After nearly two decades of shaping Romania's electronic music culture, Sunwaves has arrived in Ibiza with a 12-date residency at Playa Soleil. Alexa, the organiser overseeing its marketing, strategy and bookings, explains how the festival is protecting its identity while entering one of dance music's most established destinations.

"Ibiza will always be a place of importance for electronic music culture, alongside Detroit, Chicago, London, and Berlin."

In an era when electronic music events are increasingly built around screens, spectacle and short, tightly programmed performances, Sunwaves has always followed a different philosophy.

There are no enormous LED walls fighting for attention. No lasers dominating the room. No unnecessary interruptions forcing the crowd to leave one venue and search for an afterparty elsewhere.

Instead, the music is given time.

DJs are encouraged to play extended sets without following a rigid structure, while the dance floor remains the central focus of the experience. Funktion-One sound, live video mapping, wooden structures and a famously bouncy floor on the beach complete a setting designed for long hours of uninterrupted dancing.

"The most important criteria are the music and creativity. Nothing else comes even close."

Now, almost two decades after its first Romanian edition, Sunwaves is bringing that philosophy to Ibiza through a 12-date Wednesday residency at Playa Soleil.

For Alexa, who oversees the organisation of Sunwaves events across marketing, strategy and bookings, the move represents both an expansion and a test: how do you bring one of Romania's most distinctive underground institutions to Ibiza without losing the qualities that made it special?

"We never seek the hype; we look for authenticity."

From the Romanian Coast to the European Stage

Alexa's relationship with Sunwaves began long before she became one of the people responsible for shaping its future.

She attended the festival's first edition in 2007, before joining the team in 2013 through a role combining public relations and stage management. Over the years, she progressed through the organisation while learning what it takes to create the complete Sunwaves experience. Since last year, her responsibilities have also included artist bookings.

Sunwaves emerged during an important transitional moment for Romania. The country had recently joined the European Union, creating new possibilities for international visitors to travel to Eastern Europe and engage with its growing electronic music scene.

From the beginning, the festival placed Romanian DJs at the centre of its identity.

"The brand itself is highlighting the Romanian DJs and scene," Alexa explains, describing a philosophy that remains fundamental to Sunwaves today.

That commitment helped introduce international audiences to a generation of Romanian artists while strengthening the community surrounding the country's distinctive minimal and underground house sound.

"We will always invite up-and-coming artists alongside worldwide-known acts."

But Sunwaves was never defined solely by a particular genre or group of artists. Its identity also came from the freedom surrounding the music: uninterrupted parties, extended sets and the absence of a rigid division between the main event and the afterparty.

The objective was simple, once people entered the Sunwaves world, they would not need to leave it.

The Dance Floor Is the Main Character

What separates Sunwaves from many contemporary festivals is not necessarily what it adds, but what it deliberately removes.

"The dance floor is the main character," Alexa says.

There are no smoke machines, giant screens or excessive visual effects designed to turn the DJ into the centre of a concert-style production. Instead, the setup is intentionally organic and relaxed.

Colour, wooden cutouts, live video mapping, Funktion-One sound and the movement of the floor itself become part of the atmosphere without overwhelming the music.

Everything is designed to support long periods of dancing.

The artists are then given the freedom to respond to the room rather than rush through a predetermined collection of tracks. Extended sets are not treated as a novelty or marketing device; they are part of the festival's basic musical language.

Asked which names she is most looking forward to welcoming on the island, Alexa's answer is personal.

“I can't wait for the artists I've bonded with. Manda Moor's energy sets her apart. Dubfire b2b Mahony, dear friends. tINI, Priku, Mihigh, Gescu, Cristi Cons, Gojnea76, Traumer, and Raresh too. I'm a Romanian sound lover at my core.”

"People should drop by to experience something more than a party, but a sense of community in a world so disconnected."