About John Zay

John Zay is a New York–born artist whose music fuses rock’s fire with electronic ambience and a spirit of transformation. His sound is both epic and intimate rooted in alternative and progressive rock yet colored by world rhythms, ambient soundscapes, and cinematic emotion.

He began his career in Brooklyn with the band Speed of Life, touring nationally and releasing two albums before shifting toward a solo path. Years of creative exploration took him from New York to Los Angeles, where he composed for film and commercials and collaborated with artists such as Angelo Moore (Fishbone). But it was through his personal journey, confronting burnout, healing from depression, and immersing himself in spiritual traditions that his songwriting took on its distinctive emotional depth.

In Hamburg, Zay found new energy performing multiple nights a week, sharpening his live sound and reconnecting with the visceral side of music. Later in Portugal, surrounded by the stillness of the coast and the rhythms of nature, he rediscovered purpose and clarity inspiration that would shape Shadows and Worlds Apart.

Now based again in New York, John Zay continues to create music that bridges opposites: heavy yet healing, modern yet timeless. His work invites listeners into the same journey he’s lived. From chaos to calm, from disillusionment to awakening John Zay is crafting anthems for anyone searching for meaning in the noise.

John Zay is a superb guitar player, lyricist and vocalist as well.I’m a believer and you should be too!”
– Angelo Moore of Fishbone