Lately, I love creating ideas on my acoustic guitar. I sit in my living room for hours trying different chords.
I watched my idol and fellow Dutchman Tiesto. He was the first DJ to play live on stage at an Olympic event - the Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. At eight years old, all I can remember thinking was, 'I want to be a DJ.'
I like making all kinds of music, it really depends on the moment. Sometimes I feel like making a weird trap song, and sometimes I can't even attach a track to a genre.
I like myself still kind of being... because DJs used to be the background guy - the guy who was just doing the music - I see myself more as that guy than being on the stage.
I want to learn how to do balloon art and make dolphins.
Education is a cause very close to me. What matters is encouraging my fans to focus on their education, because only an educated generation can ensure a better future. Even when I was on tour, I did my homework and studied.
I would love to work with Pharrell one day. Like, my biggest dream.
I want to produce more number one hits but not follow trends blindly! What I really hope to achieve in the long-term is to get that cross-over status such as Calvin Harris and Avicii. I'd love to be a household name in pop music.
Using social media to hurt and destroy is callous, acted out by cowards hiding behind computers. My advice is to ignore negativity. Focus on the love around.
Guetta, in general, what he did for the entire industry, same as Tiesto, same as Daft Punk, they paved the way for us. If Guetta didn't exist, 'Animals' would have never been played on the radio. Because of people like him and Avicii. But mainly Guetta.
I love Disclosure. Dillon Francis. Bauuer. Flosstradamus. I listen to a lot of different genres.
Before I realized what was happening, everything blew up. I made 'Animals' when I was in high school, and literally, from that moment, I've been living a different life. I've been touring a lot, traveling a lot, doing great shows. I've been in the studio with my biggest idols.
Of course I party. Of course I go chase girls. Again, for me, balance is important. One hundred per cent, my work goes first. Martin Garrix is my main priority. But to maintain Martin Garrix, I have to enjoy my downtime.
I think Dutch people are very sober. I don't know if it's the right word. Like, you have the most famous person walk by some Dutch people, and they're like, 'Oh, hello.' And they maybe take a photo, but most of the time, they'll respect you and leave you alone. And if you go to some other countries they will literally mob you, go crazy.
I think it's difficult to say what exactly made me become a successful DJ. It depends on so many different things. If I were given an award, I would thank my family, friends, Tiesto and the great team behind me for all their support and hard work. Without them, I wouldn't be where I am today.
The hardest part for me is to finish a track. I start new projects all the time.
When I come up with a melody in my head, it could be anywhere: in the shower, on the plane, in bed - often when I'm on the go. I'll record it on my phone with my own voice, humming. When I get to the studio, I check which melodies work.
I didn't start my label out of a business perspective. I did it because I wanted to create a platform where new musicians can have the chance to get into a studio, work with each other, and get their music noticed by a large audience.
There's so much more that I want to do. Of course it's great what has happened so far: Ultra, Coachella, EDC. But still, production-wise and show-wise, I'd love to play a show at Madison Square Garden. Stuff like that is beyond my imagination.
I'm a computer nerd. I'm behind my computer, like, 12 hours a day making new music.
