"Hold On" is a song by Dutch DJ and record producer Armin van Buuren and Dutch singer Davina Michelle. It was released on 10 September 2021 by Kontor Records and Armada Music. The song marked the second collaboration between van Buuren and Michelle, after their 2019 single "Hoe het danst" with Marco Borsato. It later appeared on Michelle's 2024 studio album Higher.
Commercially, "Hold On" reached number 13 on the Dutch Top 40 and number 34 on the Dutch Single Top 100.
Background and composition "Hold On" followed van Buuren and Michelle's earlier collaboration "Hoe het danst", which became a major Dutch-language hit in 2019. The song was first presented live during the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.
Van Buuren's official website described the track as a song about perseverance and inner strength, built around an uplifting production and Michelle's vocals. Dancing Astronaut similarly described the song as being centred on strength and perseverance, noting its mixture of club and pop elements. According to the Dutch Top 40, the song was written by Sebastiaan Brouwer, Michelle Davina Hoogendoorn, Benno de Goeij and Armin van Buuren, and produced by de Goeij and van Buuren.
Release and remixes The original single was released on 10 September 2021 by Armada Music. A club mix was released on 24 September 2021 through Armind. Van Buuren's website described the club mix as a more suspenseful and atmospheric version of the song, while A State of Trance called it a future-rave-oriented rendition.
An acoustic version was released on 5 November 2021. Van Buuren's website described it as a stripped-down version centred on piano, strings and Michelle's vocals.
Reception Nancy Gomez of EDMTunes wrote that "Hold On" continued the success of van Buuren and Michelle's earlier collaboration "Hoe het danst", and noted the song's message of staying strong through difficult circumstances. Dancing Astronaut described the single as an uplifting collaboration and wrote that van Buuren's club and pop sensibilities supported Michelle's vocals.
Music video The official music video for "Hold On" was released on YouTube by Armada Music. The music video is also listed on Apple Music.
Track listing
Charts Chart (2021) PeakpositionNetherlands (Dutch Top 40) 13Netherlands (Single Top 100) 34
Certifications
Release history Region Date Format Version Label Ref.Various 10 September 2021 Digital download, streaming Original version Armada Music, Kontor Records Various 24 September 2021 Digital download, streaming Club mix Armind Various 5 November 2021 Digital download, streaming Acoustic version Armada Music
References