2016 marked the first time these two Dutch titans would come together on the same single. Hardwell and Afrojack offered up ‘Hollywood’ in early 2016 and it was received so well that fans of both artists wanted another collab right away. The two decided to come together again, but not right away, leaving some anticipation for the follow-up and once it came everyone was blown away. ‘Hands Up’, released on the 7th of October 2017, proved to be a true festival anthem, dominating mainstages across the globe.
Nick van de Wall, aka Afrojack, is one of the most internationally successful DJs and producers to emerge from the Dutch dance music scene. A constant fixture of EDM festivals as well as the Top Ten of DJ Magazine’s annual Top 100 DJs poll, he has scored platinum-certified international hits such as ‘Take Over Control’ and ‘The Spark’. Originally producing more stripped-down electro-house instrumentals during the 2000s, his music became more ambitious and maximalist by the early 2010s, helping inspire the moombahton subgenre and gradually incorporating pop, hip-hop, and R&B influences. His debut studio album, 2014’s ‘Forget the World’, included guest appearances by Snoop Dogg and Sting. Since then, he’s maintained a prolific release schedule as both Afrojack and NLW, somewhat returning to his earlier, more underground sound with recordings such as 2018’s ‘Press Play’.
A superstar Dutch DJ who helped shape the EDM explosion of 2012-2013, Robbert van de Corput became Hardwell when he began DJ’ing at the age of 13. Watching the massive dance parties broadcast on MTV encouraged the teen to learn how to mix, and he soon became interested in remixing and working on his own productions.
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