When the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) tapped Martin Garrix three years ago to compose the theme song for the Euro 2020 championships, the Dutch DJ was given a clean slate—it was up to him to capture the euphoria and good vibes the sport elicits from fans.
His initial demo had a guitar intro that evoked the work of U2’s The Edge. So wouldn’t it be incredible, he thought, if he could have the iconic rock band on board? But the idea seemed far-fetched; he wasn’t seriously planning to pursue it. The Uefa staff saw it differently: “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no,” he was told.
The demo was sent to U2. And before he knew it, Martin was on the phone with…
Keep on reading: DJ Martin Garrix on Euro 2020 collab with Bono and The Edge: It was inspiring to be in their presence