Q&A: Verzache Harnesses Music As A Mirror In New Single, “Sinking”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SYDNEY TATE ☆
Photo By Matt Vogel
BARING HIS SOUL FOR THE WORLD TO SEE — Verzache explores concepts of disappointment and guilt with moving melodies in new single, “Sinking” out today via ONErpm.
Zach Farache is a Toronto native proving the truism of self-discovery in artistic creation. His current outfit sprouted with self-taught programming in high school now blossomed as a dedicated quest with truly good music as a mirror.
Luna had the pleasure of discussing reflection after failure, how to approach making music for the first time, and waiting patiently on the sidelines of pop culture drama with Verzache.
LUNA: When you’re writing music, do you usually start somewhere specific with lyrics or a guitar part, or is it different every time?
ZACH/VERZACHE: Oh, dude, I honestly feel a little bit like a fraud sometimes because it’s unconventional. I’m a producer first, so I always start on my computer programming something half of the time, and then I’ll pick up a guitar. It’s weird, I want to be one of those people that's like, “Music is in my soul” and I wake up and I just have to write the song.
LUNA: “It came to me in a dream.”
ZACH/VERZACHE: “It was 4am and I had to wake up and record melody.” That stuff is crazy, and I admire it, I think it’s cool, but it’s not like that for me. That’s like a fiction novel to me.
It’s like the expectation versus reality [meme].
LUNA: I don’t think it makes it more or less valuable if it’s in a vision or not.
VERZACHE: It ruins the magic a little bit for me. When I think of an artist like Matty Healy of The 1975, there’s no way this guy is getting on his computer to write a song.
LUNA: Maybe not. I don't know. He's got some ramblings, I feel like that's usually what he goes off of.
VERZACHE: He’s got a lot to say.
LUNA: For sure. If you had to choose a cartoon character that represents or feels most like you, who would that be?
VERZACHE: Oh my gosh, I like this a lot. I love SpongeBob, but I don’t think he’s me. I have parts of him in me, but we’re not the same.
Someone that resembles me a bit is probably Tina from Bob’s Burgers. She’s like “uhhhhhhhhhhh” (imitating Tina’s anxious noise)
LUNA: That’s a great answer. She’s everyone’s favorite.
VERZACHE: That’s who I feel like, for sure. What about you?
LUNA: It's hard because I don't know if it's who I actually am or who I aspire to be, but maybe the robot girl from My Life as a Teenage Robot.
VERZACHE: What era is this?
LUNA: Early 2000s.
VERZACHE: What area are you from?
LUNA: I was from the South [in the US], but it was on Nickelodeon.
VERZACHE: You see, I'm Canadian, so we didn't have Nickelodeon. We had a different thing that showed some Nickelodeon stuff.
LUNA: If I had to choose another one, there’s also the rockstar ghost girl in Danny Phantom. I would love that.
VERZACHE: One hundred percent. Danny Phantom is so sick. I’ve never seen My Life as a Teenage Robot.
LUNA: I don’t know about it’s rewatch value, but as a child I thought it was super cool.
VERZACHE: [Laughing] It’s like you find out it’s rated M and won Oscars.
LUNA: You were saying sinking is about failing someone that you care about—I was wondering what you think about navigating disappointment in relationships, if at all?
VERZACHE: Interesting. I think navigating failing someone depends on what you’re failing. It’s not black and white and everything depends on so much.
For my specific scenarios, it’s always been not being open enough or not being honest enough, which is failing, because you’re supposed to be transparent all the time. Being transparent helps you too—you’re not just telling someone everything for no reason. Navigating that is something I’ve been struggling with.
I’m not in any relationships right now because I’m focusing on my whole me thing right now. Not on some selfish sh*t, but-
LUNA: In a positive way!
VERZACHE: Yes. I am still trying to learn to navigate that. I have to figure out myself first before I can bring someone else’s life into mine.
LUNA: A lot of people struggle with that. I feel you can also learn a lot through friendship, but it is super different exploring someone’s whole world and soul.
VERZACHE: Right. Going through any sort of adversity in a relationship with someone, whether romantic or friendship, I think that can help in both worlds.
LUNA: We’re all doing our best.
VERZACHE: Some of us. Sometimes I think I’m not doing enough or I’m not trying enough. Imposter syndrome.
LUNA: There’s graciousness in the process.
VERZACHE: Yes, woah. That was deep. That’s really good. I like that.
LUNA: What type of weather do you like the most?
VERZACHE: This is actually messed up. When you ask people this, let’s be real, most of the time people want hot weather or room temperature-ish. Most people would say that.
LUNA: What are you going to say?
VERZACHE: I like it just below room temperature. Let me convert this from my Celsius. Wait, where are you based right now?
LUNA: I’m in Vermont right now.
VERZACHE: Okay, so it gets cold, doesn’t it?
LUNA: Yeah, it’s phenomenal. I like when it’s in the 10 degrees Celsius range.
VERZACHE: Whoa, you know Celsius?
LUNA: Only because I've talked to my friends about this several times who also don’t live here.
VERZACHE: Well, 10 is pretty chilly. I like it.
LUNA: I like to wear a sweater.
VERZACHE: No, that's totally fair. That’s fall, you know? I like…59 Fahrenheit.
LUNA: That’s a happy place to be.
VERZACHE: Everyone I know, especially in the States, always thinks that’s too cold. My manager’s house is too hot half the time.
LUNA: That’s my biggest issue as well. I try to be chill about it but if I’m in a place and I’m too hot, I can’t do anything. If I’m chilly, I can put on a jacket.
VERZACHE: Yo, people don’t understand that. Maybe they work the other way around, but in my mind I’m like … no you don’t. You’re just lying to your body [laughs].
LUNA: What are three albums that you feel shaped your music taste as it stands?
VERZACHE: First one that comes to mind is For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver. Really good one. I heard that when I was really young—I think he won a Grammy or something. That was how I found him because my mom always got the Grammy CD with all the hits on it from that year, so the first song I heard was “Skinny Love” by Bon Iver and I was like bro, woah.
LUNA: I forgot about that song.
VERZACHE: A lot of people do. It's a core memory. When “Skinny Love” was big, there was another artist named Birdy who did the cover of it. That’s how the young audience found the song and majority of the audience never really knew it was Bon Iver. Anyways, I really liked that album, definitely listened to it a lot.
And then Arcade Fire, The Suburbs. That was when I just started high school, and now if I listened to it I would hate it [laughing]. But at the time, I remember I listened to it a lot.
LUNA: Pivotal.
VERZACHE: Yeah, but at the time it was also cool to say “I listen to Arcade Fire.”
LUNA: [Laughing] One of the cool kids.
VERZACHE: The last album I’ll mention … ooh … it’s hard because my taste has changed so much. I love sh*t now that I would have never listened to back then.
Tyler The Creator’s Wolf. That was the first album I heard from him. I don’t think it’s his best, but it holds a place in my heart.
LUNA: Goated album.
VERZACHE: Goated. Completely.
LUNA: Does Frank Ocean mean anything to you?
VERZACHE: Yes, I’ve heard of him [both laugh]. I was late to the bandwagon, like very late. I listented to Blonde for the first time in 2021.
LUNA: Well, it’s a religious experience no matter how soon you get there. I always forget how long ago it came out because I listen to it several times a year.
VERZACHE: Oh, it was insane. It ages well. When I first heard “Nikes” in college, I thought “This sucks.” That was my first reaction. Like, “This isn’t even in key.” Then five years passed and I had a moment of “Oh, I get it now.”
LUNA: Sometimes you have to go through that with music.
VERZACHE: I got to it late, but I’m a big fan. I really wanted him to release that album with “DHL” and “In My Room,” but I think he canceled it now.
LUNA: I think he did. I don’t know what he’s doing, but I hope he’s happy.
VERZACHE: I’m a fan of his work but I don’t know how I feel about everything with the festival. I’m here for all the tea and Omar Apollo sh*t. I wanna know what’s happening.
LUNA: I stay tuned but sort of on the edge.
VERZACHE: I care when I hear about it, but I wouldn’t seek it out.
LUNA: I respect that. It’s a good approach.
VERZACHE: Nonchalant.
LUNA: A nonchalant interest in pop culture drama.
VERZACHE: [Nonchalantly] I guess I’ll hear it out [both laugh].
LUNA: Do you have any advice for someone who’s interested in using computer software for music who’s never done it before?
VERZACHE: Don't be afraid to pirate software. For instance, I use Ableton and that one is so expensive. It’s not like they don’t know people are pirating their sh*t, they know. I pirated it for the first five years of me making music. When I eventually started to make a living, I bought it.
Don’t say it’s too expensive and let that be your cop out for trying it. That goes for anything.
Logic is another one that’s huge and it’s a little more affordable, bon’t be afraid to figure out how to get it and f*ck around. Find sh*t you like and try to make something like it, and you won’t make the same thing, but it will be better eventually. Don’t be afraid to do sh*t.
LUNA: Are these singles leading up to an album?
VERZACHE: Yes.
LUNA: Score! [both laugh]
VERZACHE: I am excited. [Nonchalantly] I have an album … lowkey.
LUNA: Got some files.
VERZACHE: Been working on it my whole life.
LUNA: No big deal.
VERZACHE: NBD. Don’t worry about it.
LUNA: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
VERZACHE: Album is on the way. That's the vibe.
