With her strong, soulful voice and evocative, jazzy songs, Zsela stands out in the crowded scene of NYC songwriters. Her delicate debut track Noise (whose video we are streaming below) presents us with a sparse ballad full of poetry, led by vocals reminiscent of a more soulful Joni Mitchell from her early records. The lyrics tell a heart-wrenching story of the little things left behind after a failed love affair, leaving the listener with a sense of failed intimacy and emotional struggle Zsela evokes both through her lyrics and her vocal delivery. The Brooklyn native is currently on tour in North America with indie rock singer-songwriter Cat Power, stopping in New York, Canada, and Western America over the span of three months. See her live at Baby’s All Right on September 16. – Karigan Wright