Chinese-New Zealand artist Iris Zhang announces a new era of artistry with Haunted & Free, an explorative yet fiercely catchy alt pop/R&B track about navigating personal ghosts.
Iris first gained momentum on YouTube for her emotive cover songs (including one that reached over 798k views), capturing the attention of global audiences and established artists including the likes of Shawn Mendes, Alessia Cara and Troye Sivan. She continued to showcase her smooth, expressive vocals and poetic lyricism through a series of original singles, the latest of which (Lemon Tree) made its mark on Season 2 of the award-winning TV series Creamerie.
Now, Iris emerges with a refined voice and vision to usher in the next phase of her creative journey.
“At my core, I am a conflicted person. An emotional realist, carefully chaotic, a meticulous dreamer and romantic perfectionist. With music, as with everything else, I have always struggled between the urge to control - the precise shape of the melody, the texture of every word - and the desire to let go, to allow myself to create something bold and messy and spiritual. Haunted & Free attempts to capture the paradox, find clarity in madness, grieve, heal, learn new lessons from old ghosts … as much as any one song can.”
Made with the support of New Zealand On Air’s Pan-Asian New Music Single, Haunted & Free embraces experimentation, combining trap-influenced beats, 808-inspired basslines, and Iris’s own classically trained flute playing to create a track that feels both grounded in modern R&B and touched by the glimmer of K-pop aesthetics.
Co-written with Jefferson Chen (Goodspace) at BIG FAN’s Pan-Asian Fan Camp, produced by Tei and mixed by Christian Tjandrawinata - the result is a deeply personal yet collaborative sonic experience that showcases each artist’s distinctive style.
Haunted & Free marks the first release from Iris Zhang’s upcoming debut album, set for release in mid-2026.