Title: Martin Garrix And MOTi Mark 12 Years Of ‘Virus (How About Now)’

Martin Garrix and MOTi mark 12 years of ‘Virus (How About Now)’, one of the biggest big room collaborations from their 2014 period

It’s been 12 years since Martin Garrix and MOTi teamed up on ‘Virus (How About Now)’, a collaboration that quickly became a familiar part of the big room sound dominating electronic dance music in 2014. The track had already been appearing in major DJ sets before its official release, with speculation growing around who was behind the then-unidentified record. Once Spinnin’ Records confirmed Martin Garrix and MOTi, ‘Virus (How About Now)’ went on to receive support from names including Hardwell, Avicii, Tiësto, David Guetta, Afrojack, W&W and Nicky Romero.

 

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How ‘Virus (How About Now)’ Came Together

The collaboration started after MOTi shared an early version of ‘Virus’ with Martin Garrix, several years after the two first became friends. MOTi later recalled that Martin Garrix liked the melody of the drop and added the breakdown, with the pair finishing the track together. The final version also featured vocals from Jenny Wahlström, who received a songwriting credit alongside Martin Garrix, MOTi, Niclas Lundin and Leon Paul Palmen.

At the time, both artists were closely connected to the big room and electro house sound that had become central to major festivals. Martin Garrix was coming off the success of records such as ‘Animals’ and ‘Wizard’, while MOTi had already released music through Musical Freedom, including ‘Zeus’ with Kenneth G and ‘This Is Dirty’ with DVBBS. Their styles met naturally on ‘Virus (How About Now)’, which went on to reach No. 1 on the Beatport Top 100.

‘Virus’ Became A Major 2014 Festival Record

By the time the track became officially available, support from some of electronic music’s biggest DJs had already helped introduce it to festival audiences. Spinnin’ Records published the official music video on October 13, 2014, while the commercial single later appeared across platforms that month. The track also charted internationally, including in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany.

The accompanying video followed the song’s title quite literally, with a virus passing between different people while a computer game runs alongside the story. Released during the same period as the track, it went on to collect more than 22 million views on the official Spinnin’ Records upload.

More than a decade later, ‘Virus (How About Now)’ remains closely connected to the period when big room was dominating festival stages around the world. For Martin Garrix and MOTi, the collaboration captured a moment when both producers were releasing music made for those larger stages, and its continued presence in throwback sets has kept the track familiar well beyond 2014.

Together Festival reveals a diverse Phase 1 lineup with Knock2, Timmy Trumpet and HOLY PRIEST among the artists announced for November at BITEC Bang Na, Bangkok

Together Festival has long stood as one of Bangkok’s premier electronic dance music festivals, with past lineups featuring names such as Afrojack, Alesso, Eric Prydz, Steve Angello, DJ Snake, RL Grime, Seven Lions and Timmy Trumpet. Since launching in 2012, the festival has continued to bring major international artists to BITEC Bang Na, returning this year on November 27–28 with a Phase 1 lineup that covers several genres and styles across electronic music. The 2026 edition will also begin a week earlier with an official pre-party, adding another exciting event to look forward to before the main festival weekend.

Together Festival Reveals Its Phase 1 Lineup

The first phase brings Boys Noize, HOLY PRIEST, ISOxo, Knock2 and Timmy Trumpet to BITEC Bang Na on November 27–28. The five names already cover several parts of electronic dance music, from Boys Noize’s electro and techno background and HOLY PRIEST’s hard techno to the trap and bass sounds associated with ISOxo and Knock2. Timmy Trumpet brings his own mix of big room, hardstyle, psytrance and live trumpet into the announcement.

 

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The pairing of ISOxo and Knock2 also gives Phase 1 another interesting angle, as the two have performed extensively together as ISOKNOCK and released the 4EVR project in 2024. Their history together naturally raises the possibility of another B2B in Bangkok, although no joint set has been announced. Boys Noize also has a direct connection to ISOxo, having remixed ‘FUCK THE SPEAKERZ UP’ earlier this year, which adds another link between artists already confirmed for the festival.