From Miami to the desert, AFROJACK is preparing for one of his most diverse Coachella yet, balancing big-room moments with underground instincts. As he reconnects with David Guetta and Sia, launches his new track Control on Black Book Records and pushes his Kapuchon alias further into underground club territory, the Dutch star reflects on longevity, identity and why, at heart, he’s still just a DJ.

Fresh from Ultra Music Festival in Miami and already deep in preparation for Coachella, AFROJACK is in constant motion. But while his schedule remains relentless, his mindset has shifted. No longer confined by expectations of what an “AFROJACK set” should be, he’s embracing a broader spectrum of sounds, whether that’s peak-time festival energy or extended underground sessions under his Kapuchon alias.

With a new collaboration alongside David Guetta and Sia, the forthcoming release on Chris Lake’s Black Book Records and a summer packed with back-to-backs and Ibiza dates, he’s navigating multiple musical worlds at once. The key, he says, is simple: stay curious, stay honest and never lose sight of the dancefloor.

We caught up with Nick Leonardus van de Wal aka AFROJACK this week ahead of another big weekend.

How are you doing? Where in the world are you right now?

I’m good. I’m in Miami, still recovering from Ultra.

So, chilling then after Miami?

No, I’m not chilling so much. I’m preparing for Coachella. I’m playing Saturday with Shimza back-to-back and then playing with Green Velvet back-to-back.

And you’re also on a lineup with your friend David Guetta?

Yeah, I’m playing before him.

Afrojack rocking Ultra Miami – Pic: Frits Van De Clips

Coachella throws you into very different musical environments. How do you mentally switch between playing alongside artists like David Guetta and going back-to-back with someone like Green Velvet?

Yeah. So, like, the way I always explain it to people is like, I love many forms of music, just like most people love many types of food. So sometimes you want to go, like to a fancy restaurant, dress up and get some great service, and sometimes you just want to go Shake Shack for like something simple.

And I think it’s the same thing with music. As long as you are very familiar with what you’re getting into, it should be very simple. And I’ve been listening to Green Velvet’s music for a very long time. I’ve been listening to Shimza and playing his music for the last few years. But I basically grew up with Green Velvet. I’ve also been going to Coachella already for more than 10 years, so it kind of makes it easier, you know?

It’s a lot of preparation because instead of just preparing one set and doing that 10 times, you actually have to make one set for every occasion. But it’s also like what I love about music. Like, I love making music, I love producing, I love DJing. So for me to make a new set for every occasion is actually a fun challenge. And I think that’s also sort of going to be the future. I don’t think DJs are going to get away anymore with just playing the same set everywhere.

Coachella brings together different generations of dance music fans. Do you feel any responsibility to bridge the gap between EDM and more underground sounds?

No, I don’t really feel like it’s a responsibility. It’s more like, how do you say, it’s a fun opportunity. I don’t want to forcibly bridge it, you know? Like, yeah, I’m playing together with Shimza on the Quasar Stage. My plan is to just make sure that Shimza’s sound comes through and my sound also comes through, but then at the same time not just him playing two records, me playing two records, but actually making edits that are special for both our sets. So it’s like, what if you mix a Shimza acapella with an AFROJACK instrumental or an AFROJACK acapella with a Shimza instrumental?

You’ve got a new record with David Guetta and Sia, will you be performing it at Coachella?

Yeah, we got a new record now. We’re not performing at Coachella. But yeah, we got a new record together and it’s out this Friday.

Perfect timing for this interview on Beatportal then?

Well, I don’t think it’s going to do that much damage on Beatport. It’s a different type of record, of course. But it’s always fun. Like, I like both things still. At the end of the day, I care more about having a Beatport top 10 than a Spotify top 10, even though a Spotify top 10 would probably pay the bills for a longer time than a Beatport top 10.

But at the end of the day, I’m still a DJ and I have a lot of pride with that. So, I think not just for me, but also for David, like we really value the Beatport chart. And we’re all still buying our music there for when we play. It never changes.

Afrojack boat party, Ultra, Miami 2026 – Pic: Frits Van De Clips

What’s it like revisiting that creative chemistry with David and Sia?

Oh, it’s nice, but I work with David almost daily. But being able to work with Sia’s vocals is always a privilege because she sounds so good. She has such a characteristic voice. So, to be able to work with her is always special. And then with David, like I said, I work almost daily with him. So, it’s also special. He always has the best ideas, the best vision.

You’ve spoken highly of David before, he’s clearly had a big impact on your career.

Yeah, he’s amazing. And I’m very happy, he’s so nice to work with, such a nice guy, because it makes it a lot easier. Of course, he’s very successful. He’s helped me a lot in the past. And yeah, to be able to work with him is a privilege. Even though I got used to it, I still feel blessed I get to work with him.

Your track Control is landing on Chris Lake’s Black Book Records. Why was his label the right home for it?

Well, like, he’s been on fire over the last years. Of course, he’s been going for years and years and years, and I really got his momentum the last few years. His label as well. So, for me to be able to, yeah, kind of show off my sound with him is, I think, also, again, a privilege. And I haven’t worked that much with him in the past, but I’ve been playing his music again just like others, I think, for over 20 years. I think he’s been around since, what, 2004, 2005.

You’ve also worked with Lucas & Steve on this record, how did that collaboration shape the track?

Actually, it was their idea. So, I used to do this detuned organ stuff, like, what, 20 years ago. I was only doing detuned organ stuff and pitched samples and then they hit me with like a very, very rough demo where they tried to redo the sound. They didn’t quite get it, but like, the concept was like, oh damn, I haven’t done that in years. And then Dom Dolla played the cool remix in his Australia set like a year ago. And we’re like, damn, let’s just make another one. And then we started working on it. Went back and forth a few times.

Your music gets support across the spectrum, from underground DJs to big-room names. How important is peer recognition compared to crowd reaction?

Well, I think at the end of the day, if you want to make any type of cultural impact, you’re going to be relying on other DJs playing your music. So, I think it’s still the most important thing. That’s why I said that Beatport is important, not just because of, ah, look how many records I sold, but because if you sell a lot of records on Beatport, that means a lot of DJs are playing your music. Like, it’s a direct translation.

Your Kapuchon alias has become a key creative outlet. What does it allow you to explore that AFROJACK doesn’t?

In the last few years, it was kind of a safety net to try out my more experimental stuff. So, I relaunched Kapuchon to really just do what I like prefer to do, which is ridiculous, weird, crazy stuff. Pure underground dance stuff.

Are the lines between your two identities starting to blur?

Yeah. Where it’s actually the most important is for DJing. So, we did some Kapuchon shows for the first time as a trial throughout the USA. And that was amazing because then I really get to play whatever the hell I want. The thing is, I like a lot of underground music. Like, old James Holden stuff. I have a 75,000 track collection in my record box. So, I have a lot of these records that I never really got to play or rework.

With these sets I can play four or five hours and it’s just nice to play for a crowd that just wants to dance, that doesn’t necessarily come for the hits. They just want to hear you as a DJ. So, for me, that’s what Kapuchon is really about. I just care that they come to the show to dance.

Afrojack – Ultra, Miami 2026 – Pic: Frits Van De Clips

You’ve had remarkable longevity in the industry, what’s the key to sustaining that?

So, there’s like two things. Keeping it fun for yourself, mental longevity. That means staying true to yourself and feeling happy with what you’re doing. And then there’s the other side, which is financial longevity.

Like, how do you survive? How do you keep gigging, be able to keep paying your bills, doing what you love. And I think, financially, I’m not in a place where I have to worry, and I’m very thankful for that.

And I think a big part of that is taking care of your fans, you know. Making sure that when you do an Afrojack performance, play the AFROJACK singles. Because if 10,000 people buy a ticket to come see you play your songs and you don’t play any of your songs, then next time there might only be 1,000 people.

Do you think the divide between mainstream and underground electronic music will continue to blur?

Yeah, it’s always been there. But that’s like a lot of people, they don’t just like it for the music, they also like it because it defines them as who they are, as part of community. And of course, like that community is a counter movement, so they will counter whatever is commercial, whatever is capitalist, or whatever kind of resonates with the mainstream world.

What are you most excited about heading into the summer season?

I’m playing a few back-to-backs like the one with Green Velvet and the one with Shimza. We’re doing a few more of those in the summer. I really love being able to, yeah, dive into new people and different types of music. And also I’m very excited about doing some Kapuchon shows in Ibiza, doing a lot of stuff with The Night League, Ushuaïa, Hï Ibiza and [UNVRS]. So very excited for that.

I had a call with my agent yesterday and we have a lot of AFROJACK shows lined up, but I also said I want to make sure there’s enough weird gigs. I don’t care about the fee, I just want to DJ, you know. So, the more Kapuchon things we can do, the better for me.

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