Winnipeg-based artist Zach Riley shares “Wasting Away,” an upbeat and emotionally charged pop-rock single that captures the desire to leave everything behind and disappear somewhere new with the person you love most. Blending energetic hooks with driving guitars and sun-soaked production, the track transforms emotional overwhelm into a liberating anthem built for open roads, warm nights, and fresh starts.
At its core, “Wasting Away” explores the universal fantasy of escape; the urge to run from the weight of everyday life and start over somewhere unfamiliar. “I’m sure a lot of people get that feeling at some point in their life to just pick up everything and run away to a place where nobody knows who you are,” Zach explains. “Life can get overwhelming a lot of the time and the idea of starting over can be really enticing.”
The song began through an unexpected collaboration with producer Auston Beeding, who initially discovered Zach through Instagram. Bonding quickly over a shared love for artists like The Band CAMINO, the pair found an immediate creative chemistry that shaped the track’s effortless energy. “He basically already had all the instrumentation ready to go so all I needed to do was write a melody and lyrics,” Zach shares. “The song almost came together too easily.”
That natural momentum remains embedded throughout the recording. Built around bright pop melodies, energetic rhythms, and explosive rock guitars, “Wasting Away” leans fully into its carefree emotional atmosphere without losing the vulnerability underneath. “It’s got a very upbeat, poppy vibe but with loud rock guitars in the chorus,” Zach explains. “It just gives it that summery vibe that makes you want to be outside in the sun.”
“Wasting Away” will appear on Zach’s upcoming EP, a project unified less by strict narrative than by a shared emotional and sonic atmosphere. “Even though the lyrics to some are happier than others, they all sort of have that summery vibe to them,” he says.
Zach Riley is a Winnipeg-based artist crafting heartfelt pop-rock songs that pair emotional honesty with massive hooks and melodic immediacy. After spending over 16 years performing primarily as a drummer across multiple bands and projects, Zach eventually stepped out from behind the kit to focus on his own songwriting and artistic voice.
Rooted in emotionally driven pop-rock, his music balances vulnerability and energy, drawing listeners in through candid lyricism and infectious melodies. Alongside his band, Zach has become an active presence within the Manitoba music scene while steadily building momentum beyond the province.
With “Wasting Away,” Zach Riley delivers a vibrant and emotionally resonant anthem about escapism, connection, and the strange comfort of wanting to leave everything behind and begin again.
Listen to “Wasting Away” HERE.
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