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Fairyland Music Festival is Vallarta’s New Queer House Music Festival
Internationally acclaimed DJ and producer James Hurr will make his Puerto Vallarta debut at the 2025 Fairyland Music Festival. PV’s “first-ever queer music festival” will feature more than 23 world-class DJs and producers across several venues.
Joseph Fenity recently spoke with the king of the modern club remix about his growing excitement ahead of his first major international appearance of the year.
If you’re a modern dance-electronic music lover, you know his name. If you’ve stepped foot into a nightclub at any point in the 2000s, there’s a good chance you’ve caught his contagious beats. Although UK-based James Hurr has been a force in the electronic and global dance music scene for decades, the powerhouse producer has yet to bring his live sound to Mexico — until now.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
JOSEPH FENITY: How did you get your start in music and producing?
JAMES HURR: Well, I didn’t do my, kind of, my senior year at school. They were quite keen for me to leave and not carry on at school — and I wanted to go spread my wings and fly. I was young, I was just coming out, I just discovered partying and raves and dance music. So, I was more than happy to just do something else! And I got a position at a music college for a year where they where they taught me all about how to like use drum machines and how to make dance tracks, basically. And I was so hooked from that! All I wanted to do was make the music that I heard at these massive raves and huge sound systems outside, you know? Like these big raves in the woods.
JF: Have you been to Puerto Vallarta before?
JH: No, I’ve never even been to Mexico!
JF: Well, this is exciting! What have you heard about PV?
JH: I’ve heard it’s like a massive queer resort — so, like, already I’m sold. It sounds amazing! I don’t know quite what to expect, I’m just actually really excited. I love going to places where I don’t know what’s going to happen.
JF: And you’re ready for some West Coast sunshine?
JH: I’m totally down for that. The weather is going to be great. I’m in London and the weather is not particularly good here. There’s no sun in the sky and it’s wet. I was drying my shoes on the radiator all day today! I’m excited just to see blue skies.
JF: You perform for huge crowds all over the world. How are audiences in the Americas different than in Europe?
JH: I’ve been preparing a lot of new records and it’s great to go to a new territory and I love North America. I love performing out there because I feel like audiences just love a show. They love being entertained and they’re really engaged and connected more with things happening on the stage. So I absolutely love playing my records out there. I feel more of a connection, and I even enjoy [live shows] more. I feel like the audiences are just are ready to go. There’s a lot more investment in whatever’s happening. So I’m super excited by that and I can’t wait to see what happens!
JF: I realize DJing and producing new mixes focuses a lot on beats and instruments. How important are the vocals to you?
JH: Vocals are a big, big thing — really vitally important. What I’ve noticed — that has given me sort of an edge in some ways — is that I always treat the vocals with a lot of care. I sometimes like to take the vocal stems — like the really raw, dry vocal stems — and maybe kind of move them around a bit and have a little play with them. Kind of just make them the absolute best they can be. I play with effects.
JF: And you’ve clearly got a sense of what works. You know it when you hear it?
JH: I’ve had so much feedback over the years from what vocalists like when you’re [with them] in a session and you do something. “Oh, I love that! That’s cool.” You start to know all the things that get people excited. I try and put all those little tricks in, and definitely add a little bit extra into the vocal production, even if it’s like just a remix.
JF: Other than the Fairyland stage, where else are we likely to spot you roaming about our beach town?
JH: That’s a tough one! There’s so much I want to do that I honestly wish I could stay for 2 weeks. But I have so much work to do on either side of this trip. I’ve got to fly in and fly out. I was hoping to try and have at least a couple days spare. Maybe exploring another beach? Like, I love exploring. I love just wandering out into a town and seeing stuff. Food, locals, everything. I kind of just like getting lost sometimes.
JF: Get lost all you want, but promise me no texting-while-walking in PV? Our sidewalks are not the most forgiving!
JH: I did that on holiday in France not long ago! I was walking, texting, and I just went — my ankle! It was screwed up for like a month. Joseph, you may have just saved my ankle.
Fairyland Music Festival will take place from March 13-16, 2025. The beachside music event — hosted by Almar Group’s Almar Resort/Mantamar Events — is being billed as “Puerto Vallarta’s first-ever queer house music festival.” Promotional materials indicate that this festival was created in association with Brian Kent Productions. For tickets and additional information, visit www.fairylandfestival.com.
James Hurr is scheduled to appear at the festival on Sunday, March 16. You may connect with the London-based DJ and remix producer on Instagram, Soundcloud, and on JamesHurr.com.
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