Exclusive: Grammy Award-winning artist Zedd discusses new album and more! 

One month after the release of his album “Telos”, EDM artist Zedd speaks about his album, mental health, his past and future as an artist as he begins his tour.

On August 30, EDM artist Zedd released “Telos,” his first album in nearly a decade, collaborating with artists such as John Mayer, Muse, and Jeff Buckley. The album’s title has multiple meanings such as end or goal, which is a fitting name for the magnum opus that was heavily detrimental to Zedd both physically and mentally. 

Zedd’s first work as an EDM artist was in 2010 following him leaving his childhood band to pursue producing electronic dance music, a broad term for electronic music made for raves, clubs and festivals. In 2012, Zedd released the single “Clarity” featuring vocals from British singer Foxes. The song received a Grammy and was later released on Zedd’s debut album “Clarity.”  

The album had been in the works since the release of Zedd’s 2015 album “True Colors.” The entirety of the album was scrapped, except one song, an EDM mix of the late Jeff Buckley’s “Dream Brother,” an artist who has heavily inspired Zedd, with the song later appearing on the completed album. 

“I felt very uninspired during the pandemic,” Zedd said during a press conference with The Ledger. “I didn’t want to make an album just to make an album.” 

The songwriting process was a key point of stress throughout the album making process for Zedd, whose songs “The Middle” and “Stay” each have over a billion streams on Spotify. Following the mainstream success of his prior work, figuring out who he creates music for was a breakthrough in the album making process. 

“When I realized that I was going to make an album for myself, all of those songs felt like they had a home,” Zedd said. “Telos became the perfect playground for all of the songs to be themselves.” 

Rather than making an album with the intention of having singles with high streaming numbers, Zedd wanted to focus on creating a complete front-to-back album. Many of the songs transition flawlessly, such as the opener “Out of Time” to “Tangerine.” This was done to make the album feel more like a journey rather than a compilation of various songs, according to Zedd. 

Telos features collaborators on every track, ranging from younger pop artists such as singer and actress Bea Miller and singer and songwriter Remi Wolf to other Grammy Award winners such as John Mayer and Muse. Zedd described collaborating as a mixed bag, noting that it is not as easy as it sounds.  

Growing up, Zedd was a drummer in metal and hardcore bands before becoming an EDM producer. Some of the older artists Zedd collaborated with have been inspirations for him, notably Jeff Buckley and Muse.  

“Dream Brother had a soul that I wanted to continue,” Zedd said, referencing Jeff Buckley’s work. Zedd had also been working occasionally with Matt Bellamy of Muse since 2018, getting to work with the entirety of the band for the album’s closer “1685.” 

Additionally, Zedd’s history as a drummer has heavily influenced how he produces the drums in his songwriting. 

“The drum fills are typically playable on a drum kit. They are a bit more musical and more playable. As a drummer, I want them to be playable.” 

The album was difficult both physically and mentally on Zedd, ultimately being a project that he would not repeat knowing what all the work would take out of him. 

“I just poured everything in this, I don’t know if I have any energy left,” Zedd said. “I was losing so much weight, I couldn’t sleep at night, I would wake up in the night thinking of the songs I’m working on.” 

Zedd spoke on the burnout that he suffered during the nine-year long period between “Telos” and “True Colors”, explaining that “If you make music and you overwork yourself, you’re going to take away the magic.” 

Outside of “Telos”, Zedd has spent a lot of time over the last few years not only touring, but working with partners such as 5 Gum, Roblox, Valorant, and the Dragon Ball franchise to create special ways to release content, give away tickets to secret shows and explore different forms of media through his music. 

Zedd’s “Telos” is currently available on all streaming platforms, and on October 4 and 5, Zedd will be performing at WAMU Theater in Seattle as part of his Telos tour.