German-born and Jamaican-raised artist Melanie Ribbe has carved out a respected path in the electronic music world. From her early days experimenting with mixtapes as a child to residencies at Amnesia Ibiza and Cova Santa, she has continually pursued her passion with determination.
Photo credit: Melanie Ribbe – Official
With releases on Moon Harbour, Saved, Viva Limited, Mindshake, and more, collaborations alongside Paco Osuna and Reboot, and global tours at some of the world’s biggest clubs and festivals, her trajectory speaks for itself.
Beyond the booth, Ribbe runs her label Agápe Muzik, curates the Agápe Showcases, and shares her sound through her weekly ‘Groove Nation’ show on Ibiza Global Radio. Most recently, she has been making waves with her ‘Strictly Rhythm’ remix package and her UNLOCKED pop-up series.
Ahead of her performance at NOW HERE Ibiza on September 2nd, Melanie reflects on her busy summer, the concept behind UNLOCKED, the challenges facing artists today, and her vision for what’s next. Grab your tickets here.
EG: Hi, Melanie! Welcome back to EG. As always, it’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How are you doing? How is your summer season coming along?
Melanie Ribbe: Thank you so much for having me back! I’m doing really well and feeling super grateful. This summer has been very intense but also incredibly rewarding — I’ve been traveling nonstop, playing some of my favorite clubs and festivals, and connecting with people on the dance floor again. The energy this year feels very special, and I’m soaking up every moment.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the release of the Strictly Rhythm remix package! We can imagine you must be thrilled to have this one out. What has the initial reception been like so far? What was the process of selecting the remixers like?
Melanie Ribbe: Thank you! I’m honestly over the moon about it. ‘Strictly Rhythm’ is such an iconic track, and I wanted to do a tribute to it on my album. When Paco Osuna first heard my original, he was so inspired by it that he immediately asked me if he could do a remix. He ended up doing two versions, asking me which I preferred, and I loved both so much that I decided to release them together. Then we called Iglesias to finalize the remix package.
Being part of this project is a huge honor, and the response has been amazing — DJs I really respect have been playing it out, and the messages I’ve received from fans have been so encouraging. It’s really beautiful to see how the remixes are connecting with people in different parts of the world.
I wanted the remix package to feel diverse but still cohesive, and each artist brought something truly unique to the table. The idea was to showcase different shades of house — from deeper grooves and acid dub to peak-time energy. I carefully chose remixers whose styles I admire and who I knew could reinterpret the track in fresh and unexpected ways. It was really about trust and creative respect, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.
EG: By the way, congratulations on another successful season at Hï Ibiza with Now Here! So far, you’ve already played back in June, July, and now you’re scheduled to return on September 2nd. What has it been like for you this time around?
Melanie Ribbe: Thank you so much! Honestly, I’m just so grateful to be called back to do my favorite thing — make people dance, smile, and forget about their day-to-day problems by letting go to the beat of my sound. I can’t stop smiling the moment I press play, and the energy of the crowd and the vibe of the island all come together in such a powerful way. This season has felt extra special — there’s a really strong community around, and every set has been unforgettable.
EG: And what can fans expect from your final performance?
Melanie Ribbe: I want to close the season with something really memorable — lots of high energy, emotional moments, and tracks that people can lose themselves in. I always like to surprise the crowd with something unexpected, so let’s just say I’m preparing a set that’s both powerful and very personal to me.
“I’m just so grateful to be called back to do my favorite thing — make people dance, smile, and forget about their day-to-day problems by letting go to the beat of my sound”
EG: Back in June, you took UNLOCKED to Off Week Barcelona. Can you explain what UNLOCKED is? Are there any plans for another pop-up soon?
Melanie Ribbe: UNLOCKED is a project I created to give both myself and other artists more freedom of expression outside of the usual club and festival formats. It’s about creating unique, intimate experiences where music is the central focus. Keeping the real quality underground sound alive without major buildups or FX noise — just pure, groovy, positive-frequency music. I like to make the lineup diverse with names that are not usually on every bill, giving chances to at least two upcoming true talents of the new generation.
The music you hear at any UNLOCKED showcase is truly special and one of a kind. You surely cannot Shazam 90% of the tracks, as they are not easily found on the internet — vinyls, unreleased productions, or promos. Barcelona was incredible — the response really showed me how much people are craving these kinds of pop-ups. And yes, there are definitely more plans in the works — up to 8 special showcases in unique cities and venues per year.
Since starting, we have already successfully conquered São Paulo, Montevideo, Barcelona, Berlin, and Frankfurt. Now we are extremely proud to present our next debuts in Amsterdam for ADE and in Bucharest, Romania. We’re hoping to add Italy after those.
EG: Being in the midst of one of your best professional years, where do you look for inspiration these days?
Melanie Ribbe: My biggest inspiration always comes from real-life experiences — pain, struggles, life, traveling, and just being alive. And of course, isolation in nature is a huge reset for me — it clears my mind and brings me back to a creative flow.
EG: Now, given your experience, what are some of the biggest challenges artists will face in the near future?
Melanie Ribbe: The music industry has been a bit blurry to me. In my eyes, it’s something between a circus performance and self-promotion. We see some “artists” constantly spotlighted who have absolutely no talent — they don’t even know how to produce music or mix, and they hire ghost producers. They’re just the “golden product,” with huge amounts of money invested into growing their social media and paying a fortune for photo and video content.
Many of the things we see now are no longer real or about music. We might find fake talents, pre-recorded sets, or simply a dancing show — a business brand and nothing more. It seems that talent is no longer essential to be a DJ — to create a vibe, to read the crowd. You can become a high-paid DJ performer overnight thanks to a silly TikTok video, without ever having had any real experience before.
I think one of the main challenges will be standing out in a world with so much content and so many artists constantly pushing to be part of the game. Being a real musical artist with genuine roots and true passion will be more important than ever — to stay authentic, to build a real connection with your audience, and to not get lost in the noise. Another challenge is the constant evolution of technology — it’s exciting, but it also means we need to adapt quickly while still keeping the focus on the music. Maybe AI and robots will even replace some of us DJs in the near future, like in restaurants and lounge sets.
“My biggest inspiration always comes from real-life experiences — pain, struggles, life, traveling, and just being alive”
EG: What’s next for Melanie Ribbe? What milestones are you looking forward to now? Where can your fans catch you next?
Melanie Ribbe: I have some really exciting gigs lined up internationally, and I’m also working on new music — my favorite productions so far — which I’m thinking of putting into a third album. A couple of collaborations are in the pipeline as well, which I think people will love, as they’ve already been making waves on the dance floor worldwide. Beyond that, I’m focusing mostly on growing UNLOCKED into a global concept and keeping the fight alive for real producers, musical pioneer legends, and the love of true underground music.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Melanie! We wish you all the best in the future. Take care!
Melanie Ribbe: Thank you! It’s always a pleasure speaking with you. Sending love to everyone reading — I can’t wait to see you all on a dance floor soon! One Love.
Melanie Ribbe’s ‘Strictly Rhythm Remixes’ is out now on Agape Muzik. Stream and download here.
Follow Melanie Ribbe: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
