Bianca Oblivion, a rising Mexican American DJ and Los Angeles native, understands the importance of her upcoming appearance at Hard Summer, one of the largest electronic music festivals in Southern California.
“Obviously you’re going to get these headliners that are from all over the world,” Oblivion said. “There’s this representation now, this position I’m coming into; as a Latina, as someone who is from here and in the electronic music world. I don’t take that lightly.”
Oblivion is part of a list of local Latino artists slated to perform at the festival, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Hollywood Park. The event returns to L.A. after a decade and is expected to draw as many as 70,000 daily attendees.
Oblivion, who will open the festival’s Purple Stage, mixes British bass-heavy genres with Brazilian funk and other Latin top hits. The DJ says she plans to use the city’s musical influences as the basis for her set list.
“I could tap into a feeling and an energy that is L.A. really for me,” she said. “I’m just excited to bring it all home.”
Other Latin acts slated to perform on the first day of the festival are Joaqu.n, Dina and Bianca Maieli.
An up-and-coming Mexican and Persian American DJ, Dina found her style in the underground scene, spinning Latin club, reggaeton and Brazilian funk. She says that performing in smaller, more intimate prepared her for the festival.
“Expect upbeat, dancy and things that you really haven’t heard before,” she said of her planned set. “I’m super excited to be able to just play party music.”
Colombian and South Indian artist Maieli says she plans to mix tech house with Brazilian funk during her first appearance at Hard Summer. She’s made waves with No Nazar, a DJ collective she co-founded that hosts parties across the country that highlight the music of the Caribbean and African diasporas.
“We already have big artists playing these tracks,” Maieli said. “But we need to make sure that the people who are really pushing it forward, the actual Latin artists themselves, are being seen and booked.”
CC Love, a Mexican American DJ from Southern California who has played at festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival, says she will selecting a sample of Latin music and tech house for her Saturday afternoon set.
“One thing I’ve noticed about playing Latin music versus playing other genres is that the passion is another level,” she said. “Even if it’s remixed, there’s just another level of passion with Latinos that they really love to sing their music and dance and vibe to it.”
For those looking to hear music from the Dominican Republic with an East Coast twist, Giselle Peppers plans to tap into her heritage on the second day of Hard Summer. The Afro-Latina artist grew up in Paterson, N.J., but has called L.A. her home for more than three years.
“Attendees can expect an electrifying set that will keep them dancing the entire time,” Peppers said. “Heavily infused with the vibrant essence of my cultural heritage and influenced sounds where I grew up.”