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Interview with
ZORA
from
BLACKBRIAR

(20th August 2025)

Interview by Dave Bruce

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Photo – Abbey Bandphoto

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How did the band come together in 2012 in the Netherlands? Where did it all begin?
ZORA: It all began when René and I went to a Slash concert, where Halestorm was the support act. We had never heard of them before, but from the moment they stepped on stage, we were completely blown away. We looked at each other and thought, “This is what we need to do.”
At that time, we were already making music together, but in a very different style, more dark-pop. Seeing Halestorm inspired us to take a different path, and in fact, they’re the reason Blackbriar exists today. In the beginning, we tried to capture that same hard rock energy, but over time, our music evolved into something uniquely our own. You probably won’t hear those Halestorm influences in our songs anymore, but we’ll never forget the spark they gave us.

Briefly describe your journey to date.
ZORA: In the beginning, we spent a lot of time figuring out our style, recording our first songs with no budget, vocals in my bedroom closet,  and instruments between the boxes of René’s webstore job. We even moved back in with our parents for a few years to save up for equipment, mixing and mastering, and to fund our very first music video for Until Eternity, which unexpectedly went very well and gave us our first big opportunities, including opening for Epica. From there, we worked with producer Joost van den Broek, crowdfunded our debut album The Cause of Shipwreck in just 24 hours, and stayed proudly independent until signing with Nuclear Blast while keeping our DIY spirit. Since then, we’ve toured with bands like Kamelot, Epica, and played our first North American tour with Battle Beast, and now we’re about to release our third album and head out on our very first European headline tour.

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How would you describe your sound? Why do you think fans resonate with your music?
ZORA: Our label, Nuclear Blast, recently described our music as “atmospheric metal,” which I had never heard before, but I really liked it, it actually fits us very well. Creating a melancholic atmosphere has always been important to us, and it often shapes the writing process from the very beginning. For me, though, the lyrics always come first; that’s where my deepest passion lies. I’d like to think that’s also why listeners resonate with our music. I’ve read so many heartfelt stories in the comments, from people who found comfort, strength, or even a space to cry through our songs. It means the world to me that our music can be that for someone. Musically, we often describe our sound as symphonic and gothic, with that atmospheric layer tying everything together.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
ZORA: Over the years, I’ve drawn inspiration from many different artists. Kate Bush has always been a huge influence, and I also admire Lana Del Rey for the perfect sense of melancholy in her songs. The band In This Moment has inspired me a lot as well, and, lastly, I have to mention Taylor Swift, who I think is an incredible songwriter.

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Your latest single ‘A Last Sigh Of Bliss’ has just been released! What’s it all about? Describe its origin and evolution.
ZORA: A Last Sigh of Bliss is a song that needed to feel like an intoxicating, sultry fever dream. Like a bee drowning in honey, you know you’ll die, and yet, you ache for nothing more. You’re being completely under someone’s spell, and you completely let it intoxicate you. That’s what this song’s about. I got inspired by the scent of honeysuckle, which I smell every night during summertime in my garden, and I found inspiration in the last scene of our stand-alone single Moonflower. I remember started writing the first lines of this song while being on tour two years ago. I brought a little notebook and pen and started writing in my sleeping bunk on the tour bus, which makes this song the first one that I started writing on for this new album ‘A Thousand Little Deaths’.

Your new Album ‘A Thousand Little Deaths’ will be released this month! What are the signature tracks on the album, and which are your favourites to play live?
ZORA: The album title actually comes from the opening line of ‘Harpy’. When I wrote it, I immediately knew ‘A Thousand Little Deaths’ had to be the album title. In that sense, Harpy is definitely a signature track, even though musically it stands a little apart with its strong folky vibes. ‘Bluebeard’s Chamber’ also feels like a defining song, as it weaves together many myths and tales while carrying that dark, impending doom atmosphere that runs through the whole album. And finally, ‘Floriography’, our first single, really ties everything together. The music video is full of clues and Easter eggs that connect to the other songs, making it a perfect introduction to the world of this record.
For now, we’ve only played three of the singles live: ‘The Fossilized Widow’, ‘Floriography’, and ‘Harpy’. So, our favorite to play live is yet to be decided during our upcoming headline tour starting in October, but playing these three singles already fired us all up and made us look forward to playing it all live so much. I am looking forward to playing ‘The Catastrophe That Is Us’ live a lot, though.

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What tours and events are coming up? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
ZORA: Our first headline tour revolving around our new album is coming up! We’ll be touring through Europe with our special guest Forever Still. They are a band we’ve been looking up to since we started Blackbriar, and have been following their journey since then. So, to bring them with us on our first headline tour feels like the perfect fit for us, and we can’t wait to get on the road with them! And of course, of album will be out in only a couple of days while I am writing this. So, that’s pretty much what’s been on our minds a lot, the album and the accompanying tour. We’re still working on getting the tour to other parts of the world as well.

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why? 
ZORA: A collab with Lana Del Rey or Maria Brink would be absolutely amazing.

What are your long-term aspirations as a music artist and how are you progressing towards them?
ZORA: I’m not really someone who plans too far ahead. When a new creative idea comes to me, I throw myself into it completely, and I get a little obsessed, in the best way. Once a project is finished, I open myself up to fresh inspiration and see what captures me next. That’s how I keep moving forward: one passionate step at a time.

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With that in mind, what piece of advice would you give to an artist starting out?
ZORA: My advice would be: don’t try to be something you’re not. Let the things that spark your passion lead the way, even if they don’t look like what other people are doing. Comparison can be such a trap, but your authenticity is what makes your art powerful. If you stay true to yourself, the right people will connect with it.

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
ZORA: The best thing about performing live is seeing people sing along to our songs. The first time I experienced that, it hit me so deeply, it’s a feeling I’ll never forget. As for highlights, our North America tour stands out because we finally got to meet so many long-time fans as well as new ones, and it felt like such an important milestone. Playing at Wacken was also unforgettable; I had goosebumps on stage the whole time. But nothing compares to the feeling of playing our own headline shows. Knowing that every person in the room bought a ticket just to see us perform is the most unreal and rewarding feeling.

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Let’s finish with some quickfire questions:
What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
ZORA: I’m actually a bit of a wimp, to be honest, haha! I haven’t done very crazy things like throwing myself out of a flying plane, or anything like that. Getting to perform on stage, being an artist, is crazy and scary enough for me.
What is the one topic you can talk about for hours?
ZORA: I’ve been told that when I get into one of those obsessive, creative states, I can’t stop talking about the idea and discussing it.

Finally, let’s find out your favorites (current or all time) –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Currently Folklore by Taylor Swift
Artist – Kate Bush
Movie – Harry Potter
Place to visit – The French or Swiss Alps
Venue to play – Tivoli, Utrecht
Food – Cheese fondue
Drink – Rivella, or Gin & Tonic
Person in History – Emily Brontë
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?) I only have one, it’s the first letter of my sister’s name, and she has mine.

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BLACKBRIAR is:

Zora Cock – VOCALS
René Boxem – DRUMS
Bart Winters – GUITARS
Robin Koezen – GUITARS
Siebe Sol Sijpkens – BASS
Ruben Wijga – KEYS

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A Thousand Little Deaths
Track List

01. Bluebeard’s Chamber
02. The Hermit and the Lover
03. The Fossilized Widow
04. My Lonely Crusade
05. Floriography
06. The Catastrophe That is Us
07. A Last Sigh of Bliss
08. Green Light Across the Bay
09. I Buried Us 
10. Harpy 

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Follow BLACKBRIAR
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Spotify

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Press Release 5th July 2025 (below) HERE

BLACKBRIAR
release new single
‘Harpy’

+ New album
A THOUSAND LITTLE DEATHS 
is out on August 22nd

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AMNPLIFY – DB