By Chris Ramos
Being a musician isn’t easy. As any other art form, you must seize the sudden spark which branches out into electric creativity. Music is powerful, it plays an integral role within people’s lives. The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once claimed that, without music, life would be a mistake.
The music industry is no joke, and with all of the tremendous technological advancements that have come to fruition, many people are trying to step through the door.
Building a persona while becoming appealing to the public requires full investment from an artist, and quite a bit of ambition.
Zak Desrochers lives by the word ambition.
Zak is a solo artist, who graduated from Nordonia in 2010. A singer and performer, he traces his roots back to middle school choir. From there, he participated in high school musicals and choir, solidifying his foundation. He was also in a band prior to his solo career. To Zak, music allows him to escape the pressures of life, essentially transcending reality.
After high school, everything changes. It’s a whole different world out there. said Zak.
When asked about his songwriting and the time spent to produce a song, Zak responded.
“For me it (songwriting) comes out of nowhere. I couldn’t be told to sit and write a song. It has to be an experience. Afterwards, I find a beat that I like, work with it and then record. When you’re recording yourself, you know exactly what you want which makes the process go by pretty fast.”
His own personal recording studio gives him plenty of flexibility when it comes to making his music. The personal studio also allows Zak to work with other artists if they need something recorded, possibly leading into a collaboration. He has collaborated with rapper Phil McCombs, who is also an alumni of Nordonia.
Zak emphasized the importance of consistency, you can’t put out one song and go missing in action for a few months. Focusing on having a plan rather than scatter the release of his material.
“If you want to grab people’s attention, you have to be consistent. It’s pointless to put out one song and not know when the next one is coming out. If you take too long, people will forget about you.”
Playing at a few small venues, the opportunity to land a place to perform is tough for one person. Zak referenced to his days in a band, where you had multiple people who were promoting, bringing in a heavier crowd.
When it comes to his musical influences, Zak looks up to the renowned pop figure, Michael Jackson. He even went as far to as to call himself a “Michael Jackson impersonator”. He also is attracted to the works of 80’s bands Guns n’ Roses and Rush, giving the sense of a broad spectrum which is refreshing to see.
He has just released a new song titled “Feel The Vibe”, and plans to shoot a music video for the song. Working with artists Aaron Dissell and Charlie Williams, he was involved with the song titled “Sky Falls Down” which garnered a whopping 1.4 million listens.
Links to both songs:
https://soundcloud.com/zak-desrochers/feel-the-vibe-zak-desrochers
https://soundcloud.com/aarondissell/sky-falls-down-feat-charlie-williams
Like his artist page on Facebook
Zak plans on touching the technical side, looking to buy his own drum machine along with other equipment so he can make his own instrumentals, becoming a versatile artist.
Getting a chance to meet Zak was enjoyable, and once again, it makes the process of going out and gathering the pieces for a story rewarding. After our interview came to an end, Gary, Julie, Zak and I chatted for about another hour, freelancing over several topics with good spirits. Zak even switched the roles, with him becoming the interviewer and I becoming the interviewee. For him to be as generous as to hear me ramble about my interests in writing and literature as a whole was kind of him. I was certainly appreciative of this gesture.
After our talk, we strolled into the auditorium where the drama club was rehearsing for their upcoming musical, Les Miserables. Zak looked on with nostalgic eyes, reminiscing on the countless hours he used to spend in that same auditorium during his tenure of theatre. Time really does manage to escape us.
With his plans for the music video and the entry into producing extensively, Zak will continue to stay true to the spirit of a musician, which is to be resilient. Many times, making it in music is about constantly putting yourself out there, so you can be there at the right place, at the right time. You cannot fear the idea of taking risks, of leaping into the unknown. No, instead you must embrace it, after all, you’ll fail to grasp the meaning of creating art.
