Interview with 16 Year-Old Dutch Producer: Arlow

1/25/2019

Arlow is a 16 year-old Dutch producer who has just released his second track, "Wild Love" with Aeden out on Break it Down Music.

What attracted you to EDM in the first place?
Well it all started when my dad bought a iMac. I was around nine years old and before that I always liked singing for some reason. I performed a lot in talent shows in middle school, nothing serious but I just loved to do it. I've also played the piano for seven years now, but I remember when I had piano lessons I never practiced what my teacher gave me. I just played whatever I wanted and just kept on going till I had something I liked. I had all these other melodies and sounds in my head but I couldn't really do much with them because I only had my piano.

Ever since I found Garageband on my dad's Mac, I've never stopped creating. I would mess around for hours and hours in Garageband. Even when my dad wanted to use his computer, he had to almost pry me away from it! Later on, my dad discovered FL Studio on the site where he normally downloaded his movies. When he showed it to me, it opened a whole new world for me. I started to go more in-depth to try and understand the program more and through that process, I fell in love with EDM. I was so amazed about the sounds you could make and just and the community itself. I knew this is something I wanted to be a part of.

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A post shared by Arlow (@arlowsarchive) on Dec 23, 2018 at 11:08am PST

Who were some of your initial inspirations when making music?
When I first started off, Coldplay was such a big inspiration for me. I found their tracks really emotional which what I love most about music and music production. Another big inspiration was Hardwell after I heard his remix of "Sky Full Of Stars" by Coldplay. That was also one of the tracks that inspired made me start making electronic music. Of course, I'll always look up to Martin Garrix because his music showed me the range of possibilities with what you can make in this industry.

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A post shared by Arlow (@arlowsarchive) on Jan 24, 2019 at 11:25pm PST

Tell us about your latest track with Aeden, "Wild Love."
The song came about when I was with Aeden in his studio in the Netherlands. We really had no idea what to create so we just started a new project with an open mind and that's what made this track so special, I think. It felt like everything just flowed so naturally and Aeden and I were always able to help each other when one of us got stuck. We pretty much finished it in one day and we are really happy with the end result. This track means a lot for Aeden and me; this was not just a normal collab for but truly a special track and a product of genuine friendship.

What's your day-to-day life like?
I recently just started my music production study at PACT Amsterdam and I have the best time ever there. Throughout the week, I just produce music in school and I learn a lot about the business side and technical side of things. It's sometimes a bit weird to explain what I do in school to other people because it's not just a normal program. Besides music production, I like to do video editing but I don't do it that often since music production is my main hobby. However, sometimes I like to put music together with video to try and create the full experience for my track.

Other than those main things, I try to work out throughout the week. I feel like working out not just gives you physical growth but also helps you stay mentally healthy. Having that proper head space can really help while making your productions. When I finish my schooling, I hope to make a living out of my hobby. For me, that doesn't mean being the biggest artist out there because as long as I can keep creating, I'll be happy.

How do you plan on moving forward with the Arlow project?
I'm always trying to make something new and unique, but what I find most important is that I don't want to keep myself stuck to a genre. I always try to find a way to keep my structure and sound in whatever I make. I won't follow any rules because that will make me feel like I'm boxed in with no freedom to experiment. I want to be able to translate whatever comes from my mind into the project I'm working on.

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A post shared by Arlow (@arlowsarchive) on Jan 14, 2019 at 1:38am PST

What are you looking to accomplish in 2019 and beyond?
What I want to accomplish this year is getting myself out there, pushing my music to the people and showing them what I stand for. Beyond that, I'll be working towards doing live performances to showcase my passion for music and have a more personal connection with the listeners. For now though, I'll just keep on creating, spreading my music, and showing love.