Flamenco, femininity and the future of electronic ritual.

I remember the first time I saw a Flamenco show, in Seville, in a small tablao in the Triana neighbourhood. A crescendo of sensuality and theatricality, enveloped in the silence of an admiring audience. From these deep roots comes the Spanish DJ duo <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mestiza.music/">M&euml;stiza</a>, blending Flamenco tradition with contemporary electronic music. Their performances, embodied in the spirit and essence of their&nbsp;Sacro&nbsp;parties, reconcile the energy of disco clubbing with the folkloric pulse of Andalusian singing and gypsy melodies. A mix of ritual and spirituality, music, art and fashion, for a feminine sound full of elegance and identity.&nbsp;
An identity that also lives through an unmistakable style, dominated by Cordob&eacute;s hats, sunglasses,&nbsp;abanico&nbsp;fans and spectacular dresses. For summer 2025, a rich tour around Europe awaits, with a fixed stop in Ibiza as resident artists at <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/people-of-ibiza/people-of-ibiza-yann-pissenem">H&iuml; Ibiza</a>, and a second album on the way.

Total looks, JUAN VIDAL.

L&rsquo;OFFICIEL IBIZA: How did you start working together? What were you looking for when you joined forces professionally?
M&Euml;STIZA: We started out in the world of electronic music more than ten years ago, already playing together in clubs in Madrid and other cities in Spain. At the time, we were among the few women on the scene, unfortunately. I wouldn&rsquo;t say we were really friends, more acquaintances and colleagues. After the pandemic, with the clubs still closed, we started talking more and keeping in touch. One day we met up and did a livestream DJ set on Twitch. That&rsquo;s when we realised we had a connection.

LOIB: How did the idea of mixing Flamenco with electronic music come about?
M: It comes from our experience. Flamenco was part of our daily lives and the music we listened to at home. When we started playing, we began with Afro-house, but then we asked ourselves why we weren&rsquo;t playing a type of music that belonged to us. Flamenco is Spanish music, but in a certain sense it is universal. It speaks of human emotions that have no language. We wanted to offer it to a young audience through a modern language such as electronic music. So we started incorporating Spanish instruments &ndash; guitars,&nbsp;cajones, castanets &ndash; and Flamenco singing into our work, and it was an immediate success.

LOIB: What excites you most about Flamenco?
M: Flamenco is very emotional, but the most powerful thing about it is how it expresses pain. It is one of the few musical genres in which pain is expressed intensely and without filters. In pop music, pain is often sugar-coated. In Flamenco, it is raw and real.

&ldquo;Flamenco is Spanish music, but in a certain sense it is universal. It speaks of human emotions that have no language.&rdquo;

Total looks, ALINEO STUDIO. Hats, DOMINNICO.

LOIB: How did the name &ldquo;M&euml;stiza&rdquo; come about?
M: We were looking for a name that sounded feminine, with a typically Spanish letter like &ldquo;z&rdquo;, and we wanted it to be unique. Even though there are two of us, for us M&euml;stiza is a single entity, as if we were one person. The very meaning of the word is important:&nbsp;mestiza&nbsp;represents the fusion of two cultures, it means mixed blood,&nbsp;mestizo, and Spain has always been a land of cultural encounters &ndash; Arabs, Africans, Gypsies... all this is part of our identity.

LOIB: This year you are resident artists at H&iuml; Ibiza. What does playing on the island mean to you?
M: For us, being in our fifth year as international resident DJs in Ibiza, and this year in the best club in the world, is a dream come true. It&rsquo;s an achievement, but also an opportunity to represent the uniqueness of our musical offering and a way to support young emerging DJs.

LOIB: Do you feel a special connection with Ibiza?
M: Absolutely. Ibiza has always been a goal for us. It&rsquo;s an energetic place that is part of our homeland, and we&rsquo;ve put a lot of effort into playing here. We started from the bottom and are very happy and proud of where we are today.
LOIB: Do you have a pre- or post-performance ritual?
M: Before each set, we hold hands and connect. It&rsquo;s important to be in tune. It&rsquo;s our way of starting with good energy, because what you give to the audience, you also receive.

Trench and shoes, FERRAGAMO; Sunglasses, Safilo for DSQUARED2; Jewellery, ELISA POMAR IBIZA. Dress, CLARO COUTURE; bag, FERRAGAMO; Sunglasses, Safilo for DSQUARED2; Jewellery, ELISA POMAR IBIZA.

&ldquo;Ibiza has always been a goal for us. It&rsquo;s an energetic place that is part of our homeland, and we&rsquo;ve put a lot of effort into playing here.&rdquo;

LOIB: Is there a set or performance that had a particular impact on you artistically?
M: Our start at Cova Santa was special. We remember the first time we performed our Flamenco show in the club&rsquo;s natural cave. It was a unique moment. But also, on the first day of this season at H&iuml; Ibiza, we presented a new performance and it was exciting.

LOIB: One of your most famous performances is your&nbsp;Sacro&nbsp;format. How did it come about?
M:&nbsp;Sacro&nbsp;was born four years ago. It is our creative universe &ndash; the complete M&euml;stiza experience. We choose everything: the line-up, the venue, the set design. It is our big dream that lives around the world.
LOIB: Do you have any artistic or other role models?
M: We speak for ourselves. We like to think that we have become a female role model in electronic music. We are inspired by all those strong women in the history of Flamenco and&nbsp;copla&nbsp;who did what they loved despite censorship and criticism. And then there are our mothers: strong, independent women who are powerful role models.

LOIB: Let&rsquo;s talk a little about fashion. How do you put together your looks?
M: We always try to reinterpret Spanish aesthetics &ndash; with fans, capes or hats &ndash; but with a contemporary twist. At first, we were much more covered up, with an almost oriental style, but now we are exploring an aesthetic closer to techno.

LOIB: Is there an accessory you would never give up?
M: Fans. They are part of our show and our cultural identity.

LOIB: If you could choose one of your pieces as a tribute to Ibiza, which would it be?
M:&nbsp;Trinidad, for sure. It&rsquo;s the track we always start our shows in Ibiza with. It&rsquo;s a reinterpretation of Spanish religious processions, and for us it represents the beginning of everything. It&rsquo;s that emotionally charged pre-show moment when the adrenaline is at its peak. At 3.30 in the morning, we stop the music, the drums start playing, and we descend to the console with a lit candle accompanied by a Flamenco choir. It&rsquo;s a real ritual. If we have to think of a special memory linked to Ibiza, this is definitely it.

&ldquo;Flamenco is one of the few musical genres in which pain is expressed intensely and without filters. In pop music, pain is often sugar-coated. In Flamenco, it is raw and real.&rdquo;

Total looks, ALINEO STUDIO. hats, DOMINNICO. shoes, JIMMY CHOO.

LOIB: Three words that describe you as artists?
M: Character, strength, hard work. It may not sound very romantic, but the secret to success is hard work and perseverance. And we&rsquo;ve never given up on that.

Credits
TEXT: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/giuliagilebbi/">Giulia Gilebbi</a>
PHOTOGRAPHY: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/francesco_scotti_/">Francesco Scotti</a>&nbsp;
STYLING: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/minervaportillo/">Minerva Portillo</a>&nbsp;
PROJECT CURATOR: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/a.m.p.m_by_albertofromibiza/">Alberto Amador</a>
MAKE-UP &amp; HAIR DIRECTION: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rrnegro/">Ramon R&iacute;os</a>
MAKE UP: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katharina_indorf.makeup/?hl=en">Katharine Indorf</a>
HAIR: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fayebrownehair/">Faye Browne</a> &nbsp;HAIR EXTENSIONS: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/extensionmania/">Extensionmania</a>
STYLING ASSISTANT: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/soleduda/">Sole Sconciaforni</a>
PHOTOGRAPHER ASSISTANT: Emma-Louise
DIGITAL: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/retouchlab.david/">David Ad&aacute;n</a>
PRODUCER: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/danielanatale/">Daniela Natale</a>

MËSTIZA: The Sacred Sound of Fusion

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