Nicole Moudaber: “The minute the Hard Rock Café opened in Ibiza for me it was the end”

In a recent panel hosted by DJ Mag, which saw some central industry figures and players discuss Ibiza’s ever-changing culture and reputation as a party destination, DJ/producer/promoter and techno devotee Nicole Moudebar spoke candidly about the way VIP culture has negatively impacted the island’s scene.

In conversation with the legendary Space Ibiza founder Pepe Rosello, its former CEO Juan Arenas, Elrow’s Juan Arnau Jr. and DJ Mag’s global editor Carl Loben, Moudaber spoke about how the growing VIP culture on the White Isle has had noticeable ramifications for the culture on the island.

“It’s become really expensive,” the recent DJ Mag cover star said. “The kids can’t afford it. It’s turning into that rich and famous culture. This is not really a good thing for the island because it was built on different ideals which was more the spiritual spiritual egalitarianism that made Ibiza famous. I wouldn’t like to see that disappearing...”

“The VIPs don’t make the party in the club,” she added. “It’s mainly the kids that make the party in the club and I saw the difference this year when I played everywhere. The clubs are not fully rammed like they used to be two or three years ago. I heard the island is down on ticket sales by 40%. It’s a little crisis that we need to address.”

For Moudaber, the impact of these changes can be seen in the very infrastructure of the island. “I don’t know if it’s greed from the club that is gearing this or the American invasion that’s doing it. The minute the hard rock café opened in Ibiza for me it was the end of it, unfortunately.”

Such changes are having grievous impacts on the grassroots culture that the island’s scene was founded upon, she believes. “I think they’re catching up with what the North Americans did five or six years ago, but now over there it’s dying, in Vegas and...yeah... that scene is dying a little bit. It’s avalanching here.”

In the hour long panel discussion, numerous topics were discussed and opinions shared, including licensing laws, new clubs, the trouble with mass tourism, the importance of Ibiza for emerging DJs and their wildest stories from throughout the island’s history.

You can watch the full panel below. 

It is no surprise that Ibiza's culture is changing constantly, and as the season draws ever closer more changes are coming to the fore. A new law has been implemented which will severely restrict the use of Airbnb and similar holiday accommodation platforms, for example. Facebook Twitter Ibiza business owners also recently gathered to speak out against San Antonio council's decision to implement earlier closing times for clubs in the area. Clubs-wise, Cream Ibiza announced that it would be leaving Amnesia this year after a 23-year-stint earlier this year and would move to HÏ Ibiza. Cocoon also announced that it would be leaving Amnesia, and the club recently announced its new Monday party that would replace the longstanding event.