Swedish/Spanish artist Andrea Castells has become a fixture on Barcelona’s thriving club scene, bringing together Spanish heat and Scandinavian elegance in her genre-fluid sets. Known for weaving across Indie Dance, House, Melodic House and Techno, her sound takes crowds on melodic journeys that balance groove, darker undertones, and captivating vocals.
Photo credit: Estefanía Cooke – Maximo Figueredo
As one of the founders of Valhalla Music and Avalon, Andrea has helped shape Barcelona’s underground, while holding residencies at Pacha Barcelona. Over the years, she has performed alongside artists like Maceo Plex, Michael Mayer, Adam Ten, Ivory, Kevin de Vries, Sasha, and John Digweed, steadily building her reputation both locally and internationally.
Now marking a milestone with her debut release — a remix of Taylor Bradford’s ‘Space Samba’ alongside Rivellino — Andrea reflects on her journey so far, her inspirations, and what lies ahead.
In this conversation, Andrea Castells opens up about her first release, artistic challenges, and the creative spark driving her forward.
EG: Hi, Andrea! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How are you doing? How is your summer season coming along?
Andrea Castells: Thank you so much for having me! The summer has been really great so far—I’ve been lucky enough to travel quite a bit. I just got back from a fun weekend in Berlin, and I also recently played in Stockholm, the city where I was born and raised, for the first time, which was very special. Another highlight was playing at the magical Cova Santa, Ibiza, in June—definitely a huge bucket list moment.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the release of your new remix for Taylor Bradford’s ‘Space Samba’! You must be stoked to have this one out. What are some of your initial feelings? What has the reception been like? Do you remember the first time you played this one live?
Andrea Castells: Oh my god, yes, I can’t believe it’s finally out! There’s big excitement as this is my first official release, but it also comes with a side of relief, as well, to be honest. There were so many versions—both of the original and of the two remixes—before we all felt like we’d nailed it. Rivellino and I actually had a completely finished, mixed, and mastered version, but something about it didn’t convince us. So, only a few weeks before the label’s deadline, we started over from scratch.
I played the first version at a big outdoor venue in April 2024 for the first time, and even though the crowd was clearly vibing, I wasn’t feeling entirely connected to it somehow. It’s hard to explain, but I’m so glad we gave it another go, as this new version just hits on a whole different level. Seeing it already climb the Beatport charts, currently sitting at number 75 on the Indie Dance Hype Top 100, feels pretty surreal.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on this take of ‘Space Samba’? What was it about the original cut that caught your attention?
Andrea Castells: Taylor’s original is a very special piece, and we instantly knew that it would be a challenge trying to do it justice while trying to stay true to our own sound. It’s a beautiful chaos of lots of percussive elements, Latin rhythms, and vocals sampled from poems by Pablo Neruda, and somehow it all makes sense together. We knew we wanted to make a more stripped-back version that would work well in a club setting, but it wasn’t an easy task to decide which elements to discard in order not to lose the identity of the original track.
EG: And what was the collaborative process with Rivellino like? How did your connection and this opportunity to remix Taylor Bradford come about?
Andrea Castells: Rivellino and I have been keeping a close eye on Beats On Time for the past few years, as their sound is right up our alley. The label founder, Saqib, has a very unique vision which we both admire, and when Rivellino got to share the lineup with him during an Electronic Groove (!) party during ADE back in 2023, they instantly clicked and have been in touch ever since. It was Saqib who introduced us to Taylor Bradford, and the rest is history.
As for working with Rivellino, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner for my first release. He has been the closest thing to a mentor for me for many years now, and I’ve learnt so much from him throughout this process – not only about the technical aspects of music production but also to trust my vision, to dare to be different, and also to ignore my imposter syndrome and believe in myself.
“I believe it’s important to only do things that feel authentic, while staying true to your values and doing what we do for the love of music above anything else”
EG: What is inspiring you these days? What is driving your creative output?
Andrea Castells: More than anything, I’m inspired by seeing my close producer friends thrive and get recognition and support from their own idols. Seeing their tracks being played by some of the biggest names in some of the most iconic venues pushes me to work harder every day. Whenever I feel stuck creatively within music, I try to do something else that also requires focus and creativity. Not many people know this, but I love pottery and actually have my own potter’s wheel at home. Nothing resets my mind like spending a few hours with my hands in clay.
EG: You’ve been behind the decks for a while now, but this remix actually signals your official debut as a producer. Who do you model your sound after? Are there any names that you look up to in that sense?
Andrea Castells: Honestly, I still feel like I have so much more to learn before introducing myself as a producer, but I guess that’s the perfectionist in me talking. When I first started producing, it felt like such a never-ending ocean of information, which was so overwhelming to me. I am so happy to finally feel excited when opening up Ableton instead of frustrated and confused, which is what I felt for a very long time until things started to make sense and concepts became easier to understand.
As I’m still a long way from finding my own voice, I look to different artists and labels depending on what feeling I want to transmit or what elements I’m looking for, and try not to get too focused on a specific sound or genre. When it comes to groove, I love pretty much anything of Maccabi House, and I’m also a big fan of what’s coming out on Collecting Dots, the new label by OMRI. When it comes to darker, dreamy elements that can bring the “goosebump factor” to a track, Maceo Plex is my all-time favorite. The Innervisions artists, especially Âme, are also a big source of inspiration for hypnotic bass lines and leads with that special “je ne sais qoui” that just rips the dance floor apart.
EG: Now, going for a flashback…how did you come across electronic dance music? What was it about it that got you hooked? When and why did you start DJing?
Andrea Castells: I’ve had electronic influences since I was little, thanks to my dad, who raised me on artists like Jean-Michel Jarre, The Alan Parsons Project, and Depeche Mode. But I remember vividly the summer of 2005 when I really discovered electronic music as a genre. I was 16, spending the summer in Mallorca as I did every year, and sneaking into local clubs by telling the bouncer I was 18 but had forgotten my ID at home. That was the summer of Body Language by M.A.N.D.Y. and Booka Shade, and the track was everywhere. The first time I heard it was blasting from a car driving down the promenade, and I was completely mesmerized by its deep house vibes.
It was, however, not until many years later, in 2016, that I decided to buy a small Traktor controller and watch some YouTube tutorials together with a friend with the intention of playing some music for our friends. Little did I know how hooked I would become and how those pre-parties at home would snowball into bar gigs, to small local clubs, to big international venues, and soon become my biggest passion in life.
EG: Given your experience, what are some of the biggest challenges artists will face in the near future?
Andrea Castells: The entire music industry is shifting rapidly, like so many others, because of the fast-paced society we live in. Not only are BPMs climbing and tracks getting shorter—thanks to the TikTok generation—but careers are also being fast-tracked, for good and for bad, but more often than not at the expense of quality. Staying relevant while staying true to yourself and doing things “the right way” can feel like walking a tightrope. I often discuss with friends how much we’re willing to adapt to today’s industry and where to draw the line. It’s fascinating, but also draining at times. Ultimately, I believe it’s important to only do things that feel authentic, while staying true to your values and doing what we do for the love of music above anything else.
“I’m inspired by seeing my close producer friends thrive and get recognition and support from their own idols. Seeing their tracks being played by some of the biggest names in some of the most iconic venues pushes me to work harder every day”
EG: What’s next for Andrea Castells? What milestones are you looking forward to now? Where can your fans catch you next? Any tours planned?
Andrea Castells: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but for once I’m actually looking forward to autumn and winter because I’ll finally have time to focus on making music! Before that, I have some very special festivals coming up, including my Turkey debut for Milagros in Cappadocia this September, plus another big one that’s about to be announced any day now. And with my agency, we’re starting to plan my yearly winter tour in South America, which is always one of the highlights of my year.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Andrea! We wish you all the best in the future. Take care!
Andrea Castells: Thanks for the chat, it’s been an absolute pleasure!
Andrea Castells & Rivellino’s remix of ‘Space Samba’ is out now on Beats On Time. Stream and download here.
Follow Andrea Castells: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
