14 March 20-26, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | “Every day brings something new, whether it’s a show, a studio session, or just meeting incredible people. I love the hustle because it’s all part of the journey.” Hugel has just dropped a new track with Deron and La Payara, “Coge El Paso,” on Defected Records, and an- nounced a residency at Hi Ibiza this summer. “I started DJing in my bedroom 21 years ago, where my goal was to become a resident DJ in a club in my home- town. At that time, this industry didn’t even exist as it is now. To have a residency in Ibiza now feels incredible. It’s beyond anything I could have imagined,” he says. “When I started, the idea of being part of a residency was only for the legends — Carl Cox, Sven Väth, and all those guys. Now, there are around 35 residents, and to be among them is in- credible.” Another nightlife capital Hugel has also become inti- mately familiar with is Miami. “Miami is one of those cities where the energy is unmatched,” he adds. “Every time I come here, I feel like there’s a spark of creativity. It’s where I love to tease new music or work on something fresh and then immediately test it out in the clubs.” During Miami Week Week, he will take over Club Space for his Make the Girls Dance label showcase on Tuesday, March 25, go back-to-back with Diplo for Breakaway Beach on Thursday, March 27, and close the week out alongside Dombresky at Elrow on Sunday, March 30. Hugel quickly made a name for himself in Miami thanks to his infectious Latin-house sounds, which ap- pealed to the city’s large base of Hispanic clubgoers. While some may attribute the rise of the Latin house movement to Hugel, he acknowledges that he picked up on the sound during his many trips to his grandparents’ place in the south of Spain. “I grew up with mixed cultures and spent summers in southern Spain, so flipping Latin music into my style happened naturally,” Hugel explains. “When I saw the Latino community in the U.S. connect with it, I realized we had a di- rection. Latin house wasn’t a genre peo- ple were talking about, but the moment I started playing those beats, it just clicked. It was also kind of an accident; I just happened to arrive at the right time. The energy, the rhythm, it speaks to people in a way that’s universal. I’m proud to be part of this movement..” Fostering Connections He has further cemented his Latin house leg- acy by working with artists Dalex and J Balvin and remixing songs by Manuel Turizo and Latin Mafia at a time when not many DJs were aiming to do so. And as “I Adore You” continued to blow up, it led to one of the tracks he’s most proud of, the Spanish remix with J Balvin and Ellie Goulding. “Ellie reached out before the release when I was teasing it, saying she loved the track. Then Balvin and I connected, and we created a remix in just five days,” Hugel says. “It was a whirlwind but such an incredible experience. Ellie’s voice brings so much emotion, and J Balvin added that unique Latino flair. To have two legends like them on a track I started in my studio is unreal. It’s proof that when you trust the music, amazing things can happen.” Hugel debuted the remix alongside Balvin during the producer’s sold-out show at the Brooklyn Mirage. “The crowd went wild when J Balvin appeared on stage to sing, revealing the Spanish version for the first time live. It was an unforgettable moment, one of the highlights of my career,” Hugel adds. Moments like that also remind the 37-year-old why he got into the music industry in the first place. “Music is made to help people. When you’re sad, you want to hear a song that touches you. When you’re in love, you want a love song, but when you go to a party, you want something positive, something that makes you smile. That’s what I try to create: mo- ments where people feel alive and con- nected.” Hugel Presents Make the Girls Dance. With Deron, Grossomoddo, Juany Bravo, Maahez, Mahmut Orhan, Mëstiza, Shimza, and Tom Enzy. 11 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, at Club Space, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; clubspace.com. Tickets cost $15 to $100 via dice.fm. Breakaway Beach. With Diplo and Hugel. Noon Thursday, March 27, at Hyde Beach, 1701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; hydebeach.com. Tickets cost $149 to $199 via universe.com. Elrow Miami. With Arielle Free B2B Olive F, Ayybo B2B Odd Mob, Chelina Manuhutu B2B Tini Gessler, Dombreskey B2B Hugel, Eats Everythings B2B Patrick Topping, and oth- ers. 7 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at Factory Town, 4800 NW 37th Ave., Miami; factorytown.com. Tickets cost $149 to $250 via dice.fm. Hugel If True from p12 DANCE, DANCE, DANCE W ith Miami Music Week events numbering in the hundreds, it can be hard to choose what parties to spend money on. The days when a Winter Music Conference badge could get you in to the most exclusive parties across the city are long gone. One way to save money is to purchase an all- access pass when available. Some venues and event promoters offer passes to all their parties during Miami Music Week for a lower price than buying tickets individually. If there is a venue you think you will want to spend most of your time partying at, it can be a good deal to snag a pass. You’ll still have a lot of choices and planning to do, regardless. Luckily, New Times is here to high- light the Miami Music Week parties you won’t want to miss. View the complete listings of Miami Music Week 2025 events online at bit.ly/mmw2025. DJ Mag Presents the Martinez Brothers at the Sagamore DJ Mag once again returns with a plethora of pool parties at the Sagamore Hotel. Kicking things off on Wednesday is sibling duo the Marti- nez Brothers, who will be spinning underneath the Miami sun, a change of pace from the usual early morning sets at Club Space. Aside from the brothers, the lineup includes Marte, Mason Col- lective, HoneyLuv, and Sosa going back-to-back with Max Dean. Expect this to be the best way to start Miami Music Week. 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, at the Sagamore Hotel, 1671 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; sagamorepoolparty.com. Tickets cost $150 to $400 via eventbrite.com. OSVALDO ESPINO Cloonee Presents Hellbent at Factory Town Starting off at Floyd in 2023, graduating to the Terrace in 2024, and taking over the Infinity Room at Factory Town, Cloonee and his Hellbent party have evolved over the years to become one of Miami Music Week’s signature events. Cloonee regularly delivers Latin and rap-influenced tech and minimal house to adoring partygoers. Along with Cloonee, expect sets by Loco Dice, Caleb Calloway, and rising duo Prospa. He also has a special guest slated to appear. (My money is on Chris Lake.) 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, at Fac- tory Town, 4800 NW 37th Ave., Miami; factory- town.com. Tickets cost $40 to $100 via dice.fm. OSVALDO ESPINO Experts Only at Toejam Backlot On Wednesday of Miami Music Week, John Sum- mits label and event brand Experts Only takes over Toejam Backlot in Wynwood with a tech- house showcase to warm partygoers up. The lineup includes of who’s who of Experts Only stal- warts, including Layton Giordani, Max Styler, Wes- tend, and Ayybo, as well as Cole Knight The 10 best Miami Music Week 2025 parties. BY JOSE D. DURAN AND OSVALDO ESPINO HoneyLuv “I GREW UP WITH MIXED CULTURES AND SPENT SUMMERS IN SOUTHERN SPAIN, SO FLIPPING LATIN MUSIC INTO MY STYLE HAPPENED NATURALLY.” Photo by Gianni Gallant >> p15
