In an trade the place Latin music and EDM usually intersect as passing acquaintances, Vikina has turned them into inseparable dance companions.
Recent off the discharge of her genre-defying album ¿QUESTIONS?, the Miami-born artist is ushering in an period the place Latin affect is not a characteristic—it is the inspiration. The album is a daring sonic experiment, threading emotional vulnerability by means of club-ready manufacturing and turning existential dilemmas into irresistible anthems.
Tracks like “Candela” mix sultry Spanish vocals with thumping home basslines, whereas “Descontrol” merges moody soundscapes with unmistakable dembow rhythms. The result’s an introspective but electrifying fusion that speaks to 2 worlds directly.
Launched underneath Pitbull’s venerable Mr. 305 Data banner, ¿QUESTIONS? additionally options the Latin-Grammy nominated “BAMBOLE,” Vikina’s latest collaboration with the famend digital music producer Deorro.
The Latin Grammy nod is a testomony to the rising influence of Vikina’s sound, which resonates on sweaty dancefloors and international playlists alike. And as EDM evolves past its pageant roots and Latin music continues its international ascent, she’s proving that these worlds don’t simply coexist—they thrive collectively.
We caught up with Vikina to debate her efforts to redefine Latin dance music.
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EDM.com: What do you suppose is driving the present international urge for food for Latin-infused dance music?
Vikina: I feel the world is lastly catching on to what we’ve recognized eternally: Latin music is alive. It’s vibrant, emotional and filled with ardour. There’s an vitality to it—the rhythm, the tales, the way in which it makes you are feeling—that actually connects folks to their tradition and lets them share it by means of music.
If you mix these sounds with dance music, I’m capable of present how dynamic and thrilling the style might be. It’s about pushing boundaries and creating one thing that feels recent however nonetheless honors the place it got here from.
EDM.com: How has your upbringing in Miami influenced your fusion of conventional Latin sounds with modern digital beats? Are there particular cultural components you wish to spotlight?
Vikina: Rising up in Miami meant being surrounded by this unbelievable melting pot of Latin tradition. With my Ecuadorian mother and Cuban dad, I used to be always uncovered to a mixture of sounds from each style you possibly can consider. Gloria Estefan was an enormous inspiration for me—she confirmed that Latin music may have a large influence in the US. I would like my music to seize that very same vitality and variety, to replicate the town that raised me.
EDM.com: Are you able to stroll us by means of your artistic course of when working with Deorro in your Latin Grammy-nominated tune “BAMBOLE?”
Vikina: I had been eager to collaborate with Deorro for a very long time and despatched him a bunch of concepts earlier than, however this one lastly caught his consideration. I began the thought with some native producers in Miami, utilizing a “75 Brazil” pattern we knew can be powerful to clear. I knew Deorro would take it someplace daring and electrical. I had a sense he’d do one thing wonderful with it, however what he created utterly took me without warning—in one of the best ways doable. I wished the vocals to really feel like they had been calling you straight to the dancefloor and we layered that with a kind of iconic Deorro-style drops he crafts so effectively. All of it got here collectively so naturally.
Deorro actually deserves the popularity he will get. He’s paved the way in which for Latinos in EDM, and collaborating with him was such an honor. Understanding it earned me my first Latin Grammy nomination makes it much more particular.
EDM.com: What’s your final mission as an artist?
Vikina: My mission is to proceed the legacy of the Miami artists who paved the way in which earlier than me and mix cultures in that particular method solely we all know how. I wish to create a soundtrack for freedom—for dancing, crying, wanting, celebrating and dwelling totally within the second. Past the awards (which, let’s be actual, are unbelievable), I wish to encourage folks, particularly ladies, to take up house, personal their roots, be fearless and break boundaries. I hope my journey encourages the subsequent era to jot down their very own guidelines, whether or not that’s in music, life, and even politics. As a result of the magic—and the reality—is at all times someplace within the center.
EDM.com: How do you push the boundaries of physicality and sensuality in Latin dance music to inform numerous tales?
Vikina: Sensuality is a part of who we’re as Latinas, however it’s not our complete story. Early in my profession, I wrote lots about craving and wanting somebody who in all probability wasn’t 100% into me. These had been enjoyable and cathartic in a way, kind of a sexual love letter—with class after all. Nevertheless, in Spanish there tends to be a way more poetic method of describing sure issues.
Today, I’m extra targeted on telling significant tales by means of dance music. One observe is perhaps about dancing by means of heartbreak, and the subsequent is about proudly owning your energy. My objective is to convey depth to the dancefloor—whether or not you are vibing to the beat or actually listening to the lyrics, there’s at all times one thing there to attach with and to really feel.
EDM.com: What challenges have you ever confronted as a girl reshaping the male-dominated Latin dance music narrative, and what progress do you see?
Vikina: Oh, honey, the challenges are actual however I’ve by no means been afraid of a problem. Folks usually underestimate us or suppose we’re simply the “fairly face” on the observe—however little do they know I am really the songwriter, recording engineer and vocal producer of most of my tracks too. I’ve realized to let my expertise converse louder than any stereotype and to get comfy with my function as a pacesetter in these rooms.
Robust communication expertise and being well-educated in your small business and craft earn you actual respect even when appears received you within the door. So I say, “Use it!” I’m seeing extra ladies entering into producer roles, headlining festivals and simply proudly owning their house. It appears like we’re not simply breaking the mildew—we’re shattering it.
c/o Mr&interval; 305 Data
EDM.com: What do you see as the subsequent evolution in Latin dance music?
Vikina: The longer term is all about mixing genres much more. I really feel like we’ve actually ridden the tech home and Afro home wave onerous this previous yr. With all these “Latin pattern packs” on the market, it appears like anybody could make Latin EDM now. I’d like to see issues evolve—possibly extra Latin techno or mainstream progressive Latin EDM.
For instance, Deorro is fusing Mexican music in a extremely cool method. Think about a bachata guitar with futuristic synths or conventional Andean flutes on a drum & bass beat. The sound must evolve, and it’s time to make it occur
EDM.com: What has been probably the most stunning lesson you’ve realized about your self in these fast-moving genres?
Vikina: That I’m method stronger than I assumed. It’s a troublesome trade, however each problem has taught me resilience. I’ve realized to belief my instincts and embrace my uniqueness—as a result of what’s the purpose of following the group if you had been born to steer the dance?
EDM.com: What would you like your music to speak to listeners unfamiliar with Latin tradition or dance music?
Vikina: I would like them to be moved, whether or not it’s by means of the lyrics or the sazon of the music. It’s extra than simply sound—it’s concerning the feelings, the historical past and the neighborhood behind it. Dance music is all about launch. Even in the event you don’t converse Spanish, I hope my music makes you are feeling one thing. That is why I write in Spanglish typically as a result of I would like there to be one thing for everybody to carry onto. Music is the common language, and I’m right here to ensure EDM en español turns into part of everybody’s playlist.
Comply with Vikina:
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