"It's insane", was Armin Van Buuren's reaction when he was told by DJ magazine that he was voted the World's No.1 DJ for the second time in a row, in 2007. But being the world's best DJ is only one of this Dutchman's many achievements. "Don't be a prisoner of your own style" is what the multifaceted lawyer-turned-DJ says when he is questioned about his choice of music.
He was born in 1976 in Leiden, and was raised in Koudekerk aan den Rijn. His was a musical family. His dad was an avid buyer of records, and young Armin too indulged in that passion from childhood. He got his first computer when he was 10. "So as a little nerdy kid I was writing my own basic programmes, and learnt about the technology from there", he says on his official website. He learnt music sequencing from his uncle, and that was the beginning of the legend.
In his early years, Armin wanted to have something as a backup incase his DJing career didn't take off. So he studied law. By the time he reached the final year of his course, he juggled with studies and a hectic schedule, hence the year was stretched.
Armin started his DJing career with a local nightclub called Nexus. In the meantime, he moved his equipment from his bedroom to a studio, in which he works alone the majority of the time. He says he doesn't want his music to be altered by anyone, hence he's never hired an engineer. His productions have all made a huge impact with atleast 12 of his singles reaching the Dutch top 40. While requests for remixes flow in at an astonishing pace, Armin only takes up tracks that he really loves, in effect, every track that he remixes should earn its place on the list.
Van Buuren hosts a weekly radio show 'A State of Trance', which mostly comprises trance. He is a dedicated trance lover, but, as he says, he isn't imprisoned by one genre. "What makes trance work so well is that it doesn’t stick to one style, and can incorporate electro, minimal, whatever it likes", he says. ‘A State of Trance’ completed its 350th episode and 7th year in May 2008. He celebrated it with live show eight hours long from Antwerp, Belgium. It was broadcast to over 40 radio stations around the world.
And typical of a musician of his class, he constantly seeks to improvise and innovate. In 2003, he started his own label, Armada. It’s a joint venture between his former manager David Lewis, and ex-Warner Bros executive Maykel Piron. Van Buuren says, “What we wanted was a company that could offer everything for an artist: representation, a booking agency, and a record company. Artts can choose full management, or to just release a record or play out at gigs. Armada lets the artists choose what they want without telling them what to do.”
Today, ruling the DJ Mag list, Armin Van Buuren is a full-fledged artist in his own right. His 5 studio albums have gained widespread acclaim from critics. The events, of course, keep getting bigger and better. From New York to Mumbai, he has headlined some of the biggest music festivals around the world.
But then, that’s what he lives for. "This is what I really want", he elucidates. "It's not just the love for music, it's my passion. It goes beyond liking and beyond a hobby. It's about a way of living. Music is essential to my life."
Written by Nigel Britto
