Project Description
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Interview with
ZACH GOLDFINCH
(26th August 2022)
Review by Dave Bruce
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Zach Goldfinch is a romantic and in his latest release “Lady Love” the singer-songwriter tries to make sense of how to foster romantic love in an ever-increasing disconnected modern world.
The songwriter from Sydney has been hard at it writing and producing from his home studio having released three singles previously within the last year with “Lady Love” marking the new single as his first for 2022. However good things come for those who wait as “Lady Love” is a restrained outing in indie-folk that reveals a singer who craves authenticity in his music and honesty in his lyrics.
“Lady Love” is a ballad that focuses on the trials of falling in love and the delicate nature of preserving that love when hurt and rejection looms in the background. For “Lady Love” Goldfinch composed the song using an acoustic guitar and his lingering vocals. Zach builds the song in emotional intensity as he croons, “She is cruel, but she is mine. She is faceless half the time and she only says what you want to hear” with the sparingly use of a piano “Lady Love” unfurls with Zach’s layered harmonies ending in a cathartic release at its chorus.
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Have you always wanted to be a musician? When did you get the song writing bug?
I’ve always loved music. I started learning guitar when I was really young, I wrote really crappy songs that I never shared with anyone, but I never sang really until my final years of high school. At university, I actually studied music theatre, and I probably felt like that would be the furthest I would go into pursuing a career in music, but towards the end of the degree, I found myself writing more and more, and really loving that feeling of openness and vulnerability. And now, its kind of full circle. I really love music, and I listen to as much as I can and I continue to learn and develop, but if you had told me when I was a kid that this would be what I do, I’d have told you to get stuffed, basically.
How would you describe your sound? Why do you think people resonate with your music?
This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while, actually. Both questions, to be honest. I think I was, for a long time, set on being a traditional acoustic folk singer, but I felt like it limited me as a storyteller to not go to other places with my sound. I rely a lot on my acoustic instruments, and that ‘folk’ sound feels really authentic to me, but I find myself using heavier and dirtier sounds like synths and pads, really over-compressed and distorted drums more and more, and I really like experimenting with harmony. I think I create a landscape with my music that I feel is really intimate and warm, and it almost feels cathartic, like you’re returning home, and I think this is what draws people to my music. I want to create a space where people are drawn into it, and they can take something from it, or see themselves in the themes of my music. I’m just thankful that people have taken a chance on me. I’m very appreciative.
Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today?
Gosh, there’s so many. If you know, you know how much of a Jacob Collier stan I am. I am obsessed, but I really love Jeff Buckley, and Lizzie McAlpine, John Mayer, Herbie Hancock, there’s too many to name. I try to draw inspiration from all music that I listen to, and there’s really not too many styles I don’t like. As a kid, I listened to a lot of Adam Harvey, Slim Dusty, Dad had an old CD of Queen that we listened to religiously on car trips.
Your new single ‘Lady Love’ has just been released. Describe its origin and evolution.
This song has really gone through the ringer; there’s probably three or four alternate versions of this song that I didn’t use with different lyrics, and some were more harsh and others were quite submissive, so it was really difficult to get this song right. This actually all started from a TikTok series I did about my dating life, which actually made me seriously depressed, and one day I was just sitting at home and the juxtaposition of the lyric came to me (She is cruel / she is kind), and suddenly I had a full song, and I knew what it was about, what it felt like to me. It was almost an anti-anthem about falling in love, which I found really interesting and authentic in relation to where I was at during the time writing it. I’m really proud of this song, because it almost feels like I’m letting go of some demons, which is quite cathartic.
Is there an EP or Album on the drawing board?
Can’t give away all my secrets. I mean, I’ve been wanting to do an album for about a year now, and the last release I did was a small EP, but I’m really enjoying these smaller projects and the almost deep-dive into my own brain.
Any tours or events coming up soon? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
I’m in the process of organising a few things at the moment. I have a few show ideas that I’m working with some fantastic people on, which will hopefully allow me to play more shows outside of Sydney, and I’ll look at regional towns and other cities, and maybe even overseas depending on how it goes. I haven’t done a live show since December, and I’m really itching to get back out there, and play my music again. I put a few things on hold to finish Lady Love, but now that it’s done I’m excited for what’s to come.
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How has COVID affected you to date? What have you introduced to balance the losses from missed events?
It’s crazy, but I think COVID was actually the catalyst to get me to release music. I released my first song in lockdown last year, and then collaborated with Cailey, who lives in America, from our laptops on That Funny Feeling, and then I was working on Maelstrom as lockdown came to a close. It really pushed me to organise my goals and ultimately chase the dream, but it was hard seeing my friends struggle who had been doing this so much longer than me, and it was hard not being able to really support them. It also was quite an expensive time, so I probably didn’t have the footing financially that I would have liked, going into making music almost full-time.
If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why?
My gosh, there’s so many. Jacob Collier or Jeff Buckley. I’d just love to sit down and do some crazy harmonies and sing from the absolute soul with those two. It would be an amazing experience.
Do you have any long-term aspirations as a music artist?
I think the next thing for me is just making more music, and playing wherever I can, working with the people I want to work with on the projects I want to do. I’d love to one-day be on tour, and I think that’s in the works for the next few years which is going to be really exciting for me.
What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
The energy a crowd brings. Nothing beats it. Nothing beats hearing a room full of people sing your song like it’s their favourite. The first time it happened, it moved me to tears during the show. I had to stop one of my songs and start again because I was so overwhelmed. Career highlight was definitely my first headline show. I played to a sold out crowd at the Vanguard, and my best friend Sarah Yagki opened for me, and to be able to share that with her was truly amazing. I also distinctly remember people rowing on the floor while I was playing In The Summertime. Truly incredible. I’ll never forget it. I love you all so much.
Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Am I allowed to say Maelstrom, haha? Otherwise Both Sides Now (Adam Harvey)
Artist – Jacob Collier
Movie – Ratatouille or any of the Avengers Movies
Place to visit – Vienna (does that count?)
Venue to play – The Vanguard
Food – Arnott’s Chocolate Scotch Fingers
Drink – Either Pepsi (literally, sponsor me) or
Person in History – Augustus
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?) My AFL Ball
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Follow ZACH GOLDFINCH
Instagram – Facebook – Tik Tok
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Press Release 19th August 2022 (below) HERE
ZACH GOLDFINCH
returns with a
heart wrenching banger!
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