DJ RicaFed, in love with Cuban music

From London, where she lives nowadays, this Ukrainian artist arrives in Havana to attend the recently concluded Fiesta del Tambor, and she is still in awe with the experience. Fortunately, she granted an interview to CubaSí.

How and when did you get in touch with the Cuban music?

“I approached Cuban music about 5 or 6 years ago in London, where my career began to shape itself. It all started with dancing, because I was very curious. I have been dancing since I was a child and I have always carried within me a passion for Latin music in general, but Cuban salsa in particular has always intrigued me much more than other genres, because I find it richer in energy, meaning and on a musical level, each song has something special and tells a story through the instruments and the singers' voices.

“When I moved to London, I decided to start learning casino dancing and attend classes and parties. Every day, my curiosity and passion grew more and more. I spent hours and hours listening to Cuban music playlists carefully to learn everything about its sounds, rhythms and characteristics. I loved watching documentaries and I dug deeper into information to get closer and learn more about this beautiful culture.”

What got you in love with the music of this country?

“Music is a key part of my daily life. I was born, literally, to be surrounded by music. Music to me means happiness, vitality, energy, passion, and lack of concern. I fell in love because it helped me to face challenging times in my life. It was a shelter in so many situations.

I do believe Cuban music is truly authentic and very powerful. And every person understands it with his or her own ideas and feelings. It is a very singular style, I think, and you have to feel it in your veins to love it. I, for example, am a fan of live music. I enjoyed live concerts a lot and you have a better inside on artists, since it is the time when you get the true essence of instruments and musicians.”

Tell us about your musical approach as a DJ

“I'm a salsa DJ, which is very different from being a conventional DJ. It's much more difficult because you have to work with the dancers in the room. A DJ must have the ability to analyze his audience carefully to provide an unforgettable night, and this job is not just about choosing the right song at the right time, but requires days and nights of musical research and dedication.

“As such, I always try to express my feelings, my passion and my personality through music. I love seeing people enjoy and have fun on the dance floor and everything I put on comes from my soul and gives me the vibes that people convey to me.”

“Personally, I really like to offer the public a varied repertoire, combining popular and famous songs with the most recent ones.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff