ZEL BAUTISTA
Artist. Producer. Singer, Songwriter.
If you’ve found yourself here, that means you’re curious—about the music, the story, or maybe just the reason Above Velvet Air exists. Either way, I’m glad you’re here.
For years, I’ve been writing and performing as the frontman of December Avenue, telling stories of love, loss, and longing—stories that have connected with millions. Being part of the band has shaped so much of who I am, and I’m incredibly grateful for the journey it has taken me on. But music, for me, has always been more than just one path.
Over time, I felt the need to create something more personal—something stripped down, unfiltered, and free from any expectations. Not as a replacement for what I’ve built, but as another way to express what’s inside me. That’s how Above Velvet Air came to life.
This project is different. Here, I write, produce, and perform everything myself. Every vocal, every layer, every texture is intentional—crafted exactly as I envision it. From the acoustic guitars to the harmonica, synth, and piano, every sound you hear is a reflection of a feeling, a moment, a story I want to tell. Even the visuals, like the lyric visualizer for “Close to Me”, are created by me—filmed with my old Panasonic camcorder across Liverpool and London, capturing fleeting moments the way I felt them.
This isn’t about chasing perfection or fitting into a genre. It’s about creating music that feels honest—songs that sit with you in the quiet, that remind you of things you can’t quite put into words. Becoming a father has given me a new way of looking at the world, and naturally, that shift has found its way into these songs.
But Above Velvet Air isn’t me stepping away from December Avenue—it’s an extension of who I am as an artist. If December Avenue is about shared emotions, anthems of heartache and longing, Above Velvet Air is about the quiet moments in between—the things left unsaid, the weight of memories, the stillness before the storm.
So if you’re here, reading this, I hope you’ll join me in this new space. Listen with an open heart, and if these songs mean something to you, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
This is just the beginning.
With love,
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