When Diego Zarza talks about music, he does not frame it as a career move or a calculated project. Instead, he describes it as something inevitable. At 25, the singer, guitarist, and songwriter of A Días de Júpiter (Days Away from Jupiter) represents a generation of Paraguayan musicians building their own space within the independent scene, driven by instinct rather than industry formulas.
Originally from Encarnación and now based in Asunción, Zarza explains to The Asunción Times that the band was born almost by accident. “Francisco ‘Pancho” González, who is also from Encarnación, had been living here for some time too, and I thought, why are we not making music together?” he recalls. That question led to informal sessions, which soon expanded. “We started bringing together musicians from Encarnación, and that was the spark that started the band.”
Music that has to feel real
For A Días de Júpiter, the creative process begins inward. Zarza is clear about that. “For us, the most important thing is always that it makes us feel something first.” Writing with an audience in mind is never the priority. “We never make music thinking about what people will say. It is always introspective first.”
That philosophy allows listeners to approach the songs freely. “There are songs to have a good time, and others that feel like a hug. Everyone can look for whatever makes them feel something. If people connect with the songs, we are happy, because we genuinely like all of them.”
A band that refuses to be boxed in
Asked to describe the band’s sound, Zarza laughs. “It is very varied,” he admits. Their latest album embraces that idea fully. “We did not want to stick to one style. We all have very different influences, so many things can happen, even rare ones.”
Those influences collide in unexpected ways. “Pancho comes a lot from rap and Brazilian music. Carlos has more of an indie world, something like Tame Impala. I love American emo and heavier music,” Zarza says. “That mix ends up shaping what we do today.”
Avoiding labels, he adds, is a conscious decision. “We went in all directions on this album to avoid being boxed in. That way, if the next album sounds totally different, it will not be a surprise.”
Writing songs as A Días de Jupiter
Although each track begins with an individual idea, songwriting quickly becomes a shared effort. “Usually someone brings an idea and puts it on the table. Then everyone joins in and builds on it.”
One clear example is Conversación, the album’s first single. “It started from a keyboard idea Carlos had. We worked on it at Pancho’s place, and it kept growing.” Being together also shaped the song’s concept. “We started talking about what it could be about, and someone said, why not make it a conversation? That is how the title came out.”
Looking back, Zarza believes that dynamic defined the record. “The whole process was very collaborative, and I feel that is what made the album what it is.”
A scene that is growing again
Zarza speaks with enthusiasm about the current state of Paraguay’s independent music scene. “Every time I open Instagram, I see a new band and think, who are they?” For him, this surge feels different. “There are many young people making music again, playing instruments and doing things.”
That abundance, he believes, is essential. “The only way to create an industry, in quotation marks, is for there to be material, artists, and something to show the world. Right now, that is happening.”
Ultimately, the motivation to keep going is deeply personal. “Making music is almost a physiological need.” He is honest about the band’s beginnings. “A Días de Júpiter was never meant to be a band. It started as a project, just getting together to make songs.”
That impulse, he believes, would exist regardless of success. “If this project did not exist, we would probably still be making music anyway, maybe on a smaller scale. It is something that is not going to stop.”
What comes next: Asunciónico 2026
In 2026, A Días de Júpiter will perform at Asunciónico, one of Paraguay’s most prominent music festivals. On March 19, the band will play alongside other Paraguayan bands, including Los Ollies. For Zarza, the invitation carries particular weight. “We are probably the band with the fewest connections in Paraguay. When things like this happen, it is like saying, okay, we are doing something right. It is a pat on the back, more than anything.”
Looking ahead, the band’s focus is firmly on 2026. “We want to properly launch the album and do live shows.” Alongside concerts, they plan to continue producing their own visual material. “We really enjoy doing the audiovisual side of the band. It is always self-managed.”
A Días de Júpiter continues forward without rushing. Guided by feeling, collaboration, and the quiet certainty that making music is simply what they are meant to do.
For information on upcoming concerts, follow A Días de Jupiter on Instagram.
