#MusicInTheAir Podcast hosts this week :
NAZA

New week, and again a new artist for Villahangar’s MusicInTheAir. Today the protagonist was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Across his youth he lived in several countries with his family, as Italy, Portugal and Canada. Around six years ago he finally left Brazil to live in NY and for the past four years he has been living in Mexico City.

His father was a big part of his relashionship with music. He tells: “He was always listening to brazilian bands and his hobby was to DJ at home with his friends. Therefore since the beginning my brother and I got the desire to also DJ”.

His style is a a unique deep house tribal style inspired by his home country Brazil. He mixes drums, percussions and involving vocals with a bassline signature. His music gradually builds up with different layers of melodies with an imponent and special style.

He explains: “I could say that my music style is more tribal navigating between deep and afro house. I get really inspired by rhythms, like drums and different instruments. Since I left Brazil, my style evolved in many ways. I was part of EDM beginnings with my past project that had with my brother (Naza Brothers), big room style, always loved to see a very engaged crowd. So, after that, it happened an explosion of inspiration from NYC clubs to Burning Man I really connected with music that could touch the crowd in a different way, but that could still kept a high crowd energy.”

Concerning the musical genres that influence him the most, he adds: “I am very open, I listed different genres to get inspired in different ways. Whenever there is a strong percussion, I love it! The vibration of the drums and involving vocals connects with me. But overall music inspiration can be found everywhere from a movie, a spiritual ritual, even people singing in the streets”.

After over a decade of a solid carrier, from Brazil, he moved to New York City and now in México, being this last country a huge spiritual inspiration on his work and life.

One of his main EP releases was “Mantra” dropped by the recognized record label Earthly Delights, same labels as DJs like Be Svendsen and Armen Miran.

Another successful release of his was with German label Perplex, from Berlin, all highly rated in Beatport for weeks with great support globally, with tracks like “Ayo” and “Dimba”.

His most recent EP, out last mont, is “Melhor Dia da Semana” ,feating a brazilian band that he like a lot, Barbatuques. It was backed with a remix from El Mundo. A very Brazilian vibe with its many instruments and percussion, an exquisite journey with majestic synth work. He tells: “You can clearly perceive in this production my brazilian influence, like bringing “cuica” very local instrument and more. This EP also has an El Mundo remix that slows the groove in a very nice way”.

His music has the support from Amê, Dixon, Solomun, Maceo Plex, Damian Lazarus, Trikk, Audiofly, Jamie Jones, Hot Since 82, Sandrino, Animal Trainer, Danny Tenaglia, Super Flu YouAndMe, Behrouz, Gab Rhome, Lemurian, Eelke Kleijn, Cats n Dogz.

For the present and the immediate future his plans are to keep growing Somos Vibra as a project while touching people’s hearts with my music. He sys: “We have been working on a collective energy project that integrates fashion with music. More to come”!

What music do you listen to when you take off your DJ headset?

I usually wake up listening to Bossa Nova and mostly like to listen brazilian music. I calms me down and bring me back to my roots. 

Your artists / DJs / producers of reference?

One of my biggest references when I started to DJ was definitely Laurent Garnier, specially when he got out with the “The Man with the red face”. Today, I feel connected with the Keinemusik crew and how they work with melodies, percussion.

How much where you were raised and where you live influence you from a musical point of view?

A lot! Brazilian music has been part of my life and I like to bring that influence to my music. It’s what we say in Portuguese, it has a “ginga”, a swing that makes you want to dance. Some of my tracks are named out of Brazilian indigenous tribes, like “Ayo” that means happiness. Mexico, where I live now, also had a spiritual impact on me, like shamanic songs that you listen different types of ceremonies and the powerful meaning behind the lyrics made my music become more meaningful, touching people in a deeper way. 

What were your most recent projects and what projects are you part of?

Beyond music, I always liked fashion, festival styles and together with my wife we started during the pandemic a project called “Somos Vibra”, that means we are all vibration. It combines fashion with music and collective energy because we believe in awakening the light and the creativity people have inside. Another important project is my new EP that just came out “Melhor Dia da Semana” feating a Brazilian band called Barbatuques that use their body as instruments and having El Mundo doing a beautiful remix. 

What can you tell us specifically about your release with Earthly Delights?

I was always inspired by the artist from Earthly Delights, so it came naturally. We released together the EP Mantra that has a strong meaning for me. The main track “Mantra” was made with a shamanic vocal that evokes the power of the fire from a ritual that I went. The other two tracks “Salvia” and “Savage” both dance floor killers. 

What do you think about the what do you think of the Mexican music scene? What do you think are the differences with Europe?

Mexico scene has grown a lot in terms of festivals and Tulum has been a very important reference for the country, now being part of the world´s season calendar. All main labels are now having their residency and events here the same way as they have in Ibiza and the European summer. 

What evolution do you think electronic music is experiencing on the international scene?

Internet has made music way more accessible, making DJs and producers known from any part of the world. This has mixed many influences and styles.

How was your winter? Do you have dj sets planned at the moment for the present and the future?

I like to follow the summer, so I was in Brazil doing a festival with Somos Vibra. Now back in Mexico, planning gigs around the countries and focusing now on my next record.