Advertisement
ZAUNTEE - The PRELUDE TourHip-Hop / Rap
Doors 7pm / Show 8pm *See our bag policy [https://neighborhoodtheatre.com/venue/]*
Tickets: $18 adv/$20 dos (plus sales tax and service fee) *Advance tickets are available online only*
18+ Valid ID required for entry into venue / Under 18 permitted with parent (Accepted forms of ID: State Issued ID or Driver's License, Military ID, Passport.)
Zauntee soundtracks the comeback nobody expected. He writes anthems meant to be played in the moment when it seems like all hope is lost. Amplified by a gritty flow, bluesy inflection, and uncontainable light, his hybrid of hip-hop, gospel, alternative, and rock is the sound of wiping the tears from your eyes, dusting yourself off, and stepping back into the ring for another round.
This is stadium music that you can’t help but sing along to.
That unstoppable spirit is why he’s quietly attracted a fervent fanbase, affectionately dubbed “Zealots,” generated tens of millions of streams, and earned major co-signs. It’s also why he’s bound to inspire on a series of 2024 singles for Power Circle / Atlantic Records and much more to come.
“I want to show you that you have to be different in order to make a difference,” he states. “You have to stand up and stand out to impact the world around you. This is for the underdogs who know they can be champions. This is for the outcasts and the outsiders. If you don’t have anywhere else you feel like you belong, welcome home.”
As the oldest of seven kids, he always felt at home in the embrace of his family. Born in Denver, he spent the first few years of his life in Michigan before settling in Florida. Dad grinded to support them with a bevy of jobs, and mom homeschooled the kids. Both parents also devoted themselves to ministry, giving back as much as possible. Music always spoke to Zauntee. His most formative experiences ranged from drumming on pots and pans to singing at full blast in the living room (home videos back this up!). At the age of five, he started piano lessons. By fourteen-years-old, he taught himself how to produce and cook up beats through countless YouTube tutorials. Meanwhile, he listened to everyone from U2, Switchfoot, and Bob Marley to XXXTENTACION. Despite excelling in sports, he recognized his calling. “Any free moment in high school was devoted to music,” he smiles.
Despite no shortage of encouragement and support back home, he often struggled to fit in with peers on the basketball court and in his local social circle. His attempt to win “friends” didn’t fulfill him either.
“Like every other kid, I wanted to be accepted,” he goes on. “Since I was raised to follow God, there were times when I was left out. I didn’t want to feel that pain, so I began compromising who I was. When I got to senior year, my mom found out how I was moving and she was like, ‘In ten years, you won’t know these people. You’ll have Jesus to lean on when you’re ready for an answer. They don’t have an answer, and you’re watching them drown.’ It was a life raft. I realized instead of following them I could’ve been trying to help them.”
This intent underscored his music. As the story goes, he needed “a set closer” for a New Year’s Eve show in Orlando. At 3:34am, he woke up with the melody for what would become “God Taught Me.” He tracked the song in his room and officially released it shortly thereafter. It eventually achieved viral impact, gathering over 10.9 million Spotify streams and adorning his 2020 full-length debut, 3:34. He went as hard as possible, performing countless underground gigs and building an audience one fan at a time. 2022’s The Stonebrook Project yielded the likes of “Jesus Called My Name,” “Oxygen,” and “BackFromTheDEAD.” Maintaining this momentum, he kickstarted 2024 with the 20-track We Already Won. Hailed as “Triumphant” by RapZilla, the standout “Hard Work God First” reeled in 3.3 million Spotify streams followed by “God Had Other Plans” with 2.2 million Spotify streams. He left his imprint on culture with social media plugs by everyone from Kevin Gates to B. Simone, while UFC superstar Bryce Mitchell chose “God Had Other Plans” for a ring walk. Buzzing throughout the game on his own terms, Zauntee caught the attention of Atlantic Records and inked a deal with the label.
“With everything I do, I want to wave a flag so everyone feels like they’re a part of this,” he goes on. “I make music for God and for the people.”
The single “Light On me” lives up to this ambition. The voices of a choir resound as a stomping beat sets the tempo. Zauntee’s breathless cadence weighs heavy on the production as he affirms, “My soul got some battle scars, but I never sold it. A light shines better when the vessel is broken.” As bells toll and guitar wails, he locks into a call-and-response with the choir, “Keep your light on me.”
In the end, Zauntee is about to shine his light worldwide.
“When you listen to me, I want you to know that you matter,” he leaves off. “I hope you feel empowered to chase what you’re called to chase. I want this to be fuel for you. On stage, I always say, ‘You have stories only you can tell and gifts you can only give. Your survival is proof to someone else they can make it’. That’s the core message of who I am. I’m the underdog who’s going to show you it’s possible to win.
Any win that’s mine is yours.”
Advertisement
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
511 E. 36th St. Charlotte NC 28205-1103, 511 E 36th St, Charlotte, NC 28205-1103, United States,Charlotte, North Carolina
Tickets