We met Vanessa at the Tomorrowland Store Ibiza and instantly knew her story was worth sharing. What began as a simple translation of an artist contract unexpectedly led to her first booking – Tiësto and opened the door to a lifelong career in the music industry.In this interview, Vanessa reflects on the power of authenticity, the magic of human connection, and the lessons she’s learned while helping shape some of electronic music’s most inspiring journeys. Sit back, dive in, and get inspired.
How did your journey in the music industry begin? Did you always know this was the world you wanted to be part of?
Honestly, my journey into the music industry happened almost by accident.
Back in 2006, after spending nearly three years living in Holland, I returned to Spain without any real plan of working in music. I had moved there simply to study English and Dutch, never imagining how important those two languages would later become in my life.
When I came back, I started working for Pacha at one of their franchise venues in La Pineda, helping the international PR department, sales and promotion. One day, because I was one of the few people in the company who spoke fluent English, my boss asked me to translate an artist contract.
That contract ended up being my very first artist contract ever, I booked Tiësto. And somehow, from that moment on, everything changed.
Back then, the industry was very different. The person booking the artist was often also the driver, the artist liaison, the PR manager, the stage manager, and a long etc … everything at once. I learned the industry from the inside out, in the most hands-on and organic way possible.
I stayed there for six years, growing day by day without even realizing that music had quietly become my entire world.
And no, I never imagined this would become my life.
It’s funny because my very first boyfriend, when I was 14 years old, was actually a DJ. But even then, I never thought music would one day define my path.
Looking back now, it all feels like a beautiful chain of coincidences, decisions and consequences that slowly guided me exactly where I was meant to be.
Today, honestly, I wouldn’t know how to do anything else. And I wouldn’t want to belong anywhere else either.
What is the “something special” you look for in an artist before deciding to support them?
For me, it has always been about emotion.
More than the genre, the image, the trends or even the music itself, what truly moves me is the connection an artist creates with people.
You can have amazing music, incredible visuals and a strong brand, but if there is no real emotion coming from the booth, the audience feels it immediately.
Music is energy.
Music is emotion.
And when an artist genuinely connects with the crowd, something magical happens.
That feeling is impossible to fake.
I’m also very drawn to artists who are deeply passionate about what they do.
Artists who truly care.
Artists who work with dedication, sensitivity and purpose.
People who still believe in music emotionally, not only professionally.
Honestly, outside of my project with B Jones, I wouldn’t say I’ve traditionally “developed” artists in the industry.
In many cases, it has simply been about helping people when they needed support, guidance or someone who believed in them.
But the greatest project of my life has undoubtedly been the journey with B Jones.
We have grown together through every stage imaginable — emotionally, professionally and personally.
And that journey has shaped me more than anything else.
What should an upcoming DJ have, besides talent, to truly stand out today?
I honestly don’t think there’s only one answer.
Of course, talent matters.
Production quality matters.
DJ skills matter.
But beyond the technical side, what truly makes someone unforgettable is authenticity.
Today, artists need identity.
A universe.
A soul.
I think one of the biggest mistakes young artists make is trying too hard to imitate others or follow trends instead of embracing what makes them unique.
For me, originality is everything.
And again, connection is incredibly important.
Not only through music, but also through social media, through storytelling and through the way an artist makes people feel.
At the end of the day, audiences connect with honesty.
People feel authenticity.
And that emotional connection is what creates longevity.
Have there been artists you immediately knew would become huge?
Yes, definitely.
There have been a few moments where I immediately felt certain artists had something very special long before others noticed it.
But honestly, I also believe very strongly in giving people opportunities.
When someone truly believes in themselves, works hard, stays consistent and keeps pushing despite the difficulties, eventually people notice.
This industry is emotionally intense and incredibly demanding.
Success takes resilience.
Patience.
Persistence.
You need to keep evolving while somehow still remembering to enjoy the process.
And when someone has that mentality, combined with talent and authenticity, it usually becomes visible sooner or later.
Of course, there have also been moments where I was wrong.
That’s part of the industry too.
But yes, there have absolutely been artists where I instantly felt that spark.
Looking back at your career, what has been the key to your growth in such a competitive industry?
Honestly, I think I’ve always approached this industry very differently from many people.
Most of the time, if you see me in a club, it’s because I’m there working.
I don’t drink alcohol and I’ve never taken drugs in my life. I think that helped me stay focused and approach the industry from a much more professional and grounded perspective. (And I don´t mean that people in this Industry do, but you know what I mean ..)
I’m also an extremely curious person.
I love learning.
I ask questions constantly.
Since the beginning, I always wanted to understand every part of this business and keep evolving.
But beyond that, I think what has helped me the most is being genuine.
Being loyal.
Being respectful.
I don’t like conflicts.
I don’t believe in competing against others.
I’ve always focused more on improving myself and doing my work with love and consistency.
And honestly, money was never the reason why I stayed in this industry.
If money had been my main motivation, I probably would have left a long time ago.
Everything for me has always come from passion.
From curiosity.
From love for music.
From genuinely wanting to help people.
I also think I’m a very approachable person, and luckily I believe people usually feel comfortable around me.
At the end of the day, I truly believe persistence, consistency and caring deeply about what you do always create opportunities.
Ibiza can feel intense sometimes. Where do you go when you need peace and disconnection?
What I love most about Ibiza are the hidden places.
The small beaches.
The old fishermen’s docks.
The corners of the island that still preserve that authentic and peaceful Ibiza feeling.
Places like Cala Escondida, the small embarcaderos around Sa Caleta, the hidden docks near Cala Tarida… those places still carry a very special energy.
And especially Formentera
Whenever I can, I escape there.
Formentera gives me peace.
Air.
Silence.
Calmness.
It allows me to disconnect emotionally and reconnect with myself.
I also love Es Portitxol, although reaching it requires quite a long walk.
In the middle of summer it becomes almost impossible because of the heat, but for me it’s one of the most magical places on the island.
Do you still enjoy going out to parties yourself?
Honestly, not really.
At least not in the same way anymore.
After so many years in the industry, so many festivals, so many events and so many nights, very little surprises me anymore from a clubbing perspective.
The moments I truly enjoy today are actually much simpler.
Usually when I’m back in my hometown with my childhood friends, dancing together to completely different music and simply enjoying life.
Nowadays, if I enjoy an event, it’s more because of the people and the atmosphere than because of the party itself.
That’s why Tomorrowland still feels so special to me.
Because it’s much more than a festival.
It’s an emotion.
A world.
An experience.
And honestly, that’s what I look for now — meaningful experiences, human connection and intimate environments where people genuinely connect.
Which artist inspires you the most right now?
Honestly, I would probably say my own artist, B Jones.
Despite living through an incredibly difficult and painful health situation, I genuinely believe this period has taken her to the deepest and most authentic artistic place she has ever reached.
She has produced some of the best music of her entire career during this time from the hospital.
I feel like she has finally discovered her true identity as an artist.
Her emotional depth.
Her real sound.
Ironically, even though she cannot currently perform or physically connect with crowds, this is probably the moment where she feels the most connected to herself creatively and to hr fans.
Music has become her purest form of expression.
So yes, if I had to choose one artist who inspires me deeply right now, it would absolutely be her.
And honestly, outside of electronic music, I’m often inspired by artists from completely different genres.
Nowadays I feel much more connected to emotional storytelling, authenticity and artistic sensitivity than to trends.
What can we expect this season at the Tomorrowland Store Ibiza rooftop?
This season is already feeling incredibly exciting because so many artists genuinely want to be part of the rooftop experience.
The space has developed its own identity on the island.
It feels intimate, magical and completely different from the traditional club experience in Ibiza.
The Boiler Room-inspired concept allows artists to reconnect with people in a much more human and authentic way.
At the end of the day, artists also miss intimacy.
They miss closeness.
They miss real connection.
And this rooftop creates exactly that.
So yes, there are definitely many surprises coming this summer but we will have a lot of Guest Djs, Label Showcases and Carly’s Wilford radios show 4:4 on OWR broadcasted from Ibiza every week.
Some things still need to remain secret for now because certain artists cannot be announced in advance, but people should absolutely expect many very special moments.
One thing I can already confirm is that Roger Sanchez will host his album release event with us on June 4th, hope you can come ; )
And honestly, that’s only the beginning.
What makes the magic of Tomorrowland so unique?
For me, the magic of Tomorrowland lives in the people who makes this festival possible.
It lives in the emotion you feel while walking through the festival.
In the energy.
In the unity.
In the sensitivity.
In the feeling of belonging to something bigger than yourself.
Tomorrowland is not only about DJs or stages.
It’s about human connection.
About emotion.
About storytelling.
About imagination.
And of course, there is also the unbelievable creativity behind everything.
The stages.
The worlds they build.
The details.
The intention behind every experience.
It honestly feels like stepping into another universe or into a fairy tail…
I truly believe it’s something everyone should experience at least once in their life.
Finally, what advice would you give to young people dreaming of working in the music industry?
I would tell them to never lose the excitement they felt when they first fell in love with music.
Of course, we all need to survive and build a future, but music is emotion.
Music is passion.
Music is life.
So my advice would be: don’t rush.
Enjoy every step.
Every small achievement.
Every opportunity.
Don’t become obsessed with numbers, trends or constantly chasing success.
What truly matters is perseverance, consistency and continuing to do what genuinely makes you feel alive.
Believe in yourself.
Protect your identity.
Embrace what makes you different.
Authenticity is one of the most powerful things an artist — or honestly any human being — can have.
And I think that applies not only to music, but to life itself.
Every person has something unique and magical inside them.
The important thing is not being afraid to show it to the world.
