Jeremy Zucker Opens for The Kid Laroi at The Schott
On March 28th, Jeremy Zucker energetically opened the show for The Kid Laroi at the Schottenstein Center. The 27-year-old American singer-songwriter performed his set to a hyper crowd in Columbus, Ohio, the concert being their 5th stop of the “Bleed For You” Tour. Zucker has been releasing music since 2014, exploring different genres such as , alternative, indie pop, electronic, and pop rock. In 2017, he signed with Republic Records and has since released an incredible line-up of singles, EPs and albums. Some of his biggest hits are “you were good to me”, “all the kids are depressed”, and the iconic “comethru”. He has received renowned success over the past years, with his discography cumulatively acquiring more than 1 billion streams across music platforms.
*All photos by Aanika Bhatia
From the moment he walked on stage, the crowd was engaged and ready to start screaming his songs. His set consisted of 11 songs, one of which was a surprise unreleased song. He opened with “Therapist,” a great and energetic first song that hyped up the crowd. The song is from his latest album, CRUSH, released in 2021. One of the best parts of the song was how the drums slowly built up the tension from the verse to the chorus each time, making for a great start to an anticipated performance.
The next song was one of his most famous, “all the kids are depressed.” His songs are often highly relatable and sorrowful, expressing his thoughts and emotions through his lyrics. The words are melancholic, yet the songs are produced with more upbeat tones, allowing the audience to both dance but also sing their hearts out to lyrics that most relate to. This song was one of those cases, with even Zucker himself jumping around on stage and having a great time.
“Okay” was the unreleased surprise song, which he had played about twice before Columbus heard it. During this song, he also played the guitar himself, a white Telecaster which added the perfect sound to this sad love song. The lyrics expressed concern towards a loved one who is having a hard time. The crowd was listening intently, as it is a song that can resonate with many people. It is not clear when he will release it, but based on the crowd's reaction, we are all eagerly waiting and excited to hear the studio version. After was “not ur friend”, a song different from the previous two. The instrumental was less heavy and more stripped back, relying mostly on the guitars, as he sang about resentful feelings towards an ex.
Next were the two classics, the ones that completely took over most social media platforms when they were released individually, “you were good to me” and “comethru.” The first was originally a duet with Chelsea Cutler, and it has been one of the most commonly known heartbreak songs of the past years. The crowd belted this one so loud, truly engaging with him as best as they could. Even he was taken back by just how much the crowd loved the song, pausing a few times to take it all in. The same thing happened with “comethru,” a melodic and catchy song expressing how difficult the past weeks have been and how much he just wants this one person to be by his side. While this was released in 2018, it gained even more love from the public during the pandemic, as it described a feeling that the world knew all too well.
The next song he played is his latest single, “internet crush” which was released on February 10th of this year. He also played his guitar for this passionate and lyrically beautiful song, with a powerful bridge. This was also quite slow, but it resonated with the crowd masterfully once again, with most people singing it even though it is recent. His emotions towards the modern “rules” of dating in a very digitized world, one in which we connect online but struggle in person. The song nicely led to the next, “somebody loves you,” changing the pace to be a bit more energetic. All of Zucker’s songs have such power in the lyrics, showing his passion by also including interactive instrumentals.
The last three songs were very carefully picked to leave the crowd with the perfect closure to his set, but also with a great amount of anticipation for The Kid Laroi’s set. “Talk is overrated” is an instrumentally electronic song complementing the theme of the song, that sometimes it is better to “just vibe” with a person for one night instead of constantly talking. The song has a plot twist though, one the crowd was waiting for patiently, when in the bridge he twists it by asking his partner to actually talk to him for once. Then came “18,” an energetic song about a girl that has impressed him with her individuality and freeing aura. The crowd quickly started dancing along with him as he was jumping around on stage, expressing his excitement over a slightly older girl that was interested in him.
The last song, “supercuts,” represented the kind of music Jeremy Zucker makes perfectly. A happy, energetic, cool-feel song that hides the sadness of his lyrics, making for a tune perfect for his demographic. The people who love him the most are the ones coping through his music, who just want to express their struggles but with upbeat and danceable songs. “Supercuts” is exactly that, ending his incredible set by running around on stage as the crowd dances with him, then finishing with the classic and melancholic lyrics “Well, alright,” signifying that his time with the crowd has come to an end.
Jeremy Zucker was the perfect choice to open for these concerts, bringing his relatable, sorrowful yet energetic energy to a crowd that was more than ready to experience every emotion with him. The tour still has a few stops to go and we hope the next crowds enjoy his performance as much as Columbus did!
Listen to Jeremy Zucker’s new single, “internet crush,” here, and check out more of Aanika’s pictures from the show in our gallery!