Q&A: MILLER SOUNDCLASH FINALIST LEMARROY

Over the next few weeks we’ll be profiling the Miller SoundClash finalists; getting to know the DJs who will be flying to Las Vegas to compete for a chance to play alongside Dannic at Drais! Today we are speaking with the entry from Mexico, Lemarroy!

Tell us in one sentence who you are and where are you from?

"My name is Rogelio Lemarroy, also known as Lemarroy, from Veracruz, México."

Where did your love of music first come from?

"I’ve always liked pretty much all genres of music. My love for electronic music started when I was in college and met a fellow DJ/producer who introduced me to all the different variations of house music and told me where the sounds came from. That’s when I really fell in love with dance music."

How long have you been DJing?

"I’ve been Djing for almost 5 years now, and producing for 2 years."

Do you release your music?

"I do. I released my first single called 'Sweet Addiction' a couple years back, following an EP in collaboration with a friend. I am also working on my next single called 'Believe in us' featuring Latin Grammy Winner Robbie Elias, and 4 more tracks, one of which is collaboration with a friend, and the second one is an original track featuring singer Monique Abbadie."

What’s been the highlight of your career so far? 

"I played on the Mayan Warrior Stage at EDC Mexico 2015, Unite to Tomorrowland Mexico 2015, Parliament Club (Chicago). I have also warmed up for Alesso, Roger Sanchez, Autoerotique, Nortec Collective, to mention a few. But if I had to pick one, it would definitely be my set at EDC Mexico 2015 in front of thousands."

Tell us about the success as a DJ you’ve had in your own country.  

"After my show at EDC Mexico 2015, people started following my music a lot more and everything I do, to a point that I am now nominated as the revelation artist of the year by DJ World Music Conference. I consider myself one of Mexico’s rising DJs and Producers, with a lot on the plate and a lot to offer. I just want to give people something back after all the support, and I can only do that by giving them the best of me through my music."

How does it feel to win your local Miller SoundClash competition? Tell us about your experience in the competition so far. 

"The whole experience was amazing. I actually didn’t expect to win or even come out as a finalist, since I had very little time to prepare my set. But everything turned out great, and people responded amazingly well to my set, and I am eternally thankful for it."

How much does it mean to you to have made it to this stage of Miller SoundClash?

"Everything. Just to have been selected as a finalist in my country was a true honour. Now to have been selected to represent my country in such a prestigious competition leaves me speechless. I will give my best in the competition to put Mexico on the map in the electronic music scene, and hope to entertain everyone that gets the chance to attend."

How do you plan to stand out over the other DJs in Las Vegas? How will you be preparing for the finale?

"I’m just going to keep true to myself and come up with original mashups as well as original tracks. I’ll let the work speak for itself, but I will certainly do my best and try to spread the energy I always like to portray during my sets. It’s all about living the moment, and enjoying what you love to do, which in my case is share my music with others."

What makes you unique compared to the other international finalists?

"The most unique aspect of my sets is the energy I try to transmit. I’m a very energetic guy when I start playing and I always try to push myself. I enjoy doing unexpected transitions and mashups, which I think makes my sets a little dangerous, but interesting at the same time."

Las Vegas is the EDM capital of the USA, with major DJs playing every weekend. If you could meet and hang out with one of these DJs in Vegas, who would it be and why?

"So hard to answer since there’s so many great ones! But if there’s one DJ I’d love to hang out with, it would be Martin Garrix. At his short age, he has managed to place himself at the very top, coming out with amazing productions and most of the time, standing out from the rest. He is truly an inspiration for me as a musician and as a person."

How important is it for competitions like Miller SoundClash to give aspiring DJs the chance to show their talent to the world? 

"As a developing artist in Mexico it is very hard, due to lack of support and belief from people in the industry. This competition means a whole lot. It is not just an opportunity to show the world what you’re made of, but to show yourself what you are capable of and prove to yourself and others, that Mexico is up to the task as much as anyone else."

Tell us a bit about your home country - how is the electronic music scene where you are from?

"Mexico is a country full of talented electronic DJs and producers with not much recognition for their work or support from their country. Those of us that have been blessed to get out of the country to play or play at festivals of great magnitudes know how hard it is to make it. However, I think the electronic scene has gotten bigger these past couple of years, getting a lot more support from our people, and I can just hope it continues to be like that, so that we can get out of the country more often and represent with pride our fellow Mexicans."

Be sure to follow the finalists progress and support your favourites in Las Vegas by following #MillerSoundClash on Facebook.