Today, Staten Island-based house/pop-punk artist Zack Martino drops his brand-new single, entitled “Snow White,” featuring Kyle Reynolds, via Armada.
Talking about “Snow White,” Zack says, “This record’s about falling for someone who just isn’t ready for a relationship. It’s a toxic tale about how a girl wants to fit in when she’s losing sight of reality.”
Photo: Bryce Glenn
The video, which will be unveiled next week, follows a young woman who just got dumped. Attempting to find solace and forget her woes, she goes to a pool party where Zack is performing. The party gets wild and crazy and so does she.
Produced by Reed Hoeschler, “Snow White” blends house music with heady sprays of pop-punk flavors, resulting in a tasty punk anthem for today’s world.
Zack explains the song’s genesis, “Kyle and I have been writing songs together for about a year now. We decided on our next song we wanted to dive into our roots and give everyone a refreshing take on a dance/punk crossover. We both grew up on bands like Blink-182 and Sum 41, so it was super fun incorporating those types of elements into a dance song.”
Releasing his music via major labels, Zack has amassed more than 50 million streams and performed at prestigious venues, sharing the stage with Borgeous and Tritonal.
Tattoo spoke with Zack Martino about “Snow White,” as well as how he got started in music, how his sound evolved, and his ink.
What inspired your new single “Snow White?”
The inspiration behind “Snow White” and the music video was a fun party vibe. For the record itself, we knew we wanted to make a pop-punk/dance record inspired by Blink-182. For the video, we were inspired by college house party scenes in movies and music videos from the 2000s.
What got you into music?
I first got into music when I was about 5 years old. The only way I was able to have a drum set in my house was if I took lessons and really learned how to play. Then over the years, I started taking piano and guitar lessons. Growing up my parents always played music in the house. They loved classic rock.
What musicians/singers influenced you the most?
I was influenced by bands like Fall Out Boy and Blink-182. To this day Travis Barker is someone I look up to. His talent continues to inspire me and my sound.
Did your sound evolve naturally, or did you push it in a deliberate direction?
I’ve been playing rock music up until my freshman year of high school. I started getting into dance music and wanted to start producing records. But I had to sell my drum set in order to purchase a laptop to start. I was heavily into dance music and started DJing and playing shows shortly after I graduated. Throughout the pandemic, I started getting back into pop-punk and jamming with my friends and thought it would be really fun to combine both of the genres that I love.
How do you keep your sound fresh?
I try to keep my sound fresh by collaborating with different artists and vocalists that come from different backgrounds of music. When we collaborate, it’s fun to take influence from their genres and still fuse it with dance music.
Which artists in your opinion are killing it right now?
Some of my favorite artists right now are Point North, Sueco, Titus, Rightfield, 44blonde, and nothing,nowhere.
What inspires your writing? Do you draw inspiration from poems, music, TV, or other media?
I get inspired by literally anything. Mainly life experiences, but I find just driving alone with no music on I can really think and just voice record whatever comes to my mind.
What can you share about your writing process?
My writing process starts with the melody. I write it out on my piano or guitar first, then add the drums in later on. Once I have somewhat of a structure, I blabber stuff into the microphone. It could be humming or just random words to get a vocal melody down. Whatever ends up sounding the catchiest is usually where my lyrics come from.
What can your fans expect from you over the next six months?
Over the next 6 months, they can expect a lot of new music! A lot more punk-inspired tunes and really dope collabs with some of my favorite writers and vocalists!
You have beaucoup ink. How many? And which is your favorite?
I have most of my body tattooed at this point. The only room I have left for pieces are my stomach and back. Some of my favorite pieces are the owl on my chest (inspired by Harry Potter and my mom always called me a night owl cause I realistically only sleep like 4 hours a night). I also have a Greek Mythology sleeve on my left leg I’m obsessed with.
Who does your ink – one artist or a variety of artists?
One of my best friends, Andrew Russo, does all my work. He has a shop here in Staten Island, NY called Ink Couture. Always such a great vibe there and the artists Toni Damora, Peter Triolo, and Richie Famiglietti are just incredible. Also, Mike Hallows at Nevermore Tattoo here in Staten Island tattooed the rose on my neck along with my left arm sleeve!
Do you plan on getting any more tattoos?
Andrew and I are designing my backpiece now. Going to get a huge tiger head with bamboo going up my ribs right after summer!
Does your ink commemorate special events or people? Or is it spiritual? Or simply body art?
Some tattoos on me have deeper meanings than others. It’s simply for the love of art. I also have been drawing my whole life and have helped with the designs on a lot of the tattoos on me. It’s such a fun hobby of mine – I always wanted to learn how to tattoo.
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