Meet the luminary maestro, Felipe Andres Vargas Mediavilla, whose artistic brilliance under the pseudonyms Felva and Dimelo Felva transcends conventional boundaries. Embracing his Ecuadorian-Colombian lineage, this musical virtuoso has made Miami, Florida his canvas, painting symphonic masterpieces not only as a distinguished DJ but also as an exceptional artist, innovative producer, and accomplished composer. Originating from Quito, Ecuador, Felva's musical journey metamorphosed into an epic of creativity and melody. His meteoric ascent, transitioning from a gifted DJ to a lauded artist, was underscored by the release of captivating remixes on Soundcloud, swiftly enthralling club scenes and record pools with an infectious fervor akin to a wildfire's rapid spread. Join us as Felva takes the center stage as the BPM Spotlight Artist of the Week, inviting you to indulge in his awe-inspiring musical journey.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BPM: How has your upbringing in Quito shaped your identity, both as a person and as an artist, and how does that identity manifest in your music and career today?
Felva: I was born in Quito, but moved to Miami when I was two years old. I really grew up in Miami, but I spent summertime with my grandparents in Quito. I believe that Quito is a humble place, and I come from a humble background. Consequently, I approach my music with the same humility. I just let the vibes flow. I don’t produce or write songs with any sort of ego attached to them, and I believe that’s due to my humble beginnings, where my family is from, in Quito. It also exposed me to Caribbean culture because Ecuador, while not directly in the Caribbean, is heavily influenced by it. Latin spice was instilled from early in my life, and you can definitely hear that in my music. This influence is all due to being exposed to sounds from Ecuador and Colombia.
BPM: As someone who's excelled in both sports and music, how do you perceive the similarities or differences in the mental and emotional discipline required for success in professional basketball compared to the music industry?
Felva: That’s a great question. I believe that both require heavy discipline and a lot of self-motivation. In basketball, you have to be willing to wake up, train every day, strive for consistent improvement, ensure you’re shooting around regularly, and commit to daily practice. It’s the same thing with music and there’s nobody really telling you to get up and go do it. You have to want to get better and excel at your craft. Record new sounds every day. If you identify any weaknesses in your game, much like in basketball when I had a weakness, that's what you should focus on working on. Whether it's a weak jump shot or hands that need improvement, dedicate your efforts to refining those areas.
In music, if there's a genre I’m not as well-versed in, I make a point to work on it. Therefore, I believe self-discipline, self-motivation, and maintaining a competitive mindset are crucial. In sports, there is a competitive environment where competitors strive for playing time and championships. It’s the same thing for music, you’re battling to be on the charts, you’re battling to have the best sounds, and it’s a very competitive space. I believe the main three things are definitely discipline, self-motivation, and remaining competitive. Those three things are similar when it comes to music and sports.
BPM: From DJing to producing, and now as an artist, your sound has evolved. How do your experiences as a DJ influence your approach to producing and creating your own music?
Felva: They are parallel because I make my music from a DJ standpoint. Everything I make is something you can play at the club, whether it’s trap, dancehall, or reggaeton. Regardless of the genre I explore, it’s always high-energy music. I don’t really make low-tempo music, and this preference stems from my experiences as a DJ. Additionally, thanks to my network of supportive DJs, I aim to produce music that seamlessly fits into club playlists, maximizing its exposure. This strategy goes hand in hand with my goal of achieving the widest reach possible.
BPM: The Covid-19 pandemic provided a unique period for introspection. How did the isolation of the pandemic influence or shape your musical exploration and creativity?
Felva: It was a crucial period because there really wasn’t much time for anything other than music. I put in a lot of hours in the studio, and I genuinely believe I evolved significantly as a producer, recording engineer, songwriter, artist, and even as a DJ during that time. I frequently went live on Instagram, engaging in numerous DJ sets and downloading a lot of music. It gave me ample time to work on my craft without a fixed schedule, allowing me to focus solely on making music.
Despite the challenges the world was facing, being at home enabled me to concentrate on my artistic pursuits. This was the birthplace of the Starboy EP. Popeye Caution and I locked in during that time, and we both grew as artists. Our chemistry flourished, making it a pivotal moment. Even three/four years later, we’re still releasing music that was birthed during the pandemic, and for that, I’m very thankful for that period.
BPM: Founding and managing your label Maintain Music is remarkable. How do you balance your personal artistry and the responsibilities of nurturing and developing emerging talents under your label?
Felva: Well, my focus is really on artists that I genuinely believe in. I don’t manage a huge roster of artists, just myself and a couple of others. I try not to push too much work on my plate. Running a label demands full-time commitment--handling distribution, marketing, and making sure the projects are clean. So, I try to just focus on my projects and a select few artists that I like to work with. But it’s great.
The music business is very complex and running the label has been a valuable learning experience. The entire process, from creation to release and marketing, has taught me diverse strategies and tactics for successful music production, establishing contacts, and more. It’s a full-time job, but it’s also very cool to release music under my own label. I don’t cut corners, and most importantly, I like that I have control of the music that I release.
BPM: Your collaborations span various genres and international artists. How do these diverse collaborations influence your own musical style and growth as an artist?
Felva: I believe that as humans we’re like sponges, absorbing what we’re exposed to. It’s very important to expose yourself to different cultures, sounds, and people. Diversity is very important to me, and I try to collaborate with as many diverse artists to respect and absorb their sounds and apply their grains of sound into my own. I’m always going to have my distinct sound but it's a mixture of our life experiences. It’s something I definitely want to continue doing so I can constantly reinvent my sound and grow it.
BPM: Who has been a key figure or mentor in your life, and how have they influenced your journey, whether in music or on a personal level?
Felva: There’s a DJ. His name is Malone, he is in the electronic music world, and we started out together in Miami years ago. He’s always been somebody who’s pointed me in the right direction and given me great advice from a DJ perspective and on a personal level, and I value him so much. I’m very happy for him, and I’m happy to see that we’re both doing our due diligence in the music space and making people dance. So, I give a lot of credit to Malone for a lot of guidance and a lot of key decisions and advice he’s given me that have really helped put things into perspective for me.
I would say Popeye Caution as well. He's always been somebody who has kept it real. I think Jamaicans are really down-to-earth people, all about vibes. They don’t get into a lot of he-said, she-said gossip. They just vibe out through energy and authenticity, and I appreciate that. Bob Marley has always been somebody I listen to when I’m stressed, and working with Popeye has been like that. Even on a personal level, Popeye has helped put things into perspective for me.
BPM: How does your mixed Ecuadorian-Colombian heritage influence the themes or elements in your music and productions?
Felva: As I said earlier, I’m Hispanic, I’m Latino. Being Ecuadorian and Colombian represents my upbringing. The music I was immediately exposed to such as salsa, and merengue, was also part of my early musical experiences. It’s all danceable. As Spanish people, we’re very happy people, we like to dance and party. Our family dinners weren’t usually the ones that you just go eat and sit down; everyone was dancing and partying. So, the natural evolution for me as a DJ is tied into those early moments of life with my family dancing and partying, and reggaeton is my main core, branching off from Hispanic music. Even when I DJ I’ll play OG Colombian and Ecuadorian music in my sets, along with remixes, taking people on a journey.
BPM: In a world of ever-evolving music trends, what challenges do you face in staying authentic to your artistic vision while remaining relevant in the industry?
Felva: For me, I make music that makes people dance one way or another. I create music with the aim of making you move. Regardless of trends and what’s considered hot, I try to stick to that theme of creating dance-worthy music. I’m okay with adjusting as long as people are dancing; it means I’m still staying authentic.
As a DJ and producer, we should be able to adapt, whether I’m making afrobeats because that’s what’s hot right now, afro EDM, or reggaeton, as long as the people are dancing, that’s my authenticity. Music is always changing, and staying true without adapting can make you a dinosaur. Trap music from the 2000s is not the same as today; you can’t put out a 2017 sound in 2024. Sounds change, styles change, and productions change. The way people rap has changed. If you listen to Lil Wayne in 2012/2013 and Drake, they sound very different from today. You need to keep people on their toes and excited about your music. So, for me, as long as people are dancing, I’m authentic to myself and my music.
BPM: Looking ahead, what legacy or impact do you hope to leave on the music industry and the artists you work with, both as an artist and through Maintain Music?
Felva: I believe when it’s all said and done and people look back on my music and my brand, I just hope I left a positive impact. I hope I made them smile or made them feel something that helped them get through their day. As far as my label and myself, I believe that when people talk about me, I hope they recognize me as someone who was self-made and worked hard, and put people on. I’m okay with that being my legacy because my music is my legacy. So, the day I die, I want people to jump on my Spotify and listen to my music and conclude that it’s a good vibe, and this music makes me feel good, or that these beats are good and Felva really did his thing.
BPM: Miami is known for its vibrant music scene. How has the city influenced your artistry and the direction of your music, especially considering your popularity in the local club scene?
Felva: Miami holds a distinct music format with a vibrant mix of Caribbean and Spanish communities, featuring a strong presence of hip-hop and EDM. Playing at numerous nightclubs in Miami has made me familiar with the crowd and the music format. This exposure has crafted a specific sound in both my DJ sets and productions, capturing the essence of Miami’s party-driven atmosphere.
The music is danceable, very diverse, and specific when it comes to mixing electronic, dancehall, Latin and hip-hop genres. These four are mainly reflected in my sound. Listening to my music reveals different genres to bounce between and diverse vibes. In my DJ sets, out of 100 songs, you’ll hear about 5 or 6 different genres, ranging from classics like Michael Jackson to old-school house music, then I'll switch to rap, dancehall, and reggaeton. The city is very diverse, so you have to give everybody a little of their culture and music.
BPM: The Starboy EP seamlessly blends Latin and Jamaican cultures. What was the collaborative process like while creating this project, and how did your individual strengths complement each other during the production and writing of the tracks?
Felva: Popeye Caution is accustomed to jumping on dancehall-type rhythms, and so he approached the EP with the mindset of creating a nice blend of instrumentals and dancehall rhythms, but also reggaeton rhythms. As a producer, I start my process by making a beat, and then we write songs after that if we’re really feeling the beat. Popeye and I always start from scratch; we never really make any beats that are already mad. When we get in the studio, we start from zero, building the idea from scratch and we keep the recurring theme of blending dancehall and reggaeton to maintain consistency in the project.
Once we have the beats, we start writing to them, aiming for a multicultural and multifaceted project. We just made sure we did an English vibe where he can bring his patois and I can bring my Latin and Spanish side without being corny. We created songs with the right amount of each. There is even a song with no Spanish; it's just Popeye because we felt that we needed to keep it authentic for that “Starboy Hot” song, which is a real dancehall record with no Spanish—just straight patios and English. We didn't really want to sacrifice that and put Spanish on it.
The song with Jowell “Jamaica,” features a real reggaeton beat for Spanish lyrics, so on that specific song, we did a nice blend. “Asi Lo Hacemos” is a song that has a good blend of myself in Spanish and Popeye in patois, but that’s a very experimental song with a Stylo G type of rhythm, something I really liked. I didn’t want to exactly be like him even though I love his style so much, so I did a blend to give it its own vibe. We did what every song called for while being authentic. But everything starts from making a beat, and we fill in from there.
BPM: Each track on the Starboy EP seems to offer a distinct vibe. Could you elaborate on the musical direction and choices behind each song and how they contribute to the overall narrative of the EP?
Felva: It’s three songs and the first, “Asi Lo Hacemos” has a Stylo G type rhythm. We kept the theme of the EP to be danceable with a club theme. On that song, we kept a repetitive and groovy beat because we wanted the dancers to go off on that one. It’s very melodic, the top lines on our vocals that are very catchy, and we kept it groovy.
The second song, “Starboy Hot,” is a true dancehall song where we didn't bring in the Spanish. It fits the theme because I wanted a real dancehall song on the EP. I didn’t want every song to be a blend. I wanted something that could be played in Jamaica without cultural disconnection, and “Starboy Hot” achieves that. During radio interviews, it was the highlighted song because it’s straight English/patois and dancehall. This is good because I want to blend into that scene without a disconnect. You can play a Ding Dong song and then a Felva and Popeye song, and everyone follows that.
The third song, “Jamaica,” which is more of a reggaeton vibe, with Popeye stepping into the reggaeton world. We’re really pushing that one in Latin America. I can't push the other two songs as heavily because the sound is very dancehall, so people will get it in Latin America but not as much. However, the EP’s purpose is to capture the Caribbean and Latin American market and I believe we did that.
BPM: What’s one significant personal growth or change you’ve experienced in the last year, and how has it impacted your life or your music?
Felva: I’ve experienced significant financial growth this year compared to previous years, and I believe that with proper financial backing, I can do more and treat my music with a little bit more love in terms of marketing, properly promoting, and creating better content for my music. I can now enjoy certain luxuries that I wasn’t able to before. While I was always dedicated to my music, financial constraints were a constant challenge. Monetizing music is very hard and not always feasible.
So, this year, with the grace of God, music has been good to me, and I’m grateful to reap the fruits of my labor over ten years. I’m now able to enjoy certain luxuries with the content I’m putting out, the marketing efforts, the trips I want to take, and even hiring PR services, etc. I’m very thankful and appreciative of being able to do that solely through my music.
BPM: Given your track record of pushing boundaries in your music, what uncharted territories or innovative concepts are you exploring in your upcoming projects that might surprise or challenge both your fans and the industry?
Felva: I’d like to continue tapping into different countries and collaborating with different cultures. Maybe doing something out of Asia would be cool, or the UK. So, I’m just continuing to make connections with the proper artists. I’d really like to travel the world. Collaborating with Popeye Caution and Major Lazer in the past has obviously led to being able to go to Jamaica and travel the world, which is something I would have never been able to do without my music. So, I’ll continue to collaborate with artists who allow me to push borders, explore different cultures, and continue to grow.
Thank you for joining us on this exclusive journey into the world of Felva, where we've explored his evolution from DJ to producer and now a thriving artist. His insights into music production, collaborations, and the fusion of diverse genres provide a glimpse into the creative process behind his unique sound. We appreciate you, our readers, for tuning in. Your support is what makes these spotlights truly special. Stay tuned for more captivating stories as we bring you another BPM spotlight artist next week. The rhythm of discovery continues, and we can't wait to share it with you!
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Photo Credit: @sonjalamakina
Stay connected with Felva on social media platforms:
X (Formerly Twitter): @dimelofelva
Instagram: @dimelofelva
Facebook: @dimelofelva
YouTube: @felva
TikTok: @dimelofelva
For Bookings and Info:
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Watch “Asi Lo Hacemos”
Watch “Jamaica”
Watch “Starboy Hot”
Watch “Ronaldo”
