Armin van Buuren (born Armin Jozef Jacobus Daniël van Buuren, December 25, … Read Full Bio ↴Armin van Buuren (born Armin Jozef Jacobus Daniël van Buuren, December 25, 1976) is a trance (mostly progressive trance and uplifting trance) music producer and DJ from the Netherlands. His musical career started in 1995.

He has been named number one in the prestigious DJ MAG Top 100 poll four times in a row, from 2007 till 2010 and for the 5th time in 2012. He's the first DJ in the history of the DJ Magazine to achieve that and an indication of his prolific output over more than 14 years he’s been dj’ing and producing. Being the official World’s Most Popular DJ is just one of his many achievements, but the driving force behind his success is an overriding passion for electronic dance music.

2008 began with the success that the number one DJ seems to attract; he was awarded with the prestigious Buma Cultuur Pop Award in January. This was followed by being voted as the Best Trance Artist in the Beatport Music Awards in March; judged on the musician’s artistic achievements, national and international success, it is evident that Armin van Buuren has become one of the decade’s most influential trance acts.

Even a basic list of recent successes reads like a lifetime of work: ‘Best Album’ for artist album ‘Shivers’ at both the Dutch Release Dance Awards and the prestigious Edison Awards; ‘Best Compilation’ for ‘A State Of Trance’, in 2006, claiming the ‘Best European DJ’ award in 2007 and ‘Best Mix Radio Show’ at the Miami Winter Music Conference in 2006 and 2007, for radio show ‘A State Of Trance’ – now broadcasting on a massive 40 FM stations as well as satellite and internet radio, with over 26 million listeners a week; a 5th year residency in Ibiza at Amnesia and over 50,000 downloads every week from podcasting high end chart-bothering positions all over the world for singles, albums and compilations , with single “Rush Hour” used as the theme tune to the UEFA European Youth Championship; the #1 entry in the Dutch album charts with his artist album ‘Imagine’, the #1 entry of the DVD registration of ‘Armin Only ‘ Imagine’ – the landmarks just keep coming!

The 350th episode and the 7th year of the hit radio show ‘A State of Trance’ was celebrated in May 2008 with an eight hour live broadcast from Antwerp in Belgium to over 40 radio stations internationally. Fans were invited to a free party with a line up that had been voted for by the show’s listeners; another example of the importance the DJ places on the satisfaction of his fans. Considering the popularity of the radio show the introduction of ‘A State of Trance Podcast’ was a natural progression. The weekly podcasts which contain highlights and Armin’s favourite tracks from the previous episode ensure that trance lovers across the world will never miss another episode!
Sold-out shows for Armin Only in 2005 and 2006 created eager anticipation of the third edition, which kicked off in a sold-out Jaarbeurs in Utrecht in 2008; over 16,000 fans attended and were enthralled by the DJ’s nine hour set. The theme of the night was ‘Imagine’, described by Armin as “the celebration of our sensations both in life and in clubland.” Fans all around the world should not despair, as ‘Armin Only’ tour dates have also been set for Romania, Poland, Belgium and Australia; the DJ will also be touring in England, Scotland, Ibiza, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and the USA, with expected dates in, for an example, the Czech Republic.

Born in Leiden, Holland (on December 25, 1976) to a musical family, Armin indulged his passion for music from a young age. He spent all the money he earned with his paper round on records. His mum won a computer when he was 10, gaining Armin’s interest. “So as a little nerdy kid I was writing my own basic programmes, and learnt about the technology from there.” He progressed from making low-profile mix tapes for friends to higher profile mixes when he discovered experimenting with different sequences on his computer through his uncle. “I was so stunned by what I saw him doing on the computer, that I got addicted to creating music right there and then!”
“I loved dance music immediately – this great rebellious sound that was so different to the ‘beautiful’ songs of the years before”. Armin cites electronic pioneer Jean Michel Jarre as a major influence (famed for his awesome visuals as well as his groundbreaking synth sounds), as well as Dutch producer Ben Liebrand, who later mentored him in his mixing and producing.
In the early days, Armin thought it was wise to have something extra in case the DJ’ing didn’t work out. So he studied for a law degree. The final year of his course was inevitably stretched as he juggled his studies with his increasingly hectic schedule; his rise to fame included lots of productions and remixes, as well as playing out to packed clubs every weekend. It took him three years to graduate, but his determination made him succeed!

Armin’s own productions have all made a huge impact and quickly gain worldwide acclaim; his latest artist album titled ‘Imagine’ entered the Dutch Album Top 100 Chart at number one; this is the first time a dance producer has ever accomplished such a feat in the history of Dutch music. The first single to be taken from this album, ‘Going Wrong’ with DJ Shah featuring Chris Jones, entered the Dutch Singles Chart at number five. The ‘Armin Only DVD’ was also released and reached the acclaimed number one spot in its second week. His back catalogue includes Blue Fear, Communication, Sound of Goodbye, Shivers, Rush Hour, Burned With Desire, Exhale, Love You More, This World Is Watching Me, and Yet Another Day. While the remix offers flood in, Armin only takes on tracks that he really loves. He uses exactly the same criteria for his compilations, meaning that every release from Armin or his long-running Armind label is a bone fide stormer that’s earned its place. His output includes tracks for the cult TV series 24, and the likes of Motorcycle’s As The Rush Comes.
Armin is a dedicated trance lover, but isn’t imprisoned by a single genre, saying “What makes trance work so well is that it doesn’t stick to one style, and can incorporate electro, minimal, whatever it likes.” His desire to showcase more of the great music he hears, along with the number of people sending him tracks they wanted to release, led to the obvious step of starting his own label, Armada, in 2003.

The label is a joint venture between Armin, Maykel Piron (former head of A&R for Warner Music) and David Lewis, who'd previously managed Armin. "What we wanted was a company that could offer everything for an artist: representation, a booking agency, and a record company. Artists can choose full management, or to just release a record or play out at gigs. Armada lets the artists choose what they want without telling them what to do".
Armin is now a fully-fledged artist in his own right, having made his songwriting debut on his album, the award-winning Shivers; The events continue to get bigger and bigger, and Armin regularly headlines the likes of Sensation White, Global Gathering, Dance Valley, ZoukOut, Mysteryland, Coachella, Beats In Brazil, Trance Energy, Fort Dance, Summer Days – basically whether you’re in Australia, Russia, the Middle East, the US or Europe, you can catch Armin van Buuren at a club or festival near you!
"This is just what I really want," says Armin. "It’s not just love for music, it’s my passion. It goes beyond liking, and beyond a hobby, it’s about a way of living. Music is essential to my life”.

This World Is Watching Me
Armin van Buuren Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I want more than you can give
I'm so cold with every kiss
I can cope with a love like this

I let go, but I cling
To a love I've never seen
Give me faith
It feels like I just opened the doors

I steal, all thought
Nothing ever comes for free
This world is watching me
This world is watching me

It drains the blood from me
It pains my skin so deep
Now all that's left is all I need

This world is watching me
This world is watching me

This world is watching me
This world is watching me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "This World Is Watching Me" by Armin Van Buuren vs. Rank 1 feat. Kush speak about a conflicted and complicated love. The singer expresses their desire for more from their partner than what they can give, and despite feeling cold with every kiss, they continue to hold on to this love. There is a sense of desperation in the chorus where the singer pleads for faith and acknowledges the fact that this love has come at a cost, and nothing comes for free in this world.

The second verse intensifies the emotions conveyed in the song, as the singer describes how this love has drained the blood from them and caused deep pain in their skin. However, their need for this love has reduced them to clinging onto it despite its negative impact. The repetition of the line "This world is watching me" at the end of each verse suggests a sense of vulnerability and the awareness that their actions and emotions are being observed by others.

Overall, the lyrics in "This World Is Watching Me" capture the complexity and intensity of a love that comes at a cost. The singer acknowledges the pain and suffering this love has caused them, but at the same time is unable to let go of it.

Line by Line Meaning

I want more than you can give
I desire more than what you are capable of providing.

I'm so cold with every kiss
Even when I am being affectionate with you, I cannot help but feel distant and unemotional.

I can cope with a love like this
I am able to manage and deal with a relationship that lacks the warmth and passion that I crave.

I let go, but I cling
I attempt to move on from this relationship, but I still hold onto the hope of finding true love and connection.

To a love I've never seen
I am longing for a connection with a partner that I have yet to meet or experience.

Give me faith
I am seeking reassurance and belief in the possibility of true love.

It feels like I just opened the doors
I am excited and hopeful about the opportunities that await me in both love and life.

I steal, all thought
My mind is consumed and preoccupied with finding this ideal love.

Nothing ever comes for free
I understand that finding love requires effort, compromise, and sacrifice.

This world is watching me
I feel as though the world and everyone around me is aware of my search for love and is watching and judging my journey.

It drains the blood from me
The pursuit of love can be exhausting and emotionally draining.

It pains my skin so deep
The need for love can feel like a physical pain or wound that I am unable to ignore.

Now all that's left is all I need
After experiencing disappointment and heartbreak in relationships, I realize that all I truly need is to find a partner who will love and accept me for who I am.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SACHA JAMES COLLISSON, ARMIN VAN BUUREN, BENNO DE GOEIJ, ZOE DURRANT, PETE KIRTLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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