SLCene Suggests: Zola Jesus at the Urban Lounge

ZOLA JESUS, THE URBAN LOUNGE, Monday, Jan. 12, 9 p.m., $15

A woman named Nika is the creative force behind Zola Jesus, and she is one bold, imaginative musician. While earlier records relied heavily on big beats and synthesizers, she started work on her latest release, TAIGA, but stripping her sound down to its core before building it up in new ways. She moved from LA to an island in the Puget Sound with an aim toward immersing herself in the natural world. Then she wrote songs completely acapella instead of building up the instrumental tracks first. Then she went to visit her old opera instructor and regained some of the power in her voice, and the renewed confidence allowed her to put her vocals front and center on her new music, rather than buried in layers of noise and reverb. All the effort proved worth her time when TAIGA landed on a number of year-end “best of 2014” lists. Deradoorian opens her show in Salt Lake City.