We can thank the rave culture of the late 80’s and 90’s for electronic dance music, or EDM, for those in the know. EDM has its roots in the European club scene, where DJ’s began producing mixes by seamlessly blending tracks of recordings. And while it’s been spinning in nightclubs ever since, and most of us remember it as “house music,” or simply “house,” EDM didn’t become a mainstream genre until the 2000’s popularized by producers and DJ’s like Daft Punk, David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Swedish House Mafia, and Tiësto. EDM has become a household staple in the music industry, where DJ’s can sell out arenas to play tracks non-stop and are featured on nearly every song.
Of course, EDM has made its way to the Latino music industry with Latino music artists joining in on the marriage between popular music and EDM. Deorro, the Mexican-American DJ who’s been producing tracks since he was 17, became instantly recognized with “Bailar” featuring Elvis Crespo, a track that became the anthem of quinceñeras everywhere. Juanes and French DJ and producer Cedric Gervais surprised fans with their collaborative single, “Este Amor,” when Juanes took the stage, joining Gervais at Sunset Music Festival in 2015 and their fusion of Latino pop and EDM was debuted live. And now, Luis Fonsi has linked up with Afrojack for their latest take on Latino-EDM with the single “Wave Your Flag.”
EDM has never been absent from Latino music though, and there have been Latino producers and DJ’s killing it in electronic music ever since, re-mixing our favorite Latino pop songs for the clubs. Not to mention the popularity of electronic music festivals in Latin America and around the world, EDM is a genre that knows no barriers, with little to no lyrics at times, it transcends borders to entertain the masses. With the success of “Bailar” and more and more Latino music artists hooking up with EDM DJ’s and producers, it’s a fusion that’s here to stay.
