Name: Zach Craig
Major: Communication, Advertising
Minor: Art
Hometown: Gastonia, NC
Zach Craig is a current student at Appalachian State. When he isn’t studying for his advertising and art classes, he is taking over the speakers as a DJ. Zach started being a DJ because he was interested in producing music. The only method of performing with real exposure to crowds was DJing.
Zach has always had a passion for music. He began playing the guitar in middle school at age 14. “I was self-taught because I thought YouTube would be cheaper than lessons, but I kind of regret not getting the formal training.” He began producing music in high school as a joke, and began making his first tracks by experimenting with different programs. “They were super awful and I definitely wasn’t taking myself seriously at this time, but I stuck to it and eventually realized that I loved it.”
When Zach got to college, he realized that he could get his music out there by playing at local house parties. Now, he has a lot more options for his live performances, and he is currently working on adding a live element, like a keyboard.
Zach really likes to play groovy stuff. His favorite artists to play are Swindail, Keylow, and Luca Lush, but nothing beats playing his own music at shows. His favorite music to listen to on his own time is just about anything on the electronic music spectrum. He described this genre as dubstep, house, techno, trap, as well as anything and everything in between.
As we were talking, I asked Zach where he gets his inspiration. He explained to me that while he does get a lot of inspiration for production from other artists, he tries to look beyond that and find inspiration from different images and pieces of art. He also tries to get out of the house and find inspiration around town. “I get a lot of ideas for tracks when I put myself in quiet as well, like driving in the car with no music. Sometimes you just gotta let it come to you.”
Zach’s favorite place to perform is in a festival environment because he likes to perform and then wander around and experience cool stuff. His new DJ name is Yen, and before he took on that name, he played at house parties and bars for the most part. Now that he is taking on a new persona, he would like to start working more with an expressive environment. Yen is currently working with a local collective called The Undrgrnd, and they are hosting shows at different venues around town.
Shows pop up when Zach gets an offer, but he isn’t actively looking for them at the moment. He is trying to really focus on perfecting his current projects and releasing new music at the moment.
“I love music because it’s an escape from reality. And I especially love that we can all come together, separate ourselves from who we are on a regular basis, separate ourselves from our day jobs or school, and just enjoy some good music together. There’s nothing better than being a part of and connecting with a crowd that just loves the music.”
Zach isn’t just a DJ, though. He is also an active member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and really enjoys the work he does in advertising and art.
If you want to hear some of the things Zach has been working on, visit his soundcloud page at www.soundcloud.com/yen_music, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. He also has a new mix that you can find at https://soundcloud.com/yen_music/sessions-001.