Francis Dávila

written by Anna-Claire Bevan

Francis Dávila is one of Guatemala’s leading DJs and is heralded as being hugely influential in the country’s electronic scene.

“I first started playing a live act with a sampler and a synthesizer at the local raves in the late 90s,” says Dávila. But it wasn’t until a few years later when he moved to San Francisco, Calif., that he discovered the magic behind being a DJ.

“I understood that it wasn’t just about putting tracks together, it was a way of expressing myself by selecting the right tunes at the right time, blending sounds and beats in a harmonic way.”

Growing up he gained inspiration from a lot of ‘80s bands like Depeche Mode, New Order and OMD.

Dávila made music for TV, radio commercials and the film La Casa de Enfrente before returning to Guatemala to focus on his career as a DJ and music producer. Today he enjoys the challenge of converting people here to a genre of music that is already popular across Europe.

The Guatemalan-born star has already shared decks with DJ Tiësto, Armin Van Buuren and Paul van Dyk, and is currently working on a new album due for release next year.

As far as future ambitions go, he says his dream is to keep playing music with the same feeling, energy and illusion he has had up until now.

You can catch Dávila at his upcoming appearance on May 13 at 8 p.m. at La Casbah, 5a ave. norte #30, La Antigua.