Zoe Ko embraces club culture as the ultimate break-up remedy on infectious new single “Party girls don’t cry” — Interview
by amber bintliff
If you’re going through a life-altering breakup, it’s time to wipe those tears and hit the dance floor with Zoe Ko. The New york-raised, LA-based ALT-POP artist is back with her infectious new single “Party girls don’t cry” via Big Loud Rock. The empowering club-ready anthem is the ultimate reminder that your ex is nothing special and you’ll have a lot more fun when you start letting loose and living life on your own terms.
Since her 2022 debut, Ko has always USED HER MUSIC TO SHOW THAT chaos CAN heal. each song LEANs INTO HONEST ACCOUNTS OF HER LIVED EXPERIENCES, TRANSFORMing THE MESSIEST PARTS OF GIRLHOOD INTO SOMETHING CATHARTIC, RELATABLE AND FUN. “Party girls don’t cry” continues to reinforce this ethos as she mends her broken heart one wild night out at a time.
Ko sat down with Televised Magazine to share the story behind the single, how partying became the best medicine for heartbreak, biggest advice for anyone struggling with their own world-shattering breakups and more.
Your new single “Party girls don't cry” dropped on April 10th. Congratulations! Can you talk about the meaning behind the track and what inspired you to create it?
Oh, girl. Basically I went through truly the worst breakup in my life. That's not saying much because I only had one very simpleton little high school relationship before, but damn. It rocked me. It was just one of those situations where someone you truly think becomes someone they're absolutely not or someone you would never recognize in an instant.
It was just so shocking. [My ex boyfriend] basically had an affair for months at the end, both of them were other artists, with my ex best friend and his girl best friend. That went down and a whole bunch of other shit went down following and it was very life changing. I think it honestly happened for a reason because I'm a lot stronger and better now for it.
I wrote “Party girls don’t cry” right at the beginning of [the] suspicion of what's going on, but it kept morphing. I kept writing the song and we had various versions of it and everything. It very quickly became a hundred percent true to my life of what I was doing. First when we first broke up, it was a week and a half of me not knowing anything that had gone down so I was like, “Oh, this is like a normal breakup.” I was really confused, but it was a normal breakup.
I was fully doing the talking to my therapist, calling my friends every day, crying on my hands and knees. Then the girl invited me over and told me everything and then shit hit the fan because the news was out. Every mutual friend involved, both of their music teams were involved, everything just went insane.
Instead of journaling or crying in bed anymore, I just stopped crying. I think I went kind of numb, but I just went to the club every single night as much as I could. I got a literal ticket the next week, went to New York and stayed with my best friends and family there and literally went out clubbing so many times.
The very first night I met basically my ex's doppelganger, but he was French instead. I was like, okay, actually, this man is not special at all. He is just a guy and it's all fine and he is completely replaceable in one evening out of being a party girl. So, it was really just about that whole sensation of being out in the club and dancing my worries away and kissing total strangers. It was truly very, very healing—probably more healing than all of the therapy sessions combined.
Sometimes you need that reminder that he's just a guy.
Yes! It was fully like, I need this reminder right now that life keeps going. You can still have crazy stories, we're still young and hot and free. Even though it was really tragic, it's okay and I've survived and I'm sure some other guy can break my heart now, so it's fine.
What was your favorite part of the creative process for this song?
Honestly, this one was a bit tricky just because it had so many renditions and versions. Most of the lyrics and melody were all me, and that was really exciting. I've always been working with a lot of collaborators or definitely always another co-writer in the room. A few things were kept from the producer that I started with, but, in general, everything was fully just my words. That was really special to me about this song.
It was just me writing like 10 different versions of it in the notes page. Finally landing on the right story that I wanted to tell was really special. I mean, it's a banger. I love dancing to it. Hearing the different beats that we tried, I feel like I've heard of the 10 different remixes already, was pretty fun too. It was a little tricky finding the exact right one.
Once I started getting the right references, I referenced “I Love It” by Icona Pop and Charli XCX, then I was like, “Okay, wait, this is actually like the right direction. This is starting to feel the right feeling finally.” I was mainly just dancing for five hours when we were finally finishing it with the final producer.
it's a lot more of an in-your-face, club-ready banger compared to some of your previous work. How do you think you've grown as an artist since working on your last EP, not ur girlfriend, and how does this new era for you showcase that?
It has been such an interesting year. I was writing all this stuff, then the breakup happened, then got rid of all of that and started from scratch. I was really struggling as a writer and artist for the first six months after it all happened. Only very recently has it really started clicking.
It's been a lot of new sessions with a lot of new people so I feel like I've been all over the place in various cities really rediscovering myself and what instruments or sounds really inspire me or get me excited. I've always wanted to dance and still tell a relatable female experience and story so that has always stayed true. I think now it's just a little bigger banger club dance.
This one's kind of a fun one. If you could create a “Party, girls don't cry” inspired drink to order on a night out, what would you make and why?
I still feel like I drink like an 18-year-old trying drinking for the first time. I don't really like having cocktails. I'm truly a shots girl, get it done quick. If I'm holding the drink, then it's just spilling everywhere and that $20 drink is gone.
I love a mini cup, so a little mini glass cup. I also have such a sweet tooth. Maybe it's literally a shot with a tiny bit of grenadine and then topped with some edible glitter.
I love it. The edible glitter is such a perfect touch.
Yes! And then you have edible glitter on your lips.
This release was also accompanied by a music video, which shows you in constant motion with a boombox, glitter, and your iconic spiky bra on the streets of LA. Where did the concept for this video come from and how does it connect back to the meaning?
I was telling my team [about] the last year of my life or really me and my hot girl era. I think it was just really trying to tap into that. I felt like I was constantly moving, constantly dancing, constantly in some next outfit and I was probably dirtier than I should have been. A lot of my Spotify minutes went up way, way higher last year than any other year. It was just really a lot of playing music and dancing on the street and glitter and outfits that really got me through the last year of my life.
Maybe we could have done it in a party scene or something, but even when we talked about that, no matter what I still wanted it to be like this internal feeling. Even though “Party girls don’t cry” is a big party girl club song, it's still an internal experience of me in the club crying. I'm still going through that wiping the tears away thing. I think that's why we chose to only have me in the video to feel lo-fi and real. We referenced Skins a bit. Effy Stonem has been a north star for me, always, but even more now.
Your music is no stranger to going viral online with “DIRT” and “Lovesick In Public” currently both standing at over 3 million Spotify streams after previously blowing up on TikTok. What's the craziest part of watching songs you create connect with people on these platforms and take on a life of their own?
I'm always surprised at what grabs people. I'll just write some lyrics or something and I don't think much of it. And then that's, all of a sudden, the lyric that's the most polarizing or people are like, “Oh my God, what does she mean?” I love it. I think it's really special because obviously all of us feel it.
When you do hear a song that just really calls to some hidden part of you, you really have an association and era in your mind of yourself attached with that song. I think seeing that process happen for especially younger fans and girls, that's really special for me.
It's crazy that you still have that impact with each release, which is really cool to see. One thing I love about your work as well is how creative you are besides the music. You often design your own outfits and you even made a zine for the not ur girlfriend release. What's the most fulfilling part of finding these different ways to keep your artistry fresh and unique?
I feel like I'm always doing something creative at all times. It's really fulfilling to be able to use all of those tiny hobbies and interests that I've definitely not mastered and tie them into this whole world, help it build out the world and make it some exclusive merch. I love making jewelry. I'll make jewelry merch, or now I'm into nails so doing these custom press-on sets for fans or friends has been so fun.
I just did a set and sent it off yesterday. Someone asked for a party girl custom set. That was really fun. I just love that. All my little interests can fully tie into the world and help build it out. I definitely think my ADHD needs it as well.
Do you have any words of advice for the future party girls out there who may be going through their own life altering breakup?
Well, I saY that bad people can come into your life and do their worst, but we are always so much stronger than we think we are. Go outside and keep living life. Don't let anyone drag you down.
I always told myself, give it two weeks. If you feel really the same about something two weeks later, maybe look into it. But usually even if you're still hung up over this one thing, give it another set of two weeks and then you're okay. I felt like every two weeks was a good marker for getting a little closer to the next step or the next healing phase.
Just have fun and don't stay inside. I think everyone will curl up in bed. I definitely did that for a little bit too and you need a little bit of it, but just keep living.
You're playing a show on April 15th supporting Ella Red at the Echo in LA. What are you most excited about for this show and getting back out on stage this year?
I feel like every iteration of time that passes and every new era, the show morphs a lot. I'm really happy with the costumes that I feel like we can get into. I can't wait to really lock in with my friend who made this last Lollapallooza costume. Asta [Razma] did the jacket and a few other pieces for Icona Girl at the time. I'm excited to make maybe two or three new staple looks and go bigger, better and campier with that.
I've never played “Party girls don't cry” live so that's exciting. I love testing songs, even though “Party girls don’t cry” is out, it really matters how a crowd will react to songs. It’s always exciting when you have a new final song in the set. Finally, I think it replaced “DIRT” at the end. I miss talking to actual people who listen or new listeners. I just miss it. I miss being on the road and all the silly stories and insane experiences.
I'm excited for you to finally get back out there. What can people expect to see from this new era of Zoe Ko?
Oh my God, honestly, I don't know! More vulnerability. I think the sound is bigger and more fun and dancey and a lot more glitter. I feel more free so everything will feel more free and exciting.
Anything else you'd like to add before we wrap up?
New music video, new song, come to my show. Maybe new other shows!
