Hear Zach John King's 'I Deserve a Heartbreak'

03-30-2025

(SMN) Making a name for himself as "a rising force in country music" (All Country News), Zach John King today announces that he will be dropping an upcoming EP, Slow Down, on May 23.

Produced by Ryan Wilson, the six-song EP will introduce fans to King's trailblazing sound, combining elements of country, indie rock, and striking, honest lyrics. Featuring King's signature emotional vocals, the emerging artist's passion will emanate throughout the EP as he also co-wrote all six tracks on the project. The EP will explore the many stages of heartbreak including denial, regret, acceptance, and everything in between. The announcement of the project follows the success of the title track, "Slow Down," with the song earning 5 million global streams as well as placements on Spotify's "Hot Country" playlist and Apple Music's "Today's Country" playlist, among others.

"This EP is the first project this year where I finally feel like I've captured a full picture of who I am-both as a person and as an artist," King shared. "Once you listen top to bottom, you'll get the good and the bad sides of me-the heartbreaks, the love stories, my mistakes, the things I care about, and the person I'm still becoming. Every track holds a piece of my story, and my hope is that when people listen, they find a piece of their own story in it too. I'm so stoked to get it out to my fans and let them connect with it. Slow Down-the EP-is the most honest storytelling I've ever put to music, and whether people love it or hate it, I'm proud of what it represents. It's vulnerable, real, and exactly where I'm at right now."

King also released a new track, "I Deserve A Heartbreak," which is out today. Penned by King, Thomas Archer, and Michael Lotten, the song can be streamed HERE. The track will appear on King's upcoming EP, giving fans a preview of the gritty sound and compelling storytelling they can expect on the project.

""I wrote 'I Deserve a Heartbreak' about how breakups are rarely fair," King shared. "One person always seems to carry more of the pain, and I've realized they don't break evenly. We wanted to write a song that asks-if everything shook out fairly and I got back exactly what I gave-would I deserve the same heartbreak that I caused? It's a classic country story told from a fresh perspective, and we're really proud of the production. I pulled in a lot of my indie rock influences on this one, and there's a huge breakdown in the middle that feels really unique. I don't think you'll hear this sound anywhere else."

The full track list for Slow Down includes:
1. Lose You - Zach John King / Alex Hope / Sasha Sloan
2. She Didn't Have To - Zach John King / Beau Bailey / Matt McVaney / Joybeth Taylor
3. I Deserve A Heartbreak - Zach John King / Thomas Archer / Michael Lotten
4. Slow Down - Zach John King / Thomas Archer / Kyle Fishman / Michael Taylor
5. Hole In The Wall - Zach John King / Abram Dean / Jimmy Robbins
6. Cold Shoulder - Zach John King / Zarni Dewet / Tom Whall