Dutch producer/DJ Brooks has quickly risen up the ranks to become a household name within the dance music scene with a selection of outstanding originals and remixes which continue to be rinsed out all around the globe. Having managed to stand out from the masses
with his innovative style of rhythmic electro house and melodic future house, the young talent has already earned co-signs from the likes of Martin Garrix, David Guetta and more. Fresh off the release of his powerful new single ‘Like I Do‘, we caught up with the rising star to talk about his latest output, working with the world’s #1 DJ, future plans and much more.
Read on.
TBB: Hey Brooks, it’s great to have you! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Brooks: Hey guys! I’m Thijs, aka Brooks, from the Netherlands. I’ve been producing for a number of years now and I’ve just released ‘Like I Do’ with David Guetta and Martin Garrix. Nice to be speaking with you!
TBB: Congratulations on the release of your latest track ‘Like I Do’ with Martin Garrix and David Guetta. Can you tell us a bit about how this exciting collaboration came to life?
Brooks: Thanks! It all started with an idea that David had – he had it laying around for a while, waiting for the right time to make it into a full track! He sent it to Martin and me, and we both loved it! From then on, the three of us worked on it until the first version was finished. We all tested it at our live shows, and Guetta even premiered it on his tour. Soon after that, the final version was ready for release!
TBB: 2017 turned out to be a spectacular year for you. Would you like to reflect on your past twelve months?
Brooks: This past year has been amazing! I’ve dropped some tracks that I’m super proud of, like Boomerang with Martin Garrix, and I was so stoked to win the SLAM! award for Best Talent recently. I feel like I’ve finally defined myself as an artist which is really exciting, and releasing ‘Like I Do’ to kick off 2018 has got me feeling enthusiastic about the future.
TBB: Which artists, according to you, have had a big influence on your development as a producer/DJ?
Brooks: Most people don’t know this, but I started my career with making hardstyle. I was a massive fan of Noisecontrollers! The amount of small details in their tracks blew my mind. I always aim to do the same when I’m producing my own track; lots of unique effects and little details that sound amazing when mixed together! You should definitely check out Noisecontrollers. Their recent music is even more mind-blowing!
TBB: What has been the most memorable moment in your career so far?
Brooks: There been many memorable moments. Since that long I’m traveling all over the world and seeing many cool places and meeting lot of new/cool people. The most memorable moment was probably one of the first moments that bigger DJs played my tracks live. For example I was at the Flying Dutch and Martin Garrix played ‘Alamo’ while I was in the crowd. That was one of the first times I experienced that and it was an awesome feeling.
TBB: ‘Like I Do’ marks your third collaboration with Martin Garrix. How has it been like working with one of today’s finest acts in dance music? What do you admire the most about his style?
Brooks: It’s been such an awesome experience – it’s so much fun to work with someone I can relate to, like Martin. I really admire Garrix’s attention to detail – he works almost as hard as me so it’s no surprise he’s so successful.
TBB: Your productions have a unique sound which continue to stand out on every release. That being said, what is next for you with music and where do you see yourself going forward?
Brooks: I’m really enjoying the direction I’m heading at the moment. I’m always focusing on innovating and evolving my style as I progress, but I don’t have any major plans to switch it up… yet.
TBB: Do you have any dream collaborations that you would want to make happen?
Brooks: It has to be Post Malone, as crazy as that sounds! I’ve been getting into his music recently and I’ve seen his interviews and he just seems like a really chilled out guy to work with – it would be awesome to get in the studio with him!
TBB: What are your Top 3 Bangin tracks at the moment?
Brooks: I really like the Bitbird sound, so the first one is DROELOE – Kintsugi. Second, I really like The Chainsmokers’ latest pop song ‘Sick Boy’. And another banger I really like is Samuel Robinson – You.
TBB: What more can we expect from Brooks in 2018? Any upcoming projects on the horizon?
Brooks: Big things!! I’m not allowed to say much. But I can’t wait to share my projects with you.