"The song resonates because it brings positive energy. Girls want to hear lyrics like 'I adore you' — not something degrading," he says. "It's a feel-good track that connects across genres. Everywhere I go, from clubs to festivals, I see people dancing and smiling to it. It's amazing how a track can transcend language and culture. I think people are craving music that feels good and unites them, and 'I Adore You' does exactly that."
The French producer is hosting a dinner at the Brickell hot spot for his streetwear brand, Tafari World. He has a laid-back demeanor throughout the whole thing, getting more animated when he talks about his Art Week sets at Delilah, Hyde Beach, and Factory Town.
After dinner, he plays a bangers-filled set, introducing some new the Weeknd edits into his set. "I'd love to work with the Weeknd," he says. "If hip-hop isn't the thing anymore, I'd produce cool records for cool places — San Tropez, Monaco, wherever. Let's make it happen. Music should be timeless and fit the vibe of the moment, whether it's a packed club or an intimate setting."
The night ends in the industrial area at the edge of Hialeah, where Factory Town is located. Hugel has a pop-up shop in the venue's warehouse area, which is being used as part of an art exhibition. As he walks through the space, fans seemingly appear out of nowhere, asking for a photo, to which Hugel happily obliges.
Once at the pop-up, spearheaded by Hugel, business partner Tafari (AKA Tyler Beejan Adibi), and creative director Kamali, the team looks around at the custom Bearbrick, racks of T-shirts and sweaters, and painted leather pieces.
"I've always loved clothes," Hugel says. "Every rapper and producer in hip-hop has their fashion line, and I thought, 'Why not me?' I wanted to do it for years but never found the right partner until Tyler came along. He understood my vision and took it to the next level. We work as a team. Tyler handles most of the designs, but I give my input, especially on pieces that reflect my style. For example, I was involved in the details of the silver and leather jacket designs. It's a back-and-forth process, but it works because we're aligned creatively."
Latin Influence
It's early March, and Hugel is back in his pad in Lisbon. He just returned from playing a gig in France, and tomorrow, he will fly to Romania."It's crazy, but I'm grateful and blessed," he tells New Times over Zoom. "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 announced 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 hometown. 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 incredible."
Another nightlife capital Hugel has also become intimately 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."I grew up with mixed cultures and spent summers in southern Spain, so flipping Latin music into my style happened naturally."
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Hugel quickly made a name for himself in Miami thanks to his infectious Latin-house sounds, which appealed 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 direction. Latin house wasn't a genre people 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.."
"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," says Hugel.
Hugel photo
Fostering Connections
He has further cemented his Latin house legacy 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: moments where people feel alive and connected."
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 others. 7 p.m. Sunday, March 30, at Factory Town, 4800 NW 37th Ave., Miami; factorytown.com. Tickets cost $149 to $250 via dice.fm.
Find the full list of Miami Music Week 2025 events here.
