Interview with DJ Alejandro — The Craftsman of Feels-Heavy Bachata Remixes

Meet DJ Alejandro, the master of emotional remixes whose endless run of hits has won hearts everywhere.

DJ Alejandro is a top-class bachata DJ who's been turning out seriously high-quality bachata remixes for years. He's enriched our social lives with countless hits, and he's especially beloved in Korea for those lyrical, emotional remixes that stick right to the Korean heart.

DJ Alejandro's YouTube channel — a feast of hits

DJ Alejandro

And the praise for his character is just as loud. Anyone who met him during his Korea tour three years ago hasn't forgotten him. Thumbs up, no hesitation, for the kind of person he is. Is the chemistry with Korea just especially good? Alejandro feels it too — he names Korea as the best country he's ever visited, with a whole lot of extra love attached.

We interviewed DJ Alejandro, a man who radiates human warmth right alongside his top-tier music. It was a rare chance to look deep inside the world of bachata remixing and DJing that I'd been so curious about. And along the way, I completely understood why people are so moved by Alejandro. (Add one more fan to the list~ 😎😆)

Huge thanks to Alejandro for answering such a detailed interview so thoughtfully, so quickly, and so deeply.

DJ Alejandro is coming our way soon via an online DJing event and a Korea tour. Looking forward to meeting him in real life — now, on with the interview!

About DJ Alejandro

When and where were you born?

I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I'm 38. (But he looks way younger! :) )

Where do you live now?

I live in a small town in northern Israel called Afula.

Are you married? Do you have a girlfriend (or boyfriend)?

I'm not married. And no girlfriend either. (No boyfriend either. I'm straight, haha.) Completely single.

What did you study?

I studied communications and marketing.

Is being a bachata DJ your main job? Or do you have another one?

I have another job. I'm a PR specialist. I do research for various companies to help them build the best promotional strategies.

How did you first come across bachata music?

I was a salsa instructor. Then one day the bar owner told me about his plan to open a new bachata room. So I asked who was going to DJ there. And he said it would be me. That's how I got started with the music, DJing, and remixing.

How did you start remixing bachata music? Was there a particular trigger?

I've always loved bachata music. I was even listening to bachata at home without knowing it was bachata. And then I started to feel that some mainstream songs had good potential as bachata, and I began turning those songs into interesting bachata versions.

How did you learn to remix? Did you have a teacher?

Like I said, when I started DJing I decided right away that I needed to learn remix production. So I went to my musician friends and asked them to show me how.

About the remixing work

How do you choose the songs you'll remix? Are there musical qualities you look for?

Not every mainstream song works for bachata. So I imagine in my head how the song could be transformed. If it seems doable, I go for it.

Can you walk us through your remix process? How long does it take to remix one song?

It varies. Some songs get finished in a single day. Others take weeks or months.

Three years ago I started working with professional bachata guitarists. So that adds time too. The guitarist plays the parts and sends them to me, and then I have to work with that material to finish the production.

Which do you prefer — remixing on top of the original track, or making a separate bachata version with a new singer and new instrumentation?

The best way is to take the song and work with a new singer (a bachata cover). But when there's no bachata singer available for that, I take just the a cappella (the vocals) from the original and build everything from scratch.

I never work with a version that has the original instrumentation attached. The sound is horrible. :)

How do you handle licensing (copyright) issues? Do you obtain proper rights for your remixes?

You can buy a mechanical license. As long as you don't use the original instrumentation, you can work with just the vocal parts.

What's a mechanical license?It's an agreement between a music user and the copyright owner that grants the right to release the music in audio-only formats (interactive audio streams, digital downloads, CDs, vinyl). It's also referred to as mechanical rights.Mechanical licenses are mostly used when making cover songs — cases like a band recording and releasing their own version of a Prince song, i.e. performing and re-releasing a copyrighted song.

Does remix work pay? Would you recommend it as a career to future remix DJs?

Well. If you get famous and do great work, it can be profitable. I do make a little money from remixes, but DJing at bachata festivals is my main source of income.

How many songs have you remixed so far?

Way too many! :) I've never counted, but it's got to be over 200.

If you had to pick your three favorites out of everything you've made?

'Una Flor' and 'Del Mar', both with DaniZ. And a new one with Dama that's coming out soon.

And your favorites among tracks you didn't work on?

I love everything DJ Dimen5ions and DJ Manuel Citro have done.

Dimen5ions

Dj Manuel Citro

Are there bachata dancers who've influenced you?

I've always loved Frank Santos. Lately Dario (of Dario/Sara) has become a close friend of mine. Same with Dimen5ions.

You've co-produced a lot of tracks with Dimen5ions. How did you two meet? How do you collaborate?

We met four years ago, at a festival in Riga, Latvia. He lives in the UK, so we collaborate remotely from wherever we each are. One of us takes the lead on a project, and we trade ideas online.

Why work with him? Do you split the roles?

We had chemistry from the moment we met. There are things he's good at and things I'm good at. So working together gives the best results.

'Del Mar' was a massive success. What's the story behind that remix?

Actually, a friend of Dimen5ions suggested the song. The moment I heard it I knew it would be a hit. And of course I was right. Haha.

About DJing

I know you tour all over as an international DJ. How many countries have you visited as a DJ?

Almost every country in Europe, plus Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Egypt, and Korea and the Philippines. Probably more than 50 countries.

Are there differences in social dancing or musical taste by country or culture? Could you give an example?

There are differences. Social dancing in Europe is very different from the US. The US is a bit more traditional. Korea is much closer to the European dance style.

Do you have criteria for choosing the music you'll play on a given night?

I never pick my music in advance. I always go to the party, watch the crowd, and decide on the spot. And I steer the music toward whatever they're liking more.

What kind of tracks are you into these days?

Lately I've been deep into older songs. Things like Loisaidas' 'Ayer' or 24 Horas' 'Aun Me Perteneces'.

Do you dance bachata or salsa yourself? Do you dance while you DJ?

Yes. I love both bachata and salsa. But I have to admit I'm not the best dancer. :)

Which do you enjoy more — DJing or remixing?

DJing! I love seeing people enjoy themselves. Remixing means shutting yourself in a room alone and pouring in a lot of hours.

About the Korea tour

You visited Korea three years ago. What was your impression of the Korean Latin scene at the time?

This is something I say everywhere I go: Korea is my favorite country in the world.

What stands out about Korean musical taste or dancing?

If I remember right, Koreans preferred remixes more. In Europe they lean a bit more toward the originals.

Any bachata songs you'd recommend to Korean dancers?

Mine. Hahaha

About bachata music

Remixes are more popular than ever. Why do people love them so much?

Because people want to hear songs they already know. Most people hear new songs on the radio. And then a bachata version of that exact song comes out, and suddenly they can dance to it. I think that's the reason.

Lately a lot of mainstream artists are singing original bachata (Ateo, La Fama, etc.). How do you see that trend?

I think bachata music is only going to get bigger. Big artists making bachata absolutely helps the bachata industry grow.

Where do you think bachata remixes are headed? How will they evolve?

I think remixes (the kind using the original instrumentation) will decrease and we'll see more bachata versions covered by bachata singers. (And as always, there will be good remixes and bad remixes.)

Why are people so drawn to bachata? What's the unique appeal of bachata music?

The bachata rhythm just sounds so sweet. I can't explain why, but I think people can enjoy bachata music even if they have no idea what bachata is. That doesn't happen with other styles of music. For someone hearing it for the first time, it hits even harder.

What's your dream project? What do you want to achieve as a DJ?

Well. To keep traveling and meeting new people. I love meeting people. :)

Anything you'd like to say to the Korean dancers you'll be seeing soon?

I love everything about Korea — the country and its people. If I could move to Korea and live there, I'd do it gladly.

Conclusion: urgently seeking someone to bring DJ Alejandro to Korea for good~ ~ 😆😆😆