Today, 2x Grammy-nominated DJ/Producer and entrepreneur, Steve Aoki announces his latest endeavor, Dim Mak En Fuego. Dim Mak En Fuego is a Latin imprint dedicated to releasing hybrid sounds from the global underground alongside contemporary hitmakers. Since launching DIM MAK in 1996 out of his college dorm room, Aoki has become a renowned lifestyle influencer, curating trendsetting music through his iconic brand. Over four distinct musical eras (punk/hardcore, indie rock, electro, EDM), Aoki's label introduced worldwide audiences to once-upcoming acts like Bloc Party, The Kills, The Chainsmokers, The Bloody Beetroots, Deorro, Keys N Krates, and MSTRKRFT. Today, the journey continues with a bridge extended to Latin America and a platform to support the next generation of creative artists. Dim Mak En Fuego kicks things off with a sensual R&B single from Mexico-based anti-boyband and M-pop trailblazers AQUIHAYAQUIHAY titled "Ya No Es Igual."
"My fans and friends across Latin America have embraced me with open arms and I'm honored to be part of a platform for the next generation of Latinx artists. There are so many unique hybrid sounds brewing up right now, pushing music culture forward. AQUIHAYAQUIHAY are the real deal and they capture what we're trying to do here at Dim Mak En Fuego... Their ethos, approach towards creating music and content...I'm hyped to announce them as our first official signing to Dim Mak En Fuego." - Steve Aoki
Championed by the likes of Noisey and Remezcla, AQUIHAYAQUIHAY is a collective of five musicians in their late-teens to mid-20s who formed out of Mexico's changing sonic tides. With main influences deriving from Pop and R&B, AQUIHAYAQUIHAY (Jay Lee, Neqer, Phynx, Zizzy y Nehly) are pioneering the M-Pop genre. "Ya No Es Igual," which translates to "No Longer The Same," is an exploration of a relationship that has lost its spark. Directed by Topo Collective, the music video follows band members through dreamlike sequences as they navigate the complexities of breaking up and walking away. The story plays out across dramatic landscapes filmed on-site at Lagunas de Zempoala National Park, Nevado de Toluca and Playa ParaÍso. While the group is often dubbed a 'boyband' by critics, AQUIHAYAQUIHAY are quick to note that they formed through real life experiences and are not pre-fabricated by the machine. All members participate in the songwriting and Phynx, who has worked with Girl Ultra, Jesse Baez and DrefQuila, engineers their lush productions.
For a quarter of a century, Steve Aoki has stayed ahead of the curve, shapeshifting with youth culture and emerging music scenes. The Miami-born, SoCal-raised Japanese-American artist has been influenced by Latin culture his whole life and the idea to form a Latin multimedia brand was propelled by Aoki's recent cross-genre releases. In 2018, he teamed up with Daddy Yankee, Play-N-Skillz & Elvis Crespo to release his first ever Spanish single, "Azukita." The song became a global anthem and Aoki invited the collaborators to perform it live at Ultra Music Festival in Miami. "Azukita" was followed by "Jaleo" alongside Nicky Jam and preceded by a stadium-size remix of J Balvin and Willy William's "Mi Gente," which was later included in Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and Balvin's Superbowl LIV performance. Most recently, Aoki worked alongside Maluma to release "Maldad," on his Neon Future IV album. Billboard listed "Maldad" as #5 on their "The 10 Best Collaborations Between Dance & Latin Pop Artists" list. Dim Mak En Fuego's team is rounded out with Bryan Linares (Head of Marketing) and Christian Herrerra (co-founder of Gasolina, North America's largest reggaeton party).
"As a Salvadorean American who has been a part of Dim Mak for over a decade, it is truly amazing to launch Dim Mak En Fuego. The Latin community is in the middle of a creative revolution-- having grown up with the internet, technology, and immediate access to global culture, younger generations are creating more art and music than ever before. We are in the midst of an unprecedented abundance of talent, and it's an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of this evolution of Latin music, working alongside today and tomorrow's influential artists." - Bryan Linares
About Steve Aoki
Steve Aoki, the two-time Grammy-nominated producer/DJ is one of today's most successful American cross-genre artists, collectively counting 2.8 billion music streams on Spotify. As the founder of the trendsetting record label, events/lifestyle company, and apparel line Dim Mak Records, which he founded in 1996, Aoki has helped launch the careers of global acts like The Chainsmokers, Bloc Party, The Bloody Beetroots, The Gossip, and The Kills, among many others. Dim Mak today counts more than 1,000 official releases from the biggest acts and most buzzing newcomers across EDM, indie rock, hip-hop, and beyond over its two-decades-plus discography. As a solo artist, Aoki boasts a lauded discography that includes: Wonderland (2012), his debut solo album, which garnered him his first-ever Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronica Album; hip-hop centric Kolony (2017), and the Neon Future series, which includes Neon Future I (2014, certified gold by the RIAA), Neon Future II (2015), Neon Future III (2018) and the recently released Neon Future IV (April 2020); which has rocketed in streaming to date and received praise from singles such as "Maldad" ft. Maluma and "Let It Be Me" ft. Backstreet Boys. Recognized by Forbes as one of the top 5 world's highest-paid DJs and the world's hardest working DJ, Aoki is "one of the most in-demand entertainers in the world" (Billboard), counting more than 250 tour dates per year. In 2012, Aoki founded THE AOKI FOUNDATION, which primarily supports organizations in the brain science and research areas with a specific focus on regenerative medicine and brain preservation. Most recently, Steve Aoki released his critically acclaimed memoir entitled BLUE: The Color of Noise published by St. Martin's Press.
