DJ Martin Garrix: ‘I am a f**king computer nerd producer’

In a rare interview, the world’s top DJ Martin Garrix — who has collaborated with the likes of Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, Troye Sivan, Usher and Khalid — opens up about how he approaches his music and why he likes to surprise his fans.

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Martin Garrix likes to surprise — that way he isn’t bored and nor are his fans.

The world’s top DJ hit maker for the past three years running dropped a new single last week, teaming up with Macklemore and Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump.

Summer Days is an unexpected anthemic track that has already seen the video clip notch up a couple of million views in just a few days.

DJ Martin Garrix. Picture: Sony Music

“It was an experiment,” Garrix tells Insider.

“I wanted to combine hip hop, rock and electronic music into one song, which is a challenging combination. It was something new, something different than what people would expect from a Martin Garrix song and I like to surprise people. The thing about surprising people is you don’t know if it is going to work and now the response is so positive I am really happy.”

The 23-year-old is talking to The Sunday Telegraph at a recording studio in suburban Los Angeles, taking a break from planning his upcoming performance at the MTV Movie & TV Awards.

Garrix, whose real name is Martijn Gerard Garritsen, rarely gives interviews and likes to keep his private life exactly that.

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Face-to-face though, he’s refreshingly down to earth and genuinely excited. There’s no entourage and he’s totally up for a chat.

“I don’t want to do something predictable,” he explains.

“If you keep doing the same thing all over again, I will get bored because I am not challenged anymore and the fans will get bored because they know what is coming.”

Garrix has enjoyed global success with hits Animals, Scared To Be Lonely and In The Name Of Love.

He has collaborated with the likes of Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, Troye Sivan, Usher and Khalid and is also the most in-demand DJ in the world, having topped DJ Mags top 100 for the past three years.

“I can do nothing more than my best,” he says matter-of-factly, not willing to feel the pressure that comes with the title.

Garrix with popstar Justin Bieber. Picture: Getty

“I don’t really look at the list like I am the best DJ. I am on the list with all of the people that I look up to and people that inspired me since day one, since the day I started making music.

“I’d never feel comfortable calling myself a better DJ than them because I am not, they have three times the experience that I have but I am really eager to grow and learn every day.

“I think that what put me on that list is not the way I DJ but the fans, because they love Martin Garrix as a producer and they love the songs that I put out and the energy that I give at the shows.”

Garrix, whose mates call him Marty, sometimes refers to himself in third person as if he separates his DJ persona with his everyday life.

He’s never been comfortable with sharing too much about his private life.

“My number one focus with Martin Garrix is just spreading positivity and good energy. Every single thing I do, whether it is a show or putting out a new song, my main goal is to not do a lot of talking around it,” he says.

“I feel like my brain is constantly going so let me focus on that and you will get the best results out of me. What is really important for me is that I keep Martin Garrix and my normal life separate because the moment it starts conflicting, I will go crazy.”

Fans shouldn’t expect Garrix to ditch his decks for a microphone any time soon either.

While he loves to perform live as a DJ, he has no intention of taking up singing.

“I feel like the moment I start singing, people will start paying more attention to the voice and seeing me as a singer,” he says.

“I am a f**king computer nerd producer. I don’t want to be a singer type of guy. I will write everything, full songs, and I will sing the demos but afterwards I will get someone else to sing it.”

The Dutch DJ says his number one focus is “spreading positivity and good energy”. Photo: Bob Barker.

Australia can take some credit for Garrix’s new song. He was on tour here with the Ultra Festival when he put the final touches on the track.

A perfectionist, there were some 50 versions of the track before he was happy.

“I am a detail freak,” he says, indicating an album is on its way also. “I over think everything. I just want to explore all options and then cherry pick and see what is best. Whenever I come up with a new song, I keep on playing it, whenever I am in the car or whenever I am with friends I will play it in the background and the first thing that annoys me I will change. I will keep doing that until the song doesn’t annoy me anymore and I am super happy.”

Garrix, Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) and Stump will perform the track live at the MTV Awards on June 17 in LA.

“I have tested it out during my shows but they are of course different,” he says, admitting to being “a little bit” nervous.

“I play the original version and now we are playing a live version of it. I am going to be on the guitar. I have no idea what we are going to do yet.”

Outside of music, Garrix loves nothing more than having his folks and grandparents over for to his Amsterdam home for a barbecue. And, he has a rock collection.

“It is like my little nerding zone. I read about the way they form, where they grow and everything,” he says.

“It took the earth millions and millions of years to make something and the things that I’ve collected there’s only one of those in the world. Any painting, a professional could replicate it or take a photo of it and then print the photo and you get the same affect.

“But with crystals, they are such crazy art pieces. I am just intrigued by the beauty of nature and I feel like a lot of people don’t really appreciate how beautiful and amazing it is. This stuff blows my f**king mind.”

Originally published as DJ Martin Garrix: ‘I am a f**king computer nerd producer’