Today, Nashville-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Zack Joseph announces his new album, Keeping Me Sane, due out on April 16, 2021, and available to pre-order now. The upbeat first single from the album, "High," is available on all digital service providers, here. Keeping Me Sane marks the first release from Zack Joseph after a three-year musical hiatus where the Americana artist took much-needed time to soul search. Joseph returned to his musical roots with a stronger sense of self-identity within the queer community and channeled these revelations into his forthcoming album, Keeping Me Sane. The resulting collection of songs is a reflection on life, love, and the never-ending search for self.
The first single from Zack Joseph's forthcoming album, "High," explores the innately human tendency to overindulge. With "High" Joseph plays with the delicate balance found between enjoyment and loss of control. Joseph explains, "As the saying goes, too much of any one thing is bad for you. "High" is about that fine line between ecstasy and destruction. Be it a drug, a drink, a partner, or a God." He continues, "Love can feel like flying, but reliance can lead to losing yourself. It's something we all struggle with in different ways, but maintaining the levity is an important lesson to learn as we find that balance. For me, this song was a personal reminder that getting lost - even if only to find your way again - is part of the journey, so why not have a little fun while you do it?" Listen to "High," here.
Joseph, originally hailing from rural upstate New York, first found his musical voice in the cello. After engrossing himself in the instrument for years and ranking among the top 10 youth cellists in New York State, it was his Great Aunt who introduced Joseph to folk music as a teen. Soon his weekends were spent on her farm where he taught himself the "Carter scratch" style of guitar, devoured folk traditions, and learned to play mandolin, fiddle, and tenor guitar while developing his own unique voice. With a religious upbringing, it was fitting that Joseph's first performances were at the Sunday community church services. From there, Joseph went on to study cello, folk music, and the music industry in college before making the move to Nashville to pursue his musical ambitions full time.
Once in Nashville, Joseph released his debut album All in Time in 2014, which introduced Joseph on the Nashville folk and Americana scenes. After touring nationally for the following few years, Joseph stepped back from music and took a hiatus which he spent coming to terms with his sexuality. Torn between rights and wrongs, and the faith he was raised with, Joseph spiraled. Unfulfilled and feeling astray on his musical and life paths alike, he decided to stop performing and creating music for the next several years. "I kept feeling like I was drowning and failing, and I didn't know how to get out of that hole," explains Joesph. "It was like everything I had planned, had dreamed, and had thought was important for being a 'good' human being was turned upside down."
Yet, Joseph emerged on the other side stronger than ever and channeled his new discoveries into the songs that became Keeping Me Sane. As Joseph says, "This music is about feeling acceptance, regardless of your walk of life, and knowing that everything will be okay. The process of creating this album was just that for me." The result is a collection of songs that embrace every inch of life, and capture Joseph's realizations along the way. Keeping Me Sane reminds us all to embrace the freedom in letting go.
