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7 DJs tell us how to get a gig in Ibiza
Tips on playing Ibiza for the first time from Miguel Campbell, wAFF, Russ Yallop and more
Ben Hoo
If you don’t have any contacts on the island or you’re an unknown DJ, you need to work on that in order to play in Ibiza. It’s possible to meet people from the industry at parties, but you can’t just go with the intention of finding gigs overnight. It means more to find like-minded music lovers who could potentially be good friends. Treat people with respect and maybe you’ll find opportunities. An alternative would be to play at a party that you create, but competition is tough!
Obviously you can’t play anywhere unless you’ve made contact with the people running the party. Most of my relationships are with fellow artists working at Ibiza Sonica, Get Physical, Kindisch, Ovum and the other labels I have released on, along with the artists I have had on my radio show as guests and other artists whose music I’ve been following.
I’ve never been one to network at gigs; I tend to network more online. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go out to the parties you love and try to make friends, but remember you can always reach out to fellow artists you like online, share your music and try to build a network around you. Things tend to build and build each year if you keep working at it. Be unique, keep working at your craft, be patient and be nice!
Johnny Lee is Mixmag's Ibiza correspondent
