DJ and Hello Seahorse! Co-founder and drummer, BONNZ!, stands at the crossroads of innovation and tradition. His eclectic set of electronic experimentation and Latin rhythms will be heard at this year’s La Onda Fest in Napa Valley, a festival known for uniting modern beats with cultural roots.
At La Onda, BONNZ! will bring a unique performance crafted for the moment and designed to help audiences let go, dance, and feel free. With his slot landing just before Regional Mexican icon Alicia Villarreal, BONNZ! sees the show as both an honor and an opportunity to amplify Latin sounds in new ways. “Music is a way to vent,” he says, “to forget the world for a little while, and that’s political in itself.”
Beyond the stage, BONNZ! reflects on the growing presence of Latin DJs at international festivals. He shouts out trailblazers like Bizarrap and 3BALLMTY, while urging audiences to dig into Mexico’s underground scene, where artists like Bufi, Fonica, and Milka are crafting bold new sonic landscapes.
INTERVIEW WITH BONNZ!
Next month you’ll be in Napa Valley for La Onda Fest, which has a very special vibe by bringing together with a lineup both modern and traditional. What can we expect from your DJ set?
BONNZ!: La Onda Fest is such an eclectic festival. There’s a lot of Norteño bands, Regional Mexican music, and plenty of DJs like me. I just saw the schedule and was surprised to see that my set comes before Alicia Villarreal, which is an honor. It’s going to be such a cool thing.
Looking at the festival’s profile, I might add more Latin rhythms and sounds for people to dance and lose inhibitions while feeling the beats from all the bands and legendary artists that will be performing. I’m very happy, grateful and proud to be presenting my set there.
How do you enjoy being among so many fellow artists at a festival that continues to grow?
BONNZ!: I think it’s amazing to have this fusion in this festival. That mix of genres and vibes. The lineup will sure make people dance, having Regional Mexican artists and DJ sets will help people have a good release. Because music is a way to let off steam, to vent. Sometimes they ask us, why are songs from Hello Seahorse!, not political, but I believe the simple fact of creating something that helps you forget your troubles for a moment, is political.
We watch the news everyday, everything that’s happening in the US around the Hispanic population and in the world. And you just want to stop thinking about everything that’s bad with the world for a few hours. Forget about what’s causing you stress, but also remembering that this place has incredible music, and I believe that’s what La Onda Fest will provide.
What sounds define your style as a DJ?
BONNZ!: I love to experiment with Latin rhythms and electronic music. I like to mix Brazilian sounds, Latin funk and hip-hop, that’s my vibe. But depending on the situation, I can also add house music to the mix.
But the best way to know my style is by attending one of my presentations because I have an evolving set, I like to be eclectic. I don’t want to be one of those DJs who play the same thing over and over again. I create a special set for each presentation by reading the people attending the event, the situation, and crafting what the best response will be based on what my sound proposes.
How do you see the new landscape of Latin DJs who are taking center stage at festivals?
BONNZ!: I love the presence of Bizarrap in Latin music, and how 3BALLMTY opened the doors to many DJs and new rhythms years ago. But there are also so many electronic artists in the underground scene whose sets are worth experiencing. We should also put a spotlight on them. For example, there are multiple DJs in Mexico who aren’t playing Latin rhythms per se but you can feel their Hispanic essence live. You have producers like Bufi, Fonica and Milka doing truly interesting things.
We’ve heard your latest single Feel This Way with MJ Baez. What other features or collaborations can we expect to hear in the near future?
BONNZ!: I have always been doing melodies and beats, exploring with electronic rhythms and trying not to stay in the box of one single genre. This song with MJ Baez is more chill but I’m also releasing new original music as a personal project of mine. Music has left me many friends, and I love to create songs with them. I have a future collaboration with a friend from New York, James Patterson from The Knocks. But I already have so many songs recorded with friends that I will be releasing every so often, without a strict agenda.
Hello Seahorse! is my home, it is my main project, but it is also fun to collaborate. For example, Denise Gutiérrez (Lo Blondo) is releasing an EP of her own music, and we are supporting those tracks with beats, and I also want her to collaborate on one of my songs. At the end of the day, Hello Seahorse! is the main spaceship, but each of us has small galaxies inside the band’s world.
What is something you carry with you while touring?
BONNZ!: My headphones. They are a must because I’m constantly listening to music, particularly on tour. We spent a lot of time traveling and music helps me be someplace else. And a personal must is my razor to keep a shaved head and maintain my beard.
Who would be your ideal collaborator for a jam session?
BONNZ!: That would be Questlove from The Roots, or DJ Shadow. Although it would have been incredible to collaborate with Gustavo Cerati from Soda Stereo.
Something we have accomplished, that was not even in our wildest dreams, is sharing the stage with Fobia during their Fobiarama Tour. We played their whole second album with them “Mundo feliz”, and that was a dream come true because Fobia has been one of my favorite bands since forever. Thanks to Fobia, I decided to pursue a career in music.
What music have you been vibing to recently?
BONNZ!: I’m listening to the album by Bon Iver, the new singles by Skrillex are also brutal, with incredible electronics. Also the new tracks by The Horrors, an English band with dark sounds, and this duo of rappers from Monterrey called Kevis & Maykyy, they just released an incredible single called “Puños, Pulseras y Paletas”. They remind me of Beastie Boys, Plastilina Mosh, and Illya Kuryaki. They have those vibes.
At the same time, you’re touring with Hello Seahorse! during a key moment for the band. What has this stage of the tour been like?
BONNZ!: Right after La Onda Fest the tour continues in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. We have four dates with Porter, who are our music brothers. Last year, we released a song with Porter that did pretty good called CORA.
We are really excited about this tour because it is the first time we will be performing alongside Porter in the US. It is also nice to bring our music to our fans on the other side of the border. To share music with those who have learned about our songs through friends and family, and to bring a little piece of Mexico, an alternative piece of Mexico to our brothers who live there. I think that’s very cool.
BONNZ!’S ECLECTIC BEATS, A DJ SET THAT DEFIES CONVENTION
The artist continues to build a career that’s both rooted in admiration and driven by evolution. His latest single, “Feel This Way” featuring MJ Baez, marks a more mellow moment in his solo catalog, but plenty more music is coming this 2025.
BONNZ! is set to bring his genre-defying sets and deep musical curiosity to this year’s La Onda Fest in Napa Valley, a celebration of Latin identity through both traditional and modern sounds. If you’re heading to La Onda Fest this year, make sure to catch BONNZ!’s set. He’s bringing an eclectic mix of Latin rhythms and a whole lot of energy to the stage.
La Onda Fest 2025, is happening May 31 and June 1 in Napa Valley. You can secure your tickets by visiting LaOndaFest.com to be part of a weekend filled with dynamic music and cultural celebration. This year’s event it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting weekends for Latin music fans.
Story by: Sahula Diaz-Castrejón
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