In a recent interview with Tuoi Tre, Dutch DJ Armin Van Buuren, one of the world’s leading DJs, talked about his latest album, the changing role of DJs in today’s world, and his mission as the spokesperson of Heineken’s “Dance More, Drink Slow” campaign to promote moderate drinking.

“More Intense,” Buuren’s latest album, is a continuation of his previous album, “Intense”, released in May 2013. His new album features two new self-composed tracks, including “Save my night,” along with remixes of the tracks from “Intense.” The man shared that “Save my night,” now a hit in several countries, was written first and foremost as an energetic dance track.

“Through the song, I also want to point toward the role of a DJ, not only myself, but to all DJs in general. It can really make the difference. If a DJ does his job well, he can really change the atmosphere and give people a natural kick,” he elaborated.

Buuren also pointed out that the role of a DJ changes with time, with today’s DJs playing a different role from that of DJs in the 70s or 80s.

“People now look to DJs to make the night fun and help people enjoy their time. DJs also have the role to boost people’s awareness of ‘Dance more, drink slow,’” he stressed, explaining that if bar goers, particularly youths, drink responsibly and moderately, they’ll have a good time and possibly a brighter life ahead.

The song’s message is also that of Heineken’s “Dance More, Drink Slow” campaign, a global initiative launched in early January to inform and educate consumers on how to safely and responsibly consume alcohol. Buuren is the campaign’s ambassador.

The DJ also starred in Heineken’s video “Xperiment”, which has gone viral on the Internet. The premise behind the video is that the better the DJ is, the more people dance and the less they drink.

“It’s time in my career to be part of a meaningful campaign and make people aware of a few things. Obviously dance music is growing in popularity, with more attention paid to EDM or Trance music. A lot more people are looking up to DJs, so I think instead of just raising your arms on the stage all the time, DJs should use their position to make people aware of their responsibility, but not by forbidding them from doing things,” the 38-year-old DJ shared.

A Dutch music producer and DJ, Armin van Buuren is best known for performing progressive trance and uplifting trance. He has earned a host of accolades, including the #1 position on DJ Magazine's Top 100 DJs fan poll for a record 5 times, including an unprecedented four consecutive years in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and again in 2012.

Buuren is ranked second on DJ Magazine's Top 100 DJs poll for 2013. Since 2001, Buuren has hosted a weekly radio show called “A State of Trance,” which welcomes some 20 million weekly listeners in 26 countries, not to mention online listeners. The show catapulted him to fame and garnered an astonishing number of trance fans the world over.

Buuren’s messages of moderate drinking can also apply to and be of value to Vietnamese people. Local drinkers gulped down 2.6 billion liters of beer in 2011, ranking first in the Southeast Asian region, followed by Thailand and the Philippines, according to the global market research company Euromonitor International. A number of Vietnamese people also tend to drink quite heavily during Tet, which begins on Jan 31 this year.