Dirty Shine

As her first release as an independent artist, Ward wanted to be able to have complete control and freedom, saying that "you can get sidetracked trying to please other people, or label and what they want from you or what they see from you."{{Cite web |date=2023-11-06 |title=INTERVIEW: ZZ Ward polishes up the 'Dirty Shine' on new album |url=https://riffmagazine.com/features/zz-ward-polishes-up-dirty-shine/ |access-date=2024-03-03 |website=RIFF Magazine |language=en-US}}

The phrase "dirty shine" means to be embrace your authentic self and while being dirty and rough around the edges. It was started when Ward released her first album Til the Casket Drops.{{Cite web |last=Ehrenclou |first=Martine |date=2023-07-30 |title=ZZ Ward Announces New Album 'Dirty Shine' Shares Video |url=https://www.rockandbluesmuse.com/2023/07/30/zz-ward-announces-new-album-dirty-shine-shares-video/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=ROCK AND BLUES MUSE |language=en-US}}

The lead single, "Tin Cups" with Aloe Blacc, was released on October 14, 2022, with a music video released November 16. It is her first song in two years following "Giant" in 2020. Ward stated that "the addition of Aloe elevated this song and added depth that only an artist of his caliber can."{{Cite web |title=ZZ Ward Releases Soulful Single 'Tin Cups' Featuring Aloe Blacc |url=https://www.jambase.com/article/zz-ward-new-single-tin-cups-aloe-blacc |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=JamBase |language=en-US}}

A second single, "Baby Don't" featuring DijahSB, was released March 10, 2023.{{Cite web |last=McIntyre |first=Aliyah |date=2023-03-10 |title=ZZ Ward & DijahSB release the "Baby Don't" single & lyric video |url=https://hiphopcanada.com/zz-ward-dijahsb-baby-dont/ |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=HipHopCanada |language=en-CA}} A music video for the solo version of the song was released March 24. The video is part one of a series of videos written, directed, and produced by Adam William Ward.{{Citation |title=ZZ Ward - Baby Don't [Official Music Video] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqjcriPM9cc |access-date=2024-03-11 |language=en}}

The third single, "Ride or Die" featuring Vic Mensa, was released May 3, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Pettit |first=Conner |date=2023-05-10 |title="Ride or Die" (feat. VIC MENSA) - ZZ Ward |url=https://www.poppassionblog.com/post/review-ride-or-die-feat-vic-mensa-zz-ward |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=Pop Passion Blog |language=en}} It is part two of the music video series.

The fourth single, "Forget About Us", was released June 16, 2023.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pv6dWyz4zY |title=ZZ Ward - "Forget About Us" [Official Music Video] |language=en |access-date=2024-03-28 |via=www.youtube.com}}

The fifth single, "On One" featuring Jean Deaux, was released July 28, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Rosa |first=Vanessa De La |date=2023-08-01 |title=ZZ Ward Releases "On One" Music Video to Support New Album 'Dirty Shine' |url=https://v13.net/2023/07/zz-ward-releases-on-one-music-video-to-support-new-album-dirty-shine/ |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=V13.net |language=en-CA}} The music video omits Deaux's verse and includes a solo verse from Ward. It is the finale of the music video series.

The sixth and final single, "Evil on the Inside" was released on October 13, 2023. It was included in the Dirty Deluxe edition of the album.

Dirty Shine received widespread critical acclaim. Critics praised Ward's versatility in blending the blues rock and hip-hop genres and her overall performance. Pete Francis from Blues Rock Review called the album "different in a great way", giving it an 8.5/10. He also named "Ride Or Die", "Dead Or Alive", "Baby Don't", "Tin Cups", and "Don't Let Me Down" standout tracks.{{Cite web |last=Francis |first=Pete |date=2023-09-08 |title=ZZ Ward: Dirty Shine Review |url=https://bluesrockreview.com/2023/09/zz-ward-dirty-shine-review.html |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=Blues Rock Review |language=en-US}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Dirty Shine{{nobold|{{cite web|title=Dirty Shine by ZZ Ward|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/dirty-shine/1699004144|access-date=2024-02-02}}}}

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 38:20

| title1 = Welcome to Dirty Shine

| writer1 = {{hlist|Carine Marie Lagenderfer|Jameil Aossey}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Aossey}}

| length1 = 0:42

| title2 = Ride or Die

| note2 =featuring Vic Mensa

| writer2 = {{hlist|Zsuzsanna Ward|Victor Mensah|Eric Burdon|Bryan Chandler|Rodney LeMay|Alan Lomax|Lawrence Parker}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Ward|Symbolyc One|Epikh Pro}}

| length2 = 3:51

| title3 = Fadeaway

| writer3 = {{hlist|Ward|Aossey|Evan Kidd Bogart|Larry Griffin, Jr.|Stuart Lowery}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Aossey|Symbolyc One|Epikh Pro}}

| length3 = 3:46

| title4 = On One

| note4 = featuring Jean Deaux

| writer4 = {{hlist|Ward|Zoi Harris|Dave Bassett}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Bassett}}

| length4 = 3:03

| title5 = Slow Hum Hymnal

| writer5 = {{hlist|Aossey}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Aossey}}

| length5 = 1:07

| title6 = Dead or Alive

| writer6 = {{hlist|Ward|Bogart|Mike Elizondo}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Elizondo}}

| length6 = 3:17

| title7 = Forget About Us

| writer7 = {{hlist|Ward|Mark Jackson|Ian Scott}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|Jackson|Scott}}

| length7 = 2:43

| title8 = Friends Like These

| writer8 = {{hlist|Ward|Bogart|Tom Peyton|Ryan Spraker|Frederik Thaae}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Spraker|Thaae}}

| length8 = 3:28

| title9 = Baby Don't

| writer9 = {{hlist|Ward|Bogart|Jason Evigan|Kadijah Payne}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Bassett}}

| length9 = 3:09

| title10 = North Bank Blues

| writer10 = {{hlist|Charles Ward, Jr.}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Epikh Pro}}

| length10 = 0:42

| title11 = OverdoZZe

| writer11 = {{hlist|Ward|Ludwig Göransson}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Göransson}}

| length11 = 3:16

| title12 = Cut Me Loose

| writer12 = {{hlist|Ward|Aossey|Bogart|Griffin, Jr.|Lowery}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Aossey|Symbolyc One|Epikh Pro}}

| length12 = 3:02

| title13 = Tin Cups

| note13 = with Aloe Blacc

| writer13 = {{hlist|Ward|Bogart|Clarence Coffee, Jr.|Emanuel Kiriakou}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|Kiriakou}}

| length13 = 3:00

| title14 = Don't Let Me Down

| writer14 = {{hlist|Ward|Bogart}}

| extra14 = {{hlist|Bassett}}

| length14 = 3:08

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Digital Dirty Deluxe Edition{{nobold|{{cite web|title=Dirty Shine by ZZ Ward|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/dirty-shine-dirty-deluxe/1711628649|access-date=2024-02-02}}}}

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 51:30

| title15 = Evil on the Inside

| writer15 = {{hlist|Ward|Brock Berryhill|Bogart|Audra Mae}}

| extra15 = {{hlist|Bassett}}

| length15 = 3:31

| title16 = The Mend

| writer16 = {{hlist|Ward}}

| extra16 = {{hlist|Bassett}}

| length16 = 3:37

| title17 = The Dark (Dirty Shine Mix)

| writer17 = {{hlist|Ward|Bogart}}

| extra17 = {{hlist|Bassett}}

| length17 = 2:51

| title18 = Ride or Die (Demo)

| writer18 = {{hlist|Ward|Burdon|Chandler|LeMay|Lomax|Mensah|Parker}}

| extra18 =

| length18 = 3:10

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{ZZ Ward}}

Category:2023 albums

Category:ZZ Ward albums