Caraca-born, Barcelona-based electronic musician Adolfo Olivo works across DJing, production, booking, and artistic direction.
Photo credit: Adolfo Olivo – Facebook
Through his Bill Hates project, he explores a spectrum spanning groovy techno, deep house, ambient, and melodic electronic music, often using modular and analog synthesizers.
He has now turned his attention to Kamaya Festival, where he works alongside Vite to shape the event’s musical identity. The inaugural First Signal edition takes place on August 15th, 2026, at Agia Triada Beach in Protaras, Cyprus, with Dixon, Mind Against, Luca Saporito, Monkey Safari, Jonathan Kaspar, Igor Marijuan, VITE, Bill Hates, and African Stevenson.
In this conversation, Adolfo Olivo discusses Kamaya‘s founding vision, the thinking behind its lineup, its relationship with Cyprus‘ local electronic music community, and the festival’s plans beyond its debut edition.
EG: Hi Adolfo, welcome to Electronic Groove. It’s a pleasure to have you with us. With Kamaya Festival preparing to make its mark, how have you been, and what has been occupying most of your attention in the lead-up to the event?
Adolfo Olivo: I’ve been very good, thank you. It’s an exciting moment, but definitely a busy one. Most of my attention lately has been focused on putting the final pieces of Kamaya Festival together and making sure the experience feels coherent from beginning to end. For me, it’s not only about the lineup, but about creating an atmosphere where the music, location, production, and people all connect naturally.
We’re building something new in Cyprus, so there are a lot of details to take care of behind the scenes. At the same time, I’ve been working on my own music and DJ projects, which keeps me creatively engaged. The closer we get to the festival, the more real everything feels.
Seeing artists like Dixon, Mind Against and Luca Saporito coming together in such a special location is something I’m genuinely excited about. Now it’s mostly about enjoying the final stretch and, finally, getting everyone together on the beach.
EG: Kamaya Festival is a new addition to the electronic music landscape. What was the original vision behind creating the festival, and what gap did you feel it could fill within the scene?
Adolfo Olivo: The vision behind Kamaya was to create a festival where music and the overall experience come first. The Festival Director brought together a team with very different but complementary backgrounds, including Vite from Vagalume in Tulum, myself as Music Director, with my experience booking artists through Melomanie, and people who have worked on projects such as Space Miami and Brunch Electronik.
We felt there was a gap in the current festival landscape. There’s increasingly a focus on DJs as influencers and on individual names, sometimes at the expense of the overall musical journey. We wanted to approach it differently: create a coherent lineup where every artist has a purpose, and the music takes you through a journey from beginning to end.
Production is equally important to us. Sound, visuals, stage design, location, and music should feel like one complete experience rather than separate elements. And having Agia Triada, one of Cyprus’ most emblematic beaches, as our setting gives us an incredible foundation.
Ultimately, Kamaya is about creating a complete experience — something that feels carefully curated from the first track to the last moment.
EG: As Artistic Director, what does your role involve on a day-to-day basis, and how do you approach shaping the festival’s identity?
Adolfo Olivo: As Artistic Directors, Vite and I work closely together to shape Kamaya’s musical identity and make sure every artistic decision serves the experience we want to create.
Our role goes far beyond booking artists. We are involved in the lineup, artist relations, scheduling, music direction, and the overall flow of the festival. We constantly look at how each element connects with the next and how we can create a natural journey for the audience.
For me, a lineup is not simply a collection of great names. It should tell a story, with each artist having a purpose and contributing to the energy of the day. My experience as a DJ and through booking artists gives me a perspective from both sides of the booth.
Ultimately, Vite and I want Kamaya to feel authentic, sophisticated and deeply music-driven, with the artists, production, location and audience all becoming part of one cohesive experience.
“We’re looking for artists who create moments, not just attention”
EG: Every successful festival has a distinct personality. What are the core values and artistic principles guiding Kamaya Festival from the outset?
Adolfo Olivo: Kamaya is built around three core principles: musical curation, authenticity, and experience. We want the lineup to feel intentional and coherent, rather than driven simply by popularity. Every artist should have a purpose within the journey. We also believe production, location and music must work as one. Above all, we want Kamaya to feel genuine, sophisticated and connected to its audience, while creating something people will remember beyond the music itself.
EG: Cyprus has become an increasingly interesting destination for electronic music in recent years. From your perspective, what makes the island’s scene unique?
Adolfo Olivo: Cyprus has a unique energy because it combines a growing electronic music community with an incredible Mediterranean setting. There’s a real openness to new sounds and international artists, while the island still feels less saturated than other European destinations. That allows Cyprus to develop its own identity and become a meaningful destination for electronic music.
EG: How would you describe the current state of the Cyprus electronic music community, and what developments have excited you most in recent years?
Adolfo Olivo: The Cyprus electronic music community is growing quickly, with a new generation of promoters, DJs and audiences pushing the scene forward. What excites me most is the increasing connection with international artists and the emergence of events that put real emphasis on musical curation and production. There’s a strong sense that Cyprus is ready to become a serious destination for electronic music.
Kamaya Festival is set to take place on August 15th, 2026, at Agia Triada Beach in Protaras, Cyprus. Grab your tickets here.
EG: Building a festival is about much more than booking artists. How important is it for Kamaya to connect with local creatives, promoters, venues, and communities?
Adolfo Olivo: It’s extremely important. Kamaya is not about bringing an international festival model to Cyprus without connecting with the local scene. We want to work with local artists, promoters, and creatives who understand the island and are already building its culture. African Stevenson is a great example of this; he’s been doing things really well and represents the quality and potential of the local community.
EG: When curating a lineup, what qualities do you look for beyond an artist’s popularity or profile? What makes someone a good fit for the Kamaya experience?
Adolfo Olivo: Beyond popularity, we look for artists with a strong musical identity, character, and the ability to connect with an audience. Technical skill is important, but so is understanding the context of the set and the journey of the festival. For Kamaya, every artist needs to bring something unique while fitting naturally into the overall musical narrative. We’re looking for artists who create moments, not just attention.
“Ultimately, Kamaya is about creating a complete experience — something that feels carefully curated from the first track to the last moment”
EG: Sustainability and community impact have become important conversations across the festival world. Are there any specific initiatives or philosophies that Kamaya is embracing in this regard?
Adolfo Olivo: Sustainability and community are important parts of our philosophy. We want Kamaya to grow responsibly, working closely with local suppliers, creatives and businesses wherever possible. We’re also conscious of the responsibility that comes with hosting an event in a beautiful natural environment like Agia Triada. Our goal is to leave a positive impact on the local community while protecting the character of the place we call home for the festival.
EG: Looking beyond the debut edition, what is your long-term vision for Kamaya Festival, both within Cyprus and on the wider international electronic music map?
Adolfo Olivo: Our long-term vision is to establish Kamaya first in Cyprus, where we plan to build an annual flagship edition and make it one of the island’s defining electronic music events. From there, we want to take the Kamaya experience to key electronic music destinations through showcases in places like Ibiza, Amsterdam, Miami, and Tulum. We also see Kamaya evolving beyond the festival format, with plans to develop it into a record label, creating another platform to support artists and our musical vision. The goal is to grow internationally without losing the identity and quality that define Kamaya from the beginning.
EG: Finally, what can attendees expect from the inaugural edition, and what do you hope people will take away from the experience once the festival comes to a close?
Adolfo Olivo: For the inaugural edition, people can expect a carefully curated musical journey, world-class artists, strong production, and the unique setting of Agia Triada beach. But beyond the lineup, we want every element to feel connected, from the sound and visuals to the atmosphere and location.
We hope that people leave feeling that they experienced something rather than simply attended a festival. We want Kamaya to create memories, discover new music, connect people and, hopefully, leave them already looking forward to the next chapter.
EG: Thank you so much for your time. We wish you all the best with Kamaya Festival and everything ahead. Take care!
Adolfo Olivo: Thank you for having me. It’s been a pleasure to share a little more about Kamaya and what we’re building in Cyprus. We’re incredibly excited for the first edition and for everything that comes next. See you on the beach!
Kamaya Festival is set to take place on August 15th, 2026, at Agia Triada Beach in Protaras, Cyprus. Grab your tickets here.
