Cards on the table time... For full disclosure, I confess I have not been to Glitterbox since my first Ibiza season back in 2019. Shocking, I know. So, when the call came in to get glammed up and hit the glitzy Hï Ibiza dancefloor on Sunday night, I was more than down.
First, let's all please take a moment to appreciate this week’s killer line-up.
Father-daughter duo Floorplan lit up the Club Room with one House classic after another, before handing over the controls to the most conspicuous incognito man alive, Detroit crate-digger Moodymann.
Meanwhile, loveable rogue Fat Tony had the Wild Corner cutting all kinds of shapes, to the extent we couldn't even squeeze in the door.
Tempting as it was to keep hopping between rooms, there was only one place we needed to end up at the ripe hour of 02:30. In the Theatre, Canadian music producer, rapper and DJ KAYTRANADA made his Ibiza debut, bringing his signature sultry House and Future R&B grooves.
All day, the official Ibiza Spotlight DMs had been blowing up with excitable clubbers asking what time KAYTRANADA would arrive, so the anticipation in the air was electrifying.
Of course, everyone wanted to grab that Insta-worthy snap to inflict maximum dancefloor envy on their friends back home. Phones flew up to fan-favourite hits such as Lover/Friend, but little did they know the biggest moment was yet to come…
A smooth-talking bassline swaggers into earshot, signalling KAYTRANADA is cueing up his latest drop The Mood with R&B group FLO, which was only released 48 hours prior.
Speak of the devilishly-dazzling girl-gang FLO, and they shall appear. Jorja, Stella and Renee walk out onto the stage, commanding the entirety of the grand Theatre's attention as they get down and party with KAYTRANADA.
As a record, The Mood oozes sexual confidence, self-assurance and empowerment to assert your boundaries. Proudly coining the track’s tagline lyrics as “permission is sexy.”
Hell yeah! It’s as if this song were written with Glitterbox’s bold and expressive attitude in mind.
We're vibing out, lost in the moment, deep in a groove, when all of a sudden the crowd starts to cheer again. Then all is revealed.
Just when you think Glitterbox has reached peak sass, none other than Grammy-winning singer, lyricist and fierce flautist Lizzo struts into the DJ booth. You could say, it's about damn time!
Ever the show-woman, Lizzo matches the FLO girls' party energy, throwing shapes and swaggering shade onto the dancefloor, fluttering her Glitterbox-branded fan as she goes, which sends this dancefloor absolutely loco.
Of course, KAYTRANADA keeps his cool, not one beat falling out of time. Despite the A-list chaos around him, he's utterly unfazed. There's only one thing on his mind right now and that's the music. Afterall, Glitterbox is all about the vibe.
Glitterbox continues to reign supreme over Sunday nights at Hï Ibiza for the next eleven weeks, parading in a host of star-studded guest DJs to soundtrack.
And, if last Sunday was anything to go by, then we suspect there'll be even more surprises in store. You never know who you’ll meet under the disco ball.
Tickets are available to purchase below.
PHOTOGRAPHY | by Connor Baker
