Argentina is an established international electronic music hotspot that consistently boasts a bevy of talented djs and producers. One Argentinian artist that has made incredible segues into the underground is Fernando Ferreyra. A style in performance as dj and producer all his own, Fernando powerfully exposes his listeners to old school progressive house loaded with melodies and sounds that transport the body and the soul to new listening dimensions.
His music can be heard on his monthly Dreamers episodes on Frisky Radio and is the top show on the station. His sound transcends borders captivating an international fan base that is growing exponentially.
A dream weaver of sound, Fernando prides himself on taking his listeners on a dreamy two-hour odyssey that infuses ethereal melodies and harmonies in each carefully selected track. His intense desire and devotion to create sets that resonate deeply with his listeners, is yet another astounding testament to his successes.
We caught up with Fernando Ferreyra to discover more about his work and prospects for the future.
Electronic Groove: Thanks so much for chatting with us Fernando, can you tell us a little bit about your musical journey and how you’ve evolved as an artist?
Fernando Ferreyra: Thank you very much for thinking of me for this interview! Your description of Dreamers is perfect. I am a crazy lover of music, every moment of my life has been represented by music, good and bad moments this is why my music resonates with so many.
Over the past few years, my work has grown constantly thanks to Frisky Radio. I still find it hard to believe that this is all happening for me, it really is a “dream” come true 🙂 I’m thankful of the audience that follows me. I get messages daily of how my music has served in healing them. I am completely surprised and humbled by this, which is another reason why I continue creating my music, as you can see, I am a very deep and very emotional person.
EG: Despite the threatened bans on electronic music in Argentina, it is still revered by many international DJs as a favorite location to gig in. Can you give us your perspective on what sets the scene and the fans in Argentina apart from other scenes and fans in the world?
Fernando Ferreyra: In Argentina we have many problems with the electronic music scene, many of them related to drugs in the mass electronic parties, these experiences make our government find the solution in the prohibition, which I think is not the best idea. I think it would be better to have more strict controls for the attendees, while at the same time taking care of them. You are correct in saying that the Argentine public is very special, it is a very warm public, a public that likes to have fun, that knows and appreciates the quality of DJs that play in many parts of the country and world. This is why we are so deeply loved by so many international DJs because of the essence of our people.
“My main goal is to have the tracks show my emotions at any given moment, it must tell a story from beginning to end, otherwise I could not do it.”
EG: Your track selection for each episode is impeccably diverse and meticulously curated. How do you go about ensuring that each volume is as eclectic as the one before it?
Fernando Ferreyra: What a great question! Dreamers is very difficult to create, I listen to music from the day after the release until two days before the next release (from promos services, music from my friends, promos sent by many labels and my own tracks).
Then I select approximately 50 tracks, which takes me a day to go through. With a lot of luck and determination the exhaustive process leads to 20 tracks, but this is where the complicated journey begins. Because music is constantly changing it makes it very difficult to establish the order in which the tracks flow in. My main goal is to have the tracks show my emotions at any given moment, it must tell a story from beginning to end, otherwise I could not do it. Dreamers is part of my life, represented through music.
I’m extremely detailed with every second of each Dreamers episode, every track should be sequenced accordingly, each mix should be a perfect fusion between two songs. For me, this is as close to perfection as possible and there is no other way of creating Dreamers.
It is not an easy job but I feel I do it so well because it so deeply represents my life and who I am as an artist.
EG: You are a progressive house professional, do you believe it is important for an artist to fall into a particular genre to ensure their place and persona in the industry?
Fernando Ferreyra: This is a difficult question for me to answer. In my experience of all these years, I can say that I have only been very faithful to my tastes and feelings for music, regardless of fashions, without considering that which surrounds me. This has taken up a great deal of my life, and by this way of proceeding I have lost important moments in my life. But I continued, and here I am after so many years, doing what I love most in my life, being faithful to my taste and to my principles. Only the love of true music not the static of the status quo music can withstand the test of time, and Progressive House does that effortlessly, which is why it is my passion and preference.
EG: For those of us wanting to visit Argentina, what are the top 5 clubs that are a must in order to experience the best in underground sound?
Fernando Ferreyra: I have no doubts in my responses to this question – Bahrein Club (Buenos Aires), Dorian Gray (Córdoba), Dahaus (Córdoba), Quinto Evolution (Villa Mercedes – San Luis), Aqua – Lado B (San Luis), La Boite (Tucuman), Down Progressive Town (Rosario – Santa Fe)
Sorry, I know this is more than 5, but these clubs are really important and contribute a lot to the real electronic scene of Argentina.
EG: Can you give us the top 5 artists from Argentina, yourself included of course, that we should be paying attention to right now?
Fernando Ferreyra: Again, I have exceeded 5 because I consider these artists to be very important – Sebastian Busto, Lucas Rossi, Julian Rodriguez, Berni Turletti, Ivan Miatto, Nicholas Van Orton
EG: Could you tell us 5 djs/producers that have had an impact on your evolution as an artist?
Fernando Ferreyra: Fabri Lopez, Analog Jungs, Guido Elordi, Tomas Laborda, N’Pot
EG: How influential is modern technology to your relationship with music? Would you say technology has encouraged exploration or homogenisation in music?
Fernando Ferreyra: Nowadays technology has brought more to any lover of music, to create their own sounds, anyone with a little creativity and talent can create music, mix it perfectly, have excellent mastering and then approach great artists, thereby selling it to the world, something unimaginable in the 80s and 90s. For the disc jockeys, it has allowed us to have more free music, faster, and unique sounds and exclusive music, at least for a while.
EG: What would you say every artist should never compromise on when it comes to their work?
Fernando Ferreyra: To never compromise one’s personality. An artist who does not remain true to themself or their art will never go far, regardless of what is, or who is popular at any given moment in music time.
“An artist who does not remain true to themselves or their art will never go far”
EG: What does the rest of the year look like for you with regards to tour dates and music production?
Fernando Ferreyra: As for my work as a DJ, I will continue doing shows throughout my country and abroad. I have managed to secure gigs in cities, with new audiences, and I am excited about this, the challenge of a new audience generates creative adrenalin within me. If all goes well and with the help of producer SOUL ART, and my managers in Europe, Nora and Gery, in October I will be returning to Europe for ADE along with many other great artists on the world stage. This is a great achievement of which I am very proud of. We are already planning a tour in Europe which is important for me in terms of balanced exposure. I have no desire to be a massive artist in terms of popularity, for me the goal is quality music over quantity exposure, achieving at least 3 dates a year in Europe would be an incredible dream for me. As for musical production, I have decided for quite some time now, not to edit my own music for labels, every track I finish I use it in my sets live, and nothing else. Right now, I have a single commitment to finish, a remix for my friend Tomas Laborda. After that, my name will no longer appear in the NEW RELEASES section.
EG: Thank you so much, Fernando, for sharing your passionate love and appreciation for creating incredible music. It’s been a pleasure chatting with you!
Fernando Ferreyra: The grateful one is me, you have been very generous on your part for thinking of me for this interview. I have been very sincere and open in answering every question and it has been a pleasure to do so. Much love and respect to Electronic Groove and my fans.
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