Martin Garrix
Higher Ground
feat. John Martin
Released on May 14, 2020, “Higher Ground” dropped on Martin Garrix’s 24th birthday via STMPD RCRDS. The track marked his return to a melodic, uplifting sound at a time when the global live music industry had come to a sudden stop.
Martin began working on “Higher Ground” with John Martin in Fall 2019. The collaboration reunited them after “Now That I’ve Found You” in 2018. The song was initially planned for a later release in 2020, as Martin was preparing to launch the official UEFA EURO 2020 anthem that summer. “Higher Ground” was expected to be introduced during the festival season and potentially become a closing moment in his live shows.
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation or postponement of major events worldwide, including UEFA EURO 2020 and the global festival circuit. With touring paused indefinitely, plans shifted. John Martin completed the final vocal recordings remotely, and Martin finalized the production and mastering during lockdown.
The song was first played publicly during Martin’s rooftop livestream from Amsterdam in April 2020, before its official release. At a time when festivals and touring were paused worldwide, the track carried a different emotional weight compared to a traditional festival rollout.
The music video was built as a global fan project. Martin invited fans to submit photos and video clips from their homes during lockdown. The final video became a visual collage of messages, signs, and shared moments, capturing a collective feeling of isolation but also unity. “Higher Ground” entered multiple international charts and became one of Martin’s most defining releases of the pandemic era.
Videoclip
Directed by Damian Karsznia
Produced by : Martin Garrix
Release date : May 14, 2020
Label : STMPD RCRDS
Lyrics
Written by Albin Nedler, John Martin, Kristoffer Fogelmark, Martin Garrix, Michel Zitron.
All this time, all this time keeps fading
Feeling trapped inside
So afraid of the darkness talking
In my mind
It’s been a long time coming
But it wasn’t for nothing
Soul-searching for something, for something
I’m down on my knees in the dust
I scream from the top of my lungs
I find my way back to a higher ground
Yeah, I just wanna feel alive
Deep in my bones
I know I’m not there but I’m close
I find my way back to a higher ground
Yeah, I just wanna feel alive with you
Yeah, I just wanna feel alive with you
Yeah, I just wanna feel alive
Try to speak but my voice keeps breaking
Need to say what’s wrong
So many smiles you have seen me faking
On and on
It’s been a long time coming
But it wasn’t for nothing
Soul-searching for something, for something
I’m down on my knees in the dust
I scream from the top of my lungs
I find my way back to a higher ground
Yeah, I just wanna feel alive
Deep in my bones
I know I’m not there but I’m close
I find my way back to a higher ground
Yeah, I just wanna feel alive with you
Yeah, I just wanna feel alive with you
Yeah, I just wanna feel alive
With you, you, yeah
I just wanna feel alive
With you, you, yeah
I just wanna feel alive with you
Higher Ground era snapshots
More music by Martin Garrix
