Garrix is drawn to electronic dance music since it “united people.” “The moment that you’re on stage and you see all the happy faces in the crowd having the best time of their lives truly makes me feel great as well. The energy that the crowd gives you every single night is just crazy,” he said with excitement.
The past year alone, Garrix noted that he had many highlights and is proud of many moments. “I got to work with some of the biggest artists on this planet and got the chance to evolve myself with my music. That’s just an amazing experience. Another amazing moment was my performance at Ultra Miami last year. Every DJ dreams about performing there because it is so big, and it has that special vibe I can’t even describe. I was standing in the crowd the year before, having a party with my friends, so it felt very unreal to be on that Main Stage myself a year later,” he said.
He ranked No. 4 on the prestigious DJ Magazine list in 2014, which came as a pleasant surprise for Garrix. “To be honest, I didn’t have any high expectations especially because we didn’t do any promo for it at all. When I saw my name at No. 4, I just went crazy,” he said.
The teenage electronic dance music (EDM) star shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. “I will keep on making tracks and doing my own thing and maybe someday I will be the number 1 DJ of the world. To make an album is also something that I would want to pursue in the future,” he said.
For Garrix, there is a difference when he records music in the studio vs. performing in front of a live audience, and he loves both settings equally. “Working on new music in a studio is a very intense process. I’m in Los Angeles recording new tracks right now. I really love it! And playing live in front of an amazing crowd is always very exciting. I still get nervous for big shows. You just want to give your audience the best show, and when you see all these partying people, it just makes me want to party along on stage. The adrenaline really gives me so much energy,” he said.
He is motivated each day simply by his love for life. “Every moment I feel really fortunate. I just try to work as hard as possible and spend as much time as possible with my friends and family. They are really important to me,” he said.
For aspiring DJs and electronic dance producers, he recommended that they focus on their productions. “They just have to be really good! There’s no point in sending shitty demos to a hundred record labels and DJs. If your music and attitude are great, the right people will find you! I started producing music when I was eight years old. It took me seven years before I got noticed too, I just really focused on making better tracks. 24/7. Just work as hard as possible and never give up.”
He listed songstress Lana del Rey as his dream female collaboration choice in music. “I would like to collaborate with Lana del Rey. She just has the perfect voice! I love it,” he said.
Most impressive about Garrix is that he has over 10 million followers on his Facebook page. “Thanks for supporting me! Without you, I would never have been where I am now,” he said, expressing his gratitude to his fans.
As a result of reaching that huge digital milestone, he offered his listeners a free download of “Forbidden Voices.”
Garrix concluded our interview by sharing his definition of the word success. “For me, success means every positive thing that you have reached after working hard for it, both personal as professional,” he said.
For more information on international DJ and producer Martin Garrix, check out his official website.
