Zsela is an artist who grew up in Brooklyn and now operates from Los Angeles, the daughter of Marc Anthony Thompson of Chocolate Genius and the half-sister of film star Tessa Thompson. She has been making music for a long period, moving along the outer edges of the industry and collaborating with artists like A$AP Rocky and Actress. Her debut album Big For You arrived in 2024, and she is poised to follow it with a new record titled The Party early next year.
So far, Zsela hasn’t revealed a lot of specifics about The Party. The project comprises nine tracks, yet the tracklist she shared today appears largely redacted. What is known is that it will feature breezy, Blood Orange–tinged pop-soul that refracts glossy ’80s adult-contempo tones through a contemporary lens.
Zsela co-wrote and co-produced her new single “Real Romantic” with Zack Sekoff, a collaborator who has also worked with Tinashe and Dijon, and the pair previously joined forces on “Kinda Guy,” which was released last month. Zsela and Sekoff produced the entire album together, much of it in what a press release describes as “a makeshift studio.” Both singles project the same expansive, comfortable mood, suggesting the full LP will offer luxurious, vibe-forward material. Listen to both below.
The Party is out 2/19 on Nice Life. Zsela will perform 11/19 at LA’s 2220 Arts + Archives.
