<p><span><span>- Self-taught rapper, singer and producer Zheani built her audience and reputation with her raw, shattering voice and brash beats, going against the grain of popular Australian music’s typical sound. Never straying far from controversy, her fifth EP <em>I Hate People on the Internet</em> has a vicious and unrelenting track list. With disdain for the entertainment industry, the online world and consumerism, Zheani continues her reign as one of the scene’s most outspoken figures.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>In <em>I Hate People on the Internet,</em> Zheani connects to her fans in a way that’s entirely new to her. Never blinded by her own success, she is the first to admit that her experiences are not unique and for better or worse, her audience identifies with the themes of her music and relates to them. She addresses her fans directly, claiming, “I wanted to put less focus on the “I” and speak to my fans more as if we are a collective.” This comes through, tragically, in tracks such as <em>Fuck the Hollywood Cult</em>, the album’s first single. With visceral religious imagery, Zheani likens the entertainment industry to a cult, with rituals and glorified abuse at the centre of the system’s success.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Opening the EP with <em>Napalm</em>, Zheani leaps straight into the deep end, with only a few seconds of swelling bass before launching into her distinctive, guttural screams. The more melodic post-chorus uses autotune to create a sound nostalgic for the pop scene of the late-2000s, seemingly influenced by artists such as <strong>t.A.T.u.</strong>, its floaty, high vocals standing stark against the heavy trap beat. Already honing in on her frustrations with the state of the industry, she delivers scathing verses critiquing pretentiousness and those who play a character in order to succeed. About her own song, Zheani states, “I am the Napalm… I will rain from the sky like hellfire on those that play pretend.”</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Filled with relentless honesty and stellar production by <strong>King Yosef, Mik Shida </strong>and <strong>Catherine Marks</strong>, Zheani speaks directly to her audience in <em>I Hate People on the Internet.</em> Along with her hatred of the online discourse that seems to follow every artist, particularly femme presenting artists, she lets go of all her frustrations, welcoming her fans to share in her catharsis.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Alison Paris.</span></span></p>
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