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Zach Templar Reminisces On His Youth With His Debut Coming-Of-Age Ep “In Waves”
Zach Templar, the UK-Colombian lo-fi pop sensation, is ready to transport listeners with his highly anticipated debut EP, in waves. An atmospheric blend of ambient lo-fi pop, and smooth R&B, the project serves as a snapshot of youth and nostalgia - filled with the thrill of independence and the complex emotions that come with growing up. Leading the charge are his brand-new singles, wild flower and waves, each showcasing Zach’s signature hauntingly beautiful vocals and unique production techniques. Across five tracks, in waves unfolds as a personal coming-of-age story, capturing the exhilaration and uncertainty of stepping into the unknown. With influences from Frank Ocean, Miguel, and Omar Apollo, the EP strikes a perfect balance between experimentation and intimacy.
To celebrate the release of his EP, Zach will be performing a headline show tonight at The Courtyard Theatre in London, debuting his new body of work to his ever-growing fanbase.
“in waves” is about my nostalgia and reminiscing of stories of the past and the present,” says Zach about the EP. “While I’ve previously written about love and everything that comes with it, this project feels more personal to me; it speaks of the times of darkness but also pure light. The two main characters built around the EP are ‘happy’ (the beast) and the child, who represent past and future versions of myself, linked by the present. Writing about these songs from different points of my life brings out so many emotions. The child represents my feelings of freedom, free of problems, trying things for the first time, and making mistakes without consequence, while The Beast represents the intimidating unknown of what’s to come.” - Zach Templar
Templar’s sound is a rich tapestry of influences, drawn from icons across the worlds of R&B, soul, and indie. From the soulful vulnerability of Frank Ocean and Miguel to the genre-bending innovation of Blood Orange and Dijon, Templar crafts his own sonic identity that defies categorisation. His music tells the story of his youth - an ever-evolving mix of influences and experiences that shape his artistic vision.
wild flower is the perfect finale to in waves, evoking a sense of nostalgia with its delicate instrumentation and lyrical depth. Inspired by artists like Rex Orange County, d4vd, and, of course, Frank Ocean, the song explores the naivety of being young and in love.“The introduction of the song is about the bliss and blinding beauty of falling in love for the first time but the pitched vocals signifying the voices and doubts of being blinded by love especially when you’re young and for the first time” says Zach.
The second new single from the EP, waves, incorporates Zach’s signature hazy vocals over a vibrant electric guitar riff, perfectly capturing his lo-fi grungy energy. The track’s expansive, atmospheric production style and instrumentation take listeners through rockier guitar-driven sections, before ending with a dreamy piano outro and wave-like soundscapes. Templar’s emotive vocals and unique approach to music make this track a standout in today’s contemporary alternative music scene.
in waves Tracklist
- give me your heart
- waves
- i don't wanna fight anymore
- desire
- wild flower
Alongside these new singles, in waves also features Zach’s previously released tracks give me your heart, desire, and i don’t wanna fight anymore all of which have garnered widespread praise from fans and critics alike. The singles have been featured on official Spotify playlists like Our Generation, Alt/Pop, and Velvet, as well as in high-profile press outlets such as Wonderland, Rolling Stone, 1883, and Ones To Watch.
Speaking on the integral visual aspect of the project, Zach shares; “Visually I've taken inspiration from things I used to watch as a kid such as where the wild things are, the never ending story, don't hug me I'm scared and even kids books such as the gruffalo. These things create a grave nostalgia to me and I think that represents a lot of the feelings around the times i've written these songs. I’ve even sampled previous works from times that feel nostalgic to me, some of those demos can be found in my earlier works on soundcloud. The fans have shared an increasing excitement for this project even before they know of its existence; it's highly anticipated. Especially teasing tracks using samples from older works that were never released is causing a wave of buzz.”
With in waves, Zach Templar has crafted an EP that perfectly balances the emotions of youth with a sound that feels both timeless and current. It’s a collection that will resonate with listeners who look for an authentic, atmospheric sound in contemporary music.
“The Colombian-British up-and-comer has his finger on the pulse of timeless, easy-going rock hues.” – Paste Magazine
“Lo-fi bedroom aesthetics at their best” – Remezcla
“Smashing and dashing, Zach is part of a new wave of romance excellent that is melodic, moody and vocally delicious” – Ones To Watch
“Zach Templar is only 18, but he is ready to take over the world.” – 1883 Magazine
More on Zach Templar…
Zach Templar makes ambitious indie rock with a scrappy edge. It’s the sort of music that makes tiny moments feel enormous and is delivered with so much honesty, you feel like you’re in the room with the 18-year-old as he pours his guts out.
Raised on a diet of Childish Gambino, Frank Ocean and Omar Apollo, Zach Templar’s music is a “colourful mesh” of everything he loves. Some songs are pretty, stripped back confessionals, others are distorted and melancholic or offer woozy, defiant hope. “I try not to create a box for myself,” he explains, with a heart-first approach to everything he does. “They’re all a vibe though.”
Zach first dabbled in music while still at school, learning classical piano and getting involved in theatre productions but felt stifled telling other people’s tales. “I wanted to write my own stories,” he says. Zach also wanted people to hear them, so taught himself how to produce on a “terrible” laptop before uploading a number of rough and ready tracks to Soundcloud. “Tyler, The Creator and Prince were both big inspirations, because they both wrote and produced their own music. I was also inspired by MF Doom, J Dilla and Steve Lacey though,” he says. It’s a cool blend of forward-thinking artists but his first few songs got lost in the ether. Rather than give up though Zach put in the work emailing 1000s of different playlists and putting himself out there on social media. “I had to learn not to care about looking stupid or putting out songs people might not like. It was all about what I thought was cool.”
He slowly built up a loyal following that exploded with 2023’s breakout track ‘missin something’. “It’s a relatable banger,” he grins, with the dreamy song racking up more than 113million streams and sending him on a sold out world tour. “I know it might seem that I’ve come out of nowhere but I’ve spent the past few years really discovering my own voice and mind.”
“It can be tempting to write the sort of music people tell you they want,” especially after achieving milestone streaming numbers, he explains. “But I’ve always kept this mindset of ‘my art comes first’. Everything has been written because I believe it’s good music. I honestly believe that’s what people really want anyway“
Tracks like ‘april’, ‘violet’, ‘give me your heart’ and ‘desires’ have also connected because of how vulnerable Zach is with his lyrics. “If I’m not being honest, I don’t feel fulfilled,” he says. “I’ve heard stories on tour about how much my songs have helped people or soundtracked moments in their lives and those things just aren’t possible unless I’m creating stuff that is vulnerable.”
And now, with a debut EP out later this year, Zach’s never been more sure of himself. “I have a clear vision for my sound and where I want to take it.” Making music alone in his bedroom has taught him “to really trust your gut, because there’s nothing else to rely on”.
“I just have to keep believing that what I’m doing is right and hopefully it’ll take me where I want to go.”
Rather than just a collection of hopeful anthems drenched in melancholy, Zach Templar’s debut EP is an ambitious concept record about coming-of-age confusion, the loss of childlike wonder and wistful nostalgia. It’s his recent reality, given a fantastical twist. “I’ve always wanted to make big statements,” he explains. “It’s about elevating what I’ve done before. I know my music has already touched people and I just hope I can continue doing things that make people feel something. These are all tracks that I really care about and if you’ve put all this effort into writing music, you want it to be something special.”