Aaron Sevilla – Urban Rebel Interview

Global rhythms, tribal percussion and the future-facing spirit of Flamenco Futuro.

DJ and producer Aaron Sevilla brings together Afro House, tribal percussion and musical influences from across the world. In this interview, Aaron discusses his sound, the vision behind Flamenco Futuro, the evolution of Afrodise and what comes next.

As a DJ and producer, how would you describe the sound and energy of Aaron Sevilla to someone discovering your music for the first time?

I would describe my sound as a mix of tribal percussion, house drums, synths and instruments inspired by music from all around the world. I draw influence from Arabic, Mexican, Spanish, pop, mariachi, funk and many other styles and cultures. For me, it is about bringing all of those influences together through electronic music and creating something energetic and universal.

Your new album Flamenco Futuro brings flamenco and Spanish musical heritage into the world of Afro House and electronic music. Where did the original idea for the project come from?

The idea behind Flamenco Futuro is really in the name: taking Spanish folkloric music from the past and bringing it into the present and the future. We took emblematic songs from Spain’s musical heritage and reimagined them through a current electronic sound, while trying to give them a direction that also feels futuristic.

When you are reworking music that carries so much history and cultural meaning, how do you decide what needs to be preserved and where you can push things somewhere completely new?

I really just go with my gut. I respect the original music and where it comes from, but creatively I try not to overthink it. I follow what feels right and let the production naturally find the balance between the traditional elements and something new.

Is there one song, album or artist from your teenage years that had a particularly big influence on you?

There are actually many artists, and from completely different styles of music. I grew up listening to people like Elvis Crespo, Celia Cruz, Luis Miguel, Vicente Fernández, Daddy Yankee, Don Omar and Madonna, among many others. That mix of genres and cultures definitely shaped the way I hear music today.

You worked closely with P. Rivas and Oliver Gil across the ten tracks on Flamenco Futuro. What did each of you bring to the project creatively?

Rivas is the singer, and he brought his knowledge of flamenco music as well as a lot of ideas throughout the creative process. Oliver Gil is originally from Malaga, so he brought his own cultural perspective and ideas about which tracks we should reinterpret. I brought my musical taste, vision and production skills to connect everything and make the project happen.

Afro House has grown enormously around the world in recent years. What do you think makes the genre such a natural space for bringing different cultures and musical traditions together?

I think the tribal drums are a big part of it. Rhythm is something that connects cultures, and those percussion elements make it very natural to mix different traditions, instruments and musical styles within the wider Afro House sound.

Your Afrodise concept brings together Afro House, organic sounds and Spanish cultural influences. What is the bigger vision for Afrodise, and how far would you like to take it?

Afrodise is about bringing cultures from around the world together through tribal drums and electronic music, without restrictions. The bigger vision is for it to become a global platform where different sounds, traditions, artists and audiences can meet. I want to keep growing the parties, the music and the whole concept internationally.

You have played internationally and had your music supported by artists including Carl Cox, Black Coffee, Gordo and Hugel. Is there a particular moment of support, show or career milestone that made you feel things were really moving to another level?

Having legends like these support my music means the world to me. It was definitely a huge step in my career and a key source of motivation. Moments like that make you feel that the work is reaching the right people and encourage you to keep moving forward and working even harder.

It is the last party on earth and the crowd are demanding one more track. What do you play?

Ilusiones.

Finally, what is next for Aaron Sevilla? What should people be looking out for over the coming months?

There is a lot coming. We have Afrodise parties happening around the world, including Dubai, Tulum, Spain, Thailand, Romania and more countries to come. We are planning to keep making the events bigger and move further into festival-scale productions.

On the music side, I am releasing new material almost every week, as well as new video sets on YouTube roughly every two weeks. And next year, you will also be able to find me every Thursday during my Ibiza residency. There is a lot happening, and this is only the beginning.

To keep up with Aaron’s new music and future shows you can follow him via Instagram.