We recently connected with El Santo and have shared our conversation below.

El, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

“To be honest, being a house music producer is like riding an emotional roller coaster. Some days, I feel like I could be making beats all day, and others, I wonder: ‘Why don’t I have a regular job, with fixed hours and a steady paycheck at the end of the month?’ The last time I had that existential crisis, I was finishing a track that took me days to perfect. I was exhausted, frustrated, and thinking, ‘What if I just quit this and went for a 9-to-5 office job?’ Spoiler alert: that idea didn’t last more than 5 minutes!

The truth is, to be an artist, you have to sacrifice a lot: stability, time, and even a bit of your sanity. In the beginning, art doesn’t pay the bills (I still have to balance music with a regular job), but every time I feel like quitting, music pulls me back in. Because when you’re in that creative flow, nothing else matters. It’s the satisfaction of creating something from scratch that reminds you why you’re doing this. Art, and in my case, music, gives me a happiness that no other job could. So yeah, the artist’s life has its ups and downs, but when that bass hits the dancefloor, everything makes sense again.”

El, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started in art from a young age, first exploring painting and drawing. But over time, I discovered my true passion for music. I was a singer in a rock band for a few years, but eventually, I fell in love with electronic music and decided to focus on producing house music. For me, music is a powerful tool that connects people on a universal level. I believe the purest value I can offer is creating a space where people can express themselves and be authentic through music.

What sets me apart is the importance I place on that connection. It’s not just about making beats or creating melodies; it’s about the experience I can give to people. I want to offer them a moment to disconnect, feel free, and truly be themselves. I’m proud to provide an emotional journey through every track, and what I want people to know the most is that my music is made for them, to make them feel part of something bigger as they dance and enjoy.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

For me, there isn’t a crystal-clear goal at the moment. Of course, I want to succeed, but I’m not aiming to become famous or a millionaire right now. A solid objective at this point would be for music and art to allow me to live with dignity, and for happiness to be the result of my efforts. Gaining recognition from those who follow my work, and having the chance to travel to different places to share my music and artistic perspective with people—those are the real goals.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

In my opinion, it’s difficult to answer this question simply. Honestly, I believe that to help emerging artists grow, we need policies that encourage clubs and theaters to showcase local artists. Growing solely within the electronic music world is challenging, so if we teach our artists to create multilateral artistic collectives, we will undoubtedly strengthen the artistic scene. From those collectives, artists will emerge who will drive the movement in each city and eventually in a country.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsantosanto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsantothemeanmachine
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/elsantosanto
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/42NZoAKfnGW42QDd59t02u?si=TfMs9KzBRqicF3dsNUuFvQ