Isa

ZAZ has been a household name in French music since her breakout 2010 hit "Je veux", a jazz-swinging folk ditty about doing things her way. More than a decade later, the singer-songwriter’s style of pop has only become more multifaceted. ZAZ peels away the layers on this fifth album, the title of which is an abbreviated nod to her real name, Isabelle Geffroy. On the peppy “Imagine", she dreams of a gentler world, brighter days and the possibility of writing one's own future, her voice fluttering over strummed guitar with world-weary abandon. "Ce que tu es dans ma vie" is a heartfelt and hopeful ode to her young stepdaughter set against a backdrop of piano, lightly plucked guitars and a minimal electronic beat. She shows her versatility on "Le jardin des larmes", teaming up with Rammstein singer Till Lindemann for an entrancingly theatrical waltz about a teary love affair. <i>Isa</i> may be ZAZ's most understated and vulnerable album, but it's uplifted by her irrepressible spirit.