In a rare blend of myth, music and meaning, multidisciplinary artist WA&Iuml; invites us into his world, from founding BAB&Euml;L in New York to reimagining nightlife as sacred ceremony in the heart of Ibiza.

Wa&euml;l Mechri-Yver is a visionary and a devoted disciple of the dance floor.
As the founder of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/babel/">BAB&Euml;L</a>, the immersive nightlife collective born in New York, his work blurs the lines between sound, ritual and celebration, transforming music into a form of sanctuary. With a deep-rooted belief in the power of collective experience, WA&Iuml; has built not just events but entire worlds. Though he calls the planet home, <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/ibiza/ibiza-dreamer-liam-aldous-writer-curator-another-future">Ibiza</a>, with its magnetic pull and mythic rhythm, holds his heart on something of a long-term lease.
&ldquo;I first discovered Ibiza in a way that felt intimately personal, as though I&rsquo;d stumbled upon a place that already knew me. It wasn&rsquo;t just a journey; it was an unexpected homecoming, an unspoken invitation to somewhere I somehow already belonged.
That first visit was entirely instinctive. A quiet nudge from within simply saying, Go. I couldn&rsquo;t explain it, only that something rare, something vital, was waiting for me there. And I had to find out what it was.&rdquo;

Your first impression of Ibiza?
What is this place?! It felt like stepping through a portal into a realm where beauty, freedom and energy collide in the most surreal yet strangely familiar way. The moment I land, it&rsquo;s always the same sensation: pure joy. I smile without thinking. I&rsquo;ve arrived.
Ibiza doesn&rsquo;t overwhelm you with noise. It moves you with depth. Like that perfect drop in a track that makes your whole body listen.&rdquo;

Has Ibiza influenced your work or your life?
&ldquo;Absolutely. Ibiza cracked something open in me in the most wonderful way.
It reminded me that nightlife isn&rsquo;t just escapism. It can be soulful, even sacred. This island dissolves boundaries: between people, between art and life, between the ordinary and the extraordinary.
Being here has made my work more intentional, more layered. It&rsquo;s no longer just about music. It&rsquo;s about crafting moments that linger long after the last beat fades.&rdquo;

Would you say Ibiza inspires you?
&ldquo;Without question. Ibiza is the frequency I didn&rsquo;t know I was missing.
One moment you&rsquo;re meditating beneath the pines. The next, you&rsquo;re dancing at sunrise beside a drag queen and a didgeridoo player. That contrast, where the mystical and the mad coexist, is what makes Ibiza endlessly magnetic. It reminds me that creativity lives in contradiction.&rdquo;

Any works or projects directly inspired by the island?
&ldquo;Yes. In fact, we&rsquo;ve just taken a major leap: relocating BAB&Euml;L&rsquo;s headquarters from New York to Ibiza, the island that has completely captivated our hearts.
Now, I&rsquo;m thrilled to announce our next chapter: BAB&Euml;L: CELEBRATION at the legendary <a href="https://www.instagram.com/teatropereyra/">Teatro Pereyra</a>. It&rsquo;s my personal love letter to the island, wrapped in rhythm, glitter and reverence.
Launching this summer, BAB&Euml;L: CELEBRATION is an immersive nightlife ritual where ancient ceremony meets Studio 54, kissed with a cosmic twist.
It&rsquo;s where myth, music and mystery converge under one iconic roof. And yes, you might just find yourself dancing with angels.
Beginning 5 June, every Thursday through August, Teatro Pereyra becomes our sacred playground. A sanctuary for dreamers, dancers and wild hearts.
No phones. No published line-ups. No distractions. Just presence, connection and magic.
It&rsquo;s an honour to collaborate with Teatro Pereyra, arguably the island&rsquo;s most culturally rich venue. Lovingly restored over 16 years and relaunched last summer, it has been Ibiza&rsquo;s artistic heartbeat for over a century. A refuge for music, freedom and creative spirit.
To bring BAB&Euml;L&rsquo;s vision to life in such a soul-filled space feels like fate. A homecoming for everything we believe in: artistry, authenticity and collective celebration.
If you know, you know. And if you don&rsquo;t, you will soon.&rdquo;

Photo by Sayana Cairo

Which cultural or artistic elements of Ibiza intrigue you most?
&ldquo;Its radical freedom. Here, labels fall away and the dance floor becomes your canvas.
One night you&rsquo;re moving with a German yogi. The next, you&rsquo;re swapping stories with a Senegalese poet or watching a retired Manchester raver close the party at dawn.
Ibiza is a melting pot of wild souls and unexpected wisdom. A cultural stew with just the right amount of spice.&rdquo;

A place on the island that holds special meaning?
&ldquo;The north of the island is pure magic. Still untouched in many ways.
And Es Vedr&agrave;&hellip; that rock doesn&rsquo;t just sit there. It hums. I go there to breathe, to dream, to reset. It&rsquo;s more than a viewpoint. It&rsquo;s a portal. Some even say it&rsquo;s a gateway to Atlantis.&rdquo;

Has Ibiza taught you anything of real value?
&ldquo;Yes. It&rsquo;s taught me to trust time, to move with purpose, and to honour rhythm. Not only in music, but in life.
There&rsquo;s a grounded magic here. A wisdom you feel rather than hear. The locals don&rsquo;t chase meaning. They live it. That&rsquo;s power.&rdquo;

Do you feel a sense of home or belonging here?
&ldquo;All the time. Ibiza doesn&rsquo;t ask you to prove anything. It simply reflects you back to yourself: louder, freer, truer.
It&rsquo;s less of a destination, more of a vibration. You tune in and remember who you are.&rdquo;

Are there any sights, scents, sounds or tastes that stir something in you?
&ldquo;The cicadas singing at golden hour.
The scent of sun-warmed pine and ancient stone.
Perfumes blending beneath a spinning disco ball.
The Mediterranean on a plate: salt, depth, light.
Ibiza is a five-sense poem. It doesn&rsquo;t just touch you. It stays.&rdquo;

How do you feel when you leave the island?
&ldquo;Like I&rsquo;ve just stepped out of something sacred. I&rsquo;m still myself, just a little less glitter, a little more grounded.
But the island always comes with me. I return more open, more fearless, more alive&hellip; and usually, barefoot.&rdquo;

Ibiza Dreamer: Waël Mechri-Yver

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