How This Artist Landed Kesha, Chris Brown & Ed Sheeran | Dzanar Abbas-Zade

He arrived in the Netherlands at age 8 with nothing but a violin. Three refugee camps later, he taught himself Photoshop from forums, started freelancing at 15, and ended up directing visuals for Chris Brown, G-Eazy and Riff Raff, working alongside Sam Feldt and Ed Sheeran. 

 

Besides his celebrity client list, his pink glitter basketball ended up on Times Square and later got bought from Drake's father. He calls this chapter of his life "the beginning."

This is the story of Dzanar Abbas-Zade.

 

We get into how he went from grinding behind a computer to becoming the secret weapon behind some of the biggest names in the industry. How he got his first big break by offering to work for free. How a rare condition where he sees colors and shapes when he hears music became his creative superpower and why he walked away from the A-list client work to launch his own art. 

 

And if you stick around until the end he also shares one one underrated trick he says most creatives completely overlook when trying to work with bigger names.

This is a conversation about obsession, timing, courage, and what it actually takes to get in the room.

 

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) The most underrated trick in the creative industry

(02:43) From refugee camp to VIP parties

(07:21) Arriving in the Netherlands with nothing

(08:21) Teaching himself everything from a computer

(10:22) How obsession turns into a career

(14:22) First music videos and the EDM scene

(17:41) What made his work different from everyone else

(19:21) Working with Sanfeldt before he was famous

(21:43) Should creatives work for free?

(23:55) His rare condition: seeing colors when hearing music

(26:47) How he approaches a creative project

(27:48) Why creativity loves silence

(34:15) His favorite project: G-Eazy NFT collection

(36:18) What it's like collaborating with A-list artists

(38:13) The shift from client work to his own art

(39:09) Launching his first exhibition during COVID

(40:06) His pink glitter basketball on Times Square

(43:39) The most underrated trick: study the art of language

(45:35) It's not luck. It's timing.

(46:31) Advice for young creatives

(47:50) Three final questions

 

Connect with Dzanar:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dzanar/

Website: https://dzanar.com/

 

Follow Me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themarcusengel/

 

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories!