After a whirlwind year that saw Zach Hood ascend from TikTok heartthrob to mainstream artist, this ​20-year-old from Alabama finds himself starting a new life in Los Angeles. "I Miss My Friends" is a poignant ode to all the things he left behind as Zach puts a spotlight on the self-contradiction that is Los Angeles: at once one of the most populated areas in the country yet also among the most lonely.

With countless millions of streams already to his name across platforms like Spotify and TikTok, his next offering extends the punk-inflected pop sound he is known for with quotable lyrics that document his sudden adjustment to the big city—set against an array of melodic hooks and electronic accompaniment reminiscent of luminaries like MGK, The Kid LAROI, Lil Baby, and Chelsea Cutler among many others. With his Arista Records deal in place, Zach can focus on the things that brought him recognition in the first place: creating a safe space with his music for himself and others to work through difficult feelings of loss, regret, and sadness, or just to let loose for a little while. Zach focuses on telling a story with his songs: whether that be the wounds of his fractured family, the struggle to connect with a new environment, or simply the fantasy of leaning in to fame without a care in the world.

With the release of "I Miss My Friends" Zach ignites his next chapter and does his home state proud. After all, he's just a kid from Alabama—who happens to have a struck a nerve with his combination of honest, visceral songwriting and cross-genre appeal.

Traded in the back roads
For thе traffic in the west coast
I get homеsick pretty bad from time to time
Jordan's pouring up another
Brady's fighting with his brothers
Jack drank too much now he's hanging for life

Some nights
I wonder how we grew apart
It breaks my heart
I miss the good times
When did Cali get so cold
Wanna go back home

I’m just a kid from Alabama who stayed true to himself, never let anyone get in his way, persevered, and stayed on the path I was set for. I knew I didn’t want to go to college or work in a restaurant—I just had to make music. It brought me here. — Zach Hood

Among Zach's earliest memories in Daphne, AL, is belting along to Bruno Mars from his car seat as a toddler. After his mom bought him a piano, he taught himself how to play by watching YouTube videos for hours on end.

Visit Zach on Instagram.