Zee Machine never meant to write an anthem

Featured photo courtesy of Amethyst Collab.

When LA-based pop star Zee Machine posted a snippet of his song “Anyone But Him” to TikTok back in March, he didn’t mean to speak for a community. But his comments were flooded with love from polyamorous folks claiming the song as the bop they’ve been looking for — and given the song’s lyrics about setting boundaries within a non-monogamous relationship, it’s clear to see why.

“Anyone But Him” is only one of seven standout tracks on Zee Machine’s sophomore EP CAN I BE HONEST…?, which dropped in mid-July. That includes the sexy synth-driven “Good Boy,” the expansive and flirtatious “I’m In Love (With Everyone),” and the Mandarin-infused “Heartbreakery.” It all adds up to a one-of-a-kind breakup album with Zee Machine’s signature ‘80s-inspired sound.

INTO caught up with Zee Machine to talk all things CAN I BE HONEST…?, from how queer folks cracked the code on relationships, to making it big on BookTok, to bringing a bit of Beijing to the recording booth.

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Hey, Zee Machine! Congrats on putting out your new EP. What was your inspiration for creating CAN I BE HONEST…? 

It’s basically a breakup album. All the songs are the different stages and feelings that you go through when you’re healing from it, because I had too much to say for just one song about it. It opens up with the emotionally slutty part, and then the next one is the actual slutty part. And then there’s the jealous one, there’s the angry one, there’s the down-on-yourself stage. I had too many feelings to sum up in one single. 

And how would you describe the sound of the EP?

All in all, I feel like it draws inspiration from a lot of retro, ‘80s artists, and then I try to bring in some fresher production sounds. Whenever I describe my sound to people, I tell them it’s like music from the ‘80s: the 2080s.

No shade against monogamy, but queer people have, I think, cracked a code for breaking down the rules of what we’ve been told a relationship should look like.

– Zee Machine

The songs also get really candid about modern queer dating, and your fans clearly appreciate it: “Anyone But Him” has gotten a lot of buzz from the polyamorous community, and sex-forward tracks like “Good Boy” are also hitting home for a lot of queer listeners. Did you consider that you were representing lesser-seen sides of the LGBTQ+ community when you were putting the EP together?

I don’t know if this is a cop out answer, but I didn’t even really think of it that much. Every queer person in my circle — granted that I do live in LA — everyone around us is in some sort of, quote unquote, “alternative relationship style.” No shade against monogamy, but queer people have, I think, cracked a code for breaking down the rules of what we’ve been told a relationship should look like. 

I’m just writing my truth. I’m not really being like, “I’m gonna make an anthem for this.” I’m just writing what I know, because I have a hard time not doing that. It’s hard for me to kind of create something that tells a story of something that I’m not experiencing or can’t relate to in some way — maybe I need to work on that storytelling aspect for the next era. But for now, I just had to get it all out as real as I could, and that is the world I exist in. In doing so, I got so many people being like, “Oh my god, this is the polyamorous anthem I’ve been looking for.”

@zeemachinemusic

I promise i’m only jealous enough to write a song about it…Should i drop it? 🤔 #popmusic #singing #dancemusic #indieartist

♬ Presave ANYONE BUT HIM by Zee Machine out MARCH 28 – ZEE MACHINE

Now that the EP’s been out for a month, how has the response been from fans?

It’s honestly been overwhelming, but also really validating in a lot of ways. You go through so much self-doubt creating this. There were moments where I was like, “This is stupid. I don’t know who I think I am, I don’t know why I think anyone cares.” And then I dropped a few of the songs leading up to it, and just seeing the way that people have related to this, or like the ways that people have interpreted it that I had never even really intended has been very, very cool. Like, for a song like “The Radio,” people will be like, “Oh, my husband died a year ago, and this is really bringing back memories of him.” And I’m like, that is not what this is about, but I’m happy that you can make it mean whatever you want it to!

I think people ran with “Good Boy” the way they did — you know, we want to be slutty sometimes! That was my truth at that moment. I was a month and a half post-breakup, and I just wanted to f*ck everything that moved.

I’ve actually found that “I’m In Love (With Everyone)” was a big hit on BookTok. People were like, “Here are all my imaginary boyfriends from different books I’ve read.” And I’m like, I haven’t read a book in years. So, all yours, girls!

@zeemachinemusic

If you’re a good boy (or girl or they) maybe i’ll drop the whole thing. 🥵🍑 #popmusic #dancemusic #singing #indieartist

♬ Presave GOOD BOY by ZEE MACHINE out Feb 15 – ZEE MACHINE

Speaking of TikTok, you’ve found a lot of viral success on that app. Do you enjoy the content creation side of your career?

Yes and no. It’s like a diamond prison. When it hits, it feels amazing. But every time I approach that new promotional era, when a new song’s about to come and I know I gotta gear up to make this hit, I am so nervous. You have no control over what is going to pop off, what’s gonna connect with people. 

It’s been a slow burn with some big moments there on TikTok. That’s felt like a really good way to build a solid base. And I really feel the tangible love from people there, and getting to look into their eyes — not in a creepy way, but on tour — that was a really special cornerstone moment for this whole journey so far.

Do you have a favorite song from CAN I BE HONEST…?

It changes a lot. I have a special place in my heart for “Heartbreakery,” just because it’s the longest song I’ve done in a while, and in an era of two-minute long songs, I dared to break the four-minute wall. Not that that’s anything like “whoa,” but I felt like a lot of my essence was in that one. It’s very straightforward. It takes its time. I speak in Mandarin on it.

Do you speak Mandarin? What inspired that choice?

I moved to Beijing when I was nine years old, and I lived there for nine years. I left — oh, I was about to give the year, but I want to keep my age a little mysterious. 

Yeah, I lived there from fourth grade until I graduated high school. So my Mandarin is a little rustier than it used to be, but I do speak it to some degree. There was no real reason to have it on there — I had about as much reason to do that as Lady Gaga did speaking fake German on “Scheiße.” And I love that, so I just felt like, why not? ♦

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Tickets to Zee Machine’s EP release party on August 17 in Los Angeles are available here, and CAN I BE HONEST…? is now streaming on all platforms.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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