DJ Retain
DJ Retain | |
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 DJ Retain performing at Opwekking in The Netherlands, 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter Hoeijenbos |
| Born | 25 May 1997 The Netherlands |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 2016–present |
| Website | djretain |
Peter Hoeijenbos, better known by his stage name Retain, is a Dutch DJ and music producer. Since 2016, he has been active in the music industry, noted for his integration of Christian music with electronic dance beats. He is currently signed with Armada Music Publishing.[1][2][3]
Early life[edit]
From a young age, Retain was immersed in music, learning to play the drums, piano, and guitar. His upbringing in a musically diverse environment led him to blend Christian music with mainstream electronic dance music, which later defined his musical style.[4][5]
Career[edit]
Retain's career officially started in 2016, but his involvement in music production began as early as 2012. His professional journey was marked by key contracts with In Corsa Management in 2019 and Armada Music Publishing in 2020. Retain specializes in remixing popular worship songs into dance tracks, carving out a niche within the Christian music industry. His production techniques were partly influenced by the advice he received from renowned DJ Martin Garrix, who stressed the importance of uniqueness in music tracks—a point Retain highlighted during an interview with EO.[4][5][1]
Works and collaborations[edit]
Retain has made significant contributions to the Christian dance music genre through his remixes[6][7]:
- 2017: "Ever Be - Reyer & Retain Remix" – This collaboration with Reyer has amassed over 3.5 million streams on Spotify.
- 2021: "Who You Say I Am - Reyer & Retain Remix" – A blend of worship and electronic elements.
- 2022: "Happy Day - Retain Remix" – Aims at a broader audience appeal.
- 2023: "So Will I (100 Billion X) - Retain Remix"
Documentary[edit]
In 2021, DJ Retain released the mini-documentary 'God Is A DJ,' which explores the integration of Christian beliefs with electronic dance music. The documentary features insights from industry experts and academics, including Marc Zwart, the Head of Creative at Cloud 9 Music; Giulia Evolvi, a Research Associate in Religion and Media at Ruhr University; and Joram Kaat, a prominent radio DJ and television presenter for EO on NPO Radio 1 and NPO 3FM. Nando Kok from Seven FM also contributes. Together, they examine the challenges and opportunities of blending dance music with spiritual themes, with a particular focus on its appeal to and impact on young audiences.[8][9][10][11]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Retain biography". Last.fm. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Retain - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "About DJ Retain". www.djretain.com. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Retain maakt christelijke dancemuziek: "Martin Garrix". EO BEAM (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ a b "About DJ Retain". www.djretain.com. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Retain - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Retain music, videos, stats, and photos". Last.fm. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ Nando, Kok (20 August 2021). "Retain komt met mini-docu over geloof en dancemuziek". www.sevenfm.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Marc Zwart". ADE. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ Evolvi, Giulia (2020). Blogging My Religion: Secular, Muslim, and Catholic Media Spaces in Europe. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 978-0-367-58487-0.
- ^ "Joram Kaat". De EO (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 May 2024.