ZAE steps out of the shadows with the R&B-inspired pop of “F.W.U.”

“F.W.U.” is more in tune with the summery sounds of ZAE’s debut, “Like Honey”, which saw her effortlessly sweet vocal drizzled over hazy electronics. The new single finds ZAE dancing to the same beat as fellow R&B-inspired pop queens Jessie Ware and AlunaGeorge, with layered choral vocals providing a contrast to her cut-glass lead, the clarity and precision of which provide the track’s lynchpin.

"I wrote this song about the reluctance I sometimes feel when sharing something personal with new people,” she explains. “It’s easier to hide certain things about yourself rather than be open and deal with the fact that the other person might not react the way you want them to. But in the end, when you have pride in who you are, the right people gravitate to that and you realise that you don’t owe anyone an explanation."