Deep End" on June 18, 2012.^[4] The music video for the single was released the following day.^[5] On August 24, 2012, French electronic music producer Madeon released his collaborative single "The City", featuring Zak Waters.^[6] To date, "The City" has been Waters' most popular single achieving chart success worldwide, charting at No. 74 on the U.K. Singles chart, No. 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart, No. 16 on the U.K. Dance Singles chart, and No. 13 in Hungary.^{[7][8][9][10]}

In October 2012, Waters released a remix of Adam Lambert's single "Trespassing".^[11]

Lip Service and Now // Later EP (2013–2014)

He released another solo single, "Runnin' Around", accompanied with its music video, on January 22, 2013.^[12] Waters collaborated with the electronic music duo Candyland and released the single "Not Coming Down" on July 8, 2013 through Beatport.^[13] A remix EP, Not Coming Down (The Remixes), was later released in April 2014.^[14]

On August 27, 2013, Waters released the single "Penelope" and revealed that he would release his debut full-length studio album, Lip Service, on September 9 exclusively on Spotify.^[15] In support of the album, he performed with his full live band at The Satellite in Los Angeles for a month-long free residency every Monday night beginning September 2.

On October 31, 2013, the collaborative single "Show More Love", with house music producer LENNO, was released to SoundCloud.^[16]

On January 28, 2014, Waters released the single "Over You".^[17] Canadian electro house music duo Adventure Club released the collaborative single, "Unleash", featuring Zak Waters and David Solano, as part of the Life In Color 2014 celebration on April 2, 2014.^[18] Waters released his first EDM-produced single "Out Of My Head", featuring Codi Caraco, on April 17, 2014.^[19] Zak toured as a supporting act on Betty Who's Slow Dancing Tour with Cardiknox from March 22 to April 18, 2014.^[20]

Waters released his cover of R&B singer Ginuwine's 1996 single "Pony", on June 3, 2013 to critical acclaim. He released his second EP, Now // Later, on June 17, 2013 through FAUX and Rostrum Records.^[21] The EP features five tracks, two of which are covers and three being previously released singles; "Sleeping in My T-Shirt", "Over You", and "Said and Gone", featuring Audra Mae (previously titled Dear John"), all of which were featured on Waters' studio album Lip Service.

On December 31, 2014, Waters released the single "By the End Of the Night".^[22]

Z Funk Era and Pretty Sister (2015–present)

Alex Gaudino released the collaborative single, "Lights Go Out", featuring Zak Waters and Manufactured Superstars on April 18, 2015.^[23]

Zak Waters released his second full-length studio album, Z-Funk Era, through Manhattan Records exclusively in Japan on September 9, 2015.^[24] It was led by the international single "Galactic Appeal", featuring Dragonette, which was released on August 18, 2015.^[25]

Pretty Sister, Zak Waters' newest solo musical endeavour, was introduced in 2015.^[26] Pretty Sister released its first single "Drive" on February 6, 2016.^[27] Speaking about the single with Popology Now, Waters says:

"I wrote this song from the perspective of someone who just moved [to LA]. I’ll never forget coming back here, smelling the smog and seeing the hazy sunsets over the 405. So when writing the song I thought about what must it be like to have just moved here from Michigan or New York or Detroit? Driving through Laurel Canyon with the palm trees and then sun and the warmth…the feeling of endless possibility and beautiful people all around you…it must be pretty exciting. I grew up in it and shit, it still excites me every day."

Another single, "Come to LA", was released on March 18, 2016.^[28] A third single, "West Coast", was released on June 12, 2016.^[29] Pretty Sister and LDN Noise premiered the collaborative single, "Tears", on July 1, 2016 through GoodMusicAllDay.^[30]

On November 28, 2016, Pretty Sister released the single "Thirsty".^[31]

Musical influence and sound

Zak Waters has been noted for "blending the futuristic funk of Jamiroquai, the pulsing electro-beat of Daft Punk, and the classic groove of Earth, Wind, and Fire."^[1] He has been labelled as a DJ, record producer, and a pop artist. Waters incorporates elements of neo-funk, G-funk, electronic dance music, and R&B into his music.^[32]

Discography

References