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In an trade the place Latin music and EDM typically 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 function—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 without delay.
Launched below Pitbull’s venerable Mr. 305 Information banner, ¿QUESTIONS? additionally options the Latin-Grammy nominated “BAMBOLE,” Vikina’s current collaboration with the famend digital music producer Deorro.
The Latin Grammy nod is a testomony to the rising impression of Vikina’s sound, which resonates on sweaty dancefloors and world playlists alike. And as EDM evolves past its competition roots and Latin music continues its world 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 world urge for food for Latin-infused dance music?
Vikina: I believe the world is lastly catching on to what we’ve identified ceaselessly: 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’re feeling—that actually connects individuals 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 up to date digital beats? Are there particular cultural components you need 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 continually uncovered to a mixture of sounds from each style you may consider. Gloria Estefan was an enormous inspiration for me—she confirmed that Latin music may have an enormous impression in america. I need 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 inventive course of when working with Deorro in your Latin Grammy-nominated track “BAMBOLE?”
Vikina: I had been desirous 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 could 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 unexpectedly—in one of the best ways attainable. I wished the vocals to really feel like they had been calling you straight to the dancefloor and we layered that with a type of iconic Deorro-style drops he crafts so nicely. All of it got here collectively so naturally.
Deorro really 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. Realizing 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 need to create a soundtrack for freedom—for dancing, crying, wanting, celebrating and residing totally within the second. Past the awards (which, let’s be actual, are unbelievable), I need to encourage individuals, particularly ladies, to take up area, personal their roots, be fearless and break boundaries. I hope my journey encourages the following era to write 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 various tales?
Vikina: Sensuality is a part of who we’re as Latinas, however it’s not our entire story. Early in my profession, I wrote quite a bit about craving and wanting somebody who in all probability wasn’t 100% into me. These had been enjoyable and cathartic in a way, form of a sexual love letter—with class in fact. Nevertheless, in Spanish there tends to be a way more poetic method of describing sure issues.
Today, I’m extra centered on telling significant tales by means of dance music. One observe may be about dancing by means of heartbreak, and the following is about proudly owning your energy. My aim 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 lady 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. Individuals typically underestimate us or suppose we’re simply the “fairly face” on the observe—however little do they know I am truly the songwriter, recording engineer and vocal producer of most of my tracks too. I’ve discovered to let my expertise communicate louder than any stereotype and to get comfy with my position as a chief in these rooms.
Sturdy communication expertise and being well-educated in your corporation and craft earn you actual respect even when seems to be obtained 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 area. It appears like we’re not simply breaking the mould—we’re shattering it.
c/o Mr&interval; 305 Information
EDM.com: What do you see as the following 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 laborious 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 very 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 discovered about your self in these fast-moving genres?
Vikina: That I’m method stronger than I assumed. It’s a tricky trade, however each problem has taught me resilience. I’ve discovered to belief my instincts and embrace my uniqueness—as a result of what’s the purpose of following the group once 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 need 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 when you don’t communicate Spanish, I hope my music makes you’re feeling one thing. That is why I write in Spanglish generally as a result of I need there to be one thing for everybody to carry onto. Music is the common language, and I’m right here to verify EDM en español turns into part of everybody’s playlist.
Observe Vikina:
X: x.com/vikinamusic
Instagram: instagram.com/vikinamusic
TikTok: tiktok.com/@vikinamusic
Fb: facebook.com/vikinamusic
Spotify: tinyurl.com/5absh84v
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