Armin van Buuren opens up to Zane Lowe about his first classical album Piano and a new chapter in his life

Armin van Buuren sat down with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 this week to mark one of the most personal milestones of his career: the arrival of his first-ever classical album, Piano. The project, which will be released on October 31 exclusively through Apple Music and Apple Music Classical, signals a remarkable evolution for the world-renowned DJ and producer, long celebrated for his mastery of trance and melodic dance music.

A New Chapter: Armin van Buuren Steps Into Classical Music

In his conversation with Lowe, Armin reflected on the deeply emotional journey that led to the creation of Piano. For the first time in decades, he stepped away from synthesizers and club stages to reconnect with the instrument that defined his earliest musical influences. “Playing the piano, I feel more naked than on the cover of Men’s Health magazine,” he admitted. “If people dislike this, it’ll hit harder than any dance record I’ve ever released. But that vulnerability is exactly where I need to be.”

Recording Piano in One Take

The album was recorded in a single take at ConcertLab in Utrecht and blends solo piano with live string arrangements. Armin explained that every track represents a specific emotion or moment in his life, revealing a side of him that fans rarely see. “Every track on the album is a one-taker,” he said. “Imagine—twelve musicians, one camera movement, and me at the piano. If something went wrong, we had to start over. That’s the complete opposite of DJing.”

During the interview, Armin also shared how Piano became a form of therapy during a difficult period. “The cave you fear holds the treasure you seek,” he said, describing how hitting rock bottom forced him to re-evaluate his identity. “During COVID, I seriously considered quitting music. For the first time in years, I didn’t have to perform, and that was both terrifying and liberating.”

His journey toward learning piano began in 2018, guided by teacher Geronimo Snijtsheuvel. What started as an effort to read classical scores evolved into a creative breakthrough. “One day, I played him something I wrote myself, and he said, ‘I actually really like what you’ve done here.’ That changed everything.”

The Power of Breath and Letting Go

Throughout the album’s recording, Armin discovered new dimensions of presence and patience—qualities that years behind DJ booths couldn’t teach. “I learned the power of breath,” he explained. “There’s music even when no note is played. I never understood that as a DJ, but now I see how fundamental it is.”

Lowe also asked about the album’s emotional intensity, referencing the track ‘Soaring Kites’, which Armin described as his most challenging piece. “I couldn’t record it without mistakes,” he recalled. “I felt like the biggest loser, but after sleeping five hours, I played it flawlessly the next morning. That was the moment I knew I’d done it.”

When asked what Piano represents for him now, Armin emphasized that the project isn’t about strategy or career milestones. “At this point, there’s no plan,” he said. “It’s genuine, straight from the heart, and recorded in one take. It’s the most honest music I’ve ever made.”

Alongside the album, Apple Music will offer exclusive content, including behind-the-scenes videos of Armin learning piano, composing for strings, and performing in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. Fans can also listen to the album’s first piece, ‘Sonic Samba’, already available on Apple Music.

With Piano, Armin van Buuren reveals a new dimension of his artistry-one built not on drops or crescendos, but on stillness, vulnerability, and the rediscovery of what it means to create purely from the heart. Listen to the full episode anytime on demand with an Apple Music subscription here. Watch the full interview here.