Backstage at ANTS: Candidate Interview
Candidate is a British DJ and producer on the rise. He’s released dancefloor-focused, high-energy house on Three Six Zero Recordings, PIV and neXup, as well as collaborating with artists such as Saigon and Fleur Shore. Candidate made his ANTS debut in May 2026 for ANTS DAY & NIGHT at [UNVRS] in Ibiza; an all night long set in The Bunker. On 15 August, the UK selector is returning to ANTS to play the renowned Saturday residency at Ushuaïa Ibiza.
We interviewed Candidate ahead of Saturday to talk about his hometown of Liverpool, why he loves Ibiza, his approach to making music, what we can expect from his set, and how his mum’s old rave tapes inspired him.
Hi Candidate. So, where are you from and how did it shape your sound and journey?
I'm from Liverpool in the UK. I feel like Liverpool's got a really rich musical heritage. During the rave scene in the UK in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s, a lot of the clubs and events originated here. Quadrant Park, Cream, Nation. From that there's a very rich electronic music background here, but also the live stuff. The Beatles, John Lennon, that all came from Liverpool as well. So I feel like there's a really rich heritage here of lots of different types of music. I feel that growing up here I’ve always been encouraged to get involved in different sounds. So I’ve taken inspiration from not just obvious sources, but hip hop stuff, old rave stuff, R&B stuff. It’s really helped me become a versatile artist and a well-rounded artist as well.
Oh, yeah. Liverpool is known for having a great club scene in the 90s, too.
My mum used to go to some of those places back in the day and she gave me a big bunch of mixtapes. They were cassette tapes of DJ mixes from those nights. Even though I wasn't there at the time, I could experience it and listen to some of the sounds and the tracks. I think that's definitely shaped my sound and my music. Some of those old vocals come back around and everything gets recycled and remixed.
Can you remember the moment you first fell in love with dance music?
I started getting into dance music in my late teens, when I was 16, 17, 18. I was finishing school and I was going to uni to do engineering. The summer before I went to uni, I went to Ibiza with a few of my mates. We went out every day and every night to all the events. I remember during that trip was when I thought I would love to do this as a living and just like throw myself into this completely.
What was it about Ibiza that hooked you?
In Ibiza I was really exposed to that intense party scene and all the different types of music from all these DJs. That’s what really kickstarted it all. I know it’s a cliché but it’s true.
Which artists have you taken inspiration from when forming your sound, and why?
I’ve always loved listening to Luuk van Dijk, Sidney Charles and Archie Hamilton. More recently I've been listening to a lot of stuff from a duo called The Trip. I think they're based in Amsterdam and I've taken a lot of inspiration from their music. A Dutch guy called D Stone, and a guy called Demi Riquísimo. I like a lot of their stuff at the minute. It's quite ‘90s-inspired.
I feel like not getting too pigeon-holed and not get too fixated on one type of sound. I don’t listen to strictly electronic music. I’ll listen to old hip hop to find some vocal samples or listen to R&B stuff from the early noughties or late ‘90s. Depending on the set or the event or the promoter, I like to switch things up. Like one time I might play for PIV and play something really house-y, and then I might play ANTS and play stuff that's a little bit deeper. So I think just keeping it fresh is where it's at for me.
And you’ve managed to play with some of the DJs that you look up to?
Yeah, I released the EP on Archie Hamilton’s label last year. He's always supported my music as well. It's amazing to be able to take inspiration from someone and then send them music and they support it.
Tell us about your approach to making music.
I have a studio that's a little drive away from my house. So normally when I'm driving to the studio for the evening, I normally put a mix on that I haven't listened to, or that I'm in the middle of listening to, and that gets me in the mood. I start thinking; I like the sound of that, I’d like to reference that. Then once I get there, I've already been listening to music so I'm already in the mind frame. I just try and find a cool vocal to sample or I'll start off with some really nice, house-y drums. Then, rather than worry too much about what I'm doing, I just let it go from there and let it be organic.
Ibiza was a big part of your teenage years. Have you been to the island much since?
It's one of my favourite places to be. Since I went for the first time eight years ago, I've been back every year without fail since then. For the first few years afterwards, it was always just to go back to the parties, go to the events and just listen to all the DJs. Then a couple of years after that I was going with my friends who were playing there, so I’d go to support them at their gigs. In the last two years I've started to play some gigs out there. It’s been great.
Any Ibiza stories from over the years?
I feel like everyone's got so many crazy stories about Ibiza, because obviously it's such a crazy place. It can also be such a relaxing and beautiful place as well, depending on where you go. I feel like some of the best crazy stories are probably best left unsaid [laughs].
Have you played Ushuaïa Ibiza before? If so, what do you like about it?
No, I actually haven't played before. I’ve been as a raver a lot of times, and I've been with my friends who've played sets there. It really feels like you're at a concert there. It's a massive open-air thing, you’ve got the pool. A lot of time when you come to Ibiza you spend a lot of time out at night when it's dark and you don't really get to enjoy the Ibiza atmosphere. At Ushuaïa Ibiza, because it's a daytime and night thing, you can see the sunset and the planes are going over your head. It’s an incredible stage. It’s just a great experience.
What’s your relationship with ANTS?
On that first trip to Ibiza I went to ANTS on the first day. We got to Ibiza on the Friday night, went to ANTS on Saturday at Ushuaïa Ibiza. It was sick. I can still remember the DJs that were playing: Andrea Oliva, Pete Tong, Maya Jane Coles.
Ever since then I've kept up to date with what ANTS is doing and whenever I'm over I always make sure to get down. The music's always great so I’m super excited to be playing this year. This is the first year that I'll be playing it. I played all night long for ANTS at [UNVRS] in The Bunker in May. That was amazing. Then I'm going to play at Ushuaïa Ibiza for ANTS in a couple of weeks in August. I’ve always loved the brand and what it stands for, so playing it this year feels full circle.
In 2024 you made it to the final of ANTS: NEXT GEN. What was that experience like?
It was the second year of the competition. I asked the guy who won the year before some tips and he told me he won by making a 100% original productions mix. So I made sure to do one of them as well. I'd just finished loads of tunes at the time so I used all those tracks. It was very competitive and you have to make sure that you're doing enough promo and stuff like that. I was good but I didn't win. It was a confidence boost though, and I’m playing ANTS this year, so it just goes to show that if you don’t win it doesn't mean that you can't play in the future.
What can people expect from your set on 15 August?
I think I'm second on, so around six o'clock. People will still be getting in there so I’ll probably be still on warm-up vibes. Some deep, groovy house music, some nice chunky bass lines, and some just nice groovers really.
Where is a good place for people to start if they’re new to you?
On Spotify you can catch all my original productions. Also, on SoundCloud if I play a cool set I'll record it and upload the audio on there. So I've got a few live sets on there from Italy, from the UK, from Ibiza.
What’s your favourite song to open your set at the minute and why?
“Body Talk” by The Trip. It’s got a chunky, driving bassline, raw house drums and an old-school vocal that builds loads of tension before it drops. I love playing it and the crowd seem to love hearing it just as much.
What’s another song you love playing in your sets at the minute and why?
It's an old track by Dam Swindle. It's called “Allright (Just A Tribute)”. I will never stop playing it. Every time it's appropriate to play it, I'll play it. The crowd always loves it.
What else is going on for you at the minute?
I just did a remix for Fleur Shore's latest release, which came out on her label a couple weeks back. I'm always working on new music, so every time I've got a release I post about that on socials. I just announced a debut at The Warehouse Project in Manchester this October with Max Dean, so that'll be great.
And lastly, what do you love about DJing?
It’s just the feeling of seeing everyone having a good time and you being a part of that. I play so many events where the people on the dancefloor are there because they wanna hear the music and be educated and have a great time. You just can't beat the feeling of being involved in that.
Catch Candidate at ANTS at Ushuaïa Ibiza on Saturday 15 August. He’s with Dennis Ferrer, Gaskin, Salomé Le Chat, and Raul Rodriguez. Tickets and VIP tables are available now.