The love for music has led this Peruvian artist to become one of the most representative DJs in the electronic music scene in Peru, being already recognized all over South America. His musical style, which ranges from groove house, tech house, downtempo and deep house. His solid effort and work have led him to tour all over the world, receiving different recognitions in his native country.

Electronic Groove: Hi TolinchiLove, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. The first question that comes to mind is your name, what’s does it mean?

TolinchiLove: Hi EG! Thank you very much for the invitation, to be part of your legendary podcast and for this interview. It is important that the DJs and producers from Peru, my birthplace, are increasingly known and respected in the global electronic scene.

Answering the question, Tolinchi, has been my nickname since I was young (the word comes from my last name Tola) but the important thing about my artist name is the word LOVE, which conveys the message I want to share with all house lovers in the world.

EG: Tell us about your first days in music. When did it all began for you as a musician?

TolinchiLove: I always say I’m not a musician but I’m “musical”. I cannot be compared to a musician because I don’t come from a professional school of music or play instruments like them, so I don’t put myself on their level. I am a DJ, producer and a melomaniac with a lot of experience in musical direction.

I started my DJ career a little late in 2010 at the age of 25. I found my natural habitat in the electronic parties  better known as Raves in 2000 when I was 19 years old and I was only interested in being a raver and going to dance to this infinite and neverending music, with that feeling of connectivity between music and crowd and that shared freedom that can only be found at an electronic party. I got so hooked on that feelin’ that I did not think of being a DJ until many years later when I met Paul Trelles, a great artist from Peru, who became one of my best friends and taught me the basics. Then I learned everything I could by myself, became more professional over the years and made the most of the opportunities I had. Currently, I am 34 years old and an international career that is growing, where every day I learn something new while I enjoy this beautiful life that is being a DJ  and producer who lives from music and travels through all over the world. It is a blessing for which I am always grateful.

EG: Who was your main influence in terms of Djing a producing? Do you have any moments that became inspirational to take this musical path?

TolinchiLove: My musical influences are house, tech and its subgenres. I’m a music lover since I can remember but my biggest influences are funk, disco, soul & groove, especially James Brown who was not only the creator of funk but also the grandfather of house and hip hop among many other genres. I use these influences to blend in my own personal style, which makes people dance and smile.

Specifically speaking of house music, my biggest influence was a Danny Tenaglia’s set titled0 ‘Back to Basics Disc 1’, which was a musical revelation for me. I also have Luciano as inspiration, he is the DJ that I most admire as an artist and as a human being, an example to follow on different levels. I had the opportunity to play with him, also with other top names that I admire such as Lee Foss, Danny Howells, Chus & Ceballos, Claptone, Dave Seaman, Octave One, and this have been the best live school for my career as a DJ.

EG: You are currently a resident of Munite NYC but you are residing in Peru while touring many Latin American countries. Do you ever want to leave Peru to settle in another country?

TolinchiLove: Yes, I’m a Munite resident in Latin America. Peru is still my home and my base and I am working to make more of a name for myself internationally and enter into a couple of important labels with my new releases. Currently based in Peru, I have toured 3 times in Brazil, 4 times in Colombia, 2 in Bolivia and coming soon to Chile and Argentina. But despite the scene in my local country has grown a lot, still very limited and we know that to develop as an artist you need to be in a country that has a bigger music market or bigger connections.

EG: What can you tell us about Munite, how did this relationship begin?

TolinchiLove: Gui Ramos did a Munite showcase in Peru alongside De La Swing as a headliner and me as a supporting act. When he came to the party he told me that he was interested in working with me because he had been following my career closely. After that party, he decided to sign me as his resident DJ in Latin America and we are already preparing some dates in the United States as well. Gui Ramos and Felipe Callado are my brothers and the key to my internationalization, they are betting on me and I am very grateful for the opportunities received.

EG: In terms of production. Are you currently working on any new releases?

TolinchiLove: Yes, I currently have two tracks released on Peruvian labels with international impact, they are: Fine Music and Offsite Records, in collaboration with a great Peruvian producer and friend of mine called Tony V. One of those tracks is an official remix for the great Romanian producer Luca M, but I feel this year I have been able to find my sound as a producer thanks to 3 tracks produced with Chinonegro (who has been internationally featured on recognized labels such as Stereo Productions, 8bit, Happy Techno, Nonstop, Yet! and many others). Those tracks are still being looked at by important outputs and waiting to be signed soon. Likewise, I am in talks with other important record labels to sign my last track created with another Peruvian great producer named Harddisk, who is already on labels like Baikonur Recordings and Nulab.

I am working in parallel with another great Peruvian producer, Ammo Avenue, also with Luis Ormeño aka the Master of Sensations, Paul Haro and ZAC from Brazil.

“The idea is to find my own style by adapting every track that I find to tell my own story”

EG: What can you tell about the scene in your hometown, Lima? How has it evolved since you started in the music scene?

TolinchiLove: Peru has an electronic scene which was founded in the 90’s, that started inviting heavyweight international guests. At that moment local artists were not given much importance until a few years ago. In the country there are world-class promoters such as Bastion by Jose Javier Cateriano, with franchises such as Ultra & Resistance and at the same time works with showcases such as Stereo Productions or parties such as BudX by Budweiser and Corona Sunset Festivals, where I am resident. We also have the promoter with the longest time in the Peruvian scene, Loop Peru by Arturo Ruiz, the biggest contribution to the electronic scene since its inception and with whom I have worked in the past in events such as Creamfields and Loop stages with different international guests.

What is needed in Peru is to professionalize the local scene, with a larger clubbing presence. Currently the only club in the country that is dedicated to electronic music is Lyra by Fernando Vidal, but that is not enough. Peru needs to have booking agencies, professional managers and more clubbing (more clubs dedicated strictly to electronic music) to be able to reinforce and give value to local artists and better venues to international guests. We are getting better all the time. I am proud of this change that is taking place every day here, a country where the electronic scene does not have as much room as other musical genres.

EG: What plans do you have for the summer season?

TolinchiLove: Summer season has just finished in Peru and is starting in Europe and the United States, my plans are already underway with a South American tour that includes countries like Brazil, where I am currently touring for a month, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Europe and the US are the next steps for 2020.

EG: Digging into your music crate, what tracks are making it for you at the moment?

TolinchiLove: I always say that being a DJ is 50% technic and 50% searching through the endless new music and genres that are evolving day by day. I have named that music crate as “doing my homework”. With that in mind, I dedicate at least 5 hours a day to search, classify and organize music for founding my own personal style. I search at every kind of genre and labels I can to find my own story to tell. For me, genres are only a guide, but more important is to personalize other producers music by changing the parameters such as the tempo and pitch. The idea is to find my own style by adapting every track that I find to tell my own story.

EG: What advice do you have for those who are starting to venture into music production and DJing?

TolinchiLove: Be real, be yourselves when creating or playing music. Having influences is fine, but copying others and not finding your own musical line will never be the formula for success. Be unique and above all, breathe, consume, think, make and live music. If there is something that can be tied with or even beat talent is daily work and an obsession that makes you want to be better every day, more professional and better prepared. And if someday you achieve some merit that you consider important in your artistic career, that may serve as reinforcement to keep improving but do not stop being humble or grateful because too much ego will kill your talent that is not a cliché, its a true fact.

Thank you, Electronic Groove, hope you enjoy the mix, it was made with love overdose!

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