Valdritz Ferraro – Feature Interview – Issue 049 –

Words By LUZ

Valdritz Ferraro, born in Reus, Spain, began his relationship with music in the mid-1980s, when he began to develop a deep interest in it.

In the early 1990s, he discovered the electronic music movement, which, combined with the synth pop of the time, catapulted him into the booths under the name Ted Records. In 1991, he performed his first DJ set, and his dedication to the public continued until November 18, 2019, the date on which he offered his last live session.

During this time, he managed to carve out a niche in his area’s electronic music scene, playing in multiple venues on the Costa Dorada and Priorato, and participating in several DJ competitions, where he achieved top positions three times.

His initial sets featured European underground music, combined with national music from the Levante region, which was booming at the time. In the late 1990s, the progressive style predominated, and in the early 2000s, techouse, along with progressive techno, became his signature. During the 2010s, he explored deephouse and house, and starting in 2015, he leaned toward melodic techno, melodic house, and Peak Time Driving, styles present in the studio sets he shares with his fans and radio stations.

In 2014, he also became an electronic music producer, creating his own compositions and combining them with his DJ sets. This phase continued until 2020, when he dedicated himself almost entirely to music production, working with various labels and publishing his music on the most important platforms worldwide.

Currently, in addition to producing his own works, he collaborates with other artists, providing sound enhancements, mixing, and mastering for various record labels in his country.

Tell us how your interest and curiosity in electronic music began, and who your most important influences were?

Hello, I started going to clubs in my city when I was 14. It was around that time that electronic music was just beginning to be introduced along with other styles, around 1989/90. At that time, I started working at 15 in a screen-printing workshop, and we were in charge of all the merchandising for the clubs in Salou and the surrounding area. The boss of that company was my uncle, who was a fairly well-known DJ on the Costa Dorada in the 70s and 80s. He knew a lot of people in the scene, and an Italian guy started working with us. He was the one who introduced me to the world of electronic music. He brought me A.C.T.V. tapes and explained the underground scene in the places he frequented, and I became very curious to go to those temples where electronic culture was worshipped. He taught me a lot of music, gave me wise advice, and was also a DJ at an after-hours club in Salou that opened on Sunday mornings. I was blown away by the music he recorded for me on tape, and little by little we forged our musical relationship. When the screen printing business closed, I lost track of him, but his arrival and teachings stay with me to this day.

How did you experience the beginnings of electronics in Spain and more specifically in your area?

The truth is that it was like a social revolution. People turned to that style of music, some songs even started to be played on the radio, the Chimo Bayo phenomenon and the growth of new nightclubs was a social phenomenon. I’ve always liked the world of mixes and megamixes and at 16 (1993) I bought my first DJ equipment. And I started buying my first electronic music vinyls and my first maxi was a song . Extreme titled “Der General.” Before that, I was doing sets with third-party teams. My first set was in 1991.

At what point did you realize you wanted to become a DJ, and who were the people or artists who helped you along the way?

As I said before, I’ve always loved the world of mixing. I have a collection of albums like Max Mix and Bolero Mix, from which I learned a lot by listening. At 15, I knew I wanted to be a DJ. The Italian guy I mentioned earlier, my neighbor who lent me a mixing board to start mixing, and the influence of a friend’s brother who was a DJ were my influences and helped me make that decision. The truth is, without music, my life would be very difficult, and I admit it: I’m a die-hard music lover.

Tell us about the musical styles in your career and how would you define yourself as an artist?

I’ve had many styles throughout my career. I started with German techno, then moved on to Valencian techno, and I’ve also played hard trance, eurohouse, house, and progressive techno. Now, my favorite music is melodic house and indie dance combined with melodic techno. I love melody, but I also love deep, repetitive, hypnotic themes. I can’t define or pigeonhole myself into a single style; I’m quite diverse.
When it comes to DJing, I play a wide variety of styles, and when it comes to producing, I draw from a variety of sound libraries, from techno to hip hop.

Which artists would you like to work with that you haven’t yet, and who would you like to work with again?

Actually, what I like most in the booth is working alone. Yes, I’ve done sets with countless colleagues and had a great time, but in that sense, I like working alone, nothing more. This way, I build my personal musical journey for my audience, inviting them into my world.
And in the area of music production I have worked with several artists making albums and singles and multiple collaborations, but the two people I have felt most comfortable working with are J-Neo and D4mian Smith

Regarding music production, how and when did you get started, and what do you think have been your best works?

In the world of music production, I started in 2013. That’s when I realized I wanted to make my own music and express my personal vision in the form of music for the world. My best track for me… It’s difficult, but I think it’s the last one I released. It’s an unofficial version of my favorite song by The Silencers, titled “Painted Moon.” You can only find it on SoundCloud or on my YouTube channel. It’s a song I’ve dedicated a lot of time and passion to, and I have it available for free download for everyone. It’s possibly the song I’ve listened to the most and the one I like the most.

Can you tell us what your career has been like so far, your best and worst moments, and what you like most and least about the DJ world?

My best moments were undoubtedly in the ’90s. It was the decade in which I worked the hardest and had the most satisfaction with music. I participated in Top 40 shows, DJed in several venues, and competed in five DJ competitions—it was great. In 2004, I slowed down my dedication to music for a bit and dedicated myself to my first child. I took a few years off to take care of my family, then in 2008 my second child arrived, and in 2011 I returned. I was very active until 2020, when I had to stop due to the pandemic. That’s when I focused more on the world of production.

Notable, funny, or noteworthy anecdotes that you can tell and that have happened to you so far.

As I said before, the ’90s were my best decade. I remember being in a club with several rooms. I was DJing in a house room that wasn’t very busy that day. There were people, but not in the one in the main room. The DJ in the main room broke a turntable and came to my room to take the turntable from the booth where I was working. At that time, vinyl and CD were played, and I had to use several CD tracks I had in the back pocket until a short while later they replaced the Technics so I could continue my set. At the end of the night, the DJ in the main room came over to apologize for being desperate not to cut the music off his set. He was able to save his set and mine, and the audience didn’t notice a thing, but the look on my face when they took my turntable was a picture… On top of that, I had only recently started working in that club. Another anecdote is from a session I recorded in my studio in May 1998. At the time, my studio was a center for recording sessions. People came to request music for their businesses, personal use, gyms, stores—it was crazy. Several times I stopped at a traffic light and listened to the music from the car next to me; I recognized the session I was playing as one of many I’d recorded. Going back to that 1998 session, one day I was browsing YouTube looking for music from a prestigious venue in my area, and someone posted a session that didn’t match the style of the venue, adding the name of the session to it. Upon listening to it, I recognized it as one of my sessions and contacted that user to explain the mistake I’d made in uploading the set with that name. He explained to me that the recording was very special to him, and if it was mine (at first, he didn’t believe it), I needed more clues to prove it. In the end, I gathered the necessary evidence, and with that, we met and became long-distance friends. That session motivated him to become the DJ he is today. Sometimes we don’t realize or know the magnitude that a song you produce or a simple session can have on other people, which in that moment can redirect their lives. I’ve realized this several times when people tell me about their experiences listening to my music. One of my mentors explained this to me a few years ago: the power that music can have on people’s lives. Through music, I’ve met so many people, and it’s the art form that has given me the most satisfaction.

How do you see the current electronic music scene?

It’s a tricky question. I see that the essence that existed before has been lost quite a bit; music isn’t valued as much, and the visuals of today’s major avant-garde music festivals are more impressive. I see that a lick matters more than a first-hand experience without watching it through a screen. I’ve even seen people record an entire event, missing out on the experience of being live and their subsequent participation in the event. As an artist, that’s incredibly frustrating. It’s a shame to see it. I remember the amount of sneakers they used to wear out on a dance floor, sweating their shirts off, and giving it their all in that magical moment of communion on the dance floor. I hope it’s not too late to not lose that essence that still remains in some clubs around the world.

How do you see the audiences of the past and those of today? What differences do you see?

I don’t see people today liking underground music as much, at least I don’t notice that there are as many people becoming cultured as we did years ago. In some sessions I’ve done lately, I notice that they dance more to familiar songs than to the potential new treasures you might have found that week. Young people today also go with the flow that drives most young people in this country. The industry gives them what interests them most at the time, thus losing many good songs that fall by the wayside, giving way to songs from other genres that leave much to be desired. Ultimately, there are more mainstream people than underground people; it’s always been that way, but now the balance is more on the mainstream side. That doesn’t mean I’m leaning towards that genre; when it comes to producing, I never will. I’ve always been a musical oddity, speaking of the type of music I like to make or play for many people who know me.

Are there any artists or groups that have surprised you recently?

Yes, quite a few. I watch a lot of music programs and dive into new music and new styles that are beyond my attention. I listen to a weekly program on Loca FM Valencia hosted by two current and emerging electronic phenomenons. They are Showroom Radio Luis and Iván. They host a program that I love from 7 to 8 on Thursdays, live. There I discovered many artists showcasing the week’s new releases in the electronic music scene. I recently discovered a DJ named Pablo Bozzi, whose personal style I love in his sets, along with other colleagues from the labels I work with who also surprise me a lot with the music they release. I could go on for a long time naming names of new talents.

Story of a song. Do you have any anecdotes about a song of yours or another artist’s that you’d like to tell us?

There’s an incident involving a broadcast that took place in 1977 in Scotland or Great Britain, I don’t remember exactly, that left the population in a panic. I read about this same incident in a very mystical book I was reading at the time, and it mentioned this case. I searched for information and found the video on YouTube. It was an inexplicable incident. It was a late-night event in that place, and people were having dinner watching the news. Suddenly, a character appeared on the news broadcast, saying he was an interstellar being called Commander Brilon, who had come to warn humanity of what was coming before it was too late. The population at the time panicked, overwhelming the police station with so many calls reporting this incident. The person responsible for the broadcast was never found. The story had such an impact on me that I named the next song I produced “Brilon,” after the commander of that stellar fleet from that broadcast. Almost all of my track titles have a meaning, like the tattoos people get for a specific reason.

Tell us about your upcoming projects.

My next project is a vocal track I’m working on. I’m doing it slowly, without rushing, and with a lot of dedication. Sometimes I think it’s better to take a little longer and release something that makes you feel personally satisfied. I’m also planning to do an instrumental track with an artist I know, a keyboardist and singer who’s really hitting it big on TikTok, for 2026.

What do you like to do in your free time or what are your hobbies?

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, going to the mountains, hiking to remote places, walking my dog, and traveling. I also enjoy attending DJ events I enjoy and making crepes for breakfast for my family. Family get-togethers, a good nap, and having a vermouth with my dear wife on a terrace before lunch—these are things I like to enjoy in my free time. I also search for new music and come up with new ideas for future tracks.

Advice to new artists who want to dedicate themselves to this field.

My advice to the new generations is simple and concise: do what moves you inside, play the music that moves you, don’t get carried away by the trends you hear or see, be different and that will make you unique. In the world of production, it’s exactly the same: make the music you love to listen to and that way you’ll spread your magic to others. Be unique and that will make you great. Nothing more. It’s been a pleasure.