Martin Garrix is taking his next step from behind the DJ booth to the microphone. The Dutch producer has announced MARTY, his long-awaited debut pop album, arriving March 5, 2027, via STMPD Records/Darkroom Records. The 14-track set features collaborations with U2, Madonna, Ed Sheeran, Aitana and additional artists to be announced, with U2 frontman Bono also contributing as a co-writer.
The announcement, made today (Oct. 21) during a Spotify bash kicking off Amsterdam Dance Event, follows a busy run of crossover collaborations for Garrix. As previously reported, he teamed in Julyhwith U2 on “Fireflies,” marking the first time all four members of the band appeared together on one of his tracks.
The U2 connection extends beyond the recording studio. Bono served as a mentor during the making of MARTY, encouraging Garrix to develop his voice and perform with greater vulnerability. The album represents a significant shift for a DJ and producer who has spent much of his career crafting hits for other vocalists: Garrix will sing on the project himself, drawing on years of writing songs on guitar and recording demos for other artists.
According to Garrix, MARTY distills more than 400 songs developed over a decade into a personal narrative about growing up, navigating fame and contemplating what remains after death. The album opens with “Catharina,” named for his mother, and unfolds as a life cycle, with transitions and key changes linking its chapters. Its title nods to his first DJ alias, DJ Marty, and his early slogan, “Party with DJ Marty.”
“Even though I’ve been doing this for most of my life, I still feel like I’m just at the beginning,” Garrix said. “That’s really what this album is about – growth, moving through different chapters of life and understanding that the love we give and the energy we put out into the world don’t just disappear when we’re gone.”
The album announcement follows a string of high-profile pop collaborations. Garrix joined Madonna on “Bizarre,” from her latest album, Confessions 11, and reunited with Sheeran on “Repeat It,” a crossover collaboration more than a decade in the making that was released in May. He also recently premiered a new collaboration with Spanish singer Aitana during two sold-out shows at Mexico City’s Palacio de los Deportes.
Garrix’s latest solo single, “This Dream Of You,” debuted as the opening track of his Tomorrowland headlining set, pairing an orchestral introduction with his own vocals and trademark production. He has also been announced as a headliner for Ultra Music Festival 2027 in Miami, scheduled for March 26-28. Before the album arrives, Garrix will continue his international touring schedule with dates across Latin America, including stops in Costa Rica, Colombia and Peru.