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José Padilla, the Spanish DJ who played an integral role in popularising chillout music in the 1990s, has died at the age of 64.
A statement on Padilla’s Facebook page last night (October 19) confirmed he passed away over the weekend following a battle with colon cancer.
“It is with great sadness that we bring you the news that José passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday night here on his beloved island of Ibiza,” the statement reads.
“Now he has gone and the sunset in Ibiza will never be the same without him, but the beautiful music of José Padilla will stay with us forever.”
Hola amigos . It is with great sadness that we bring you the news that José passed away peacefully in his sleep on…
Posted by José Padilla on Monday, October 19, 2020
Padilla moved to Ibiza in 1976 and became a resident DJ at Café del Mar, the Ibiza bar that became synonymous with playing chillout music while patrons enjoyed the island’s stunning sunsets.
He went on to create the wildly successful ‘Café del Mar’ compilation series in 1993, which went on to sell thousands of copies across the globe.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Café del Mar said: “José Padilla chilled a generation of clubbers and his art touched the lives of millions. He will always be remembered as the Godfather of Chillout, creator of ‘Café del Mar’ compilations, and true Ibiza Legend.”
Further success came in 2001 when Padilla’s own album ‘Navigator’ saw him bagging a Latin Grammy nomination.
RIP José Padilla.
Pioneer of the Balearic sound, and the legend behind Café del Mar.
pic.twitter.com/Lb7B6YGm7f
— Ministry of Sound (@ministryofsound) October 19, 2020
So sad to hear about Jose Padilla passing.. he was a massive influence on me as a DJ from the first time @graphite1 took me to the Cafe Del Mar and Jose made me cry with a beautifully synced sunset… he made so many moments like that for people … RIP Jose xx pic.twitter.com/aqcURwmY9N
— Rob da Bank (@RobdaBank) October 20, 2020
Padilla first went public with his cancer diagnosis in July and asked fans for donations towards his healthcare costs, writing: “My situation is very bad, I am completely broken after 5 months with no income whatsoever and no way to pay my rent.”
The aforementioned post on his Facebook page continued: “His family and friends would like to say thank you to everybody who sent donations and messages of support to help make his last few months easier, and to all the staff of Can Misses Hospital for taking care of him until the end.”
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