Zac Farro is stepping out under his own name for the first time with Operator, his debut solo album released July 18 via Congrats Records, the label he founded himself. After years making music as Halfnoise and holding down the drums in Paramore, Farro’s ready to share something deeply personal: raw, reflective, and full of heart.
The latest single, “1,” is a shimmering tribute to the rare people who live fully as themselves. “It’s about someone being completely unique—one of one,” says Farro. “When you’re truly yourself, it inspires others to do the same.” It follows last month’s “My My,” a twangy, low-key folk tune inspired by the pain and grace of watching a loved one battle illness.
On Operator, Farro leans into life’s big questions with disarming honesty: Why do small things spiral into panic? Are we even steering the ship? Across its tracks, he picks apart anxiety, family dynamics, and the way communication often misfires—all set to warm, vintage-tinged rock textures and easygoing psychedelic grooves.
Made with longtime friends and Nashville collaborators Josh Gilligan and Chancey Pierce, the album came together through instinct and connection. “We just showed up and trusted the process,” Farro says. “There wasn’t a plan—just good energy, and it all revealed itself.”
At its core, Operator is about tuning in—cutting through the noise to truly connect with the people who matter. It’s a love letter to the community that surrounds Farro: his family, his partner, and the friends who helped bring this vision to life. A modern record with a deep appreciation for the past, it’s Farro at his most open, and maybe his most at peace.
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