The past year has been a blur for British-Colombian artist Zach Templar, who’s quickly skyrocketed to one of the buzziest names in alternative music all simply from the laptop in his bedroom in Somerset, UK. Writing, recording, and producing all of his songs independently to-date, the self-taught musician’s ascent first sparked with ‘missin something’ — his viral 2023 track that’s clocked nearly 90 million streams on Spotify alone. It’s a track that first introduced his woozy, lo-fi pop sound, pastel-tinted guitar work & production chops, and coming-of-age lyricism to the masses. A steady cadence of singles since then has continued to captivate audiences around the world to the tune of 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, including his recent single “roses” which Paste Magazine called “translucent beach-pop apt for as many long drives as it is a bubbling club.“
Now fresh off a UK headlining tour and a highly anticipated set on BBC Radio 1’s stage at Reading Festival in summer 2024 — a performance that drew in thousands — Zach will next perform his biggest headline show to-date at London’s Village Underground before embarking on his first-ever headline North American tour this fall. The fervent attention has even spread stateside, with Zach’s debut Los Angeles show being moved to larger venue months in advance to match demand.
It’s become clear that the 18-year-old from Somerset continues to gain steam at every turn as he readies his debut EP for early 2025.
“I make music in a way I want to see the world,” says Black Hibiscus. “Depending on the day, I’ll listen to different things and write in different ways. It could be hip-hop, R&B, alternative, psychedelic rock or whatever.”
Black Hibiscus’s musical diversity is on full display with Growing Pains (MNRK Music Group), the musician’s latest album and fourth official release. The record showcases both a broad musical spectrum and the singer’s personal growth — and the trials and tribulations that come from those life-changing experiences. It’s hectic, experimental, intimate and always unpredictable, while showcasing a thoroughly unique voice at its heart.
The Nigerian-born artist Black Hibiscus, whose name was inspired by an early love of the singer Blood Orange, moved to the U.S. at the age of 13 to attend school in Georgia. He eventually relocated to New York in 2023 and used the cityscape as inspiration. “It’s been great here,” he says. “You step outside and everyone is working hard on their path.” (That said, he notes, “My first winter here was kind of difficult.”)
It was during the musician’s unexpected move back home (during the Covid year of 2020) where the idea of Black Hibiscus originated. “I had a lot of free time,” he remembers. “A good friend of mine was making music; they gave me some recommendations and a few months after that, I was recording.”
That DIY element traverses all four of Black Hibiscus’s releases, which include 2021’s Tangerine Days, 2022’s The End of the World, and 2023’s Fast Love. But for Growing Pains, the artist let in a few friends and collaborators, including singers and instrumentalists Dachelle, Mai Anna, moye, Sona Blue, and Saïna. “Black Hibiscus started with me writing, recording, mixing and mastering, just doing the entire process myself, and I’m still very attached to that idea,” he says. “But going through that has made it easier to communicate with the people I work with now.”
While the music has certainly broadened, Growing Pains (as a title) reflects more on the musician’s mindset. “It’s thematically about a period of time where you’re without the safety net of academics and you’re going through a phase of discovery,” he says. “You’re becoming a real person for the first time.”
Each track here takes on its own musical identity. You’ll hear lo-fi bedroom pop, sultry R&B, a Neptunes-style jam, and psychedelic indie rock, kept together by contemplative yet expressive vocals. “I have a lot of projects planned out that have a really cohesive musical idea,” says Black Hibiscus. “But with this album, I wanted to explore a bit. I’m comfortable working across different genres.” (Outside of this project, Black Hibiscus is in the midst of crafting multiple albums inspired by hip-hop and R&B of the late ‘90s and early aughts.)
The first single on Growing Pains is “TENSION,” a ‘90s-inspired R&B jam about two people recognizing the strain between them. “It’s literally a back and forth between two individuals in every section, chorus, and verse,” says the singer. Also of note is “FORLORN,” an atmospheric number with shimmery guitars and a sensual groove. “That’s about getting past a relationship,” he notes. “And her name was Lauryn, so it’s a play on words. For Lauryn, forlorn.”
One musical anomaly arrives on track three, “DON’T WANNA MISS U,” an electronic-tinged joint that offers a real Pharrell vibe. “That song gave me the most hell,” admits the singer. “I was learning to create that ‘bounce.’ It was focusing on energy rather than softer emotions.”
Even while exploring new sounds and bringing in new collaborators, Black Hibiscus remains dedicated to a do-it-yourself ethos, which includes him directing videos, planning out album visuals and crafting the majority of his music, even to this day, in his bedroom.
“I approached this project with creative control but also having a proper budget to tell a full story,” he says. “I set goals for myself. Growth is important to me. I’m improving project to project. But it’s still about thematically and spiritually connecting to music that moves people.”
