Nico Fernandez-Kiray makes nightlife prettier and more compelling from both behind the camera lens as Koorah, and from the drag stage as Bate Kush.
Thotyssey: Hello Nico aka Koorah aka Bate! Actually that’s my first question right there… when you’re out and about in the nightlife world, what are people usually calling you?
Koorah aka Bate Kush: People usually call me Koorah, or closer friends call me Nico. I’m only Bate Kush when. I’m in drag… but even then, people hardly know Bate and Koorah are the same person!
Secret identities are a ki! If someone were to ask you, “what are all the things you do?” How might you best respond?
Oh God, I usually take a deep breath and roll my eyes, smile and say first: “Nightlife photography — clubs, parties, drag shows, sex parties and portraits when I have a studio space. By day I’m a motion designer in a creative agency, and a college professor.” When people ask about drag, I say I do it only when there’s a show that’s stupid enough that I’m excited to do a number for.
There’s a lot to cover, so we better bounce right back to the beginning! Where are you from originally, and were you always into some form of the arts growing up?
I’m originally from Jersey, in the suburbs (like where The Sopranos happens), and yes! I always knew I’d be a creative for life, and that morphed a lot. I did all the theater, band music, drawing photography in high school. In college I studied graphic design and got into motion design, projection mapping and VJing. my nightlife photographer story kinda started at VJing
How and where exactly did that nightlife stuff begin for you?
Around the end of the pandemic, I was doing lots of nude figure drawing groups and made a bunch of lovely charcoal pole-and-hole. I would use my DSLR from school to photograph models, and sometimes wanted to make 3D models out of them. I realized photographing was pretty fun, and started playing around with film because it was trendy AF.
Later that summer I’d been photographing random events for myself, like the Judy block parties or friends at clubs. I asked my friend Eric at C’mon Everybody if I could VJ the “Poppers” party, and he said yes! So I made a whole folder of “Poppers” loops, and was so excited. But then closer to the party, he told me logistically it wouldn’t work out — but asked, “hey, I know you’ve been photographing more, and they’ve been looking great. Wanna shoot the party instead?” And I immediately said yes, and that snowballed into more gigs from him. And then other people on Instagram wanted to book me.
[all above photos by Koorah]
Your shots are quite striking! Do you have “tells” that make your photography Koorah-branded, do you think? Like, could someone in the know ever look at something you shot and say “Koorah did this?”
I feel like I’m still discovering that myself! I so wish I could say it’s the way I use my flash, or the lenses, or lightroom presets I’ve made — but truthfully, it’s been difficult to pin down. I listen to what other people say about my work; usually the connecting threads are, “you capture real authentic moments” or “you are actually there in the scene, not just watching, but a part of it.” I mean, how many other photographers are using their widest lens getting photos of boys from on-your-knees-level?
Indeed, lol! I must ask the Big Dreadful Question since it impacts so much of what you do: what are your thoughts on the oncoming onslaught of AI? Are you looking forward to potentially helpful new tools, or is it going to destroy all art and creativity as we know it?
Love this question! I think AI is so polarizing, with most people generally angry (rightfully so). I think it’s why analog art is making such a strong comeback.
As creatives it’s becoming more and more difficult to stay exploratory, and AI definitely curtails the creative process by letting people skip fundamental steps in the creative process. I don’t use AI to create any work (unless you count the “remove” tool in lightroom to make seamless backgrounds bigger, haha).
AI is coming for us all, like desktop computers and smartphones did. I don’t think ignoring it is an option at this point. If AI destroys art, it’s because we allowed it to create art that’s more interesting than what we’re capable of making. I feel like my work as a photographer capturing real moments seems protected, because AI wasn’t there and never will be.
Also, if I see one more fucking AI generated bear poster, I swear to God…
Amen! Where can people usually find you shooting these days, party-wise?
I’m at Red Eye and C’mon almost all the time photographing parties and drag shows. “Goldiloxx” is my main party at Red Eye, and I’ll often do Eric’s random horny parties at C’mon like “Daddy Dick,” or “Mall Drag” with MissMa’amShe. 3 Dollar Bill and 9 Bob Note sometimes too for parties like “Yessir” and shows like “Divatronic.”
How did your drag persona Bate Kush come about?
“Str8 to DVD!” I photographed their show a bunch of times and I’m close with Sam, Qhrist and Sherry. They did their “Mx. STR8 to DVD” for a while, and I asked if I could try sometime…. and I think I was pretty good! Good enough that people thought I was booked, and asked when they can see Bate Kush again!
Do you do actual Kate Bush numbers?
I actually did my first Kate Bush number a couple weeks ago at Pink Metal! It was “Babooshka,” and I was the sexiest grandma on the bar counter. I used the stage curtains as a shawl. I mostly do really obscure shows like three or four times a year. She’s done Mocha’s Bjork show, Shia Ho’s final fantasy show, and I’m co-producing one at C’mon this week!
Tell us more about that show: “Brain Rot” at C’mon this Thursday, co-hosted by Dilda Swinton!
Dilda and I are sisters, and we’ve been sending each other rotted mixes for years and decided to produce a show together! :Brain Rot” is a show about internet brain rot slop, that we’re hoping is the stupidest show C’mon everybody has ever seen! MissMa’amshe and Sherry Poppins will be joining as special guest performers.
What else is coming up for you?
“Sunday Sauced!” Queer Italian Sunday dinner is back at Pasta Night! Me, my husband, Sherry and Qhrist throw it at Pasta Night in Prospect Heights monthly. Come get sauced. I’m the co-producer, DJ and photographer! I don’t DJ for anything except that party, and likely never will
The next one is February 8th! And your husband Nic Fernandez-Kiray is no stranger to the scene.
Yes, he does nightlife videography! Nic and I make the creative, Qhrist and Sherry are the performers. The four of us take turns hosting things like bingo and contests.
Amazing! Okay lastly… who are some dream subjects in nightlife or beyond that you wanna shoot someday?
Aaah! I easily would melt and die to be the kind of photographer like Annie Liebowitz that photographs interesting figures. Like, if I could photograph Bjork… I would simply ascend.
Halleluiah! Thanks, Koorah!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Koorah and Bate Kush’s upcoming appearances. Follow Koorah on Instagram and his website; follow Bate Kush on Instagram.
Thotyssey 