Red

The Zoo Crew, those groovy hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are spinning "Red" by Jesse Welles from his album Domestic Error, and the Zoo Freaks are totally vibing. This track, released on January 6, 2025, is a quirky, satirical gem that paints a surreal picture of a world turning red—houses, cars, even horses—set to Welles’ signature folk-rock grit. In a 2025 Genius interview, Welles shared that "Red" was inspired by a ги dream where everything he owned shifted color overnight, reflecting his fascination with absurdity as a lens for social commentary. He described it as "a fever dream about consumerism and identity," with the line "Used to be blue fifteen minutes ago" poking fun at fleeting trends. Fans on r/JesseWelles have speculated the song’s red motif might nod to political polarization, though Welles has kept it ambiguous, saying, "I let listeners paint their own meaning." Interestingly, the song’s raw acoustic vibe was recorded in a single take in his Arkansas home studio, capturing what he called "a lightning bolt of weird energy."

Another tidbit from a Jesse Welles Instagram post reveals that the "red horse" in the lyrics was inspired by a childhood memory of a crimson-painted toy horse he found at a flea market, which he still keeps on his desk. He wrote in the caption, "That horse stared at me for years, daring me to make it a song." The Zoo Freaks might also dig knowing that Welles improvised the song’s closing guitar riff live, a moment he later told The New York Times felt like "the guitar was laughing at the world with me." This spontaneity is a hallmark of his process, blending sharp wit with unpolished charm that’s got the Zoo Crew hooked.

Jesse Welles, born Jesse Wells on November 22, 1994, in Ozark, Arkansas, kicked off his musical journey at age 11, strumming a beat-up guitar and selling homemade CDs to neighbors. Growing up in a small town with a turkey plant and a couple of gas stations, he was steeped in folk, country, classic rock, and Motown, citing influences like Bob Dylan, Nirvana, and the Beatles. As a teen, he recorded under the name Jeh Sea Wells, posting lo-fi tracks on SoundCloud and Bandcamp. By 2012, he’d formed the band Dead Indian with Dirk Porter and Simon Martin, releasing two albums before it fizzled out. In 2015, he started Cosmic American with Simon Martin, Skyler Greene, and Blake Foster, but that group also disbanded before dropping a full record. His big break came with his 2018 debut album Red Trees and White Trashes, produced by Dave Cobb, which blended psychedelic rock with Southern grit.

Welles’ career took a sharp turn in 2023 when he began posting cover songs on TikTok, but it was his 2024 folk protest songs like "War Isn’t Murder" and "United Health" that exploded online. Sparked by his father’s heart attack, these tracks tackled heavy topics like capitalism and healthcare, earning him over a million social media followers. His unrefined, everyman voice and incisive lyrics drew comparisons to John Prine and Bob Dylan, as noted in a 2024 Saving Country Music profile. Now based in Nashville, Welles continues to churn out music that’s both raw and reflective, with his latest work on Domestic Error showing a playful yet poignant edge.

You can keep up with Jesse Welles on his official website or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans are buzzing on the r/JesseWelles subreddit, a lively spot for Zoo Freaks to swap stories and dissect lyrics. There’s also a Jesse Welles Fans Facebook group where supporters share concert pics and rebus collages of his songs, like one for "Walmart" that went viral among the community. These spaces are perfect for diving deeper into Welles’ world and joining the tribe of fans who can’t get enough of his tunes.