Zach John King on his wild year, new music, and learning from country music legends

Zach John King is our Rookie Of The Year for 2025. Hailing from small town Georgia, ZJK kicked off the year with his infectious single "Slow Down" and proceeded to do the exact opposite. In the last ten months he's released a string of viral singles, as well as a successful EP. He also supported Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan, Dylan Scott, and Gavin Adcock on various tours, not to mention appearing at many of the genre's biggest festivals. We have not met a single person that isn't rooting for this guy to hit it big, and with songs like "Space" that spotlight doesn't seem too far away. We sat down with Zach John King in Kalamazoo, Michigan in early October while he was on the 'Easy Does It' tour with Dylan Scott. Zach told us about his wild year, from finally getting noticed to trying to keep his head above water, and we end with a brief discussion about what the new year might hold. Zach John King will be supporting Morgan Wallen on his 2026 'Still The Problem' tour. Follow Country Minute across social media for all things country music.