SZNS, a new pop girl group, released their debut single, “Tequila w Lime” on July 17, following a four month delay due to COVID-19. SZNS, formed late-2019, is based in Los Angeles, consisting of four women who have transformed themselves into the four seasons; the band members are Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer.
Their voices mesh well together in “Tequila,” creating an upbeat, pop-synth sound that would fit right into a pregame playlist and claiming their spot as a group to look out for.
I talked with them a bit via email and over the phone about their new song, releasing music in an ever-changing climate, and how they stay connected to a fan-base they can’t physically reach.
Originally intending to release the song in March, the band was of course hesitant to bring a song meant for the dance floor into the world as it dealt with the first few weeks of what has since developed into the all-encompassing coronavirus pandemic. “The quarantine really pushed us to grow as artists and figure out ways to stay creative on our own,” Summer said via email.
Concerning the later release, Winter wrote, “We took a lot of opinions and went back and forth, but [we] decided our original release plan was worth the wait. We can only have one debut single so we wanted to do it right … there’s no stopping once you start, so we had to be prepared for the future, and it all ended up being perfect timing.” They released the single onto all streaming services and their accompanying music video on the same day, as originally intended.
“Tequila w Lime” is reminiscent of Ed Sheeran’s 2017, “Shape of You,” down to the meeting-someone-in-a-bar lyrics. Beginning with fairly naked guitar-plucking, the track of course develops into a more full sound as the girls add voices and instruments.
When asked where they draw inspiration, all four members listed at least one high profile female artist. They lean towards “fearless, unapologetic women,” wrote Summer, and they listed voices such as Ariana Grande, Amy Winehouse, Miley Cyrus, and Camila Cabello, who’s particular sound seems to ring out pointedly in this single.
“Tequila w Lime” is not only the band’s debut release, but also the first song they wrote as a group. “It really just started from us all lying on the floor talking about dating, going out, our experiences and personal stories. We started discussing how we've all been in situations with men at bars or clubs that just won't leave us alone or expect something from us, and that conversation became what is now the bridge for ‘Tequila w Lime,’” Autumn said over the phone.
In the months when they felt they couldn’t release their music, SZNS needed to come up with a creative way to reach their budding fanbase. “TikTok is where I feel a lot of our fans come from, and it’s a great way to get our music out to a big crowd!,” wrote Spring. SZNS did dance challenges, comedy videos, and they even created a challenge where they all took a shot each, three of those being water with one unlucky (or lucky, depending on how you look at it) member getting the tequila.
Going forward, the band plans on releasing one EP per season consisting of three songs each, beginning with Summer, which should arrive within the next month. “This EP is all about feeling good and sexy and fun, and I think we could all use some of that right about now!” wrote Summer. The moods of the EPs will mimic the moods of the seasons, as autumn and winter will see a bit of a slow down. “A little more Mullholland [Drive] on a Sunday Night,” as Autumn put it. They will include some ballads and some deeper lyrics, before revving back up for spring.
When pushed for song titles, Autumn replied, “I can’t say what they are right now, but we’re excited!”
Listen to “Tequila w Lime” on streaming platforms Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you stream music. The music video is available to view on YouTube.
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