Hardwell, now 24, is ranked the sixth best DJ in the world

Ready for take-off

I n the world of electronic dance music, it is not unusual to see DJ-producers starting their careers early and making waves by the time they are 18 or 19 years of age, given the relative ease with which electronic music can be produced. However, even by those standards, the enviable career of Dutch DJ-producer Robbert van de Corput, better known to EDM fans as Hardwell, is impressive. Having been producing since the age of 12, Hardwell signed his first record deal at 14 and was soon playing all over the Netherlands. In 2009, his hit single ‘Show Me Love Vs Be’ catapulted him to worldwide fame.

Hardwell, now 24, is ranked the sixth best DJ in the world, according to influential British publication DJ Mag’s Top 100 ranking. Speaking about his first gig in the city, he says, “I’m really excited to be playing here and I’ve got loads of new mashups and new music for you guys.” He adds that he may play a special edit of his hit single ‘Apollo’, currently number one on online electronic music store Beatport.
The venue for the Hardwell gig is unusual. Crossbar Entertainment and P3P, the organisers of the show, have constructed a 20,000 sq ft structure at a lawn in Juhu, specially for this show. They’re calling it ‘The Hangar’. “The venue is air-conditioned, sound-proof and can accommodate up to 3,000 people,” says Fahad Chowdhary, operations manager, Crossbar Entertainment. “This is something that has never been done before in the city.”