After evolving the stage persona of Y2K over eight years, Austin DJ Turito Moreno craved a rebrand. This March, the three-time Austin Music Awards nominee took to the stage as Turito — a lifelong nickname primarily based on their delivery title, Arturo — for the primary time as an official South by Southwest performer.
With three upcoming EPs and a number of other anticipated collaborations with LGBTQ+ producers from Austin and past, the previous twenty first Road Co-op booker and founding father of Cyber Queen music showcase emerges into a brand new, extra susceptible period.
Q: You mentioned you felt caught in a field with the Y2K persona. Why did you’re feeling that method?
A: I began the venture in 2015. I beloved it, however I couldn’t get branding for it as a result of I can’t trademark it. Y2K is already pre-existing. I used to be additionally caught on this cyber, web beep-boop field. After I go by my title, it simply provides me extra freedom to do no matter I would like with my music. I don’t have to remain on this digital hyper-pop field.
Q: How has your sound as an artist modified together with your new stage persona?
A: Turito is extra rave music. The vocals are pop-punk vocals with Latin influences. I had my first efficiency of the brand new music throughout South-by, and it was obtained very properly, so I’m actually excited to really launch the venture. I simply must fine-tune it earlier than it comes out.
Q: Did the change from Y2K to Turito mirror any adjustments in your individual life, or was it extra of a artistic transition?
A: Every time I first began Y2K, I used to be carrying lots of pinks and dressed tremendous femme. I began making just a few extra songs throughout COVID, and I used to be nonetheless Y2K, however … I used to be carrying all black and all silver. Possibly it had one thing to do with COVID, however I advanced into this darker character. Turito is a fair darker model. On my closing EP as Y2K, I launched a tune that was by Y2K that includes Turito. It launched the brand new persona but in addition removed the previous venture. It’s type of like Turito is the human that was enjoying this AI digital actuality recreation this complete time and didn’t understand it till they awoke out of it. Y2K was that VR AI recreation.
Q: What does that really feel wish to be such a outstanding determine in Austin’s queer nightlife scene?
A: With me and p1nkstar, one in all my primary collaborators right here in Austin, every time we first had been put into the nightlife scene, we had been doing music, however everybody simply needed to e book us as drag or didn’t perceive what we had been doing. It wasn’t like conventional bands right here in Austin. We weren’t actually getting booked for music showcases. We didn’t really feel like there was anyplace we belonged, so we began producing our personal occasions and pulling in musicians and drag dancers, and we might throw all of it collectively on this one huge occasion. That’s how Cyber Queen and Cyber Babes had been born, after which they picked up. I like Austin’s queer group. It saved me.
Q: What are your plans for the close to future with Turito?
A: I’m engaged on three EPs proper now. The primary one shall be out very quickly. It’s the music I carried out throughout South-by, and I’m fine-tuning some final issues earlier than I put it out into the universe perpetually. Then, I can’t actually say rather a lot about it, however I’ve a fairly cool collab developing that I’m actually enthusiastic about. Hopefully, it’ll change my life perpetually.