Artist Spotlight: The Rocketman
With ‘Strange World’ being such an iconic Push classic, how did the idea come about to reimagine it together with M.I.K.E. Push himself?
It’s an absolute honor to remake such a legendary track alongside M.I.K.E. Push himself. Strange World is one of those timeless records in trance history, and for me personally, it has always been one of my all-time favorites. I fell in love with the melody and the simplicity, and it’s the kind of track that doesn’t need much when reworking because the original is already perfect. I wanted to create a 2025 version that stays true to the original while adding a 2025 twist that fits into my own world of techno, 90s rave, and trance. It’s always a fine line because you don’t want to “destroy” the foundation of something so iconic, and I really hope, both the trance fans and the new generation feel that balance. I want to thank Mike, Armada, and Armin for trusting me with this piece of history!
Earlier this year, you played at ASOT Rotterdam. How did you experience it, and what was a personal highlight for you?
ASOT Rotterdam was, without a doubt, one of the biggest highlights of my career so far. It honestly still feels surreal when I think back on it. I remember walking onto the stage and noticing it was pretty empty at first. Since Armin was playing on the mainstage at the same time, I was a bit nervous about how many people would actually show up to my set. But within ten minutes, the stage was completely packed and the crowd went crazy. That moment, seeing the stage go from almost empty to absolutely full with such a dedicated audience, is something I’ll never forget. It felt like validation that the ASOT family, known as one of the most passionate and also most critical crowds in the world, was ready to embrace something different: my blend of techno, 90s rave, and trance influences. I played five unreleased tracks during the set, and the crowd’s reaction was incredible. Testing music in front of a crowd like that and seeing them connect with it instantly gives you so much confidence and motivation to keep pushing forward. For me, ASOT was a real turning point in my career, and I’ll always be thankful for the opportunity. Hopefully I’ll be back in February 😉
What other collaborations or projects should we look forward to?
There’s a lot on the horizon and I couldn’t be more excited. To close out the year, I’ve got collaborations with Hannah Laing and Lee Ann Roberts. I’ve also been in the studio with many other artists I admired when I first started this project, so I’m really looking forward to sharing more about those soon. If you asked me which artists I’d love to work with in the future, I’d say Armin van Buuren, Amelie Lens, Odymel, KI/KI, and Marlon Hoffstadt. So if you’re reading this, feel free to send me a message, haha! I just finished a track what I consider my favorite single I’ve ever made. It’s a 174BPM track with drum & bass influences and my signature 90s rave feeling. It’s fast, ravey and euphoric all at once and it represents the direction I want to push my music in the future: breaking barriers between genres and surprising people. But before all of that, it’s time for Strange World with Push.