Austin DJ Turito talks new stage persona, upcoming music

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.

TikTok influencer Chris Olsen talks on psychological well being, new espresso model

Over 400 UT college students gathered to hearken to TikTok star and entrepreneur Chris Olsen talk about his journey as a content material creator and advocate for psychological well being and his new espresso model on the College Union on Wednesday, hosted by the Scholar Endowed Centennial Management.

Olsen first gained recognition on TikTok throughout the pandemic, going viral for his “flying for espresso” sequence, by which he brings espresso to different creators, celebrities and politicians like Vice President Kamala Harris, Meghan Trainor and Austin Butler. He’s additionally recognized for documenting his journey by remedy and sobriety. Throughout his speak, Olsen mentioned his profession as a content material creator in addition to his new espresso model, Flight Gas.

“What’s actually thrilling concerning the app is a few individuals have discovered me for very various things after they wanted various things of their life,” Olsen stated throughout his speak. “Perhaps you wanted to see the remedy movies, or perhaps you simply wanted to giggle and watch me cling on to a pole.” 

The Scholar Endowed Centennial Management chosen Olsen to talk after representatives from totally different scholar organizations nominated and advocated for a number of visitor audio system. Throughout final 12 months’s occasion, SECL hosted Hank Inexperienced, a science content material creator. 

Saylor Dement, the SECL consultant for spirit group Texas Sweethearts, stated she advocated for Olsen due to his openness about his psychological well being and former substance points. 

“I actually appreciated him speaking about his substance misuse and being so weak along with his private tales,” Dement stated. “It’s tremendous necessary to present folks that house that they will talk this stuff.”

Olsen has documented his journey to sobriety and his experiences in remedy on TikTok, regularly posting movies of his periods to over ten million followers. 

“These remedy movies particularly, I feel they’re there for amusing, however they’re additionally there to make you are feeling not alone,” Olsen stated. “Whether or not I’m going by one thing that you just relate to, or perhaps you’ve been terrified of going to remedy and also you notice that right here’s what remedy might be, and it’s actually not a scary factor.”

Olsen stated he struggled with substance misuse in school, and went to rehab after his school roommate instructed him he couldn’t be in her life if he didn’t search assist. He stated that dialog was extraordinarily tough on the time, however it saved his life.

“When you’ve got a pal who you’re actually apprehensive about, or if there’s anybody in your life that you just’re apprehensive about, the largest worry you’ve gotten is the confrontation with them,” Olsen stated. “That shall be extraordinarily onerous, but when they get to the opposite facet in the best way that you just’re praying that they do, then they may thanks.”

Radio-television-film freshman Dylan Recker stated she appreciated Olson’s honesty about his psychological well being journey. 

“To me, he’s this humorous man and (makes) these foolish movies, however it was cool to see him discuss how simply because his life seems to be so excellent on social media, he goes by loads of hardships similar to a traditional particular person,” Recker stated.

Olsen additionally mentioned the way forward for his espresso model Flight Gas, whose title was impressed by his flying for espresso sequence. 

“It’s been actually thrilling, it’s rather a lot to tackle, as a result of I’m actually operating a enterprise,” Olsen stated. “I’m the true definition of girlboss.”