News
JP Candela and Jose De Mara nominated at the Vicious Music Awards 2026
Two PLAYNOW artists are among the nominees of the fifteenth edition of Vicious Magazine's awards: JP Candela for Best National Artist and Jose De Mara for Best Producer. Voting is open until 15 November.
Vicious Magazine has announced the nominees for the Vicious Music Awards 2026, Spain's electronic music awards, and two artists from the PLAYNOW roster are among them: JP Candela, nominated for Best National Artist, and Jose De Mara, nominated for Best Producer. This is the fifteenth edition of the awards, which this year comprise 21 categories and more than 500 nominations.
JP Candela, Best National Artist
The category recognises the DJ who has delivered a particularly outstanding season in terms of career, performances and musical personality. JP Candela shares the shortlist with more than a hundred names from the Spanish scene.
His season speaks for itself. Born in Madrid and based in Ibiza, he has completed five seasons at Pacha Ibiza, runs ĀMA Music, a label and party series at Lula Club in Madrid, and hosts «Dale Candela» every Tuesday on LOS40 Dance. This summer he played to one of the year's biggest crowds at A Summer Story in his home city, and in November he releases a new track with French artist David Hopperman on his label. The full video is in our article on his A Summer Story set.
Jose De Mara, Best Producer
This category honours the producer who has stood out for the personality of his compositions, the quality of his productions and his ability to bring new ideas to electronic music. Jose De Mara is one of 61 nominees.
His studio work backs the nomination. With more than two decades in house and tech house, he has released on Tomorrowland Music, Armada Music, Spinnin' Records and Toolroom, reached number 1 on Beatport's Hype Tech House chart with «To My Beat», and his tracks have passed 225 million streams. He also runs ARCADIA, his own label, with more than a hundred releases. His full story is in the article on his arrival on the roster.
How to vote
Public voting has been open at viciousawards.com since 15 October and closes on 15 November. It works as follows:
- One ballot per person, linked to an email address.
- Three, two and one points to share among your favourites in each category.
- Best National Artist for JP Candela and Best Producer for Jose De Mara.
The gala, 25 November in Madrid
The winners will be announced on 25 November 2026 at Teatro Kapital in Madrid, at a gala with the awards ceremony, live performances and an after-party. The results will also be published on Vicious Magazine's channels.
How to book them
Bookings for both artists are handled by PLAYNOW. Please send us the date, city, type of event, expected capacity and set times, and we will reply with availability, fee and technical requirements. Their biographies, press kits and links are on the JP Candela profile and the Jose De Mara profile.
FAQ
Which categories are JP Candela and Jose De Mara nominated in?
JP Candela for Best National Artist; Jose De Mara for Best Producer.
How do I vote in the Vicious Music Awards 2026?
At viciousawards.com. Each person has one ballot, linked to their email address, and shares three, two and one points among their favourites in each category. Voting closes on 15 November.
When and where is the gala?
On 25 November 2026 at Teatro Kapital, Madrid.
