Born in Tacna and raised in Lima, Perú, Andrea Zapata is an up-and-coming talent from Peru who is quickly making a name for herself in the electronic music scene. She has been playing at various gigs in different cities in Peru like Lima, Cusco, Mancora, and Arequipa to name a few. Recently made a debut at Klock Club in Colombia and in different cities in Chile like Santiago Concepcion, Antofagasta and Valparaiso  

As a young girl, she always had an interest in electronic music and was always excited every time she found new music she liked. During the pandemic, she spent most of her time exploring music which led her to have a musical selection that describes her very much. She believes music is not only about playing good tracks but is also a connection that creates with the listener.

To her, there’s something about the hypnotic and deep sounds of techno and other experimental subgenres that always seems to give her solace and deliver a whimsical ride. It’s all about creating an immersive atmosphere that can give people a sense of euphoria She found inspiration through her feelings, the daily life she’s in and in nature. Constantly listening to tracks from artists she loves has inspired her to experiment with weaving new sounds and different styles within the genre. 

At the moment she is working on an EP for KVLTÖ Records (México) to be released in  2023 and she’s also developing new music to release on her Bandcamp page and Soundcloud. 

I asked her some questions about herself and what was happening at the other side of the world.

Hi, Tell us how you start your DJ journey. 

I started playing in 2018. I remember the first party where I played was organized by the academy where I studied as a “final project’.I was so nervous that I almost died (haha) Shortly after that, I met my current partner, Rodrigo aka Istvan Tonczar, a producer and DJ that has been playing different sounds from what I used to hear in Lima. That spirited me to start digging more music in search of my musical personality, finding artists like Dycide,  Vanoni,  Kontinum, MTRL and many others. I found the equilibrium I was trying to get with these artists for my mix that has minimal percussion with progressive and harmonic textures and atmospheres.

Who are your favourite producers after you discovered your music selection?

I have so many! And of different intensities and styles. The music I like varies a lot and there are many artists who surprise me with every song I listen to, such as Zemög, Claudio PRC, Luigi Tozzi, Pause, Michel Lauriola, to name a few. Each of them is also my inspiration when creating my sets and producing music. I really like monotonous elements in the tracks woven with very subtle changes through their loops. It keeps you on a journey.

What do you usually imagine or think of when you plan your mix?

 Each session is a unique process and it depends on the mood Im in. I like to offer sessions that can heal the body, emotions and mind to lift them out of depression, anxiety & restlessness. For me, going out to play is not only playing good music but also a way of expressing myself. I know that there are people who attend parties just for fun but there are also others who seek spiritual healing through music. In my performance, I seek to balance both concepts to take all listeners on one journey — to experience feelings such as melancholy, joy, and euphoria. I always want to synchronize my audience into the same frequency I am in and let them feel the music as means of healing and enjoyment.

”When I’m mixing I see people dance to different elements, I love it because some stick with the basses and others after dancing for a long time connect with the sounds and dance to the rhythm, it’s beautiful”

Tell us more about events that you play and organize.

Most of the events that I play are open-air events on the outskirts of Lima, some at hotels whether in the city or in different provinces of Peru. Sometimes, I play at open-format events with various genres in one night.

Some of the promoters that I have played for are Vastion, Superclub, Undersound, Selvamonos, After Beats, Oil Promote, Palestra, Dub House, Verzatil, among others. I also had the opportunity to visit Klock in Medellín, Club Ambar in Santiago, La Sala in Valparaíso, Club Soho in Antofagasta and Club Residencia in Concepción.

One of the events that really took my heart was my time at the renowned ‘Selvámonos’ festival, mainly because of its variety of musical performances including DJs, bands and different other artists that made the festival a unique experience. The best thing is, it is surrounded by nature!  I really like being able to share music with my family who came to watch me and seeing people who don’t usually listen to electronic music respond very well to it.

When it comes to running events, I seek to curate and present new musical experiences that expand the concept of electronic music in Peru since there are not many options for techno events. I was a part of the creators of Vue Du Ciel and Sublima, two different electronic music event brands. Now, I am currently part of Space Invaders, an artistic collective of friends that play different genres like Techno, Minimal, Progressive and Electro where we collaborate to produce events together. 

Share more about the scene in Peru

The scene in Peru has been growing due to the fact that there are new promoters in different cities driving the scene in the same direction, driven by the love of art. In Lima, there are few electronic music clubs such as Quasar, Lyra and Casona de Camaná. Before this, there were La Tribu and Fuga, which were very crowded but it’s now closed. It’s sad because they were both good venues.  La Tribu, was the first electronic club I went to actually.  Nowadays, most of the events are at bars and hotels.

What’s your next move after this?

I have a lot of ideas that I would like to implement but I don’t want to rush. I feel that destiny will put me in the right place and time to do it. At the moment I really like to produce and even use Ableton just to play with sounds, I seek to continue improving every day with practice and I’m preparing my first EP for the Mexican label KVLTÖ. 

Before getting into music, I used to study Fashion & Design, I recently created a clothing brand and I am preparing the designs for next year. This brand is related to my career as I take a lot of inspiration from music and they share several concepts.

On the other hand, with Rodrigo we have been going around for a while with many ideas that have been taking a certain form and I feel that soon enough we will  begin to see them showcase in events, music and more

Your mantra for keeping forward:

“Action overcomes fear.” I identify with this phrase because I used to limit myself. Consistency in music has enabled me to let self-limitation go. I never imagined getting to where I am and receiving so much love from people is the most motivating and valuable thing. I feel a great evolution in me and I am especially grateful to the music.