HI QUILLA: The Revival of Electronic Music in Quillabamba

There was a time when electronic music fell silent in Quillabamba. The raves, which were just gatherings of friends and part of a small emerging movement, simply vanished.

For those seeking something different in the City of Eternal Summer, something beyond the ordinary or traditional, what remained was a void.

But, as with every scene that has ever existed, it didn’t disappear entirely. It was just waiting for someone to reignite it. And so, almost without planning it, HI QUILLA was born.

Long before the concept of brands or events existed, and before anyone spoke of a music scene, a group of young people returned from trips to Lima in 2010 with a new way of experiencing music.

These weren't massive events or elaborate productions. They were gatherings "tonos", as they are usually called impromptu spaces where electronic music was beginning to find its place.

One of the places where these gatherings took place is now known as "La Balsa Quillabamba".

However, as often happens with movements that emerge without structure, time took its toll. The original group dispersed and each member went their separate ways. Little by little, the scene began to fade.

Just when that scene seemed to be a thing of the past, the arrival of this decade inspired those who had never stopped searching for it to step forward.

Without a name or brand, everything started again in a simple way: among friends, sharing and organising music for the sheer pleasure of it. Essentially, it was the same thing that had sparked the initial flame years ago: a passion for music.

Rather than creating something new, they were recapturing a feeling.

Over time, those attending these gatherings began to express the same idea.

Why don't you do it again? What started as a mere suggestion gradually turned into positive pressure. There was already interest and an audience, and, above all, there was an opportunity that no one was seizing.

It was at this point that the project began to take shape.

The project was the brainchild of two brothers, who were particularly influenced by their older brother, whom they regard as a music lover. He had played a key role in introducing them both to electronic music.

This connection shaped their musical tastes and their decision to collaborate. Although the idea wasn’t clear at the time, one thing was certain: if the scene didn’t exist, someone had to create it.

There was a moment when everything could have changed; the possibility of leaving the country was on the table. Italy offered a different way of life and a chance to start again.

The decision wasn’t an easy one, but ultimately, it was his mother’s advice to stay that shaped everything that followed.

So he took on the challenge of building a scene from scratch.

When they finally decided to make the idea official, they realised that the name had to represent more than just a simple concept.

Inspiration came from global icons such as the well-established, high-end electronic music brand “Hi Ibiza”. However, there was also a need to create a connection with the local community.

The result was a combination of the international and the Andean:

• Hi: is a nod to the global scene, it's a greeting.
• Quilla: which means "moon" in Quechua and is also part of the name of their hometown, 'Quillabamba'.

And so HI QUILLA was born.

The idea was to play tech-house, a genre they were already familiar with and believed could be popular in Quillabamba, even though it wasn’t the most common type of music there.

Part of the process therefore involved helping people to understand what these kinds of events are like.

At first, many people showed up not really knowing what to expect. Some stayed at the back and others hesitated to hit the dance floor. But little by little, that started to change.

In fact, on more than one occasion, the organisers themselves ended up joining in to get the crowd going. It wasn't just about playing music; it was also about fuelling the energy of the event.

Over time, the events ceased to be just "another date on the calendar". They started to have a concept behind them, even if it was simple.

Sometimes this was inspired by the weather, the venue, or an idea they wanted to try out. The events weren't overly produced, but there was enough to give each one its own style. Over time, our working methods also began to change.

Initially, we had to find DJs, contact them, follow up and see if they responded. It didn’t always work out. However, as we organised more events, this gradually changed.

We reached a point where some artists already knew the brand or wanted to work with us. Doors also opened with other brands and promoters, enabling us to host larger events or share production costs.

Beyond traditional events, we now want to experiment with new ways of doing things.

One of these is to take music to different venues, such as lookout points, open spaces or smaller, well-designed stages. Another idea is to record live sets and upload them to platforms like YouTube not just as content, but as a way to showcase our work.

This concept is still in its early stages, but it's a clear direction.

The people behind HIQUILLA are two brothers, Jhosep and Fabricio, who have been developing the project in different roles.

Fabricio (Fabri) is directly involved with the music and what happens in the DJ booth, while Jhosep focuses more on organisation and understanding how the music scene works, from selecting artists to planning events.

Their connection to music goes back a long way. Their older brother, Willy, exposed them to different genres from a young age, creating a foundation that evolved into their own discernment. It wasn’t just about listening; it was about understanding music from different angles.

Over time, each of them found their niche: Fabricio focused on the artistic side, while Jhon focused on the more strategic side. Without planning it from the outset, they ended up creating something that has now taken shape.

HIQUILLA didn’t originate from a structured idea, but from the natural process of growing up surrounded by music and gradually turning it into something bigger.