EG.VOL5 Mestiza

JAN 2025 VO L 5

MËSTIZA

M I A M I · C A R AC A S · M E X I C O C I T Y · B U E N O S A I R E S · A M S T E R DA M · B A R C E LO N A

MËSTIZA Redefining music & fashion while expanding global reach with SACRO Events.

Photos by Jorge Foley

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The inspiration of MËSTIZA is mainly flamenco, but our priority will always be electronic music

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Interview by: Rocío Flores

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ËSTIZA presents a captivating fusion of music and fashion, skillfully intertwining the enchanting rhythms of flamenco with the dynamic beats of electronic music. The past year was a remarkable period for MËSTIZA, highlighted by the launch of their inaugural album, Quëreles! This album, woven with collaborations that profoundly resonated with audiences, proudly reached the Number 1 spot in their country within a week. It demonstrated their dedication and limitless creativity.

Fashion is also a focal point for this iconic Spanish duo. Their exquisite gowns fit like a second skin, accentuating every movement and casting an irresistible charm over the audience.

This experience sparks curiosity and leaves you yearning for more of their unique artistry.

Moreover, expanding SACRO events to breathtaking venues like Tulum, Ibiza, London, and Dubai is inspirational. Each event has been a showcase of extraordinary music, celebrating creativity in unforgettable locations. Last month, MËSTIZA marked the release of the single “Báilame,” a thrilling glimpse of their upcoming second album, which is set to drop later this year.

Hi MËSTIZA, thank you so much for having us today! We are happy to have you on our first cover of the year. Welcome!

Thank you very much for the invitation! We are so excited for this opportunity.

First things first, congratulations on the release of “Báilame”. This song is now leading the way on your second album, right? What can you share with us about this new song?

What makes it unique?

Thanks, that’s right. This is the first single of our next album, and we are pleased about it.

We released “Báilame” in the second week of December. “Báilame” is so meaningful for us because it conveys beautiful and positive sensations; it is an invitation to people to dance.

It tells a love story between two women; it talks about an old flamenco lyric that we have brought to these days with our style. The video clip was mainly based on dancing, which, in the end, is the most crucial love proof that you can find.

Quëreles has been well received by your audience in your country. It was in first place during its first selling week. We are curious how this second project will stand out from your previous work. Will we find more collaborations in the flamenco world or from the electronic music circuit?

You will find both parts! As you probably already know, MËSTIZA is a merge between flamenco and electronic music, but the second album will have a sound a little bit more powerful and more electronic. It has a bit of everything; we still keep in mind that our main inspiration is our culture; you will find lots of lyrics and things to tell. The inspiration of MËSTIZA is mainly flamenco, but our priority will always be electronic music because, in the end, we are a duo that produces electronic music. We don’t have a release date yet because some things that don’t depend entirely on us still need to be arranged.

As producers, you’ve worked with remarkable talents like Chambao, Ismael de la Rosa, and El Pirata! We are eager to hear how these collaborations have influenced your music and what you cherish most about working with fellow artists.

For us, these collaborations mean a lot because we are giving a voice to Spanish people, a talent that maybe is not so well-known outside our country for now. They are people with so much talent and strength who know a lot about flamenco. It is an enormous pleasure for us to work with these artists in the studio because we learn a lot.

Spain has a rich and unique musical pulse.

How do you incorporate the rhythms and vibrant energy into your sets, especially when performing for international audiences?

In the end, there are sounds that can be easily renowned in the world, not only as Spanish sounds but also as traditional sounds, because many cultures share the same instruments and musical structures. For instance, when we

perform in the Middle East, flamenco is well-known because it has a lot to do with the Arab world, and when we play in Tulum, there are so many connexions between Mexican and Spanish Music. Even Greece has the same instruments as in our country. There is always a connection point that refers to the origins everyone understands or interprets as their own. We believe that this is also where our success lies.

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“Báilame” is so meaningful for us because it conveys beautiful and positive sensations

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Have you ever imagined that SACRO would reach this impact with the rest of the world?

Not really. First, we have MËSTIZA, and on the other hand, we have SACRO; both are our babies. On the second one, we set our whole universe, the performance, the decoration, our DJ sound; it is our own world. Currently, we are giving more and more relevance to SACRO; we are taking it to the most important cities and places, and we already have plans for 2025. We are so motivated by it because it has received a great response from the audience. Not only we are so happy to play worldwide as a duo but also to bring our whole universe through SACRO. You recently held the biggest “SACRO” event in Madrid at IFEMA. What can you tell us about this show, and what would people expect?

We closed 2024 with lots of great things. Our concept had an amazing response. This event was a total sell out; it was fully packed. The organization was on point. We love to thank all the people working with us because they are incredible, such amazing professionals. Thanks to them, we could bring SACRO to one of the most important venues in Madrid, IFEMA. The energy of the people who were there was so beautiful.

Your ability to blend timeless elegance with modern flair in your fashion is inspiring!

We’re curious about how your evolving style influences your music. Do you find that your fashion choices change based on the themes of your songs? It seems like a fascinating connection!

Fashion has always been a part of both of us; it has been essential in our lives. We always try to find a way to connect it with our music. Fashion speaks about us, about our language. We don’t have any difficulty choosing our looks because it is something we love.

We also reconceptualize traditional Spanish fashion and bring it into the contemporary with our looks. We always seek inspiration through movies and flamenco icons, but always with a hint of contemporary because, in the end, we want flamenco to last and give a voice to our country through a modern way that can be electronic music.

Who is your dream designer to collaborate with? Is there a notable fashion house or creative genius whose style aligns perfectly with your vision? We would love to hear your thoughts!

One of our favourite fashion houses is Schiaparelli, followed by Louis Vuitton and Dior. Not so long ago, Dior released a collection quite similar to our style and to the Spanish Culture with the Cordoban hats.

During Milan’s fashion week, we were in the front rows. It was a very inspiring week because we were surrounded by so many artists and fashion professionals. For instance, Missoni inspired us a lot in terms of colors, and Sportmax was spectacular. We got some elements that we would love to add to our SACRO show.

When we see you performing or enjoying your music, we not only see inspiration and splendour, but we also sense a powerful feeling of feminine empowerment. What would you say empowers you?

We are inspired by what we find along the way, but we are also deeply influenced by our mothers. We both come from families with a profound feminine power, a power that is shaped by the daily lessons of our mothers.

Thanks to them, we are who we are. Their strength, their teachings, and their guidance inspire us to fight and pursue our projects. Our mothers are our greatest reference in life.

What messages would you find crucial to share with young women thinking about a career in the music business or fashion?

We would tell them to try to create their own original idea; that is the first thing, and above all, to be strong because this industry is still a world where men predominate. Also, the scene is a bit purist, and there will always be some criticism. The important thing is that they believe in what they do and not be afraid.

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We want flamenco to last and give a voice to our country through a modern way that can be electronic music.

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To wrap it up, what is in your path for 2025? And what can we expect from MËSTIZA? We are putting a lot of energy into SACRO. The album is also coming.

We will release new videos. We want to give visibility to the audio visual, many trips, and many laughs because, in the end, our project lives from the love that exists in the team and in our friendship; that is the driving force of everything.

Thank you very much, MËSTIZA, and we wish you a wonderful year!

Thanks to you and all the readers of Electronic Groove.

Spotify’s Ghost in the Machine: The Ethics of Streaming’s Invisible Workforce

by Axel Bray Photo by Sandeep Swarnkar on Unsplash

When Liz Pelly’s investigative report on Spotify’s use of “ghost producers” surfaced in Harper’s Magazine, it cast a stark light on a facet of the streaming giant’s operations that had remained largely hidden in plain sight.

H

er findings paint a picture of a platform that doesn’t just curate playlists but actively commissions music under murky circumstances—hiring anonymous producers to create tracks that are then uploaded under pseudonymous artist names. The goal? To fill popular playlists with inexpensive, royaltyfree content, often bypassing traditional artist compensation structures. The report is a wakeup call, forcing us to reckon with the economic and ethical implications of this practice for the music industry at large.

Spotify’s playlists, especially marquee names like ‘Peaceful Piano’ and ‘Deep Focus’, have become cultural touchstones, shaping listening habits for millions. These playlists are integral to the platform’s power, drawing in subscribers and generating billions of streams.

What Pelly’s report reveals, however, is that some of the tracks featured prominently in these playlists are not the organic works of emerging or established artists but are instead commissioned from anonymous producers— “ghost producers”—for a flat fee. Once purchased, these tracks are attributed to fabricated artist profiles, enabling Spotify to sidestep paying royalties for repeated streams.

At the heart of this strategy lies Spotify’s complex royalty structure. Normally, artists earn a small fraction of a cent per stream, with payments divided among rights holders, including labels and publishers. By

commissioning music outright and uploading it under pseudonymous profiles, Spotify essentially eliminates the need to pay ongoing royalties. This practice not only saves the company millions but also underscores its evolution from a neutral platform into something resembling a record label—one that wields immense power over both the production and distribution of music.

For Spotify, the financial incentives are clear.

Playlists like ‘Ambient Chill’ or ‘Lo-Fi Beats’ are designed for passive listening— background music for studying, working, or relaxing. Listeners engage with these playlists not out of loyalty to specific artists but for the mood they create. In such cases, the identity of the artist becomes secondary, if not entirely irrelevant. This allows Spotify to populate these playlists with tracks it owns outright, reducing its operating costs while retaining full control over one of its most lucrative assets: playlist real estate.

While Spotify’s business model may be innovative, its reliance on ghost producers raises significant ethical questions. Chief among them is the issue of transparency. Should listeners be made aware that the “artists” they’re streaming are, in many cases, fictitious entities? Moreover, what does this mean for the broader ecosystem of independent musicians, who rely on streaming revenue to sustain their careers?

Spotify has long positioned itself as a “champion of artists”, offering tools and analytics to help them succeed in the streaming age. Yet, the ghost producer model undermines this narrative, creating an uneven playing field where independent musicians must compete not only with each other but also with Spotify’s in-house creations—tracks that are engineered to perform well on the platform’s algorithmically curated playlists.

There’s also the matter of fair compensation for the ghost producers themselves. While these individuals are paid upfront for their work, they forfeit any claim to future royalties or recognition. In an industry where recurring revenue from royalties can be a lifeline, this arrangement further entrenches the exploitation of creative labor.

It is worth mentioning that Spotify is not the first entity to engage in such practices. The use of ghost producers has long been an open secret in electronic music, where prominent DJs often outsource track production while taking full credit. What makes Spotify’s approach particularly concerning is its scale and systemic nature. As the world’s largest streaming platform, Spotify wields unparalleled influence over how music is consumed and monetized. By normalizing the use of ghost-produced content, it risks setting a precedent that could have farreaching consequences for the music industry.

The ripple effects are already apparent. As other streaming platforms and tech companies scramble to emulate Spotify’s success, they may adopt similar strategies, further eroding the financial stability of independent artists. In a worst-case scenario, we could see a future where a significant portion of streaming catalogues is dominated by content that is effectively “owned” by the platforms themselves, leaving little room for authentic artistic expression.

Pelly’s report has sparked a crucial conversation about the role of streaming platforms in shaping the music industry’s future. For Spotify, the backlash presents an opportunity to reconsider its approach and reaffirm its commitment to

artists. This could involve greater transparency around the use of pseudonymous content, as well as fairer compensation models for the producers involved.

For listeners, the report is a reminder to engage critically with the platforms we use and the music we consume. In an era where algorithms dictate so much of our cultural diet, it’s worth questioning who benefits from the choices we make—and who might be left behind.

As Spotify gears up for its next phase of growth, it faces a pivotal choice: double down on costcutting measures that prioritize profit over people or take meaningful steps to support the artists and producers who form the backbone of its success. The future of music—and the livelihoods of countless creators—may depend on which path it chooses.

Photo by JC Gellidon on Unsplash

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