Venezuelan DJ, producer, and label boss Tony Guerra has been pushing club-focused productions via his Overtones Records imprint since 2019 – with names like Vidaloca, Mak Negron, and DJ Fronter now amongst their catalogue.
We spoke with the Caracas-based Overtones boss to ask him about how the label came to be, who else we might see release with them in the coming months, and what advice he would give to any aspiring label owners.
You first launched Overtones back in 2019 – what made you decide to become a label owner?
Yes, our first release was in 2019 but Overtones was really born in 2016. Overtones sought to build a local community with social and musical intelligence through events and parties. Thanks to our hard work and passion, we managed to grow and have a community. Years later, we managed to go global with our sound, our releases month after month, and that makes me very happy that our name is on big music platforms, that music is reaching more and more places, that’s very gratifying.
And what were some of the biggest struggles you faced in the very beginning?
Without a doubt, one of the biggest challenges is to achieve this with little capital, where a country with many economic and even social problems made us believe that it would be impossible. Sometimes the road is difficult but you always have to believe and be faithful to your beliefs, and have a collective and inclusive idea that I thank my friends, followers and the support of my family made us not really fail.
You’ve released music from names like Vidaloca, Mak Negron, and DJ Fronter, what’s your typical process when it comes to signing new music?
I don’t have a usual method, let’s say everything has been organic and that’s the most beautiful thing of all. To create as everything evolves, that everything happens in a natural way, just like when a baby learns to eat, then walk, then talk, that’s how we are, we go as the processes go. But to answer your question, the songs that I like I try them in my sets, if I like them then I proceed to sign them, but all the artists go through this process. They give me their music to play and if I like it then we do the release through Overtones, we are a family where we all do a job.
Who else might we expect to see on the label in the coming months?
Big names are coming, people that I have always wanted in our Overtones family, great talents are coming from Brazil like Court, from Chile like Chinonegro, from Italy like Enrico Carusso, and many more. It’s a surprise so stay tuned.
And which other labels will you be releasing with yourself?
I have pending releases like Risques, among others, that I will keep secret so that they wait for it.
What advice would you give to anyone that wants to launch their own label in 2024?
Do things with love, with passion, try to have a language that your audience can understand, create a sound and a brand that people can follow faithfully. That’s an important rule.
What’s your favourite label?
I’ve always followed big labels, but I’ll mention my favourite labels. I like their sound and how they sell themselves: MoodChild, Risquez, Rituals, CANIBALES, and Helis Records.
Anything else you want to mention before we go?
Thank you for supporting us and giving a little space to us, a Latin movement that has been working for many years to have a strong presence in the music industry, and little by little we are achieving it.