Ezio Aguiar has played at Sisyphos, Rummelsbucht, Feel Festival, Lusatia Festival, Kiez Burn and many more.

Ezio Aguiar grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil but is currently based in Berlin, and would rather refer to himself as a passionate dancer than as a DJ. When listening to his sets, regardless of tempo or genre, one notices a certain mysticism mixed with different organic, melodic and progressive elements. The confident synergy with which he combines rhythm and harmony, charm and depth, dreaminess and magnificence is remarkable and unparalleled. His musical tales captivate and carry his listeners through a warm and ascending journey into their wilderness, lifting their souls with majestic beauty, yet grounding their bodies with a prominent and pulsating bass.

As an upcoming artist, Ezio has played at Sisyphos, Rummelsbucht, Feel Festival, Lusatia Festival, Kiez Burn and many more. His unique musical signature can also be seen in his curation of the musical background for ‘Burning Man: The Build’ – an official short film which narrates and celebrates the experience of Burning Man, from build to burn, featuring stunning drone footage of Black Rock City. It has won several film festival awards and has been firing up thousands of screens around the globe.

Along with providing us with this exquisite podcast, Ezio Aguiar also took a moment to run through a few interview questions…

Thanks for recording us a podcast, what inspired the track selection, and was there a concept for the mix?

Thank you for having me! What inspired my track selection was the intention to harmoniously show my different sides as part of the same whole. Musically, this naturally includes a great portion of my colourful collection. But I also wanted it to somehow reflect my parallel life in which I am currently finishing my studies in renewable energies and at the same time working for a solar installer designing solar systems for households. The way I’ve found to express my concern and fight against climate change was to use lyrics that address different facets of this crisis. As Nina Simone once said, “the duty of an artist is to reflect the times”, isn’t it? I believe music is a great doorway to open people emotionally to receive these kinds of messages.

Is there a specific track or moment in the mix that inspired a particular vibe or changed the flow of the music?

I must say a track called “People Need Nature” by Onix, which I played 35 minutes into the mix. It has a very powerful message speaking up about climate change and how we are ones who need Nature – and not the other way around. Dropping that into the mix in a very direct way might create a lot of tension in the listener, so I needed to relieve it afterwards, which opened up space for the music to flow in a new direction.

Do you make music or play any or your own track in the mix, and how important do you think it is for a DJ to also produce?

I do not produce music. Naturally, making music helps to get gigs, however, it does not necessarily make anyone a better DJ. It does not teach, for example, how to build a set. In fact, music production apparently requires so much time that it becomes harder for a DJ who also makes music to find high-quality tracks, because they have less time to invest into musical research.

To put it simply, I believe producing is important to those who feel in their hearts the impulse to do it. For the moment, I’m too invested in fighting climate change while we still have some carbon budget left to also invest into music production. This might change in the future, as life has its surprises.

Are there any festivals or other events where you think this set would be perfect for the crowd?

The set has a vast range, and I think an opening of the beach floor at Sisyphos would be a great occasion for it.

What’s the most memorable DJ set you ever played, and why was it so special?

So far, I must say the sunrise set I played at Feel Festival in 2019 on the Fata Morgana stage. It was my first time playing at a festival in Germany and everything flowed very spontaneously. That stage is super playful, cosy and wild at the same time. It was covered by a huge military parachute, which I thought was waterproof. But it wasn’t, so I was surprised to find out later that rain was leaking through the parachute during my set, as the DJ booth was obviously covered and especially because of how packed the dance floor got. The rain definitely added a very intimate atmosphere to that moment, and my set became such a personal journey, playfully drifting between dark and light until the celebration of a new dawn and a final warm landing on the clouds. I was actually given more playtime, since no one was playing after me, but at the moment, I understood I was not supposed to use all of it and decided to end the set the way I did. That set made me more than I made it, and I was so touched by the outro that I nearly cried. It was one of these creations in which I sensed a piece of me stayed in it. Moments like these really transform us in a very powerful way.

Do you have a message for your fans or anything else you want to add?

Music has a deeply transformative and healing power in my path. My intention is to share that effect with whoever resonates with it or even needs it, so that my musical tales accompany you on your path as well. And, of course, I am looking forward to co-creating some dance floor magic with some of you at some point!

Below, you can watch the short film ‘Burning Man:The Build’ where Ezio Aguiar curated the soundtrack…

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ezio-aguiar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ezioaguiar.music
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ezioaguiar.music
Burning Man – The Build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o0CmWkYzCo

Cover Art – Jai Piccone