In 1998 the very first DJ Awards was conceived by Jose Pascual, a legendary figure noted for organising groundbreaking events held in Ibiza, and Lenny Ibizarre, a well known DJ/Producer & Record Label Owner.
The DJ Awards was created to recognise and celebrate the talents of the greatest DJ’s. The fundamental philosophy of the DJ Awards is not that of a competition, as we are dealing with an art form whose merits are purely subjective and therefore there is no best. Rather the DJ Awards focuses on the celebration of the electronic dance music scene, and seeks to let the world know that the art of DJ’ing is a respected craft with world-wide impact. This annual event is the only international DJ awards ceremony to be held in Ibiza which becomes the dance music capital of the world, during the summer months. It is also one of the longest running award ceremonies in the world, whilst enviably still retaining the same ethos as it did when it first started; to honour and celebrate DJs and individuals who have influenced dance music across the globe.
Categories & Nominees
The DJ Awards each year launch via their website a wide selection of categories and nominees which constantly reflect the evolving electronic dance music scene. The various categories celebrate musical talents and productions, which often are groundbreaking on the dance floors of all the major clubs worldwide. All of the nominees in these categories are recommended by a panel of professionals who represent a wide cross section of the electronic dance music industry; media, DJ agencies, technology manufactures, producers, promoters, and of course the DJs themselves. This panel selects the nominees annually and, upon their announcement, the public then ultimately votes for the final winners. These winners are then presented with their award at a grand ceremony held at Ibiza’s most stylish nightclub Pacha. The most celebrated DJ’s worldwide have won awards from Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Erick Morillo, Sven Väth, Carl Cox, David Guetta, Bob Sinclar and Ferry Corsten amongst many others.
The Mascot – Snuffy
The DJ Awards have a mascot, called Snuffy, which is a cross between that famous symbol associated with acid house music the “Smiley” and a little green man. The little alien was chosen to bridge the mundane world of everyday life with that of infinite intergalactic possibilities through the tuning of consciousness. While there are excellent chances that there is life out there in Space there is also almost no possibility to reach beyond our solar system. Through morphogenetic fields of intelligence, a connection can be made, and the DJ Awards are of the firm belief that, when everything is just right, the power of electronic dance music can propel a shamanic force that can lift the sum of consciousness of the people under the spell of the DJ.
The Award – Kryptonite
The DJ Awards Trophy is a piece of green kryptonite. The word kryptonite embodies Crypto (The code and mystery of life) and Nite (The nightlife and its culture). This draws together the sense of adventure and surprise that lies ahead as the sun begins to set and the children of the night spring to life. We have no better explanation for this than Hausman’s famous quote: “Life is not a riddle to be solved, but a mystery to be experienced”
