Fernando Olaya Showcases Why He’s One of Colombia’s Finest…
Fernando Olaya is no stranger to Balance audiences. At the start of 2026, he made his debut with the label through the four-track ‘We Were Never Lost’ EP, a collaborative release that connected him with several fellow Colombian producers.
That release sits within a steadily growing catalogue that has seen his music appear across some of progressive house’s most established platforms. Alongside Kamilo Sanclemente, Olaya has become one of Colombia’s most active producers, building a reputation around a consistent run of detailed, club-focused releases.
On this Balance Selections, the producer highlights why he is becoming so undeniable. Featuring tracks and remixes from Greg Ochman, Gorkiz, Julian Millan and more, this is 90 minutes of proper progressive filled with many surprises.
Tracklist
1. Fernando Olaya – Id
2. Greg Ochman – Third Rock (Original Mix) {Sketches}
3. Carlos Bacchus – Quimera (Original Mix) {Marva Records}
4. Fernando Olaya, Juanes Mesa – We Rise Again (Original Mix)
5. Underworld – Always Loved A Film (Fernando Olaya Remix)
6. Tonaco – Philomena (Juan Ibañez & Abity Remix) {Mango Alley}
7. Berni Turletti – Id
8. Grattiam – Elizon (Original Mix) {Sonnet Speciale}
9. Rauschhaus – Ulysees (Fernando Olaya, Gorkiz Remix) {Movement Recordings}
10. Zoeken – Infinite (Original Mix) {Sonnet Speciale}
11. Fernando Olaya – Id
12. Fernando Olaya – Id
13. Giovanny Aparicio, Arbey Gonzalez – Id
14. Fernando Olaya, Julian Millan – Summer Train {Warung Recordings}
15. Fernando Olaya – Id
16. Still Corners – The Trip (Fernando Olaya Remix)
Name: Fernando Triana Olaya
Location:Pereira, Colombia
Alias/Producer name: Fernando Olaya
Labels affiliated with: The Soundgarden, Renaissance, Balance, Warung, Natura Sonoris, Melody of the Soul, Sol Selectas, Songuara, Rubicunda, Mango Alley, Univack.
I grew up in a home where music was always present. My father had a very diverse record collection, so I was exposed to all kinds of music from a very young age — Colombian music, salsa, rock en español, and many other styles.
At the same time, I started studying piano and music when I was a child, which gave me a strong connection with melody, harmony and musical expression.
When I was around eight years old, I discovered Eurodance, and that opened a completely new door for me. But there was one particular CD that changed everything: Paul Oakenfold – Perfection: A Perfecto Compilation from 1995.
I remember listening to it and feeling that I had discovered something completely different. The combination of electronic sounds, atmosphere, melodies and the energy of the music immediately connected with me.
That was the moment when I realized this was what I wanted to dedicate my life to.
I think the first time I really realised I was drawn to electronic music was when I was around eight years old and discovered Eurodance. But later, when I discovered Paul Oakenfold – Perfection: A Perfecto Compilation from 1995, something really changed for me.
It was the first time I heard artists like Sasha, BT, Quivver and Tilt, who would later become some of my biggest references. I was fascinated by the atmosphere, the melodies, the electronic textures and the way all these elements could create such an emotional journey.
I remember listening to that CD and thinking that I had found something I really connected with. It wasn’t just music I enjoyed listening to — I became curious about how it was made and wanted to understand everything behind it.
Looking back, that was probably the moment when I realised this was the path I wanted to follow for the rest of my life.
For the curious, here’s the mix that started it all for me:
I was around 14 years old when I saw a DJ playing live for the first time. It was at a school-age teenagers’ party that was happening in my city. I honestly don’t remember his name, but I remember exactly how I felt watching him.
When he started playing electronic music, I saw him almost like a hero. In my teenage mind, he was something between a scientist and a rockstar. I thought he was actually creating the music live in front of us, and I was completely fascinated by the way he could control the sound and the energy of the whole room.
I remember looking at him and thinking, “I want to do what he is doing.” That moment really stayed with me. I didn’t know yet how DJing actually worked, but I knew that somehow I wanted to be on the other side of that booth, creating that same feeling for other people.
Paul Oakenfold was one of the first artists I really followed closely. After discovering Perfection: A Perfecto Compilation, I started following his releases as soon as I had access to the internet. Albums and compilations like Creamfields, The Great Wall, Another World and Global Underground 002 opened up a whole new world for me.
Through that, I discovered the Global Underground series and started following every new compilation I could find. I remember hearing James Holden Horizons (Way Out West Remix) in one of Paul’s sets, and that track really stayed with me. James Holden became a major reference for me, especially after hearing his Balance 005 compilation, which completely blew my mind.
Later, artists like Hernán Cattaneo, Henry Saiz and Nick Warren became and still are very important references for me. What I admire about all of them is their ability to create a journey through music, where atmosphere, melody, emotion and groove all have a purpose.
Beyond music, I also studied art for some time, and that taught me to look at creativity from a much broader perspective. Painting, visual art, different forms of expression and the way artists communicate emotions have all influenced me.
I like taking those ideas and translating them into sound creating music that can evoke images, emotions and a sense of movement.
For me, inspiration is not only about listening to music. It’s about observing, experiencing and finding ways to transform those experiences into sound.
I listen to all kinds of music, but I especially enjoy digging into alternative and unfamiliar music — discovering things I haven’t heard before and finding those little hidden gems.
I had never really listened to Still Corners before, so I started exploring their discography. I came across The Trip, and it immediately captivated me. I loved the atmosphere, the emotion and the cinematic feeling of the track so much that I couldn’t resist the temptation to make my own remix.
It’s actually the remix that closes my Balance Selections mix, so it felt like a very natural way to finish the journey — starting with music from artists I love and ending with something I discovered completely by chance and felt inspired to reinterpret in my own way
My current studio setup is built around a Mac M1 Max, which is a very powerful machine and gives me all the processing power I need. I work mainly with Ableton Live, using Tannoy monitors and Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro headphones.
I’ve had my M-Audio Fast Track Pro for more than 17 years, and I’m still using it today. I’ve sold most of my hardware over the years. I still have several keyboards, but I’ve always preferred to keep my setup relatively simple.
For me, making music is a very intuitive process. I don’t like to overcomplicate things or get lost in technical details. I just want to enjoy creating, follow the idea and let the music flow. Some of my favourite instruments are Omnisphere, Trilian, Nexus and Spire, and for mixing I regularly work with UAD and Soundtoys plugins.
I really enjoy DJing and travelling with my music on USB drives, but doing a live act is a completely different experience. I’ve been performing live for many years, and I really enjoy the freedom of bringing my keyboards and APC40 and playing melodies, harmonies and rhythms live.
I have quite a few things happening at the moment. I recently finished a remix for Deep Dish, which they are currently playing in their sets, so I’m hoping it can be released towards the end of this year or early next year.
I also have a new remix with my friend Gorkiz from Brazil for Rauhhouse, planned for release next year, as well as new music coming for The Soundgarden.
I’ve also recently had releases on Warung Recordings and Rubicunda, and my collaboration with Zoeken, Perspective, was released on Mango Alley. I also released Eternal Embrace EP with Gorkiz on Warung Recordings.
Alongside my music, I also run an online music production academy, produccionmusicaelectronica.com, where we’re currently running a diploma focused on Progressive, Melodic and Organic music.
We invite different artists and professionals to share their knowledge with our students, including Juan Ibáñez, Dulus, Mredrollo, Kabi, Bernie Turletti, Juan Pablo Torrez and Joshua Moreno. We cover everything from music production, mixing and mastering to music business, Ableton and advanced production techniques.
One of the things that makes me really happy is being able to contribute to the next generation of producers in Latin America and give them access to knowledge and experience from artists who are actively working in the scene.
So, there’s a lot of music coming, but also a lot of work happening behind the scenes with the academy. I’m very happy to be able to contribute in both areas.
My next confirmed show is in November in Miami at Do Not Sit On The Furniture. I’m also currently working on a European and Asian tour for next year, so hopefully there will be more dates to announce soon.
I also have two regular radio shows: We Dance Melodies on Proton Radio, and Sonnet Speciale on Frisky Radio.
Sonnet Speciale is based around my own label, Sonnet Speciale, which I started in 2011. The label has always been a space where I can share my own music while also supporting and giving exposure to new and emerging talent. That’s something that remains very important to me.
These radio shows allow me to explore music beyond my live performances and share new discoveries, unreleased tracks and music from artists I really believe in.
For this Balance Selections mix, I wanted to create something really special and exclusive. I selected music that my producer friends have been sending me, some music from students at my academy that I wanted to give an opportunity to, and tracks from Colombian producers I’ve been working with and supporting.
I also included several of my upcoming releases and collaborations, as well as a number of exclusive IDs and unreleased tracks from my studio that have never been released before.
I don’t really like to put myself into one particular genre, so I wanted the mix to reflect that. There are organic, melodic, progressive and house sounds, but also some darker and more atmospheric moments, with a few elements that lean towards rock. For me, it’s more about the emotion, the atmosphere and the journey than about staying within one specific genre.
The entire mix was made in Ableton as an exclusive studio session, bringing together all these different influences into one journey.
My first release as Fernando Olaya.
Tuner
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Villa De Lyva, Colombia
