Jeremy Zucker is Trying to ‘Comethru’ to the Mainstream
Zucker, depicted here performing at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 19, has gained a strong localized fandom in Irvine. Jennifer Frey, a senior from Northwood High School, is amongst many high schoolers who have found a particular affinity to the artist and his style of music.
May 4, 2020
After years of anticipation, Jeremy Zucker released his debut studio album, “love is not dying,” on April 17. While the album has charted at 57th on the Billboard 200, Zucker’s road to success and musical style have evolved tremendously over the past five years.
Zucker first gained recognition after his third EP, “Motions,” caught the eye of blackbear, a more well-known artist. This exposure led to the two artists’ collaboration on the song “talk is overrated” in 2017. With over 90 million streams on Spotify, “talk is overrated” allowed Zucker to garner more attention and fans.
Following the success of “talk is overrated,” Zucker released a song named “comethru,” which in many ways established Zucker as an up-and-coming artist in the public eye. Despite its simplicity, the song was immensely relatable and eventually became one of Zucker’s most famous pieces.
Due to the large success of “comethru,” Zucker was able to invest more time into making “love is not dying,” a complete album with a variety of themes and noises, such as conversational dialogue, not necessarily heard in mainstream music.
“I wasn’t writing this album to bring in more fans or to prove anyone anything. I was writing the album for myself, to make a project that I believed in and that I could fall in love with,” Zucker said in an interview with Office magazine. “I think the success of ‘comethru’ put me in a place where I didn’t have to worry about if people were going to like it or hear it. I just knew that I had to make the project that I wanted to make.”
Infused with a sense of wistfulness, Zucker’s newest album does not conform to the constraints of typical pop and features some of his most vulnerable pieces of work yet. Songs like “julia” and “always, i’ll care” draw inspiration from personal experiences and real people, allowing for its lyrics to reflect Zucker’s raw emotions.
His decision to use atmospheric noises and vary the pitch and dynamic of his music helps listeners focus on the sentimental lyrics. Rather than relying solely on the catchiness of the beat or the unique production noises in the background, Zucker chooses to place emphasis on his voice, displaying a growing confidence in his ability as an artist.
Zucker’s decision to vary the dynamics, tempo and style of each song not only makes the album unpredictable, but also increases the listenability of each individual song outside of the album. One of our personal favorites was “not ur friend” for its relatable message of separating yourself from those who have negatively impacted your life. Another was “orchid” for its cohesive blending of electronic production work, impassioned vocals and silence.
Rather than creating 15 tracks that blended together, Zucker was able to successfully craft unique songs, each of which elicits a different emotion. Ultimately, this album is a testament to Zucker’s musical evolution and is a promising sign for the young 24-year-old’s future career.
![Art Fair participants from various clubs and art courses had the opportunity to sell handmade creations to students at stands near the ASB room during lunch from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1. “I feel like its just a good way to connect with the rest of my peers, the artist community [and] the student body while also giving back to the school because its given me so many opportunities where I can flourish in the creative arts,” artist and junior Alexander Torpus said.](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_6896-1-600x400.jpg)
