Louie Vega & Anane Vega Ibiza interview: how it changed, insider tips & more

“Little” Louie Vega has always adored music. The legendary New York DJ started spinning records when he was just 13 years old before going on to be a leader in dance music, winning Grammys, taking residencies in Ibiza, and becoming recognised as a true titan of house music. 

But Anané originally had no intention of DJing. It was only when she moved to New York and met her future husband (yep, Louie Vega!) that she gave it a try after he showered her with compliments about her music selections. When the opportunity to DJ presented itself, she grabbed it with both hands and was instantly hooked. 

Today, Anané has two record labels - Nulu Music and Nulu Electronic - and a residency called The Ritual at Club Chinois in Ibiza where she plays alongside Louie and other titans of the scene. 

With decades of Ibizan experience and memories between them, we had a chat with the two about how Ibiza has changed, social media’s influence on clubbing, Ibiza’s next big sound, the legendary Pikes Hotel, must-see artists and beaches, and so much more. 

What’s your earliest memory of Ibiza? 

"Our earliest memory of Ibiza was staying at the Pikes Hotel, hosted by Tony Pikes himself. In the mornings, homestyle breakfast was cooked by the older women - fried eggs, chorizo, toast, fresh orange juice, and organic fruits. The afternoons by the pool, with the infamous jump-offs from the ledge of the second level, fun in the sun, to the evening drinks at the pool bar followed by dinner at the Pikes restaurant. 

Yacht rides around the island visiting Es Vedra, Atlantis, and Isla De Espalmador were very special. 

Just about all the music at restaurants and beach clubs was top-notch and brought together rhythms of Brazil, Africa, Flamenco, Jazz, Bossanova - eclectic sounds."

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What's the most memorable set you’ve seen over the years? Why does it still stand out? 

"Bringing our band Elements Of Life and performing a full-on two-hour show at heart for The Ritual With Anané & Louie Vega is a stand-out show for us. We had our 9-piece band on stage, lead singers Anané & Josh Milan, and invited Flamenco artist Paco Hernandez to jam with us. 

There, we intertwined the Elements Of Life sound with the sounds of Spain. It was total madness. Then, after the show, a heated set by our guest Luciano. It stands out because we were able to take our club sounds and bring them to life with our bands and, at the same time, mesh the cultures together - African Jazz, Latin, Soul, Flamenco, and house. It was unforgettable!"

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If you could visit Ibiza during a specific decade, which would you choose and why? 

"If we could visit Ibiza during a specific decade we would say 1974 to 1984. 

The music in that decade was like no other, and it was a time when many of the icons would step foot on the White Isle. Grace Jones, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, and many more frequented the island of Ibiza and graced the clubs and beaches! 

The fashion and style were out of this world, and artists of all sorts spread their creativity all over Ibiza."

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House was one of the original sounds in Ibiza when it became the party capital. But this year we have all sorts to dance to including hard techno, trance, house, disco, and drum and bass. What do you think the next music craze on the island will be? 

"AfroHouse and Afrotech are now hitting the island in a big way and the sounds are cross-pollinating.

You may hear a Spanish hook and some Latin rhythms interspersed upon an Afro House backbeat. Then you might have techno synth elements and arpeggiated synth sounds percolating on top of a hypnotic vocal hook. 

With Reggaton being so huge, the melodies are now sometimes layered over a four-floor house beat with syncopating snares, synths, and bass sounds that are thick and bouncy with slight percussion keeping the buildups and breakdowns. DJs and producers from different genres are experimenting with other genres and DJ peers collaborating, even if they're from bookend genres. 

House music is also getting love from the pop dance world, so it’s always the underground where the popular grab their ideas from."

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After spending ten years behind the decks in Ibiza, what would you say has changed on the island? 

"A lot has changed on the island. It is the evolution of music; some of the underground becomes mainstream and then there is a new underground. 

The crowds have become a little older because of the high prices to stay in Ibiza; it’s not as affordable as it was. There’s a bigger crowd on the island during peak time, but when it’s not, every club is doing their best to get people into the clubs. Seems that even the super clubs are challenged during the low season but everyone does their best. 

Social media is the new normal for promoting, and that’s the biggest part of this. It’s the necessary means to promote and connect with your people and get them to the club. Having a following means you can be directly connected to your fans and get your message out to the masses. 

DJ approaches - totally a different animal today where social media plays a big role. It’s a 24/7 job to post club gigs, parties, your life, and your travels to keep your audience entertained, interested and informed so that they can not only attend a gig but have a look into the daily life of a DJ.

The motivation and goal remain the same but through different outlets, which is to get your audience to come to your party, make sure they are informed but most of all to come dance and have a great time. We love what we do, that’s the bottom line. The key is to be able to adapt to the ever-changing technology and make it work for you and your brand. If you don’t, then you are not made for this."

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Has anything stayed the same?  

"The beaches and natural wonders have stayed the same! 

The people who come to your events - the meaning is the same from your hardcore fans. They want to release and have a good time with you. We are truly blessed and grateful that our fans have followed us for years and now we have a new generation who come and get converted to this thing we call house music. 

We put our hearts into curating a night with the best entertainment and our/the crowd's favourite DJs that play various genres. But you rest assured that what you’ll hear… you won’t hear anywhere else because when our guests come to play at The Ritual with Anane & Louie Vega, they get to dive into their musical roots and play everything that is house music whether that’s Afrohouse, disco, house, classics, or dub/tech sounds.

In the end, what has stayed the same for us is the PASSION!"

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Do you think Ibiza will continue to stand the test of time? Will it always be the party hotspot of the world or do you think other sunny, party destinations will push it out? 

"Ibiza has already stood the test of time until now, so I don’t see that fading anytime soon. It will always be the Mecca of dance music, but now there are other sunny party destinations that will give the partygoer and vacationers a choice, like Croatia, Malta, and, of course, Mykonos."

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How does Ibiza differentiate itself from upcoming party spots like Croatia? 

"Ibiza is much different from Croatia. These clubs have been here for years and there are always new places opening up every year. Croatia has a few areas where mostly outside promoters/brands come in and throw their events.

In Ibiza, you can also have a strong local following as well as visitors that come to spend some days on the island to enjoy the parties. The history goes much deeper culturally with Ibiza as it has been a party and music destination for over 50 years."

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For someone who’s never been before, can you describe the magic of Ibiza and how that keeps pulling you both back time and time again? 

"Ibiza is magical. Not only does it have beautiful beaches that you can forever explore, the food is amazing, the locals are super friendly, and it’s become a second home for us. We’ve been living here in the summers ever since the first Ritual party we did back in 2010 at the Blue Marlin."

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As Ibiza veterans, can you offer any insider tips on how to make the most of a trip there? We’re talking places to go, artists to see, when to go, literally anything!

"Beaches - you have many choices but our favourite are the secret beaches and natural wonders like Es Vedra, Atlantis, Isla de Espalmador, and Formentera. 

Artists and clubs - The Ritual with Anané & Louie Vega, The Martinez Brothers, Black Coffee, Glitterbox (various artists), Paradise, DC 10, and Paco Fernandez for the cultural music.

And restaurants -  Il Pulpo, Finca De La Plaza, Il Giardinetto, small local restaurants with the original Spanish cuisine (there is one we love in Ibiza town, but can’t remember the name), Il Gemilli, Steakhouse at W Ibiza, Beachouse, Cappuccino (lunch with a view of the castle), Elements at Benniras, and Blue Marlin! "

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Catch Anane & Louie Vega at their The Ritual residency on Wednesdays at Club Chinois in Ibiza.  

Running from tonight until Wednesday 11th October, the two bring along incredible DJs including Joseph Capriati, DJ Harvey, Todd Terry, Dave Lee, and more to play house, deep house, funky house, tech house, and old skool tunes. Click or tap here to find tickets. 

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.