[Exclusive Interview] Hardwell Discusses Music Industry & Bucket List Items

This is your reminder that the Universe is taking care of you. Always remember to trust the process and the timing of your life. Once you let go of the negativity and are open to positivity, you will be rewarded with endless blessings...

Recently, we had this important epiphany of sorts. Following this realization, we were acknowledged with one of the biggest moments of our career to date! On September 16, 2022, we were invited to be part of a significant press conference.

This opportunity would be different in comparison to the interviews we've done in the past. This chance would allow us to be amongst other reporters to interview one of the biggest names in dance music - none other than Hardwell!

The legend was scheduled to make one of the earliest stops in his 'Rebels Never Die' tour. To mark this monumental occasion, it called for a venue to match its magnitude. Thus, the Olympic Stadium in Montreal was booked.

If you've been following our journalism journey for some time now, you know that we take a lot of pride in our work. That said, as always, we didn't take this opportunity lightly. We understood we needed to ask the hard-hitting questions.

As you can imagine, we put even more pressure on ourselves than usual. We wanted to ensure we allowed Hardwell the opportunity to speak his truth, especially following his four-year hiatus from touring. We couldn't wait to discuss what kind of a whirlwind he had encountered.

Truthfully, we became overwhelmed with emotions as we began to ponder which inquiries we would officially ask him. We reminisced about his noteworthy career, including some of the hardships he faced. The process was incredibly powerful and inspiring.

It was at this moment in time where we knew we had to dig a little deeper into who the man behind Hardwell truly is. Consequently, our instinct and research guided us towards, what we believed, would be especially thoughtful questions.

As fate would have it, we ended up with the opportunity to have a one-on-one discussion with the multi-talented Dutch producer. Honestly, this took us by surprise as we anticipated a quick chat alongside other curious reporters.

The aspect that ended up shocking us the most was how comfortable we felt in his presence. Instantly, his calm demeaner and professionalism made us feel at ease. This baffled us as we were surrounded by very influential spectators.  

We didn't waste any time before we investigated some of our biggest inquiries. We dove deep to touch on everything from his relationships in the music industry, to remaining bucket list items. What he shared left us speechless!

We want to extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation to everyone who was involved in this colossal occasion. Perhaps without realizing it, you also assisted in making other individuals dreams a reality. For that, we are forever grateful.

Without further ado, check out what Hardwell shared with us below. He is sincerely one of the most down-to-earth and luminary people we've ever encountered! We aspire that our interview sparks your personal motivation...

One thing about music that never ceases to amaze us is its way of uniting people. In fact, it brought you and one of our favourite Flag fam members together, Domeno.

Seeing your friendship grow over the years has been incredibly special to witness! You’ve gone from strangers who bounded through your mutual passion for music, to reuniting on the second episode of your 'Revealed Podcast' during one of the most critical times in your life.

That said, it’s no secret that the music industry is very competitive and demanding. Do you have any personal strategies and boundaries in place for gauging which individuals you want to let into your world, and how does this approach aid in your overall success? Feel free to use Domeno as an example – we know he’s exceptional...

I love this question! I think the most important thing about music is connecting people. It's the most universal language on this [planet]. I can make an instrumental dance record, without any lyrics at all, and people can relate to it. It's a feeling - a way of uniting us all. That's how I met Domenic [Pandolfo, as you mentioned] and a lot of others in my life. That's basically the only thing that I [constantly] want to achieve with my [productions]. [So much so,] the name of my first album is 'United We Are' - it's always been my main goal.

With my new productions, I was trying to approach different genres like underground, commercial, big room, etc. so that I could reach more people, and [ultimately,] bring everyone together through music. It's the best feeling in the world! So, I would say my best strategy is if we connect through music, you're one step closer to being welcomed into my life. Success is then mutual as we build together.

On behalf of myself and The Flag Gang, thank you for being one of the biggest universal sounds of music for us all.

Thank you very much! That's a big compliment.

From a professional point of view, what do you have left on your 'Revealed Recordings' bucket list, and what makes these undertakings so sought-after for you? 

Time flies! Revealed Recordings is turning 13 this year. There's still a lot that I want to accomplish. I always try to embrace new talent and every genre is welcome [on my imprint] so long as it's dance music. So, we're looking to grow the label by bringing a fresh take to the scene. [On that same note,] we also started 'Gemstone Records' - a more melodic and underground label. [Furthermore,] we're also doing a lot of label management for artists. 

I think the future of Revealed is all about embracing the talent we already have and also signing new artists. I feel like we're doing a great job as we're not focusing on radio or commercial dance records, but instead, our goal is to release amazing dance records from really talented people. We don't work with artists who have ghost producers or others with a vision of being famous.

Our labels calls our team members "the family" because, I, myself can relate to everyone who is signed to the imprint. We all have the same vision, even if we don't produce the same genre(s). A lot of exciting projects are underway - we can't wait to share them [with you all] soon.