Dutch DJ and producer Sam Feldt rose to global fame a decade ago with his tropical house hit ‘Show Me Love’, and he’s only grown bigger since. With billions of streams, global festival slots, and his own Heartfeldt Records and Foundation, Feldt has become a key voice in the dance world — not just as a hitmaker, but as a sustainability advocate and tech entrepreneur.
In Time After Time, his most personal album yet, Feldt dives into themes of fatherhood, legacy, and emotional renewal — a bold evolution he calls Future Tropical. Ahead of his upcoming set at MARQUEE Singapore on Saturday, 28 June, we caught up with the deep house maestro to talk creative risks, honest songwriting, and why albums still matter in 2025.
What story are you telling through Time After Time? Is there a narrative or emotional journey you want listeners to experience from start to finish?
Time After Time is the most personal album I’ve ever made. Over the past two years, my entire life changed — my wife became pregnant, I became a father, and my relationship with time, attention, and priorities completely shifted. That deeper awareness — how limited and valuable every moment is — shaped the emotional arc of the whole project. My son Florian, who’s just over one year old now, is on the cover of the album. That wasn’t just symbolic. He represents the next chapter, the future. The album flows through phases of love, reflection, uncertainty, celebration, and even mourning — but it never stays in the dark. It’s about how we keep rebuilding, reconnecting, and rising — time after time.
How does Time After Time evolve your sound? Were there any sonic risks or shifts that felt especially bold this time?
This album marks the start of my Future Tropical sound — more cinematic, more vulnerable, and more emotionally layered than anything I’ve done before. I used a lot of live instrumentation, organic textures, and gave the music more space to breathe. You can really hear that in tracks like ‘Memories’ with Sofiloud and ‘Heart Like Mine’ with Rosa Linn. There were definitely bold creative choices. ‘Peak When I’m Dead’ explores legacy and mortality — not exactly typical dance music themes. And ‘Heart Like Mine’, which reimagines a Coldplay sample, came with a lot of pressure. I wanted to honour the original while still giving it new life and meaning.
Which track was the most challenging to finish — and which one came together in a flash?
‘Mi Amor’ was on the shelf for nearly two years. I had started it with JVKE, but we couldn’t find the right Latin voice to complete it. Then Anitta heard it, loved it, and recorded her part in a single session. It instantly came together. On the other hand, the title track ‘Time After Time’ was the most difficult to finish. It needed to carry the entire emotional core of the album, and I kept rewriting and reshaping it until every lyric and production detail felt right.
Take us behind the scenes of your creative process on this album.
I changed my whole approach. Instead of working track-by-track in a studio, I started doing retreats with the Heartfeldt team and collaborators — going off-grid to focus completely on the music. That space allowed for deeper conversations and more emotional writing. Becoming a father made me a lot more intentional. I wasn’t trying to make hits — I wanted to make something meaningful, something that would last. Each song had to feel like it had a real story to tell, not just a vibe.
You’ve collaborated with many artists across the globe — what’s your strategy for picking the right voices for each track?
It always comes down to emotional connection. The voice has to elevate the message of the track. Sometimes that’s a big name, sometimes it’s someone completely unknown — it doesn’t matter. I care about what the vocal brings to the story and whether it hits you in the chest when you hear it.
How do you hope fans connect with Time After Time in today’s fast-moving world? With short-form content and viral hits dominating, what does an album mean to you in 2025?
In a world that’s built on speed and scrolling, an album gives people permission to slow down. Time After Time isn’t just a playlist of singles — it’s a full journey. It’s something you can live with, revisit, and find new meaning in over time. I think people are craving that kind of depth right now. A great album still has the power to move people — not just entertain them for a few seconds, but actually stay with them.
We’ve seen you dive into sustainability projects and tech — how do those passions fuel your music?
They’re all driven by the same thing: intention. With the Heartfeldt Foundation, I’m always thinking about how to reduce impact and make the music industry more sustainable. That same mindset carries into how I create, who I collaborate with, how I tour — everything. I want the music to be fun and uplifting, but I also want it to stand for something. Music with purpose has a different kind of power.
If you could swap lives with any artist for one festival weekend, who would it be and why? Could be for the music, the crowd, or just their rider…
Daft Punk at their peak — no question. The mystique, the artistry, the control they had over their live shows — it was next level. Their Coachella set is still one of the greatest festival performances of all time. To experience that level of energy and connection, even just for one night, would be unforgettable.
What’s one fan interaction or moment on tour that’s stuck with you recently? The kind of memory that reminds you why you do what you do.
In Amsterdam, after a show, a fan came up and told me that ‘Crying On The Dancefloor’ helped them through a breakup. They said the song gave them language for something they hadn’t been able to express. That’s when you realize it’s bigger than just music — it’s about being there for people in moments that really matter.
What’s one underrated song from your discography you wish more people paid attention to?
‘Peak When I’m Dead’. It’s not your typical dancefloor anthem, but it’s one of the most honest tracks I’ve ever released. It looks at what we leave behind and what really matters. It might take time for people to fully connect with it, but that’s the beauty of deeper cuts — they grow with you.
View this post on Instagram
Finally, you’re heading to MARQUEE Singapore soon — what can fans expect from your set this time around?
Singapore always brings unreal energy, and MARQUEE is one of my favorite venues. This time, I’m bringing a mix of Time After Time highlights, some exclusive Future Tropical edits, and a few surprises I’ve been saving just for this show. It’s going to be emotional, high energy, and something you won’t experience anywhere else.
Purchase tickets for Sam Feldt's upcoming showcase at MARQUEE Singapore on Saturday, 28 June here.
Like what you read? Show our writer some love!
-