Interview with DJ Awards CEO Andrew Grant

After a four-year hiatus, the DJ Awards are back under new ownership with fresh investment and will continue to celebrate global DJ culture and excellence. The new era begins with a highly anticipated ceremony on October 2nd at Chinois, Ibiza.

The awards cover multiple categories and was first founded in 1998 by José Pascual and Lenny Krarup, the DJ Awards have earned the reputation of being the ‘Oscars of electronic dance music’. We got the chance to speak with new owner Andy Grant about the upcoming ceremony this October and more.

Voting for this years DJ Awards is open now until 13th September, vote here: https://djawards.com/vote-overview/

Welcome Andrew, tell us about your overall goals and vision for the DJ Awards

Our first task is to reboot the event after a four year break. This is no mean feat as a lot has changed since the last DJ Awards in 2020. We only acquired the IP at the end of May and since then we have had to incorporate a company in Spain (and that isn't an easy or fast task) and assemble a new team as well as update the categories and research and select the nominees. This year is all about DJ Awards 2024 ‘same same but different’ with the most important outcome being to gain the respect of the global dance community as the new trusted guardians of this responsibility. Beyond that everything is on the table and my vision is nothing short of positioning the DJ Awards alongside the Oscars and the Brit Awards in terms of scale, reach and recognition. To achieve this we need to secure some serious investment as I plan to open that to to people who make this all possible, the fans that fill the dancefloors across the world. So in November we will launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise £1m investment that will enable us to assemble a full time team throughout the year that will be focused on growing the award beyond an annual event into a series of events throughout the year recognising talent across the globe with the big one held in Ibiza at the end of the summer season.

With global expansion of the DJ Awards a key aspect of the future, how do you think you’ll best achieve this?

Partnering with local experts and promoters as well as developing a licensing model for the brand and IP is the best way to achieve this. For example hosting a DJ Awards in Sao Paulo during Carnival to recognise the achievements of the artists and creative teams in South America etc. We also plan to host a Legends Takeover at The Brooklyn Mirage in July 2026 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the DJ Awards, where the winners of the last 25 years.. As well as partnering with local promoters to host parties at marquee events like the Miami Music Conference.

Why do you think the DJ Awards are an important aspect of the global underground electronic music community?

I would disagree that its underground dance music is mainstream and becoming more popular every day, but that brings its own challenges. We need to move away from this high spend VIP bottle culture and use the DJ Awards to educate and enlighten and lead the path forward for the industry. To show people the value of putting down their phone and reconnecting with the moment and enjoying creating dancefloor memories that will last a lifetime.

Are there any other awards ceremonies you wish to emulate outside of music, that you see the DJ Awards being similar to?

Without a doubt we want to become the Oscars for dance music. A high profile glamorous affair that launches careers and transforms fortunes that is streamed live across the globe and that people stay awake to watch no matter the time zone. But the DJ version, so less tuxedos and open for the public to attend where the awards ceremony is also the mother of all after parties.

In your opinion, what do you think overall that the electronic music industry needs to be better at, what challenges does it face and what areas can it improve on?

I'm not an electronic music industry expert by any stretch, I self identity as an entrepreneur who has built a career in tech. So I'm not really qualified to answer this question, but from an outsider's perspective (and someone that has graced many a dancefloor across the globe as a punter having the time of my life) I can share with you my own personal perspective. I think the industry has to work harder to lobby the government to recognise the cultural impact and importance of the local ‘night club’ and to educate the consumer of the mental health benefits of putting down the phone and just having fun. I love the way the big events and venues are evolving and the level of imagination and production they are bringing to the table and it's amazing to see professionalism start to infect the industry. But as a Glasgow boy I am old enough to remember Big Beat PLC and its importance as an industry. We learn the lessons from that and the dangers of trying to force something to become corporate.

How has advancements in technology changed the ceremony itself and what has been done, not only the award categories, but how they are voted for and so on?

The ceremony this year is going to take advantage of the state of the art 360 immersive AV setup within Chinois to bring our new 3D logo render to life and inject some energy into the ceremony. Beyond that next year we plan to complete overhaul the nominee and awards process placing tech at the core with the development of a front line app that allows

I also want to totally revamp and supercharge the nomination and awards process by bringing tech to the table and to borrow the best bits of the Michelin (restaurant) and Oscars processes. My vision for this is to have a global army of approved DJA ‘superfans’ who attend events throughout the year and across the globe and submit artists via an app, then have a sophisticated AI that monitors these submissions, qualifies and cleans the data before a global virtual panel of approved professionals from across the spectrum of the dance music industry rates and selects from the AI database before finishing up with a public vote thought the Ibiza Summer season that launches in Barcelona during Sonar week.

The DJ Awards has a long and illustrious history spanning over two decades, how confident are you in your team and under new leadership that you can carry on the legacy and take it to new heights?

I have recruited people who are at the top of their game and brought in experts from outside the dance music scene that work in tech, design and consulting and combined them with experienced professionals from within the industry. This team, together with some serious investment, a giant shot of energy shaken, not stirred with a substail helping of vision I think will produce a powerful cocktail that packs a punch and gives the project an incredible opportunity to create something great….