The last 10 years have been a wild ride for Martin Garrix. In 2013 he came to be known as dance music’s boy wonder because of his bouncy number Animals that has the right touch of progressive house and attitude. It made him, at age 17, the youngest DJ with a number-one chart hit at Beatport, the online electronic music store. Of course, Animals was not his first track. He had already released a series of singles and remixes.
When the Dutch DJ and music producer takes the stage at Sunburn Arena Martin Garrix, with print partner t2, at Aquatica on March 10, he will have a new feather to his cap — his debut studio album that he released last year.
The transformation between the Garrix of 2016, when he played in Calcutta, and now is quite stark. Back then he had to tackle the early days of stardom. He told t2 in 2015: “It’s not easy, but it has been a really weird experience, for obvious reasons. I think that I haven’t changed all too much and that’s mostly to do with my team and my parents and friends. They keep me grounded and they make sure that I realise it when something special happens. They’ll let me know that it’s very unusual for a 19-year-old to rent out a place in Ibiza for the summer, and that’s important too. They make sure that I don’t start thinking too highly of myself.”
Also, many forget that Garrix has his fingers on music beyond electronic. He played the Spanish guitar before becoming a DJ: “Playing the Spanish guitar was a choice I made myself, and I really liked it for about eight years. After that, I became more interested in electronic music and now I obviously spend most of my time on that. My parents and friends have always been very supportive of my career choice, and I think that’s played an important role in the success that I’ve been having. Having a good home front, one that has got your back, is very important.”
Well, where is he at the moment musically? We emailed him a few questions and the 26-year-old ace musician replied.
The last time you were in India, it was the pre-pandemic years when there were no restrictions during a party. What are you looking forward to during your return tour of India and how has the party scene changed since the pandemic?
I feel like the energy during live shows has gone up even more after the pandemic. Not being able to get together and enjoy live music definitely made everyone appreciate it even more.
What makes the Sunburn Arena gig different than the many others you headline?
A part of my biggest and most loyal fanbase is in India, so doing shows here will always be special.
Martin Garrix and Ranbir Kapoor at the former’s recent gig in Bangalore
Something that has been missing for years was achieved last year — your debut album, Sentio. What took you so long to release a full-fledged album?
I’m a perfectionist, so over the years it never felt like the right time to release an album. After the pandemic I got so much inspiration from the first shows and started making loads of club tracks. Because we had so much new music we decided to bundle it into an album.
The final track on your debut album is If We’ll Ever Be Remembered. What legacy do you want to leave behind?
The track says it all, I would like to be remembered as a good person who hopefully leaves music behind that brings people together and puts a smile on their faces.
Album cover of Martin Garrix’s debut studio album, Sentio
Do you think we have passed the peak of DJ culture? Are we in a saturated phase?
Peaks always come and go in the music industry, and, to be honest, I don’t pay too much attention to it. I think there’s still a lot of amazing electronic music being released every day and that’s what’s most important.
You have grown up with different social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. How do you think these platforms have helped your career?
It’s a massive tool when it comes to reaching and communicating with your fans, especially when you travel and do shows all over the world it can sometimes be difficult to connect with your fans, and social media is a huge help with that.
What was the best advice you were given when you started your career and what has been the best advice you received lately?
Still one of the best advices I’ve received from this day is to really try and not look at negative comments, but focus on the positives. You can get 99 positive comments but the negative one will stick with you more easily.
What makes for an ideal Martin Garrix set?
Crazy visuals, lots of energy and some new music!
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Not really. I do like to wind down before the show to really get into focus and the right mindset.
What is the most memorable show you can remember?
I really can’t choose one. I have played so many amazing shows all over the world, it’s crazy that I get to call this my job.