The award winning DJ and EDM producer talks to What’s On ahead of his Nasimi Beach gig

Few DJs garner the international attention that Hardwell does.

The 29-year old Dutch DJ was the youngest DJ to be crowned DJ Mag’s World’s No1 DJ aged 25, a title he held for two consecutive years.

Since then, he’s become famed for his electric live DJ sets at festivals including Ultra and Tomorrowland, as well as releases where he’s collaborated with the likes of Craig David, Jay Sean and Afrojack.

Ahead of his Live@Nasimi gig, we chatted with Hardwell about Dubai, new music, and whether we’ll catch him skydiving on his trip… 

This Is Power ⚡

A post shared by Hardwell (@hardwell) on

What’s On: This is the third time you’ve been to Dubai, what is it you love about performing in Dubai?

Hardwell: Dubai is an impressive place. Visually it’s super striking which is why its such a great place to visit. I like the crowd in Dubai because there’s a lot of energy and people are excited for the music which as a DJ I love of course. I am looking forward to this show.

WO: Where will we find you hanging out if you’ve got some free time in the city?

Hardwell: I’d like to just take some time and walk around and get familiar with the place. I’m usually in and out when I arrive into a city so it’s nice having the opportunity just to soak up the place I am in. I’ve heard doing a skydive over Dubai is an incredible experience. I did a skydive after winning the Top 100 DJ poll. Not sure I’ll do it again but I do think that Dubai would be a cool place to do if I did decide to do it one more time.

WO: You were crowned the world’s best DJ in 2013 aged 25, how do you stay grounded?

Hardwell: I keep my family and friends close which is something that keeps me very grounded. It’s important to remember why you’re doing this and not to get too carried away with the fame and success. I do this because I love music and I love DJing. Sharing that with the fans is the part of it all that makes me happy.

More fire! ???

A post shared by Hardwell (@hardwell) on

WO: What can we expect from your Live@Atlantis show at Nasimi?

Hardwell: Expect a big show of new music and a lot of energy and passion behind the decks – I am super pumped for this show and it’s going to a lot of fun.

WO: And what are your plans for the new year, any new music coming in 2018?

Hardwell: Definitely a lot of music because I’ve been busy on some really exciting tracks lately that will come out next year. I’ll also be on the road lot with headline shows at festivals like Ultra Miami and Ultra South Africa, and I have a run of arena dates coming up too including two Go Hardwell or Go Home parties in London and Manchester in April.

– For more about Dubai straight to your newsfeed, follow What’s On Nightlife on Facebook.

Images: Supplied/ Instagram