Interview
Billy Ronca Interview On “Yamekite” And Latin House
Billy Ronca Interview On “Yamekite” And Latin House as he discusses flamenco influence, Puerto Rico, and working with STBAN
Brazilian-born, Europe-raised Billy Ronca is an urban singer and songwriter with a career spanning both continents. After moving to Puerto Rico in 2016 to join Baby Rasta y Gringo’s WolfFlow Music, he solidified his place in the Latin urban scene. As both an artist and behind-the-scenes writer, Billy Ronca has collaborated with stars like Noriel, Ñengo Flow, and Jon Z. From the streets of Spain to the clubs of Switzerland, Billy’s multilingual flow is taking over the Latin urban scene, proving he’s the real deal on and off the mic. Last week he dropped his latest single, a collaboration with FLAMENCA Records’ head honcho STBAN, the sizzling summer heater ‘Yamekite’. Billy’s sun-drenched vocals and fluid rap are a perfect foil for STBAN’s steadily building production. Between them, the pair have created a gorgeous slice of hot Latin electronica perfectly timed for the opening of the European summer season. As the track begins to do its business across dance floors worldwide, we spoke with Billy Ronca to find out more about his life and his work so far.
Hi Billy, welcome to EDM House Network. Where are you in the world right now and what are you doing?
Hi, how are you guys? Thanks for having me here. Right now I’m in Switzerland. I’ve been traveling a lot lately since I’ve spent the last ten years mainly living in Puerto Rico, but at the moment I’m working on many projects from Europe. Spain, for example, has a lot of opportunities right now, especially with summer tours, and I’m currently developing several collaborations with Spanish artists and other exciting projects. For now, I’m in Switzerland organizing different aspects of my career and preparing for everything that’s coming this year.
You’ve just released a new track called “Yamekite” on FLAMENCA Records with STBAN. What does “Yamekite” mean?
“Yamekite” plays with an expression that, if separated in Spanish, would sound like “ya me quité,” which basically means leaving a situation behind or walking away from negative energy. It’s like saying, “I’m done with this” or “I don’t want to deal with this anymore.” We felt that concept perfectly matched the attitude and energy of the track.
The track fuses flamenco house and Latin house with a reggaeton vibe. How do you feel this fusion of sounds worked out on the track?
I love how the fusion came together. Since I grew up for a big part of my life in Europe, I’ve always had a strong connection with electronic music, especially house music and European sounds in general. At the same time, my roots and my career have always kept me very close to Latin and urban music. Being able to combine those two worlds naturally is something I really enjoy, and I think with “Yamekite” we found a very fresh balance between electronic energy and Latin rhythm.
You’re from Brazil but grew up in Europe. How has the European music scene influenced your production and songwriting?
The European influence has been a huge part of my artistic development. Growing up here, I was surrounded mainly by an electronic music scene, and that strongly shaped the way I produce music today. I also started writing at a very young age, even in French when I first began my career, and that helped me a lot because every language expresses emotions differently. Mixing Spanish, French, Portuguese, and English has allowed me to develop a much more versatile writing style, playing with different sounds, melodies, and ways of delivering ideas.
Were you into reggaeton before moving to Puerto Rico?
Yes, absolutely. Since I was a kid, I’ve always been very connected to reggaeton and urban music in general. It’s a genre that inspired me from a very early age and has always been part of my life.
You mention in your bio that moving to Puerto Rico inspired you to fully integrate into the urban music industry. What impact did that have on your creativity and songwriting?
More than inspiring me from the beginning — because I was already actively working in the industry — moving to Puerto Rico helped me focus more and truly understand the seriousness of the business. It was a very important stage for building a stronger and more solid career. It also helped me creatively because songwriting comes from life experiences, and living in the birthplace of reggaeton gave me constant inspiration. Being surrounded by that culture, those artists, and that energy really helped me grow as a writer and as a creator.
You’re very closely associated with Baby Rasta y Gringo and their label WolfFlow Music. Has working with them changed you as an artist?
Of course. I’ve learned a lot from working with them. People have to remember that they are legends of urban music and they’ve been in the game since long before digital platforms even existed. They helped define an entire era of the genre. What’s even more impressive is that besides being pioneers since the 90s, they’re still completely relevant today. They continue touring all year and collaborating with the biggest artists of the moment because they have the respect of the entire industry. Being able to learn from people with that kind of legacy has been incredibly valuable for me, especially seeing how they continue evolving and staying relevant after more than three decades in the business.
It seems like you’re an artist who constantly evolves and takes inspiration from your surroundings. Do you plan to stay in Puerto Rico, or do you think other places might inspire you creatively in the future?
I’m someone who loves change and enjoys experiencing new things. Even though Puerto Rico is still officially my home and those ten years there were extremely important for me, I’m currently spending a lot of time in Europe. I’m seriously considering having a residence here as well or maybe staying for a longer period to explore the European market, which I really love and believe has huge potential. Discovering new cultures, music scenes, and different ways of working always inspires me, so I’ll probably continue moving around and evolving depending on what inspires me in each stage of my life and career.
What’s next for you after “Yamekite”?
There are a lot of new projects coming. I have several singles planned for this year, and right now the main focus is continuing to release music consistently and keep growing within the industry. And who knows… maybe an album next year. But for now, the priority is to keep building step by step and take the career to the next level.
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Interview
Promo Push’s Russell Biles on Promoting Dance Music Today
Promo Push head of promotions Russell Biles explains how the UK company promotes dance music releases across DJ, radio, press and Spotify campaigns
Promoting releases from the likes of MK, Chris Lake, Claptone, Above & Beyond, Tiësto, Diplo, Flashmob, DJ Hype, Axwell, Jamie Jones & Vintage Culture – Promo Push was founded in 2011 & is one of the industry leaders in dance music promotion, based in the UK.
Speaking to Russell Biles, head of promotions at Promo Push - we asked some questions about the company & how they promote a release in today’s dance market.
Since the launch of Promo Push in 2011, how have the range of services you offer evolved?
We launched with a firm focus on DJ & Club promotion, delivering genre specific & bespoke campaigns – across the electronic music landscape. The next natural progression, was us moving into dance radio promotion & we’ve built an extensive network with international heads of music, playlist managers & mix show hosts. Online Press campaigns then followed & we work with a range of music journalists & editors at dance music publications – closely aligning online coverage & building further awareness around a release. In 2019, we also moved into Spotify promotion – with us pitching to a range of leading 3rd-party playlist curators.
Musically, what dance music genres does your DJ promotion cover?
Whether it’s a House, Tech House, Deep House or Nu-Disco leaning track, a melodic Techno or Trance record – or Mainstage release, we deliver tastemaker DJ & 1001 Tracklists mix show promotion. With a deep understanding of the industry, each of our DJ / Club campaigns are tailored & finely tuned. Working with both major & independent labels, along with management agencies & directly with artists – from underground clubs to festival main-stages, we get our client’s release to the right DJs at the right time.
Across your radio promotion, what territories do you focus on?
Our radio promotion is international & reaches in to each key global territory. We target dance music stations & specialist DJ shows worldwide, including across BBC Radio 1, SiriusXM, Radio 538, Kiss FM, One World Radio, Ibiza Bpm Radio, SLAM FM! & stations throughout Europe, USA, Australia & beyond. In addition to FM stations, we also push to an array of specialist digital & online dance stations and use the monitoring tool WARM (World Airplay Radio Monitor) for tracking plays & radio support.
Do your campaigns follow a specific timeline?
Each Promo Push campaign runs over four weeks & we report to clients weekly, with feedback & scores from DJs / Radio and who’s listened, reviewed and intends to support. Our Press & Spotify campaigns also run over a four timeframe, with weekly reporting too & detailing each Press feature / Spotify placement we’ve secured – with direct links to each. We provide a full & comprehensive summary with the final reporting, ideal for our client’s Press pack and their future release planning.
In terms of your Press service, can you tell us more about how this works?
We offer standalone Press campaigns, or including DJ & Radio promotion – as part of our Prime Tier. From leading online dance publications, to influential niche blogs — our Press network covers a wide spectrum of sites that dance music fans read. Press release curation is included in our service & our weekly reporting is in PDF, providing coverage links – readership estimates & a full overview of online release traction.
With Promo Push delivering over 4,000 campaigns to date & working with the likes of Anjunabeats, Axtone, SIZE, Ministry of Sound, Positiva, Spinnin’ Records & Defected Records – they continue to promote releases from some of dance music’s most established labels & artists, along with the best up & coming talent.
Connect:
www.promopush.com
[email protected]
+44 (0) 20 3633 1721
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After a summer through Hive Festival, Tomorrowland and Verknipt Croatia, A.N.I. sits down to talk classical roots and the hard techno craft.
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