After an almost two year break Mark Villa, the once youngest DJ/producer ever to play Tomorrowland, is back on track. Struggling with depression and anxiety, Mark steered away from a life in the limelight in 2019 when things all just felt too much. Taking some much needed time off to reflect and fight his inner demons, Mark never gave up on producing music that was close to his heart. Today he drops his new track ‘Underneath’ with Alessia Labate and turns the page to a new more positive chapter in his life. A chapter where music is still what always has been underneath.
A rocky road
Mark had a successful kickstart into the scene when signed to Mixmash Records and being mentored by Laidback Luke. His playlist-friendly tracks got picked up by not only major playlist but also artists like Jonas Blue, Galantis and Alan Walker which lead to collaborations and remixes with and for former mentioned idols. At the same time, Mark played stages in The USA (Miami Music Week), Japan, China, Europe and even played Tomorrowland when he was 15 and 16 years old. Living the life of a DJ/producer – traveling from show to show, producing music till the late hours during the weekdays, keeping up social media and feeling the pressure of creating hit tracks – can feel overwhelming. Now, imagine living this lifestyle when you are only 15, 16 years old. It became too much, leading to a breaking point, a roadblock – all lights off, hit the pause button.
Underneath
In 2019, Mark took a break from social media, music production and gave himself a much needed breather. Catching his breath meant doing some hard needed introspection and reflection on what matters most in his life. It meant going back to his roots, spending time with his family, reconnecting with lost friendships and also therapy. Still, music remained that one thing pulling him through. Mark started to spend more time in the studio which steered him back to a path laid out for him back in his early days, creating melodic catchy tunes that people can identify with on a personal level. ‘Underneath’ is a track close to Marks’ heart since it embodies the journey he has been on last years. In his own words, he states:
“It feels so good to be back to releasing music again. A couple of years have taught me a lot about life, songwriting and meaning. Moving forward, I really hope to incorporate this in my songs. Can’t wait to continue the search for the most catchy, uplifting and powerful dance tones. ‘Underneath’ is the start of this journey, and I hope everybody will enjoy this new road I am on.”
As part of his journey back into the music scene, Mark uploaded an intimate and heartfelt vlog about his struggles on YouTube. Check out the vlog here.