Road To Sueños: DJ Fredy Fresco

DJ Fredy Fresco, known for his lively DJ sets and electrifying stage presence, is the host, MC and DJ for Sueños 2024.

Fredy Fresco was only 13 years old when he started spinning records in his family’s apartment, which became his training ground for his craft in mixing. Now, Fresco has established himself as a versatile DJ and performer, blending genres and putting on energetic performances. From reggaeton to hip-hop to EDM, Fresco is a master of curating a vibe with diverse musical styles. 

Fresco is also one of the official festival DJs for Sueños, Chicago’s largest Latin music festival, which will return for its third year in Grant Park on May 25 and 26. Sitting down with Vocalo host Nudia Hernandez, Fresco recalled a pivotal moment in his career from the inaugural festival: Bad Bunny reposted a video of him spinning his 2022 album Un Verano Sin Ti to a packed crowd. Looking back, the DJ feels this repost propelled his visibility and opened up new opportunities for collaborations and bookings.

“I’m forever thankful, because that really did change the game for me,” Fresco said. “Everything just kind of went up. The numbers, the bookings, the love, the collabs, the interest of just music. It just really elevated.”

Fresco is a familiar name on the festival circuit, as a frequent DJ for Baja Beach Fest, Coca-Cola Flow and Papas & Beer. Sueños, now a Memorial Day weekend staple in Chicago, spans genres including reggaeton, Latin rap, hip-hop, perreo and EDM. The festival aims to create an inclusive space for Chicago’s vibrant Latinx community through live music experiences. As the sold-out festival prepares to draw thousands to Grant Park for the third year, Fresco feels this is only the beginning.

“It’s only going to grow. It’s only going to be better. It’s only going to expand,” Fresco expressed. “Latinos are here. The presence is heavy, and even if you’re not Latino, you’re going to enjoy the vibes.”

For Fresco, Sueños isn’t just a festival — it’s a celebration of Latin music and culture. Fresco expressed enthusiasm for the lineup, including artists like Peso Pluma and Rauw Alejandro. 

The festival starts Saturday, May 25, in Grant Park. Before the festival, Fresco will be DJing for the sold-out, first-ever White Sox Latin reggaeton night alongside fellow festival DJ Dynamiq at Guaranteed Rate Field in Bridgeport on May 24. Fresco has a jam-packed schedule for Sueños weekend, including multiple afterparties throughout the weekend. Find more information about the festival and afterparties at suenosmusicfestival.com.

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Nudia Hernandez: Vocalo Radio, Chicago’s only urban alternative, 91.1 FM. We are on our road to Suenos 2024, and in the building, as promised, I do have the host, MC and DJ for Suenos Fredy Fresco in the building. Hello! 

Fredy Fresco: Hey, what’s good? How are you? 

I got the claps going on for you in the back, by the way!

Yeah, yeah, we here!

We were just talking — the schedule. The schedule to be a Suenos DJ … 

Yeah, we lit.

Wild. Do y’all sleep? Do you sleep this weekend, ever? 

I try to sleep! I try to sleep as much as I can. But yeah, it’s a very hectic and busy schedule. But hey, it’s Chicago, it’s a party and I love it, you know? 

Yeah, it’s like that TikTok, like, “Club. Bus. Other club.” That’s so crazy. And so, for our Vocalo listeners, the first Suenos Fest, someone snuck me into the press area. I interviewed all the DJs: you, Miriam, Dynamiq. From that first year, did you think it would be here three years later? 

Absolutely. 

You did say that! 

It’s only gonna grow, it’s only gonna be better. It’s only gonna expand. Latinos are here. The presence is heavy. And even if you’re not Latino, you’re gonna enjoy the vibes, you’re gonna want to come, you’ll want to see it. And like I said, it’s only getting bigger and better. This is year three. Year two was good, year three is better and year four is gonna be even better. 

I know! You were saying that you feel like now Chicago is like memorialized with Suenos, and with Memorial Day weekend. Because it has been every Memorial Day weekend. 

I feel like when you think of festivals such as EDC, it’s like, “Oh, Las Vegas.” In comparison, I’m like, “Baja Beach Fest? Oh, Rosarito.” Now it’s, “Suenos Music Festival? Oh, that’s Chicago.” Every year you know where it’s at, you know where to be and that’s where it’s poppin’, you know? That’s what I think.

And from the first year, you know festivals really well. You are the festival DJ for so many. Baja Beach Fest, Coca Cola Flow. There’s another one, what’s the other one? 

Papas & Beer. 

Papas & Beer, and then Suenos. You’ve been to a lot of festivals, Fredy. Are you jaded to festivals now? Are you like, “Oh, it’s just another day at work?” 

I mean, when you love what you do, it’s never work. I have a passion for this, it’s exciting. It keeps me up at night … It’s just an adrenaline that just never stops. It’s never-ending, and it’s never the same. It’s always different people. it’s different energies, different vibes, different music, different cultures, different backgrounds, different ethnicities. You just get to range and just really try your best to connect with these people. Because when you’re DJing, those people are really not there to see you. They’re there to see the artists. My job is to get from point A to point B, and make sure the party keeps going. Within those slot times that I have throughout the festival, I’m trying to connect with people. If you don’t know who I am, you’re gonna know today. You’re gonna learn today. 

Yeah, and that’s really gotten you so far, because didn’t Bad Bunny repost you one year at Suenos? Was it last year? 

It was year one. 

Year one, he reposted you.

Yeah. Man, that was like the biggest co-sign. The biggest Latin artist in the world literally said, “Yo, Freddy Fresco is tight.” 

And repost.

Repost, and everything just kind of went up: the numbers, the bookings, the love, the collabs, the interest of just music, it just really elevated. I’m forever thankful, because that really did, it changed the game for me … I’ve never seen him repost another DJ, ever since, right? 

Me either!

So, for me, I take that to heart and it’s like, man. It’s one of those like, “Damn, I have that trophy right there.” It means a lot, you know? 

Because, arguably, at that time … I think Un Verano Sin Ti had just dropped, and you were playing the album probably the earliest, before other people because of the festival. It’s so funny, since then to now, he’s still at the top. He’s still at the top. So for you, having DJ’d so many festivals, if there’s someone listening and they’re like, “Oh, one day, my goal,” even if they’re just a little baby or they’re working hard at it, they’re like, “Oh, I want to be a festival DJ one day.” What is the most important thing, as a festival DJ, to know? 

Man. Be creative. Don’t be scared. Don’t get intimidated. Preparation with humility, execute with confidence. That’s the main. Have rough skin, pay no attention to the noise, be on time and focus. Really focus, because it’s a big show. And it only takes one thing to throw everything off, so it’s always about just maintaining your cool, be excited, be happy and enjoy it. That’s really it, because when you do a club set, that’s one thing, it’s one hour, 45 minutes. But when you’re doing nine sets a day, and you can’t play the artists that are on that day, because they’re gonna perform it, now you have to get creative with your music. You got to expand your library. Does that make sense? It’s just really, just preparation. Just be prepared and be ready for anything. If your mic turns off, if the sound system I goes off… 

I was gonna say, the troubleshooting! Does that ever scare [you]? So many things could go wrong, the heat. Your laptop could overheat. 

That’s what I’m saying! Always keep calm, be composed, you can’t go up there and throw a fit. You’ve got to control it. Because if the crowd sees you … 

Freaking out?

Yeah, then they’re like, “Yo, what’s happening.” But it’s like, “Yo, we’re all good. How’s everybody doing?” Just improvise, be on your toes. Always. And don’t get comfortable. That’s the worst thing. Don’t get comfortable … Always elevate. Always do better than you did your last time. Try to outdo yourself, try to outwork yourself. Don’t be boring. Project good energy, so people reciprocate that energy back. Does that make sense? 

Yeah.

Because as a festival DJ, if I’m up there, and I’m all bored and not doing nothing, then people are kind of like, “Ah.” But if you’re out there, like, “Ahhhh!” Giving them the party, then … 

They’re like, “Where’s Maluma? Who’s this person?”

Yeah, “Who’s this guy? Get him out of here!”

I do have to say, I think, one of the best mic games in DJing right now. 

[Barks]

I was just gonna say! I love it, that’s my favorite when you do that.

When I bark?

Do it one more time! When you first did that, at the first Suenos, I was like, “I don’t know what that sound was, but it’s working. It’s getting me hyped.” I guess it’s just those little things …

It’s a little extra. The sauce.

… that set you apart. And for people that don’t know or maybe didn’t listen to our first interview, from the first Suenos, I know you from like, what is it, seven, eight years ago? When I was an intern at the first radio station I worked at, 99.1 KGGI in Southern California. You were a DJ, you were a mixer on the station. And we’ve both come so far. I do have to say, this look, you’re looking — when’s the album dropping? Because you look like, I’m ready to hear you sing. 

Yeah, summer 2024! Get ready, I’m telling you.

Yeah, you just got the style now, you got like the flow. Do you ever feel in your mind maybe it’s time to really get an album produced? 

Of course. Yeah, just like I said, it’s always about elevating. The DJ stuff is cool, I’m locked in. The mic work is cool, locked in. I know how to produce, I produce for myself or create records with artists. But I do have music out, that I put out at least twice a month. It might not be on a scale where all these other major artists are, but I have my numbers and I’m generating it all organically, and that’s how I want it to be. You always want to elevate, you always want to improvise and you always want to do more than what you do. 

I was gonna say, you’re like the Latino Diplo. 

I’m trying just to be the Fredy Fresco, you know? Heavily inspired by Lil John. 

Oh, the Latino Lil John! Okay, I see it! 

Yeah, you know! Hype, mic work, party records. 

That works!

Inspiration has been him, DJ Snake on some producing stuff. There’s so many different ways I can go. Like Tiny, there’s a lot of great producers that I look up to. So it’s just finding the formula and making it work, you know? 

No, we’re waiting for the album. We’re waiting for it! 

It’s coming! It’s coming.

So this weekend, of course, there’s a stacked lineup. I mean, I feel like all the heartthrobs, all the heavy hitters are on the Suenos lineup. Who are you excited to see this weekend? 

Um, DJ Fredy Fresco. Let’s go!

You’re gonna be there all day, by the way. If you’re at Suenos, you’re gonna feel like you’re best friends with Fredy, because you’re gonna be up on that stage. 

Yeah, that’s who I want to see. No, realistically, I love Peso Pluma. Sunday, that’s a great closer, it’s gonna be amazing.

That’s gonna be crazy. Yeah, the cowboy hats. 

That’s a heavy Mexican presence, the set prior.

I’m just excited to see him drop Ella Bailla Sola. I feel like, in real life, that’s gonna be crazy.

In person, yeah. 

With the crowd! I can’t wait to feel that energy. 

I dropped it last year, during a mix set, and it went nuts, it went crazy. I posted it the day after and I was like, “Yo, Suenos, Peso Pluma next year or what?” And then here we are a year later and he’s headlining! Now, if we could do that for like Bad Bunny or a Karol G, I mean, that’s next. That’s the goal, that’s what I’m trying to strive for, just keep showing people that we’re listening, we’re tapping in, we’re trying to make the best of this, and we want to make the people happy. So Peso Pluma is for sure one, Rauw Alejandro, obviously amazing. Great dancer, great vocalist. Xavi, he’s one of the hottest coming up right now, I’m excited to hear him. He has a very intriguing voice, something different. The only person who I thought should have been here this year who’s not here is El Alfa, because he brings that extra uptempo vibe. 

With the dembo. 

Yeah, but I think the lineup’s solid and I think everybody’s gonna have a great time. And realistically, I’m looking forward to everybody. Not even that, just the people, I want to see what they’re on. 

The crowd? 

I want to see that vibe. 

I was gonna say, do you — because y’all are backstage a lot — do you ever go into the general crowd? Do you ever sneak around? 

Hell yeah! 

You do?

Yeah, I love that! Catch me at the food stand or something, getting a michelada or something. Yeah, I love to go out there. I love to interact with people, just get that perspective of what they’re seeing, how they’re visually seeing what I’m doing, or how does the sound sound? Is the bass hitting right? When I do shows, the bass needs to be hitting. The bass needs to be loud. Because if I don’t feel it under my feet, they don’t feel it … Those little moments where I take my breaks and I’ll walk around and just pay attention to everything, sometimes get videos of people being messed up and lit and having a good time. Just people watching, you know? I love people watching. 

A festival is the right place to do it! 

Exactly, exactly. 

For you, how do you prepare for a day like this? Let’s say someone’s listening, they’re going to Suenos, how much sleep should they get? How much sunscreen should they wear? For you, what do you recommend to prepare yourself mentally to go to Suenos? 

Yo, stay hydrated, that’s one! Comfortable feet, comfortable footwear. And if it gets too hot, step back. That’s really it! Because everybody wants to get up to the stage and get close so everybody gets kind of cluttered. One of the things that I always do when I DJ festivals …

You always look out for that, I will say. 

And I tell people, too, like, “Hey, you guys, let me know.” 

They flash their phones. 

I turn the music down, and let people know like, “Hey, if something’s wrong, let me know. I’ll stop it. Your safety is more important than the song that I’m about to play. So I need to make sure you guys are okay. Once that’s handled, then y’all let me know we’re good to go and let’s get the party going.”

The first time I saw you do that, I was taken aback. I was like, “Oh, wow.” It just shows what a veteran you are, that you know. I didn’t even know what was happening, and you could see it from where you were and you stopped the music and you waited until the paramedics got there or someone got taken care of. 

Yeah, because in that moment, you don’t know what’s going through that person’s mind, or their friend’s or whoever is trying to get the help. So I was like, “Yo, let’s stop. Let’s get that handled, and then move that out the way. She good? We good? Let’s keep going.” Everybody’s important. No other life is more important than others. Mine’s not more important than theirs. So let’s stop, let’s chill, let’s reset. Alright, let’s do it again. That’s really the main thing about being a DJ, is that you got to look up. When you’re performing, you got to look up, you got to read your crowd, you got to know who you’re playing to, you got to see who’s vibing and who’s not.

Get out of your laptop. 

Yeah, because I’ve seen DJs just [stare at their screen], we call that the Serato face, when you’re just stuck in your… 

You’re watching TV. 

Yeah, but that’s not it! You gotta be up, you gotta be dancing, you gotta be singing, you gotta be interacting. So I love the catwalk, you know what the catwalk is? 

Yeah, you walk down it, right? The little strip.

Yeah, I love doing that! 

You get your model on, you’re America’s Next Top Model! 

Yeah, you know what I’m saying! The little duck lips.

So for you right now, if you could name three tracks you’re really feeling right now, three tracks you know are going to be in your set this weekend, what are some big Latin tracks that you’re like, “This is setting the vibe for summer. 2024.” 

Peso Pluma and DJ Snake, Teka. 

I love that song, yeah. 

Gata Only [by FloyyMenor and Cris Mj], alright, and … Man, this one’s tough. Because it could go one of two ways. I could go with Dani Flow, because Dani Flow has the real rugged, vulgar, nasty perreo, MARTILLAZO. And if not, I would say it’s gonna have to be … What’s that one song? Is it LUNA, by Feid?

Okay, three tracks you’re definitely gonna hear. And now let’s do some Fredy Fresco predictions before we head off. You predicted Peso Pluma last year, so if you look into your brujeria, if you get it going, who do you think is gonna be headlining Suenos next year? 

Damn, due to my position in the festival, I can’t really …

You can’t speculate?

I can’t really give my thoughts! I would just say, man, if you’ve been with us since year one, thank you. If you’ve been with us since year two, or this is your first, you’re gonna have a great time, and next year is going to be even bigger and better. I hope to see everybody there. But I know the artists are not going to disappoint. I know this year, I did last year and I think last year I did the first year, so now let’s just start doing the next year. 

I know, it gets crazier every year!

And remember, you got from now to next year. Artists are popping up every day. 

That’s true. 

So you never know. 

Records, the turnover rate.

All it takes is one song, you know. I would love to see that guy, SC nine, you know who that is? 

No!

The cumbia guy? 

No, I haven’t heard of him. 

Oh my god. I’ll put you on. 

Yeah, you need to put me on, send me the mp3s! So where can we catch you this weekend? I mean, not only Suenos. But you’re going to be DJing for the White Sox.

Yes! So I’m doing the Latin night, Latin reggaeton night for the White Sox, first ever in history. It’s sold out already, so I’ll be DJing at the White Sox stadium. It’s like a pregame party. And then after that, heading over to The Mine. It’s like a pre party with Alvaro Diaz. Then Suenos Saturday all day, hosting and DJing. At night it’s the first official afterparty at Avondale with Dani Flow. Then Sunday, again, DJing all day and hosting the festival, doing a silent disco with Bacardi, it’s gonna be on at the festival ground.

 

That’s sick! Yeah, so where is that? That’s gonna be in the cut somewhere? 

So it’s somewhere … in the festival, but it has its designated area. It’s a pretty cool pop-up. 

I’m gonna find it! Because I love me a silent disco. 

I’ll be there from 4:30 to 5, and then from there we’ve got the official-official afterparty at The Mine with Peso Pluma and DJ Fredy Fresco. So it’s about to be a movie. 

It’s gonna be crazy. Yeah, you thought you were busy this weekend. Did you hear that schedule?

We busy!

Team no sleep! Thank you again, Fredy Fresco, for being here with us. We’ll see you at Suenos this weekend! Can you give us your ad-lib to take us out?

Hey, it’s your boy DJ Fredy Fresco, you know the vibes. [Barks]

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Interview and audio production by Nudia Hernandez

Written introduction by Blake Hall and Morgan Ciocca

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