We caught up with Mark Sixma in the Technics pop-up studio at the Nexus Lounge during Amsterdam Dance Event 2024. A native of the Netherlands and a staple of the international trance scene, Mark sat down with us to talk all things ADE 2024 and to play a quick round of our Nexus Take 5 Series.
Born and raised in the Dutch city of Breda—home of Tiësto and Hardwell, among other dance pioneers—Mark Sixma is a force to be reckoned with. Signed to Armada Music, the DJ has enjoyed an impressive career that includes a close collaborative relationship with Armin van Buuren and performances at some of the most important festivals on the scene, including Ultra Miami, Tomorrowland, and A State of Trance.
Mark Sixma is also one-half of the unstoppable trance duo Nilsix, with the other being Norway’s Ørjan Nilsen. The duo recently dropped the Fired Up EP, the most recent release from a COVID-era project that has seen the two of them catapult to international mainstages since their first joint performance in South Korea two years ago.
Another highlight of this year for Nilsix was their feature on Armin Van Buuren’s A State of Trance, Ibiza 2024 album with the track “Falls Apart” featuring Adara. Sharing some background on the song, here’s what Mark Sixma had to say: “The song is a sort of protest or perspective on how the world is right now, and how, if we keep going this way, we’re not gonna end up in a good place.”
Though the song might seem to express a pessimistic view of the world, Mark Sixma is relatively optimistic about the growing changes in the music industry, including the rapid rise of AI in production and DJing, telling us: “It’ll have good parts, it’ll have bad parts but…in the end, creativity will still be there.”
Before he heads to his next party, we ask Mark Sixma to join us for a quick game of our Nexus Take 5 Series, where we ask a series of rapid-fire questions that range from funny and inspiring to just plain odd. We’ll let you discover this via the link below, but we had to share this inspiring message Mark Sixma gave to aspiring musicians looking to make it in this industry:
“You have to really want it. You need to have laser focus and work your ass off. Try to be true to yourself in the music that you make and try not to follow the trends. It’s okay to listen to them, but you need to put your own spin on it.”
To learn more about Mark Sixma, his work as part of Nilsix, and his collaborations with Armin Van Buuren, check out the exclusive and full-length interview with the DJ below. And, as always, make sure to follow us on Instagram @nexusradiodance for more exclusive interviews with dance music’s biggest DJs.
