Photo Credit: Nick Walker<\/p>\n
By Stephanie Ahn<\/span><\/p>\n After almost a decade, Grammy-winning EDM artist and music producer Zedd released his third studio album, \u201cTelos<\/span>,<\/span><\/i>\u201d with Interscope Records in 2024.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to make a record for myself. It\u2019s not going to be for the streams. It\u2019s most certainly not going to be for the algorithms. It\u2019s going to be for the people who love art,\u201d Zedd muses in a press conference hosted by Universal Music Group\u2019s division 1824 on Thursday, September 18.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Anton Zaslavski\u2014stage name Zedd\u2014is best known for his hit EDM songs \u201cClarity\u201d in 2012 and \u201cThe Middle\u201d in 2018, which rocked the music world. With these songs, he has won a multitude of awards, including BBMAs, headlined various festivals, and collaborated with industry names such as Katy Perry, Kehlani, and Hayley Williams. Now, nine years later, Zedd has a completely different perspective on the music world today with his newest record.<\/span><\/p>\n During the press conference, Zedd recounted how the industry has drastically changed; today’s albums often seem like playlists put together by artists and their labels in order to milk the most streams out. Meanwhile, amidst this host of artificial production, Zedd wants \u201cTelos\u201d to be an authentic record and a real journey that audiences listen to from front to back\u2014hence why multiple songs flow together from one\u2019s end to another\u2019s beginning. He chose the name Telos, which, by definition, refers to the completion of human art, the end or accomplishment, all reflective of how far Zedd has come.<\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps Zedd\u2019s urge to present honest records comes from his deep and profound love for music itself. Born in Russia and raised in Germany by parents who both came from musical backgrounds, Zedd is a classically trained musician proficient in both the piano and the drums. This training is still prevalent in the music he releases today. Zedd spoke on how almost all of the tracks he releases are surprisingly playable on a drum kit. His roots shone even further as he spoke about how he continues to take inspiration from the metal hardcore genre after being a drummer for the German metal band DIORAMIC nine years prior. He takes inspiration from various genres\u2014classical, funk, and jazz\u2014and although he is best known for EDM, he has a deep appreciation for all sorts of music.<\/span><\/p>\n When the DJ was asked if he would change anything about \u201cTelos,\u201d he said he simply wouldn\u2019t. He has never been prouder of a piece of work he has made before. And rightfully so. Not only is this album a masterpiece, but the visuals to pair with it on his current U.S. \u201cTelos\u201d tour are nothing short of spectacular.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The \u201cTelos\u201d<\/span> tour started in early September in sunny Los Angeles, California, at his very own festival, Zedd In the Park, and has since covered New York, D.C., and our very own MGM Music Hall Fenway in Boston, Massachusetts. Zedd is immensely proud of this concert, detailing it as \u201cquite obviously, the best show I\u2019ve put together.\u201d The visuals of the tour videos replicate the album cover: a vibrant stained glass mosaic of a sunset overlooking the ocean\u2014only, of course, with blinding lights and intense flashing. This show played with wider lighting genres, according to Zedd, who watched the show develop in a theater and witnessed firsthand the amount of work that went into the visuals. Proper visuals are an important part of live EDM shows as they pull different feelings out with the various colors and scenes, and the \u201cTelos\u201d tour has captured that perfectly.<\/span><\/p>\n Live EDM music is often found at festivals or raves that are famous for their supportive community. One example is the iconic Kandi\u2014beaded bracelets that ravers will make to hand out or exchange with others at these shows. As Zedd says, \u201cThe world could use a lot of what the EDM scene stands for.\u201d He talks about the EDM community’s support for one another rather than the spiteful competition and hate plaguing the pop industry scene. He finds what the community has to be beautiful and unique. Despite all his success, Zedd continues to uplift this positive energy and create a safe space for music lovers.<\/span><\/p>\n So how exactly is Zedd able to balance his great success with such humility and grace and not experience burnout? He explained that he has had his fair share of burnout, and in the end, it\u2019s just not worth overworking yourself. Taking a day off is not only more refreshing but also more productive in avoiding the anxiety and stress of burnout. He spoke about the very real fear of trying so hard and still not producing your best work, which many other artists of all types can relate to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Overall, the best word to describe Zedd\u2019s \u201cTelos\u201d is authentic. He has poured his heart and soul into this album for nobody but himself and so generously allowed us to have a listen. His honest personality and love for music shine throughout, and for that, I think it\u2019s worth giving \u201cTelos\u201d a listen <\/span>here<\/span><\/a> if you haven\u2019t already.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can follow Zedd on <\/span>Instagram<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>TikTok<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>YouTube<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>Spotify<\/span><\/a>, as well as purchase tickets for his current tour <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Photo Credit: Nick Walker By Stephanie Ahn After almost a decade, Grammy-winning EDM artist and music producer Zedd released his third studio album, \u201cTelos,\u201d with Interscope Records in 2024.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to make a record for myself. It\u2019s not going to be for the streams. It\u2019s most certainly not going to be for the algorithms. 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