Hear Indo-American Artist ZZ’s ‘Anthem for the Night’ “XO”

New Delhi-bred Indo-American hip-hop artist ZZ aka Zefaan Kanwar has served up a party bop with assistance from Lil Littlez and Thorii on his latest single “XO.” In it, the young rapper beckons to a girl despite his stresses and messes.

The artist says in a statement, “‘XO’ is a song about desire that exudes energy.” He’s joined by regular collaborator (and family) Lil Littlez aka Sohail Kanwar on vocals and another go-to artist, Lesotho-bred singer and songwriter Thorii aka Rethabile Tsikoane, for what is described as an “anthem for the night.”

The result is consistent with ZZ’s previous records, all part of a prolific run ever since he released his debut album Degenerates in mid-2020. That year also saw the release of his second album Supervillainz, followed by a slew of singles like “The Broken Hearts Club” and “Move” amongst others, all through 2021. ZZ says about his creativity, “Honestly, I just rely on the music and the visuals. I feel like my fans know me and my vibe. I’m very versatile and I just go with what I’m feeling. Different ideas come to me at different moments and I just ride with it. My aesthetic stays the same but overall the fans get something new and fresh every time naturally.”

Both albums, as well as other singles, have brought ZZ and Lil Littlez together. “Me and Lilz feed off each other. He gets me hyped. He’s a dope artist and I can’t wait for both of us to go up together,” ZZ says.

While there’s no doubt of the good helping of privilege that helps ZZ make his music, he also agrees that “everything has opened up for everyone” when it comes to Indian-origin artists making a mark in the U.S. music industry. “The world is accepting some kid in India aka me making music like this because the music is fire and I know what I’m doing. I’m always gonna [represent] my country and culture and introduce people to something new,” he adds.

That new material includes an album called Ghost and “XO” is the first of two singles off the album. “One more [song] to go, then the album,” he adds.

Listen to “XO” below. Stream on more platforms here.