Nika Roza Danilova was raised in Merrill, Wisconsin, on over 100 acres of forest. Danilova started singing early on, buying voice lesson tapes and opera sheet music at the age of 7; soon she began working with a vocal coach. It was not her parents' idea: "I begged them to do it. For some reason, I really wanted to sing opera even though I wasn't really exposed to it as a kid. I think my little baby toddler mind heard some opera song and then became fixated on how powerful it sounded," she later remembered. Danilova started performing opera when she was 10 years old, but experienced serious psychological difficulties. "I would too often lose my voice before performances due to anxiety, and was so hard on myself. I would beat myself up about any imperfections or flaws in my voice. I was such a perfectionist, and my voice was still so young so it couldn't do everything I wanted it to, and I resented myself for that. But since performing as Zola Jesus it's been getting easier," she later recalled.
In her teens, Danilova started to experiment in a more rock-orientated format. By naming her alter ego after Jesus Christ and the French writer Émile Zola she said she consciously wanted to alienate peers. "It worked perfectly – a lot of people wouldn't even say Zola Jesus because they thought it was sacrilegious", she said in an interview. "Using Jesus in my name isn't necessarily supposed to be a strong statement. I respect religion and I know people do need it, but it's a weird phenomenon in our world. It's so weird," she later commented. Inspired by favorites like Ian Curtis, Lydia Lunch, Diamanda Galás, Throbbing Gristle and Swans (but also bubblegum pop and classical aria), she started to record at home, using keyboards, drum machines and "anything else she had on hand". In 2008 she debuted with singles "Poor Sons" on Die Stasi and "Soeur Sewer" on Sacred Bones Records.
In 2009, while still studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Zola Jesus recorded (in her apartment) and released her debut full-length album The Spoils. The sound was in a certain way dependent on her surroundings. "I usually record in the winter because I am holed up. It's cold outside but warm inside with the heater and blankets. A lot of the songs are cold but in the coldness you find warmth. Winter has a lot to do with it.
Zola Jesus released an EP titled Stridulum in 2010, described as her most melodic work to date. Inspired by the Giulio Paradisi 1979 film of the same name, it marked "a huge leap forward in terms of fidelity and accessibility." After the release Zola Jesus performed at the SXSW festival, for her second time. Her second full-length album Stridulum II, which was an extension of the EP regarded as a debut in the UK, received 8/10 from NME which praised Danilova's classically trained voice as "the deadliest weapon in her arsenal" and called the album a "dark masterpiece."
Zola Jesus' third full-length Conatus was released in late September 2011 via Sacred Bones. The album's 11 tracks were produced by Brian Foote (aka Nudge; Jackie-O Motherfucker, Cloudland Canyon) and Danilova herself, including elements of cello, double bass, violin, and viola.
Zola Jesus has played with Former Ghosts and toured in support of Fever Ray and The xx. She also provides guest vocals on "New France" from their 2012 album Wonky.
Manifest Destiny
Zola Jesus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So what am I supposed to do?
What am I supposed to do?
I only know one place where I have to be
And it's gotta be with you
It's gotta be with you
I'm on my way now
I'm on my way now
You gotta help me out
You gotta make it out for me
You gotta make it out for me
How could we survive?
Yeah just think about
Think about the kids
Just let your spear arrive
Yeah don't worry about
Don't worry about the rest
There is a fire that burns on my tongue
So what can I ever do?
What can I ever do?
I see the calm that you feel and your love
And I wanna feel it too
I wanna feel it too
I will find you, oh I will find you
So you gotta help me out
You gotta help me out
You gotta make it out for me
You gotta make it out for me
Oh ooh
How could we survive?
Yeah just think about
Think about the kids
Just let your spear arrive
Yeah don't worry about
Don't worry about the rest
How could we survive?
Yeah just think about
Think about the kids
Just let your spear arrive
Yeah don't worry about
Don't worry about the rest
The lyrics to Zola Jesus's song "Manifest Destiny" are those of yearning and desperation to be with someone. The opening lines of "I don't have a reason to go back home, so what am I supposed to do?" express a feeling of being lost and unsure of what to do next without the presence of the person they desire. The singer then goes on to state that there is only one place where they need to be, and that is with the intended person. The repeated chant of "I'm on my way now" drives the point that the person is taking actions to be with the one they desire.
The second verse on the song shifts toward a more optimistic tone. The lyrics "How could we survive? Think about the kids, just let your spear arrive, yeah don't worry about the rest" indicates a desire to build a future and leave their worries in the past. The singer is focused on creating a family unit with their loved one and is more than willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. The line, "I see the calm that you feel and your love, and I wanna feel it too" expresses a sense of longing and desire to share in the feeling of security and comfort that the loved one seems to possess.
Overall, "Manifest Destiny" presents a story of someone who is willing to go to great lengths to be with their loved one. The lyrics convey a strong sense of urgency and the need for the other person to help them achieve their goal of being together.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't have a reason to go back home
I don't have any purpose in returning home
So what am I supposed to do?
What is my next step?
What am I supposed to do?
What is the plan?
I only know one place where I have to be
I only have one place to go
And it's gotta be with you
I need to be with you
I'm on my way now
I'm coming now
So you gotta help me out
Can you assist me?
You gotta help me out
I need your help
You gotta make it out for me
You need to show me the way
You gotta make it out for me
Tell me what to do
How could we survive?
What are our chances of survival?
Yeah just think about
Consider
Think about the kids
Remember the children
Just let your spear arrive
Allow yourself to succeed
Yeah don't worry about
Do not fret
Don't worry about the rest
Ignore everything else
There is a fire that burns on my tongue
I have strong feelings about something
So what can I ever do?
What actions can I take?
What can I ever do?
How can I help?
I see the calm that you feel and your love
I recognize your peace and affection
And I wanna feel it too
I desire to experience it as well
I will find you, oh I will find you
I will locate you
Oh ooh
An expression of emotion
Contributed by Gianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.