Grammy-winning producer Zedd made his long-awaited return on August 30th with "Telos", an album crafted for true music lovers. 1824 hosted a press conference where got the chance to dive deeper into his craftsmanship & personal ideas.
After nearly a decade without a full-length project, he’s created something he calls "music for the sake of art." The word "Telos" can mean “accomplishment” or “completion of human art,” and both meanings deeply resonate with him. “I grew up listening to albums that shaped me, and I never thought I’d create something as good as those,” Zedd explains. “But with Telos, I finally felt like I reached that level. It took a long time, but I created something I didn’t think I was capable of.”
The album, which spans 10 tracks, blends Zedd’s classical training with his signature pop sound, featuring intricate compositions without losing the catchy hooks that defined hits like “The Middle” and “Stay.” Featuring artists from a wide range of genres—including John Mayer, Muse, Remi Wolf, and Dora Jar—Zedd even pays homage to Jeff Buckley by reinterpreting his 1994 track "Dream Brother." Notably, this marks the first time Buckley's estate has ever granted an artist the rights to cover one of his songs.
With Telos, Zedd’s music takes listeners on an adventurous journey, incorporating elements of world music, jazz, and orchestral soundscapes. It’s a bold statement from Zedd, who says, “If someone like me doesn’t take risks and push boundaries, who will? I owe it to everyone to offer an alternative.”
Zedd’s career is nothing short of legendary, with headlining performances at festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, and EDC. In 2018, he even launched his own festival, *Zedd in the Park*, which has sold out every year since its inception. He’s performed at a range of high-profile events, from the NHL All-Star Game to Formula 1 and the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards. With over 31.6 billion streams and 5 million headlining tickets sold, Zedd remains one of the most influential artists of his time.
At a recent press conference hosted by 1824, Zedd shared insights into the creative process behind Telos and reflected on how he approached making the album. One of the biggest takeaways was his desire to transcend genre boundaries. “EDM isn’t the core of my inspiration,” he said. “I draw from classical, jazz, and rock—it all shaped who I am as an artist.” His ability to fuse these influences is evident in the rich, layered sound of Telos.
Here are my favorite three key points Zedd highlighted during the 1824press conference:
1. Interviewing Done Right: Zedd praised Zane Lowe’s interview skills, admiring how he makes artists feel seen and heard. He shared advice for journalists, saying, “I love when interviews feel like conversations, not just a Q&A. Do your research and have a plan, but let it flow naturally. That’s when the best answers come out.”
2. A Dream Role in Gaming: One of Zedd’s personal ambitions is to become a lead audio designer for a video game. He believes music in gaming is often under appreciated, saying, “The music guides the experience. I’d love to work on a project for years, crafting its entire acoustic world.”
3. Breaking Free from Expectations: Zedd explained how he learned to trust his artistic instincts. “My background is in rock and metal, funk, and even jazz...s o a lot of my inspiration isn’t from electronic music,” he said. “True artistry means doing whatever feels right, without being confined to a genre.”
Zedd's refusal to be defined by any single genre is what makes Telos such a captivating album. After years of building a career on hit singles, he has returned to his roots with a cohesive, genre-defying work that will undoubtedly stand the test of time.
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