Martin Garrix reveals close pal Avicii’s death was a ‘big wake up call’ and claims DJ looked ‘super well’ before his suicide

SUPERSTAR DJ Martin Garrix says his close friend Avicii’s suicide last year was a wake-up call – but insists his pal seemed to be “super-well” when he saw him before his death.

The Dutch DJ says that Avicii’s friends thought he was fine and were shocked when news of the tragedy broke.

“It was a big wake up call, not just for me, but the whole industry,” Martin tells The Sun Online’s Big Interview.

“I was really close with him, for 6 years, so, I’ve seen everything that has happened with my own eyes. The scary part was that everybody though it was going super well, then apparently he was not feeling good.

“I know every person is different, so you can’t compare it, but half the people around me, they're more worried [about me] than I am about myself. I feel good, I’m healthy, I’m surrounded with family, with friends, I love every single second of being on stage, of being in the studio and creating.

“But I do think it’s part of a bigger issue to do with the touring industry - there is a lot pressure and usually it was never talked about. But [after] what happened to Avicii, that’s a big wake up call.

“Not only for the industry, but for the fans, that their favourite artist is meant to be a DJ and producer, but they're also human and they have feelings.”

Avicii took his own life in Oman, just over a year ago on 20 April. His family launched a mental illness and suicide prevention foundation named after his real name – The Tim Bergling Foundation – this year.

Martin, who is just 22 and was discovered by superstar DJ Tiesto at just 15 years old, credits the support of his parents, Gerard and Karin, for stopping him going off the rails.

And while his mum and dad no longer tour the world with him, as they did at the start of his career, Martin says they’re always there for him. “I have my family and friends, but some people don’t have that. Then it can be tricky,” he says.

Martin travels the world playing festivals like Coachella, Creamfields and Tomorrowland, supported Justin Bieber on tour in 2017 and was named DJ Mag’s number one DJ in the world three times in a row (from 20016-2018).

Adding that his parents would go “crazy” if they still travelled with him, he says: “I don’t want to take them on tour full time because I think they'll go crazy with my schedule. And of course, they have their own jobs. My mum works at the hospital as a specialist in liver and stomach and my dad helps me with overseeing everything, and all the financial stuff, the touring and he just makes sure everything goes smooth.”

Martin – who has collaborated with Macklemore and Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump for new single Summer Days – will be playing the track at clubs and festivals this summer and is relishing the different direction he's taken with the laidback summer banger.

Explaining how the song came to be, he says: "Well the song started one-and-a-half years ago in Amsterdam. I had a session with two great friends of mine, and we were like 'what kind of sounds are we missing right now in electronic music and in pop music?'

"We started jamming and then we had a rough idea for the hook, and then I worked a little bit on the production.

"Because it's so unexpected from me I was like 'well it would be crazy if the features were unexpected,' so we started brainstorming who was cool to have on the song and the two names that come up were Fall Out Boy and Macklemore.

"I actually expected a lot of time going back and forth and everything, but I think in one week I had both vocals. It's just a happy uplifting song."

When Martin's at home, and not touring the world, life is a million miles away from his career as a DJ.

“When I’m at home I have dinner at my parents’ house, I’m in the studio a lot, making music, I’m in my own house relaxing, working and stuff, hanging out with family, friends. So it’s all very balanced,” he says.

He’ll spend his summer in Ibiza – his sixth year on the island - with a residency at the legendary Ushuaia club.

The In The Name Of Love hitmaker says: “My main goal in the summer is just create beautiful memories. I just want to create moments that last for a life time, moments for myself, but also my family and friends, but also for people who go to the shows.

"My goal for the summer is to create something that not only will be talked about today or tomorrow, but forever.”

Martin shot to fame in his teens and the island holds a special place in his heart.

He first played there as a 15-year-old, with his proud mum watching side of stage.

"It was the first time I did a show outside of the Netherlands," he recalls. "I was 15 and my mum joined me, and there were 150 people.

"I tested out two of my unreleased songs and just being there playing my own music for a crowd of people who are not just my friends and family, it was like 'wow, this is crazy.'

"That feeling that I had during and after the show was so unforgettable, and really motivated me and inspired me.

"I got a little taste of like 'wow, this is what it feels like to be not in the Netherlands', and it was another push of like fuel so I will never forget that.

"My mum was super proud, I looked to my left and I just saw her standing there with the biggest smile on her face, it was amazing."

There'll be plenty more for Martin's fans (and mum) to smile about this summer.

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