JOIN US'I want to come to India more often'
Nick van de Wall fell in love with music at the age of 14. He played at local pubs and clubs to gain experience and popularity. He became an instant hit around the world after the release of his debut album ‘Forget the World’ in 2014. Today, he is a popular DJ, record producer and remixer, and goes by the stage name of Afrojack.
He is returning to India to perform at Sunburn 10 in Pune on Wednesday. In a chat with Anila Kurian, he talks about his latest projects and his hopes for the coming year.
Are you excited about your visit to India?
My trip is very short this time. I’m playing on Wednesday and heading back to New York for the New Year. It is a very busy time for me but I am excited to visit Pune for the first time.
What are some of the places in the country that you like?
I love going to Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad. There are a lot of people who love to party there and I always have a lot of fun there.
Tell us about your latest projects...
‘Hey’ with Fais was a very exciting one. I have a new record releasing next month called ‘Diamonds’. This is a special one as it has been a while since I brought out something on my own. It is different from the other types of music — it’s loud, aggressive and fast beat.
Some of your favourite artistes...
I love the music Skrillex has been producing. Hardwell also has an interesting set this year. Martin Garrix is also one of my favourites. I love that I am friends with all of them — it’s been a good year with good people making good music.
An artiste you are looking forward to working with...
I’m currently working with Martin Garrix. I’m going to the LA studio to work on some new stuff for next year. I hope to work with new people there. Music, for me, is to have fun so that’s always exciting.
You’ve been in the industry for a while now. What’s your secret of becoming a great DJ?
I’ve always had a creative view of how my shows will be. I do what I feel like and follow my heart. It’s usually just the introduction that is planned and the rest is made up at the moment. I end the show with the same song but improvise it in a way that makes it unique.
What do you do when you’re not producing music?
I reply to my emails, work out and spend time with my PlayStation. I also like watching television shows like ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Modern Family’. I like interacting with to my fans on social media.
You are an automobile enthusiast. Which sports car are you driving right now?
An Audi RS6 and Ferrari F12berlinetta. But since I am travelling so often, I don’t get to drive them as much as I would like to. It’s alright, though — I love cars but not as much as I love music.
Any New Year resolutions...
Spend more time in the studio and do more shows around the world.
A dream location that you would like to play in...
I’ve played at all the places that I wanted to play. But I want to come to India more often. I’ve played at Bengaluru and the party crowd is always great; I hope to come again next year.