With a successful debut, Zane is currently sitting with one EP, various singles, and a newly released album titled Do Not Stand At My Grave that features 7 songs to an already sizable discography. A concept album that contrasts life and death through songs ranging from light and happy to darker more moody tones. “Everything has a spot,” he further describes, “There's a reason for how it all goes together.” However when it comes to creating an album, Zane emphasises that, “There is no right way to make an album, it’s just whatever comes naturally.” When asked about a favourite song on the album there was hesitance, as anyone would have after working tirelessly on the entire project as a whole. “Probably ‘Parachute’ as it was the most fun one to make when I think back, and I was the most hyped when I finished that one,” he answers proudly.
With a large support system around Zane already, it would be hard to find someone who does not support him thus far. With this only being the beginning, there is still much planned for the future of Zane’s career and personal life. To those following the same journey or only just starting, “Take your time on projects that you think are worth putting out,” Zane states. If you are ever feeling in a creative rut, “Keep putting things out even if you know you will make something better the next time,” because, “The only way to get better is to keep making things.” Emphasising that a positive outlook will only lead to positive outcomes.
Although Zane has become proficient in teaching himself many skills, school was never his friend. “Middle school was a rough time,” Zane explains, “I had a lot of learning issues, and just hated school so much.” Having troubles learning within the public school system at a young age caused him to leave in order to find other schools that would be the right fit, which ended up being a worthwhile decision. “I was an entirely different person when I started highschool, I had no trouble learning or doing school ever again, aside from still hating it.”
In an attempt to reconcile with school once more, remained what it was, an attempt. While attending post secondary to study music, Zane knew instantly that it was not for him. “The first week or two into the program I wanted to drop out,” he explains, but it wasn’t until an offer to travel to Los Angeles to work with longtime musical inspiration (Oscar aka “Panda Eyes”), solidified that decision. “I got really lucky that the timing worked out for going to L.A. right after I dropped out cause I think I still would have dropped out anyway.” Once landed, taking shifts on Oscar’s computer creating music filled the duration of the trip. A dynamic that would only develop a deeper connection that would lead to multiple collaborations, including an original song with Panda Eyes titled “Can’t Move” which currently sits at over a million streams on Spotify.
Learning to figure things out on his own is something that Zane has done since a child. Describing how music lessons, “never worked out,” in his opinion because he was wanting to mess around and come up with his own stuff. The dissatisfaction in learning how to play pre-existing songs only left an emptiness that his growing creativity could satisfy. “If you just figure things out on your own,” Zane explains, “You naturally start learning how to play more and more.”
To this day, Zane’s process is always about making do with what you got. From producing music out of a countryside RV for 6 months straight, to learning how to set up a fleshed out bedroom studio in Toronto. There is nothing that is stopping Zane from making the music that he is wanting to make. “My bedroom is the most professional place I’ve made stuff,” he says with a smile, “I’ve just always done it that way.” As a result of moving constantly, Zane has had to pack and unpack equipment and make studios in the spaces that were provided. Ultimately leaving no need for the artist to have to step foot into a large studio.
When it comes to being an independent artist, having the right mindset is key. It is easy to get slowed down by the many blockades and excuses in which your mind creates. These mental shortcomings can often lead to the downfall of many artists who are travelling on the same creative path. It is important to take advantage of what you have instead of searching for something else because in reality, you don’t need good stuff to make good art. Ultimately, the tools that artists may need, could be right in front of them. For instance, most people would use a Playstation microphone to solely talk to friends or to roast other online players. For Mindy, this was the only obtainable device to record music back in 2015. “Everything was done in the most incorrect way of recording music,” he states, as he describes, wrapping the gaming mic around a Yamaha keyboard and recording directly into Audacity. Three minute loops played by hand, either memorised or freestyled, opened possibilities of exploration to what could be created in the future. Originally creating instrumental music and posting solely on Soundcloud under his real name, Zane Zwicker. Creative growth slowly allowed Zane’s music to incorporate vocals and to change his stage name to the name given to his childhood cat, Mindy.
INTERVIEWED IN 2022 BY DYLAN LORRIMAN
WRITTEN BY: DYLAN LORRIMAN
PHOTOS BY: BRIANA LEUNG
STYLED BY: DYLAN LORRIMAN
MINDY
