Sprinkling pure pop joy onto dancers from DJ booths across the city while serving original bops across the algorithms, Tasheff is taking us through this penultimate Pride week in style. [Cover photo: Lamar Kendrick-Dial]
Thotyssey: Hi Tasheff, thanks for talking to us today! We are rapidly approaching Pride Week already… are you excited or stressed?
Tasheff: Thank you for having me! I’m super excited, I hope I get a chance to party a bit between gigs. I’ve been super busy, and it’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to just enjoy a night out!
I bet! Your DJ platform has been widening quite a bit in NYC these past few months. What’s truly great about DJ’ing dance floors, in your opinion?
It’s always such a pleasure to connect with people, even if it’s total strangers getting lost in the moment with their friends. The music brings us all together, and I’m really proud to provide that experience for people! Whether I’m playing a classic and watching people sing along, or seeing people connect and be pleasantly surprised by a deep cut or something more obscure, it’s a really valuable experience. I’ve also met some of my best friends and favorite people through DJing, and it’s expanded my world in a really meaningful way.
You’re also a music producer and recording artist; I’ve been recently enjoying your track “No Talking on the Dancefloor,” which is trending and meme’ing its way across the socials! What was the inspiration and process behind that track… and should people in fact be STFU’ing on that floor while the DJ is dropping beats on them, lol?
I made that track in November 2022 after a night out at Basement, which famously has a “no talking and no phones on the dancefloor” policy. I certainly don’t think every club or dancefloor needs rules like that, and in fact I love to see people chatting and having fun when I’m DJing at a space like Rosemont or Metropolitan. On the other hand, at a spot like Basement or Nowadays, locking into the music and really losing yourself can be so transcendent and meditative — and the last thing you want in moments like that is someone yapping in your ear. I would never actually shush someone on the dance floor or tell them to shut the fuck up; I’m not in the business of telling other people what to do! But it was a lot of fun to play that character and lean into my internal monologue a bit, and I’m super excited that people are connecting with it.
Can you share a bit of your origin story with us: where’s your original hometown, and was music always a big part of your life?
I grew up in beautiful Brooklyn, New York! As a kid, I listened to a lot of pop radio, mostly Z100 and 92.3, and watched music videos obsessively. I joined my middle school choir, and then went to a performing arts high school where I studied classical voice. I’ve been writing and producing my own music since I was in middle school, and then I started DJing when I moved back to the city after graduating college.
Do you have a specific sound that you bring to the dance floor today?
Pop music is always at the center of what I do, but my objective for any set is to unite the classics we all know and love with their more underground influences. Depending on the space and the event, I may lean more house or techno or trance-y — but a good vocal line is really important to me. It’s pretty rare that I’ll play a purely instrumental track, but never say never!
Not to put you on the spot, but do you have any particular hot takes on the current state of pop in regards to artists, trends, the business, etc.?
I think we need to focus a little less on celebrity culture and spend more time supporting local acts! The live music scene here is great for rock, indie and rap, but I want to see more fierce pop bills. I’m working on organizing more events that showcase live performers, because there are so many great people in New York… but we’re all quite scattered. Some of my favorite local pop stars are Apollo, Emily Tressa, and Colette March. My friend Allan Ritual runs “DISTORT,” where he organizes really fun electronic pop nights with DJs and live performers, and I love Ren G (FKA Club Eat) as well.
I don’t really go to big pop tours because they’re so exorbitantly expensive, and the industry has figured out how to prey on consumers and exploit stans. I look at a scene like London’s which has produced some of my favorite modern pop artists (Rose Gray, Tsatsamis, Shygirl), and feel really inspired — what if instead of worshipping celebrities, we gave that energy to each other? I think we can all afford to lock in with the scene around us a little more, and what better place to do that than New York?
All of this!
You’ve got a bunch of stuff coming up, both in the booth and on stage. First up, Thursday night you’ll be DJing at Home Sweet Home in the LES.
I’m super excited to be a part of Sofia D’Angelo’s “Tiger Beat” party! It’s centered around the music of the Y2K era, so I’m going to be playing some of my favorite tracks from that time — plenty of Britney, Madonna, Janet and their musical descendants, of course. Sofia is a part of the collective MICHELLE who are also making fabulous pop music in New York, and I’m really hype to be working together! Plus, Thursday night at Home Sweet Home used to be The Dare’s party so…. Big shoes to fill!
Then on Friday, you’ll be back at one of your home bases, The Rosemont, for Janelle No. 5’s new party Xcstacy. The Rosemont remains quite the hotspot in Brooklyn!
Yes! The Rosemont was one of my first queer bars, and I’ve been partying there for a long time. It’s a real full circle moment to be DJing there, and it’s something I don’t take for granted. Xcstasy is a super fierce party; my set has a lot of influence from Eurodance and hyperpop, it’s super energetic and playful. My co-DJ Aimee Amour always tears too!
Then the previously mentioned “DISTORT” returns for a live showcase Saturday at Alphaville, where you and several other indie pop artists will be on stage!
I love a late night club set, I think it’s the best setting for me to really let my energy run wild on stage. “No Talking on the Dancefloor” sounds good at 8pm, but it sounds great at 2am! Plus, I’ll be performing some more unreleased bangers and may even have a few special guests joining me…
And then Sunday, you’re returning to The Rosemont to co-present a new music release party care of Colette March! What you can you tell us about Colette and her sound?
Colette is that girl, and “FRANCO” is going to be the song of the summer! She’s really focusing on dance pop with this track, and it reminds me a lot of my favorite Charli XCX and SOPHIE tracks… with a sexy Italian twist. She’s ready for the club with this one, and we’re going to turn it!
What else is coming up for you?
You can always come see me on Fridays at Rosemont for Xcstacy! I’m really thrilled to be DJing “DISTORTFEST” at Silo on Thursdayl July 10th as well, on a legendary lineup with some of my favorite Brooklyn DJs. I’m currently working on some remixes for some of my favorite artists, and sitting on a ton of unreleased music that I’m very eager to share.
Excellent! Let’s close with my favorite question for folks on your side of the biz: what’s your best advice for a baby DJ coming into the scene who wants to make it big?
Show up! DMing and asking for opportunities rarely works, but meeting face to face is super effective. Introduce yourself when it’s not busy, and definitely go out on Wednesdays and Thursdays — it’s more chill, and there’s more time to chitchat and meet people.
Excellent advice for all! Happy Pride, Tasheff!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for DJ Tasheff’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Instagram, TikTok and LinkTree.
Thotyssey 