J Hacha De Zola Premieres His “A Day In Secaucus, New Jersey” Music Video

Many artists pride themselves on their upbringing and hometown, and J Hacha De Zola is no different, as you’ll find out with his new single “A Day in Secaucus, New Jersey.” But this isn’t the glamorized, even romanticized version of the Garden State emphasized by artists such as Bruce Springsteen. No, Hacha De Zola views his hometown quite differently, with a more perhaps localized, almost realistic view of what’s happening on the streets and in the communities. The singer-songwriter would know much about “A Day in Secaucus, New Jersey” since Secaucus is his hometown. The song focuses on paranoia, and the accompanying video features the character of Travis, who lights it up with his dance moves.

Commenting on the video clip, Hacha De Zola tells us:

“If anything is going to blow this song up, it’s going to be Travis’ sweet dance moves! The tune is one of paranoia, fearful but yet one of acceptance, with an eventual coming to terms. I asked Hector to capture that banality of everyday life as we see Travis go about his daily routine, walking around in his boxers and dealing with everyday chores. But then there is a moment when Travis decides to take matters into his own hands and enjoy life a little.”

Video director Hector Gallardo adds:

“Travis, our actor, is pretty darned good at relaying emotions with a few looks. He can pull off that tired, fed-up look easily. It’s always a good time shooting with him. He’s such an upbeat, happy guy. But as soon as that camera starts rolling, he turns into such a bummed, stressed out guy.

“We shot at a few locations around El Paso. My buddy’s house has a bunch of interesting art painted on the walls, but one thing that stood out was that ‘phantom’ painting on one of his doors. We liked it so much, it kind of took over as a main theme in the video. Like, ‘What’s behind that door? What are you so afraid of back there?’”

“A Day in Secaucus, New Jersey” is the lead track off of Hacha De Zola’s latest record, Without A Tribe, due for release on June 9th via his own Caballo Negro record label. The themes present in this song are developed and expanded on throughout Without A Tribe, an account of what New Jersey represents to Hacha De Zola and its uniqueness as a place.

Sonically, the album builds off of his last record, 2021’s East of Eden. You’ll hear a lot of the same vocal deliveries, and just like its predecessor, Without A Tribe borrows heavily from his love of R&B, Classic Soul, and Doo-Wop. To help further this goal, Hacha De Zola reached out to Fernando Velez, an original member of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, who helped hone in on the sound that he wanted to achieve.

With both style and honesty, Hacha De Zola has really expanded his horizons with this record and has delivered one of his finest musical moments yet.

Without A Tribe Track Listing:

1. A Day In Secaucus, New Jersey
2. Do You?
3. I’m High
4. Stay Away
5. Drunk Again
6. Without A Tribe
7. Running Out Of Time
8. Blood On Gold
9. Carry On
10. Drag Me Under

J Hacha De Zola ‘Without a Tribe’ album artwork