AJ Castillo | Photo: Mariaelena Villarreal / Tejano Nation
SAN MARCOS, TX – Tejano music sensation AJ Castillo has once again captivated his fans with the release of his new cumbia track, “DM.” In an exclusive interview with Tejano Nation Radio host Romeo, AJ shared insights into the creative process behind this exciting new release.
“It’s something different, it’s more of a vibe song,” AJ explained. “I felt like, you know, the last two releases I’ve had were Conjunto, and that’s cool, but my hardcore fans really love my cumbias, so I had to come up with something different, a new vibe, and something different for 2024.”
AJ collaborated with writer Jai Sterling on the track, bringing a fresh perspective to his music. “I heard it, he sent it to me, I liked it, so I put my spin on it, I recreated the music, and then I wrote some parts with him on it,” AJ said. “I work with different songwriters, different people, and, you know, I’m not one of those people that has to write every song, but I put my spin into everything that I have, especially the music, producing it.”
Recorded entirely in his San Marcos studio, Redwood Studios, AJ is proud of the quality and sound of “DM.” “The studio is really good, and the sound that’s coming out, the quality and everything that I’m doing here with my engineer, It’s able to compete with great writers, great artists around the world.”
AJ Castillo — “DM”
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After releasing several Conjunto tracks and working towards a full Conjunto project, AJ decided to shift gears and focus on cumbias, much to the delight of his fans. “People like the Conjunto, but not as much as my cumbia,” he said. “My die hard fan base loves me for my cumbias, and, I mean, if you look at my numbers, they play my cumbias 24 hours a day.”
Growing up in Austin and being part of a musical family, AJ was influenced by various genres, including Tejano, Conjunto, and Cumbia. “Being a Tejano, especially growing up in Austin, I was open to everything,” he shared. “I play the accordion, I love polka, I love Conjunto, I love Tejano, so that’s why I can really do everything, and I think Tejanos are versatile, we can do everything.”
AJ also emphasized the importance of supporting new music and artists to keep the Tejano music industry thriving. “You gotta play new stuff, you gotta break new artists, and that’s the only thing that we’re gonna survive,” he said. “The key to everything, the key to music, the key to business, is youth, we gotta have youth, we gotta go after youth, in order to keep going.”
“DM” from AJ Castillo is available now on all digital music platforms. Be sure to check it out and experience the new vibe that AJ has brought to his music for 2024. Tune in Tejano Nation Radio on great station across the nation every week. See full list of radio stations and showtimes at TejanoNationRadio.com.
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