Zara Taylor – Cover – Issue 052 – Zone Magazine –

Words By Sheriyar Asad  

Photos By Kyril Markov

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Celebrated as a chart-topping vocalist with a global footprint, Zara Taylor’s ethereal vocals have been the heartbeat of the global EDM scene for over two decades. Hailing from British Columbia, Canada, Zara’s exploration through the rhythmic landscapes of EDM has been nothing short of extraordinary.

​Standing at the precipice of the next chapter of her musical career, Zara has just released her highly anticipated full-length album. This “best of” collection serves as a retrospective of her remarkable journey, featuring songs written over her 20-year career. The album will have listeners dancing around the globe. Featuring some of Zara’s favourite collaborations, celebrating cultures spanning the Middle East, Asia, Western and Eastern Europe, this album is made up of a multitude of EDM genres. The Best of Zara Taylor is comprised of 22 original songs, predominantly classic, uplifting and Balearic trance, with a few progressive house tracks. The common threads in each song are COMPASSION, TRUTH and HOPE, where dark meets light, with LOVE as the only compass.

“This album is a collection of songs I’ve written over my 20-year career. Sounds of uplifting trance from the clubs of Ibiza to the lounges of chill house on the rooftops of Turkey. Each song on the album is like an aural photograph of my heart space; capturing a moment in time along my journey. After two decades of releasing only singles to the world, I am thrilled to finally have a body of work under one title. This is, in my opinion, ‘The Best of Zara Taylor – thus far.”

Zara found her voice in the realm of EDM in 2006 while residing in Montreal, QC. Teaming up with DJ Sultan (of Sultan + Shepard), she quickly captured international recognition with mesmerizing tracks like “No Why,” “Be With You,” and the official remix of “Let’s Get Physical.”

However, it was her collaboration with Roger Shah (aka Sunlounger), that thrust Zara into the stratosphere of EDM acclaim. Their transcendent anthem “Lost” soared to the summits of the Beatport charts, reigning as #1 not once, but thrice – in 2008, 2010, and its resplendent 10-year anniversary in 2018. With over 16 million streams on Spotify, the track has garnered accolades like the prestigious title of No.1 trance song of the year on asot radio in 2008 and in 2023 was voted by over 40 million listeners as one of their best trance songs of all time.

Zara spent nearly a decade touring over 30 countries, leaving an indelible mark on stages worldwide. However, amidst the whirlwind of performances and accolades, she decided to step away from the spotlight to embrace another facet of life’s journey – motherhood. Transitioning seamlessly from stage to studio, Zara’s passion for music remained unwavering. In 2017, she partnered with Black Octopus Sound to offer vocal sample packs, empowering producers worldwide to weave her enchanting melodies and profound lyrics into their songs. This allowed her to expand her reach and stay connected to her devoted fanbase. Zara has been featured on hundreds of songs, amassing over 150 million views on YouTube alone, and appears on hundreds of EDM compilation albums worldwide. Remixes featuring Zara are released daily, an affirmation of her legacy as one of the most sought-after EDM vocalists of our time.

In a world pulsating with rhythm, Zara Taylor remains the heartbeat of EDM evolution, her voice echoing through the ages, igniting passion on dancefloors worldwide.

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What first sparked your passion for singing, and at what age did you realize music was more than just a hobby?

When I was a child I idolized some of the great female voices of the late 80’s, like Whitney Houston and Celine Dion. I wanted to have a powerful voice like them, because when they sang it made me feel something inside – it moved me. I didn’t have many friends growing up and so I would sit in my bedroom and listen to music all day, every day, and just sing my heart out. It wasn’t until I signed my first record with DJ Sultan that I realized maybe I have a career in music.

Who were your biggest musical influences growing up, and how have they shaped the artist you are today?

Aside from Whitney and Celine, Madonna had a huge impact on me in the 80’s and 90’s. When I first started recording with DJ Sultan I remember him saying he could hear Madonna’s influence in my voice. I think as a child I wanted to be like Madonna, but as an adult I wanted to emulate artists like Sade – more mellow and soulful. I think I’ve achieved that, as I’m not a pop singer but known for my heart-centered melodic and downtempo EDM.

Can you walk us through your creative process when writing or recording a new song? Do you start with lyrics, melody, or emotion?

Great question. It always begins with emotion for me. The emotion I feel when listening to a song usually inspires the melody or lyrics next. Usually a producer will send me an instrumental idea and I’ll sit with it on repeat, often singing intuitively along with it until I really like an idea I’ve come up with. Once I hear something that I like I’ll start building on it until I have a finished song. This process can take hours, days, sometimes months…but once in a while I’ll write a complete song in 15 min, like “Lost”. In these moments I don’t feel I can take any credit – it just feels like a gift from the heavens and I’m but a vessel bringing the message to the world.

What’s the most challenging part of being a female singer in the music industry today, and how do you navigate it?

I can only speak to my personal experience and it was much different in my 20’s than how I’m experiencing it now in my early 40’s. Sadly, at a time when my career was taking off with “Lost” reaching the #1 Trance song in the world (2008), I had been abused by many different men in a variety of ways. Because of this I didn’t trust men and I was very closed off and suspicious of men’s intentions including some of my music colleagues. I also had no support to help guide me through difficult career choices. At this time the EDM industry was dominated by men and I felt extremely vulnerable as a young woman in the scene. I was back then the 2nd female vocalist ever to get a solo record deal with Armada. Looking back I don’t think I made the best business decisions because I was too afraid and thought everyone was using me or would try hurt me in some way. Thankfully, I don’t feel that way now. As a married woman and mother of two with a 20 year career under my belt I have a lot more confidence, trust in my self, my intuition and wisdom and so I feel much more prepared and supported than I ever have before.

Which song of yours means the most to you personally, and why? Is there a story behind it?

Thats a tough question, like “pick your favorite child”. Haha!

Each song has meant something different and has been special in its own way. Of course “Lost” was a song that changed my life. I wrote it at a time of deep despair and the feeling I had obviously connected with millions of others feeling the same emptiness. For those who have listened intently to the lyrics, this is a song about losing faith in God and ultimately coming home to God – “just let your fears go, you might find your way back home, just let your fears go, you might find that you’re not lost”. I think often about this song and how it represents for me “faith” and how God has a reason and a season for everything…even when we feel lost, it’s a part of a bigger plan and we just need to remember to trust that plan, even when we don’t know how it will all unfold. Never in a million years did I think this song could touch so many hearts – so much beauty came from so much despair. Wow!

Another massive track that was meant to be born and has become one of my all time favorites is “Try To Be Love”. I wrote this song for the people, to help others come back to their heart center and to prioritize love and kindness in a greedy and materialistic world. I believe songs like this are timeless because the message remains relevant and we need a release from all the pain and suffering in the world. Music and dancing has this incredible gift of healing so when we match the lyrics and the beats to the hearts of the people it can be deeply powerful. This is how I believe we can change the world.

My newest favorite song and possibly one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written is coming out May 15th 2026 and it’s called “Fractions Of Light” with Aurosonic. I originally wrote it about my father who lives on the other side of the world from me for the past 20 years, but when I recorded it I was mostly singing it for my Mother who has been fighting for her life, struggling with severe illness. This song is deeply spiritual for me and it’s about our souls carrying on after the body dies. It’s about the infinite love we have for one another.

If you could collaborate with any artist (dead or alive), who would it be and what kind of song do you imagine making together?

I think it would be super cool to collaborate with Giorgia Angiuli and write a spiritual EDM track. She’s crazy talented and I love all her experimentation’s with different sounds and instruments. I’ve never met her but it feels from her posts that we both approach music from our heart center and with a similar goal – to help heal.

How do you handle criticism or negative comments about your voice, performances, or image?

It’s never easy to be criticized but music and art is subjective so I don’t take it too much to heart. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I know I’m not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. My own brother whom I’m close with thinks my music is cheesy, haha. It’s ok, I don’t always love his choices in music either. That’s life. It only really hurts when people’s comments get personal, like when someone you never met is attacking your humanity or character and saying things that aren’t true. That’s just cruel and uncalled for. At the end of the day we have to look ourselves in the mirror and so it doesn’t matter how many fans follow you on your socials or comment how much they love you, if you don’t love yourself and if you don’t think you did your best work then you’ll never believe the critics – good or bad. At the end of the day we create our own reality with how we feel about ourselves inside.

What’s one piece of advice you wish you had received when you were just starting out as a singer?

Fall in love with the process, not the end result. And be disciplined – the more you put in, the more you’ll get out.

How has your music evolved from your early days to now? What has changed in your sound or songwriting?

I am a very spiritual and romantic person and I have always been driven by emotion and love. I think my music has always represented this but the spirituality is now becoming a bit more prominent in my music, whereas before it was more of a hidden message. This is most apparent in my next single “Fractions Of Light”.

What’s the most memorable or surreal moment you’ve experienced in your music career so far?

In 2008 I sang “Lost” on NYE with Armin Van Buuren at the L.A Sports Arena for over 60,000 people. I think I blacked out. That was definitely a pinch me moment in my life.

However, last year, after having been on a 10yr + hiatus from touring I returned to the stage to sing my first full solo performance in Romania. I stepped onto that stage and sang my biggest hits and it just felt different. I have never felt more grounded, confident or complete as a woman. That’s the beauty of your 40’s – you know who you are and what you bring, and I no longer needed to be heard…I wanted to be felt.

How do you balance your personal life with the demands of touring, recording, and being in the spotlight?

It’s not easy to balance family life and being an artist. Luckily my husband is also a professional musician and so we fully support each other and understand the struggles that come with being in the industry. We take turns looking after the home and kids when the other is recording or on the road. It comes down to truly honoring and respecting each other’s needs as artists and individuals. We also take time to do special things together and as a family – we have both learned in the past that it can become very lonely and detrimental to the relationship if you don’t make memories together, so to include each other in our journey is as important as having our autonomy. We are each other’s greatest cheerleaders and that’s why it works.

If you weren’t a singer, what other career path do you think you would have pursued?

I would have been a professional dancer…maybe in my next life.

What message or emotion do you hope listeners take away from your music?

My prayer is for my music to heal people’s hearts…whether that’s to mend what’s broken, or to crack it wide open with Love so that we may all embody our divine purpose and reach our God given potential.

What’s next for you — any upcoming projects, tours, or new music that you’re excited about?

I am just really excited for “Fractions Of Light” to come out on May 15th 2026. I have a lot of other finished tracks and collaborations in the queue.

What’s one fun or surprising fact about yourself that most fans wouldn’t know?

I am a Holistic Massage Practitioner and Reiki Master. I like to help others heal with my hands and my voice.

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