“Living in the moment”: How Paco Osuna has stayed at the forefront of dance music for 30 years

You’re reflecting on three decades in music this year, what has been your biggest “pinch me” moment across this time?

As a DJ I have had many amazing moments and experiences and I have enjoyed them very much, but having your own party in Ibiza with a brand and a philosophy that is supported by the audience – they really are and feel part of the concept – is something very special. I think that since I started NOW HERE I am experiencing a moment of maturity and satisfaction that I have not had before. NOW HERE is like my child and seeing your child grow is something that is always EXCITING.

Your Mindshake label has gone from strength to strength since its 2005 inception … what is the deciding factor for you in what makes the cut for the label?

For me it is essential that they are tracks that I can use in my DJ sets. Mindshake is a label created for the dancefloor and if I didn’t play the tracks from my label I wouldn’t feel identified with the sound and I wouldn’t be able to release it on my label. As the top exponent of a label you also have to be its biggest ambassador and supporter.

What do you think the secret to longevity is for a DJ? Is it constantly upgrading your set up? Finding new music?

I think the secret is to understand the musical moment you are in and what that generation likes. As I said before, music has changed and so has the audience. The generation that listened to me when I started doesn’t go out to party as much anymore, so I can’t keep playing that music. You have to understand and connect with the audience, but very importantly, ALWAYS WITHOUT LOSING YOUR IDENTITY.

While you are celebrating 30 years in dance music, you are also celebrating three years of your NOW HERE residency at Hi Ibiza – can you let us know one of you favourite moments from the residency’s run?

Every Tuesday I go into the Club Room is like entering paradise, the place where I forget all my problems and enjoy the moment. I have done very special sessions – like openings or closings – where there are long sets, but every Tuesday has been special for me, because the connection I feel with the audience in that room is unique.

Read this next: Paco Osuna’s NOW HERE residency runs rings around Ibiza’s mainstream club nights

What can fans expect from your full club takeover at Hï Ibiza?

Well, the best of me. Both will be nights with two different initiatives. On September 5 I have invited the new generations of DJs and on September 19, I will be with artists of my generation who have been part of my history in Ibiza and in general. It will be very special for me and I want to do my best to make them two incredible nights.

You’ll be taking NOW HERE to Amsterdam for ADE and New York this coming Autumn, Did you ever envision the party would become international? How will the party format change for US and Netherlands crowds?

Yes, from the beginning I thought that the party would become international. NOW HERE is not just a party but a philosophy of life, living in the moment without thinking about anything else, there is no past or future, there is only what we experience at that moment. I have always said that you cannot change the past nor can you predict the future – the only thing we are clear about is the moment we are living in now. NOW HERE was born from that way of thinking and that’s why we try to give our best so that the audience enjoys the music every minute they are with us, so that they live the now intensely.

Wherever we go with NOW HERE we try to ensure that the identity is not lost – neither musically nor aesthetically – because wherever they call us it is because they like what we do in Ibiza, which is where the concept was born, so it wouldn’t make sense to change and bring a different atmosphere.

Can you explain what ‘Live Atope’ means, and how it has influenced your career and life so far?

Living Atope means living to the fullest, living life and enjoying it to the fullest, we only have one life and this is it, so we have to enjoy it ATOPE. Just by knowing the meaning of NOW HERE, you can imagine how much this motto has influenced my career!

Has having a child affected your DJ lifestyle and the way you DJ compared to those early days?

Having a child has changed a lot in the way I live my life, but not in my music or in my way of DJing!

Congrats on the release of the ‘Beat Heat’ EP – what’s next? Can you see yourself working on another full-length album in the future?

Well, I hope so and I really want it. I just set up my studio at home again and that allows me to not have to invest time getting there and to be able to produce whenever I want without leaving home, hahaha. Between all the travelling for gigs, when I get home I’m really tired and I don’t feel like going to the studio, apart from the fact that as a father I have some obligations that I can’t put aside. So now everything will be easier and I’ll be able to produce more regularly.

Paco Osuna will play in Hï Ibiza‘s Club Room on September 3, get tickets here

NOW HERE takes over Hï Ibiza in full on September 5 and September 19. Grab your tickets here, and check out the line-ups below