Zola Jesus Reveals The Dark, Remarkable Stories Behind Her New Album, 'Okovi'

Okovi, the latest full-length from Zola Jesus, is a monstrously tortured album, built with densely layered grief and pain. Nika Roza Danilova, who's been writing and recording as Zola Jesus since releasing her debut in 2009, bares her most vulnerable thoughts and feelings as she sings about serial killers, suicide, crushing depression and fear. At times, even Danilova admits the songs are hard to hear. But Okovi is, ultimately, the story of how she healed and emerged from the darkest period of her life. It's an album of empowerment and hope. "At one point it occurred to me that your worth is earned from your ability to endure," she says. "Your strength is built through suffering."

For the release of Okovi, we asked Danilova to share some of the stories behind her new songs and how they came together. In this Track By Track breakdown of the album, she reveals how she found euphoria in her most painful moments, her love of Russian poetry and why she decided to lift a long-standing ban on guitars in her music.

Doma

" means home,