May 2025 Newsletter

Overview

Hello friends! 

Welcome to my first newsletter. Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding as I've been finishing up my degree. Now that my time at university is coming to a close and I can more easily do so, I'm very excited to focus more on my upcoming project and share my progress with you all.

This newsletter will briefly overview who I am, what I'm working on, and what you can expect shortly!

About Me

For those who don't know, my name is Zachary, and I'm a university student living in the quaint city of Chester. While an aspiring singer-songwriter, I am a Christian first and foremost. My time at university has shaped my faith. Despite many trials and difficulties, I have seen God's goodness and faithfulness. It is these personal experiences and the way God has turned them for good, in addition to the essential truths of the Gospel, that I hope to form the basis of any upcoming music.

My other hobbies, interests, and creative pursuits include learning about theology, reviewing music, hiking, reading, drawing, cooking, and swimming.

Upcoming Music

I am very excited to let you know that original music is not too far away. My goal is to release a single within the next few months. If all works out smoothly, I aim to have a whole body of work ready to release in the not-too-distant future.

Through lots of trial and error, I'm still figuring out my style and distinct sound. Throughout my creative journey and process, I have made many drastic changes to the sound and themes on my upcoming record, so there is a good chance things could change again, especially the sonic direction. I've settled on the theme of growth, hoping to base the record on my spiritual journey at university, including the ups and downs. I hope the topics addressed might help someone listening feel seen and, whether they are a Christian or not, feel reassured or know they are loved deeply.

As for the sound of the record, I'm still not entirely sure. I want to create something that complements my vocal range and timbre. At the moment, I don't know what that might sound like, but I have a few ideas. I'm a big lover of the masterful, dense, and lush arrangements associated with chamber pop and folk and the subtle beats and intricate vocal melismas of R&B. Some of the artists I am most inspired by include Sufjan Stevens, Joanna Newsom, Ichiko Aoba, Ryan Beatty, Tori Kelly, Faouzia, Phoebe Bridgers, Lizzy McAlpine, Natalia Lafourcade, Yakul, Joshua Luke Smith, Tenielle Neda, and Jon Guerra.

Additionally, I would love to incorporate traditional Irish and Chinese music elements into my work. I've been a massive fan of their unique and distinct instrumentations and vocal styles for years. Considering all these elements' differences, I'm unsure what kind of mess this will create. Still, I'm looking forward to figuring it out over time and creating something I'm genuinely proud of.

My ultimate hope and prayer is that God will be glorified even through something as small as an album. I pray that I will humbly proclaim the good news that is found in Jesus Christ and that anyone listening will be impacted by the truth that they are not alone or forsaken.

Moving Forward

While my time at university has ended, other commitments make the next few months relatively busy. However, I have much more free time to continue working on music. If you're on this mailing list or simply passing through the website, I hope to provide you with more consistent updates, no matter how big or small. Moving forward, I also aim to be more active on my social media, posting updates, covers, or other news. I can't express enough my appreciation for your patience and interest in my work. I hope that you will not be disappointed!

Thank you kindly for taking the time to read my first newsletter!

Warmly in Christ,

Zachary

-Soli Deo Gloria-