Frolicking lambs, golden yellow cornfields and the contours of the island rushing towards you as you free-fall to earth: the clip of Armin van Buuren’s new single is very clearly set on and over Texel.

Skydive with Armin van Buuren

Last Friday, Armin van Buuren released the clip to his new single Freefall, in which Texel enjoys a prominent role. When it was shot, it wasn’t just Armin and BullySongs (British singer/songwriter Andrew Bullimore) who did a spectacular skydive over the island, all staff of Van Buuren’s record company Armada Music did too.

When the song was recorded for the album Embrace a year ago, Van Buuren had said once or twice: ‘If Freefall is released as a single, I’ll throw you all out of a plane.’ But no-one expected the DJ to actually make good on that threat.

Van Buuren’s skydive treat

As you can see in the clip, the trip to Texel was a surprise to Van Buuren’s staff. They were ‘kidnapped’ from Amsterdam and taken to Texel Airport. Awaiting them there was Jan Boyen Rienks, manager of Paracentrum Texel, who helped the entire team take to the sky.

The Freefall clip was shot in one day, directed by Wissam Abdallah, who filmed unique aerial shots with a helmet camera. Armin himself did no fewer than two skydives for the clip.

Music video directed by Wissam Abdallah produced by Chiem van Houweninge Blue Dolphin