Clara was Ibiza’s first female DJ back in the 1990s, already playing gigs on the island by the age of 17 and even more remarkably achieving the position of Creative Director at superclub Es Paradis at the same young age.
Clara was the principle catalyst in encouraging promoters like Clockwork Orange and Up Yer Ronson to do nights at Es Paradis. These pioneers were responsible for kicking off the British invasion upon which Ibiza clubs have come to depend.
Clara Da Costa
The young Clara’s drive and creativity had far more influence than even she could have imagined at the time and the last three decades have seen her shine around the world as a DJ, promoter, producer, radio show host and record label owner.
CLICK OR TAP IMAGE TO STREAM MUSIC FROM JACK’S HOUSE RECORDINGS ON SOUNDCLOUD
Her Jack’s House radio show on Pure Ibiza Radio and Jack’s House Recordings label both continue to be essential sources of amazing, underground house music.
We caught up with Clara for a chat about Jack’s House, plus she has recorded an exclusive Jack’s House mix for The Night Bazaar Sessions which you can listen to below as you read our interview with her.
Can you share the story behind the inception of Jack’s House and what inspired its unique name?
In the beginning (excuse the pun) I decided that I wanted to start my own radio show. I had previously done bits and bobs in the past for radio with the likes of Kiss FM in London, presenting The Sunday roast for Mixmag here in Ibiza in the early 90’s and of course the wonderful days of pirate radio.
I have always had a huge love for radio, so 15 years ago, I started Jack’s House radio show which was (back then) on Ibiza Global Radio. I then moved to Ibiza Sonica, for many years, then back to Global, and have most recently at the end of 2023, moved to Pure Ibiza Radio which also partners up now with Pure Ibiza Radio UAE (Dubai). I’m very grateful for all the great homes and platforms that the show has had along the way.
I really wanted to do a radio show that represented independent record labels, vinyl releases (digital too), talented producers and fully support the underground community. Identifying all the tracks to the listeners is key in making sure it is done properly, so that is what I continue to do.
The name basically was inspired by the 1987 release of Rhythm Control (My House) on Chicago’s Catch A Beat Records for those famous lyrics performed by Chuck Roberts. I always loved these lyrics which were also famously used on a later version of Mr Fingers (Can You Feel It). If you have never read the lyrics, it’s worth taking a look, it’s like a prayer for the true lovers of dance music.
How does Jack’s House represent ‘Underground House Music with Integrity’ and what does this phrase mean to you?
In a nut shell, it is all about seeking out music, artists, labels and events that stay true to their sound by not selling out I guess. It is about quality and letting the music do all the talking. Also, regarding the vinyl releases, the press is limited so the label really is mainly for people that want to have records in their bag that they not everyone has. I might release one on digital but I like to respect the vinyl buyers out there and maintain a level of exclusivity. Also, I do not over release as I don’t like to overlap promoting each project so to give them all time to breathe.
As I said, I am a one woman band in running my label so put 100% focus into the process of every release from demo stage, charts, promos, social media, previews, radio plays etc, to final release when the vinyl lands in the stores.
Thank you for quoting the tag line for the label, music with integrity. Integrity is really important to me.
Clara Da Costa
What qualities do you look for in artists when signing them to Jack’s House?
Primarily I am looking for individual and authentic talent whether that talent is established or not. I seek out creative and well produced tracks, good communication and people with drive, passion and patience. I sometimes like to hear something a bit daring and out of the box too where I can hear that the producer is being true to themselves and experimenting which can often make up for interesting and varied EP’s. Good manners go a long way too 🙂
Since it’s establishment in 2016, how has Jack’s House evolved in the music industry?
Well the label started in 2016, but the brand really started 15 years ago, so over time, Jack’s House has evolved from a radio show, to the events, then the label was launched and some publishing of artists too. It has been steady in growth I would say, sticking to my guns building a loyal fanbase of true music lovers.
How do you balance your roles as a DJ, label head, and radio show host?
With the gigs, I guess I practice what I preach. I only take gigs that I really want to do now, and would rather survive on less than stress myself out with gigs that I don’t feel fully invested in or comfortable with, I don’t want to be complaining when ultimately, the choice would have been mine in the first place. For example, requests to play on a line up with just an hours slot or back2back with someone you have never played with before as it never makes for a truly good performance. After over 30 years on the decks, it has 100% become quality over quantity and keeping it healthy.
As far as the label is concerned, I put a lot of time into that and usually find myself going through demos into the early hours of the morning. I take quite a long time to select the tracks. I will often receive a batch of demos to which I then select 4 tracks to makeup the EP making sure that they are all distinctive and never sounding all the same. I can close my eyes and imagine where and what time a particular track will go off. My imagination takes me to all sorts of places on the dance floor.
Then Jack’s House radio show is a weekly process of listening to, and downloading promos. Let me start by saying I LOVE doing the radio. Jack’s House Radio show celebrated 15 years on air December just gone! Sometimes I can’t believe I have kept it going all this time, but I have no plans to stop it. I started off at Ibiza Global Radio and then spent almost a decade with Ibiza Sonica radio before returning back to Global but most recently joined Pure Ibiza Radio and Pure Ibiza Radio Dubai, I love it as I am also returning to do more live broadcasts with the team which I love. All the radio stations are great platforms transmitting globally 24 hours and day, 7 days a week.
Over the years I have had so many amazing guests come in to join me too, everyone from DJ Sneak, Mr. C, Stacey Pullen, John Dimas, Alex Arnout, Tuccillo, Enzo Siragusa plus many many more. I take a lot of pride in the show as I have built it to reflect, build and support the underground community. I get sent hundreds of promos a week that take a lot of time to go through but it is worth it to find the needles in the haystack. The production world has become so saturated now, that if you really want to keep up to date, you have to put in the work to find those gems especially when it comes to radio. I also get sent a lot of tracks directly from the labels which often are and keep championing the Underground community, forthcoming on vinyl only releases. I do support digital production too of course, I am just a true vinyl lover. I am completely multi-tasking and mixing live every week. I fully present and ID every track that I play throughout the show with the name of the track, artist, label, release date and format, so I always have to make sure my meta data is on point. There is nothing worse than hearing a track and not knowing the title when you love it, and you are unlikely to get a result using something like Shazam with this kind of music. I also make sure I throw a few jingles/soundbites over exclusives too. It’s truly another labour of love to be perfectly honest. I am aware how much I try to put back into the scene via the show and the label, and if you do anything like this, you have to learn to expect not much back, you have to do it for the right reasons. You have to do it for the music and the scene. But personally, it is really important to me to support all these artists and independent record labels.
How does your radio show complement and promote the ethos of Jack’s House?
Pretty much some of what I have mentioned in the way of really getting behind and supporting the independent labels and artists in the scene and getting their music promoted and heard by the listeners of which many are also vinyl buyers. The show goes out live and then I upload it to my Soundcloud the following week so people can catch up, or go back to get that track ID. Some people don’t like sharing track ID´s but I personally think that it’s pointless to do that.
The music industry has become somewhat a free commodity over the years, the least we can do for each other is support, encourage and show up for each other. That’s what a true community does.
What I personally do with all of this (despite 100% commitment and hard work) is a true labour of love.
Could you highlight a few releases from Jack’s House that you feel particularly proud of?
Ah you know what, I am proud of all of them, they all pretty much have an interesting story behind them of how they came about and how relationships with artists have been formed.
The first release especially has a special place in my heart. The Confirmation Bias EP by Alex Arnout, is timeless and beautiful, he is an incredibly talented producer and a pure example of what music with integrity is all about. Also the first EP I put together from a bunch of demos from the talented Legit Trip called Answer. It was a great feeling to get his music on his first ever vinyl release and then finally meet him in person when I invited him over to Ibiza to play and do a live show on the radio with me. He is so young still but just incredibly versatile and knows what he is doing.
Another release is the Terrace EP by JHNS from Prague, this was a digital release but it really should have been put out on vinyl, it’s so good. Many true friendships have been formed over the years. There is almost always a story behind each signing or a great memory made. I remember going to France to meet the duo Two Diggers, instantly we were vibing and having the best time. I sat with them in their studio and they played me a clip a track that they were working on, within seconds, I said, I have to sign this. They went on to send me a file of more tunes and from that, the Head Trip EP was born, it’s timeless and brilliant.
It has also been amazing to get reconnected with old friends from my school days. Terry Francis and I went to the same school, (although I think he was leaving as I was starting). All the local crew knew Terry as he would put on wicked parties and play the best music. All us underage kids used to try and get into these little local underground events, dark room, uv light and the start of tech house. Years later Terry and I met up again when he visited the island and now he features on two of the Jack’s Tracks VA series. We also both worked at the legendary SWAG records in Croydon. R.I.P Liz Edwards.
In your view, how has the underground house music scene changed since you started Jack’s House?
It’s quite interesting actually how certain areas of the scene have changed. The underground scene is really for people who don’t mind being the under dogs in the scene I guess. It comes back to a community that refuse to sell out and feel strongly about sticking to their roots. There is a lot of pressure for DJs and producers out there that really want to make it big, and on the underground scene, that percentage is way more inferior for those that stay true to their sound, otherwise that would be an exit from the sound of the underground. There are a number of artists/producers who’s music I was supporting some years back that I no longer do, simply because they have compromised/changed their production, sound and style perhaps to move up the career ladder signing to more corporate and commercial labels, and I’m therefor no longer feeling it. It is not necessarily bad production, it’s just not what I am in to when I hear those intelligent underground elements disappear with trends taking their place.
We are not too cool for school which we can often be accused of, it is just a completely different way of going out and partying, the human traffic that amass in clubs is of a different behaviour and taste for clubbers that enjoy a more underground experience. All we really care about is a great sound system, subtle lighting and great tunes on the deck. There is not really a desire or need for extensive decor, dancers, or any other type of entertainment, just pure beats and a bouncing dance floor. It is very far removed from the mainstream in that way.
What is truly great though, is seeing and hearing a whole new generation of young artists coming through who are doing amazing things out there. For example, 3MINDS who have most recently and mostly taken over the legendary Wiggle brand put together by original tech house legends Terry Francis, Nathan Coles (RIP) & Eddie Richards having guided them (check them out). They are currently planning a programme of events throughout 2024 to celebrate 30 years of Wiggle.
I would not say that the true underground has changed that much, it is the other genres in the scene that have had the biggest shift I guess, making mainstream clubbing often quite unrecognisable from what it maybe once was. It is a scene/genre that has to fight with passion to stay alive which can be challenging for sure.
Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations within Jack’s House that you’re excited about?
I am really excited for the next EP which is due out at the end of March, another vinyl only release with a limited press of just 200 copies. It is the burn EP by one of my favourites, and good friend Alex Arnout. Also want give a shout of appreciation to Rob Small for all the great mastering (he is excellent) and Kevin Cutts for all the artwork who have both been with me since the beginning.
I’m hoping to start discussions to put a few label showcases together again too. One Night Stand, a brand that I have played for since it’s birth are coming back after a 5 year hiatus and will be taking over Wednesday nights at Eden, they will also be hosting label showcases. They are exactly the brand that is right for Jack’s House to team up with. They have the same vision and will be putting on parties that solely concentrate on the music and the underground community. The last parties they hosted at DC10 were so good to be part of and are firmly in the memory box. The line-up’s are the real deal. We really needed this to come back to the island, so I’m really excited about this one.
It will be nice to get back to doing some showcases, it has been a while. I was doing a steady stream of events before, but a lot of the venues here in Ibiza that I was staging them at have disappeared, like The Zoo Project at the brilliant Benimussa Park, and Space (obviously) amongst others.
I won’t do an event for the sake of it, everything has to be right for it to be worth it and go well. Fortunately, every showcase that the label has done so far has been a beautiful success. The venue has to be right, from the sound system, how it looks, the capacity and the overall vibe. I want the guests to always be happy and to enjoy the experience. If DJs are happy behind the decks, that 100% transpires to the dance floor. I like to see a wave of heads bobbing up and down, lost into the groove and just letting go.
What advice would you give to emerging artists aspiring to join labels like Jack’s House?
Firstly please listen to the labels releases, it definitely varies in the artists and productions that are on there. Work out if you think that this would be the right imprint to showcase your music. Then put together your demos with a friendly short e mail presenting yourself and the project. Even if you have never released anything before, it doesn’t mean you won’t get signed. If the production and the tracks are good, that is all that it takes. Try to be original and have elements of production that will identify you as a producer building your own signature sound and most definitely don’t copy or force yourself into trends. Originality goes a long way.
Make sure that you send a private link to the demos (Soundcloud is ideal). There is nothing worse than receiving demos that have had several, if not hundreds of plays, with the download enabled! Be patient for an answer, but if after a few weeks to a month you have not heard anything back, don’t hesitate to follow up with a second e mail/message asking if the label has had time to consider your demo submission. I will often hear great potential in someone but am not particularly feeling the tracks for release. If this is the case, I do ask people to keep sending in their demos in the future. Be open to possible constructive changes in production, names, arrangement etc I am quite active in this way while still respecting the artists integrity.
CLICK OR TAP IMAGE TO READ OUR LAST INTERVIEW WITH CLARA DA COSTA THE LAST TIME WE CAUGHT UP FOR A CHAT IN 2017 ON THE NIGHT BAZAAR
Last time we spoke, you shared your excitement about your label, Jack’s House, and its early successes. How has your vision for the label evolved since then, and are there any new directions or initiatives you’re exploring?
The direction of the label has grown organically but largely concentrating on the vinyl releases. I’ve stuck to my guns in making sure each release has time to be promoted and time to breathe in the market. Jack’s House does not have a constant stream of releases. I like to make sure that each artist gets promoted well and their production gets the respect it deserves, so giving each release some time to grow and be heard before the next release is really important to me. It’s definitely a quality over quantity situation. I guess over time, it’s just been a case of the expanding talent that has released on the label from long time well known established artists like Tuccillo, Rich NxT, Terry Francis, Lex and of course Alex Arnout to mention a few, to more recent artists that are now more than established in their own right like Carlo Gambino, Legit Trip, Julenn and JHNS to mention a few more.
Jack’s Talent management is still in the pipeline but like everything else, it needs to be fully ready to launch with everything in place. I don’t want to launch this until I can at least guarantee the minimum service to artists, otherwise you would be just giving out false hopes for gigs and opportunities to the them. Actions speak louder than words. There is no point trying to look good online with projects if you can’t back them up with the actions needed, this is where the integrity comes in again. I have been wanting to get the merchandise launched properly too, I love designing and have had a healthy interest from fans of the label and radio show. I am in the process of talks to collaborate with a cool brand, so hopefully that will come to fruition later this year. I want to do it properly.
I am definitely looking into doing some more creative ideas with some future vinyl releases and finally getting the merchandise going. There have been some big bumps along the way over the last few years as our industry knows very well, so I have been taking my time but stayed on track with all the releases.
