He’s one of the biggest breakthroughs in country music right now, but Zach Top isn’t letting it go to his head.
Fresh off winning his first Grammy Award, for Best Traditional Country Album, the Washington-born musician, 28, said he feels it’s important to take “your job seriously, but yourself, not too seriously”.
Top scored two hit singles with his 2024 album Cold Beer & Country Music, including “Sounds Like the Radio” and “Never Lie”. He followed this with his 2025 record, the Grammy-winning Ain’t In It For My Health.
Appearing on the Good Vibrations podcast ahead of his headline show at the O2 Arena in London for C2C Festival, the musician noted how his tongue-in-cheek sense of humour often finds its way into his music.
“I think there’s an interesting balance… I always say, you gotta take your job seriously but yourself not too seriously,” he explained. “Having the ability to be a little goofy and laugh at yourself… people enjoy a sense of humour in a song.”
In the same interview, Top spoke about attending the Grammys and his shock when he was announced as the winner of Best Traditional Country Album.
“Willie Nelson [was] in the same fricking category as me… I was very thrilled with just the nominations,” he said.
He was so convinced he wouldn’t win that he didn’t register immediately as the name of his album was read out, prompting a rather flustered journey from his seat to the stage.
Posting to his Instagram at the time, Top shared a photo featuring something of a “who’s who” in country, folk and Americana music, with himself, Reba McEntire, Brandi Carlile, Shaboozey, Jelly Roll, Noah Kahan and Kelsea Ballerini.
Elsewhere, Top reflected on being raised on a farm and learning responsibility from a young age, then going on to a career in Nashville collaborating with a number of his heroes.
“That’s the most intimidating experience for me, and still is a little bit now,” he said. “[But] I’ve worked with these guys enough that I’m more comfortable and feel like I’ve got something to say.”
The full episode of Good Vibrations is out on all streaming platforms on Friday 13 March, when Top headlines C2C Festival at the O2 Arena in London. His latest album, Ain’t In It For My Health, is out now.
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