Zouj X Sahareya 'Freeride'

March 01, 2023

"Freeride" is the new collaborative single of French/Morrocan/American multi-instrumentalist/producer ZOUJ and Slovenian rapper/dancer and all-around mover-and-shaker SAHAREYA.

It’s an energetic anthem about facing the mundane with a rebellious spirit. Mixing Beats, extraterrestrial samples and prickly rap skits, Adam (ZOUJ) and Sarah (SAHAREYA) channel their mutual ideology and inspiration to reclaim their local public transportation systems. Because it’s the small acts of rebellion that start the fire.
The accompanying video was filmed in Paris in two days with absolutely no permission by photographer and director Danny Kötter.

LISTEN HERE: http://zouj.lnk.to/Freeride

ZOUJ: „Freeride was the first song Sarah and I made as a duo. We had the theme pretty quickly and came up with lyrics just as fast. After an afternoon in my bedroom we had three verses and a chorus based on the idea of not paying transportation tickets:
The fact that we have to pay overpriced tickets to go through our own cities, where we live and/or grew up in and to which we contribute every day, is already ridiculous.
But now we’re at a point, where prices are so high that most regular people can’t afford them.“

SAHAREYA: „I loved rapping on this track! I think the song is very relatable for young people dealing with financial difficulties, surviving alone and being independent. Every buck means a lot to you. For me it is still an everyday struggle to work on what I love most and maintain my life expenses. Driving without a ticket seems like a trivial act but it has a serious background. In Germany, for example, several thousand people end up in prison every year because they can't pay the fine for public transportation fare evasion. This is also causing protests in New York City, as the MTA has seen a steep increase in police surveillance around fare evasion. Not to even mention the fact that ticket control is a disproportionate problem for undocumented people. There are many initiatives against this penalty, and spreading awareness is key.
But what I love most about this song is the goofiness we created with still dangerous flows and production. Adam’s next level production really brings out the best in my rapping. I’m excited for the journey that this thing, we did spontaneously in our home this summer, is going to take us on!“

The track comes alongside an equally as explosive music video shot in Paris. With the amazingly talented Daniel Kötter behind the camera, Zouj X Sahareya spent two days running around and filming in the metro – without permission of course. The result perfectly portrays their goofy, no-fucks-given attitude.