Zheani

Zheani Isobel Sparkes, born on April 26, 1993, in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, spent her early years in Wallaville. Her unique name was influenced by her father’s interest in numerology. She briefly attended university to study film but left before completing her first year. Her early life was marked by exposure to domestic violence and drug use. In October 2014, Sparkes garnered public attention when she participated in a DKNY campaign, featuring alongside Cara Delevingne. The following year, in September 2015, she was residing in London after having lived in various countries. In May 2017, Zheani, collaborating with her creative partner Mik Shida, gained recognition for a street art exhibition in Melbourne. This project involved covering themselves in blue paint and leaving imprints on walls, drawing inspiration from Yves Klein’s ‘Anthropométries’. It was around this time that she began creating music as a means to express her perspectives, marking a turning point in her artistic career.

Her musical journey began with the release of her debut EP, “Eight,” in 2018, which addressed her personal experiences with poverty and foster care. In early 2019, she released the trap song “Lie and Look,” accompanied by a music video. This was followed by the album “The Line” in March 2019, which The Fader described as “a raw and uncompromising EP of no-holds-barred noise rap and electronic abrasion.” This album included the track “The Question,” which led to public allegations of abuse. In May 2019, she collaborated with Ängie on “Orgy of Enemies” and later released the single “I Won’t Sell My Soul.” Continuing her career progression, April 2020 saw the release of “Dirtbike,” a track discussing her father’s drug addiction. She further released “Dirt on the Name of Steven” and “The Zheani Sparkes EP” in May 2020. The EP detailed her upbringing, her father’s passing, and childhood violence. In July 2020, a video for her track “Lava” was released. In November 2020, she put out “Skin Walker,” a track named after an online insult which resonated with Navajo mythology. Notably, in December 2020, she criticized Triple J for playing her music on Unearthed.

In April 2021, Zheani featured on 4s4ski’s “Fairytale.” By October of the same year, she had supported The Veronicas and signed with Dirty Hit, subsequently releasing “Fuck the Hollywood Cult,” a song addressing abuse allegations against public figures. January 2022 saw the release of “Napalm” and its accompanying video, followed by “Designer Sadness” in March 2022, which critiqued insecurities perpetuated by marketing. Both tracks were part of her EP, “I Hate People on the Internet,” released in March 2022. This EP, largely composed in the New South Wales mountains, reflected on online abuse. In March 2022, she was recognized with the Emerging Artist of the Year and Heavy Award at the Queensland Music Awards. Her EP, “The Spiritual Meat Grinder,” was released in August 2023, featuring tracks like “Pathetic Waste” and the double A-side “Bring Wet Cunt”/”Hammerhead.” The track “Bring Wet Cunt” garnered attention in 2024 when Triple J played it uncensored. Her latest work includes the singles “Spoils of War” in March 2024 and “Sex Never Dies” in August 2024.