Rising artist and indie pop creator Zachary Knowles has shared his incredibly personal EP, GOALIE today via FADER Label. Sonically rough and rugged around the edges, the seven-track offering is an honest exploration of Knowles’ struggle with self. In this experimental offering, the breakthrough talent fearlessly faces the reality that he has been acting as his own “goalie” when it comes to blocking out emotions and shying away from opportunities that nourish personal growth. Listen to the EP now below.
GOALIE was born on a trip to LA during COVID, following the release of his highly praised debut album Tendency To Be A Loner. Knowles explains, “At the time, I felt like I had given up on myself. Before heading to LA, I took a step back so I could reflect on where I was in life, as well as what I wanted out of this next round of music, and one word kept coming back – authenticity. GOALIE saw me rediscover my emotional connection to the music I was making. I had come from a really dark place mentally, and after the creation of GOALIE, I was finally in a healthy spot to look back on those times and view the personal growth that occurred from a different perspective, allowing me to process how far I’d come.”
GOALIE consists of 2022’s fan-favorites including “CIGARETTES”, which made a global splash with placements on 20 of Spotify’s New Music Friday playlists, pop-r&b anthem “CRUSH”, which premiered on Wonderland, and his anthemic single “JUST STAY FOR ONCE.” It’s made complete with four brand new tracks, including EP focus track “WRONG SIDE”, a cinematic offering about feeling like you always get the short end of the stick, “SOMEWHERE IN TEXAS”, an ode to his home state which sees Knowles explore the idea of missing an earlier version of himself, and lastly, two vulnerable, down-tempo tracks, “NEVER ENOUGH” and “IF YOU’RE GONNA LEAVE”.
GOALIE is an ambitious offering solidifying Knowles’ place as a leader in the indie-pop realm, marking him as one of the most intriguing and capable emerging song crafters to date. With over 70M global streams, 1M+ monthly listeners on Spotify, and a dedicated fan base of 100k+ across social media, it’s clear that Knowles has a unique ability to connect with listeners, as he continues to prove that pop can be personal.