IMS 2026 - Reclaim the dancefloor
Words by ClaireB
Photos by Lydie-Anne Hampson, ClaireB and IMS
IMS, the International Music Summit was held again this year in Ibiza at the adjoining Mondrian and Hyde Hotels in Cala Llonga over 3 days between April 22-24.
For this 17th edition of the Summit, the theme was ‘Reclaim the Dancefloor’. In the press release this was interpreted as follows. “This theme is a response to a pivotal moment for the global electronic music community, as its culture and foundations are increasingly shaped by forces beyond the dancefloor. As private investment, consolidation, the acceleration of AI, shifting audience behaviours, and rapid digital innovation redefine how music is created, distributed, experienced, and monetised, IMS Ibiza will bring together artists, industry leaders, and cultural custodians to examine what is being gained, what is being lost, and what must be protected. Across the Summit, the programme will explore how the values that once defined electronic music can survive scale without dilution, how digital distraction is reshaping the shared rituals of the dancefloor, and how the community can reclaim agency over its culture in an ever-evolving industry.”
To give an idea of the scale of the event, this year saw 264 speakers across 149 sessions and events, over 5 stages with over 2,100 delegates from 64 countries. There was an indoor stage up by the entrance to the hotels, an outdoor stage down below overlooking the pool and the beach, the The Brave Space near to the outdoor stage, the Art of Areté next to the other pool which was more of a calm sanctuary for a series of sessions and activities focusing on wellness. For the last few years addressing mental and physical wellbeing in the industry has become more of a focus at the Summit and this space is at the heart of it, offering morning runs, breakfast networking, yoga and breathwork sessions and much more. There was also the IMS Academy, where the Pete Tong DJ academy was introducing and giving a platform to the new generation of DJs.
Once again, we were blessed with lovely Spring sunny weather, even though it was a bit windy on the second day, but the advantage of that was that the sea produced some lovely surf on the beach down below.
The 3-day programme was scaled back a little this year, with shorter days (a later start time and earlier finish) which made it more manageable than in previous years. But there are still 4 or 5 things going on at the same time, so what follows is a snapshot of the sessions I went to as it’s impossible to cover everything. There are also links to the official IMS daily roundups as they provide a more holistic coverage of the events of each day.
Day 1
Starting at 12.00pm, the Summit began with introductions from co-hosts Katie Knight and Jaguar, plus the IMS Founders, Ben Turner, Danny Whittle and Pete Tong, joined by some of the Summit’s hosts and sponsors. Between them they set the scene for the 3-day Summit and its theme of Reclaim the Dancefloor.
IMS Electronic Music Business Report 2025/26
As is the tradition, the first session was the presentation of the IMS Business Report for 2025/26. Presented by Mark Mulligan, founder of MIDiA Research (UK), this always underpins the Summit in terms of the latest financial, economic and cultural trends, giving a comprehensive snapshot of electronic music’s evolving landscape. The report is divided into 4 sections: setting the scene, fans and creators, the industry and market size.
The bottom line is that the global electronic music industry is now worth $15.1 billion, a year on year growth of 7% compared to 6% in 2024.
The report’s key implications
2025 was a solid year for electronic music, with strong growth across many revenue formats.
While the wider music business is shifting focus to monetising fandom, electronic music’s vibrant scenes culture is all about building it.
The rise of harder, faster sounds highlights how electronic music culture reflects the popular mood quicker than most other genres.
As the wider world grapples with factors like AI, commodification, and geo-political uncertainty, the escapist role of the dancefloor has never been more important.
A panel session on the analysis of the Business Report followed and these are a few things that stood out to me from both sessions.
Key takeaways
We are seeing the rise of the ‘global south’ in countries such as India, China, Mexico and Brazil - the surge will be in these new markets who have huge populations excited by electronic music.
Industry growth was faster and stronger than last year. Streaming grew less fast.
Fandom is the secret superpower and indicates the importance of fandom and scenes.
Nearly half of consumers participate or intend to participate in music creation too - everyone is becoming a DJ and the consumer-creator is the ultimate music fan.
The growth of generative AI matches that of Instagram in its early years.
In terms of genres, tech house still reigns supreme while melodic techno takes drum and bass’s 3rd spot. Afro house is on the rise.
Dance music is stable in the UK. It held its market share but had fewer hits.
Soundcloud’s role in electronic music is hugely important.
The gender gap is narrowing - there are more female DJs but there’s still a lot to do.
Live music in the US - revenue went up but the value of ticket sales decreased - people are buying less tickets.
Ibiza remains the hub for electronic music - revenues grew but there’s a decrease in the number of events per venue.
And some final food for thought:
A response in Ibiza could be to put on more events at lower prices during these economically-sensitive times.
Club culture isn’t global. In the west electronic music has it’s roots in the club. In the south and east it is different, for example in China festivals are more popular than clubs.
On the future of VIP club culture. What happens if the youngsters don’t grow up with clubbing culture? What will happen in the future?
Presentation of IMS Electronic Music Business Report 2025/26:
The 35 page report can be downloaded from here:
The definitive data of the electronic music industry - where it stands today and where it's headed, published annually by IMS (International
Reclaim the dancefloor: Opening Keynote by Steven Braines (HE.SHE.THEY.)
The program brief was: "The IMS Opening Keynote sets the tone for the week as Steven Braines takes the stage as co-founder of ‘HE.SHE.THEY.’ and a leading voice reshaping club culture, Braines has consistently challenged the industry’s comfort zones, from access and representation to who holds the real power behind the scenes. As the dancefloor becomes a tipping point between culture and capital, this keynote cuts through performative progress to ask what it truly means to reclaim the dancefloor, and how values, community, and accountability must shape what comes next."
Interesting points made by Steven:
The people with the energy are getting priced out of the clubs.
The dancefloor wasn’t invented by venture capitalists but by black and brown, queer people in Chicago and Detroit.
The dancefloor needs to be inclusive.
On gender - women can make a human in their belly but some people believe that they don’t know a bassline.
Diverse lineups give you a diverse crowd. Audiences are important. Everyone belongs on the dancefloor. HE.SHE.THEY. has showed that diversity should be celebrated and brings the joy and euphoria back. That’s how we reclaimed the dancefloor. With a community built on shared values.
On sexual assault. “If the dance floor isn’t safe, it isn’t free. If it isn’t free, it isn’t sacred. It’s just another room.”
AI is the silent assassin in the room.
The only thing we know about this industry is that it will change and the successful ones are the ones that embrace change.
Before this was an industry, it was a movement. Movements don’t run on revenue. They run on belief.
The industry’s responsibility: Safety, consent and accountability
Presented by HE.SHE.THEY. in The Brave Space, this was the perfect follow-up to some of the issues raised by Steven Braines in his keynote. On the panel were Pia Micallef, Co-Founder of MeToo Music (MT); Sam Spencer, Director of Live Operations at Broadwick Live (UK); Sana Barclay, Welfare Coordinator at Safe Only CIC (US); Moderated by Finlay Johnson, CEO at the Association For Electronic Music (UK).
This was the brief in the programme: “Electronic music has long represented the ideals of freedom, community, and belonging. But for too many people, and women in particular, that promise has been broken by a persistent and largely unchecked culture of sexual harassment and assault. This workshop moves beyond naming the problem. It asks what the industry is actually going to do about it. With practitioners, artists, campaigners, and standards bodies in the room, this is an opportunity to move the conversation from reactive crisis management to lasting change, and specifically to examine how promoters, artists, and industry leaders can shift men from passive bystanders into active participants in building safer spaces.”
Our photographer at IMS Lydie-Ann Hampson went to this session and afterwards I asked her what was discussed, as these issues relate directly to some of the work she is involved in. Lydie is part of the charity 24-7 Prayer in Ibiza. They work alongside vulnerable people and during the summer season the charity works in San Antonio and the West End with tourists. This session was particularly interesting to their work - knowing how the music and club industry are working to create safer places.
Audio file of Lydie’s 7 minute resume of the session:
35 years of Nervous Records
Whilst Lydie listened to important discussions around the industry’s responsibility, I chose to go to the session on 35 years of New York’s Nervous Records, featuring the label’s founder Michael (Mike) Weiss, VP Andrew Salsano and artists, Todd Terry, Harry Romero and Josh Wink. Emerging from the city’s club underground and growing into a globally recognised successful label, it has stood the test of time and remained independent.
With lots of interesting anecdotes from the guys, including where the inspiration for their logo came from (a guy getting hit on the head by a record being brought down from a top shelf), there was lots of friendly, jovial banter between them and it was a refreshingly honest and entertaining session.
A few snippets:
Mike founded the label in the late 80s (his dad had a disco label). “Its been a dream ride with some ups and downs.” Interestingly the logo and T shirts came before the music (their merch became extremely popular in the USA).
On change, Josh was quite philosophical, saying things haven’t changed it’s just bigger. The most constant things in our lives is change. The biggest change now is that music is thought of as ‘content’ rather than as music and art.
On changes in house music and the scene, Harry echoed that sentiment, saying that the machine [meaning the music machine and everything that goes with it these days, especially social media presence] takes me away from making music which is what I want to do.
They talked about the A&R side of the label, saying that 900 tracks are submitted every week to them. On dealing with that, Andrew said that you usually know within 3 seconds of listening to a track whether to continue or not - and said that we do listen to everything we are sent, but that they do have a good team of people to help with the listening.
Following on from this Mike said that you used to have to go to clubs to see the reaction of the crowd and believes that you still need to do that. In the early days it was about putting out music that you liked and it wasn’t just about ‘hits’. Cue jibes being made at Todd about being the king of making hits.
They were asked about attention span. Do people still want long mixes? Todd thought that people want to get their money’s worth and that because of that there’s now less of what could be classed as ‘unnecessary bits’ in a record.
On sustaining the success of the label they said that if you have the love for music and the industry you can sustain it. Josh went on to say that a big thing is integrity. Change needs to be authentic to yourself.
RA Exchange: Suzanne Ciani
Back in the indoor stage there was a rare, career-spanning conversation with one of electronic music’s true originators, the pioneering American composer Suzanne Ciani. A five-time Grammy-nominated artist and trailblazer of modular synthesis, Ciani helped define the sonic language of an entire era, from experimental composition to iconic commercial sound design. From the golden age of analogue to today’s resurgence, the chat explored her enduring influence, creative philosophy, and the timeless relationship between technology, artistry, and emotion.
A few snippets:
At nearly 80 years old, she taught at Berkeley in the 60s during all the protests, so she has a lot of valuable experience of the industry and out of the box and unconventional approaches to her work.
How do you secure independence? “I’m very stubborn and I go after what I need.”
When I started electronic music wasn’t understood and it was alien, but now it’s understood.
When I was younger I couldn’t collaborate because I wanted total control.
Anything musically to explore? It’s about having something to say.
“AI is eliminating the human. It’s amazing that it can do that but it doesn’t have a human soul and I think we need that. Dance music is very abstract but somehow it connects with you. Why is that?”
Keynote Interview: Yann Pissenem
Interviewed by Pete Tong, Yann was the recipient of this year’s IMS Legends Award. The program brief: “Founder and CEO of The Night League, Yann Pissenem, is one of the key architects of modern electronic music culture, reshaping how nightlife and live events are experienced globally. Through visionary venues and concepts, including the coveted UNVRS in Ibiza, he has elevated production, artist curation, and audience experience, setting new industry benchmarks. This keynote interview explores his journey and vision, while his recognition at the IMS Legends Dinner honours a legacy defined by long-term cultural impact, sustained innovation, and a deep connection to Ibiza’s evolving clubbing identity.”
To give background and context, this time last year at IMS, UNVRS in Ibiza was about to open, having transformed the old premises of Privilege, which had been Europe’s largest club. The Night League also runs Ushuaïa and Hï and all 3 venues will have their opening parties after the Summit ends.
Some of Pete’s questions and Yann’s responses:
Have there been any changes at UNVRS? A few little details. It’s going to do a longer season.
How far in the future were you thinking? The plan was to mix all the possibilities of a huge arena but within a nightclub.
Are we leading into a more entertainment-led experience? I think we need to provide different things so people can choose.
What was your original concept in transforming Space into Hï?. We needed to renew the venue. There were too many rooms - we needed a club that would be full all season. We only wanted two rooms and some outside terraces.
You employ a lot of women, strong women. Yes and I have a great team. There are a lot of unseen challenges of running 3 large venues. We work hard, we work all year round. We love what we do and it’s a passion.
What about margins and ticket pricing? I’m looking at the data a lot more and we have some cheaper tickets if you buy in advance.
How do you become a resident DJ? You need to have the right blend of music, be motivated and strong but can also compromise to help the clubs grow. But in the end the public are gong to decide. However, I’m open to anything that could be good for me.
Is the season too long? I think the island needs time off to breathe. It’s good for people to have more work, but it’s a balance.
How does ibiza stay affordable for younger people? We are using dynamic pricing with cheaper tickets if you buy in advance.
How are pre-bookings looking? It’s going to be a good season. Ibiza is a safe destination. Ibiza is Ibiza and it’s hard to find that crazy energy anywhere else.
Do you have any other aspirations and destinations in mind? Possibly New York, but we’ve been concentrating on UNVRS. Ibiza has its own DNA and personality which is hard to transfer to other places.
How do you see yourself? I see myself as an entertainer but I want to be a part of everything in our business.
What drives you? I do it because I love it. It’s about having passion in what you do and wanting to give people a beautiful experience.
What about the use of mobile phones in clubs? I come from the rave generation and I feel a bit sad that the new generation don’t get the same experience as we did but I appreciate that that’s what people want to do. He thinks that people don’t want to go to no-phone parties and therefore that isn’t an option to make people more present. “We need to have parties for everybody.”
What’s your favourite ibiza moment? Our openings. The birth of my 2 girls.
What is the future of clubbing, what shouldn’t change? We can’t lose the energy on the dancefloor.
After that illuminating keynote from one of the people behind three of Ibiza’s biggest and influential clubs and plenty of food for thought throughout the day, it was time to head to the pool area for networking, contemplating and unwinding, with music from Dirtybird Social and drinks provided by Favela Cerveja.
Quote of the day goes to Steven Braines from HE.SHE.THEY.
“If the dance floor isn’t safe, it isn’t free. If it isn’t free, it isn’t sacred. It’s just another room.”
See IMS Day 1 roundup
Day 2
After a full program on Day 1, Day 2 started for me at lunchtime and the whole day was more relaxed.
At the intersections: Voices shaping electronic music culture
First up was this session in The Brave Space. The program brief: “The foundations of electronic music were laid by Black, queer, and marginalized communities, yet voices that reflect these founders remain underrepresented today. This panel explores the rich, existing intersectional identities shaping the industry, highlighting their unique perspectives, stories, and creative contributions. We dive into how these experiences - including but not limited to race, gender, sexuality, class, neurodivergence - challenge norms and inspire innovation.” The diverse panel was made up of Ashraf Ejjbair, Label Manager at HE.SHE.THEY. (UK); Avantika, Artist and Entrepreneur at ADBC Live (India); CAMZ, Artist, (Brasil); Natalie Wade, Director of Music Industry Engagement at PPL (UK); Sunita Dhaliwal, Founder of The Everyday Agency (UK); Whitney Wei’ Editor-at-Large at Electronic Beats (US); moderated by Nazen Carneiro, Journalist at DJ Mag Latinoamerica (Brasil).
The diversity of the panel, their backgrounds and perspectives, both from the part that they play in the industry and their geographical location, led to some very interesting discussions.
A few snippets:
“We need to build cultural intelligence.”
The people profiting from the industry are not the same as the creators.
Avantika gave an interesting perspective on her experience. As a female DJ in India, being a DJ wasn’t seen as a viable profession for her, from both her family and society at large. She persisted and managed to DJ at the first inclusive club in India which was a great experience, because she felt that she was with kindred spirits and also felt that she was representing women.
Natalie, a woman of colour who grew up in London also faced challenges in the industry. She stated that black people created the music and now they’re excluded, with many facing social and economic issues to get involved and seek viable employment within the industry. To this end, she successfully works with charitable organisations to get black kids jobs in the music industry. She also said that as a black woman [in the UK] you have to work harder to be normal.
CAMZ, a female DJ in Brazil said she was asked to change what she did musically to get bookings. She didn’t, and said her mission is not to please others but to make people happy [on the dancefloor].
Avantika echoed this, saying she has had to change musical styles a bit but that it’s important to be authentic - it’s about creating a balance, but going on to say that “authenticity is everything”. An interesting fact that she gave out is that 65% of India’s population is aged 35 or less, which links back to the IMS Business Report saying that India is one of the new growth markets with a huge population that is excited by electronic music.
Sunita who is based in the UK raised a concern that everything is based on algorithms now and therefore it’s hard for a musician/producer to get heard.
In conclusion, Ashraf felt that it was important to enable communication amongst the global south with more advanced/experienced regions in the industry. Avantika also thought that cultural exchange was needed that goes beyond borders. Sunita thought that accessibility is important - that we need to make the dance floor accessible.
Key topics that came up were change v compromise, authenticity, building cultural intelligence and accessibility, all pertinent to this year’s theme and discussions emerging during the Summit. It was also clear from the panel members that prejudices towards race, colour, gender and sexuality still exist within the industry, as do societal expectations in many countries and these need to be overcome.
Ibiza on the brink: Paradise or paradox?
As an Ibiza resident I’m always interested in the panel on the local situation in Ibiza and it’s clubbing industry.
The program brief: “Ibiza in 2026 stands at a critical inflection point. Long celebrated as a paradise for culture and creativity, the island now faces mounting pressures from over-tourism, ecological threats, rising costs, and intensifying demand. Last season’s consolidation wave redrew the island’s power map, sharpening battle lines between operators and concentrating influence. As identity and access come into question, can she remain a sanctuary for artistic freedom, or will growth erode the foundations that made her magnetic? We gather key voices to define her next chapter and safeguard her cultural future.” Panel members: Alex Nikolov, CEO & Founder, Lexa Creatives SL (ES), Andy McKay, CEO & Founder of Ibiza Rocks Group (UK), Danny Whittle, Co-Founder/Director of IMS/Chinois (UK); Rick Maia, Bookings and Programming / Director of Entertainment and Content, Pacha/FIVE Group (PT); Stephane Schweitzer, Partner, Amnesia Ibiza (FR); moderated by: Katie Knight, Presenter & Podcaster/Co-Host of IMS (UK).
Moderator Katie Knight kicked off the panel by asking what they thought Ibiza’s biggest challenge was at the moment.
Danny Whittle thought the biggest challenge was environmental and that we need to take care of our island - there are 3.8 million visitors every year. [As a side note Danny has just joined Ibiza Preservation as an ambassador, a non-profit organisation who do great work to preserve Ibiza and Formentera’s land and sea.]
Andy McKay thought that maintaining the equilibrium of the island was important.
Rick Maia thought that the challenge was to preserve the legacy of Ibiza, its freedom and accessibility and keep the spirit of Ibiza alive.
Alex Nikolov believed that the threats were also opportunities and that love and respect were important to preserve.
What are the opportunities and what are the issues?
Danny felt that as a small island we should be able to find local solutions to fix problems. He also said we have lost the gay audience, which gave more diversity to the island.
Andy, controversially said that he didn’t think that Ibiza has ever been more Balearic [he was heckled by members of the audience]. He believes that Ibiza’s offer is more eclectic and diverse than ever. He also thought that the arrival of UNVRS has made the island better. He was worried about Amnesia [being across the road] but said they’re thriving, commenting that what is inspirational is that the small players [in the club scene] are getting better because of UNVRS.
Rick talked about Ibiza being a living cultural force and we need to preserve that, and that is an opportunity. There should be something for everyone and there needs to be a balance between the old and the new, and not just in the nightlife.
Going back to fixing the problems the island has, Danny raised the issue of housing, for example using disused spaces such as Sa Coma for static homes and that the authorities need to deal with the issues. [Ibiza has a severe housing problem as rents become too expensive and locals and workers needed to support the island year-round and its tourism industry in the summer are being priced out of the market by foreigners arriving on the island with higher spending power. There has been a clamp-down on illegal tourist rentals which was a big problem, but in recent years there has been an increase of illegal settlements, almost shanty towns, springing up on vacant land with people living in tents and static homes in unsanitary and dangerous conditions - there have been fires in some. The result of the housing issues on the tourism industry is that it causes problems for businesses to attract workers, because it’s becoming too expensive or difficult to live here with a good lifestyle.]
Andy commented on the huge number of empty properties that exist on the island [due to the large number of holiday homes] and rental laws [that favour tenants and therefore stop owners from renting out their properties]. The housing issue is caused by many things.
Andy went on to talk about protecting the point of entry of tourists/clubbers to the island. Ibiza Rocks is a gateway to youngsters. If the 20-somethings stop coming, Ibiza will die in maybe 20 years time. We shouldn’t be exclusively appealing to the Amex-carrying 30 year olds, which is what’s happening in Playa D’en Bossa now [hotels and establishments there are increasingly becoming more expensive and going up-market]. He thinks we need a balance and that drinks pricing is also important.
Rick said that at Pacha they try and maintain a balance between those with money and those without. They offer a workers pass and drinks packs [that give discounts] and have also introduced dynamic ticket pricing, so if you buy your ticket earlier, it’s cheaper. There’s a sense of responsibility and we have to be careful about pricing out people.
In terms of programming and how to maintain balance, Stephane thought it’s about choices and maintaining diversity. It’s also about discovering new talent [in DJs] - it can’t become predictable.
Rick added that diversity within a club and its programming is necessary.
Danny said that at Chinois I can be a bit more creative. You don’t want to become a nursery or a retirement home and believed that clubs should keep their identity.
Stephane from Amnesia which is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary this year talked about how to protect their identity. We need to preserve the club’s DNA, it’s legacy and soul. It’s a responsibility and it’s tricky, knowing what to and what not to change.
In conclusion, what does a healthy Ibiza look like?
Just keep taking care of it.
Maintaining a gateway for youngsters is important, so they keep coming back. Otherwise they might go somewhere else, fall in love with that place and never come to Ibiza.
Pricing is incredibly important. Most people only come for 3.5 days now [the week or two-week holiday is now a thing of the past] and some people come for a night’s clubbing and don’t even book a hotel [hotel prices are getting very expensive]. Pricing is important to attract and then keep the kids.
Keep ages diverse so clubs don’t become sterile and playgrounds for VIPs.
With several clubs represented on the panel a range of perspectives were presented and some suggestions and solutions were offered. As ever, it was a lively and interesting debate.
Mindset matters: Resilience and balance under pressure
Next I headed off to the very relaxing Art of Areté space for this session.
Program brief: “CAA’s Maria May, the first woman and youngest recipient of the IMS Legends Award in 2025, opens up about navigating the pressures and pace of life as a leading global talent agent whose client list reads like a Who's Who in electronic music over her 35 year career. Performance psychologist Stu Holliday offers tools and strategies for resilience used by Olympic athletes that can be adapted by executives to build resilience and avoid burnout. Maria and the Music Industry Therapists Collective will also announce a landmark new initiative supporting the mental health and career longevity of the next generation of dance music executives.”
In the session common issues around some of the pressures inherent in working in the industry were discussed, such as dealing with high workloads and unsociable hours (often across time zones) that often lead to high stress levels and burnout, all things which are increasingly being recognised, out in the open and discussed.
She talked very frankly about the pressures and issues that she experienced over her career. When she was younger she learnt to work very long hours with no sleep. When she had children she was trying hard to juggle work and family life. She thought she was dealing with everything well, but last Christmas she felt burnout for the the first time ever, which became a moment of reckoning. So she took time out and changed her priorities somewhat.
On asked how you can sustain a long career in the industry she said that it’s important to prioritise sleep, breaks and rest time. It’s about setting boundaries and said that women are bad at putting themselves first. She loves the rise of daytime parties [they have much more sociable hours]. It’s about setting boundaries.
Stu said that many of the issues are similar in performance psychology for top-level athletes. Mindset does matter.
On responsibility, Maria said it’s about finding a balance, and that senior managers need to lead by example. They also need to take responsibility for artists’ well-being and support them. There’s a duty of care. The role of welfare officers can be helpful, for example they put someone on the recent Dua Lipa tour - it’s not just the artists who need support, the whole crew need it.
How can the next generation of executives be supported? Ask for help, lead by example. The wellness aspect is really important. To this end Maria has donated money for a pilot Electronic Music Executive Stress Management Programme with MITC. A six-month pilot beginning in September 2026, it will provide fully-funded support to five participants, including a 1:1 mentoring session with Maria May. Info here: https://bit.ly/MITCMariaMay
A very honest discussion raising awareness based on experience, but also offering solutions.
After another stimulating day at the Summit, it was time again to head to the pool area for some networking, fresh air, music from Mixmag and a couple of drinks courtesy of Burn Energy.
Quote of the day goes to Avantika
“Authenticity is everything.”
See IMS Day 2 roundup
Day 3
The rise of the sober DJ: Rethinking performance culture. With Milly on Air and DJ Paulette.
In an intimate interview in the Art of Areté space, Milly on Air who is responsible for the ‘Back to Life podcast’ series, herself also a DJ and now sober, talked to DJ Paulette about her journey to becoming sober and her experiences. It was a very honest and eye-opening session.
Paulette told how she decided to become sober after her 50th birthday party. Afterwards she realised that she had 2 bin bags full of alcohol given to her as presents from her friends. With the realisation that “that’s the way my friends see me”, she decided to give up drinking there and then.
She confessed that her first sober gig was frightening, but determined, she persisted. She very quickly realised that her friend circle and social scene changed, because she didn’t want to socialise in pubs or places where alcohol was on sale and her friends were drinking. She didn’t like being around people drinking.
In extreme drinking situations she said that men are more easily forgiven than women. Women are judged more highly for the same behaviour.
She said that “when I stopped drinking I found a new confidence in myself”. And that not drinking makes her feel more safe.
Talking about the feasibility of putting on alcohol-free parties, she said the economic model is based on alcohol sales, which is where the sponsorship usually comes from. So there’s immediately an issue, but it can be done.
Milly asked in terms of the theme of reclaim the dance floor, how has sobriety helped you with that? She feels that it has made her connect with a crowd in a different way that is much better.
It was interesting and gave another angle to some of the pressures on DJs whose working environment is usually full of people drinking and alcohol is on sale.
Closing keynote: Sister Bliss from Faithless.
To give some context, it’s now 30 years since the debut album from Faithless was released and this is her first keynote at IMS. But she’s no stranger to IMS or Ibiza, having both played live, DJ’d and holidayed on the island over the years.
She said that being in music is not a world for the faint hearted and there’s no maternity leave [she has a son]. She started off by buying an Atari computer, learning how to use it and made music in her bedroom. In the early days, Faithless made their music in a grotty garden shed.
A few snippets:
The dancefloor should be a safe space.
I got into DJing because I watched other female DJs doing it and thought I could do it too. The gay clubs embraced me.
I’m an old raver. Back then, being an outsider was a thing. Plus we had the Criminal Justice Bill, which made gatherings and dancing illegal. Maxi never felt he fitted in [as a black man], which is why he wrote Muhammad Ali.
On social media - it’s a generational thing. I find it all overwhelming.
You make music and you hope people listen. If you’ve touched someone with your music it’s extremely gratifying.
About carrying on playing live with Faithless and the Faithless Sound System after Maxi’s death. We’ve gone live in celebration of Maxi. Tonight we’ve got an all female lineup, with added percussion and vocals. I haven’t played Dalt Vila before. It’s anxiety-inducing but incredibly exciting. She says that before a gig she still always feels sick and her legs go wobbly. She didn’t reveal the full details of the pre-gig ritual, but she did say that they have a big group cuddle before which helps to relieve the anxiety.
Advice for women to get going. It’s good to mentor others. You need self-belief. And find your people, the ones that will support you. Trust your instincts and work with people who facilitate that. Keep collaborating and you’ll find your people. Going on to say that when she got together with Rollo and then Maxi “the alchemy happened”.
Salva Mea was the first track we created with Maxi. She was asked about how the riff in Insomnia came about and she said that we made Insomnia as a companion to Salva Mea. Actually it came so quickly it was embarrassing. The name and idea came because I was DJing so much I wasn’t getting any sleep. Maxi’s lyric referring to no electricity and the light going out stemmed from the fact that his electricity was on a meter and it often ran out. Before that track took off he invariably had no money. It took ages to take off. Pete Tong from Radio 1 told them to re-release it after it initially got nowhere. Ibiza was pivotal in our success. Insomnia was played in the clubs over the summer. It was re-released in October on the same day as a Spice Girls single, but became a big hit.
Advice for females. You “have to have passion”. I wouldn’t want to be starting out now as everyone is a DJ. You just have to keep at it. There’s also something about tenacity. Question everything. And collaborate, “no person is an island”.
On being asked by others if they can sample Faithless tracks, she said she didn't want to be stuck in a spin cycle with other’s just regurgitating their music without doing anything interesting with it, but at the same time she joked that she is happy to receive the royalties without doing any work.
The conversation was very honest and entertaining and a great teaser for the Faithless Sound System headline set that was coming later in Dalt Vila.
Quote of the day goes to Sister Bliss
“The alchemy happened” when she, Rollo and then Maxi got together in Faithless.
See IMS Day 3 roundup
Common themes from the Summit
In the sessions I was at, there were a number of reoccurring themes.
About the dancefloor and reclaiming it.
Being present on the dancefloor - mobile phones and social media presence is overtaking people’s physical presence and experiences on the dancefloor, and is a concern.
Making dancefloors (and clubs) safe is a big issue.
Accessibility is also an issue.
Diversity on the dancefloor, in all its forms, including age, is important to keep the energy flowing. Diverse lineups give you a diverse crowd.
Other themes:
The current global situation and economic pressures on spending power posed many concerns.
Ticket pricing is important to attract and then keep the kids and to stop clubs becoming sterile and a playground for the rich, especially in Ibiza.
Many talked about the importance of having passion in what you do.
AI came up every now and again as it's a concern by many and there are still lots of issues to resolve.
Having integrity and retaining authenticity was also important.
Dalt Vila party
The finale of the IMS Summit is always a party at the top of Dalt Vila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which has breathtaking views over Ibiza Town and the port below and up to cathedral above. Starting at 5pm and ending just before midnight, this year saw a diverse lineup of breakthrough and established DJs from around the world and special b2b pairings, culminating with a headline set from Faithless Sound System:
Delilah
Jazzy
Eliza Rose b2b Olive F
Pete Tong b2b Indo Warehouse
Ahmed Spins b2b Ankhoï b2b Mayssa
L.P. Rhythm b2b Elliot Schooling b2b Liam Palmer
Faithless Sound System.
As always, the pace of the music, the light show and projections from the stage built up as day turned into night after the sun set just after 8.30. After the DJ sets, headliners Faithless Sound System took to the stage at 11pm, with Sister Bliss driving the show, accompanied by vocals from Amelia Fox and percussion and occasional vocals from Lily Gonzalez. Starting with the laidback reggae vibe of ‘Champion sound’, we were treated to a great set that included some Faithless classics such as “God is a DJ’, house-anthem classic ‘Don’t you want me’ by Felix, plus a beautiful version of Joy Division’s ‘Love will tear us apart’, sung by Amelia. Maxi Jazz was present throughout, through his vocals in the mix and his image projected on the screen behind the stage. The finale, just before the midnight curfew, was very special, with Sister Bliss announcing “Ibiza it’s been a pleasure to play for you in this special place”, before launching into the opening beats of ‘Insomnia’, accompanied by larger-than-life projections of Maxi behind the stage - truly goose-bump inducing moments. An incredible ending to a magical night.
IMS has produced this short video from Dalt Vila:
An Instagram summary of Dalt Vila with videos of Faithless can be seen here, courtesy of Mike Parry @ Lucky Life Ibiza: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXm6CMWgptf/?igsh=MXcwMGJrNmk3OGk3NA==
IMS website: https://www.internationalmusicsummit.com
IMS YouTube channel - videos of Summit sessions after the event here: https://www.youtube.com/@internationalmusicsummitibiza