PBG 3 Question Interview with Patti Zlaket "Dance Again" Album
- Produced by a Girl™
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
We're thrilled to spotlight Patti Zlaket’s Dance Again, an album that feels like a refreshing call on a sunny day waking you up to the inner joy you always knew existed in you. It’s as if Patti is stepping into the spotlight with her entire story shimmering around her. Out now on Meridian/ECR Music Group, Dance Again is her first new album in twenty years, and you can feel the energy of her return everywhere: Apple Music’s global New In Rock playlist, sold-out shows, glowing press, and a deluxe reissue of her remastered catalog. The album was born from a spark of inspiration after Patti watched Immediate Family and reached out to legendary bassist Lee Sklar, setting the stage for a dream team collaboration with producer Tariqh Akoni and some of the best session players in the business. Patti’s journey is woven into every note, she’s been a pianist since childhood, a songwriter since her teens, a USC theatre grad, a touring artist, a jingle singer, a catalog artist, and even a law school grad. Dance Again is warm, triumphant, and full of life. It’s a reminder that true artistry never fades.
1. Dance Again doesn’t just sound like a comeback; it feels like rediscovering the spark that’s always been burning inside you. After stepping away from recording for two decades, can you share the moment when you felt music calling you back, reminding you that your story wasn’t finished yet?
I never left music entirely. I still had my toe in as a performer. But I wasn't recording, and wasn't expanding as an artist. The evening I watched the music documentary, Immediate Family, it truly was as if all the lights were turned on inside of me. It was the exact right time for me to watch that film, and, as you put it, that experience fanned the flames of the spark that was burning in me.
2. The way Lee Sklar’s story and Immediate Family helped open this new chapter for you feels almost cinematic, like a scene unfolding at just the right moment. You reached out with gratitude, and suddenly, a whole new creative journey began. What did this experience reveal to you about trusting your instincts, embracing the right timing, and stepping forward when opportunity knocks in unexpected ways?
The biggest lesson learned from this experience is that you never know until you try. So often we put up roadblocks before we've even started the journey. I took a chance and reached out to someone I admired, Lee Sklar, with no expectations attached to that moment. When he responded, the door was opened, and I chose to walk through it. Had I not done that, we would not be having this lovely conversation. A lot of other things come into play when you decide to do something meaningful, or when you set a specific goal, for sure. But it all starts with the first step, which is deciding you’ll go for something you want.
3. Your journey through music is so inspiring: from piano and songwriting to touring, jingles, law school, and now this vibrant new era with Dance Again. When you say there’s no deadline on dreams, what do you hope listeners, especially women artists, will take away from your story about creative identity, reinvention, and believing that the dream can always find its way back home?
This industry has always been tough. And yes, it's tougher for women, period. But I also think women have a unique advantage. We are skilled at collaborating, communicating, creating, and multitasking. All of those skills matter in a business that is constantly evolving and moving at the speed of light. I say this to women everywhere: forget about your age, or that you might fail, or that you don't look a certain way, or that you don't sound a certain way. If you are committed to your art, make it. Create. Listen. Share. And get out of your own way. There's room for everyone with a potent message, so make your moment happen. The world needs beautiful and creative voices, so it's time for you to share yours.
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