Music – Chicago

Spectra, or known by her birth name as Stephanie Dee Zoumaras, is an up and coming solo artist singer/songwriter based in Chicago. She has been known to call her music "horror pop" and "violent pop" as this intertwines with her performance art and fashion. Spectra brings elements of gothic culture/lifestyle to her music, performance and fashion. She likes to push the limits of traditional pop music/performance. She considers her music and her artistry as a more dark, edgy vibe, whether that be musically, lyrically or visually. Spectra created the term 'horror pop' because of her obsession with horror movies, gore, serial killers, psychology and gothic culture. Spectra has said Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Sia, and Gwen Stefani are her main influences, as well as bands such as My Chemical Romance, The Used, The Killers, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Zombie. Spectra, born March 4th, 1994, was raised in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. She is currently 24 years young. Spectra started taking piano lessons at age 8 and continues playing presently. She has stated she grew up as a "classically trained pianist who later learned how to write pop music". She began singing in her school choir at age 11, and performed in musicals and plays throughout elementary and junior high school. Spectra says she first started writing at a very young age, and used to make up songs and lyrics with her sister, Anna. She listened to mostly 1990's and early 2000's pop music such as Britney Spears, N'Sync, Jennifer Lopez, Abba, The Backstreet Boys, Shania Twain, and Celine Dion. Growing up she also listened to and has been influenced by the music her parents would listen to, such as the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Michael Jackson, Beck, and Bob Marley. Spectra began composing her own music at age 13, using vocals and piano. She wrote her first full song at age 14, with piano and vocals. Spectra says she loved growing up and taking piano lessons with her sister and states that is where her love for music really began. She remained quiet about her ability to sing and song write for a long time and focused on finishing high school. During her junior and senior year of high school, she "fell off the bandwagon" with music and performance art and stopped writing. However, she did continue to take piano lessons and perform in her school's choral programs, which strengthened her musical knowledge. There has never been a time where music "was never not in my life", she says. She graduated high school in 2012 and shortly after went to school for aesthetics in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Stephanie started writing music again during this time, and started to make somewhat of a name for herself. She said the name 'Spectra' was influenced by the Monster High Doll, Spectra Vondergeist, who has purple hair. At the time, Stephanie had purple hair, and one of her friends said she looked like the Spectra doll from the Monster High collection, and the name has stuck since. By age 19 Spectra released her first EP, 'Blood', in August of 2014, which only has 3 songs, including the lead single, "Play It Loud". Spectra made it to the top 10 artists on the ReverbNation pop charts. "Blood" is available on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play Music. During this time, Spectra met and collaborated with RCX, a local underground Chicagoland producer, rapper, singer and songwriter. The two formed an EDM/alternative/punk band called Cybersula. Spectra says that RCX is one of the first people who believed in her and noticed her talents as an artist. Following the release of "Blood", and the formation of Cybersula, Spectra started playing local Chicago underground hip-hop/rap/pop shows. She has opened for acts such as Do Or Die, Whitey Peyton, and Zeta June. She has performed around Chicagoland bars/venues, such as the Elbo Room, Cairo Ale House, the Patio Theater, Star Bar, Refuge Live, and The Heartland Cafe. She started being noticed not only for her musical and singing abilities, but also for her "dark and gothic-like aroma" and her ability to capture the audience. Spectra released her second studio EP 'CRIMINAL' on January 5th, 2019. Spectra describes her newest project as pop music, with more jazz, ballad and reggae influences. The EP is known for its retro/vintage sound and look. According to Spectra, "CRIMINAL is about rejecting the social system, learning to be yourself and love yourself and fulfill your own destiny". She is currently unsigned and works out of Stonecutter Recording Studios in Chicago as an independent artist. Spectra currently resides in Chicago, Illinois and plays shows around the Chicagoland and surrounding areas.