Zedd

Early Life

Anton Zaslavski, known professionally as Zedd, was born on September 2, 1989, in Saratov, Soviet Union, to a Jewish family. At the age of three, his family relocated to Dansenberg, Kaiserslautern, Germany. Growing up in a musical household, Zedd was influenced by his parents, both of whom were musicians; his father, Igor, was a guitarist and schoolteacher, while his mother was a piano teacher. Zedd began playing the piano at four and drums at twelve, showcasing his early talent. In 2002, he joined a German metalcore band called Dioramic, co-founded by his brother Arkadi, where he served as the drummer.

Career

Zedd's journey into electronic music began in 2009 while still with Dioramic. He gained recognition by winning two Beatport remix contests in 2010, and his first original release, "The Anthem," entered the Beatport Electro house chart in the top 20. His remix of Skrillex's "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" further established his reputation. In 2012, Zedd released his debut single "Spectrum," which topped Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart. His breakthrough came with the single "Clarity," which peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording. Zedd has collaborated with numerous artists and produced hits like "Stay the Night" and "Human."

Personal Life and Views

Zedd briefly dated singer Selena Gomez in 2015, expressing discomfort with the media attention surrounding their relationship. He is a fan of the German football club 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Politically, Zedd identifies as a centrist and has been vocal about his views, criticizing former President Donald Trump and endorsing Bernie Sanders in the 2020 election. He expressed concern over the political landscape, stating that the choices available were disappointing for such a large population.