Prunk is a hard man to track down, which is surprising considering the Dutch DJ, producer and record label owner has put himself about this summer.
Visitors in the first half of the season could have already caught him playing at ANTS, Defected or Reboot. Meanwhile his own party, PIV, for which he frequently appears, has been enjoying its first full summer season on Tuesdays at Cova Santa.
After several weeks of chasing and always just missing each other by a whisker, we managed to align our schedules before his recent set at Pacha Ibiza.
Before he jumped on the decks, we whisked him up to club's rooftop and its new Paradiso bar. A collaboration between Pacha Group and Group Confiteria, Paradiso Ibiza boasts 14 signature cocktails, combining Mediterranean botanicals, tropical fruits and locally-sourced ingredients.
During our chat, we discussed how PIV started, what it stands for and how it continues to go from strength to strength (and, naturally, we also sampled the cocktails! Would've been rude not too...)
Prunk flips the script at Pacha's new Paradiso bar
Well, welcome. Thank you for sitting down with us this evening.
You're very in-demand on Ibiza this year, playing a range of parties. You've got Defected here at Pacha tonight, but also [UNVRS], Ushuaïa, Eden, Chinois and, of course, your PIV residency at Cova Santa
Your career as a DJ and founding the PIV brand has come a long way. Tell us about the journey.
"Thanks for the invite. I started with music when I was like 11 years old. At first, I wanted to become a professional football player and I even went to football school. But then when I was 15 or 16, I decided to focus on music.
So basically, from that time, I was always busy with music. I had a lot of residencies in clubs in Amsterdam. I was already pretty successful, but during that time, I thought, ‘Okay, how can I do this for my whole life?’
PIV started about ten years ago, and later it grew into this big thing. Yeah, it became a successful record label, that's it. It was like a dream."
... and less chance of injury than being a professional football player!
"Yes, for sure less injuries!"
Starting PIV
For those that don't already know, what does PIV stand for and how did it start?
"Well, we started in Amsterdam, like, ten years ago. At that time, there was a lot of EDM; there was a lot of VIP. I realised that when you pay a lot for the VIP experience, I wasn't a fan of this concept. So I thought, ‘Okay, I'm going to make a party where everybody can dance around me.’
So I flipped VIP, and that's how we arrived at “PIV”. That's the real story. The idea is everybody is a VIP at my party. That's the concept."
What was your vision for the label when you first started out?
"I started producing when I was about 22 years old. For me, it was really hard to find a good label. I sent a lot of emails, but I didn't get much response back. So I thought, when I’ve got my own label, I want to give talent a platform. That was the main focus.
In the first two years, I answered all the emails. We started with new guys; new talents. And I think we reached our goal. In the beginning, a lot of people didn't know our producers, but a lot of those names have become successful since. I think we reached our goal."
How has the PIV sound evolved since you started?
"Basically, we started more with a soulful background - think of the Kerri Chandler kind of style. But then I realised that this kind of mixing, mastering in the ‘90s sounds really crispy.
I thought, ‘Okay, if I do this in a new kind of way, with a new kind of mixing skills, we create a new kind of sound.’ So it has a little bit of a future sound but still in a soulful way. I think that's the PIV style.
I still try to do that, but it's also become more Deep House or a little bit deeper, a little bit more Tech. I don't really want to pin it on one genre, but it's always House. It's always between 120 and 130 bpm."
PIV at Cova Santa
Why do you think PIV works so well in Cova Santa?
"You know, I like raving.
While I started in big clubs, I think Cova Santa also has a good functionality as an entertainment venue, you know? People go for dinner and people like to dress up, like girls who are not necessarily in full party mood, but they still like to go to a classy party with good House music."
"I think there's a really good combination with Cova Santa, because it starts outside and people are dancing in the sun. Outside, we always try to play a little bit more funky, a little bit more disco and a little bit more focus.
At the end, after 23:00 in the downstairs club, we go a little bit deeper in the sound, and then it becomes a little bit more of a rave."
Where was the first place you took PIV outside of the Netherlands?
"That was Malta. It was a funny story, actually.
I was with Chris Stussy - he was my first A&R and is still a good friend. We got the first gig there and we didn't charge much of a fee, because the guy sweet-talked us, saying ‘You can do a showcase on Malta. We want to give you a castle. You can sleep in a castle! I believe in your sound, but I can't pay you.’
We went with five or six people and stayed in the castle. We did a showcase and it was one of the best parties I've ever thrown. I cut my finger on a broken mirror that night and had to go to the hospital. But I still have a good memory.
That was the first PIV showcase outside of The Netherlands."
Nurturing talent
You're a real advocate for supporting emerging talent. Who are your top three artists that our readers should know about?
"Okay. I need to start with Chris Stussy, of course, because we started the label together.
Actually, when he was in A&R, he didn't play at many parties, but now, you know how big he’s become. I think I also need to mention M-High. He's still doing really well on here. He's also our A&R now. Cinthie too.
For me, she's a House legend. At the very beginning, she was playing for us, and she's still playing for us. She's really talented. She plays vinyl and is a real artist."
Which labels and parties did you look up to when creating PIV?
"I need to mention Defected. When I was young, maybe like, 20 years ago or something, it was Simon Dunmore I always looked up to: how he treated people and what he was doing in the clubs.
When I was 16, I would go to Defected parties and think, this is the guy. He was always just himself, you know? I always say, never believe your own hype - and he reinforced that. He always asked, ‘Hey, talk with me.’
Even at that early stage, he encouraged me to send my music, you know? He gave me some tips and advice. That really helped my development. It made me realise, in a few years, maybe I can do this as well. You know, bringing artists to different places."
That’s a nice story and it's great you can be here tonight, representing Defected. Moving onto another Pacha residency… how did the remix for Sonny Fodera come about? Would it be fair to say this is a little bit more commercial than your normal sound?
"Yeah, maybe? When I got the request, I was like, 'Okay.' I heard it was a hit in the UK. I never say no to remix. I don't remix everything, but I’ll give most things a try. I think I made something that's true to me and my sound and not that commercial, but still nice."
"It's funny because one of my first outside gigs outside of Europe was in the Dominican Republic for Groove Fest or something, where I met Sonny Fodera. At the time, he was playing more Chicago House.
Even back then, I recognised that this guy is going to be a little bit more commercial, but I respected what he was doing."
We've covered working in the studio with somebody else, but what about behind the decks? Do you have a favourite back-to-back partner?
"Yeah, it's not going to be an original answer, but I have to say Chris Stussy again, because I played a lot with him.
But I'm going to do my first back-to-back with Kerri Chandler next month in New York, which was one of my dreams. I'm doing the Brooklyn Mirage with him and Chicago. After that, I think he might become my new favourite back-to-back partner."
If you had to choose, Amsterdam or Ibiza?!
"Obviously, I have to say Amsterdam, right? But in this moment where I am currently, I’m allowed to say Ibiza, because it helped me a lot in my career but also the vibe of the island and the people. It's one hundred per cent where I want to be. I can be myself here. So let's say Ibiza."
The favourite release on your label?
"I think that has to be Fury’s Laughter by S.A.M. It came out maybe one year before the pandemic and it was a monster hit. We also sold this record to a bigger major label and that helped PIV to grow outside of The Netherlands a lot."
"This will always be one of my favourite records."
And do you prefer a collaboration or a solo project?
"I think collaboration. Yea, collab. Because I think House is for everyone. I always say that's my vision: you're always better together. I like to produce by myself, but I always like to do it together because you get this extra touch from something that you cannot create on your own, you know?"
And finally, perhaps most importantly of all... Bitterbollen or Poffertjes?
"I will say Bitterbollen, Bitterbollen, Yeah, yeah!"
PIV continues at Cova Santa tonight and each and every Tuesday until 16 September, before returning for a closing party on 30 September.
Tickets for all remaining dates are on sale now and available to buy below. For a full list of Prunk's remaining Ibiza 2025 dates, including a return to Pacha for Defected at the start of August, please visit this page.
PHOTOGRAPHY | by Peter Young, Kellie Allen and Kirsten van Santen
