Armin, so cool to have you here with us today! How is everything in your life going right now?
The feeling is mutual; thank you for having me! Honestly, I’ve never felt better. I just got back from a family holiday and am looking forward to hit the studio again. Really excited about all the stuff I have going on in my life right now.
You and Hardwell just released one of your most long-awaited collabs together, Follow The Light, how does it feel and what can you tell us about it?
Working with a close friend like Hardwell is always a pleasure. The way we connect in the studio is on a level of its own and I’m so glad we’re putting out another record together. It was so great to play the track alongside him live at A State of Trance 2024 in Rotterdam too!
I remember when you played this with Hardwell at ASOT in Rotterdam, couldn’t believe my eyes! How did your fans around the world react to this new epic masterpiece?
Judging by the crowd at A State of Trance, they loved it. Beyond that, reactions have been very positive as well! I believe this track resonates very well with both my and Hardwell’s fanbases, so there’s a lot to be excited for. I hope they love the track as much as we do.
Trance and Big Room Techno are two totally different genres, and lately, we’ve seen a lot of new releases that break these barriers between styles, haven’t we? How do you see the future of electronic music?
You say they are two totally different genres, but I feel they’re more akin than some might realize. And historically speaking, electronic music has always been the one place where genre crossovers are encouraged. That’s the strength of dance music. There are endless possibilities when you aren’t afraid to break the barriers between styles, and that courage and dauntlessness is why electronic music became so big globally. As long as we don’t lose sight of that, the future of electronic music will be eye-blindingly bright.
It is already September, how was this summer around the world? Any fun memories you would like to share with us from your touring?
The summer was great. Played tons of incredible shows, met lots of great people, and had a blast exploring the different countries and cities I got to play at whenever I had some time to spare. Nothing in particular to share in terms of fun anecdotes, but that’s not always required to make a summer tour memorable as a whole!
What is next for Armin van Buuren?
Some really cool collaborations coming up that I can hopefully announce soon, and we’re gearing up for a special A State of Trance radio show and event during Amsterdam Dance Event too.
A question we sometimes ask is, if you could be an animal for a day, what would you be and why?
Now that’s a question I haven’t had to answer – or even think about – before. How about a whale? I’m a sucker for sea life and water sports, and I think it would be awesome getting to explore the depths of the ocean.
Any message for all your fans?
Stay awesome! Your support matters the world to me, so thank you for sticking by me through all those years!
Hardwell, so cool to have you here with us again! How is everything in your life going right now?
Thanks for having me back again. Life is really good right now; I’ve had probably one of my best summers I can remember. Amazing shows, tons of time in the studio experimenting and finishing projects, and just enjoying life connecting with so many people these past few months. It’s been a lot of fun.
You and Armin just released your long-awaited second collab together, Follow The Light, how does it feel and what can you tell us about it?
Considering how many times we’ve shared a stage together or even played b2b together, and have talked about doing this follow-up, it’s kind of crazy to think it’s been nearly 10 years since our first studio project together. But on the other hand, seeing how much we’ve both grown as artists since, ‘Off The Hook’, that evolution manifest itself in the way it did with this new track was fun. What I love about Armin is his drive and passion for the music, and like myself, he’s got that perfectionist attitude in him where every aspect of the track needs to be on point. So, super pleased with the outcome and that we found the perfect blend of our styles for this new anthem.
I remember when you played it with Armin at ASOT in Rotterdam, I couldn’t believe my eyes! How did your fans around the world react to this new epic masterpiece?
Haha, the buzz from that surprise appearance was palpable on the night and caused a huge stir over on social media. I came off stage and my phone was blowing up with messages and notifications from fans and DJ friends about the show. I’ve got to applaud the fans—ever since I started playing the track in my sets, the reaction has been huge, and they’ve kept the anticipation for this release going ever since. It’s cool to see the impact this track has already had so far.
Trance and Big Room Techno are two totally different genres, and lately, we’ve seen a lot of new releases that break these barriers between styles, haven’t we? How do you see the future of electronic music?
I’m really into the crazy sounds and ideas that has been coming out of all these genres merging together lately. The charm of dance music is its ability to constantly evolve and shapeshift and this present period we’re seeing a whole new shift, and it’s amazing to watch and be apart of. Like with the recent HYPER house/techno movement, a new breed of artists, music/anthems, promoters, events, fans and so much more emerges, it’s cool and something healthy for the entire scene.
It is already September, how was this summer around the world? Any fun memories you would like to share with us from your touring?
Summer 2024 has been amazing. I’ve had mainstage slots at all the major festivals this year and it’s been crazy insane fun all the way. I never get used to just how amazing festival season is and it’s always so good. One big memory for me was the situation that happened at Ultra Miami, when my set was cancelled due to the storm. 3 months of work and then to discover the show was being called off, it was truly heartbreaking at the time. But then to get gifted a rescheduled slot, wow, what a feeling, what a crowd, what an explosion of emotions. I just have to say a big thank you again to every single person who made that possible, it was so incredible!
What is next for Hardwell?
There’s a lot of great projects coming up, so what’s next looks super exciting. I’m putting tons of focus on new mashups right now, there’s this new collab with Armin of course, but as well as this there’s lots of new collaborations in the works, plus I’m working on another big vocal track, which I hope to finish soon, so yeah, there’s a lot of new stuff coming up. The rest of this year is really going to end on a high for me. Besides my own stuff, next year is the 15th anniversary of Revealed, which is a big milestone for us and something we’re going to celebrate in style. Watch this space..
A question we sometimes ask is, if you could be an animal for a day, what would you be and why?
I’m a dog lover so probably a dog, plus I could finally understand what my own dog Jäger is saying to me, when he’s following me around the house.
Any message for all your fans?
As always and forever, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. You all rock!
With ‘Follow The Light’ becoming a staple in both artists’ sets throughout 2024, fan anticipation for an
official release has been palpable. Now, with the imminent release of ‘Follow The Light’, it is poised
to be another crowd-pleasing anthem destined to illuminate airwaves, playlists, and dancefloors
globally, igniting even more excitement.
Listen to ‘Follow The Light’ on your favorite streaming platform here.
