IN CONVERSATION WITH ZEP

interview by MAREK BARTEK

ZEP trusts his gut, and — in his own words — you should, too! It’s taken him from making videos on his iPhone to closing a world tour at this year’s edition of Lowlands. Following the release of his EP, No Enemies, we caught up with him to talk about letting go, growing into himself, and why artists should stop overthinking and put their work out.

photography by YAËL TEMMINCK

This year’s edition of Lowlands marked your second performance at the festival. How was it?
Two years ago, I played the small stage. This time, I came back and played the bigger one. It was the final show of our entire world tour, so everything had been building toward that moment. Getting to perform it in my home country made it even more special. The show was insane. When your family, friends, nephews — everyone — shows up, it just feels different.

Did it feel like a big step up from your first Lowlands performance?
That’s what I love about it: being able to show how I’m growing. You have to accept yourself at every stage. Two years ago, I was where I was; now I’m here. And when we come back in another two years, it might be even crazier. I love sharing that evolution, and I’m grateful for the support that gives me the freedom to keep exploring who I am.

You also had Boys Noize join you for three songs.
I’m working with him on my project, and we’re releasing a song together in three weeks. It’s going to be everywhere, so we had to test it live, and the crowd went crazy. He’s the GOAT. That’s all I can say.

What was it like performing the song live together for the first time?
It was magical. We’d made the song together in the studio, so performing it live for the first time was unforgettable. We were both nervous, thinking, “Oh, fuck — how is this going to feel?” It came at the absolute peak of the set, and luckily, the reaction was incredible.

You’ve actually performed twice during Lowlands. How was the second set different from the first one? 
The second-day set was much more intimate, and I loved it because so much of my community was there. I wanted to do something that wasn’t about a big stage or visuals. Just us, some drinks, and the music. I got to play songs I really love, meet everyone and vibe. It felt important to do the second set that way.

Lowlands marked the final show of your tour through Europe and America. How has the tour been?
I’m alive, you know, and my skin is semi-glowing. We had some ups and downs, but we did it! It’s so much travelling, but fuck it — that’s what we do it for. Seeing all the fans everywhere and selling out every show is a dream come true. It’s insane.

The tour is connected to your EP, No Enemies, which came out in May. What inspired it?
It came from a time in my life when I wanted to move forward without constantly fighting to keep the peace with the people around me. That meant making some difficult choices and finally choosing myself.

Sometimes certain people, things, or habits simply no longer belong in your life. The songs are about letting go of them and moving forward. I tried to build a world around that feeling that everyone could relate to, but ultimately, it’s about my own struggle to choose what’s right for me. Thank God it worked out. Everyone has to make that choice for themselves. In the end, it’s your life, and nothing should hold you back.

Do you have a favourite song from the album?
I love the title track. The production and everything about it really pushes boundaries. But live, my favourite song to play is Escape Myself. It’s how we end every show, and something about it just tickles people’s brains. They go insane — mosh pits, people jumping off the stage and climbing things. It’s complete madness.

People associate your music with a strong visual identity, from fashion to photography. What shaped that visual language?
For me, it comes down to one question: do I think this looks cool? If I do, that’s what I go for. I draw inspiration from films, artists, and books. Here’s one piece of advice: buy a photography book and discover how beautiful portraiture can be. Expose yourself to great work, develop your taste, and then trust your gut. I think that’s what many artists struggle with today—they don’t trust their own intuition. If something feels like fire to you, go with it. That’s all you need.

Some artists use an alter ego to tap into their creativity. With such a strong artistic identity, do you have something like that?
If I treated myself like an alter ego, I don’t know how I’d survive. To all the artists who do that: bro, I don’t know how you manage it. You have to play someone else all the time. The only way I can stay consistent and perform every night is by being completely myself. Of course, what we create is still art, so there’s some curation involved. I choose the parts of myself I love most — or even hate most — and turn them into something. It’s not about inventing a character; it’s about shaping who you already are into art.

Social media is also a big part of how you present your work. What has your relationship with it been like?
I love it. I come from one of the smallest towns in the Netherlands. I had no money; I just knew I wanted to travel the world with my music. So I started making these fucked-up videos on my phone. At first, I had more people unfollowing me than following me. I even lost “friends” who asked, “Why the fuck are you making these videos?” But I loved making them, so I kept going. Now the videos have bigger budgets and have become full productions, but the process still feels the same: find cool angles, tell a little story, and use a weird sound. You can do all of that with a simple iPhone. I know a lot of artists struggle to put themselves out there, but twenty years ago, you needed a gatekeeper to reach an audience. Now you have more control. Make good shit, put it out, and let people decide whether they like it. That can be good or bad — but I fucking love it.

Does that make getting discovered more democratic?
I think so, even though none of us really knows what’s happening behind the algorithms, and that uncertainty bothers me. But I love that even if a label has a huge amount of money, it still can’t guarantee that something will connect. Artists have more power now to show that success is about the music, what you stand for, and what you do—not just what a few old men in the industry decide. That’s amazing.

What advice would you give aspiring artists?
I have a lot of advice, but the most important thing is to be comfortable with where you are. You’ll always imagine a better version of yourself and your work. By the time you release one song, you’re already convinced the next one will be better. But you have to accept what you made in that moment, share it, and keep going. I know people who made incredible projects, waited a year, and then decided they weren’t good enough anymore. If you keep waiting and overthinking, you’ll never release anything. Stop thinking so much and just drop it. That’s what I do.