Fueled by a Shift in Lifestyle, Armin Delivers His Boldest Album Yet – and Lands a Men’s Health Cover
Breathe in. Breathe out. For global dance icon Armin van Buuren, those words mark a profound personal journey toward balance, mental clarity, and self-acceptance. In recent years, the Dutch DJ and producer faced personal and professional challenges that forced him to slow down and realign with what truly matters. That journey is captured in the two-part structure of his ninth studio album, ‘Breathe’: ‘Breathe In’, released a year ago, and ‘Breathe Out’, releasing now. Together, they form a cohesive body of work that mirrors Armin’s mental and physical transformation. More than just an album, ‘Breathe’ is a story of growth, a return to self, and a reminder to pause, reflect, and simply breathe. Alongside this creative rebirth, Armin’s dedication to improving his physical health has transformed him inside and out — a journey now powerfully symbolized by his appearance on the cover of Men’s Health Netherlands.
"Around five years ago, I hit a point where I wasn’t truly happy, energized or present," says Armin van Buuren. "I had been running on autopilot for years, constantly chasing the next thing. I felt like I was drifting, and I needed to wake up." That realization launched a years-long transformation, grounded in introspection and wellness, to create a clearer mind and reconnect with himself and with music. “It took me a while to get to where I am today. Not just musically, but in terms of balance and clarity,” Armin van Buuren explains. “Everything I’ve learned, every step, every struggle is in this album. ‘Breathe’ represents a full circle moment. It’s me at peace with who I am, and I hope people can hear that freedom and honesty in the music.”
This personal transformation is deeply woven into the album’s DNA.“I’ve never felt this clear and focused in the studio,” Armin shares. “Taking care of myself, mentally and physically, gave me the headspace to experiment, to collaborate without pressure, and to really enjoy the process again.” It’s that renewed state of mind that allowed Armin to produce his most extensive body of work to date, fueled by the feeling of freedom to cross boundaries and step far outside his comfort zone.
‘Breathe’ features a remarkable 51 tracks that showcase Armin at his most creatively free and inspired. From crowd-pleasing anthems to genre-defying collaborations including brand-new singles ‘Let It Be For Love’ (feat. JAI RYU) and ‘Want Some More’ (feat. Sam Harper), the album includes a star-studded lineup featuring David Guetta, Bon Jovi, Moby, ALOK, Indira Paganotto, Pendulum & Rob Swire, Oliver Heldens, and more. Each collaboration reflects Armin’s bold mindset and openness to push beyond genre boundaries. Also featured are longtime crowd favorites ‘Dream A Little Dream’ (with Sam Gray) and ‘Gimme The Love’ (with Seth Hills, feat. Alessia Labate).
That sense of wellness extends beyond the studio. Armin’s path to mental clarity has been closely tied to improving his physical health: regular training, conscious eating, and caring for his body became pillars in building a more grounded and fulfilling life. “Taking care of my body helped me take care of my mind. It gave me energy, focus, and most importantly, the space to be more present, in life and in music,” he shares. “I’m fitter than I’ve ever been, and it’s made me more productive, more creative, and more in love with what I do and who I am,” Armin van Buuren shares. As part of his personal journey, Armin set himself the challenge of doing a Men’s Health cover shoot. A way to push his limits and prove to himself how far he’d come. What started as a private goal became something he chose to share publicly, now featured on the cover of the magazine’s July 2025 issue, symbolizing the deep personal work behind the scenes.
With growing awareness of the pressures artists face, Armin’s vision is to help shift the culture towards greater openness and support. He explains, “Realizing how easily this can happen, how it can affect both your personal life and career, and how hard it is to control, I want to help normalize conversations around mental health, especially in this industry. It’s something I’ve wrestled with for a long time, and I’ve come to see that vulnerability can be a real strength.” Through ‘Breathe’, Armin not only shares his own journey but hopes to inspire others to embrace openness and find their own path to healing, happiness and creative freedom.‘Breathe’ is out now via Armada Music.
Tracklist
Breath Out
1. Armin van Buuren & Sam Gray - Dream A Little Dream
2. Armin van Buuren feat. JAI RYU - Let It Be For Love
3. Armin van Buuren feat. Louis III - Part Of Me
4. Armin van Buuren & David Guetta feat. Aldae - In The Dark
5. Rivo vs Armin van Buuren feat. Sharon Den Adel - In And Out Of Love
6. Armin van Buuren, Norma Jean Martine, LAWRENT - Euphoria (with ALOK)
7. Armin van Buuren & Punctual feat. EVALINA - Angels
8. Armin van Buuren & John Christian - All Night
9. Armin van Buuren & Rob Swire - Sound of You
10. Armin van Buuren - Es Vedrà
11. Oliver Heldens & Armin van Buuren feat. Sam Harper - Freedom
12. Armin van Buuren & Chef'Special - Larger Than Life
13. Armin van Buuren & Bon Jovi - Keep The Faith
14. Armin van Buuren & Ahmed Helmy - Racing Spirit
15. Armin van Buuren & Gryffin - What Took You So Long
16. Armin van Buuren - ALIVE
17. ARTBAT & Armin van Buuren - Take Off
18. Armin van Buuren & D.O.D feat. Laura Welsh - By Now
19. Camisra & Armin van Buuren - Let Me Show You
20. Armin van Buuren & Omnia - Love
21. Armin van Buuren & Agents Of Time feat. ORKID - Love Is Eternity
22. Armin van Buuren & Hardwell - Follow The Light
23. Armin van Buuren & W&W - Late Checkout
24. Armin van Buuren & Natalie Gioia - Viva l'Opera
25. Armin van Buuren & Moby - Extreme Ways
26. Armin van Buuren feat. Anne Gudrun - High On Love
27. Armin van Buuren - Pulstar
28. Armin van Buuren & Natalie Gioia - Freedom's Call
29. Armin van Buuren feat. Sam Harper - Want Some More
30. Armin van Buuren & VIZE & Leony - City Lights
31. Armin van Buuren & Seth Hills feat. Alessia Labate - Gimme The Love
32. Armin van Buuren & BLR - Bach To The Future
33. Armin van Buuren feat. Lucky Lou - Sweet Escape
34. Armin van Buuren & Ben Hemsley feat. Lucy Pullin - Is It Beautiful (A State of Trance 2025 TRANSFORMATION Anthem)
35. Armin van Buuren & HI-LO - Now Love Will Begin
36. Armin van Buuren & Vini Vici feat. Anna Timofei - Sarabande
37. Indira Paganotto & Armin van Buuren - Dragon
38. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Armin van Buuren, Vini Vici, Push - Universal Nation
39. Pendulum & Armin van Buuren & Rob Swire - Sound Of You
Breathe In
40. Armin van Buuren & Goodboys – Forever (Stay Like This)
41. Armin van Buuren & Xoro feat. Yola Recoba – God Is In The Soundwaves
42. Armin van Buuren feat. Anne Gudrun – Love Is A Drug
43. Armin van Buuren – Lose This Feeling
44. Armin van Buuren – Motive
45. Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Rank 1 & Ruben de Ronde – Destination (A State of Trance 2024 Anthem)
46. Armin van Buuren feat. GREYLEE – Inevitable
47. Armin van Buuren & HRRTZ feat. Julia Church – Fire With Fire
48. Armin van Buuren & Vini Vici feat. ALBA – When We Come Alive
49. Armin van Buuren feat. Mila Josef – Bed Of Rain
50. Armin van Buuren & Just_us – Make It Count
51. Armin van Buuren – Space Case
About Armin van Buuren
Armin van Buuren has long been a global ambassador for electronic music. He currently has eight full-length artist albums to his name and continues to cultivate a massive worldwide following through his weekly A State of Trance radio show, event series and album series, reaching 44 million listeners from more than 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. Last 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. In June 2025, he is releasing his long-awaited ninth studio album, ‘Breathe’.
About Armada Music
Armada Music is the biggest independent dance music label in the world. Founded by Armin van Buuren, Maykel Piron (CEO) and David Lewis, the label manages an ever-growing catalog of over 50,000 tracks built up across twenty-plus years of specialized dance music exploitation.
Representing artists such as Armin van Buuren, ARTY, D.O.D, Eelke Kleijn, Jan Blomqvist, Joris Voorn, KI/KI, Lilly Palmer, Loud Luxury, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, THEMBA and Yulia Niko, Armada Music amasses more than one billion streams per month, airplay on leading radio outlets such as BBC Radio 1 and Sirius XM, and top positions in the world’s most notable charts. Significant label milestones include Armin van Buuren's Grammy nomination for 'This Is What It Feels Like' and two tracks surpassing one billion streams on Spotify: Loud Luxury and Brando’s ‘Body’ and Lost Frequencies’ ‘Are You With Me’.
Across offices in Amsterdam (HQ), New York, London and Laren (NL), Armada Music offers a global appeal to its growing roster. The label has its own club, radio studio and multiple production studios, and hosts various live formats. Producer platform Armada University, which offers educational products and opportunities, shows the label’s sustained effort to nurture the next wave of talent.
Additional info:
