Having taught himself to DJ at the age of 13, Andrea then started working in a record store where he built his extensive collection of upfront promos and white labels from Europe and beyond and he soon secured bookings at some of Switzerland’s best clubs leading to residencies at Terminus and Pravda. After an incredible few years of production whilst gigging everywhere from Panorama Bar to Coachella, his reputation as a credible artist continued to grow further.
Andrea Oliva: Hello all. I haven’t really done anything else in my life that wasn’t connected to music somehow. I’ve worked in record stores, distribution, as a promoter, DJ, producer… everything! I started DJing when I was 13 and I have the best memories from that time… When I discovered “that” sound it captured and fascinated me straight away!
EG: For people that don’t know you, how would you describe yourself and your sound? How did you develop it?
Andrea Oliva: Everyone would probably have a different view on my sound! It’s important for an artist to have their own sound but its even more important to surprise people and give them a different vision of where your sound can go! I like diverse sets, for example sticking to just one genre is a bit too boring for me and makes the whole journey of a set kinda boring also. So as you can maybe understand I don’t like to catalog my sound and it’s up to the people to describe it! I just do what I feel, can be house or techno, energetic or deep, as long as it has a soul.
EG: Tell us all about your latest track, ‘My Way’. How did the track come about?
Andrea Oliva: I came across that vocal, it was weird and catchy at the same time, I usually don’t work with vocals that much but once I built the groove and that acid line around it I knew and I thought “I have to give that record to Seth Troxler’s label Play It Say It”
EG: You collaborated with The Martinez Brothers on the remix. How do you think this has added to the original release?
Andrea Oliva: I have known the Martinez bros a long time – we met some years ago in Basel where I spotted them on the dancefloor while I was playing and I told them to go grab their records! We ended up playing back-to-back-to-back for the rest of the night! I like their grooves in productions, the repetitive almost hypnotic sounds are just on point.
“I don’t like to catalog my sound and it’s up to the people to describe it”
EG: You’ve returned to Ibiza for your residency at ANTS. What can we expect from your sets?
Andrea Oliva: The stage production is next level this year, you all need to come and check it out! You need to come and check my sets also there though there’s nothing to expect… Its all about experiencing.
EG: What kind of preparation do you do before a show? What happens in the leadup to an Andrea Oliva set?
Andrea Oliva: Well it’s not always the same. Sometimes you don’t even have time to check into your hotel and you go straight to the club or festival to play. I like to prepare myself with a dinner surrounded by friends if I can and enjoy every minute of it.
EG: What are your favorite places to chill out and relax in Ibiza when you’re not working?
Andrea Oliva: Anywhere I can hang with friends. Mostly in restaurants around the island, there are some incredible spots to relax in Ibiza.
EG: What is it about Ibiza that makes it so special compared to other dance music hotspots?
Andrea Oliva: The air! The food! The weather! The people! The vibe!
“My focus is the music and the rest happens naturally!”
EG: You have a packed tour schedule throughout the rest of the year. Do you ever feel like you need a break/wish you had more time in the studio, and how do you find balance?
Andrea Oliva: After every month of heavy touring I feel like I need a proper vacation but I am young and I can handle it… So once I find the right balance in those busy summer months I just go with the flow. I usually have January off also where I have time for vacation, studio and family and I always try to play not far from home in December so I can be around my family more, that’s my kind of balance.
EG: You’ve already accomplished a lot in your career, is there anything else you would like to achieve soon?
Andrea Oliva: As I said I’ll go with the flow! There are always new missions in a career. My focus is the music and the rest happens naturally!
Andrea Oliva’s ‘My Way’ is already available on Play It, Say It. Stream and buy here.
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