We recently had the chance to catch up with producer and musician, Zayde Wølf, coming off the release of his new single, “Madness”. The Nashville-based artist has licensed hundreds of his songs, ranging from film trailers to video games to practically every major television network. When speaking about his new single, Dustin Burnett (aka Zayde Wølf), stated that “Last year was really hard for a lot of us, I wanted to channel all of that pain and frustration…all of that madness…and use it for fuel.”. Zayde Wølf is set to release his third full-length album, Neon Blood Type, this upcoming May. Check out what he had to say below!
BTS: How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn’t heard it yet?
Zayde Wølf: I grew up listening to pop rock and alternative music, but with a love for movie soundtracks. I think Zayde Wolf is a combo of those two. It’s cinematic and epic. It’s bombastic and loud. But it’s also rooted in my love for pop melodies and crafty songwriting.
BTS: Your music is everywhere. With films, TV shows, video games and essentially every major network having licensed your music, it’s more than likely that most of our readers have come across your music at some point. Is there a piece which features your music that stands out amongst the rest?
Zayde Wølf: I am so fortunate to have had so much success. It has always been my dream to team my music up with amazing moments in TV, sports, film, and games. A recent very special moment was this past winter during the Stanley Cup Finals. NBC came to my studio to film me doing a performance of an older song called “Home.” They cut footage of me performing in with epic moments of the NHL and fans over the past year. It was wild to see that on TV!
BTS: How do you feel your background as a producer helps you as an artist?
Zayde Wølf: Of course. I think I’ve always seen both sides of that coin, but not always understanding they were connected. When I was in my 20’s in a band, I was co-producing all of our albums. Then I took nearly 8 years away from being an artist to just be a music producer. And those years helped me shape my craft and elevate those artists I was producing. When I came back as an artist myself, I had learned so much about the craft of recording, experimentation, finding moments in songs, and how to push myself.
BTS: Do you want to talk a bit about the inspiration behind your new song, ‘MADNESS’?
Zayde Wølf: I love watching shows and movies with dark storylines with these protagonists who are sort of broken-should-be-heroes. Madness is somewhat of an internal monologue of myself and what I imagine these dark heroes would be faced with. “Last chance, the time has come, step into shadows, army of one.”
BTS: What has been the biggest risk you’ve taken as an artist to get you to where you are today?
Zayde Wølf: I’ve always been self financed…no big record label or publishing company. I enjoy the pressure and learned to measure each risk as it comes. I enjoy the madness. HA
BTS: Your new album is set to release later this year, what can listeners expect from this new project?
Zayde Wølf: The new album is called “Neon Blood Type.” It is a collection of songs from the past two years. It has some of my most honest and gritty songs and at the same time there are some really fun and upbeat moments on the album. We’re also going to release it on vinyl, so I’m very excited about that!!
BTS: Any artists/songs you’ve been digging lately?
Zayde Wølf: I recently bought a new turntable. I’ve been buying all sorts of my favorite albums from the past and new ones too. Playing these albums top to bottom has given me such a refined perspective on music again. I love streaming music and the access, but I’ve been falling in love with the listening experience. A couple we’ve been playing a lot here at the house are: Def Lep Hysteria, Lana Del Rey Born to Die, and Harry Styles Fine Line. All of these albums are ground breakers.
BTS: What’s next for Zayde Wolf?
Zayde Wølf: Along with the new album, we have some amazing music videos coming out and some new incredible merchandise. I want to try to enjoy 2021 and the ride of this new album!
Stay up to date with Zayde!
- Get to Know: Zanski - October 1, 2021
- Get To Know: Arrested Youth - June 25, 2021
- Get To Know: ford. - June 8, 2021
