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Afrojack: ‘When something happens in Europe, it doesn’t always go viral, but in India, it goes worldwide instantly’
Dutch musician Afrojack opened up on India’s unmatched music passion, its impact on global hits, and his plans to collaborate with local artists.
For Dutch DJ-producer Nick Leonardus van de Wall aKa Afrojack, India is not just another stop on his world tour — it’s a place that keeps calling him back. “The fans, the energy of the fans — everyone is very passionate about the music,” he says.
“I remember the first time I played Sunburn Festival and I literally saw people walking up the mountain. In Western culture, it’s like, if I can’t park my car within 100 metres, I’m not going. But in India, people were walking maybe two kilometres to get to the site — happy, excited, full of energy. That passion for music is so big and pure, and that’s why I’m very happy to come back,” adds Afrojack, who will bring that connection full circle this November when he performs in Mumbai on November 28, Bengaluru on November 29 and Delhi-NCR on November 30 in association with Sunburn.
However, this time, there’s a bittersweet note to his return. “It’s gonna be the last time for the next few years,” reveals the 38-year-old musician. “I’ve been coming regularly to India over the last 15 years, but now I really want to redirect my energy into the studio and creating new music. After COVID, everything felt like it was floating. A lot of artists were able to redefine themselves, and I hadn’t been able to do that until the last few months in the studio. So now, I want to focus solely on new projects — make this run my last one for a while, really focus on making and presenting the new music,” he adds.
Still, he wants his performances to feel as powerful as ever. “I don’t want to do any half shows with half lights, half visuals, half music. I want to make it special — the way it was 10 years ago. What I do, I want it to be impactful,” Nick insists.
The Netherlands-born producer also spoke about India’s unique influence on global music trends. “In India, people are very hyped on the IDs (tracks that are either unreleased, unnamed, or unknown). I remember when Martin Garrix played the Birds of Feather's Amel remix at his big festival in India, it completely exploded on the internet because of India. When something happens in Europe, it doesn’t always go viral, but in India, it goes worldwide instantly. That’s pretty cool,” he says.
Looking ahead, Afrojack hopes to return not just for shows, but for collaborations with Indian artists, something he hasn't been able to do, due to diplomatic issues. “I’d love to find some Indian artists to work with. We did try to work with two artists, but we couldn't because they couldn't get their visas in time. [But] I’ve never been in a studio session with anyone from India, but I hope that happens soon. You have some great musicians there — the only problem has been visas. Hopefully next time, I can come back not for shows, but to create music together,” he concludes.
