Before reguarly scoring six-figure DJ gigs, Zedd got his start in the music industry in 2002, when he began playing for the German deathcore band Dioramic, signed by Lifeforce Records. His transition to electronic music was all thanks to the album † by the French electronic duo, Justice.
Throughout the years, Zedd has gained world-wide popularity for his music, collaborations, and live shows. At the 56th Grammy Awards, the producer won for Best Dance Recording for his song, “Clarity”. Now, he has a new achievement to add to his list of accomplishments. Not only was he featured on the 30 Under 30 list, but he was also given the cover.
mom, I made it….
can’t believe I’m on the cover of @Forbes ….. pic.twitter.com/QGvJl9lmGR— Zedd (@Zedd) November 14, 2017
“I see myself as an artist who presents a show,” says Zedd, who earned $19 million this year and $85 million over the past five. “It’s almost like when you go to the movies. You’re not going to buy your ticket and see a movie and, if you don’t like it, expect the movie to change in real time.”
To set himself apart from competitors, the producer uses a graphics-heavy live show that feels like watching a videogame. “It used to be really cheap to make a show–I used to be able to keep all the money,” Zedd recalls. “Now the shows cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
However, as success continues and costs rise, Zedd is considering the idea of turning to live instrumentation. “I think I will one day go unplugged.”
Watch and see why his live shows earned him the cover of Forbes:
H/T: Forbes
