Five-time winner of the Top 100 DJs, Armin van Buuren is a legend of electronic music. Having made his name as a trance master, he adapted to EDM but never forgot his roots. The Dutch producer helped push trance music worldwide through his, ‘A State of Trance’ radio show which has aired at more than 150 stations in more than 80 countries since 2001. On his way to India for a four-city Sunburn Arena tour after 8 years, he will be performing in Delhi on October 8 at Backyard Sports Club in Gurugram.
Excerpts from the conversation with TMS:
How did the radio show, A State of Trance, help you rise in the music industry?
First and foremost, ‘A State of Trance’ was (and still is) a way for me to share my love for music with people who feel the same. Somehow, the show ended up resonating with so many people that it became a very supportive community and it has played a huge role in my career.
You are called the King of Trance music. How did you develop an interest in this genre?
My first experience with dance music was when someone gave me a cassette tape with mini mix tapes from Ben Liebrand, [a Dutch dance music DJ and remixer], the man who later became my mentor. I was hooked right away and started buying records with the money I earned. Dance music was so different from all other music. Within trance, you now have all these sub-genres like progressive trance, orchestrance, and tech-trance, among others. Musically it’s very inspiring to me, and I want ‘A State of Trance’ to be home to all those genres.
You were ranked the number one DJ by DJ Mag a record five times, four years in a row, and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording. How do you manage to keep up with the growing competition?
I don’t give much thought to the competition within dance music and my place in it. To me, it’s never been about having to be the best or being as successful as possible. Although I’m happy with how my career turned out, that’s a byproduct of the decision I made along the way, and maybe luck also played a part. The drive has always been my love for music and I want to share it with as many people as possible. This has worked for me for over 20 years, so I don’t worry about the competition.
In 2000, you started your own Armin van Buuren compilation series, a mix of progressive house and vocal trance styles of music. How do you approach the audience and keep the crowd grooving?
Interestingly, I think it’s the audience that chose me from the very beginning rather than the other way around. When I started The State of Trance, I just shared the tracks I loved with everyone. The show became popular because people also loved my music. It just resonated with them. And that’s what I’ve done with every mix album or compilation series. I select the tracks I love, knowing that others share my taste and would love them as well.
How do you handle the tight schedule of all the events lined up?
I am blessed with an amazing team who keep me sane and make sure everything works out.
What’s the most exciting aspect of the trance scene for you right now?
Of course, it’s the emotion in the music, the mindset and loyalty of the fans, and the way the melodies flow and build. But I think the current state of trance music also shows the scene’s willingness to grow and become even more open-minded. It just keeps on evolving, and that’s one of the reasons why I love it so much.
Out of all your live performances, which has been your favourite and why?
That’s always a tough question to answer; I’ve been lucky enough to perform at so many amazing events and occasions. One that will also stick is my performance at Tomorrow Land in Belgium in 2013 when I got to announce that I became a father to my son, Remy.
What do you consider the high points of your career thus far?
There are many such moments like getting a Grammy nomination, becoming the No. 1 DJ in the world for the first time or telling the world I’ve become a father during a gig at Tomorrow Land. There is a high point every time I produce a new track. Each song is the product of all the things I’ve done or experienced in the past, what I’ve learned from it and how it changed who I am and it helps me become a better version of myself.
Your latest track Motive, narrates a story of heartbreak and pain. From the robust, club-centric beats to the potent vocal presence pushing the song onto the airwaves, this track ticks all the boxes for listeners worldwide. How do you come up with such ideas?
It’s just what I felt like making at that time. Creativity and inspiration work in ways that aren’t easily understood. Ideas just come to you and you let them take you wherever you want to go. I seldom sit down in the studio with a set-in-stone idea of what I’m going to make next. Instead, I just do whatever I feel like at the time.