DUTCH DJ AND PRODUCER MARTIN GARRIX HAS HEADLINED THE OLYMPICS AND THE WORLD’S LEADING FESTIVALS, COLLABORATED WITH MUSIC LEGENDS LIKE U2’S BONO AND THE EDGE, AND LAUNCHED HIS OWN RECORD LABEL ALL BEFORE HIS 26TH BIRTHDAY

BY TIA KIM

BORN: Martijn Garritsen hails from Amstelveen, Netherlands.

SOUND: Garrix’s canon of work doesn’t fall neatly into one camp, though he’s most famous for big-room, hard-hitting festival tunes. He is constantly pushing his wheelhouse and experimenting with other sounds, from pop to future house.

EARLY CAREER: The son of musicians, the young Garrix began mixing at only eight years old after being mesmerized by Tiësto’s performance in the 2004 Olympic Games. He sharpened his skills in studio production at the Herman Brood Academy and released his first big hit, “Animals,” in 2013, which quickly skyrocketed to No. 1 in the U.K. and the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. He was 17 at the time, making him the youngest Dutch DJ to ever nab a top hit in the U.K.

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Martin Garrix was only 20 years old when he landed the coveted No. 1 spot on DJ Mag’s Top 100 list, where he remained for three consecutive years (for 2021, he comfortably sat at No. 2 behind David Guetta). That same year, he launched his own label, STMPD RCRDS, which serves as a platform for talented up-and-comers. Garrix also followed in the footsteps of his idol and played the headline set at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

RECENT WORK: 2021 was a busy year for the prolific producer. He put out several buzzy releases including “We Are The People” with U2’s Bono & The Edge; “Diamonds” with fellow DJ/ producer Julian Jordan and British rapper Tinie; and “Won’t Let You Go” with Russian production duo Matisse & Sadko featuring Swedish singer and songwriter John Martin.
FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT: Flamenco-style guitar.