FEW producers have enjoyed a breakout moment as explosive as Martin Jensen. His viral hit ‘Solo Dance’ not only catapulted him to billions of streams but also earned him a spot in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs and headline performances at some of the world’s biggest stages, from Capital’s Summertime Ball to Tomorrowland.

Since then, the Danish DJ and producer has continued to straddle the worlds of dance and pop with collaborations alongside James Arthur (‘Nobody”), The Vamps (‘Middle Of The Night’) and Jason Derulo (‘Don’t Cry For Me’). Beyond the booth, he even made history as the first DJ to judge The X Factor in Denmark, bringing his expertise and energy into millions of living rooms.

Now riding high with his latest single ‘Follow Me’, a collaboration with LAWRENT featuring vocalist SACHA, gaining strong UK and international radio support, Martin is preparing to return to the UK this October for a nationwide tour with dates in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield and Newcastle. He’s also recently stepped into a new role as the first male ambassador for Strut Safe, a volunteer-run support line dedicated to helping people get home safely.

We sat down with Martin to talk about his meteoric rise, his passion for collaborations, why ‘Solo Dance’ was such a turning point, and how his work with Strut Safe reflects his values beyond the dance floor.

‘Solo Dance’ was such a huge breakthrough for you, reaching billions of streams and making you a household name. Looking back now, how do you feel that moment shaped the trajectory of your career?

So of course, it changed everything for me because it was like at one point it was one of the biggest tracks in the world which was super amazing for a small Danish guy. Yeah, one moment you are a DJ in small nightclubs and then suddenly you have a worldwide hit.

How long did it take to build up to that moment?

To be honest it was only one and a half years from when I started going into the studio and stuff but before that I’d been DJing for 10 years. I just love performing and I love playing music and that kept me going.

You went from producing tracks to DJing on the world’s biggest stages like Tomorrowland and Capital’s Summertime Ball. How did that transition feel, and do you still get the same buzz stepping out in front of those massive crowds?

I think I never actually realized what I had done, because at one point it hit me very, very hard when we were at Capital’s Summertime Ball. I was just going on stage and suddenly there was like 85,000 people in front of me. But what shocked me probably the most was that right next to my dressing room was Bruno Mars. I was like, what is happening? Why is my name on that door? Yeah, that was unreal. It was very difficult to, you know, understand what went down in that whole scenario at that point of time. It’s kind of a disease as well. It’s quite an addictive feeling.

Then, landing in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs list must have been an amazing? What did that recognition mean to you personally and professionally?

It’s absolutely freaking amazing, you know?  You have been DJing for so many years and you’ve been playing music for so many years, you’re listening to music and suddenly you, the Top 100 best DJ’s in the world. That’s absolutely insane.

That must have opened some big doors for you?

Oh, absolutely and really exposed me in lots of different areas around the world like Indonesia, China, Japan, Korea, the whole Asian market opened up really, really fast.

Martin Jensen, LAWRENT and SACHA

You’ve worked with huge names across both dance and pop – James Arthur, The Vamps, Jason Derulo. What do you look for in a collaboration, and do you approach working with pop artists differently than with fellow DJs and producers?

Yeah, it is, it is a bit funny sometimes, but now and then I’m talking with some really big names and we’re having like a good thing going and you think, okay, I’m actually going to do a collab with this person. And then you get an email from the management saying, “yeah, we’re not going to release that single now”. So, until I’ve released these singles, I try not to get excited. But to be very honest, I’m super excited on a personal level that I’m even allowed to work with these people at all, but I do try not to get too excited, because nine times out of ten, the track may never be released! It’s a wild world out there, it’s a wild, wild west. But it’s joyful, and it’s also keeping things alive, because if everything was easy, everyone would do it.

Your new single ‘Follow Me’ has been picking up strong support across UK and international radio. Can you tell us about the creative process behind it and what you wanted listeners to feel when they hear it?

It was an amazing work in progress, because I worked with LAWRENT, based in the UK now, and then with SACHA, who has an amazing voice. We just wanted to create a track that had the 2010s sound, 2012, you know, a little bit nostalgic, when times were not as difficult as they are right now, you know?

So, it was more like to try to get the feelings of what the world was like back then.

You’ve got a knack for balancing big vocal anthems with club-driven tracks. Do you consciously aim to bridge those worlds, or does it happen naturally when you’re producing?

I don’t know if I go naturally for that, but that is how I love to create, because by heart I love pop and I listen to pop 24-7. So yeah, it is to take pop and then mix it with the DJing because that’s what I’m playing at my concerts as well, so for me that’s very important, to mix it, get it right, get the big chorus, get the big anthem and then just aim for making something that sounds happy and uplifting.

You’ve hinted at more new music in the pipeline. Can fans expect to see more collaborations, or are you focusing on exploring new sounds on your own?

I can’t give you any names as I might get into trouble but there will be a lot of songs up the next few months. But I’ve also been super busy touring. I will be touring in the UK very soon.

You made history as the first DJ to judge on The X Factor in Denmark. How did it feel stepping into that role, and did it change the way you think about talent and performance?

You must remember; we are only about 5.6 million people in Denmark. It’s amazing. It’s fun. But it didn’t change anything for me regarding doing session producing in that kind of way. But I learned a lot. I learned a lot about TV performance, that’s for sure. You need to be very, very honest. It’s very popular in Denmark. I think around 20% of the country watch it live every Friday.

I think also another thing that was very crazy for me, like I went from being a DJ and being extremely successful in my industry. And then suddenly I’m stepping into the living room of so many people.

Being on television exposed you to a very different audience from the club and festival crowd. Did you notice a shift in how people connected with your music after that experience?

I had to deal with a lot of different stuff that I never had to deal with before, because when you’re getting out as an artist, like you have your fans and stuff and don’t get that many negative comments, but I even had to put up with some death threats for talking down some of the acts!

You recently became the first male ambassador for UK charity Strut Safe, which provides support for people traveling home safely. What drew you to get involved with the charity?

Yeah, I think it’s super important as there’s like multiple cases where you can use it when you’re going home.  Of course, it’s nice to be on the phone with someone so you don’t feel alone on a walk home or like you don’t have to look over your shoulder and you can say some words like, “I’m on the phone” if a stranger talks to you or “I will be home in a minute “ or “Are you going to pick me up in 30 seconds?” 

I can also be a bit paranoid when I’m walking on the street very early in the morning, especially after the X Factor. Yeah, you know, people are like, crazy when they’re drunk. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the world we’re living in.

We don’t have anything like Strut Safe in Denmark and my sister, she used to live in Hawaii, she was 12 hours behind us. So, I always called her when I was going home at night. I know she couldn’t do much because she was living in Hawaii, but it gives us a certain type of, you know, safety walking out there. So yeah, I am more than happy to support Strut Safe.

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As you mentioned you are coming to the UK next month, what are your experiences of DJing in the UK so far? Have you got any favourite towns or cities to play?

Newcastle! That’s absolutely one of the best shows I’ve had in the UK. I also love Manchester, I played the O2 there and the Capital Summertime Ball, which was also insane, and then of course Ministry of Sound. I love the British crowd, the people are rowdy, people love to go hard, I love that.

Dance music is always evolving. Where do you see yourself pushing your sound and performances in the next few years?

I think it’s super important to be very strategic over the next few years. I think in 2032 that the EDM industry should be around €25 billion, where it’s like around €12 billion now. So, it’s gonna double in the next like five, six, seven years. The music is also a business and I think it’s super important to stay with the trend right now.

If you could go back and give a message to the Martin Jensen who was just about to release ‘Solo Dance,’ what would you tell him?

I would not tell myself any advice whatsoever, and I know it sounds crazy! But what I would say is to enjoy what is happening in the future.

Catch Martin Jensen on his UK tour. Head HERE for tickets.