Ibiza house music legend Clara Da Costa is the very welcome guest for episode 42 of the Gangstercast. Clara has one of the more interesting stories in House music having run away from home to pursue her dream of living in Ibiza, she secured her first residency for Es Paradis at the age of just 15! By 17 Clara was creative director of the venue resulting in the likes of Clockwork Orange and Up Yer Ronson making the club their home.
Since then Clara has gone on to work for large Spanish labels such as Blanco y Negro and Vale Music (Universal) as well as remaining in the club/promoter scene. DJing has always remained her first love and Clara continues residencies at Es Viva and Sands in Playa Den Bossa, as well as hosting the ‘Jacks House’ radio show on Ibiza Sonica.
This Gangstercast is in fact a live recording from the opening of Sands in Playa Den Bossa, and Clara explains how the mix represents her style, “It is full of tracks that I love from many producers across the globe. It represents what I like to put out there on the dance floor. The most important element of DJing for me, is seeing the crowd dance without having to go down a commercial route but playing accessible quality tracks. I recorded this mix live and most of the tracks had been carefully selected from promos sent to me from the many labels and artists that I have discovered or already support. Ultimately I chose all the tracks but the dance floor communicates to me what I think it needs in each moment.”
Clara’s back story leaves no doubt about her commitment to House music or that she is a genuine House Gangster and she states that, “[To me House music means everything. A style of music that has brought people across the globe together from all walks of life and continues to do so. When I listen to House Music, nothing else matters, just the beat. It is my life. For me, the [House Gangster] movement expresses music and the attitude towards it with authenticity and integrity. A movement keeping true to it's roots.”