Introducing an exclusive interview with Angel Parilli, a talented DJ, music Producer, and sound engineer whose eclectic sound and diverse musical influences are ready to capture the hearts of listeners around the world. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, and of Italian and French heritage, Angel’s musical journey began at a young age, leading him to explore various genres and styles. In this interview, Angel shares insights into his upbringing, musical influences, and the challenges he has faced in his career; without further ado, join us as we delve into Angel’s world of music and creativity, and discover the passion and dedication that drive his artistry.
Hi, Angel, it’s a pleasure to meet you! How’s it going?
Oh man! 2023 was hard but helped me get ready for new chapters, so here I am haha.
Can you tell us about your musical journey and how you got started in Electronic Music?
My musical journey has been a lifelong exploration of sound and creativity, it all started where I’m from, Caracas Venezuela. From playing multiple instruments to delving into the realms of sound engineering and music production for others, my passion for music has always been at the forefront of my life. However, it was my discovery of Electronic music during my teenage years that truly ignited a spark within me. Witnessing the ability to craft entire tracks without relying on traditional acoustic instruments was a revelation.
This revelation led me to experiment with production software like Cakewalk, later jumped into Nuendo, then Cubebase, then ended up with Logic Pro.
I began creating electronic music tracks purely for enjoyment alongside my commitments to various bands. As the dedication of band members waned and I found myself shouldering the responsibilities of recording albums and creating promotional materials alone, I realized the potential to pursue my own solo project under my real name, “ANGEL PARILLI.” This transition marked a turning point in my career, propelling my hobby of EDM production to a professional level where I could fully immerse myself in my artistic vision without dependency on others. Embracing this solo endeavor has been immensely fulfilling, allowing me to channel my passion for electronic music into a dedicated pursuit of creative expression.
Who was your favorite artist growing up? And what would be one of your favorite shows you’ve ever attended?
Man, picking just one favorite artist growing up? That’s like asking me to pick my favorite flavor of ice cream – impossible! I was into all sorts of music that totally shaped my taste. Before I dove headfirst into EDM, I was jamming out to some seriously cool stuff that most of my friends weren’t even hip to.
I would listen to artists and bands that most of my friends thought were a bit old, but for some reason they were important to me.
Solo artists? Oh, I had a whole roster: Michael Jackson, Bob Marley – legends, man. But then I’d throw in some surprises like Paco De Lucia (Flamenco Genius), Chuck Berry (Rock n Roll) and Glen Miller (Jazz). And hey, never underestimate the power of a bit of funk with Jamiroquai or Reggaeton with Daddy Yankee to get the vibes going.
And let’s not forget the bands! Linkin Park, Guns N Roses, NOFX, Blink 182 – real rebel vibes. Then Nirvana, Korn, Limpbizkit – pure energy. And for a touch of Latin flair, Los Amigos Invisibles (Latin Funk), Los Adolecentes (Salsa), and of course, the iconic Soda Stereo (Argentinian Rock Band).
Now, as for favorite shows? Dude, my first live experiences with those bands were like nothing else. But if I had to pick one, it’s gotta be Linkin Park. I swear, I must’ve seen them live more times than I can count. Total superfan right here!
How did your upbringing influence your diverse sound and style today?
My upbringing totally shaped my wild mix of sounds and style nowadays, man. Picture this: I’m from Venezuela, right? A crazy melting pot of cultures and vibes. We’ve got the Caribbean vibes up north, the Amazon jungle down south, and the Andes chillin’ in the west. It’s like a whole musical buffet! And get this, my old man’s father side is straight outta Italy, while my mom’s got some Spanish and French flavor, Spain has a lot of music Middle Eastern influences which fused with Flamenco. So, you can imagine, besides sipping on fine wine and kickass coffee, there was music everywhere.
When I was a kid, I was all about those beach days, soaking in Reggae, Salsa bands, and all those Latin beats like Merengue and Bachata. But then school happened, and my crew was all about Rock and Punk. And guess what? I was all in, man! Learning different instruments meant diving deep into all kinds of genres.
Fast forward to when I landed in the US, in Los Angeles, literally a block from Hollywood blvd. Now, most of the chicks I fancied were all about that Punk Rock life and decked out in Hot Topic gear, none of them spoke Spanish LOL. I didn’t speak much English, but hey, I could shred on my guitar all the trending songs, so I ended up hanging with them a bunch. BBQs, house parties, you name it. Jamming was my ticket to fitting in.
Then, my neighbor hooks me up with these Hip Hop joints, and I’m like, “What’s this all about?” But damn, I fell hard for it! And while all this was going down, I’m cooking up some EDM beats in my own little studio setup at home. Which I built with wood I purchased at the Home Depot store on Sunset Blvd, haha.
Even now, man, it’s tough when someone asks me what my style is. I mean, how can I stick to just one? I’ve got love for everything from House to Deep Techno to Big Room, Progressive House, Tech House and beyond. It’s like asking me to pick a favorite dessert, you know? I just dig it all.
What was the ‘moment’ that had catapulted you to transition to pursuing Electronic Music?
To be honest, the whole switch to Electronic Music kinda snuck up on me. Picture this: about ten years back, Rock music seemed to be going through this weird phase where every new band popping up felt like another cookie-cutter boy band wannabe. No disrespect to them, some were actually pretty decent, but the whole vibe just wasn’t doing it for me anymore.
So, I dabbled in Latin music for a bit. I mean, I cranked out loads of tracks, but honestly, it was more about trying to reconnect with my roots ’cause I was missing home like crazy. Thing is, my home country has been going through this nightmare of a political mess, so going back wasn’t an option.
One lonely night, feeling a bit down in the dumps, I cracked open this killer set of synths from Native Instruments. And man, messing around with those synths, creating these huge, epic sounds… it was like finding a missing puzzle piece in my musical soul. Suddenly, EDM became my go-to for expressing whatever I was feeling.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Rock, Punk, Reggae & Latin jams a lot, but at that moment, I was not feeling it. Now, I need them as much as food and water hahaha.
Do you feel your background as a Sound Engineer made an impact on developing and refining your tracks even more now? If so, could you share more about that process?
Definitely played a role, but not exactly in the way you might think. See, most of my training was geared towards rocking out, not dropping sick beats. At first, I thought I had it all figured out – mixing, mastering, the works. But then reality hit when I hit the club scene. My tracks just didn’t hit the same as the big names. It was like, “Uh oh, back to the drawing board!”
I had to totally rewire my brain, you know? Like, adjust my ears to this whole new frequency range. It was a bit daunting, but honestly, I kinda loved the challenge. It was like starting over, but with a fresh perspective. So yeah, my sound background didn’t exactly give me a head start, but it definitely helped me appreciate the journey.
What challenges have you faced since you started your career, and how have they influenced your artistic development?
Since kicking off my career, I’ve been through the wringer, let me tell ya. Picture this: fresh off the boat in the US, barely speaking a lick of English, and completely on my own. It was like a survival game, but instead of weapons, I had my trusty acoustic guitar, a gift from my old man.
I’m talking years of flying solo, barely scraping by, and feeling like a fish out of water in a cultural tsunami. Making real friends? Not an easy task in Los Angeles / Hollywood. Eating properly? Ha, what’s that? And going back to Venezuela wasn’t even an option.
But you know what? My old man had this nugget of wisdom he dropped on me when I was just a kid. I was throwing a tantrum about who knows what, and he hits me with, “Do you know how many folks didn’t wake up today?” I was floored. Then he hits me with, “If you’re not facing that, then buck up and make the most out of life with the tools you’ve got.” And what I had was my optimism and my music.
I’ve been through the wringer, man. Living out of my car for half a year, showering at the 24 Hours Fitness gym like it was my own personal spa, or collect napkins from many fast food places because I had no toilet paper at home hahahahaha. But through it all, I never forgot that music was my lifeline. It kept me going when nothing else could. I want my music to do the same for others one day.
Can you discuss some of the themes or messages you aim to convey through your eclectic sound?
Honestly, I never really sat down and thought, “Okay, what deep message am I gonna convey with my tunes?” Not because it’s not important, but because I don’t want so much going on in my head when I’m cooking up a track. I want my mind to be 100% open to new feelings. I’d go nuts trying to pin down one specific message based on 100000000 possible feelings we all humans go through daily.
Usually, I just vibe with whatever sounds I’m messing around with in the studio. If it makes me feel pumped up, or chilled out, or maybe even a bit frisky, I roll with that feeling. It’s like, I let the music guide me, you know?
It’s kinda like life, you wake up in the morning not knowing what the heck’s gonna happen during the day. Maybe you’ll score big, or maybe you’ll face a total disaster. You gotta roll with the punches, adapt on the fly, just like how I cook up my tunes or when I play live with a nightclub’s beat up controller which some features aren’t working properly and I gotta fully improvise. LOL.
But hey, at the end of the day, my main goal is just to spread some good vibes, man. I want people to blast my jams in their cars, or get hyped up when I’m tearing it up on stage. It’s all about sharing that joy, bringing people together through music, and when a fan tells you that your song helped him a lot in life, that is freaking rewarding.
Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for your music career?
Music is the only pure line of communication to the soul without any interruptions to get a message or feeling across, unless your mom turns off the music abruptly because dinner is ready hahaha. I really want my music to help people feel better or just upgrade their night or week or vacation, boost their emotions, make them happy, or frisky and have babies listening to my tracks hahaha. Good stuff. I want to provide a lot to this planet with good vibes. Get to an age where I can say I’ve played this many shows, this many people listened to me, and they went home super happy and they might still remember that feeling in the future, and be part of that memory. The thought of that makes me so happy. Makes me feel like a kid in Disneyland with a VIP no-line pass hahaha.
And hey, once I’ve made it big, I wanna pay it forward, help other aspiring musicians chase their own dreams. That’d be the ultimate high-five to the universe, you feel me?
What is one piece of advice you’d offer to rising producers pursuing a career in Electronic Music?
Nothing will be handed to you. Expect struggle. Don’t produce for hours and hours with headphones on. Use earplugs to protect your ears. Don’t let your friends or you drink next to the controllers. LOL.
Everything stopped to be a musical struggle when I realized I was not doing this for fame or some kind of recognition. The real reason I was doing it, is not because “I wanna BE an artist”. NO! You must know YOU ARE an artist, and YOU ARE doing what an artist should be doing, create and spread joy. If fame comes after that or you want to make that your business, then I recommend an upcoming producer to study the business. To learn all the pros and cons of the different avenues there are to get to their goal. If they happen, the ‘hit the jackpot and become famous over night’, cool, good for you. But if you don’t know how the business/industry side of things work, it can really hurt you, because you were only ready to get there, but maintaining that level, with full competency is a totally different beast. So pretty much, “Stay ready for anything and everything”.
We finish this interview thanking Angel for his time sharing a glimpse into his background and story, shining a light onto his career so far, his inspirations and the passion that has helped him develop his career and his name as one to follow closely. As he promises new music on the way, make sure to follow him across social media to remain updated on his latest releases and projects, as this sonic journey is surely just starting.
Angel Parilli Online
