3 words: Armin van Buuren. The man really needs no introduction because he’s testament to the global dance music movement. Trance, in particular.
And there are sound reasons why he deserves to be where he is today.
Armin van Buuren is not “just a DJ”. He’s also a producer, a radio personality, a pianist, a label owner, and believe it or not, a law graduate. In fact, as his musical career began to take off, he actually put his law degree on hold, although he returned to graduate from law school sometime in 2003.
Now nearing 40 years of age, Armin started making music at the tender age of 14. He was inspired by French electronic music composer Jean Michel Jarre and thus, began pursuing his lifelong dream of becoming a professional musician. He began working as a DJ in Club Next, playing multiple sets a week, most of which lasted 6 or more hours. He played more than 4 times a week during school holidays.
On his way up, he made fast friends with aspiring musicians like himself, Dutch DJs/producers Ferry Corsten as well as Tiesto (real name Tijs Verwest). They were a legendary trio, with Ferry and Tiesto coming together to form a special project called “Gouryella” in 1999, Armin eventually pushing out 2 collabs with Tiesto (“Eternity” and “Wonder Where You Are”) and multiple collabs with Ferry Corsten, the latest being “Minack”. Armin was part of the 3 pillars that put Dutch trance on the map.
In 2001, the first episode of Armin’s radio show, “A State of Trance” (ASOT) aired on ID&T, taking the format of a 2-hour mix in which he plays new trance tunes. Selected tracks are announced during the show in order to help promote new artistes and releases. Its radio-show/website combination has proven popular internationally, as fans – while listening to the radio-show – will converse in the website chat-rooms and forums during the broadcast.
Today, the show has 20 millions weekly listeners in 26 countries and the success of the show has also spawned to include several dance events around the world. The show is celebrated live each year in different locations around the globe with a lineup consisting of many trance artists.
In 2003, Armin co-founded Armada Music, a Dutch record label that specialises in releasing electronic dance music, as it kicked off with Motorcycle’s “As The Rush Comes”. The name of the record company is an abbreviation of its founders’ names: Armin van Buuren, Maykel Piron, and David Lewis.
Throughout the years, the record company has brought countless releases within the wide spectrum of electronic dance music to its fans. Armada Music actively releases records in trance, deep house, progressive house, techno, and even in the pop genre, making it a label that stands out from the crowd.
“Armada Music changes along with the ever evolving music industry, as we’re always trying to improve, finding new opportunities and developing our business.” – Maykel Piron
Armada Music also hosts its own worldwide events: Armada Nights.
Armada Nights have taken place in Buenos Aires, London, Amsterdam, Rome, Jakarta, New York, Dubai, Mexico City, Kuala Lumpur, and other destinations throughout the world. Other Armada-branded stages have appeared at Ultra Music Festival (UMF) events in Argentina and Chile, as well as Electronic Family in Amsterdam.
In 2011, Armin was appointed Officer of the Order of Orange Nassau for his services to music.
This year, the dance music visionary is set to join the international panel of esteemed speakers at the International Music Summit (IMS) Asia-Pacific 2015. He will be a highlight in a Keynote Interview alongside American DJ Kaskade, one of the biggest names in the global music circuit who has shaped the EDM scene in North America.
Purchase your IMS Asia-Pacific badge(s) here! Badges include access to all panels, a buffet lunch and the cocktail party. Early bird badges are sold out but regular badges will be available for 130€ until 20th November. Late badges will be available for 160€.
After IMS, celebrate and welcome the weekend with ZoukOut 2015, featuring artistes like Tiësto, Axwell Ingrosso, Nervo, Jamie Jones, Dixon, Deep Dish, Paul Oakenfold and many more. For delegates only, the festival is offering 20% off ZoukOut tickets, maximum one ticket per delegate, all purchases will be checked against your name.
More information on ZoukOut 2015 here.
IMS Asia-Pacific is slated to happen in Singapore on 11th December. More information on this year’s speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information on IMS Asia-Pacific, visit its official website.
