Singer, songwriter, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist Zacari Pacaldo was raised in Bakersfield, California in a highly musical family. He was enrolled in a school for performing arts by age eight and began learning guitar, followed by drums, saxophone, and keyboards. After finishing high school, he worked seasonally for three years at an Alaska national park, earning money to enrol in music school in Los Angeles. During his time in L.A., Pacaldo began posting his own songs online and quickly began collaborating with much larger names.