DJ LIFE recently caught up with Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum DJ/producer, and a founding member of Eiffel 65, Gabry Ponte.
Gabry Ponte has a music career now spanning over 25 years. As a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum DJ/producer, over the last decade Gabry Ponte has become an electronic-music mainstay. The Italian talent has since garnered over 5.5 billion streams and nearly 18 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Such a feat has placed him as the No. 1 streamed DJ in Italy, and one of Italy’s most-streamed Italian artists (alongside Måneskin and Meduza).
As one of the founding members of Eiffel 65, Ponte produced the 1998 smash-hit “Blue (Da Be Dee),” which earned a Diamond certification and sold over 8 million copies, gaining a Grammy nom for Best Dance Recording. Fast forward to 2022, and David Guetta & Bebe Rexha went on to earn their Grammy in the very same field with their modern-day reworked rendition, “I’m Good (Blue).”
Following the days of Eiffel 65, Ponte began a solo career, achieving success with early collaborations and remixes by 2013. Since then, he’s made 30 Platinum and 18 Gold records, including top-tier collaborations with the likes of LUM!X (“Thunder” and “Monster”), Aloe Blacc (“Can’t Get Over You”), Timmy Trumpet & R3HAB (“Call Me”), Georgia Ku (“The Finger”), as well as Steve Aoki, Blasterjaxx, Vini Vici, and many more.
To start the year off strong, he joined forces with DJs From Mars on the track “Deep Fear,” which was released on Ponte’s very own Pentaphonia Records. And there’s much to anticipate in 2025, including providing the official event anthem, “Tutta L’Italia” (Sanremo 2025)” for the 75th Sanremo Festival, so DJ LIFE caught up with Ponte, 51, to discuss it all.
DJ LIFE: How did you get your start in music?
Gabry Ponte: I was around 16 when it all started in Turin, Italy. I began by recording mixtapes and I brought dozens of those cassettes to all of the clubs in my hometown until one of them believed in me and gave me the chance to play every now and then. Then I started hanging out at a new recording studio, where I learned how to make music. There, I met and started working with those who would eventually become the other members of Eiffel 65.
DJ LIFE: Was there a moment when you realized that music was your future?
Ponte: From the very beginning, my passion for music was overwhelming and all-encompassing. I knew right away what I wanted to do in life, but I didn’t know if I would succeed. Back then, there was no such thing as “superstar DJs.” We were the first generation of DJ/producers. I remember the first time I entered a club, I was fascinated by the role of the DJ. To me, the DJ was like the puppeteer with the people tied to his chords like the marionettes, moving and dancing according to his rhythm.
DJ LIFE: Did your upbringing contribute to your pursuit of music?
Ponte: Not really, I never studied music in the first place, or anything related to art or entertainment. But at the end of high school, when I still had no certainty that I would be able to make a living as a DJ, I had to choose a university and eventually enrolled in physics. The passion for physics is somehow connected to music which, although the result of inspiration and creativity, is still mathematics – just ask Bach! Studying physics has provided me with many tools to deeply understand production, sound, and how to manage and control the waveforms of music, as well as sound modulation with synthesizers.
DJ LIFE: As a founder of Eiffel 65 and producer of “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” what was your initial reaction to hearing David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s take, “I’m Good (Blue)”?
Ponte: He told me in-person that he had recorded that bootleg together with Bebe Rexha many years before he eventually decided to release it. Many have attempted remixes or reworks of “Blue,” but not all of them managed to capture its essence. And I know that is not easy at all! However, when I heard Guetta’s version, I immediately realized he had nailed it. I immediately thought it was a masterpiece.
DJ LIFE: Tell us about your label Pentaphonia Records and the vision behind it.
Ponte: Pentaphonia was created to establish a space of pure creativity and freedom for releasing tracks designed for clubs and live performances. Soon, in addition to my own releases, we will have releases from top artists who are expressing the sound we currently love the most.
DJ LIFE: You’ve just released your single “Deep Fear” alongside DJs From Mars on the label. How did this collab come together?
Ponte: “Deep Fear” [by Sidekick in 2008] is an iconic club classic, and I had wanted to pay homage to it for a long time. Needless to say, when my friends DJs From Mars came to me with the same idea, I started working on it right away with them.
DJ LIFE: What can you tell us about your early days as a DJ?
Ponte: I started recording mixtapes in my bedroom, but the professional equipment – my technics 1210 turntables – was very expensive, and I couldn’t afford it so and only one of my two turntables had the pitch control, so I was working on the transitions for hours, and I remember it would take me days to record one single 60-minute mixtape. I didn’t care – I just wanted to be perfect.
DJ LIFE: How has your DJ set-up changed since you started?
Ponte: My set-up has evolved significantly. The first console I played with consisted of the two Technics 1210 turntables and one Outline mixer, a very popular unit back then. Then I went through all models and generations of CDJs, starting from the iconic Pioneer DJ CDJ-500. But that one was a nightmare to use live, I remember, because of the vibrations the CD was often skipping. The turning point was the Pioneer CDJ-100S. Currently, I perform using three Pioneer CDJ-3000s and a Pioneer DJS-1000 sampler. However, I like to experiment by incorporating new gear and testing different combinations. It’s a great way to stay creative.
DJ LIFE: And your evolution with studio gear?
Ponte: When I started producing, I was making music with a software called Notator running on an Atari and an Akai S1000 sampler, but everything has evolved in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Today, I use mainly Ableton Live because it fits my workflow and creativity. I also love working with analog Roland gear like the TB-303, the 909, and I recently bought the JUNO-X, the modern version of the iconic JUNO-106 I used to use. One of my favorite plug-ins is [Xfer Records] Serum.
DJ LIFE: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Ponte: Well, before a show I like to stay alone, in silence to concentrate and to organize my playlist in the backseat of the car or inside the dressing room backstage. I still feel a bit anxious before every set, no matter how big the venue is.
DJ LIFE: Tell us about your recent single, “Tutta L’Italia,” that was released as the official anthem for the Sanremo Music Festival.
Ponte: Throughout my career, one of the things I have cared about most is trying to bring people together, to bring them closer, this has translated into making them dance together. “Tutta L’Italia” is this. Having it chosen as the official anthem for Sanremo, a festival that has united Italians for 75 years, is deeply moving for me.
DJ LIFE: And how does it feel to be the first-ever DJ to headline Milan’s famous San Siro football stadium this coming June?
Ponte: It’s an incredible honor! I’m beyond excited and can’t wait. The energy is building up, and I’m sure the fans who have already secured their tickets feel the same way. It’s going to be a night that will be hard to forget!
DJ LIFE: What can do you have in store for San Siro Dance?
Ponte: Honestly, I did not start working on the show yet, but I can’t believe that it’s almost sold out and I try to imagine how 55,000 people in front of me will make me feel. I’ll put 110-percent into it to make it something unique for my fans and for myself.