Graphic by Lily Johnson
Nowadays, it’s quite difficult to feel like the bad bitch I know I am.
Between constant Zoom fatigue, the nagging voice in the back of my head that keeps reminding me that I should be studying abroad in Italy right about now and quarantine curves popping up in places they most certainly weren’t before, I’ve had very little reason to get up out of bed and shake my ass. But when I heard “Tequila w Lime” by up-and-coming California-based girl band SZNS for the first time, my booty did a little wiggle.
The beat was absolutely infectious, the Latin-synth reminding me that, indeed, my hips don’t lie. For the first time in months, I performed an entire lip-sync dance routine in front of my mirror as I brushed my hair: “My name’s not baby / Cause if it was / You’d already be mine / You wouldn’t be chasing me / Like tequila with lime.”
While chatting with Winter, Autumn, Spring and Summer (yes, they each adopted a season as their name) about their journey so far, it is hard to believe that they were all strangers before auditioning for this music project about a year ago. The chemistry between them as friends, professionals and creatives was evident as they giggled at each other’s jokes, affirmed each other’s ideas and experiences, and made space for each other in conversation.
It’s this close bond that has allowed the quartet to perform killer four-part harmonies and write high-energy, catchy songs with such ease.
“Like anything, it takes time,” Spring explained. By putting equal time and effort toward bonding as they have put toward their music, the girls learned about each other’s personalities, boundaries and expectations. This has only strengthened their personal and professional relationships. In fact, the day that they signed, SZNS had a sleepover to get to know each other better. Spring continued, “That was our first bonding moment, and it made me realize personally that, ‘oh, these are really cool girls!’ I grew up not having a lot of girlfriends … it was so refreshing to have so many amazing women around to learn and grow from.”
Although they have worked hard to form a cohesive group, they have certainly not sacrificed their individuality.
“(Our sound is) a big pot of deliciousness,” Spring described. Winter elaborated, “Because we are all from different (musical) backgrounds, that definitely influenced our music.” Winter herself is drawn to alternative music, while Spring prefers soulful R&B sounds. Summer also appreciates R&B, such as Destiny’s Child, but is known to enjoy pop hits from icons like Britney Spears. Autumn, on the other hand, cites a love for musical theatre. But as a group, SZNS’ sound is what Summer defines as “’90s girl group pop with a little bit of a Latin flair,” keeping listeners on their toes.
Furthermore, each SZN brings something unique to the studio, establishing a writing process that “just kind of flows.”
“We balance each other out really well,” said Autumn. “I have a tendency to get really specific lyrically and be very musical theatre like … Winter does a very good job of ‘songifying’ it (with her) indie/rock background and Spring always has these really good one-liners that keep it real.”
And on the bad days when it’s difficult to bring their personal bests, they know they can lean on each other. Winter explained, “We are a team. If I am not feeling on point, these girls are most likely going to be and that brings me up higher; that puts me in a good place.”
That is just one of the many perks of being in a band versus pursuing solo careers.
“Oh my gosh, it must be so lonely!” Autumn exclaimed after describing her gratitude for this default support system.
SZNS’ first single, “Tequila w Lime,” is a catchy pop song with intoxicating Latin and EDM beats. It’s not surprising that since its release on July 17, 2020, this track has amassed over 990,000 streams on Spotify. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was responsible for the last 100,000 plays.
Two months later, the girls released their second song, “Faster,” a sexy beat that originated from an impromptu writing session between Winter and Spring while passing time in a car ride.
Their latest track, “Behave,” was released just last month and has received a lot of love from fans on TikTok.
What is most striking about their music is how these catchy songs tackle important social issues. With the first listen, their music may sound surface level, but when you pick apart the lyrics, the songs reveal deeper messages.
“Tequila w Lime” explores nightlife misogyny and the importance of consent. It was actually written completely accidentally; while hanging out and swapping stories about LA’s nightlife, the girls spoke about their experiences with men who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Recognizing that this is a universal experience for women in social scenes, they wrote the bridge of the song: “Y-E-S shoot your shot / But if I say N-O / Boy bye get lost.”
They brought this bridge to their first-ever studio session and it spiraled into the song it is today.
On the other hand, “Behave” challenges gender stereotypes and expectations, and encourages listeners to “do their own thing.” It’s a special song for Autumn whose personal experience inspired the track:
“I was telling my mom … that this person I was dating said, ‘I love you’ on the phone, but I wasn’t ready for that, so I pretended that the service was breaking up … and hung up. And so my mom said to me, ‘Oh my god, what is wrong with you? You never learned how to behave.’”
Although embarrassed about that moment, Autumn used her mom’s comment as inspiration to write a song about smashing the behavioral expectations set for women: “No you can’t tame me / Don’t try to change me / Wish I was sorry / But I never learned how to behave.”
Although their journey has certainly been exciting, it hasn’t necessarily been easy. The pandemic has forced SZNS to reimagine how to break into the music world without relying on traditional release calendars and promotions. Without regular time and space typically devoted to music videos, interviews, performances, dance practice and studio sessions, the girls have learned to hone in on other niches while being stuck in their shared two-bedroom apartment, such as building a fanbase via social media through viral TikToks.
And this incredibly unique journey is just beginning. SZNS has big plans for this year, from releasing new music that explores different genres to dreaming of live performances and mini tours if it is ever safe to do so.
And I can guarantee that I’ll be at the barricade, singing along.
To catch up with SZNS:
Instagram: @sznsoffical
Twitter: @szns_official
TikTok: @sznsofficial
Spotify: SZNS