Martin Jensen: the man of the hour that is bringing music to our ears
“I’ve been feeling strangely optimistic in these current times.” Music to our ears – Martin Jensen, music to our ears. It is no secret that 2020 continues to steal the spotlight with dramatic scenes and no intermissions. But when lockdown came knocking, internationally known DJ and producer Martin Jensen didn’t let that cancel his plans. Not only has Jensen continued to grace us with new music and fantastic collaborations, but he has also become The X Factor’s first ever (and youngest) DJ/producer judge! Jensen gave RIVAL all the details on life lately, his new music, and his experience as a judge so far.
Have you learned anything new about yourself during this challenging year that fans may not know that you would like to share with us?
I think, although I’ve been super busy with my “Me, Myself, Online” virtual projects, opening my restaurant Domingo Taco Bar in Copenhagen, and planning for the future, restrictions and being off the road means that I’ve had to… slow down. It hasn’t been easy, and I’ve really had to retrain my way of thinking. I was constantly “Go, go go!” before - so it’s taught me that importance [of slowing down].
You are internationally renowned as a DJ, record producer, and writer. Tell us more about your experiences with each of these and your future projects.
Well, I always had a strong interest in music. And for me, I was originally working behind the scenes/ stage in design and lighting before I realized how much fun it was to produce (before DJ’ing in front of crowds). They’re two very separate entities, which by no means, means that one is more difficult or easier than the other. For me, I’m not a typical dance music producer. I’ve always been a huge fan of pop music. Working with vocalists, musicians, and different acts really adds another dimension that can then get to radio and beyond and push past the usual producer thought process.
Is there anything you are currently listening to on repeat?
I’m a huge Taylor Swift fan, so her new album was a cool surprise in this crazy year.
Understandable! Congrats on being a judge on the new season of The X Factor…. how do you feel, and can you tell us anything about the auditions so far?
It is truly an amazing feeling to be the first ever DJ/ producer to take the role – The X Factor is an institution and has created so many huge, talented artists across the globe and to be part of making history, and to be able to offer support and guidance in finding the next best talent to come out of our country, is a feeling like no other. A “pinch-me” moment, for sure!
I can’t [tell you anything about auditions so far], I’d get in trouble! But myself and my fellow Judges, Oh Land and Thomas Blachman, have been sharing some behind-the-scenes moments across our social medias, as well as, on the show’s website over on TV2. You can keep an eye on those for any sneak-peeks ahead of broadcast for 2021!
Ok, fair enough. Have you learned anything from being a judge on the show?
I think, already, that learning to see things within their own genres and artists as individuals may seem obvious, but it is super important. If we get a more rock-y act in, or something a little more urban, we have to step back and think “is what this person doing in their own genre well-executed? Are they pushing boundaries and themselves?”, before letting your own personal opinion creep in. I’m sure there is much more to absorb and learn before the process is over, but I’m loving every minute.
Tell us about your latest song, “Running Back to You.”
The song for me is about surrendering to your emotions with a feel-good vibe and working with Alle Farben and Nico Santos on this was super fun. We all had different elements we wanted to incorporate, but I think we captured our collective styles with an injection of uplifting pop. I hope everyone enjoys the single!
More generally, how would you describe your DJ style? And if you were to experiment with a new genre, what would it be?
I think my DJ style in a live setting is more high-energy and gets the party rocking. I wanna get people dancing and having a good time, you know? In terms of my music and productions, I love working within the pop and dance spaces. It is something I’m passionate about and, although I love experimenting with artists of all genres, I can’t see me straying away from my signature sound anytime soon.
And your signature sound is what we all love to dance to – especially at music festivals. In fact, we are all missing festivals! What festival do you find yourself missing the most?
I think one of my favourite festivals was when I got to play Lollapalooza, and of course, Tomorrowland is also such a blast! But I love playing intimate club shows just as much as large-scale events for my fans all over the globe. I’m just looking forward to when we can all be on the dancefloor once again.
Speaking of festivals, how does it feel to be on the stage during Tomorrowland and some of these massive festivals?
I will tell you something… I used to get so nervous and anxious before my early first live sets. I felt like I was going to be sick! Like anything, practice makes perfect and I’ve always been confident in my abilities. [Saying that], having the privilege to play on live stages isn’t lost on me. It’s an exhilarating feeling, and I feel a real electricity between myself and my audience.
You haven’t let lockdown stop you! You performed at some unusual locations across Denmark (of course with government permission). What was your favorite and why?
Ah yes, for my ‘Me, Myself, Online’ series! The idea was to play, solo, from some amazing locations to stream to fans across my Twitch channel. So, even with lockdown, we wanted to bring some light, energy and humour to people’s homes and bring the party to them!
The first and also the final show was from the pitch of the Danish national stadium in Copenhagen where we had some super cool pyrotechnics. And we went on to create an amazing series performing from locations, including the World’s Oldest Working Steamboat, the runway of the Billund Airport inside a hangar and the beautiful Forest Tower construction – where we had a bit of rain! – but managed to pull through! It’s something we’re looking at expanding on when the world gets a little calmer…
You have collaborated with so many great people – can you share any behind-the-scenes stories or funny stories about any of your collabs?
I really enjoyed working with James Arthur on ‘Nobody’, he’s a super skilled vocalist and his voice really captured a raw passion that I was trying to evoke when we wrote the track, ‘Nobody’ is a release I’m super proud of.
Is there someone in the industry that you really want to work with that you haven’t yet?
As I said, I’m the biggest Taylor Swift fan – who wouldn’t want to work with her?!
Can you share any details on what are you working on next?
As you guys know I’ve just released ‘Running Back To You’ with Alle Farben and Nico Santos, but we’ve had such a crazy year already! I’ve done collaborations with Imanbek and Jason Derulo recently – but I also love bringing solo ideas of my own to life. To be the first to keep up on my releases and remixes as they’re announced you can follow me on social media over at @djmartinjensen across all socials. Let’s say goodbye to 2020 with a bang!
Check out ‘Alok’, ‘Martin Jensen’ and Jason Derulo in the video for “Don’t Cry For Me”
And the official lyric video for ‘Nobody’ with James Arthur
Meet the Author
Sandy Aziz is a lawyer, author/writer, poet, creative director, content creator, fashion-fanatic, academic, and adventurer that believes that we should strive to become the best version of ourselves daily rather than just exist in "being." Her work has been featured online and in print across various publications including OURs, MOD Magazine, Mission Statement Magazine, OVERDUE, London Runway Magazine and Verdict. She is North-African (Egyptian) with a touch of Italian. While she is currently London-based, she will also always be a Texan through and through.