Podcast Summary: Jeremy Zucker's 'Garden State' in Studio

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode Date: September 2, 2025
Guest: Jeremy Zucker
Main Theme: The conversation centers on Jeremy Zucker’s new album, Garden State, exploring themes of nostalgia, leaving home, personal growth, and the journey from small-town New Jersey to life and music on larger stages.

Episode Overview

Alison Stewart hosts singer-songwriter Jeremy Zucker in the WNYC studio for an intimate conversation and live performances from his new album, Garden State. The episode explores Zucker's creative process, the emotional complexity of leaving home, his ties to New Jersey, and the collaborative versus solitary aspects of making music.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Inspiration of Garden State

• The Album's Genesis: Zucker explains that the title and concept for the album are directly inspired by his upbringing in New Jersey and the formative impact those years had on his worldview and music.
  • Quote: "When I started writing the album, I guess I dealt with a lot of guilt for leaving the place that I grew up to sort of chase my dream. And writing that song was, I guess, the process of forgiving myself." — Jeremy Zucker [05:33]
• Introspective Songwriting: He acknowledges that his writing often happens unconsciously, with themes revealing themselves as songs emerge.
  • Quote: "A lot of the things that I do with music and writing, they happen really subconsciously." — Jeremy Zucker [08:09]
• Full Circle Reflection: Zucker talks about returning home after moving far away, the nostalgia it brings, and how it shapes his current perspective.
  • Quote: "Going back to where you came from after going so far away is a really surreal full-circle experience and makes you appreciate things so much more." — Jeremy Zucker [09:09]

2. Exploring the Emotional Landscape of Leaving Home

• Feelings of Guilt and Growth: Zucker discusses the emotional challenge of prioritizing his dreams over staying physically close to loved ones.
  • Quote: "I've always just felt guilty. I wish I could have stayed, but I needed to go to grow." — Jeremy Zucker [05:53]
• Yearning for More: He describes feeling different and isolated during his youth, despite surface-level normalcy.
  • Quote: "I just always really felt different. And it was this kind of unexplainable feeling of, of why can't I relate to anyone?... I was masking this normalcy." — Jeremy Zucker [09:39]
• Symbolism in Album Art: The cover, featuring Zucker on a New Jersey rooftop, represents his vantage point and personal growth.
  • Quote: "It's symbolic... being on the roof is like, yeah, hindsight is 2020 and the more of life you experience, the more clear things become." — Jeremy Zucker [12:03]

3. Musical Performances

• "Garden State" (Live in Studio) [01:46 – 05:26]
  • Reflects on growing up, leaving, and the bittersweet process of change.
• "Come Through" (Live in Studio) [13:48 – 16:34]
  • Written during a lonely post-grad summer at home, the song unexpectedly became an international hit, particularly resonating with listeners in Southeast Asia.
  • Quote: "I'm singing about being bored and lonely at my parents' house and something about it just really resonated out there." — Jeremy Zucker [17:01]
• "You Were Good to Me" (Live in Studio) [25:13 – 29:02]
  • Features themes of gratitude, heartbreak, and reflection; co-written with Chelsea Cutler.

4. Connections to Place & Identity

• East Coast vs. West Coast: Now living in LA, Zucker still identifies strongly as an East Coast (Northeast) person.
  • Quote: "Absolutely not a West coast person. I'm definitely East Coast. Northeast born and bred." — Jeremy Zucker [18:33]
• Affection for New Jersey: Discusses local experiences (lacrosse, Market Basket grocery store), the influence of proximity to big cities, and the underdog mentality of New Jersey musicians.
  • Quote: "New Jersey gets kind of overlooked. ... Maybe we have a chip on our shoulders. We have something to prove." — Jeremy Zucker [23:36]

5. Collaboration and Artistic Process

• Working with Chelsea Cutler: Zucker finds refreshment in collaboration, despite being naturally drawn to solitary creation.
  • Quote: "I'm very much the kind of person that works in solitude... but collaboration makes the process more fun." — Jeremy Zucker [19:29]
• Album Covers and Musical Intertextuality:
  • Covers "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service (originally featured in the film Garden State) as a nod to his inspirations and sense of “leaving but looking back.”
  • Quote: "I felt like I was the kid on the hot air balloon... they're down there looking up at me... I'm... going through something up here." — Jeremy Zucker [21:57]

6. Live Experiences & Tour Plans

• US and Tour Highlights: Upcoming show at Brooklyn Steel, with the local band Safe House opening after winning the Battle of the Bands at Stone Pony.
• Community Resonance: Show closes on a heartfelt listener text from a New Jersey mom, reflecting on the emotional impact of the music.
  • Quote (Listener): "The Garden State song made me cry. I will of course allow my son to grow on his own, but wow, that was a powerful song." [24:54]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On leaving home:
  "I wish I could have stayed, but I needed to go to grow." — Jeremy Zucker [05:53]
• On the impact of his music worldwide:
  "That song... blew up in Southeast Asia... something about it just really resonated out there." — Jeremy Zucker [17:01]
• On the symbolism of his album art:
  "Being on the roof is like... hindsight is 2020... started from the bottom and then I got up there and things were much more clear." — Jeremy Zucker [12:03]
• On New Jersey music scene:
  "I think maybe we have a chip on our shoulders. We have something to prove." — Jeremy Zucker [23:36]

Important Timestamps

• [01:46] – "Garden State" live performance
• [05:33] – Zucker discusses writing about leaving home; guilt and growth
• [08:09] – Subconscious songwriting and the album’s inception
• [13:48] – "Come Through" live performance
• [17:01] – How "Come Through" resonated abroad
• [18:33] – Discussion on East vs. West Coast identity
• [19:29] – Collaboration with Chelsea Cutler
• [20:34] – Covering "Such Great Heights" from the film Garden State
• [23:36] – Reflections on New Jersey’s role in music
• [24:54] – Listener feedback highlighting song’s emotional reach
• [25:13] – "You Were Good to Me" live performance

Conclusion

This episode offers an intimate look at Jeremy Zucker’s journey from New Jersey to global audiences, unpacking the interplay of home, nostalgia, artistic evolution, and collaboration. Through live performances and candid conversation, Zucker’s authenticity and emotional honesty shine – making Garden State not just an album, but a personal milestone and homage to where he’s been and where he’s headed.