Hot off the success of his latest single ‘Vicious Cycle’, independent music artist Zachary Ray has just released an album.
Titled ‘Unafraid’, this album contains ten songs which vary in theme and genre. A song of the same name headlines the album and its other songs include ‘Out of Time’, ‘When You Know’, ‘Rebel Hearts’, two versions of ‘Let Go’ (a slow poignant one and one with a faster pace), ‘Snapshot’, ‘Danger’ and previously released singles ‘Cloud 9’ and ‘Vicious Cycle’.
“I’ve been working on this album called ‘Unafraid’ for almost two years now. I’m very happy with the fact that it’s a truly international project. These songs have been written and recorded all over the globe – from Nashville to Seattle in USA and Mumbai in India. I’ve released a few of the songs as singles over the last few months and have included a few new unreleased songs. I’ve been working on this project closely with Austin-based production company Nelda Studios to collaborate with artists and write and release songs globally that uplift and encourage listeners,” says Ray speaking exclusively to Sunday Guardian on the occasion of the launch of the album.
He credits his interest in music to his upbringing in a musical family. Ray studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music where he was trained to perform vocally and learn the nuances of running a business of making music. He currently splits his time between Boston in USA and Mumbai in India. “I got into music naturally with my family being musicians, so I grew up singing. Music is a huge part of my family. I was blessed to be able to take music and vocal lessons at a young age. In class nine, I started taking music even more seriously. In class eleven, I went to Berklee for a visit during one of their open houses. After I finished my degree at Berklee, I started teaching in a music program in Mumbai. There I met friends who asked me to move to Kolkata and I started teaching and training at the Calcutta School of Music. Now I’m in Mumbai working with Global Music Institute (GMI) as their educational and industry rep. I’ve always loved working with other artists for the song writing and production process. Mumbai has so much talent and I’ve really enjoyed working and meeting so many singers and songwriters here,” he says.
‘Unafraid’ is a collection of songs that touches on sensitive subjects like the importance of caring for one’s mental health, accepting your destiny with confidence, and the vicious cycle of addiction and depression which can be difficult to fight your way out of. It also follows the overarching theme of not letting the expectations of society lead you down a path that may leave you beyond reproach, but make you unhappy by forcing you to live a life of mediocrity.
Ray’s love of music and belief in sharing his personal story to make an impact plays out in his powerful lyrics and original music. He has worked with numerous artists who are established names in their own right, including Jody McBrayer (Avalon), billboard charting producer Nathan Walters (PlusOne), Angie Miller (Zealyn), and Brandon Bee (music producer for Justin Bieber and Stacie Orrico).
The album ‘Unafraid’ by Zachary Ray can be accessed on all major music platforms.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.