Zac Farro

Founding drummer of Paramore and creative force behind HalfNoise.

Zac Farro (born June 4, 1990) is an American musician best known as the drummer for the rock band Paramore. He is the younger brother of Josh Farro, Paramore's former lead guitarist and backing vocalist. Farro was a founding member of Paramore at age 14, created in Franklin, Tennessee in 2004. The original lineup included Hayley Williams, Zac, his brother Josh, and Jeremy Davis. The band released three studio albums during his initial tenure: All We Know Is Falling, Riot!, and Brand New Eyes. After exiting Paramore in 2010, Farro formed the band HalfNoise, of which he is currently the sole member. He rejoined Paramore ahead of their album After Laughter in 2016, and has remained with the band through their 2023 album This Is Why.

Quick Facts

Birth name

Zachary Wayne Farro

Born

4 June 1990

Birthplace

Voorhees Township, New Jersey, U.S.

Genre

Alternative rock
pop rock
pop-punk
emo
indie pop
synth-pop
ambient

Occupations

Musician; songwriter

Instruments

Drums
percussion
keyboards
vocals
guitar
bass

Years active

2004–present

Current member of

Paramore; HalfNoise

Lore & Background

Zac Farro began playing drums at around age nine and was eleven when he played his first drum kit. The family moved to Franklin, Tennessee, where at age 14 he became a founding member of Paramore in 2004. Bassist Jeremy Davis admitted he was initially unsure if the band could be taken seriously because of Zac's young age — until he saw him play. The band released three studio albums before the Farros' amicable departure was announced on December 18, 2010. On December 21, Josh Farro released an official exit statement for himself and his brother, refuting the band's previous story. Two days after his departure, Zac took part in a new project called "Tunnel," releasing a song called "Hide Your Eyes." The duo renamed themselves HalfNoise due to other bands being named "Tunnel." On June 8, 2016, Paramore posted a short video of themselves with Farro in a studio, leading fans to speculate his return. Farro clarified he was only recording drums for the album, but on February 2, 2017, it was confirmed he was back as the official drummer. He has performed HalfNoise songs like 'Scooby's in the Back', 'French Class', and 'All That Love Is' at Paramore gigs with Hayley doing backup vocals.

Reader's Guide

Zac Farro's career spans multiple projects. With Paramore, he was a founding member at age 14 and played on three studio albums before departing in 2010. He rejoined in 2016 for After Laughter and has since played on This Is Why (2023). With HalfNoise, which began as "Tunnel" two days after his Paramore departure, he has released five studio albums: Volcano Crowe (2014), Sudden Feeling (2016), Natural Disguise (2019), Motif (2021), and City Talk (2023). The band has also released three EPs and numerous singles. Farro was also a member of Novel American, formed by his brother Josh after leaving Paramore, from February 22, 2011 until the band was scrapped on May 23, 2014 because they could not find a suitable lead vocalist. In 2020, Farro produced the album The Greatest Part by Becca Mancari and collaborated again on their 2023 album Left Hand. Also in 2020, he released a photography book called In Transit. He started and runs an indie record label called Congrats based in Nashville that supports local artists. His solo debut album Operator was released on July 18, 2025.