Moments after our chat, Franky Wah is behind the decks - his natural habitat. Modern Ibiza classic Sandcastles by Ferrer & Sydenham is the track that cuts through the hubbub of small talk. It feels like a poignant choice.
It's mid-March and the island is starting to wake up. Not least Club Chinois.
New in 2022, the 1,000 capacity club in Ibiza Marina is looking to build on the foundations set in its debut summer. Last year was a case of being thrown in at the deep end. Already, 2023 feels more strategic. Plans are afoot and ambition has not been blunted by the baptism of year one.
We've gathered at Mikasa, another establishment in the Island Hospitality Group, to launch Franky Wah's SHÈN Ibiza residency. Running for 16 weeks from 18 June, it's based on his label and clothing line of the same name and is brand new for 2023.
The story of how it came to be is one worth retelling. Any believer in the power of attraction and manifestation should carry on reading.
The island's press are all present and everyone wants a piece of Franky. Getting pulled pillar to post, he's a man in demand, but handles being the centre of attention, not only like a pro, but with charm, grace and gratitude.
Finally, we pull him aside to get the inside info on the summer ahead. Behind us, fortified Dalt Vila, the medieval Old Town on the hill, glows in the dying ebbs of golden hour.
Franky Wah & the power of manifestation
Every DJ's dream is landing an Ibiza residency, so congratulations are in order. How long has bringing SHÈN to the island been in the works?
"Well it's been in the works in my head ever since I were a kid! I said it the other day and I don't take it back; I've dreamt of this moment since watching Kevin & Perry Go Large all them years ago.
Last year I played a lot more on the island. I was playing clubs like Amnesia, Hï Ibiza, Ushuaïa and I think at that point, it started to become more of a reality than a dream, do you know what I mean? It all came about last summer. It's a crazy story really.
I was out for a meal with Danny Howard from Radio 1. Gorgon City and a few others were there. We got talking about the power of manifestation and whether we believe in it, 'Yeah, course I do'. So I gave a few examples and then the conversation moved along."
"Danny's manager, Sophie, asked me what my plans were next (this) year.
I said, 'I don't know. I've been thinking about approaching this club - there's a new club I really like the look of, but I don't know the name'.
She asked me if it was called Chinois and I was like, 'Yeah! That's the one. How did you know?' And she said she thought my sound would be perfect there. Anyway, we thought no more of it. Then two minutes later, Danny Whittle's at the table. I swear, Danny Howard as my witness.
Danny Whittle said, 'Franky, I wasn't going to bother you tonight, but I don't normally come to this restaurant and I can't believe the chances you're here too. I was gonna hit your agent up next week about offering you your own residency next year at Chinois.'
The whole table was like 'WOAH!' The universe delivers again."
Danny Whittle (left) and Franky Wah - a chance encounter? Or the universe working its magic?
Incredible! What a story. Let's talk about the night itself. It's going to be modelled on your label, SHÈN. What’s the concept behind it?
"SHÈN is a Chinese word. Wah is a Chinese name. My grandad is Chinese and I inherited my surname from him. In Chinese, SHÈN means ascending into a higher consciousness. That essentially is what we want the clubbers to do at the party.
We want them to detach from reality, forget about the rat race of life, paying bills and take them to a higher level of existence. That's the ethos of the night. We're using the terracotta warriors as a symbol of strength, which links to the Chinese heritage and pulls everything into one."
How hands on have you been in terms of the artwork design, auditioning dancers…
"It's fair to say I'm a control freak! (laughs) It's a wonder my head don't pop.
Sometimes it's fizzing! We've got to go through everything with a fine toothcomb. It’s one of them. I think in order to have the connection from yourself to your brand to your audience, you need full creative control over it.
Don't get me wrong, I've got an amazing team, but I feel like I have to be across it all. I struggle to pass anything over."
We know you've got to be a bit coy at the moment and who you've booked as guests, but can we at least ask: will the line-up feature past studio collaborators?
"That's a good question. I like what you've done there! I can confirm, yes. You'll have to wonder as to who."
We're sure our readers will speculate away! How do you intend to make the night stand-out in the face of all the competition?
"We want everyone who comes to enter a realm. Like entering a jungle. The DJ booth itself is going to be made-over into a temple. Like Faithless 'God is a DJ', you know? The terracotta warriors will be stood either side of it.
We want to take the visuals to the next level. We'll be utilising the 360 degree screen we have there."
Club Chinois has an impressive technical spec, including its 360 degree screens
"For me, being a resident DJ isn't about being the biggest DJ on the night. I think you also need a degree of business acumen, as well as a vision of your direction. Do you want to walk away rich with a load of money? Or do you want to reinvest into your brand?
I doubt I'll get rich from this. I still want to be the best, but in order to do that I'll be spending a lot of my own money. There's a budget from the club, of course. But I really want SHÈN to stand out and be different. It's not about cashing-in and running away.
That's why things like this launch night are so important. I'm gonna do a pre-party. After parties too hopefully. The pre-party looks like it'll be taking place at Savannah."
Savannah on San Antonio's Sunset Strip will host the weekly pre-party
"I chose Sundays because I didn't want to shy away from the competition.
SHÈN has been manifesting in my head for years. SHÈN Sundays has a ring to it. I always thought it had to be on a Sunday. When I visit the island to party, Sunday is always my day. Obviously it's tempting to try and avoid the likes of Solomun and Glitterbox on Sunday, but I just thought, no. SHÈN Sundays sounds better than SHÈN Tuesdays!"
There's no 'easy' nights.
"No. I believe in my vision. And I don't believe in trying to dodge somebody else for the wrong reasons. You're going to have to come up against the big boys sooner or later.
I remember last year I was booked at a festival in Dublin. I was programmed to be on at the same time as Peggy Gou on a different stage. Initially, I felt reluctant to do it. But then I thought, 'you know what, I'm doing it'. It paid off. You couldn't get inside the tent I was in.
Maybe that doesn't happen this year, but that's the same mentality."
"We're starting on 18 June, once the season is up and running. That's the date that worked for me. I'd already committed to dates in North America, so it wasn't doable to start any earlier.
America's building nicely and I don't get too much opportunity to be there in summer, so I had to sacrifice something somewhere. We've got a SHÈN party in April in a New York warehouse for 3,500 people, so it's going in the right direction.
We did a SHÈN showcase in Tulum in the new year. Tulum, New York and Ibiza - that's a nice three places to be."
Obviously SHÈN at Club Chinois in your primary focus, but are you appearing elsewhere this summer?
"I'm doing the opening party for Ushuaïa with ARTBAT and Kölsch and two ANTS dates, but that's it. The rest of the time I'm here, every Sunday for 16 weeks from 18 June. Be there."
Franky has been building terracotta sandcastles in his mind since he was a teenager. We don’t know, but those sandcastle features are starting to look sturdier. The moat, the drawbridge, the armed-guards, the turrets - it's an imposing mental structure.
With his tunnel vision, combative mindset, seasoned collaborators and, yes, the power of positivity, Franky Wah is about to turn this sandcastle into a fortress. Fortress SHÈN.
Early birds for all 16 dates are on sale now and available below.
PHOTOGRAPHY | by Will Jaques
