When it comes to launching a new Ibiza party, Andrea Oliva is more familiar than most with the concept of risk and reward. His has been instrumental, alongside many others, in the evolution of ANTS in Ushuaïa every Saturday, which started at zero and is now one of the island’s most popular gatherings. It was no surprise, then, that he would be invited to be part of the resident team that would shoulder he responsibility of the Hï Ibiza debut season.

Andrea Oliva can be found in Hï Ibiza every Tuesday night, where he shares the new venue with Eric Prydz, looking after the Club while the Swede takes on Theatre duties. Andrea Olivia & Friends has proved to be a popular addition to the nocturnal scene on the island, as he invites a series of peers to join him in delivering a cool soundtrack to a room that was designed with exactly that in mind. Having firmly established itself on Ibiza 2017, on the back of some memorable parties, Andrea Oliva & Friends is all set for the latter part of the summer. Ahead of the closing party on August 22, we caught up with Andrea to get an idea of what it takes to bring an idea to fruition as a fully functioning party…

You’ve been with ANTS in UshuaÏa Ibiza since day one; how much satisfaction has there been in watching it grow to what it has now become?
A crazy amount of satisfaction – hard work usually pays off! When we spoke to people 5-6 years ago about what was being planned with this concept, no one really got it –  now they know.

Was that one of the main factors in accepting the Tuesday night Andrea Oliva & Friends hosting at Hï Ibiza, having control from the beginning?
You can’t be successful if you don’t take risks. You sometimes need to struggle first to get where you want. Tuesday’s has become one of my favourite days, it’s so nice to see how the night has built from zero – only like this can we build the basis for something bigger in the future.

How has it been so far, how are you enjoying your new home?
I’m loving it – new challenges are always exciting and even more when you see the results coming with time.

You’ve played in many of the island’s venues, how does Hï Ibiza compare?
I don’t want to compare it with any other clubs because each club on the island has its own kind of special thing. Hï Ibiza is different to any of the other clubs though – it’s a brand-new club and it is building its own personality –  that’s the whole point of bringing something new to the island. It would have made no sense to copy any other club really and if you ask me it’s a great addition to Ibiza – a fresh, new and innovative breeze.

You share the Tuesday night with Eric Prydz, what makes him the perfect neighbour?
Besides loving Eric as an artist, I think it’s perfect because its different music and also a different crowd –  the perfect mix of everything I would say.

You’ve already had a series of strong line-ups this summer and that continues, who are you most looking forward to sharing the booth with?
Everyone really – from the warm up DJs to the guests – firstly because I know everyone is looking forward and secondly just to hang out… I consider all of them my friends – that’s why i booked them and that’s why I am looking forward to hanging out, playing music and having a great time.

Having clocked up nearly 100,000 KMs on the road so far this year, how good is it to have a base for the summer?
133078 kilometres to be precise LOL. That’s a great feature on my website, right? OK, yeah, it’s a blessing to be based in Ibiza for the summer – even when it’s only one day off I have on this island, it feels like a vacation to me.

When you’re not in the booth or fulfilling other party duties, what makes for the perfect day/ night in Ibiza?
Sleep, beach, sport, eating and hanging out with friends!