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The club promoter and Los Angeles scenester is now making his own music, under his own record label.
Name: Zack Bia
Age: 26
Hometown: Manhattan
Now Lives: In a three-bedroom apartment in West Hollywood, Calif.
Claim to Fame: Zack Bia, whose legal name is Zack Bialobos, is a D.J., musician and influencer who once dated Olivia Rodrigo. He is close friends with Drake and has hosted parties for The Weeknd, Jack Harlow and Kendall Jenner’s alcohol brand 818 Tequila. In 2018, he co-founded the record label Field Trip Recordings, which is home to a handful of Gen Z rappers and music artists including Yeat, HVN and Max Drazen. His goal, he said, is to help artists “scale whatever the vision is in their mind.”
Big Break: Mr. Bia began D.J.ing during college at off-campus parties and local bars, and soon made a name for himself in the Los Angeles nightlife scene. At 19, he was introduced to John Terzian, the founder of H.Wood Group, a nightlife and hospitality company, who hired him to D.J. at a karaoke club. “I had to write a paper for my U.S.C. class, and he was an alum, so I reached out, we got together and he saw a ton of potential in me,” he said. “I went from working for John, throwing parties, to booking myself at all these venues around town.” He had other mentors. In 2017 he met Virgil Abloh through mutual friends. “What I learned from him is always making time for everyone, always leading with such kindness, always being excited, always wanting to bring your ideas to life,” he said.
Latest Project: Mr. Bia grew up making music and, during college, released mixes on SoundCloud. In February, he released his debut single, “Hardcore,” a pulsating club-ready anthem featuring Don Toliver, followed a few weeks later by “One of Those Days,” a breezy alt-pop single featuring Lil Yachty and 347aidan.
Next Thing: A debut EP called “Learn To Fly” is due this summer that may feature collaborations with 070 Shake, JID, Montell Fish, Daniel Caesar and Lil Yachty. He also plans to release a collection of remix singles.
Streetwear Savvy: Mr. Bia is a co-owner of Psychworld, a streetwear brand worn by friends like Drake, Young Thug, Skepta and other celebrities. To build hype, the brand began in 2018 as a private Instagram account. “We kind of really created a lore around it,” he said. “It’s a reflection of the music.”
