Zoe Wees Live at The Hotel Cafe

As with most of the other acts I’ve been lucky enough to see in concert, I’d never heard of Zoe Wee’s music before hearing her perform live at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on August 5, 2022. For me, there’s nothing quite like hearing an artist’s real, raw, in-the-moment rendition of their songs, followed by listening to the cleanly produced versions on the way home and all the little intricacies. And from the get-go, Zoe cemented herself as a voice and presence that wouldn’t get out of my head.

In a small room filled with two-person tables and chairs, a full bar, and a wide-open space for standing, she filled the space with her unique voice, the perfect combination of raspiness, earnestness, rawness, and power. It reminded me of earlier stand-out acts like Amy Winehouse or even Adele in her emerging artist days, making their mark on their industry with a voice that could only be theirs. Everything Zoe sang felt earnest and urgent. Throughout her set, I found myself most drawn to the climatic moments of her songs where she let herself be her freest, when she released these belts that caused both goosebumps and cheers from the crowd, myself included.

Between songs, she would talk to the audience, switching between more open and revealing, and letting the music speak for itself. But she didn’t mention, for example, that her debut single “Control” had peaked at number one in several countries or that she had appeared on The Voice Kids as a child. Instead, in her oversized sweater, t-shirt, shorts, banana, bright turquoise and blonde hair, and long nails, she told stories about her family and early life, particularly about being raised by a single mom and the medical condition that had isolated her from others and caused her anxiety for years. She struck that perfect balance between being careful about her private life and engaging meaningfully with the audience.

One of my favorite moments of the night was when she performed her song “Hold Me Like You Used To,” which had been written about her grandma who passed and whom she had a really close, spiritual relationship with. As it was an emotional piece, it was surprising but nonetheless understandable when she forgot the words in the verse and had to start over. But with all the grace and humor of a seasoned performer, she rolled it off her back, even laughing it off and joking with her bandmates.

And of course, who could forget when she told the story behind one of her still-unreleased songs, about the moment she met her father for the first and only time, and realized that they had the same colored eyes? I have close relationships with both of my parents so that was a particularly emotional moment for me, and I’m sure for many others in the audience.

Her band was also an absolute pleasure to watch and hear from. They were so upbeat and energetic, all of them in love with the music they were helping Zoe recreate on stage. The bass guitarist was a particular highlight, from his killer guitar solos to his freeform jumping around everywhere on stage. Even the drummer was standing up for nearly the entire show! It was amazing to see that contagious, exciting energy shared between the band and the audience as well. I especially appreciated the piano player, who was intermingling his electronic sounds with the sound of the live instruments in ways that elevated the original mix, and made me want to see more of that technique on-stage for other performers.

Whenever I go to cover an artist’s live set, I usually never know what I’m getting myself into, what kind of artist I’ll be seeing take the stage, let alone the genre. But that night, I left the venue with a sense of wonder and empowerment. Though my and Zoe’s life experiences could not be more different, I resonated with the themes of her songwriting: body image, identity, family, loss. Her music was specific yet universal, tender yet strong. I’m looking forward to hearing more music and hopefully seeing her perform live again soon.