Zedd

Anton Zaslavski, known professionally as Zedd, is a German record producer and DJ. He was born on September 2, 1989, in Saratov, Russia, to a family of musicians. At the age of three, his family moved to Kaiserslautern, Germany. His father is a guitarist and schoolteacher, and his mother is a piano teacher. Zedd began playing the piano at age four and the drums at twelve. In 2002, he joined the German deathcore band Dioramic. His interest in electronic music was sparked after hearing the French electronic duo Justice.

Career Beginnings

In 2009, Zaslavski began producing electronic music under the name Zedd. He gained attention by winning two Beatport remix contests in 2010. His first original release, "The Anthem," entered the Beatport Electro house chart's top 20. He also remixed Skrillex's "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites." In 2011, his remixes of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and "Marry the Night" were featured on her album "Born This Way". He signed with Interscope Records in 2012 and released his debut single from the label, "Spectrum," featuring Matthew Koma.

Breakthrough with "Clarity"

Zedd's debut studio album, "Clarity," was released in 2012. The title track, featuring Foxes, became a major hit, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and winning a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. Another single from the album, "Stay the Night," featuring Hayley Williams, also entered the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2013, he produced several songs for Lady Gaga's album "Artpop". He also collaborated with Ariana Grande on the 2014 hit single "Break Free," which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

"True Colors" and Further Collaborations

Zedd's second studio album, "True Colors," was released in 2015 and topped the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart. The album's lead single, "I Want You to Know," featuring Selena Gomez, was a top 20 hit. He continued to achieve chart success with a series of high-profile collaborations. "Stay," his 2017 single with Alessia Cara, reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2018, his track "The Middle," with Maren Morris and Grey, peaked at number five.

Recent Work and "Telos"

After a nine-year gap, Zedd released his third studio album, "Telos," on August 30, 2024. The first single from the album was "Out of Time," featuring Bea Miller. He also collaborated on the theme song for the anime series "Dragon Ball Daima".

Musical Style

Zedd's music is primarily categorized as electro house, but he incorporates influences from progressive house, pop, and classical music. His classical training as a pianist has significantly shaped his unique sound and approach to electronic music production. He is known for blending electronic sounds with pop sensibilities, which has led to successful collaborations with numerous mainstream artists.