interview by JANA LETONJA

Multi-platinum singer, songwriter and producer Jeremy Zucker infuses alternative pop with meaning. His music has always leaned on conversation-starting lyricism and intimate sonic architecture as the bedrock of his signature sound. Earlier this summer, Jeremy released his latest EP ‘is nothing sacred?’. This fall, Jeremy also embarked on a 2023 North American tour, which just wrapped on 2nd December.

Jeremy, you just wrapped up your 2023 North American tour. Which moment from the tour left the biggest impression on you?
Meeting the fans in real life, seeing them come to my shows with such open hearts, leaving whatever they’re going through at the door and just being present is the best and most impressionable part of all of this. There is always so much love in the room, no matter what city, how many people or how many times I’ve performed there. 

jacket LANVIN
vest ISSEY MIYAKE
shirt AMIRI
shorts PERMU
shoes VERSACE
necklace TIFFANY & CO.
earrings Jeremy’s own

This tour has been the biggest tour you’ve done so far. What is the most exciting aspect of being on tour for you?
I love going to new cities and traveling with my crew. Meeting fans from different walks of life and different parts of the world really puts things into perspective and makes me realize that the people I speak to on social media and who support me consistently are real humans. For this specific tour, I worked really hard on perfecting the show as a whole. I personally edited a lot of the visuals.

full look ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

The tour came after the release of your newest album ‘is nothing sacred?’, which came out this summer. What inspired this album?
In whole, the EP is a response to the questions “is nothing sacred?”, meaning, does nothing matter in the world? It’s sort of this exploration of opening yourself up to being vulnerable and surrendering yourself to the potential for pain in the pursuit of caring about something greater than yourself. I found myself asking these questions rhetorically and later decided to explore that within my music. 

How does this latest album differ from your earlier releases? 
This project was the first time I pointedly took a question and tried to answer it. I tried to connect with a more genuine part of myself and really think about what matters to me, fundamentally. For that reason, I purposely ignored aesthetics and really focused in on intention.

coat, trousers, belt and shoes PRADA
shirt PERMU
sunglasses VERSACE
tie TOROID

Your music has always leaned on conversation-starting lyricism and intimate sonic architecture as the bedrock of your signature sound. Why is conversation-starting lyricism something so important to you?
I think words mean more when they feel like they’re pointed at someone. They become more visceral, more of a feeling and less literal. It’s more fun that way.

What usually inspires you to ask the questions about meaningful topics in your songs?
Life and the constant desire to understand myself and rationalize the world around me. I’m very curious at heart, so writing lyrics often feels like an exploration rather than an expression.

top and belt VERSACE
trousers and shoes GIVENCHY
jewelry Jeremy’s own

How did you get into music in the first place? What made it become your biggest passion?
Growing up, there was always music in my home. My brothers both played instruments and were in bands. They would burn CDs and I would steal my favorite songs off of the family computer. My dad played guitar and my mom was always listening to the radio or playing CDs. I don’t know how to explain it other than one day, the music just stopped. My brothers had went to college, my mom went back to school and my dad worked late hours. It was a really natural feeling, feeling like I had to make up for the lack of music on my own. But that’s when I really started taking music seriously.

What would you describe as the most defining moment of your career so far?
So far, I would say this past US tour. It was the first time my live show felt exactly how I had imagined it.

As part of the VIP package of ‘is nothing sacred?’ tour, you partnered with non-profit organization One Tree Planted and planted one tree per purchased package. Why did you decide on such a meaningful approach, and particularly to partner up with One Tree Planted organization?
When we were planning the tour, it was around the time where there were wildfires in Canada, California, etc. It was really important to me that we found a way to give back, no matter how small. I love One Tree Planted’s model of 1 dollar = 1 tree. It’s so simple yet makes such a significant difference. 

top DOLCE & GABBANA
shorts JNCO
shoes VERSACE
necklace TIFFANY & CO.
bracelet Jeremy’s own
sunglasses PRAYING

You recently teamed up with Depop to launch a partnership to benefit One Tree Planted by creating a charity shop and selling one-of-a-kind pieces from your closet, as well as some of your artist friends’ closets. Why are you such a fan of thrifting and how do you incorporate it into your own style?
In recent years, I’ve increasingly turned to thrifting as a way to recycle clothing or repurpose older pieces. It’s been great to witness the growing trend of thrifting and repurposing clothing. This approach allows me to stay engaged with fashion without the inevitable guilt of perpetuating the system. I keep a revolving closet by purchasing second-hand items, selling my own older pieces on Depop and finding new ways to style pieces that I wouldn’t be able to find in any store. They bring such a unique twist to my styling. 

What can you share with our readers about your upcoming projects for 2024?
Let’s just say I am already working on my next album and I can’t wait to share it with you all.

TEAM CREDITS:
talent JEREMY ZUCKER
photography DAMIEN FRY
styling NICO AMARCA
groomer PHOEBE SELIGMAN
photography assistant JOSHUA BURCH
styling assistants JOSHUA ALAN, FLORIAN BRANDL
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN