In The Spotlight – Turn Zero

Turn Zero redefines modern alternative rock with their dynamic and cathartic sound.

This week, the musicto community dives into Turn Zero, the Phoenix-based band turning heads with their eclectic alt-rock energy. Founded in 2018 by powerhouse vocalist Emily, the band has consistently pushed boundaries while staying true to their crisp, melody-driven roots. With anthems like “Gaslight” and their latest release, “Tell Me,” Turn Zero is proving that they’re a force to be reckoned with in the modern rock scene.

Check out “Tell Me” – a visceral anthem born out of heartbreak and frustration, designed for scream-singing your heart out. Written during the pandemic and produced by Erik Jensen (Escape the Fate), “Tell Me” captures the helpless anger of being unable to hate someone who has wronged you. It’s a heavier, dynamic track that will resonate with anyone who’s ever needed an outlet for unspoken emotions. Give it a listen here: Tell Me

Turn Zero inspired us to make our own playlist starting with their brand new single:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3bivlsApXkxL7RqwCxIn8L?si=3129cc3f380b4a54

Jenna Writes:

Turn Zero’s latest release, “Tell Me,” is full of energy and strong female vocals that demand attention. The song is a raw, emotional expression of modern angst, delivering both powerful hooks and vulnerable lyrics. I was reminded of artists like MARIS, The Wldfe, and Fuller who also deliver on these fronts.

A couple of my favorites that stand out like “Tell Me,” has to be Emblem 3’s “Looks Could Kill” which has a sharp, driving tempo and emotive energy. Right away I was thinking of this song. Then there was Mango Menga’s “Sorry” which channels an edgy and honest lyrics, while blending indie rock and emo influences similarly to Turn Zero who also rides that same wave of conflicted emotion. We were inspired by the band’s latest single to make a collaborative playlist of our own

Andie Writes:

I just love how Turn Zero’s journey reflects a fearless embrace of experimentation. From their 2020 ballads and acoustic covers to their more aggressive covers like PVRIS’s “Burn It All Down” in 2021, we can feel that the band has continually evolved without losing their core identity. Their new heavier era, launched with “Gaslight” in 2023, showcases a polished and powerful sound that has landed them on stage with legends like Sleeping with Sirens and The All-American Rejects. With every listen of “Tell Me”, I feel this perfect example of their sonic transcendence.

Don’t just take our word for it—Turn Zero’s track record speaks for itself. Featured by Alternative Press as a standout band in 2021, they’ve already built a loyal fanbase with their blend of introspection and intensity. “Tell Me” continues this tradition, cementing their place as a rising name in alternative rock.

If you like “Tell Me”, check out this performance:

We also had the chance to catch up with Turn Zero to talk about their latest single, their creative journey, and what’s next for the band. Read along!

You describe your music as ‘alt-rock eclecticism.’ What does that mean to you, and how does it show up in your songs?

Turn Zero: Our music includes a lot of elements from different genres! Our guitarist is heavily influenced by easycore and metalcore, our bassist by pop punk and hip hop, our drummer by pop punk and easycore, and I mostly stick to a very emo pop based vocal style. Our producer, Erik, also adds his spin to our music with things like synths and various electronic elements which I think adds to the eclecticism. Combining all of the pieces makes it a little difficult to pick a genre to categorize ourselves, so Alt-Rock is a nice umbrella term. I personally also like to use Emo-Adjacent Pop-Punk, but unfortunately that’s not a drop down term for most online sources.

‘Tell Me’ is about not being able to feel angry at someone who’s hurt you. That’s such a specific feeling—how did you tap into that when writing?

Turn Zero: It is a very specific feeling for sure. I was going through A LOT during the pandemic, and went through a break up that I felt should have been messy because of how poorly he treated me toward the end of things, but it wasn’t. He just said okay and left. I really wanted to be mad because he really hurt me and instead I just felt bad for him. I didn’t want to feel sympathetic because of how terrible he was, but I couldn’t get past the fact that he’s human too with feelings of his own and I was just sad more than anything. The break up would have hurt me a lot less if I was able to be angry at him instead.

Was there a particular moment or experience during the pandemic that inspired this track?

Turn Zero: I kind of answered this question in the last one. I feel emotions in a very overwhelming way to the point where it feels hard to breathe almost. I get these emotions out by writing poetry which I then turn into songs if I feel like they might resonate with someone else. I spent a lot of my time during the pandemic sitting in an abandoned parking lot alone with my thoughts and my acoustic guitar.

You’ve gone from softer tracks like ‘Petty’ to much heavier ones like ‘Gaslight.’ What made you want to crank things up?

Turn Zero: Petty was one of the few songs of ours that I actually didn’t do most of the writing on. Our old guitarist and other founding member of Turn Zero, John Curtis-Sanchez, was the real mastermind behind the ballad. I have also always liked much heavier music and we changed producers to see if there was a way to sneak our way into a slightly heavier scene without changing my vocal style. At the end of the day, the sound change was mostly due to a change in members and pushing our limits.

What’s been the most exciting part of this heavier era for you as a band?

Turn Zero: The most exciting part for me has been seeing our music on playlists with other bands that I listen to. I never really thought that I’d be able to make music like what we’re making today, but the boys in the band really gave me the opportunity to try something new and I think we’re succeeding!

What’s your songwriting process like? Are you the kind of band that starts with a riff, or do the lyrics come first? Or does it depend on the song?

Turn Zero: It varies from song to song. The lyrics on all of our new ones have either been written by me, or workshopped with Erik. Sometimes I bring the lyrics and some chords to place a key/melody, and let the boys just run with it. In the case of Steady, it was something that the boys brought to me and said “hey we really like this and don’t want to abandon it, can you write some lyrics maybe?” AND IT WAS SO DIFFICULT! The music underneath the lyrics was a lot more complex than it is at the stage that I usually write, so it was a completely new writing process and musical feel. It really pushed me as a writer though and I think that Steady really showcases the talents of the other members in the band.

What’s on the horizon for Turn Zero? New songs, tours, secret projects? Give us the scoop!

Turn Zero: Turn Zero is hoping to release something a little bigger than a single here or there next year! (Or if not next year, early 2026). I’ve been saying for years that I want to release an EP or an album, but then get too excited and we end up releasing just one instead of holding onto the songs we’ve recorded. That’s the goal we’re working towards though and we already have a head start. We also may have a surprise in the first half of next year. Our fans that have been at our live performances may have noticed some updates to one of our older songs when we play it live and I think our fans that can’t make it to our performances yet should have the chance to experience it as well.

Check out Turn Zero’s socials for upcoming releases and more!

Heralded by Alternative Press in 2021 as a “solid and extremely talented” standout band, Turn Zero are breaking ground among the newest names in modern alternative rock. Founded in 2018 by Emily (vocals), the Phoenix-based outfit made their debut the following year with “Animal.” The charged, melody-driven anthem set a distinct foundation from which their signature sound has continued to grow—although that progression has not been without experimentation. Their 2020 single, “Petty” (featuring Nick Barker), and acoustic version of Bring Me The Horizon’s “Drown” (featuring Sore Eyes), strayed into notably softer territory, demonstrating Turn Zero’s balladic and acoustic sensibilities before they turned the atmospheric aggression up to eleven with 2021’s PVRIS cover aptly named “Burn It All Down”.

Since then, Turn Zero marks a new, heavier era that was kicked off by their release of “Gaslight” in April of 2023. Long standing fans can rest assured, though—this is a transcendence, not a transformation. Breathing dynamic depth into the band’s sonic profile, their new iteration showcases alt-rock eclecticism while remaining grounded in the crisp, cathartic energy that has already landed them on lineups alongside the likes of Story of the Year, Sleeping with Sirens, The Summer Set, The Home Team, Glacier Veins. They’ve even performed with Nick Wheeler of The All-American Rejects. A playlist staple in the making, Turn Zero is just getting started.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turnzeroband?igsh=YWZmdGUyYWo2eWh6
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@turnzero/videos
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14SoLi929s/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@turnzeroaz?_t=8ruD1HmKyCy&_r=1
Twitter: https://x.com/turnzeroband?s=11&t=9soL-XnBWmrHfRtoGooiuw
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/0fhJraYD6YR5dvzE7Y3Bse?si=mMRvk3QsR8644WCekqsGeQ

Track Listing

• Tell Me – Turn Zero
• dead to me – Peyton Marie
• Looks to Kill – Emblem3
• toxic – Kelsey Kindall
• Dead End – Sinikka Monte
• Let This Go – Neverlyn
• Favorite Poison – Fuller
• Voicemail – MARIS
• HAPPY HOUR (feat. Knox) – HARDY
• Sorry! – Mega Mango
• Make Me – Kissflame
• Undertow – When the Sun Sets
• Type 3 Fun – Manor Gates
• CALIFORNIA PSYCHO – trxvis
• Best Believe – Late 9
• better without me – TV Breakup Scene
• Hallucinogens – Hazel Bloom
• Cauterize – Make It to May
• All My Friends – The Wldlfe
• What You Mean – Rome Hero Foxes
• Candy Wrappers – Summer Salt

Playlist image Turn Zero