Martin Garrix has risen to global stardom in pop as well as electronic circles –and yet he’s far from being done. Dance music’s freshest talent has headlined festivals around the globe, founded a label and mentored other artists and won the #1 spot in DJ Mag’s Top 100 twice. His passion, ambition, drive and maturity remain unmatched in the world.
The story of Martin Garrix begins at 8 years of age, in the year 2004. It was then that he first got acquainted with electronic dance music, seeing Tiësto perform at the Olympic Games opening ceremony on live TV. The music’s energy and drive captivated him and by his mid-teens, Garrix had taught himself how to produce and play his own songs. In 2013, he released music on Musical Freedom –his idol Tiësto’s label –and not long after, he released the track that would change everything for him.‘
Animals’, released June, 2013 was a breakout success and a game changer for the music industry. Reaching No. 1 in the UK and many other territories, it proved that a hard-hitting, dancefloor-oriented track could reach pop status, ultimately reaching over a billion streams across several platforms. It also proved that Garrix, at only 17, had the talent to become a world-class musician. Privately, this was a path that he had already chosen, dropping out of high school in order to study music production at a specialized academy.
The five years since have been marked by a quick march through the ranks of dance music, conquering stages all around the world and releasing more breakout hits including ‘In The Name Of Love’ with Bebe Rexha. 2016 was also the year when Garrix took pole position in the DJ Mag Top 100 for the first time, as well as the launch of his own label, STMPD RCRDS. Named after his father’s profession, who runs a stamp auction house, the label serves as an outlet for Martin’s own music and as a platform for up-and-coming, creative talents. “There is so much amazing talent out there and I want to be able to give them a platform as well as having the freedom to release any kind of music I want, when I want to.” he says. “I want my label to be diverse.”
And diverse it has become looking at Garrix’ own 2017 releases, including ‘Byte’ (with Brooks), the highly acclaimed Scared to Be Lonely which became Dua Lipa’s breakthrough song, ‘There For You’(with Troye Sivan) and ‘So Far Away’(with David Guetta, featuring Jamie Scott & Romy Dya). It’s clear that he has no producing boundaries, delivering dancefloor-oriented stompers as well as vocal-heavy and melodic pop anthems including his track with David Guetta & Brooks ‘Like I Do’ which reached over 10 million streams and over 7 million views on YouTube after just 10 days.
Garrix’ musical achievements have not gone unnoticed. They were awarded with two MTV EMAs in 2016, holding the #1 spot in the 2017 DJ Mag Top 100, a ‘Man of Today’ accolade from GQ, a spot among Forbes’ ’30 Under 30’ and another at Billboard’s ‘EDM Power Players’. Last but not least, he performed at Jimmy Fallon’sThe Tonight Show twice, as the first Dutch guest ever. A naturally outgoing person and a born entertainer, Martin has also been a welcome guest at some of the world’s most important stages. He has headlined at festivals that most musicians can only dream of including Coachella, Tomorrowland, Lollapalooza and Ultra Music Festival. Next to that, he also locked down residencies at two of the world’s most prestigious clubs: Ushuaïa Ibiza and Omnia Las Vegas.
His on-screen appearances in the many documentaries and interviews he was featured in prove that Garrix’ relaxed stage presence is not just for display. Backstage, he remains kind and humble, greeting his stage riggers with the same heart-warming hugs as he does his friends and parents, whom he often brings along to his shows.
Looking at 2018, the down-to-earth Dutch superstar is set to continue his winning streak. He kicked off the year with a performance at the Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony in Pyeongchang. ‘’I was watching the Olympics in 2004 with Tiesto opening the event which inspired me to do what I do today. Being part of the closing ceremony I can only hope and dream that I can inspire someone the same way he did’’, he says. His fans will also be delighted this year to see him perform at many other stages around the world. With STMPD RCRDS now firmly established, Garrix has free range to do exactly that which he loves most: making music. He recently renovated his studio complex in Amsterdam, which has become an amazing creative hub. It’s this mad-about-music mentality that has built his career over the past five years –and it’s this mentality that ensures that in his early twenties, he still has a lifetime of achievements ahead of him.