Following appearances at several major live events, including the Halftime Show 2025, the High End Systems Zeo once again demonstrated its capabilities in a high-profile television production: the grand finale of Deutschland sucht den Superstar (DSDS), Germany’s equivalent of American Idol, held on May 9, 2026.
ETC Zeo fixtures, supplied by Cologne-based production specialist MLS magic light + sound, played a key role in creating the spectacular visual atmosphere inside Cologne’s Coloneum studios.
The finale of the 22nd season of this long-running entertainment format featured dramatic performances and high-quality live vocals from the finalists, culminating in victory for 38-year-old Menowin Fröhlich. Several million viewers watched the emotional season finale live on RTL and RTL+.
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With intense colours, powerful wash effects, and dynamic visuals, the Zeo fixtures enhanced the performances of the five finalists and helped create a striking television aesthetic. As previously seen during the Halftime Show in New Orleans, Zeo’s distinctive design and eye-catching visual effects delivered standout moments throughout the broadcast.
The High End Systems Zeo features full pan and tilt movement together with a 13° to 55° zoom range, enabling designers to create everything from narrow beam effects to wide washes. Its powerful and efficient RGBW engine delivers vibrant colour output, while the fixture’s blinder mode produces more than 30,000 lumens for maximum impact.
More than 100 onboard macros provide lighting programmers with extensive creative flexibility, including strobe macros, colour-integrated macros, and customisable Flex Macros. During the DSDS finale, Zeo also demonstrated another key advantage for broadcast environments: camera-friendly, flicker-free lighting performance.
