We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gonzalo Perello a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Gonzalo, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

I feel that since I was a child I was influenced by music, from the beginning my family played a very important role because in all our family events we listened to music and danced until late! I remember falling asleep in a bed that I put together with 3 or 4 chairs and they continued to party for hours!!

That awakens my desire to be in something related to music, I still didn’t know what, or how, but the happiness that felt in that environment made me feel something inside.. On one of my trips to see my family from another state on vacation, I remember that we spent almost every night playing music on the radio and that’s when I started singing!

I feel that my family always supported me at every artistic step that I wanted to give, from a guitar to singing the songs that I was singing with me, that pure and genuine fun made my desire to be in the music increase!

The years passed and at 13 or 14 I met my friends (I consider them family too) in a rugby club where we formed a very close group where we began to do freestyle on rap beats, I remember that by then I downloaded several instrumentals from YouTube and began to compose my first songs.

About four years ago I decided to buy my first vinyl turntables as a hobby, my entire collection is linked to hip hop music. I was having fun and mixing on vinyl for two years until I decided to leave my comfort zone and make known my name and career as a DJ.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Gonzalo Perello. My aka is Gonza O.G and I’m the creator of $outh$ideRecord$. I’m from Argentina and I have been living in NYC for the last seven years.
I came to this industry for the love of music, I found that after so much doing it as a hobby I could create and generate sensations in people through my mixes. As time went by, I learned more and more how to read an audience to be able to connect with them more deeply, I realized that it was not enough to have a playlist that represents me, I had to understand that just as I gave them a message through my music they gave me a return through their way of acting, dancing, singing, or moving. That’s why I decided to open my music library and not box my style only in the G-house, but to enter the world of House in general. (Chicago house/Tech house/Jackin House/Latin House/Progressive House/Deep House)

I am proud to have pursued the idea of trying, of never giving up and always going for more! My evolution in music comes from decades ago as I have been telling you before, but thank God four years ago I decided to get to work on it..

In addition to working my name as a Dj, I created a community/brand called $outh$ideRecord$ where DJs from all over New York can come to be part, they are free events where what prevails is respect and love for music in the underground scene of New York.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Probably the moment when I traded my turntables for the cdjs. That was a key moment in my story, I realized that all the places that invited me to be part worked with Cdjs and not with turntables. I didn’t have money to buy some cdjs so I got them for an exchange. It was the riskiest move but the one that has given me the most benefit in my career. After making that change I was able to start practicing this new way of mixing and raising my career to the next level!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding thing about being an artist are the messages that life gives you as a response to your attempts to achieve it, every situation has a consequence, when you are on the right path life gives you signs, that feeling is the most beautiful thing for me of being an artist.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gonza_og/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akagonzag
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGAX0JmLAPLbjZ-OkuZzO6g
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/gonzalo-ariel-perello
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/south_side_records_/

Image Credits

Andrea Meireles