Award-winning singer-songwriter Zach Pietrini writes songs because he loves to. “It’s just so fun,” he says. “I get to explore myself, the world, and the people around me and try to make sense out of it in a beautiful way. I get to nerd out about word selection and play with syllables and metaphors. When you find the exact thing you want to say and people resonate with it, it’s like finishing a puzzle. It’s this wonderful mystery that never ceases to amaze me.”
To judge from the accolades Pietrini has won and the considerable size of his fan base, many people indeed resonate with his music. Named one of the Best Live Acts in Milwaukee by Milwaukee Magazine, Pietrini is known for hard-strumming guitars and gravelly vocals reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.
Pietrini has repeatedly been a finalist at the Wisconsin Area Music Awards, including for Artist of the Year, and his song “Learning the Hard Way” won Best Song in a Feature Film at the Mark Awards in 2021. He says every song starts in a deceptively simple way – “Just by paying attention.”
Pietrini’s surprisingly quick creative process
“I’ll be driving and see something that sparks an idea, or I’ll get a feeling, or a melody or lyric will pop into my head,” Pietrini says. “Then comes the work to wrangle that idea and flesh it out.”
Once Pietrini begins working on a song, he tries to finish a working verse and chorus in a single sitting. “I tend to write melody and lyrics at the same time, so I’m usually at the piano,” he says, “but in the event I’m not, I sing into my voice memo app.”
The next day, Pietrini returns to the song to flesh it out, and he says that after only two rounds of edits, it’s usually done. “Then I’ll play it out somewhere or sneak it into a solo set and see how it feels,” he adds.
A great example of this process was his song “What Are We Now.” “I was driving and thinking about how hard long-lasting relationships can be,” Pietrini remembers. “You become a different person over the years, and what if who you or your partner is now isn’t who you signed on to be with back then? I remember thinking, ‘Man, that’s heavy,’ and then the line ‘What are we now?’ popped into my head. I started writing it in the car, and after a few revisions I had the lead single of [the album] ‘Rock & Roll is Dead.’”
However, building a life in music has not been without its challenges for Pietrini.
Defining success as a musician
When asked what he wishes he had known before starting out as a musician, Pietrini answers: “I wish I had known that music is not a merit-based system. The cool thing about that is that anyone can do it. It doesn’t matter if you went to college for performance. If you just want to do it, you can do it. You don’t have to wait for anyone to give you permission.”
But there’s also a downside. “You can be great and still die in obscurity,” Pietrini says. “You can work harder than anyone else, and that does not necessarily mean you will reach your goals.”
This situation informs Pietrini’s advice for aspiring musicians. “Take huge risks while you are young,” he recommends, “especially if you don’t have kids and are single. Live simple. Learn to get by on only a little so you can do things like tour. Record your album and figure yourself out as you go. It’s probably even better if you don’t have a map.”
Pietrini also counsels aspiring musicians to be skeptical of the common pecking order among musicians, advising a more pragmatic and self-compassionate mindset instead. “A lot of people make big deals about whether musicians are full-time or part-time, but all that is garbage,” he says. “There are seasons where all I do is make or play music, but there have also been times I’ve had to pick up part-time jobs or do other things to pay the bills. You are the only one who defines what you are, so if you play music, you are a musician — there are no rules. You define what success is for yourself in music.”
What’s next for Zach Pietrini
Despite having just finished a live album of previously released songs, Pietrini is currently working on two new EPs. “The first is a snapshot of grief and healing from childhood traumas and losing my parents over the past several years,” he says. “It’s a live solo acoustic thing, but there will also be fully produced versions of the songs as well.” This album will only be available through Patreon.
“The other EP is going to be a very ‘80s ‘Springsteen’ thing,” he says. “It’s a relative concept EP about the start and end of a relationship.”
Pietrini is also getting ready to go on tour with his band, playing gigs in Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin. To stay sane while on the road, he plans on bringing good friends along, getting as much sleep as possible, and eating well. “I bring bagged lentils everywhere to keep from eating fast food,” he explains.
Meet your new favorite songs
The unforgettable hooks in Pietrini’s soulful rock ‘n roll demand to be played on heavy rotation. While some of his songs — like “Get Out,” “Wrecking Ball Heart,” and “Walked Out the Door” — provide a soundtrack for the brokenhearted, others like “Dance” and “Dead End Town” propel listeners onto the dance floor. Every single track is 100 percent authentic Zach Pietrini, the epitome of the working musician and a definite success, no matter how one defines it.