EXPERIENCE THE FUTURE OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC WITH OUR ANTS: NEXT GEN 2025 WINNERS
Friday, Sep 5, 2025
This Saturday our ANTS: NEXT GEN 2025 winners will step into the ANTS METALWORKS DJ booth at Ushuaïa Ibiza to captivate The Colony with their skills and selections. DARKHORSE & Grouse were picked out of over 1,500 entrants in the ANTS: NEXT GEN 2025 Artist Program. Their mix impressed the judging panel of industry experts, talent spotters and accomplished DJs, including Yann Pissenem (Owner, Founder, and CEO of [UNVRS], Ushuaïa & Hï Ibiza and The Night League), Itziar Gonzalez (ANTS Project Manager), ANTS regulars Andrea Oliva, Chelina Manuhutu and SYREETA, plus ANTS: NEXT GEN 2023 & 2024 winners, Us Two and Firza.
“We’ve been to ANTS many times as ravers, travelling from Australia and dreaming of one day being up there ourselves. To now be named ANTS: NEXT GEN winners is surreal. Massive thanks to the ANTS mentors for believing in us, and to our friends, family and community who’ve backed us the whole way. This is the start of something we’ve worked towards for a long time, and we’re ready to give it everything,” said DARKHORSE & Grouse when they were announced as the ANTS: NEXT GEN 2025 winners. They will perform on a stacked lineup of ANTS favourites, including Andrea Oliva, HoneyLuv B2B TSHA, Melé, KILIMANJARO and Dunmore Brothers. Join us this Saturday at Ibiza’s top open-air venue for a day-to-night party featuring a stacked lineup and the epic industrial world of ANTS METALWORKS, with sounds spanning house, techno, tech house, Afro house, and more. Saturday’s performance is the main event in a prize package that features an artist billboard in Ibiza, a filmed DJ set on Ibiza Sonica Radio, a takeover of the ANTS Apple Music playlist, a DJ Mag feature, a pointblank production masterclass alongside an ANTS core artist, AlphaTheta gear guidance and headphones, plus ongoing tailored artist mentorship from the ANTS team. Ahead of DARKHORSE & Grouse’s arrival on the island, we caught up with ANTS: NEXT GEN 2023 winner, Us Two, to find out how the artist mentorship program has shaped his career.
ANTS: Since winning ANTS: NEXT GEN what has been the most exciting moment in your career?
There’s been a lot of highlights! music wise I would say collaborating with artists such as Franky Rizardo. Then DJing, it’s been amazing to play at ANTS twice since my first year, then warming up for Marco Carola too!
As an artist, how important was it for you to get a foothold in the Ibiza scene?
Ibiza is every DJ’s dream! It plays such a key part in your career as the eyes of the industry all over the world are watching every summer. So for me to be part of the ANTS family, is amazing as they are an iconic party!
Has your time in Ibiza had an effect on your approach to DJing or production?
Yes for sure, it’s helped me understand how to read international crowds so when I’m booked to play in countries like Italy or Spain, I know exactly what to play! My productions are always centred around groove and big percussion sounds, and when I’m making tracks I’m always imagining how this would sound on a Saturday afternoon at ANTS.
How does it feel returning to perform for ANTS at Ushuaïa Ibiza?
Like coming home! Everybody from the security to the sound engineers are so welcoming. Not only with the DJs but everyone’s friends & loved ones too. It really is like a family.
What exciting projects do you have on the horizon?
I’m about to go on tour in Australia & New Zealand which is crazy! I’ve also just signed some music with ANOTR’s label No Art which I’m really excited about.
What advice would you give to someone entering ANTS: NEXT GEN?
Be unique, don’t follow the trends because you’re already one step behind if you do that. Stay true to yourself whilst thinking of the sound of ANTS & Ibiza.
Don’t miss the future of electronic music this Saturday, 6 September at ANTS METALWORKS. Tickets and VIP tables are available now.