Nicole Fiallo is a Cuban-American DJ and producer based in Miami whose music connects house with Latin and Afro-Latin rhythmic influences.
Photo credit: Nicole Fiallo – Official
Her catalog includes releases on Nervous Records, HoTL Records, Transmit Recordings, and Made In Miami, alongside performances across the United States and internationally.
Her latest chapter is A Mi Ritmo Records, a label rooted in the idea of creating and releasing music without chasing trends. Its first release, ‘Llego La Rumba,’ introduces the project through percussion, groove, and underground house influences.
In this conversation, Fiallo discusses the experiences that shaped her in Miami, the move from artist to label owner, authenticity, and the long-term vision behind A Mi Ritmo Records.
EG: Hi Nicole, welcome to Electronic Groove. Where are you today, and how does it feel to finally be introducing A Mi Ritmo Records to the world?
Nicole Fiallo: Thank you for having me. I’m currently in Miami. It’s truly an honor to be here and have a space to share a bit about this project that is so special to me.
EG: The name A Mi Ritmo suggests more than musical rhythm. It also speaks to living and creating on your own terms. When did that idea become a personal philosophy for you?
Nicole Fiallo: I think that’s just always been a part of who I am as a person. Even from a very young age, I have never been the type to follow what everyone else was doing. I feel like I always tried to be different and embraced that uniqueness even if it meant not fitting in with the norm. It’s something that has also naturally translated into who I am as an artist, as well.
EG: You have spent many years building your place within Miami’s electronic music community. What has that city taught you about identity, resilience, and finding your own voice?
Nicole Fiallo: I feel like in a city like Miami, it’s definitely important for you to find your own identity, or you will blend in with the masses. There are a lot of artists trying to come up in this scene, which is a beautiful thing, but it makes it that much harder to really stand out. I think that’s where the resilience part comes in. You just have to keep at it, figure out who you are and what you want to bring forth as an artist, and work on growing that every day. Of course, that is a lot easier said than done, as we all know, but that’s what this city teaches you: if you want it, go get it, and don’t stop until you do.
EG: Do you remember the first moment when music stopped feeling like something you simply loved and began to feel like the path you needed to follow?
Nicole Fiallo: When I was about 14 years old, my cousins used to run all-ages events at Nocturnal, next door to Space, and they used to let me come with them while they worked, but the only rule was that I had to stay in the DJ booth the entire night. To me, this was a dream because I loved music so much, and I wasn’t there to party but to just enjoy the experience. On one of those nights, I remember that something just clicked for me, and I realized, “Hey, I can do this. I want to do this. I’d be good at this.” And shortly after that, I was able to save up my birthday money and purchase my first pair of CDJs (CDJ-1000 MK3s) and a DJM 800 mixer. The rest was really history. Something sparked in me that just felt natural, like this was the path I was supposed to be on, and here we are 15 years later still with that same passion and love, still chasing that dream.
“I do strongly believe that authenticity will always be the winner, no matter what might seem cool at the moment”
EG: Oscar G, Patrick M, Lazaro Casanova, and other established figures have been part of your journey. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from being close to artists who have sustained long careers?
Nicole Fiallo: Being able to work alongside and learn from these guys has been easily one of the biggest blessings in my career, and it’s definitely something that I don’t take for granted. Many people see them as musical giants in Miami, but to me they have become so much more than that. Their drive, passion, authenticity, and pure humbleness are things that I admire and inspire me the most about them. They are the incredible artists and people that they are because of these things, and it’s an honor for me to be able to grow in this scene being guided by them. Each of them has shown me that the key to being successful in this industry is to just be you, and I try to carry that with me always.
EG: Starting a label means moving from thinking only as an artist to also making decisions as a curator and business owner. What part of that transition has challenged or surprised you the most?
Nicole Fiallo: When it comes to the biggest challenge, I think you put it perfectly in the question: thinking as a curator/business owner instead of just as an artist. A great example of that is realizing I can’t accept every demo that comes through my inbox, even if I genuinely like it from an artist perspective and would play it in my sets. It’s forced me to change my listening perspective to specifically look for the sound I’m trying to curate for the label, and that means having to reject friends sometimes who have sent their music in, which is never easy.
As for surprises, as silly as this may sound, the biggest surprise has been seeing how many people have bought into the project before I’ve launched a single track. The support the label has been getting, and the excitement people have been showing, has been amazing so far, which was honestly not expected. I was so nervous and worried about launching it in the first place, but the reaction to it has been so great, and I am very thankful for that.
EG: Many labels begin with a clear musical identity but eventually feel pressured to follow what is performing well. How will you protect A Mi Ritmo’s personality as the industry and trends continue to change?
Nicole Fiallo: I think this is where the artist side of me and the label side of me do coexist and think as one. The whole philosophy and identity of the label is to move to your own rhythm, and not change who you are to chase the trends. I do strongly believe that authenticity will always be the winner, no matter what might seem cool at the moment. That’s what I strive to be as an artist and what I want the label to represent on all fronts, too. I’ve never changed who I am in that aspect, and it’s my goal to continue to carry that on with the label, as well.
EG: When you are making music, what are you searching for emotionally before you begin thinking about whether a track will work on a dancefloor?
Nicole Fiallo: I think the main thing I’d say would be if I could 1) see myself playing this out and 2) can I see myself vibing to it in the booth AND the audience giving me that same energy back. Now, in saying that, I don’t believe every track you make needs to be made to move a dancefloor. I think that there’s really good music out there that can fit in many different types of environments and hit you emotionally in the same way wherever you are.
EG: ‘Llego La Rumba’ opens the label’s story, but a first release can never communicate an entire vision. What do you hope people understand about A Mi Ritmo after hearing the first several chapters of its catalog?
Nicole Fiallo: The first thing I want people to understand is that the label does not cater to one specific subgenre of House, and that’s on purpose. I want there to be a little bit of everything; I want there to be something for everyone. The only thing you are going to hear in every track is: rhythm, groove, and soul. Those 3 things will be the backbone of our releases no matter if you’re listening to a Tech House track, a Tribal track, or a classic House track.
EG: Electronic music is increasingly shaped by algorithms, short attention spans, and pressure to remain constantly visible. What do you think artists risk losing when they begin creating for the system rather than for themselves?
Nicole Fiallo: I feel that I am the perfect example of this type of artist, and honestly, it’s a hard road I’ve chosen to travel on. As I mentioned before, I am not one to follow trends or make music that sounds like what everyone else is making or is “cool”, and sometimes that means I’m not getting the recognition that I wish I could. But it makes me go back to the “authenticity” point. I feel you have to be happy with what you’re doing and that you’re doing things for the right reasons, even if it’s sometimes hard to be different. Because if you’re not happy, then what’s the point? Trends are trends because they are working NOW. But what’s also true about trends? They change. And if you’re always chasing the trend, you’re never going to find a sound that’s true to you. And believe me, I say this, but it’s something that I have to tell myself on the daily and remind myself about always. And it’s not because I want to change who I am, but because it’s sometimes a mental challenge to fight against the system. However, in the end I do believe that being authentically you is the best way forward, no matter what.
“If you’re always chasing the trend, you’re never going to find a sound that’s true to you”
EG: What has been the most unexpected piece of advice, criticism, or encouragement that genuinely changed the way you approach your career?
Nicole Fiallo: Again, it comes down to the same thing: “Be authentic. Be you. And never change that no matter what the industry tries to tell you.” It’s the same message I’ve been hearing over and over again lately, and I love that it’s now something I can extend into the label and continue to champion through there, as well.
EG: When people look back on A Mi Ritmo Records ten years from now, what would make you feel that the label truly fulfilled its purpose?
Nicole Fiallo: I’d feel like the label fulfilled its purpose if the catalog is filled with good, quality music, if the family has grown to be filled with artists that share the same love and passion for music as I do and who choose to move “to their own rhythm”, and if A Mi Ritmo Records has become known for being a home where artists want to be a part of it because they feel welcomed, respected, and that they can be 100% themselves.
EG: Thanks for the time and all the best!
Nicole Fiallo: Thank you for giving me the space to share this. It’s been a pleasure chatting with you, and I appreciate you taking the time to learn more about me and this little project of mine.
Nicole Fiallo’s ‘Llego La Rumba’ is out now via A Mi Ritmo Records. Stream and download here.
Follow Nicole Fiallo: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
