Solomun has shaped the sounds and dance culture around Ibiza with his iconic residency at Pacha. This season among the guests joining him is Chloé Caillet, the Paris-born, New York-based DJ and producer whose infectious blend of house and disco is matched by her commitment to community and made noise during Paris Fashion Week when she joined Madonna’s Club Confessions hosted with Saint Laurent. While she has played sets everywhere from Coachella to Panorama Bar, it’s through her LGBTQ+ party Smiile that Caillet has created a space rooted in connection, inclusivity and joy. Following her appearance alongside Solomun at Pacha Ibiza, we caught up with the artist to talk about nightlife, identity and the power of bringing people together.
You grew up between Paris and New York. How did those two cities shape your relationship to music, nightlife, and culture?
I would say it’s exactly what has shaped my relationship to music, nightlife, and culture. I learned so much from these different capitals of the world about the way that people react to music, the way that music impacts local communities, as well as so many different types of sounds, rhythms, and ways of making music – cultural areas of fashion, of art, and even politically, how all of these different cities have been through their own timelines, which has intrinsically affected what’s happened at the basis of culture. Having had the privilege to see both of them at all different ages of my life has really given me so much perspective and inspiration on the way that I like to make music.
Before the clubs and international touring, what kind of music were you listening to growing up?
I mostly listened to rock and roll. I was such a die-hard rock music fan. In my house, it was so much of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, The Cure, and then, interestingly, on my mom’s side, it was a lot of French classical artists like Jean-Louis Aubert, and a lot of jazz. I feel like I never really stopped listening to those genres. The older I got, the more niche my taste became, and I started discovering more psychedelic and garage rock sounds, bands like The Sonics, King Crimson, and got really inspired by jazz musicians like Herbie Hancock. These were artists who were always in rotation in my listening.
What do you think instantly makes a crowd feel special from the DJ booth?
Eye contact. Sometimes we’re so far up there and the DJ booth can be quite removed from the crowd, and the crowd forgets that you can see them the way they see you. When you lock eyes with someone, it’s like: hey, we’re here. We’re here together. Let’s exchange this moment.
Your party Smiile has become such a meaningful space for the LGBTQ+ community. What inspired you to create it?
I created Smiile really because I wanted to create a space for artists and people like me to go and have fun, and to truly experience a side of raving that felt extremely free and to also bring together some of my favourite artists in the world to showcase who they are. I really feel like we’ve built a very special place and community that follows us around the world, and it’s been so special to see the feedback we get from the parties and the way we’ve allowed people to truly come and be themselves.
What’s one set you’ve played that still stays with you emotionally?
I would have to say the after-party at EFUNK at TV lounge. Still to this day, it’s probably one of the most emotional sets I’ve ever played. I really felt like all of my barriers and fears just dropped, and I connected to the moment and to the crowd. We all went somewhere that morning. I played from 7 am to 9 am, and I hadn’t been to bed. I’d played earlier in the day at Movement and had been out all night in Detroit, and then walked into this really special party from ITHQ. I was so inspired to give back to the city that is one of the birthplaces of what we do today. Something happened that morning that I’ll never forget. I turned around at one point and even my brother was crying, and at the end of my set, I started crying too. I was like: wow. Music is probably one of the most powerful things I’ve ever witnessed.
Your new single “Lemme Dance” features French producer, vocalist, and Ed Banger affiliate Myd, and is built around freedom and release. In a culture where everyone is filming and documenting everything, do you think it’s become harder for people to truly let go?
I really think so. I can tell the difference on a dance floor between a no-phone policy and one without, and I feel that people are inhibited because they don’t want to look bad on camera or show a side of themselves that might be vulnerable. There’s this fear of being truly free to be who you are. That’s why it is so important to create spaces for people to feel able to be free and to be in the moment. As much as some filming and documenting is fine, I really love seeing clubs, parties, and artists that are strict about no filming. It’s really to allow people to feel safer and to show a side of themselves they might otherwise be shy about.
Myd has such a distinctive musical personality. What did he bring to “Lemme Dance” that surprised you?
It was a rough demo I’d recorded in New York, and he really loved the bouncy energy of it. He was surprised to hear my vocals and really pushed me to lean into it. It was cool to see that side of him. Myd is such a fun artist, but he also brings a lot of emotion and musicality to the way he makes music. Together we built that crazy electro drop that feels very French, like a real ode to my early teens raving in Paris. We both connected on our French roots through this record, and he pushed me even deeper into them. I have to say it surprised me how much we connected over it.
Following the success of “The One,” did you feel any pressure when it came to releasing new music?
I felt so much pressure. First of all, “The One” was never meant to be this global, call it a hit, which is a word I really don’t like using, but it is what it is. And I also felt that “The One” was such a different record to a lot of the music I make, so I was really nervous to come back and showcase music that sits in a different sonic identity. I really didn’t want to be boxed in by it. It’s definitely been an artistic journey to stay true to who I am at all times and always stand behind the music I make because I love the music I make. I want to feel really creative when I make music. I never want to go back to making music just to make a hit. I think that’s where music dies.
Earlier this month, you performed at Pacha Ibiza alongside Solomun. What did sharing the lineup with him mean to you, and what atmosphere were you aiming to create for the crowd that evening?
Solomun is a legend. He’s the GOAT. He’s been there for so long and is so iconic in so many ways. This was my third year playing Solomun +1, and we really have a special relationship — I just feel like we know each other in silence behind the decks. We always have fun together. He pushes me to play records I probably would never dare to dig out, and I think vice versa. It’s always this silent dialogue between us, and it’s truly an honour every time I get to play with him. As for the atmosphere, I wasn’t trying to create anything specific. It all comes back to what I’ve been trying to share through the music I’m making at the moment: making people feel present, truly connected to the moment they’re in. That’s the power of music.
Ibiza has such a mythology around it. What separates a truly unforgettable Ibiza set from any other night in the world?
When you log into the Ibiza vibe and really connect to the Balearic essence of this island and to the sense of utopia Ibiza has represented for so many years, you connect to a really special side of yourself. People come here to have a genuinely good time, and being able to connect with them on that note, you get a certain version of people that’s pretty wild. I’ve had some of the most insane sets here, seen things on the dance floor I’ve never seen anywhere else, and heard people react to music in ways I’ve never experienced anywhere else. Especially playing at clubs like Circoloco and DC10. I’ve had some of the most epic sets of my life there. I just love the way people arrive open-minded and ready for a great time.
On a separate note, what do you pack when going to Ibiza?
A bathing suit. Don’t just experience the clubs and the nightlife, make sure you go for a dip in the sea. It’s healing.
One last question for fun: if you were on a desert island and you could only bring ten tracks with you, what would they be?
Had to add 11 — it’s my lucky number 🙂
“La Femme d’Argent” — Air
“Echoes” — Pink Floyd
“Time Warp” — Eddy Grant
“Serious” — Donna Allen
“Crimson & Clover” — Tommy James & The Shondells
“Loaded” — Primal Scream
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” — Tears for Fears
“Give” — Harari
“I Need You Tonight” — Punkin Machine
“Pish” — The Brian Jonestown Massacre
“Small Town Boy” — Bronski Beat
