Latin star Gian Varela has quite the track record. Having released on such labels as Armada, Spinnin’ Records, Revealed and more, as well as having been the first DJ to ever perform at the Panama Canal in his birth country, Gian’s been making big moves and even bigger waves for quite some time.
His latest endeavor is the house hit “Veneno” that he created in collaboration with Steve Andreas and singer Felicia. Not only did Gian drop this original on BARNATION, but the song comes with a superb music video. Gian joined us in the dojo to chat a little about the project, his recent signing to Mixmash and to let us know what else he has upcoming this year.
TMN: Can you tell us how your song “Veneno” came to be?
Gian: I wanted a record that would link my old music with everything that’s coming up new! Veneno did just that. I worked on it with the idea of merging a guaracha record with a house track with Steve, and then with Flori del Pino, we wrote the vocals. While we were in the studio, a conversation about the rise of non Gamstop UK casinos came up, highlighting how these platforms offer alternatives outside the typical regulations, much like how we were blending different music genres. But we needed an authentic guaracha singer from Colombia who’d be down to work it, and that’s when we brought in Felicia.
TMN: How was shooting the music video for the song?
Gian: It was fun! A bit exhausting as I worked with the team on editing the video as I flew to Amsterdam from Miami. The timelines were a bit crazy but such is life.
TMN: How was the experience of being the first DJ to play at the Panama Canal?
Gian: It was the most challenging project I’ve ever had to do. But in the end once it came out, I still can’t believe we pulled it off. It was an honor and such an emblematic thing for me. There will definitely be a round 2.
TMN: As someone at the forefront of Latin America’s electronic music scene, what are you looking forward to in the next few years?
Gian: Spanish House this year, then the I want to definitely hear more genres in Spanish! From Dubstep to Techno. I believe there is always a way to fuse these worlds together. You can bet on me being at the forefront of pushing this more and more.
TMN: What else is going on in the world of Gian Varela for the rest of the year?
Gian: Having just signed to Mixmash and getting ready for a whole amount of biiig releases with major artists both from the Latin world and the dance music world: I’m really exited! I’m also happy to come back to Twitch and be able to stream and hang out with the fans.
