Zen (song)

"Zen"
Single by X Ambassadors, K.Flay, and Grandson
ReleasedMay 15, 2020
Length3:35
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)X Ambassadors
X Ambassadors singles chronology
"Great Unknown"
(2020) 		"Zen"
(2020) 		"Razor's Edge"
(2021)
K.Flay singles chronology
"Peaches (Text Voter XX to 40649)"
(2020) 		"Zen"
(2020) 		"So Slow"
(2020)
Grandson singles chronology
"How Bout Now (Text Voter XX to 40649)"
(2020) 		"Zen"
(2020) 		"Again (Text Voter XX to 40649)"
(2020)
Music video
"Zen" on YouTube

"Zen" is a song by American pop rock band X Ambassadors, American singer and rapper K.Flay, and American-Canadian fellow singer and rapper Grandson. It was released on May 15, 2020, through Kidinakorner and Interscope Records.[1] The song was written soon after the beginning of COVID-19 lockdowns in March 2020 and deals with mental health during quarantine.

The song was played live for the first time on June 15, 2024, on X Ambassadors' Townie Tour in Los Angeles.[2]

Background and composition

"Zen" was written by X Ambassadors, K.Flay, and Grandson entirely remotely. The artists were brought together through previous collaborations and decided to create a song after talking about their struggles during quarantine.[3] The song itself deals with these topics of loneliness and a wish for a return to normalcy and sanity. The song ends by abruptly stopping the chorus and ending with zen-like music. X Ambassadors lead singer Sam Harris described the overall message of the song in a statement:[1]

We wanted to talk about what stresses us out. What we wish we understood better. What we think no one else understands. We talk about finding peace in chaos. And finding chaos in…well, everything.

— Sam Harris

Promotion

The song was first teased for the first time in an Instagram Live on May 7.[4] The next week saw each artist post a photo of their face with cucumber slices on their eyes, as seen in the cover art, with the word "Zen" repeated behind them. On May 12, X Ambassadors posted a phone number which when called would play a woman asking if the listener needs some "zen". She also prompted callers to text the number in a chance to join a Zoom call with all the artists.[4]

Following the song's release, the hashtag #zenchallenge was created to encourage people during their quarantine to focus on mental health, mindfulness, and gratefulness and also promote activist groups like Black Lives Matter.[3]

Music video

The video for the song was released May 15, 2020 and was directed by K.Flay and Evgenia Strukova and produced by Dmitry Tokoyakov and the company Green Light.[5] The video is in a collage-like style and describes each artists' quirks and anxieties from being in lockdowns. This leads to all three singing and dancing to the last chorus of the song on camera.

Personnel

Credits for "Zen" adapted from Apple Music.[6]

Charts

Chart performance for "Zen"
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[7] 48
Canada Rock (Billboard)[8] 72
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[9] 24

References

  1. ^ a b "X Ambassadors Share Timely New Track "Zen" feat. K.Flay & Grandson". UMusic. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  2. ^ "played ZEN live with all three musketeers FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER". Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b Kozlowski, Anthony (2020-06-03). "Feature: X Ambassadors' Sam Harris Talks Finding "Zen" & Fighting Injustice as Nationwide Protests Escalate". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  4. ^ a b "X Ambassadors Tease New Song 'ZEN' With Mysterious Phone Number". iHeart. 2020-05-12. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  5. ^ XAmbassadorsVEVO (2020-05-15). X Ambassadors, K.Flay, grandson - Zen. Retrieved 2024-06-21 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ Zen by X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson on Apple Music, 2020-05-15, retrieved 2024-06-21
  7. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 23. týden 2020 in the date selector. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  8. ^ "X Ambassadors Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  9. ^ "X Ambassadors Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.