Deorro sat down with us in the Bay Area to discuss his career, how he’s merging the Latin and dance music worlds, a new album he’s working on, and more!
What started as a fun project highlighting the energy of Dirty Dutch and Melbourne bounce has blossomed into the merger of Latin music and dance music at the highest level for Deorro. Recent years have seen the Mexican artist take his signature style across the world and across genre boundaries. Projects like his sophomore album ORRO, the REFLECT EP, and high-profile collaborations with Los Tucanes de Tijuana and Elvis Crespo have defined Deorro, and there’s plenty more coming.
This consistent and sustainable rise has helped him stay in the conversation, whether it’s pushing the limits of music or introducing new audiences to dance music. This was most obvious during a weekend run of shows where Deorro played three shows across the Bay Area. Local cultural brand San Jose Foos partnered with DJ Dials and 15Utah to bring the iconic artist to the heart of San Jose for a massive day party, and we were lucky enough to attend.
Anytime Deorro is in town, I never miss it, and this time was no different. To my surprise, though, this was one of the best events I’ve been to all year. Amidst the uncertainty and chaos of raids taking place in California, it was great to come to a place that celebrated Latino culture, and San Jose Foos did an excellent job of transforming Discovery Meadow into more than just a rave. Instead, this event was a celebration of culture, community, and solidarity.
Needless to say, Deorro threw down another incredible set. He served up a mix of classics, both dance and Latin, with a dose of the new trends like hard techno. Before he took the decks, we had the opportunity to sit down with Deorro to discuss his career, how he’s merging both the Latin and dance music worlds, a brand-new album in the works, and so much more.
Hey Deorro! Thanks for chatting with us today. Your latest album, ORRO, along with all of your recent releases, has truly seemed like what you wanted to represent since the beginning of your career. When did you feel the shift from being just a dance music producer to now being an industry-leading artist and figure?
I don’t know. I just started uploading music to SoundCloud, and my followers started growing. Something I noticed was the merging of my DJing and producing. I was DJing local nightclubs, and producing was something I did at home to put online. Then, I started merging those worlds by playing my music at my DJ gigs.
Little by little, I started to see that there were fans. People commenting on my productions online would attend my shows, and that made me realize, “Oh, these people are actually coming to see me.” That’s when I began to believe that I could truly become an artist by taking my project to the next level. That happened over about two to three years.
Since ORRO, you’ve worked with many Latin artists who would typically be considered outsiders to dance music. How differently do you approach working with artists who have never been involved with dance music as opposed to artists who have only ever made dance music?
I love experimenting, stepping outside of my comfort zone, and giving myself a challenge. Whenever I want to collaborate with someone, such as Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Voces del Rachno, or Elvis Crespo, I study their music. I try to deeply engage with the production, like the structures and the rhythm.
I learn a lot about the genre that these artists come from to get familiar with their world before I intend to merge our worlds. All that teaches me about a whole new realm of music. It expands my knowledge and opens paths for me to be more creative when I come back to EDM.
What does it mean to you to truly be the face bridging the gap between Latin and dance music?
I’m going to go back to a certain moment in my career. I asked myself, “What more do I have to offer in music?” Then, I took a break from touring, went back home, spent time with my family, and started reconnecting with my roots. That’s when I found my answer.
I thought, “You know what? It’s my culture. I have my culture to offer to electronic dance music.” Now, hearing my work being played on loudspeakers, seeing people dancing to it, and knowing that this was manifested and came to life is something so surreal. It’s like life telling me, “See, all that work was worth it because you put in so many hours and days into an idea that was once just in your head.”
Then, to finally see and hear it be real and true… It’s one of the most surreal feelings. It’s an honor, and I hope I do it well. Because of that moment in my career, I’m always going to make sure that I do everything at 100%.
What advice can you offer to counter the idea that artists shouldn’t put out music that isn’t their norm?
One of the best things you could do is stick to who you truly are. That way, you never have to pretend to be anything you’re not. Show people who you are and pour your heart out. We’re all human, and the more you pour your heart into something, the more people can connect with that. People identify themselves with what they’re hearing when you’re genuinely yourself.
At first, I was just hoping that this career path would work because you wouldn’t hear Latin music at raves like today, and there weren’t any original collaborations. But I was like, “I want this to happen, and I’m going to go with this gut feeling.” As it turns out, I had my whole raza out there supporting.
It’s amazing to see the flags come out, and not just Mexican flags, but all of Latinoamérica. It’s even more amazing now that other cultures are directly engaging. I’ve been to Asia, Europe, and all over the world, and the fans are always engaging and asking for my songs in Spanish. It’s amazing to see and feel.
Following up on that, what would you say to the part of the Latino community that still isn’t entirely convinced to come out to the EDM shows and raves yet?
Right now, especially, there’s so much Latin music! Latin music is blowing up in the EDM world, and it’s such a beautiful thing. It’s truly a celebration of cultures. People are coming together, dancing, and experiencing a wonderful moment.
There are a lot of talented artists who are coming up. There’s also a lot that people will be familiar with from what they hear outside of the scene. And, it’s fun! People always tell me, “Yo, bro, you got me into this, and I never thought I would like this music!”
It’s so cool to be the bridge that introduces people to this. Again, this scene, this genre, and the electronic music world have so much to offer to everybody. Everybody just needs to give it a chance.
With 2025 nearly over, what can fans expect from you for the rest of the year?
It’s been a minute since I’ve put out a project that was just a bunch of bangers for the clubs and festivals, so I have that project coming up. When that releases, I’ll have some time to finish the album I started a couple of months ago. In the meantime, I’ll be touring, so there’s a lot of work coming up.
Is there any working title or concept behind this new album you just revealed?
Yes. It’s still up in the air because I’m trying to see what takes off. I started a bunch of different ideas. I obviously have some Latin stuff, Spanish vocals, and maybe some in English. I want to create a blend that offers a little bit of both, while still maintaining that signature Latin EDM sound.
To end, what are three things you’re grateful for?
First of all, my wife. She’s been so supportive. Thanks to her, I get that essential support. I feel a responsibility to care for my wife, my family, my kids, and my fans. I need to take care of my career and my music and make sure that I’m there for my team because they’re there for me.
I’m grateful for my wife, my team, my family, and my fans. To connect with them on that musical plane is a dream come true. To be honest, I don’t think I’m good at anything else. Music is the only thing I know how to do, and I’m glad that I’m able to connect with my people through music. That’s all I know how to do!
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