“I first heard about Ibiza when I was 15 years old,” Paris Hilton reminisces. “I told my dad I wanted to go in the summer and he said it was OK, but then he went to the concierge – we were living in the Waldorf Astoria at the time – and asked him to help with booking tickets. The concierge said, ‘Mr Hilton, you do NOT want her to go there – it’s a party island and she’s a teenager!’ So I wasn’t allowed to go until I turned 18.” Of course, nothing makes a teenage girl more determined than her father saying no, so a young Paris became obsessed with the idea of the white isle, jumping on that first flight once she reached the magical age of 18 with her girlfriends. They stayed at Jade Jagger’s bohemian chic villa – complete with disco balls over the pool and teepees in the garden – in the island’s north and fell in love with the island lifestyle. But it was her first visit to a foam party that really made the holiday complete. “I had never been to any party like it – I was just blown away. It was awesome!” she says. Today, 20 years after the island first appeared on her radar, Ibiza is Hilton’s summer home. Over the past four years she’s gotten to know it like a true local – though at times, due to her notoriety, this calls for her to wear a brown wig, a baseball cap and glasses so she can truly enjoy the experience. When asked if this is liberating, Paris thinks carefully. “I like going undercover when I want to shop, have fun, and have some time to myself to really experience something,” she explains. “But it’s not always like that – in Ibiza, people respect other people and there’s a good energy here. It’s not like Hollywood with TMZ. I don’t mind if people ask me for a picture. Why not make people happy?”

Come Saturday nights at Amnesia, happy people in their thousands flock to see the star DJ perform in the main room of the award-winning club. Paris is now in her fourth season as resident DJ at the club, hosting her own Foam & Diamonds party every week throughout the summer season. 2016 sees the club decked out in amazing hanging floral décor – which Paris herself also helps to design, along with her own costumes and the many looks of the dancers, the artwork, visuals and more. She’s not just the face of the party – she’s also the brains behind its success. Music is undeniably Paris’s number one passion, and having just finished writing a new single – which she says will be recorded here in Ibiza this summer – she also sings during her performances, which culminate with the immensity of the foam party experience that takes place after she steps off the decks in the early hours of the morning. After a quick costume change – a girl can’t fire a foam cannon in any old sequined dress after all – Paris and her ‘girls’ head up to the VIP deck where a customised pink glittery cannon awaits. As she excitedly counts down the ten seconds prior to firing the foam, you can catch a glint of the 18-year old Paris in her eyes, no doubt thinking back to that very first foam party that inspired it all. And while you may think a celebrity fashionista like Paris Hilton would not let her six-inch Louboutins get wet as she aims the foam at the crowd down below, you’d be wrong. Paris is the first to get in and amongst it, covered in the lemon-scented foam from head to toe within minutes – though she does admit to having a pair of waterproof ballerina flats close to hand for a quick non-slip switch when it’s needed!

How do you feel as you step off the plane onto the tarmac? Just free and happy. There’s nothing like it. When you land in Ibiza, even if you’re tired, you immediately feel energised as you breathe in the air. What’s always in your suitcase when you come to Ibiza? Everything – I have about 20 suitcases! A lot of swimsuits and clothes, I love to showcase my fashion designs as well as my music, so I have a lot of outfits I’ve designed and had custom made and crystallised for DJing – it’s very me. I love dressing up and I think my fans love all of the outfits too. Does Ibiza feel like work or holiday to you? Both. It’s not like I just work one night a week at Amnesia – I have 17 different product lines that I design and promote. Plus I am touring around the world to DJ and I make sure every set I play is different. I really do put a lot of time and effort into picking out my perfect songs because I want everyone to have the best time ever. Who do you mostly spend time with on the island? My friends and family from everywhere fly in all the time, my brother is here a lot, and usually my sister and I come together – though she’s just had a baby so she might not be coming for a while! What is your favourite part of the island? Can I say Amnesia? No, really… I love Formentera. What is your best Ibiza memory? I have so many memories, but looking back at the 2016 opening party of Foam & Diamonds at Amnesia… it was incredible. Playing on that stage, there’s nothing like it. How do you feel when you’ve got to start packing to leave? Tired! But sad too, I just miss it and look forward to it all year long. I was actually here a lot last winter too, in October, November and I spent my first New Year’s Eve here and we went to DC10. It was the first year I turned down offers for other gigs, I just wanted to take it off and have some fun – and it was awesome.

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You have 24 hours on the island – tell us your favourite places to…

HAVE BREAKFAST I love Croissant Show, they do a really good breakfast at any time of the day.

GO FOR LUNCH La Escollera is phenomenal – at any time actually. I really love paella and it’s so good there.

EAT DINNER There are so many places, but I guess I would have to say Cova Santa or Cipriani. I recently discovered El Rincon del Puerto too and I love it there too.

DRINK Usually I’ll just have a drink at home before I head out, or in whichever restaurant I’m having dinner in first.

DANCE Amnesia, no doubt. I love going to Marco Carola’s night.

DJ Foam & Diamonds! There’s nothing compared to playing in that room. I play all around the world, I do shows everywhere, but the energy and the people at Amnesia, I love it more than anything. Everyone comes up to me and says they’ve never seen a DJ have so much fun while they’re playing – I think I burn like 20,000 calories every show! I am always jumping and dancing and really feeling it. I like to party with people and have the best time. I live for this. When I look into the crowd and see so many happy people, I literally get tears of happiness in my eyes.

PARTY Honestly – Foam & Diamonds. It’s the funniest party in the world. People really come here to have fun, it’s not about trying to be cool, or putting sparklers in bottles. No one cares about that here. It’s not like Vegas. People just love the music, they love to dance and have a good time, and I love being around people like that.

SHOP I like going into the old town and just walking around and shopping. There are so many nice little boutiques where you can find vintage pieces and wonderful dresses. And I love the hippy market, where there are all these handmade things you can’t find anywhere else in the world, it’s so cool.

BEACH I love all of the beaches I’ve been to in Ibiza, but I especially love Formentera.

ESCAPE Always Formentera.

RELAX At home – otherwise it’s impossible! I like to hang out at home so I can recharge.

Paella at La Escollera

Paris and her ‘girls’ arrive at Amnesia

Marco Carola’s Music On at Amnesia

Ibiza’s sister island Formentera

Paris in DJ mode