Swiss DJ and producer Andrea Oliva has made another amazing year in his career with releases on labels like Desolat and Knee Deep In Sound, a Radio 1 Ibiza Essential Mix and worldwide club nights for ANTS on going throughout the year. Recently he also released ‘Vermona’ EP Cuttin’ Headz, which he spoke in his answers in our interview. Andrea Oliva is going to play in Belgrade this Friday which was a great reason to ask him a few questions and get to know him a little more. Enjoy!
Hi Andrea, how are you? Let’s start with your recent release, ‘Vermona’ EP. It made Beatport top 10, so what was the idea behind this release? Did you expect this success?
Hi! Just about to jump on another plane 🙂 About Vermona…there were no intentions or ideas behind this release really. It all happened very spontaneously – exactly as it should be! We had huge feedback in advance of the release and only then did we realise that this track would do well.
Steve Rachmad did a remix for this release, which he signed with his alias Sterac. How did your mutual work with him start?
I have always been a fan of his work – Steve from The Martinez Brothers thought it would be a good idea to let him remix the track, and soon after we had his 2 bomb remixes.
EP ‘Vermona’ was released on Cuttin Headz, label of The Martinez Brothers, and you are sharing a DJ deck with them in Belgrade, so how did you guys meet?
We met a long time ago in a club in Switzerland. It was funny actually because they came to one of my gigs after their gig and I spotted them on the dancefloor…. so I told them straight away to go and get their music. We ended up playing a long b2b set 🙂
In your rich discography you signed for some of the most notable labels, such as Desolat, VIVa Music, Saved Records, Be As One, Cadenza, Hideout, Moon Harbour. How does your creative process start? Do you have a certain style in mind before you start or a label you want your track to be released on?
I actually do everything freestyle. I don’t think of any label or music style or hype when I start a track! If you try to do specific music just to please a label you can be sure that the label probably wont sign it and it also affects creativity. Sometimes its surprising which tracks labels like to sign.
What moment do you consider as a start of your career?
I think its when I started putting out my own music – everything became more international – gigs, connections, profile etc
To most of the people who visited Ibiza, your sets were the ones that they remembered. So what makes Ibiza so magical in your opinion and what makes it diverse from other places in the world?
You have to come and experience it your own way. I could tell you 1000 things but you won’t understand what I try to explain until you´ve experienced it for yourself.
How has Ibiza shaped your style?
It´s not really shaped my style, but I do spend a lot of time there every summer of course and I love so many things about the island generally.
As I had mentioned earlier, you are playing in Hangar in Belgrade on December 30th along with Martinez Brothers, so what are your expectations?
Its gonna be mega dobro…dobro, dobro!
Are you maybe familiar with the work of some Serbia DJ or producer? For example, Ilija Djokovic is most definitely one of the rising stars here and he will be playing with you guys.
Unfortunately not – but i´ll check him out right now and look forward to meeting him! I always like to discover new talents.
What are you preparing for us and do you have a message for all the people who will visit Central Dance Event in Belgrade?
Just come, dance and enjoy the music.
As 2016 is coming to an end, I have to ask you what are your highlights of this year and plans for the next.
I have to mention ANTS in Ibiza – it attracts massive numbers and it makes us all proud to be affiliated with a brand which is growing every year. I´ve also recently had releases on a lot of my favourite labels, so i couldn´t be happier with my music. Plans for next year are all about keeping it productive and creative in every sense.
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