Q&A: Gina Zo’s “Dirty Habits” Is the Dream Girl’s Anthem of the Summer
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
GINA ZO IS NO STRANGER TO REINVENTION - but her new single, "Dirty Habits” marks a bold new era. The former frontwoman of Philly rock band Velvet Rouge and one-time The Voice standout has always moved with intention, transforming personal turbulence into fearless music that speaks directly to identity, rebellion, and the messy middle ground between dreams and reality. Now stepping out on her own, Zo arrives with a sound that’s part pop-rock, part 80s synth revival, and completely her own.
Produced by Grammy winners Justin Miller (Jazmine Sullivan, Zach Bryan) and Tim Sonnefeld (Usher), “Dirty Habits” channels the adrenaline rush of chasing something just out of reach, whether it's love, success, or the version of yourself you thought you'd be by now. It’s pulsing, hooky, cinematic - exactly the kind of song that gets stuck in your head and your chest. “It’s about being taken over by a raw instinct,” Zo says, and it shows: in the explosive chorus, the gritty vulnerability, and the music video she shot six months pregnant, crawling in heels and pink tights.
With a debut solo album coming in 2026, Zo is stepping fully into her own spotlight, taking everything she’s learned as a bandleader, performer, and survivor of the music industry, and creating something intentionally hers. Her voice, familiar to millions from Louis the Child’s breakout hit “Fire, is still fiery, but now it’s wiser, sharper, and more determined to speak truth.
We caught up with Gina to talk about the making of “Dirty Habits,” her shift from band life to solo artistry, and what’s next in this new era of empowered pop storytelling.
LUNA: “Dirty Habits” feels like the ultimate pop-rock summer anthem. Can you share more about the creative process for this one?
ZO: This was a very different experience than anything I have done before because it is the first song I have done without my previous rock band I was in. This is the truest of what it feels like a debut to me. Previously I brought everything straight to my band, but now that I was solo I only had me and my producers Justin Miller/Tim Sonnefeld. When I wrote this song back last July, it was a LOT slower and more moody but still held the same message. We brought it to Justin's roommate, Max, to do some synth on it based on the chords I had in mind (because I wrote this as an only vocal track, no piano or guitar written, just a vibe in my head). It started way more 80s than it turned out to be, but it is still rooted in that original version.
LUNA: This is your first solo release post–Velvet Rouge. How did stepping away from the band open up your sound or shift your vision?
ZO: I completely shifted my thought process on making music. It wasn't about what just sounded cool anymore, it was about what was going to connect between me and my current and future fans. I, of course, focused in on my own stories and taste, but I also considered the listeners in mind. I have never focused on the collective group of listeners, and have always focused on the band. What does the band want? That is the difference between being a solo artist and a band - you have to consider everyone's tastes in a band, but I was able to really step back and ask myself what I wanted and loved.
LUNA: The track blends 80s synths with high-energy pop rock - how did you land on this new sonic direction?
ZO: Funny enough I was always anti-80s music until I really started making music and realized what 80s was. It was an electric synth that just made you groove back and forth. Turns out a lot of the music I loved might not have been from the 80s but had direct 80s influence. Also, my vision was simple: I wanted music that made people dance and feel - this track is that exact feeling in a sound.
LUNA: You’ve said “Dirty Habits” is about chasing dreams that never quite match reality. What dream were you chasing when you wrote it?
ZO: Having my dream person come into my life. I now feel so different - my dream person feels right around the corner, but when I wrote this song, I could only get to them in my head.
LUNA: Tell us more about what working with Grammy-winning producers Justin Miller and Tim Sonnefeld was like for this one.
ZO: When you work with someone who has the repertoire they have, you let go of your previous notions of what making a song should be like because the trust is so deeply rooted in their previous work. I have heard the music they have engineered and produced many times before, and so has music lovers all over the world. There was a lot of sandwiching that they did with me - giving a compliment, giving a critique, and giving a compliment. As someone with deeply rooted trust issues with men in the music industry, this was exactly what I needed. You open up to your producer and they have your back. They changed my perception on who I could be. They reminded me of my value. OH AND... they are both Philly natives, so we had that in common, which immediately bonded us - if you are from Philly, you know the personality type that is a Philly native. We have become best friends and I couldn't imagine my music being where it is without them.
LUNA: From your time on The Voice to now, what’s changed the most about the way you approach music and performance?
ZO: I have always been very disciplined in what I do, but I am very focused on how I can keep my physical performance stamina and vocal stamina up. It is not easy to do a 45-minute performance where you are dancing and singing at full blast for the whole time. I can only imagine Taylor Swift's 4 hour set - I cannot wait for the day I get to do that and have enough training to do that. For now, I am dedicated to perfecting that performance by working out, eating healthy, and not overdoing it in my day-to-day life (AKA taking time for me that includes doing nothing and binge-watching a few TV shows with my roommates).
LUNA: You’ve been vocal about fighting industry norms and empowering young women in music. What does rebellion look like to you now?
ZO: It looks like trusting my gut. My therapist and I talk a lot about how my gut has always been right; it is more a matter of how quickly I am willing to listen to it. Rebellion is all about going with what you KNOW is the right thing and not being afraid to stand up and say it. I won't be hiding in the shadows to say what is right and what is needed.
LUNA: Moving from Philly to LA, how has your environment influenced the way you create and live day-to-day?
ZO: You are surrounded by so many more creatives in LA than I was in Philly. While Philly has an absolutely brilliant creative group of people doing amazing things, there is a reason that creatives move to LA to grow and succeed. A lot of people find it intimidating in LA. I find it to be the complete opposite - this may be because I feel good about my ability to do something unique and special, but I also think it has a lot to do with my joy in getting people together to do something special. There is room for everyone - it just depends on when people are willing/ready to hear you. Oh, and the weather doesn't hurt.
LUNA: With “Dirty Habits” as the first taste of your debut album, what can fans expect from the full project coming in 2026?
ZO: You can expect me to tell you a lot of secrets about my love life that I wouldn't have ever shared before today, because well... I finally have the choice to.
