Words: Miljan Milekić
It seems like Danny Avila has become the unstoppable force of EDM. The ex-wonderkid established himself as one of the most interesting names in the scene despite his young age. But for Danny, it’s more than just the music. Beside his DJing and production, Avila is an avid wakeboarder, and extreme sports lover, which makes him a perfect fit for Wasted Attitude. We caught up with him following his new single ‘Too Good To Be True’ featuring The Vamps and Machine Gun Kelly, but we touched on some other topics, too.
You recently dropped your new single ‘Too Good to Be True’ and it’s already going strong, threatening to become your biggest track. Are you happy with the feedback so far?
Danny: I’m ecstatic! I’ve had such a great response and I’m living for the love I’m getting so far.
The song is taking down the genre barriers, with The Vamps bringing their rock vibe, while Machine Gun Kelly gave it a hip hop edge. How did you get the idea of doing it, and how did you choose the artists to work with?
Danny: I’ve always been focused on never sticking to the one genre. I aim to blend different elements into my sound and switch it up as often as possible, which I try to reflect on my DJing, too. Hip hop is my favorite style of music after electronic, so I knew I had to bring in a world-class rapper for my new track. And who’s better to fill that spotlight than Machine Gun Kelly, himself! The Vamps are cool dudes. I knew their voices would suit the style when I produced the initial version of the track.
You are a DJ for years, but you also established yourself as a producer. What do you find more challenging, playing live, and getting the crowd going, or work in the studio and creating brand new music that represents you as an artist?
Danny: DJing is really, really fun! I get such a buzz from playing in front of my fans. I’ve always been into my DJing as much as my producing and have put many hours into perfecting my craft. So, I find it flowing quite easily for me. Producing, on the other hand, is a more self-centered task where I need to focus on myself, my emotions, and how I want to make other people feel with my music. I definitely find producing to be more the theoretical side of things, whereas DJing is the time where I can test everything I have created, so, more practical. Together, they create an experience that is very rewarding, for sure.
When it comes to music I know you’re a fan of many different styles, from hip hop to drum and bass. How much do you think different music influenced your production, and in what way?
Danny: As a producer, every sound and style I’ve heard over the course of my life has influenced my own music. But when I’m producing, I really try to incorporate elements from styles that I personally love, and elements that are popular at the time. This can be anything from a hip hop drum pattern to the guitar plucking style from an old rock tune.
You explored it as a DJ, but is there any chance we can hear you producing drum and bass in the future
Danny: Everything is possible 😉
I know you’re a big fan, and really good at skateboarding, snowboarding, and especially wakeboarding. At one point you were twelfth in the world and seventh in Europe which is a massive success. How did you get into the extreme sports, and can you still give it the attention you would want to with your hectic schedule?
Danny: I wish I could spend more time with my wakeboarding, but my schedule is so demanding! I’m making an effort to get back into it. I started off wakeboarding when I was a kid, growing up in Spain – I ended up competing in the Spanish nationals. I ended up turning more to music production after I injured my knee in trampoline practice, so it’s kinda taken more of a back seat since I became successful with my production. But as mentioned though, I’m getting back out there!
Riding and music almost always go together. What’s in your headphones while cruising down the street on a skateboard, while hitting the power on your snowboard, and what do you like to listen to while wakeboarding?
Danny: Actually, I have created quite a few new Spotify playlists with exactly this sort of thing in mind! If you search for ‘Danny Avila x Private Collection’ playlist on Spotify, that’s where I put all the tunes I listen to while wakeboarding and in my downtime.
Your music is often loud and energetic and can provide an adrenaline boost. Do you think you subconsciously make music that you would like to listen to on a board? Do you think people like to listen to your stuff while riding?
Danny: Definitely. I think my “adrenaline junkie” side influences my music style, for sure. I like to listen to energetic tunes when riding, so I like to think that I have a few fans out there that might do the same with my own music.
Do you think we can see you playing extreme sports events such as X Games? How different would it be to play such an event with a different crowd compared to a regular festival or a club show?
Danny: That is something that I’d absolutely love to do. My team and I have often talked about lining up more shows like that. In terms of playing the event, I’m sure the atmosphere would be intense! People’s attention might be more focused on the competition, to begin with, but once they get into the groove of the music, you can bet they’d be some of the best ravers out there. It’s all about that high energy boost – us sporty types can’t get enough. (laughs)
So, there is a rumor that you might be throwing your own wakeboard event in the future. Is there any truth in it? Can you tell us something about it?
Danny: I’ve literally been thinking about this forever. It would be a DREAM. I’m down.
Follow Danny:
Website:https://www.djdannyavila.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/dannyavilaofficial
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/dannyavila
Twitter:https://twitter.com/DJDannyAvila
Soundcloud:https://soundcloud.com/dannyavila