Exclusive Interview with Danny Avila

Siam2nite had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with Danny Avila, shortly before his performance at the exclusive invite-only event AXE GOLD TEMPTATION PARTY at Levels on 20th November.

At only 19 years of age you are already one of the hottest EDM acts in the world. At the age of 16 you won the ‘Best Newcomer DJ’ at the prestigious Vicious Music Awards in 2011 and toured Asia, North America and Europe at the side of Tiësto in 2013. Is it a gift or a curse to be so successful at such a young age? How do you manage to keep your feet on the ground?

I think I was very lucky to get the chance to show that I'm capable of delivering a certain vibe, not only with the music but also with the person I am. However, if you think that this is all it takes (and many do think that), then you're wrong. Because the truth is that you can take nothing for granted in this business. In the beginning this is something you don't realize, because everything is so new and exciting. But I learned that you need to focus, however great a situation might be. You always need to stay concentrated on what it is you want to achieve, stay humble, and stay hungry.

You play and produce a mix of Electro-, Progressive- and Tech House. How would you describe your own music in just a few words?

Well, I'm a young and energetic DJ and producer and have been in the scene for over 4 years now. I've been surrounded by a lot of music, not only EDM but also other genres. Since I can remember music has been a part of my life and I learnt to play classical instruments. My sound is a reflection of that, not necessarily focusing on one genre but rather taking the best of all of it. First of all I have to be satisfied with my work before I go out and play it. If you don't like what you do, it will never be as good as it could be and people will definitely notice. That’s why I am so happy with all the feedback for my new deep & tech house radio show MORE on SiriusXM.

Your tracks “Voltage” and “Poseidon” have been highly successful worldwide. What other tracks would you recommend to someone that is not yet familiar with your music?

Well, I can definitely recommend my upcoming release ‘BOOM!’ which will be released on Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records on November 24th. I co-produced this one together with my friend Merzo and we are both super excited!

What are you currently and focusing working on? What’s next on your agenda?

I'll continue touring of course, but I also want to be in the studio more often, it’s difficult to find time with this busy touring schedule. But at the same time I also want to reach out to even more fans – you just have to find the right balance between both.

In 2012 you were the youngest Resident DJ in the history of Pacha (Ibiza) and in 2013 you became the youngest Resident DJ in the history of Hakkasan (Las Vegas) alongside artists like Steve Aoki, Laidback Luke, DeadMau5, Tommy Trash, Tiesto and Calvin Harris. What was the best and the worst gig you ever played and what was the funniest thing ever occurred during any of your performances?

One of the greatest performances was definitely the Pacha Ibiza Opening party I played alongside Tiësto in 2012.

You can call it bad or funny…but one night I was playing a show and two girls came up to the DJ booth and started dancing on the desk with all the DJ equipment on it. One of these girls was so drunk that she fell on the mixer and actually broke the mixer. So the music was off for about 20 minutes and they had to get a new mixer before I could continue playing…

You live in Madrid - the capital and largest city of Spain. What can you tell us about clubbing and nightlife there? Do you have any nightlife related suggestions for first-time visitors?

As Madrid is my hometown I do have a special connection with the city of course. And the shows I play there mean a lot to me. But when I am in Madrid I don’t go out that much to be honest. Mostly I come back from touring and then I just want to recover, spend some time my family and meet friends. If you are going in Madrid I can definitely recommend ‘Kapital’. It’s a fun club and the first one that I’ve ever played in.