What music did you grow up with and, what kind of music inspired you to make your own music?

I grew up around a lot of very danceable music – funk, disco, and R&B as well as a lot of Puerto Rican music called merengue and salsa. I also played the saxophone and piano while growing up – so I was always around a lot of music inspiration.

How would you describe your music?

Most of my music is a euphoric dancefloor, summertime feel-good music. In terms of where I’m right now in my career, that’s the feeling my music gives. But I feel music is a career, so my next project could feel differently. It’s a good journey – it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to sound like this forever.

What do you need to feel inspired and creative?

I need to enjoy life, I need to be in an environment, I need to have experiences, to feel different emotions. I can’t just always be in the studio every day because I need to feel a real-world type of situation to get inspired to create the sonics to life.

How do you tend to start producing a track in your studio?

I usually start with cords or a melody, not the drums. Sometimes I have a certain type of sound and I mess around with it. Then I go for the groove, which is the drums and the rhythm part. That’s how I usually start. When I’m in sessions with singers I pick their brain to see where they’re at and just have a conversation before starting the music. And then we bounce off ideas, so we can have a collaborative process.

You play in different surroundings like on rooftops, at the beach or in the desert. Which other locations are on your bucket list?

I want to hit all the wonders of the world. That was my initial plan when I started doing that concept, I wanted to just travel around the world and have music coincide with the environment. And then the pandemic happened. So, I was like “Alright, I have to think on my toes”. I started playing on rooftops and the rooftops became a thing. But I feel like I still have so many things I want to do.

When you are DJing, all you want to do is make people dance – how do you connect with your audience when you play live?

When I play live, I get into a whole other zone. For me, music is the connecting thing that brings me and the audience together. I love to have people go on a journey with me and feel all types of emotions. It’s like you sign up to allow me to conduct this train. We’re on this ride, and just let the music take it away.

You have a huge fan base on TikTok. Do you think being present on TikTok is mandatory for musicians to connect with younger audiences?

Sometimes people are almost scared when it comes to new things and don’t really want to take a chance. I do meet musicians and people who don’t want to go to TikTok because it jeopardizes their brand and integrity. I think for TikTok, you should just be authentic and genuine to yourself, creating content that’s true to you, not just following trends. It’s tough to figure out that sweet spot of doing something that represents you, but at the same time resonates with the audience and the youth, the new generation. You’ve got to find out what your thing is, what makes you you, and then you can do that on TikTok.

How would you describe the music scene in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles has always been a melting pot for a lot of creatives. When they want to make that next step, they move to L.A. It’s a resurgence of a lot of people – their home, their local area. It has a lot of transplants here, but for the most part it’s very collaborative. I feel like this new generation of creators wants to work together, because they realize you’re just helping one another. It’s not a competitive thing.

You moved from New York to Los Angeles about three years ago – how has that helped your music career?

I met a lot of great people out here, and I finally found my sound when I moved to L.A. When I was in New York, I was making music, but I was just sending over emails to artists – I wasn’t really getting to collaborate in person, and I think collaboration in person is key for my career and that’s where I flourish. It’s amplified my career and my growth moving out here, and it’s made my music warmer.

What was the difference between your typical routine day, when you were in New York compared to the one you now have in Los Angeles?

I feel like I’ve become more intentional in L.A. and have more of routine than in New York. New York has a faster mentality and is a faster workplace. I was more on the move in New York, because in this city a lot more is going on in terms of the people and their energy.

From stores to lunch spots or places you visit in the nature: would you like to tell us about your favourite spots in Los Angeles?

There are so many stores I love. Buffalo Exchange is a cool place, for example. I really love these random Mexican food trucks, where they make tacos. I also love the landmarks like the Universal City Overlook, you can just see the whole city and the mountains. Sometimes I like just chilling and resetting on the beach. Then I go to Manhattan Beach, because it’s not as crowded as Venice or Santa Monica.

What are you three favourite songs that represent the lifestyle in Los Angeles the most?

“Off the Wall” by Michael Jackson, “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers and “Good Times” by Chic!