Rezo (born August 14, 1992, in Wuppertal) is a German web video producer, musician, entrepreneur, podcaster, journalist, columnist, and entertainer. He grew up in a family of pastors; his parents and several relatives are Protestant ministers. During his school years, he experienced bullying and underwent brief psychological treatment. Music became an outlet for him, a talent he inherited from his father. Rezo studied computer science at the Technical University of Dortmund, with music as a minor subject. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2013 and a Master of Science in 2016, with theses focused on graph theory. Since early 2018, he has lived in Aachen. Rezo became widely known through his video "Die Zerstörung der CDU" ("The Destruction of the CDU"), released shortly before the 2019 European elections. In it, he criticized the Union parties, particularly for their climate policies. The video sparked widespread societal debate, and the term "Rezo Effect" was coined to describe its influence on voting behavior, especially among younger voters. In addition to his main YouTube channel, "rezo," he runs other channels like "Rezo ja lol ey," "Renzo," and "Schlumpf," featuring content on music, entertainment, and politics. He is also active on Twitch, where he has over 624,000 followers. Rezo lives a vegan lifestyle and avoids substances such as nicotine and cannabis, aligning him with the Straight Edge movement. Although he does not identify as Christian, he describes himself as having deeply internalized Christian values. He attributes his eloquence to the culture of lively debates within his family. However, he occasionally stutters, which he finds challenging during live events such as panel discussions. Rezo keeps his real name private and away from the public eye.
