Zedd’s orchestral performance of Clarity for its ten-year anniversary proved his dominance and versatility as a global superstar.
It was a decade ago when Zedd released his groundbreaking debut album, Clarity, which led to his true break into mainstream success. Since then, the Grammy Award-winning producer has continued to shatter molds in the dance music realm realm and soar further into a league of his own. Yet, the time since its release has passed in the blink of an eye, and this year saw Zedd celebrate the 10th anniversary of his all-time favorite album with a live orchestral performance in Los Angeles and an exclusive worldwide live stream presented via Moment.
Zedd played the entire album on piano from start to finish with a 50-piece orchestral at the Dolby Theatre as fans from around the planet tuned in. The superstar was clearly full of emotions as he mesmerized the crowd with his wild talent. Typically seen behind the DJ decks at sold-out festivals and club venues, it came as a surprise to many that the prolific producer was classically trained as a musician and got acquainted with the piano at the tender age of four. His outstanding orchestral performance of Clarity laid testament to his immeasurable musical talent as he swept the listeners by their feet throughout the slightly longer than an hour performance.
Donning a white suit with the iconic red flannel shirt, Zedd was surely throwing lots of symbolic references to kick off the night. OG fans would instantly recognize the outfit as a “classic Zedd of the Clarity era.” During the introduction, he also addressed the crowd and expressed his sincere gratitude for their unwavering support throughout the years.
10 years ago, when I was working on my debut album, and I didn’t have a following, there was nobody to disappoint, and that was kind of a nice thing because I just made the music that I wanted to make. I didn’t know if anybody would care or not. It was my first album, and it set precedence. People were asking me in interviews what my goal was, and 10 years ago, I said my goal was for my album, 10 years from that moment, for me to be able to look back and to be just as proud of it today as I was 10 years ago. And I think it is safe to say I am just, and if not more proud of it today.
Zedd
From the sounds of the throbbing oboes to the fluttering harp and silken string instruments, the orchestral performance of Clarity owed its beauty to the immense talents of the ensemble players.
Together, their unity and collective synchronization enhanced the expression of all the tracks in the album. They spun their magic to turn the usual high-energy BPM club tunes into soul-stirring masterpieces, effortlessly leaving a raw and heartwarming imprint within the audiences. Sonically, it was not an easy feat, and Zedd recognized that as he called it a “very unconventional situation like there are two worlds colliding” between the orchestra performance and his typical electronic sound.
During the half-hour mark of the performance, he acknowledged the 50 players for their smooth ability to champion an entirely different version of a dance record.
Sharing with the audience, he told everyone about the process behind transforming these now-classic electronic tracks into ones fit for an orchestra. “[The orchestral] took this music and reinterpreted it; I didn’t want the build-ups to just be, they found an incredible way to make the music exciting,” Zedd said. “With the help of these wonderful players and Marxim [the conductor], who is keeping us all on track, we are here to showcase the harmonic side of the Clarity album.”
Of all the truly remarkable moments within the performance, the audience was undeniably aroused towards the final twenty minutes of the show.
Anticipating a round of encore after his final concluding song, “Breakin’ A Sweat,” Zedd left his position briefly before returning to the wildly cheering crowd. He continued his brilliance with a yearning rendition of “Stay The Night.” At this point, the audience was overflowing with deep emotions as the hall started to fill with their singalong voices. The encore did not stop there. Following that, Zedd returned twice again to deliver an enchanting version of the crowd’s favorite track, “Alive,” and ultimately, he sent the audience right into an out-of-this-world heavenly experience with the one-and-only “Clarity” as the final piece.
In all, Zedd showcased a truly powerful and intimate performance to mark an unforgettable decade of the Clarity album with the fans. As the meaningful record holds so much significance for many throughout their EDM experience, it is crystal clear that the record is a work of brilliance that has cemented its dominance in the music scene.
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