Meet Fernando Alves | DJ & Music Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fernando Alves aka Vento and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vento, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
One of the books that changed me the most was ‘Ego Is The Enemy’ by Ryan Holiday.

I think as a creative, keeping your ego in check is very important; after all, ego is a part of what makes us have aspirations and look to the top. I believe that sometimes, these aspirations are nothing but a desire to be noticed, seen as somebody important, to feel validated, and to have status.

I learned that my ego made me dependent on external opinions, making me waste my time doing things that I actually didn’t like instead of doing things I actually did but were seen as weird, different, or risky. I forgot about my self-motivations, my principles, and my own identity. This way, ego drove me away from my true purpose in life as a creator, which is to bring things to life in their most authentic way.

This book made me understand that one of the biggest dangers of ego is that it makes us think that we are better than what we really are and sometimes it makes us stay stuck in some phase of our craft because we are already ‘amazing’. It also makes us want to grow fast; we want to be young and seen as early geniuses. The entertainment industry loves to create this image of prodigies that sometimes are just a result of an enormous investment of money and pressure.

Another powerful idea written by Ryan is that ego also makes us spend an unreasonable amount of time in specific areas of our lives and forget about the others. How many artists died early because they were so focused on fame and forgot about their health? How many celebrities lost their minds after achieving exorbitant success and having nothing else to do? No friends, no family, nothing. That way, ego makes our lives unbalanced.

Now, by practicing awareness of my own ego, I have been able to prioritize the process over the outcome, embrace authenticity in my craft, and maintain balance in my life, free from the constant craving for external validation.

Finally, I’ve come to understand that detachment is as a powerful tool against ego. It involves seeing ourselves from an external perspective without biases and opinions that may conflict with our true beliefs. This practice helps with focusing on our principles over validation and status, providing true growth and fulfillment.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Currently, I am focusing on DJing Amapiano, which is a beautiful subgenre of house music originating in South Africa, where the sounds are heavily influenced by traditional African music and the lyrics are often melodic and sung in the Zulu language.

I decided to focus on this type of music because I believe it is one of the most culturally rich and soulful forms of electronic music, and I really want to raise more awareness about it here in the Americas.

I am really excited about the future of Amapiano, and I love seeing so many collaborations happening in this community worldwide. Most of the big names in South Africa are always working together on their songs, and it is not uncommon to have a single with many artists included in it.

One of my goals as a Brazilian DJ is not only to raise awareness about this culture but also to give something in return. I have a Patreon Account where part of the money from my supporters is directed to non-profit organizations combating Malaria, Slave Labor, and Hunger in the African continent.

My performances usually consist of me mixing this music and adding my own sounds by playing guitar simultaneously. It is a very challenging thing to do sometimes, and I feel like it would not be bad to have two extra arms while I play, but so far, I have been able to handle it pretty well!

Being where I am today was definitely not an easy journey. My main instrument is the electric guitar, but I was struggling to find consistent gigs here in LA due to the huge competition. In a moment of necessity, a friend of mine introduced me to DJing and to an agency that books DJs and DJ assistants for weddings and corporate events.

I assisted for a couple of months, and at the same time, I started to learn how to spin, hoping to start events by myself soon.

The learning curve was very slow, and I had to put a lot of time into developing my skills. Starting a new career in my late 20s can be very scary, and being able to balance all other areas of life was a really big challenge.

Thankfully, I made it, and I am doing okay today, being able to play at events and also share my passion for Amapiano every week around the county. I also have a Youtube channel where I upload live mixes recorded in beautiful landscapes; this is one of my favorite things to do, DJing outdoors.

If there is one thing I would like people to know about what I do, it is that it’s a true appreciation of this incredibly rich culture. I really believe that many people in Africa deserve recognition for their amazing musical talent, and I just want to be able to give back as much as I can to their society and people in need.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am an outdoors guy, so it would definitely involve something outside. I would probably show them as many hiking trails as possible, and also take them to my favorite restaurants and other random spots.

Does Pasadena Count haha? Well, It is LA county so, I think I’m good!

My favorite hiking trail is the Eaton Canyon trails in Pasadena where at the end of it, there is this nice waterfall that you can actually go under. It is a relatively long hike, but the views are incredible, you have a little desert, mountains, and even a forest along the way. If you do it on a sunny day, swimming in that fresh water is the best thing you can do for yourself.

My other favorite spot is Malibu Beach and most specifically on the west side of Malibu Pier. It is a very calm and chill area, the sunset is very beautiful, and I found the most amazing sea shells there.

But my number one place has to be Catalina Island. That place is probably one of the coolest places I have ever been. Being greeted by hundreds of dolphins when arriving on the Ferry, snorkeling on the beach with all those colorful marine beings, and renting a scooter to drive up the mountains and see the ocean are just a few of the coolest things you can do there. Definitely number 1 spot!

In terms of food, there are three places that I take all my friends to. One is the Maruya in Little Tokyo. Personally, their Tonkotsu Ramen is just the best! I would eat that every day if I were not a musician!

Another spot is Blackbird Pizza on Melrose. I think their vegan deep-dish pizza is just a masterpiece. Good for a date, believe me!

Finally, as a Brazilian, I must recommend Pampas Grill at the Original Farmers Market on Fairfax and 3rd street. Their food really tastes like home and it is not as pricey as Fogo de Chão.

LA has many other beautiful locations worth checking out, like the Berlin Forest near Griffith Observatory, The Japan House in Hollywood, and the Huntington Library are also great places to visit.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I think that my Shoutout has to go to the friends I made in this city. Without Jason, Amos, John, Jerome, and Will, I would probably be in a very dark place. These people helped me financially, psychologically, spiritually and professionally. I am also very grateful for some writers that passionately put so much time sharing their knowledge in order to help people like me, so here’s another shoutout to Steven Pressfield, Mark Manson, Susan Cain, Tim Ferris, Seth Godin, Victor Frankl and Angela Duckworth.

Website: https://solo.to/ventomusik

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ventomusik

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theventomusik

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ventomusik

Other: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ventomusik

Image Credits
Nikhil Suresh