Valentin Huedo is a champion of the Ibiza music scene and besides being a seasoned DJ on the island, he is also a fervent producer responsible for killer cuts on labels such as Anims, Be an Ape and All Day I Dream. He has now offered his talents to the Sounds of Khemit imprint as part of their latest VA release, and we offered him to shed some light on his career, music and more…

Welcome to Music Is 4 Lovers, Valentin – where do you find yourself right now and what are you up to?

Hi, thank you for having me. Right now, I’m on the way to back to Ibiza after a 15 day tour around Mexico and the USA. This year the Ibiza openings are earlier (end of April) and we all expect a busy season here, so I’m preparing the season ahead.

You are native to the white island, Ibiza, what has it been like growing up there? Was it difficult to break through in such a landscape? What tips do you have for budding artists over there?

Yeah, I feel blessed about that. I think to grow up surrounded by nature definitely marks the character, I live in a quiet area in the south, the sea is very close, it’s very common for me to have a quick daily swim during summer, I have all I need in town and specially in winter there are weeks I almost don’t use my car. When I started travelling I realised what kind of life I have. During my childhood I always remember nature was there. From my teenage years onwards, I grew up surrounded by music and eclectic people, without even knowing that this was marking my way to understand life. If I could choose where to be born in my next life, I would choose Ibiza again.

I have been playing as a resident DJ in Ibiza for almost 15 years, after that I decided to take a step forward and that was not easy. It’s true we are here and we can have access to everyone but to be a resident DJ in Ibiza is no longer appreciated in the way it used to be. It’s very hard for us to get good slots or high fees in Ibiza, compared to what we do somewhere else. Anyway it’s a very competitive island and that makes it really difficult so the only tip i can give is to work harder and be unique and honest with your sound, it’s ok to copy sometimes and even follow the hype but if we don’t give something genuine to the world we will be lost in an ocean of incredible artists. Thousands of people arrive on the island and they want to listen to good music, so it does not matter where and how many people you play to, I think every DJ should try to play only the best and something that people have never heard before.

You contributed a track to the latest Sounds of Khemit release, dubbed ‘Egyptian Affair’, what were your inspirations behind this track? Its sound and theme fit the vibe of the label very well.

Thank you, this track was not made for the label to be honest. It was going to be a project with my friend Oriol Calvo and a Egyptian Singer, that’s why the title. But she never came back with anything so i left the track in standby. When Chris (Nhii) called me I did some adjustments thinking of the sound of the label, which I really love by the way.

How did you first get involved with the label?

I met Chris in Tulum two years ago but I already played his music, we had breakfast in town and that was the first time we met. Two years later he emailed me and asked if I had something in stock for his new project. I truly respect Chris so I wanted to collaborate with him in one way or another.

How does a decade-spanning residency shape your music taste and understanding of the scene?

When I started in Cafe del Mar in 2003 my music knowledge was very limited, I knew I liked that daytime Ibiza sound but the spectrum of music a DJ can play in a venue like Cafe del Mar is very diverse, not only electronic music… I started travelling to Berlin and London just to buy vinyl and I learned a lot listening to my mentors, Jose Padilla, Kenneth Bager, etc. Soon I discovered the world of “limited editions”, you know those rare versions etc, they come from artists like Henrik Schwarz or Koze, Drumpoet Community, etc etc. This mix all together created my style.

The scene is changing all the time as it should be, to have an extended music background gives you perspective and the understanding of the changes in the hype, as well to anticipate those changes. And it makes you a better DJ in my opinion.

You are one of Ibiza’s successful exports – are there any names on the island that are following in your footsteps you would like to shine a light on? Who should we be keeping an eye on?

For a Balearic mood, the legendary Blue Marlin resident “Bruz” who just moved to Beach house this year. For proper House music, “Vidal Rodriguez”. A true DJ and fucking good one. He is around the island. For eclectic and dark disco mood, “Secretario” who has a show on Ibiza Sonica every Wednesday 8 pm.
For a live act, “Aigua” Ibiza born and talented producer, he plays in Metro Dance Club, Alicante.

What are your passions and interests away from the music scene?

I love mountain biking, that’s my hobby and Ibiza is an incredible spot for that. I just bought the new CANYON SFX, now while I’m touring I miss it so much, I can’t get it out of my mind haha.

I can imagine you must be quite busy with the imminent start of the Ibiza season, anything you’d like to share with our readers?

This year Ibiza will “explode” and it’s normal, we have been without the main clubs for two years now so everybody is welcome to enjoy the island respectfully, please visit all the hidden beaches, restaurants, gatherings, get lost in the island, often magical things happen – and come to see me in Cova Santa! I will be playing some storytellers, woomoon and All day I dream shows. As well, you can listen to my radio show at Ibiza Sonica every Friday 7 pm. You are all welcome to pass by the studios in Playa den bossa. All international dates will be announced on my socials.

Thank you ! Valentin

Sounds of Khemit ‘Hat-Hoor Sistrum releases at the end of April

Purchase the Sounds of Khemit release HERE

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