Q&A with Songwriter Zacari

About Zacari

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we spoke to rapper and songwriter Zacari about his music ideation and creation experience. Learn about his process, how he collaborates with other artists, and what advice he has for new artists just beginning their careers. Zacari also shares how he uses his iPhone and other Apple tools throughout the entire songwriting cycle.

How do you capture new ideas, lyrics, and melodies when inspiration strikes?

I use my iPhone to track all of my ideas for new songs. I usually have ideas in different stages of progress in Notes, Journal entries, and Voice Memos. I like to use the Journal to jot down feelings or words that spark emotion — the entries can end up looking like madness. Once those thoughts start to take shape, I move the song into Notes with more solidified lines and bars. I’m currently sitting at over 5000 Voice Memos on my iPhone.

Do you prefer writing on the guitar, piano, in a digital audio workstation (DAW) or something else?

Honestly the process changes song by song or depending on how I’m feeling that day. I love writing with just my guitar. Lately, I’ve been drawn to more stripped back production with just a few chords and sounds, and adding in bass and drums after the fact. If I can get the song to sound good over just a few chords, we can take the production anywhere. I’ve been fortunate to have built good relationships with talented producers who can help shape a song. I can also use DAWs to produce my music, which makes it a lot easier to get a song where I want it to be in post production. 

How does Logic Pro come into play as part of your process?

When I work with producer Rex Kudo, we record my vocals with Logic Pro. We use the Varispeed feature in Logic Pro to give the vocals a more choral sound—I love recording with Logic Pro.

Have you ever used Voice Memos to record a track or collaborate?

Yes! The first song people heard me on was a J-Louis release with Soulection on SoundCloud, called “Heaven Sent.” All my vocals were recorded on Voice Memos! It was actually the first time my voice was heard on SoundCloud. I made my own SoundCloud account after seeing how well that song did.

How does your workflow change when you’re not in your home studio?

When I’m booking recording rooms with my engineer, I try to have a clear goal of what I want to accomplish or get done that day because you’re on a clock. When I’m at my home studio I like to just throw paint at the walls and take things a lot slower. At home, I have the time and freedom to explore and experiment with different sounds. 

What advice do you have for songwriters early in their careers?

My advice is to learn a DAW and how to record. Personally, it helped me so much as a writer in my career. If you can put yourself in a position to make and record a song all on your own, any help that you get is just bonus.

Do you browse through your existing ideas in a co-writing session? How are your ideas categorized?

Yes! Sometimes I’ll write hooks I really love to the wrong beats, and I’ll keep bringing them back until they find the right home. I’ve made so many songs throughout my career, and recently organized them into different folders according to genre — it's helped bring a lot of old ideas back to life.

As both an artist and songwriter, are there aspects of each role that you like/dislike?

With songwriting, there’s a freedom in the writing that I don’t have if I were to be writing for myself. With my personal music, I want it to come from a real place and I can tend to overthink more because I want it to be authentic. My favorite part about songwriting is when I’m able to truly connect with an artist and help bring their ideas to life. I love that.