Whether she’s on the drag stage or in the DJ booth, this lovely native of Puerto Rico is part of a growing number of nightlife entertainers who are giving it to you from both sides of the club… the fierce Eros Hedonista! [Cover photo: Carmen DeCristo]
Thotyssey: Eros, hello! How are you, and how’s your October treating you so far?
Eros Hedonista: Hi there! October has been fabulous so far. I thoroughly enjoyed Brat summer and all the crazy wild parties, and now so ready for spooky season and all the amazing events I’ll be participating in.
Do you like horror / scary stuff, or are you into other Halloween aesthetics like a cozy / campy Hocus Pocus vibe, or straight up sexiness?
I love all of it! I used to have a large collection of classic horror and cheesy, campy films that inspired a lot of the music events I used to produce back in Puerto Rico where I was born and raised, until I moved to New York in 2022. There was always a very sexy “Elvira Mistress of the Dark” twist to them when I started doing drag, and I’ve been so excited to pour it all into my looks for DJ’ing this month!
Can you tell us a bit about how your nightlife career started in Puerto Rico?
Absolutely. I started DJing in small bars with a laptop and a huge dream of becoming a seasoned DJ. I quickly became a part of a very queer and “alternative” side of drag in San Juan and was part of a collective called House of De Show back in 2017 with my sisters Adi Love, Jhoni Jackson, and Anoma Lía. It’s also where I met my girlies Vena Cava, Victoria Holiday and Warhola Pop. We used to create all kinds of creative shows with small budgets–very drag on a dime! But always so full of creativity, passion and concept. I worked my way up to bigger clubs, took mentorship from local renowned DJs, and learned about all kinds of equipment and event production.
What’s the story of how your drag evolved?
I started DJing in 2017, but picked up drag in 2019. I wanted to fully transform into someone else, and have an alter ego that completely took over my creative outputs. I was so inspired by my queer community that I started sewing costumes, mixing my own numbers and performing as an extension of every creative thing I could.
You, Vena, Victoria, Warhola and also Mambiché have been representing Puerto Rican drag excellence in Brooklyn for a while now!
It fills my heart to hear that, thank you! These are incredibly talented people that I have know for a long time, and have worked so hard to make a name for themselves in NYC nightlife. I used to be roommates with Mambiché back in college while living in Puerto Rico, and spent so much time bonding together until 2016. But it wasn’t until we reconnected in New York that we started working together, and it’s been a dream.
Did you always want to be in New York someday?
I always dreamed of living in a big city where I could could grow as a designer or an artist of sorts. I didn’t have a solid plan, but Vena, Vicky, Warhola, Mambiché and I got together in NY post-pandemic. It happened as a happy coincidence. I moved in with my best friend Jarrod–and although it’s been challenging to break into nightlife, slowly but steadily I’ve been working with incredible producers, performers and DJs in New York.
You’re a rotating DJ for the hit weekly Thursday party “ByLatinQueers” at Rosemont that Victoria and Vena have been hosting. But now that bitch Victoria has left us, how dare she!?
“ByLatinQueers” is one of my favorite parties to DJ at one of my favorite home bars! I’m so grateful to Vena and Vicky for all the amazing opportunities. As for Victoria Holiday, I’m starting to have abandonment issues from my drag sister! First she leaves Puerto Rico and when I get to New York, she leaves New York. I hope she’s reading this! She’s been there for me in so many ways and I know a lot of amazing things are coming her way. I just feel that as a Puerto Rican, sometimes your roots just call you back. But I feel that she’ll come back to NY at the right time and I’m so excited for that.
What’s your sound like as a DJ?
Very femme empowered, cunty, slick, and sexy! I love exploring all kinds of music, but my heavy rotation is the “edgy” side of pop, house, goth, and reggaeton. My current muses are Charli, Shygirl, Cobrah, Kim Petras and Miss Bashful. I love to play music for the girlies that feel they can have their own spotlight on the dance floor.
This Friday at 3 Dollar Bill, you and P_A_T are DJ’ing “Boo-Ah,” Jazmine’s Kim Petras party! What can you tell us about that?
I’m so excited for this Friday! It’s such a fun lineup. We’re curating a set where we’ll play all of Kim’s greatest hits, all in the style of her album Turn of the Light with some hyper pop divas… so very spooky, but sexy. You won’t wanna miss the highlight of the night when Jazmine and Lana Ja’Rae eat up the stage!
Next up is a drag and comedy show.
Absolutely! I have October 17th a show with UnrulyNY at Unlisted.NYC with Pat N. Pending where drag performers and standup comedians will be entertaining a full spooky show from 7 to 12.
Then a few days later, you’re back at 3 Dollar Bill.
I’ll be DJing October 20th for the National Queer Theater with an amazing cast hosted by Yuhua Hamasaki, featuring Plasma.
When are you back at The Rosemont?
October 24th, for a spooky version of “ByLatinQueers” with hosts by Vena Cava and Roqué.
Okay lastly: Joker 2 is supposedly… not wonderful! Will it’s potential tanking harm Lady Gaga’s legacy?
I haven’t seen the film yet, but I’m looking forward to it. I’ve read all the backlash about it, and I have a feeling that this take on the characters is meant to represent something more grounded and “real life,” that speaks about other issues that are not entirely paired with the DC franchise. It’s not the typical fictional supervillain movie, and I just think it was meant for a different target audience. Most comments I’ve read come from a place of expecting the film to be very much like Heath Ledger in The Dark Night. Lady Gaga is an amazing performer, and I doubt that the backlash of the movie will affect her acting or music career in any way.
Well said! Happy Halloween, Eros!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Eros Hedonista’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Thotyssey 