The Tribune

By KORTNEY RODGERS

VOTED top DJ in Panama, Gian Varela is no stranger to The Bahamas. He and two friends decided that this trip would be an ideal time for DJ Varela to express his love for his art to the locals in Nassau.

After a two-hour flight from Panama, Varela visited Radio House yesterday for a tour of its facilities and an unexpected opportunity to perform on-air with 100Jamz.

Varela, now 20, began his dj career in Panama at 11. Initially, Varela’s parents were sceptical about his choice but they eventually trusted his decision. Though he bypassed serving his community through politics by becoming Panama’s President-elect like his father, Juan Carlos Varela, DJ Varela has dedicated almost a decade of community service through performing at festivals and concerts throughout Panama and the United States.

He has performed in Miami, Washington, DC, and Connecticut, which have all added to the remarkable resume he has been able to create at such a young age.

DJ Varela is a signed artist with The Club International, which specialises in progressive house music, which he describes as “a really complicated, but energetic sound.”

Although he enjoys the intricate details involved in progressive house music, Varela was pleased to show his versatility by playing some hip hop and rap music during a quick live mix on 100Jamz introduced by radio personality, King C-note.

He was also eager to invite everyone to party with him on Saturday night at Aura, the Atlantis nightclub, which will be his club debut. Varela believes dj-ing is an art; however, he considers producing as a way to express his own special sound.

DJ Varela is scheduled to perform at the Ultra Music Festival in Paraguay in October and his music can be found on online music streaming websites like www.soundcloud.com and www.mixcloud.com.

For news of his upcoming events, follow him on Twitter @GianVarela.