Sweet Music RecommendsThe Brazilian Cris D. has stood out in the south of the country for carrying in his sound identity a mix of references, applying different resources in his productions and making his songs full of surprises. To those who enjoy a good tropical spice, the artist provides a delight to the ears, adding cultural and ethnic traits to his creations, which transit with fluidity along the lines of Afro House, House, Disco and Techno.
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Hello, Cris D.! How are you and how has 2022 been so far for you?
Cris D.: Hello guys, how are you? I am so happy to be speaking with you. It has been wonderful, so many good things have happened. I became a resident at Sunset Sessions, I joined the Ápice Plus team, among other great places I played and still have to play, it was a great year.
You’re from the South region of Brazil, right? How and when did you get into the electronic music world? Which labels and parties sparked your interest?
Cris D.: Yes, I live in Farroupilha, in the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul. It was very difficult, I had just a few projects at the time and as a beginner I worked hard to start showing my work. The first contacts were through Muinho Farroupilha and Freedom Music label, from my friend Feerr (DJ and producer). Little by little things happened in their own way, and today I am here, really happy with it (laughs).
There are many characteristics of Afro House present in your sound identity. What do you like the most about this style?
Cris D.: I come from a black family, my mother is African, since I was a child I have had this contact, it’s part of my culture and my ancestors, I think it’s a style that besides having a lot of history to tell, it brings joy and energy to the dance floor, funny that for me it was the last style that I connected as an artist, but it opened many doors.
How do you produce? Do you sit down to work with an idea in your head or do you improvise and try to see what happens?
Cris D.: I think both (laughs). It’s complicated, you know? I am someone who has a lot of ideas and a lot of things I want to tell, show and so on, so whenever I sit in my studio I try not to get lost in all of that, so I created rules for myself: “Am I going to sample something? Am I going to create a remix? What do I want to get across as an artist? Am I going to use some equipment? Am I going to use only VST? What do I want to create?” Those are the questions before I go out and do everything.
You recently played in gigs in some Brazilian cities, such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília… How were these experiences?
Cris D.: Magical, knowing that I played at sensational gigs like D-EDGE, Vapor, Jerome among others makes me think that every day more I conquer my role as an artist. I showed so much from my research to the tracks I made in the year. I think this freedom is absurd.
Where is your best place to be as a DJ? A small dark club or a huge outdoor festival stage? Close to dawn or in the early evening?
Cris D.: All of them (laughs). Thanks to all my work I had the opportunity of all these places, and do you know what is best in all of them? A hug saying: your set was amazing! Wherever it is, there is no money in the world that can buy it. I think that the place where I was able to express myself the most is where I want to be.
What are the plans for this moment in your career?
Cris D.: One that I achieved was to become a resident at one of the biggest parties in the state, Sunset Sessions, an invitation from Mezomo, who is an artist I admire a lot. But in the life of a dreamer, it doesn’t stop there (laughs). One of them is to release some songs on important record labels in Brazil and, if possible, abroad. Another is to take my music even further, to other places in Brazil.
What can we expect from Cris D. for the year 2023?
Cris D.: First, is a work with Ápice Plus, an agency that I am part of and I am getting awesome feedback, so you will see me playing in several regions like Santa Catarina and Paraná. Another is a lot of good music, both in productions and sets and everything else. Finally, who knows something outside of Brazil? Spoiler? I can’t tell yet! Thanks a lot for the opportunity, guys!
Follow Cris D. on Instagram & SoundCloud.