I get on the phone with Gianluca Vacchi, and he immediately gives me a warning: He’s getting another tattoo at the moment, so pardon the buzzing noise. The Italian “silver fox” and influencer supreme had more than 100 tats already, but this one’s very relevant. “I’m doing the Instagram logo, but I’m doing it in a new way,” he says. “The thing is, through Instagram I found a second life, so I’m very grateful. Without it, I wouldn’t be on the phone with you right now.”
Vacchi, who returns to his Wynn Nightlife DJ residency at Intrigue this weekend and at XS on February 15, had retired from his life as an entrepreneur expanding his family’s business interests when he became a social media sensation thanks to a viral video capturing his now-legendary dance moves. Now he’s a lifestyle brand with 11.5 million followers, a FOMO-inspiring jetsetter bouncing between Italy, Miami, Ibiza and every other global hot spot, sharing his unique sense of style, workout regimens and party methodology along the way. Here’s our own glimpse at the GV lifestyle, straight from the source.
On his social media impact: “I don’t want to be arrogant, but it’s a fact that I’m the first to do a certain kind of entertainment on Instagram, and it gave me a chance to explore a new life. I’m super grateful.”
On DJing at Wynn: “I hope it’s going well. I think it is. I’m super-excited and honored to play there. I only started DJing recently, but I’m super-committed. I’ve worked and studied a lot to do it well. This is the arena for the best DJs in the world, so for me it’s a beautiful experience. Imagine me, one moment a financial guy with a double-breasted suit and tie in a meeting room in a bank and then the other moment jumping in the DJ booth in Las Vegas. And it’s just my opinion—I’m old enough to say only what I think—is that [Wynn] is the best place in Vegas.”
On becoming a musician: “I work a lot on music and spend a lot of time in the studio. For me, music is a deep passion. My family’s roots are in art and music. My grandmother was a piano teacher, and I was playing when I was 6 years old. I have a cousin who is a very prominent composer in Italy. At the moment, I have around 42 tracks already finished. I’m just deciding when they need to come out and choosing the features. I’m hoping to come out with at least 12-15 tracks in 2019, 5-10 reggaeton and pop and another 10 dance tracks.”
On building a brand: “At the end of the day, my strategy has always been to be spontaneous, so the style for me was always to not have a style. I’ve been doing many different things, and you cannot get me into a simple category. That’s always been my life. I never do strategy. I do what I feel to do at the moment, and this has always been my key to success.”
On exploring other projects like acting: “Could be, could be. Now I’m enjoying my second life and who knows [if] I’ll have a third one as an actor. I have some proposals I am seriously evaluating. If it’s something that brings me joy and I can bring something good to it, good vibes and energy and experience, I’ll accept. I’m free. I’m ready to open the door to a new experience.”
On getting that good ’gram: “I have just one tip, and that’s to be yourself. Don’t put any filter between you and your followers, because now, in this era, people want to see the real you and not the fake you. Have the courage to do the things you want to do, and don’t think too much about what others think. It seems simple, but in simple stuff there is truth.”
GIANLUCA VACCHI February 9, 10:30 p.m., $35-$45. Intrigue, 702-770-7300.
