2023 Alumna Releases Original Song to Streaming Platforms

Class of 2023 alumna and current New York University student Jennifer Zou has taken her songwriting talents to the next level as her original song, More Than Friends, is now available on streaming platforms.

“I am so happy that I can continue with my musical aspirations, and this song is the most satisfying piece I had completed in the first semester,” said Jennifer. “It narrates a relationship that goes beyond friendship, but falls short of being romantic. The style of the song is influenced by one of my favorite singer/songwriters and NYU Music Technology graduate, Lauv, as his music style is poppy with catchy melodies and strong rhythms.”

In the summer of 2022, Jennifer had the opportunity to participate in a two-week Songwriting Workshop at New York University where she connected and collaborated with fellow musicians. It was in the workshop that she became certain she wanted to attend NYU and major in songwriting as she loved the sincere and profound atmosphere. 

“One distinctive aspect of NYU Songwriting, unlike other purely music-focused colleges, is that NYU is a comprehensive university,” said Jennifer. “This allows students to interact with excellent resources and build relationships with individuals from various disciplines, providing more opportunities for personal and artistic growth.”

The path from composition to release began in late October 2023 as Jennifer played the unfinished sample track for her professor, who immediately liked the melody and rhythm of the song. Over the next two weeks, she was inspired to complete the song and began working on re-recording the vocals in the studio and the final mixing. Despite its simple arrangement, Jennifer noted that the song comprises 44 audio tracks and 10 tracks for the drum production. The song was officially released on Dec. 29, 2023, to Spotify and Apple Music.

As Jennifer continues her education and musical exploration at New York University, she said she hopes to delve more into the business side of the industry. In the future, she would like to create a platform that connects musicians in New York with other creatives such as filmmakers, photographers, designers, dancers, composers, music engineers, and more with the goal of facilitating collaboration and resource-sharing.

During her time at Hamden Hall, Jennifer was a member of the Upper School Band where she played keyboard. In her senior year served as the leader of the Jazz Band. She attributes her growth in music and songwriting to Instrumental Music Director Melissa Hudson noting that her constant support and assistance had been a tremendous source of encouragement. She further elaborated that Ms. Hudson would listen to any new material she wrote and provide opportunities for her to perform at school including the Winter and Spring Concerts and Coffee Houses.

Click here to listen to More Than Friends on Spotify and Click here for Apple Music. The song has officially hit over 100,000 listeners on NetEase Music, one of the biggest and most popular Chinese music streaming platforms.