It’s been a wild ride for Zedd. The European DJ has made quite a name for himself by crafting some of the catchiest pop melodies in the electronic dance music market.
He’s now one of the biggest acts in the game, collaborating with everyone from Skrillex to Selena Gomez. With new album “True Colors” released and a show that is hitting Comerica Theatre this Saturday, it’s important to figure out who this guy is and what has made him into the DJ he is today.
So without further ado, here are five essential Zedd tracks that tell the story of how a kid from Europe became an international superstar.
“Shave It”
One of Zedd’s heavier songs and his first release after being signed to Skrillex’s record label, OWSLA. “Shave It” brought the DJ’s signature buzzing synth sound into the spotlight for the first time back in 2011 when EDM was just starting to heat up.
This was, of course, after he won numerous remix contests through Beatport and produced beats for everyone from Justin Bieber to Lady Gaga. Still, “Shave It” served as an important precursor to what Zedd would eventually become.
“Clarity”
Released in 2012, this is the song that everyone knows and without a doubt helped propel Zedd into the mainstream. Collaborating with British singer Foxes, Zedd put together a soaring hook made for both a late night drive and a crowd of thousands at the world’s biggest music festivals.
It eventually charted in the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 100 and became a platinum-selling single. “Clarity” then won Zedd a Grammy in 2014 for Best Dance Recording. Meanwhile, there are still people in this country claiming that EDM isn’t a respectable genre.
“Stay The Night”
Punk rockers aren’t usually the biggest fans of the bleeps and bloops that DJs and producers whip up in their studios. Hayley Williams of Paramore may have lost some respect for appearing on this 2013 Zedd track from the rock purist crowd, but she most likely didn’t care too much after it became a pop radio mainstay and was certified platinum.
Once again, Zedd proved his dominance of pop hooks, showing the world that heavy bass isn’t a necessity in the electronic music world.
“I Want You To Know”
It’s 2015 and Zedd has taken a break from touring and releasing music. Fans are restless, the media blogosphere is throwing a fit and nobody knows exactly what happened to Zedd. Out of nowhere, he drops this song with Selena Gomez.
It’s an explosion of pop hooks that immediately hit radio but created a divide within EDM fans looking for another heavy drop. Either way, the song sent a message to the world that Zedd is coming back with bigger songwriting hooks than ever before. The new album “True Colors” would shortly follow.
“Beautiful Now”
It’s yet another impressive hook from Zedd as he teams up with experimental solo singer Jon Bellion to put another radio banger. This song again continues Zedd’s infatuation with pop music as it strays from any grimy bass drops or trap beats that many fans still seem to be clamoring for.
Regardless, “Beautiful Now” is yet another soaring single from “True Colors” that Zedd can add to his more than stellar repertoire as a DJ and producer.
Zedd will be performing on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix. Madeon and Alex Metric will be opening. For more information and tickets, click here.
Related Links:
Skrillex takes over The Venue in Scottsdale
Step aside, musical purists: electronic music takes talent too
Reach the arts editor at jhgolds2@asu.edu or @misterjacobgold on Twitter.
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