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We caught up with Hardwell at The Midway in San Francisco to talk about his epic return to EDC Las Vegas, reflect on his hiatus, and so much more!
Dutch DJ and producer Hardwell truly needs no introduction. The superstar has been topping charts, dominating the festival circuit, and cementing his spot as one of the greatest of all time for nearly two decades. Still, everyone eventually needs to take a break to recharge and come back stronger. This happened for Hardwell back in 2018, leading him to take an indefinite hiatus from touring.
His presence was truly missed, especially when it came to the big festivals like Ultra Music Festival in Miami. The scene also moves fast, and it was undoubtedly a big risk to be absent for such a long time.
Hardwell even acknowledged that “there are so many aspects as to why you shouldn’t take a break. There’s a lot of artists that, let’s say, are financially struggling. They want to take a break, but they can’t.”
For Hardwell, however, mental health and his personal life took priority. “I think the most important thing is to look inside yourself and at what makes you happy,” he told EDM Identity. “If you need a break, take a break.”
Further, it doesn’t need to be as much time away as he took. “Even just two months is a break. You don’t have to announce a sabbatical. You can take a two-month break to work on music and relax,” he shared.
In the same breath, Hardwell recognizes that “the problem with this job is that if you get exhausted, you don’t feel inspired anymore. If you don’t feel inspired, you cannot make the music you want to, and it’s a spiral that goes downwards endlessly.”
Photo Credit: Missael Gonzalez (@itsmissael)
He urges his fellow artists to take time for themselves when needed. “Enjoy what you’re doing, and have fun because that’s what a lot of people forget. We have an amazing job, and it should be fun at all times,” he continued.
Since returning in 2022, Hardwell has been touring consistently. But his schedule is much lighter, making each booking truly count. One key event he still sorely missed, though, was none other than EDC Las Vegas. Luckily, he made his highly anticipated return to the desert back in May after eight long years away.
It was a great comeback. I loved it! I’ve played it many times. I knew what to expect, and I anticipated that, so I made a lot of new edits. I love the energy of EDC Vegas!
HardwellDuring his incredible performance at kineticFIELD, fans were treated to a lot of new music, including two new collaborations: “AI CARALHO” with Maddix and “Iris” with Sound Rush. “I still need to finish the one with Maddix because we actually made it on the plane to Vegas,” Hardwell said. “It’s super fresh. I played the new one with Sound Rush — the closing track from EDC Vegas. There’s a lot of new music coming up.”
Before fans get these tracks, Hardwell still has plenty up his sleeve for this year. “I have a lot of different releases. The one with Bassjackers, ‘Bang On The Drums.’ Two new songs with W&W are coming up that are definitely fan favorites at this point, so those are going to release first,” he shared.
Following his return to EDC Las Vegas, Hardwell embarked on a US run, which included stops in New York City, Washington, Dallas, and Denver. Of course, he saved the best for last as he closed out his mini-tour in San Francisco at an epic block party put on by The Midway. I know you don’t need me to tell you that Hardwell throws down — but it was my first time ever seeing him live, so let me try to make it quick.
Hardwell played a special extended set in San Francisco, which gave him time to play his hits, tons of throwbacks, and the high-octane hard dance at the end. Paired with The Midway’s stellar production that included stunning fireworks, trippy lasers, and pulsating flames, Hardwell really brought the “big fight feel” to this event.
The crowd was excellent, too. Everyone was jumping for big drops, participating in crowd control moments, and just straight-up dancing to the music. This can probably be attributed to the fact that Hardwell draws the older crowd who so desperately misses (or missed out on) the big room era. Yes, I’m definitely talking about myself here.
Photo Credit: Missael Gonzalez (@itsmissael)
Again, I don’t need to tell you that Hardwell is a can’t-miss act. Just take a look at his track record, which includes two-time #1 recipient in the DJ Mag Top 100, viral hits throughout his discography, and a career that continues evolving alongside the ever-changing landscape of dance music.
Still, I can’t help but say that you need to see him whenever you get the chance. Hardwell has perfected the mainstage set, and there’s truly nobody that can do it better.
The future is still looking bright for Hardwell with plenty of bookings in his schedule, like the season opening of 150 by FABRIK in Madrid later this year. The question on everyone’s mind is whether this will be a full hardstyle set, given its association to the 150 by FABRIK event series. Fortunately — albeit less so for hardstyle fans — we got an answer straight from Hardwell himself!
No, it’s not [a full hardstyle set], actually. I know that they promoted it like a hardstyle event, I get it’s a hardstyle event, and I will definitely play more hardstyle than I usually do in my regular sets. But no, it is a Hardwell set. I start with EDM, and I will build up to my favorite hardstyle songs.
HardwellThis isn’t all bad news. Fans can still expect the signature style for which Hardwell is known, but with more of an edge. “During the last five, six years — and even before my sabbatical — I already released a bunch of hardstyle songs, so I will incorporate those as well,” he said.
Fans in attendance will also be treated to a top-secret track sure to blow away expectations. He said, “There’s a new one I’m working on with two hardstyle artists in one collaboration, so keep an eye out for that one.”
Although his US run is over, fans can still catch Hardwell worldwide on multiple dates, including a special homecoming to Breda in the Netherlands, Ultra Europe in Croatia, and more. Head over to his official website to snag your tickets today.
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The post Hardwell Discusses Hiatus, EDC Las Vegas, and More appeared first on EDM Identity.
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