We recently connected with Zach Day and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Zach thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?
I feel like people don’t necessarily expect the type of music that I write or the type of music that I sing to come from me. When you look at me you may expect me to sound different than how I actually sound. I’ve been told that when people hear my original music they weren’t expecting the type of lyrics I write or the type of voice that I have. I think that the more people get to know me in the more people hear my music the more they’re going to be intrigued by my story… i’m from a coal mining town in Appalachia. I’ve seen a lot of things. I’m proud of where I’m from in many ways, and i’ve been scared of where I come from… and my story is going to impact people. I have a lot to talk about.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I grew up on a farm in Kentucky, learning how to harmonize and play guitar with my friends, my sister, singing in the church house. I was always drawn to music and knew that I wanted to share my story. It was told to me that if I didn’t use it, I’d lose it. God would take away the one thing I felt passion for. The thought terrified me. I made it my duty to learn all I could, even sometimes with limited access. I never quit. I just signed to management based in Los Angeles and Toronto, Canada and I’ve been working on music alongside them ever since. I often play out as well so if you’re around come see me.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I draw inspiration from many places. Mostly women telling their stories. Being brought up in Appalachia in a small community of mostly women, I was inspired and influenced by the things I heard. Also some of the best musicians I’ve ever heard are hidden in the backwoods of Kentucky.
When it comes to books that have impacted me… I’d say I always keep a copy of bell hooks’ All About Love nearby. Also Finishing The Hat, Stephen Sondheim.
A couple of my favorite records are The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and Melodrama by Lorde. Both of these albums have inspired my writing in ways, and my singing in other ways. They both tell stories from unique perspectives… these artists are relating to me even though we’ve lived different lives and experiences. There are songs on these records that I catch myself saying “damn I wish I thought of that.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I really didn’t have much access to things going on outside of my bubble. I got the Internet when I was a little older than everyone else around me. And I didn’t start discovering other types of music until I started paying attention to what was on the radio and figuring out who some of my favorite singers were based on the songs and their voices. Once that was unlocked for me I was able to find ways to listen to music. I found old cassette tapes that my mom had from high school where she would record the radio shows that played music from when she was young. I found karaoke cassette tapes of ABBA and having never heard the songs, I would write lyrics to just the instrumentals…
Contact Info:
- Website: youknowzach.com
- Instagram: youknowzach
- Facebook: Zach Day Music
- Twitter: youknowzach
- Youtube: youknowzach
- Other: Tiktok: youknowzachmusic