Rebecca Jackman
DUTCH DJ Hardwell is headed to South Africa for a second time to perform at the Ultra Music Festival on Friday at the Ostrich Farm.
After his first visit on his I am Hardwell tour in December 2013, Hardwell, real name Robbert van de Corput, said he found the country and locals, to be so “amazing” that he knew he had to return.
“The crowd on my last visit was so pumped and happy, it was a fun experience! I can’t wait to get back behind the decks and party with them again,” he said.
In comparison to performing in other countries, he said he is motivated by South Africans’ passion for old favourites, but also their exuberance for hearing and embracing new tracks.
“South Africans seem really educated to the music out there and what’s happening in the electronic scene,” he said, adding that he finds that a “massive positive”.
“As a DJ you want to be able to push the boundaries and that kind of audience allows you to do it best.” And the feedback he has received from South African fans “has been incredible”.
“I feel really blessed by the support of the fans. It’s amazing to be able to connect with so many fans from around the world. I’ve been chatting to lots of South African fans in the lead up to the show and it’s been great hearing their thoughts and feedback on the music,” he said.
Hardwell’s brand of “electro and progressive house with a Dutch twist”, which he says is wrapped in his own Hardwell style, has earned him the title of number one DJ for two years running in 2013 and 2014. And on the back of that international success, he released his album United We Are and, coinciding with that, launched his current world tour I am Hardwell – United We Are in Amsterdam on January 23.
His debut album features collaborations with Jason Derulo, Tiesto, Fatman Scoop, Bright Lights and singer-songwriter Andreas Moe. And the album, according to his website (www.djhardwell.com), is “primed with club ready hits” and set to become the “soundtrack to the summer festival season” in Europe and around the world.
But Hardwell’s journey to the top began when he was just 13 years old, when his love for music was ignited by a documentary on MTV about the Dutch music scene featuring electronic greats like Tiësto, Ferry Corsten and Armin van Buuren.
“The music on the show and energy I was seeing at the events just blew me away and from that moment I was hooked,” he says.
For those who haven’t seen him perform live before, he says to expect “lots of energy and passion” and, inevitably, that only feeds off the energy of the crowd.
“I like to deliver a show each time I step into the DJ booth so expect a party with a great atmosphere and amazing music.”
He’s hoping to have some free time beyond the festival scene, but even if he only sees the stage he doesn’t mind because, for him, “DJing is never work” but rather a labour of love.
“I think South Africa has a really vibrant scene happening right now,” he said. “America has seen this big explosion with dance music taking over the charts and media etc there but I think places like South Africa have big scenes that will become even bigger in the next years.”
l www.ultrasouthafrica.com