Martin Garrix on the Tech of Turntables By Kelsey Elgie Domier Since the popular release of 2013’s “Animals,” Martin Garrix has made quite a name for himself on the electronic music circuit. Over the years, he has performed at massive music festivals, playing his catchy music at events such as Coachella and Ultra Music Festival. Additionally, at only 22 years of age, Garrix has garnered a number of awards, including winning the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Electronic twice. We had the opportunity to interview the star DJ at the X Games in Aspen, Colorado. In this exclusive interview, we discuss the origin of his creativity, the technology utilized during live performances, and how we connect with music. Innovation & Tech Today: You’ve been at the number one spot in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 two years in a row. How does that feel? Martin Garrix: I’m on the list with all my idols, so in my eyes I’m not a better DJ than them. I feel like it’s more like a popularity thing, but I would never see myself as a better DJ then Tiësto or Carl Cox or one of those guys. I&T Today: You said you had to pinch yourself when you hit number 40, that was a couple of years ago. Number one, two years in a row, that’s incredible. You have your own record label, the world’s your oyster. MG: It’s very crazy, everything has happened the last few years. It’s been one crazy roller coaster. Also, I have an amazing team around me and I bring my family and my friends with me, so they’re all part of the journey. Everything that’s happened has been crazy but also a lot of fun. I&T Today: Where would you say you derive a lot of your creative inspiration from? MG: From energy. It’s all about the people I surround myself with, where I am in the world. I get very inspired by different cultures, meeting different people. I love being in Asia. I love traveling in general because every country has something unique, has got different vibes. I always bring my computer with me on the road, and then when I have an idea, I immediately put it in the computer and then I get back home, have a couple weeks off, go back and listen to all the ideas and I cherry pick them. Like, “Okay, I’m just going to finish this one, this one” ... I love traveling and I get a lot of inspiration from traveling.
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INNOVATION & TECH TODAY | SUMMER 2018
Adam Saldaña
