Two corners of electronic dance music collided today as trance pioneer Armin van Buuren and acclaimed artist and musician Gryffin released their debut collab, ‘What Took You So Long’. The track has been highly anticipated by fans since news of a joint studio session was shared by the artists on social media last fall.
Please click here to listen to Armin van Buuren & Gryffin – What Took You So Long
While Gryffin has cemented himself in the crossover and future bass scenes with his previous two albums, he’s now embracing his dance-centric roots to the fullest, signaled by tracks that will ultimately feature on his forthcoming album, ‘PULSE‘. Similarly, Armin van Buuren has been revisiting the faster bpms and uplifting vibes of his early days in his recent album, ‘Breathe In‘. ‘What Took You So Long’ captures this significant moment for both artists, intertwining a dynamic mix of dance and trance elements.
On the linkup, Gryffin said, “’What Took You So Long’ came about in a session I was in with Armin, Jake Torrey, Madison Love, and Toby Gad. I remember we were all talking when Armin told us a story around the concept of finding the love of your life and wondering why it took so long to find your person. All of us immediately thought the idea was incredibly powerful. From there, we started working on the production and I told Armin about the direction I was taking with my new album. We decided to dive head-first into the 140-bpm trance world and felt like the intense emotional instrumental perfectly complemented Madison’s vocals. Overall, I couldn’t be more excited with how it came out and to share with the fans.”
“Collaborating with Gryffin was so special because we’re both circling back to our music roots, which puts us at similar points in our artistic journeys despite coming from different generations,” said Armin van Buuren. “What’s more is that the lyrics detail the cherished moment in my life when I first met my wife and knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The title of the track is a nod to her needing a bit more convincing at first, so this one’s also for her! ‘What Took You So Long’ holds a special place in my heart and I’m so excited for the world to hear it.”
About Armin van Buuren
Armin van Buuren has long been a global ambassador for electronic music. He currently has nine full-length artist albums to his name — ‘Breathe In’ included — and continues to cultivate a massive worldwide following through his weekly A State of Trance radio show, event series and album series, reaching 40 million listeners from 80 different countries on a weekly basis. Armin van Buuren headlines tens to hundreds of shows per year at leading festivals and venues around the world, including Electric Daisy Carnival (Las Vegas, New York), Ultra Music Festival (Miami), Lollapalooza (Chicago) and Tomorrowland (Belgium) plus residencies on Ibiza and in Las Vegas. Past summer alone, he reconnected with fans through over thirty shows, including the ‘Feel Again’ shows in the Ziggo Dome, Ultra Europe, Tomorrowland, Parookaville, Creamfields, Electric Zoo and his summer residencies at Hï Ibiza and Ushuaïa.
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About Gryffin
Since first breaking into the global electronic scene, multi-instrumentalist Gryffin has earned his name as an unforgettable live act, tapping into the sophisticated musicality he honed as a classically trained pianist and longtime guitarist. With a remarkable ability to craft infectious melodies and captivating beats, Gryffin has delighted fans with a steady stream of smash singles, including platinum-certified hits like “Tie Me Down” ft. Elley Duhé. Gryffin’s first full-length debut album, Gravity, swiftly ascended to the #1 position on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums chart in 2019, solidifying his standing as a chart-topping powerhouse in the industry.
In 2022, Gryffin made a highly anticipated comeback with his sophomore album, “Alive”. Through his second body of work, Gryffin showcased his versatility as a producer crafting an eclectic, dance-ready assortment of various subgenres, while preserving the emotional depth that resonates with his fans. In his words, it’s a “great combination of artists I’ve wanted to work with for a long time and artists I’ve worked with for years and feel a strong connection with”. Notable contributors to the album include GRAMMY-nominated alt-rock/pop band OneRepublic, Danish electro-pop icon MØ, R&B singer/songwriter Tinashe, and indie-pop phenom Olivia O’Brien.
For 2024, Gryffin is planning to once again redefine the electronic dance music scene with his third album, which he is launching with his biggest collaboration to date “Last of Us” alongside Rita Ora. Labeled his “most inspiring project to-date,” the multi-instrumentalist’s third full body of work, “PULSE”, will dive into a wide variety of dance music sub-genres infused with his signature melodies and anthemic toplines. Fans are in for a world-building ride this year as Gryffin showcases what he has been working on for over a year. He has secured coveted performances at renowned festivals such as Ultra Music Festival and more to be announced. Gryffin also announced the renewal of his Las Vegas residency at Wynn Nightlife.
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