After two years of silence, Italian artist Diego Gennaro, formerly known as Bastinov, has reemerged as Sideral.
Photo credit: Sideral – Instagram
With a new name and a renewed purpose, his return is marked by his involvement in Mind Against’s label HABITAT, where he debuted the collaborative single ‘Criseide’ and later followed with the defining EP ‘Trills’. Sideral represents not only a sonic evolution, but also a personal rebirth after years away from music and moments of self-doubt.
Rooted in family tradition and ignited by early exposure to Italy’s electronic scene, Sideral brings emotion, vision, and timelessness into his productions. Having played a key role in launching HABITAT and reigniting his own artistic flame, he now looks forward to an impactful summer, including sets at Audioriver and Tomorrowland.
In this interview, Sideral opens up about the journey from Bastinov to Sideral, rediscovering his voice, collaborating with Mind Against, and why he believes music still has the power to break boundaries.
EG: Hi! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How are you? Where are you right now?
Sideral: Hi everyone, it’s a pleasure to be here! I’m doing very well; I’m living a very serene period of my life, still in Italy, in Treviso.
EG: So, things have been quite intense since you evolved from your alias Bastinov to Sideral… How did that decision come about? What motivated you to take this step?
Sideral: I think the evolution has been personal; I would say it’s the evolution of Diego rather than Bastinov or Sideral. Even back in the days with Etruria and Luca Agnelli, I had in mind to create a parallel project, but I didn’t feel ready at that moment.
During COVID, I had the chance to pause for almost two years and reflect on what I wanted to do. I had lost hope, I was doing another job, and I never imagined I would come back stronger than before. I feel grateful for the journey I’ve had with Luca Agnelli because he was the first person to believe in me and to take me to the best clubs in Italy. Those were seven very important years!
EG: And, going back to your early years… How were your first interactions with electronic dance music? Was it an immediate spark?
Sideral: I consider myself lucky because I was born and raised in a family where music is our daily bread. My father, Bruno, is a classical guitar musician specialized in Flamenco. I remember waking up every morning to my father practicing, so he instilled in me the love and passion for music.
I got into electronic music thanks to my sister, who back in 2003/2004 was a PR at a very famous club in Italy, AIDA in Jesolo Lido. In short, she would bring me CDs with electronic techno music, and it’s also thanks to her that I began dreaming of being part of this world.
EG: From that moment on… when did you start DJing and producing? Who inspired you to do it, and how was that journey?
Sideral: I started getting into DJing at private parties in 2008; the first somewhat serious event I did was on August 31, 2009, when I was 17. However, I had already started to get interested in production because I felt the need to express myself, being a very introverted and shy guy.
Except for the two years of COVID, I’ve always been in the studio every day, continually improving, making mistakes, and trying again.
“I was born and raised in a family where music is our daily bread”
EG: And now you have the opportunity to collaborate with artists like Mind Against and be part of their label HABITAT. How did that relationship come about?
Sideral: Mind Against has always been a point of reference for me; I feel like I’m in the right place because I know they’ve also made many sacrifices to get where they are now. For me, they are an example—even before I knew them and worked with them. Personally, I have achieved a goal I set for myself a long time ago, and I am proud and honored to be working with them.
I first contacted Mind Against during a time when I felt lost; it was in 2021. I was doing a job that didn’t resonate with me, and I had almost abandoned music, but I felt I still had something to say. I wished Freddy Mind Against a happy birthday on Facebook, and he replied almost immediately. That’s when I sent him a demo track called ‘Criseide’. Soon after, Federico told me they were considering launching their own label and asked for my thoughts. I couldn’t believe it—I was overjoyed.
They gave me the energy and strength to take my life back into my own hands and shine again.
EG: Creatively speaking, what fuels your music? Are you creating the music you thought you would make when you started producing?
Sideral: Creatively speaking, I have never thought about anything. I don’t like to set limits for myself. I need to enter the studio to vent and let go. What helps me in the studio is my vision; I tend to focus on making tracks that break boundaries but can also stand the test of time. This is the only limit I impose on myself. It’s not as simple as it sounds, of course, because I don’t always have the same attitude in the studio—but that’s also what makes it beautiful. Not knowing what type of track will come out of the computer tomorrow really stimulates me.
EG: For many artists, their personal life tends to “inform” their music and their relationship with it. Is that true for you as well?
Sideral: Yes, of course. In some ways, I feel different from years ago; I can manage my emotions better, and that probably reflects in what I do in the studio. The process of evolution is necessary for me, but I feel like I’m only at 50% of my potential.
EG: Speaking of a broader picture… what do you see as the greatest challenge for artists in the near future?
Sideral: I feel that somehow the threshold of attention and listening is getting shorter and shorter. The challenge, in my opinion, will be to create tracks with a shorter and more immediate arrangement but still with strong content. This can positively reflect on social networks, which are an increasingly fundamental territory for an artist’s growth.
“Not knowing what type of track will come out of the computer tomorrow really stimulates me”
EG: Looking ahead, what can we expect from Sideral? Where can your fans find you soon? What are your upcoming scheduled concerts?
Sideral: I believe you can expect music from me that is colorful, genuine, and sincere. Because, for better or worse, that’s who I am too.
Soon, I will have some very important dates, such as Audioriver Festival in Poland on July 11 and Tomorrowland Belgium on July 19.
EG: Thank you so much for your time! We wish you all the best for the future. Take care!
Sideral: Thank you very much for the opportunity! A hug!
Sideral’s ‘Grace’ is now available on HABITAT. Stream and download here.
Follow Sideral: Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram | TikTok
