The Him stopped by the Moooi pop-up studio at the Nexus Lounge Amsterdam to talk about the latest projects, their ADE experience, and to take part in our Take-5 series.
The Him is a Dutch DJ duo and EDM production team comprised of Jeroen Kerstens and Steven Berghuijs. They first became a duo after collaborating for a Tïesto remix contest on Beatport in 2013, and are best known for the single “Feels Like Home” (2016).
They talk of an upcoming single to be released in November with Spinnin’ Records: “In My Arms” featuring American singer Norma Jean Martine. The pair excitedly discusses how the song is meant to feel like a flashback to the eighties, with a more “synthy” sound, as they put it.
Not only is their exploration of new sounds evident with “In My Arms,” but when asked which unconventional artist the pair would like to collaborate with, they answer with Bon Iver. This indie-folk band is certainly far from EDM, but the DJ duo expresses admiration nonetheless: “The last three albums are mind-blowing.”
Everyone could take a lesson in living from the two, as when asked what they’d change if they could start over, their answer is definitive and immediate:
“Nothing. Everything, what you have done in the past, brings you here, where you are right now… If you change one thing, everything would change. So I couldn’t say, and we’re constantly changing every second. So we’re always exploring.”
While The Him is constantly changing and exploring, one constant in the pairs’ lives is a love and passion for music. When asked why they think music is important, the answer is one that will strike a chord with all music lovers out there: “Music is a soul thing, man… I’ve never met anybody that doesn’t like music. It’s like food, you know, it’s food for your soul. Everybody likes music in one way or another.”
To learn more about The Him, including the best life advice they have ever received, listen to our interview with them below:
