With the official ceremony just around the corner, the DJ Awards team has sent us four brief interviews with the fine people who make this event happen. Read on to discover the story behind the coveted awards and what goes into to creating and curating them every year...
Jose Pascual – Founder
Why did you create the DJ Awards?
"Due to technological advancements reached, I realised that the DJs did more than just playing music; they demonstrated their depth of knowledge of music and their creativity by using this technology. So in the absence of any such recognition, I decided to create these awards as a way to recognise their talent."
When did you discover electronic music?
"It was because of my friendship with some musicians called Ricky and Nelson, brothers from Colombia who themselves had great success in the '80s. Nelson surprised me with something he had discovered: it was a small box containing a lot of buttons capable of emitting different sounds. Then I realised you could really create a new sound of music that later would be called electronic music. On the other hand, Brian Eno, Co-founder of Roxy Music and producer of several music artists such as U2, was the one who introduced me into the electronic music but as an intellectual way showing me his productions."
How did you get the name of the DJ Awards?
"Lenny Krarup and I always thought that these 2 words DJ and AWARDS must remain in the title somewhere, so finally it was simple put them together and this described the type of awards we were considering as there were no others in existence."
Have you seen any unofficial DJ Awards around the world?
"When you manage good and successful ideas there is always someone who wants to copy you and in this way it’s a compliment of recognition."
Why people call you "PAPY"?
"This came from my South American wife. She always called me "PAPY" because this is how they call the partner in a nice way, but she also says that I am the "PAPY" of the DJ Awards since I was the one who had the idea - and later Lenny would help me to realise it."
Jasmine Elias – Director
Have the categories changed over the years?
"Yes! Music evolves so we need to reflect this in the categories; more and more the lines of the genres are becoming less distinguishable and artists themselves are also moving into different music zones. It's head spinning but it keeps it interesting!"
How do you compile the nominees?
"First we enlist help within the industry to advise on the categories, once the music categories are confirmed we start receiving in suggestions from our panel and from our team in-house for all the nominations per category. Then starts the long road to research each nominee even the most obvious artists against a list of criteria. Once the draft of the year’s list is done we then send back out to the panel for their final comments. This process takes us from between 3-4 months."
What obstacles do you come across when organizing the DJ Awards?
"Many! But with organising an event with so many different angles to consider obstacles are parts of the job, as long as we come up with the solutions!"
What is your view of the future for the DJ Awards?
"Take the brand across to different territories around the world, starting small just as the DJ Awards did back in 1998. Every year we have many invitations, so the time is coming to start accepting them; we need to spread the DJ Awards wings!"
Montse Ruiz – Events Coordinator
What do you like the most working for the DJ Awards?
"I think the best thing working with the DJ Awards is the opportunity to turn my passion of music into my day job."
What is your musical influence?
"I think that my music influences growing up in Ibiza were quite diverse, I always considered myself lucky as I can appreciate music from many different genres, but I guess that growing up in Ibiza my major influences where free outdoor psytrance parties and Techno and Minimal; Cocoon and DC10 were my temples."
What’s surprised you?
"Two things: one is how hard communication can be with some managements, and the other one is to find out how big Trance is nowadays! This was the only genre I didn´t know much about before working for the DJ Awards."
What do you think about the future of electronic music?
"I am not too sure where it is going but I hope that people will care more about the music, in my opinion sometimes I feel people don’t go out for the music, even DJs. It makes me very sad to see when they don´t care."
Aïda Guerrero – PR Manager
What was your first introduction to electronic music?
"I have spent most of my life in Ibiza and my generation grew up with it."
What was your best concert this summer?
"Without any doubt, Chic with Nile Rodgers at Ibiza Rocks."
What is the most interesting part of your job?
"Everything is very interesting especially because there is no routine, every day is different! What really surprises me is how nice and helpful working with the press has been so far and how many people I have met this summer. They are all amazing!"
An interview that you would love to do...
"Nelson Mandela - for me he is the leader for the struggle of human rights."
How do you see your future with the DJ Awards?
"It is difficult to define long term, but I would like to remain part of the team and to bring new ideas and events to promote the brand all year round."
