Ibiza Icon DJ Alfredo Dead at 71

Alfredo Fiorito, known professionally as DJ Alfredo, left an indelible impact not only on Ibiza nightlife but on dance culture across the globe.

Alfredo Fiorito, a highly influential Argentinian disc jockey who has performed under the stage name DJ Alfredo in Ibiza since the 1970s, has passed away at age 71.

White Isle superclub Amnesia Ibiza was the first to publicly share the news of Fiorito’s passing on Instagram. “Thank you for the nights and beats we shared together,” reads the post. “Your music and vision shaped the sound of Balearic Beat and the soul of Amnesia. So many memories were made through your energy, your legacy will live on our dancefloor forever.”

Fiorito’s cause of death has not been disclosed at the time of writing. He had suffered a stroke in 2021, and this March, anonymous nonfiction author The Secret DJ had launched a fundraiser to help Fiorito “live in more comfort” while under care in a retirement home.

DJ Alfredo and the Balearic Beat

Born in Rosario, Argentina in 1953, Alfredo Fiorito bounced from Paris to Madrid before finally landing on the White Isle of Ibiza. Initially, he worked as a candlemaker, delivery driver, and bartender. By 1976, however, he had taken to DJing at a club called Be Bop.

The next year saw him debut at Amnesia Ibiza, and by 1984 he had locked in a residency at the club. It was there that he played a key role in developing the Balearic beat — less a single genre of music, and more a blend of disco, rock, electro, and house music that seemed to perfectly soundtrack the eclecticism of the island.

Importantly, a young Paul Oakenfold, Danny Rampling, Nicky Holloway, and Johnny Walker caught a DJ Alfredo performance during a trip to Ibiza in the late 1980s. It inspired them to launch event brands like Spectrum and Shoom upon their return to London, helping trigger the all-pervasive UK cultural revolution known as acid house.

“You will never be forgotten,” reads the end of Amnesia’s post, perfectly summing up Fiorito’s impact. “Rest in peace, Alfredo.”