At 17, Danny Avila has gone from nothing to to a regular in the European circuit, a residency on Sirius XM and support from the biggest dj’s in the world. Now he’s poised to take over the American EDM scene as well. We were able to get an exclusive interview with rising star to talk about his journey, the places to see in Ibiza and more. His debut single “Breaking Your Fall” is available now on Big Beat Records with a remix package to come out soon as well. We avoided the Bieber hair question, because he’s probably tired of hearing it by now.
You’re the youngest person ever to secure a residency at Sirius XM, supported by the most powerful names in dance music and touring the world at age 17. How did your journey begin? What has been the defining moment for your career thus far?
Before I started DJing or listening to electronic music I played the piano for 4 years and the guitar for 2 years, so basically I spent so many hours listening to different music styles and learning what I liked and what I didn’t. I don’t think it was something I discovered all of a sudden, I’ve had so much passion for music since the beginning. There was also a lot of music in our house just in general so there were a lot of different influences around me even when I wasn’t actively looking for it. When I was around 12 years old, I can remember that I used to exchange music with my friends at school, and I spent so many hours watching videos of Tiësto and DJ Q-Bert, so I bought a super small, simple and cheap controller and I started practicing my DJ skills.
The most defining moment for my career was when I moved from Marbella to Madrid just to be able to reach the next level. It was such a hard decision, especially because I was only 15, and I had to leave all my friends, school, family etc behind… just for the music. At the end I think that it was SO worth it 🙂
With residencies at Pacha, Space and Blue Marlin in Ibiza to festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival, how does the crowd and energy compare between European and American events?
Of course there is a lot of difference between America and Europe. EDM is exploding right now in America, but I think it also depends on the vibe and the club you play. For example EDC, which is one of my favorite festivals in the world, the crowd goes nuts!!! They are extremely into the music and DJs . It’s crazy !!! In some clubs of Europe it’s different, the vibe is incredible as well, but you have to change a bit the direction of your set.
Ibiza is like the holy land for EDM fans. Aside from the clubs, what are a few things or places people need to see on their first visit to the island?
There is one spot just in front of Es Vedra which is absolutely off the hook!! It’s one of the most beautiful sunsets that I’ve ever seen. Every time I’m in Ibiza and I have the chance to go, I do it because it’s just something special . Also if you want to try the best burgers on the island you should go to Va Benne!! Yummmyyyyy
How receptive has the American audience been to your music? We’re familiar with young stars like Porter Robinson or Madeon, but do you feel like your age inhibits you at all?
Not at alll! I think people in general here are so open minded, the reactions are great. I love it so much every time I play here and even more if the crowd is so into it. Especially all the people of my age, from 17-22 or something like that, they know exactly what track you are playing, or what remix, and for me that means that they are real EDM followers because they’re as passionate about the music as you are – you’re not the only one that knows everything just because you’re the DJ, we’re all in the mix together I think.
Who are some of the producers that you look up to or find inspiration from? Is there anyone who you would consider to be a mentor for your music and career?
Of course, Fedde Le Grand was such a big inspiration for me. He is so talented and makes incredible music. So he is probably one to follow! Also guys like Nicky Romero, Zedd and Deniz Koyu are amazing producers, I really like the stuff that they put out!
What is your setup like on stage? Can you tell us the tools that you use to produce music?
I use Logic 9. I’m a huge fan of Sylenth because it’s so editable, you can make a sound completely different from the one you started working with. And also Nexus 2. This one has incredible sounds, it’s less editable than Sylenth but it’s amazing. I also like exs24 to sample, Battery for drums in general and Massive for more electro sounds etc…
In my rider I have 4 Pioneer CDJ-2000, 1 Pioneer DJM-900 and the new effects controller Pioneer RMX-1000. This one is extremely cool!! You can play sounds on top of the tracks and also you can set it up in your laptop and export all the settings to a SD card and then you have the same controller everywhere.
Thank you for taking the time to interview with us. Can you tell us your plans for the immediate future? Where can American fans see you spin next?
I’m playing pretty much every weekend in the States! This month I’ll be in NY, New Jersey, Atlantic City, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, then Rio De Janeiro in Brazil which I’m really looking forward to, then back to the States to San Francisco and so many other cities. Also my track ”Breaking Your Fall” reached #11 on the Progressive House on Beatport, which is amazing!!! There is a remix package of this track as well which should be coming real soon, and after that I’ll just keep working on stuff. I’m already working on some new ideas and remixes, so hopefully I can show it to you very soon 🙂
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