For Francis Davila, his inclusion in the Top 100 is more than just an ego boost.
“Being voted in the Top 100 this year means a lot to me, but also to the people in Guatemala and Latin America,” says the Guatemalan DJ and producer. “It means that the barrier which existed between what happens in Latin America and the rest of the world is no longer there, and now the rest of the world can pay attention to what is going on in our countries.”
There are a number of possible reasons why the man from Guatemala has cracked the Top 100 this year, first and foremost being the release of his full-length album, 'Shine'. It's an album that produced five local No.1s, topped the charts in his home country for weeks on end and received plenty of support from Istmo Music - a label that promotes only Latin American music.
“As well as that, I was able to take my music to many different places thanks to the innumerable gigs I did in the last 12 months, and therefore people got to know my work not only as a music producer but also as a DJ,” he tells DJmag.
People in this instance include Paul van Dyk who, when interviewed for Global Gathering, cited Davila as a DJ he'd include on his dream festival line-up. Props indeed for the man who just played in Mexico, Bolivia, his home country and others in Central America during 2011, as he has done since first emerging on the scene in 1998 at the tender age of 19. Rest of the world, you'd better watch out… KRISTAN J CARYL