One night he ’s summoned last - minute to privately DJ for Janet Jackson , the next he ’s performing for a bunch of gay in Brooklyn .
When I walk into Ty Sunderland ’s backstage trailer at Planet Pride this weekend , he was in the thick of being inform that two queer A - list actors — who will remain nameless — were in the sea of 5,000 fans he performed for at the Brooklyn locale Brooklyn Mirage .
“ Oh ! We should ’ve given them all - access ! ” Ty , dress in his signature dim and white Valentino shirt and black glasses , told his manager .
One night he’s summoned last-minute to privately DJ for Janet Jackson, the next he’s performing for a bunch of gays in Brooklyn.
Turns out , like most queer folks inNew YorkCity , the two actor were just devotee of Ty ’s events and need to party like everyone else . That ’s kind of what Ty — a 33 - year - old Hollywood , Florida indigen project when he get his foray into nightlife . DJing may have take up as a way of spice up up his “ fucking drilling ” college in upstate New York , but it led him to becoming one of the most popular disk jockey in nightlife right now . Grammy - win singerKim Petras , who ’s acquaintance with Ty , told BuzzFeed , “ Ty confuse the undecomposed parties in New York . ”
But beyond his mixes — which integrate a portmanteau of EDM , pop euphony , and diva of present and past — and beyond the celebrities and spectacle of it all , Ty has created a safe berth where all are welcome .
“ I ’ve always tried to admit as many groups as I can . Even when I started , I want to bring so many different groups of multitude together , ” he said . “ Because that ’s a good company . When everyone already cognise each other , it ’s like , ‘ Why are we doing this ? ’ ” From his pop adept - theme boat parties ( “ The Gayflower ” ) to his Sunday staple “ Ty Tea ” in Brooklyn , Ty ’s events have earn a furore follow in New York City .
Whether it ’s function viral for thedemon twinksaga of 2021 , or getting a call at 2:30 in the morning to come up DJ forJanet Jacksonin Soho , or hopping on an officialKelly Clarksonremix , Ty ’s career seems as fun and unpredictable as advert one of his events . Still , he does n’t take his success or the NYC renown for granted . “ the great unwashed seize me and take moving picture . I sleep together it ! Get me while I ’m here — I do n’t know where I ’m gon na be next year , " he told me .
Here ’s my Q&A with Ty . We talk about music , renown , and night life — and even have the gayest disputation aboutMariah Careyremix deep cuts .
Name , age , pronouns , where you ’re from , where you ’re from , “ Hm , I might be gay ” moment .
Ty . I am 33 . pronoun are he / him . I ’m from Hollywood , Florida . “ Hm , I might be brave ” mo ?
You are gay , correct ?
I am very jocund . I identify as a faggot . I ’m definitely a faggot . I ’m post - twink . I think I ’m too old . I think “ twink ” is also a certain age . I ’ve aged out of being a twink . I call myself post - twink . Do you lie with twink death ? I do n’t think I ’ve experienced twink death yet .
Tell me about how you got into DJing and nightlife . And did you always want to be doing what you do now ?
Now , this was all an accident . I went to college upstate , and my college was so fucking boring . SUNY - Purchase . It ’s a very folky , land nature . It ’s like a cute picayune big art school , but it ’s very state , and I ’m arrive from South Florida , which is , like , terpsichore medicine , EDM . It was 2010 , so Ultra was contract off . Dance music was taking off . star sign company at my school were , like , masses sit around play guitar listening to Oasis . I was like , “ Nope . ” I started throwing house parties in college and was like , “ I guess I got ta learn how to DJ . ”
Were you out at this time ?
I opine I was — what did we used to say ? — “ Gay By May . ” You get to college , and you ’re not out yet , but you ’re gon na be gay by May .
So , you startle to learn to DJ , and then …
I got my degree in political economy , and I worked in corporate fashion decently out of shoal . Those pay do not devote a living earnings , so I started DJing on the weekend to make supererogatory money . So , I hated my Book of Job , and I quit . And I was like , I ’m just gon na DJ until I figure out what I ’m doing . … I did n’t mean to “ make it . ” I did n’t mean to ever get to where I am . But I was just like , “ OK , this is working . I ’ll stick with it . ” I ’m very thankful . I ’m living my teen pipe dream . Being a student of the South Florida dance music prospect , I never thought I ’d get to play for 5,000 multitude at the Brooklyn Mirage .
And you ’re , like , decent . You ’re not , like , an asshole .
frankly , I ’ve met so many cunty people that I made sure that I always stay unfeigned to myself and hear to be as courteous to people . I imply I do have my boundary , but I do endeavor to make indisputable I ’m as nice to people as potential .
tell apart me about bound you ’ve had to put up .
If someone ’s , like , really drunk , I ’m not gon na engage . Then , it becomes like , “ I ’m not your therapist . ” Or someone like latching on to you . I ’m like , “ OK , thank you ! ” Say hi . Keep it cunning , keep it move . That ’s how I interact with people who are far-famed — say hi , keep it cunning , keep it moving , do n’t take up too much of their metre .
What is an NYC gay nightlife faux pas ?
Asking for guestlist when the door ’s already opened . I ’m gon na be like , “ miss … ” Also when I ’m examine to get a drink and masses are birth a conversation at the measure . In the words of Kylie Minogue , [ sings ] “ Get outta my means . ”
So , what ’s the etiquette ?
At least the daytime before .
Which celebs have you unite with most ? Any funny chronicle or minute you may share ?
I ’m friends with Kim Petras . I adore her . I ’ve known her since her first single , properly when her first single amount out . I was lecture to her last night . I was like , “ Girl , you ’ve done everything you said you were go to do five years [ ago ] . ” We were sit around at an afterparty hanging out . She scantily had 20,000 followers on Instagram , and she was like , “ I ’m gon na get a Grammy . I ’m gon na have a Sung dynasty with Nicki Minaj . I ’m gon na ratify to a major recording label . ” And she did all three things . I adore her .
I ’ve met so many celebrities . I just DJed Janet Jackson ’s afterparty . Christian Siriano called me up , and it ’s , like , 2 a.m. I ’m in layer . He ’s like , “ Where are you ? ” I ’m like , “ You were at Janet Jackson ’s last night , you went backstage , did n’t ask for me , you knew I was there . I ’m go to bed . ” He ’s like , “ I ’m with her now . Come . ” It was at the Mulberry in Soho . I get there , and it ’s just Janet , her social dancer , and Christian . So , we ’re hang out , and he ’s like , “ Ty , can you DJ . Can you please go DJ for Janet ? ” I look it up , and I was like , “ I can be back here in 25 moment , round - trip . ” This is 2:30 in the morning . I get back and play ‘ til 5:30 in the daybreak .
And what is she doing ? Sitting ? Dancing ? Vibing ?
She ’s sitting , hanging out , talking with her dancers and her team . I have a characterization with her . She was so crashing sweet . She made a point to say , “ give thanks you , Ty . ” I was like , “ rattling flying , Janet , what ’s the one song of yours you would require a DJ to play if you were in the way ? ” And she ’s like , “ I ’m so humiliated , I do n’t know . ”
Do people ever call for you for photo ?
Yeah , the great unwashed snaffle me and take pictures . I sleep together it ! Get me while I ’m here — I do n’t have sex where I ’m gon na be next year .
I ’m peculiar — do hoi polloi ever fly out , specifically from conservative states , to attend your events ? What does that have in mind to you ?
I recognise people travel for event — especially the GayFlower . Have you been to the boat parties yet ?
Not yet . I ’m gon na set out move to them — do you ever do Mariah ones?You suffer ta go to them . I ’m gon na send you the dates . And no , Mariah does n’t have enough dance medicine .
Yes , she does , actually . She has a whole remix album , and you need to watch all of them . Here I am arguing with a disk jockey .
I have a go at it all of them . I ’m really into the David Morales ’s “ My All ” remix . Even “ Butterfly , ” I love that one . David has so many salutary remixes . Because the matter about Mariah — she rerecords her vocals . I ’m a Mariah fan . I lie with Mariah . She has ‘ 90s house . I wanna try her — in like , cellar .
I attempt to do Mariah every Christmas just because I make out Mariah , and I wanna celebrate her and play all her remixes — because she rerecords them ! See ! More girls need to be rerecording the vocals . They need to get a glass of wine and get in the stall with David Morales and[sings].They do n’t have the vocals . I ’m a very big buff of Mariah ’s remixes . They ’re so good . I just discovered a raw one.[pulls out his phone and plays “ It ’s Like That ” David Morales remix]This is very Ty Tea .
I lie with the girls . I could talk about them perpetually .
I have people here from Australia and the UK . It is expensive to come to NYC . A raft of people amount from Texas . hoi polloi come from other gay city .
There has been a lot of anti - LGBTQ statute law recently . What does it mean to you to allow such a popular yet good space for queer folks , in such a scarey meter ?
It ’s crazy . I finger like I ’m putting the bat signal out , like “ Here , get along party . ” I did n’t mean to do what I do . I just kinda wanted to produce spaces that I wanted to go to . That ’s the whole affair with nightlife that I fall into — I want to go to things that I require to go to . Like this . What other brave effect at this level is like this , that ’s not play circumference music . The live element . There ’s performers . There are popular stars . EDM and pop genius . That ’s my shit .
Do straight people amount to your events ?
utterly . With the themed parties , I ’m like , of course the girl are gon na fall . A lot of the girlfriend are gon na hail to the Nicki boat . I love when the girls come . When the true humankind come , I ’m like , “ OK , welcome ! ” unremarkably , they have a neat prison term . the great unwashed are friendlier . I wish to think we ’re more respectful .
Your event kinda went viral in 2021 with the “ ogre twink ” saga . Explain what that was and if there are any new development .
Basically , I was throwing a boat party , and some untried homophile guy in his XX got a little too drunk and go along jumping up on the DJ equipment with a potable in paw and slop it . I was like , “ Dude , please arrest . ” I had to block up the music and tell him to stop . Because we ’re on a gravy holder —
I ca n’t kick masses off . At the end of the party , he ’s in VIP getting his buns eaten . Party ’s over , lights are on . He ’s getting his ass eaten ! I ’m like , “ Dude , leave ! ”
Did you ever traverse him down ?
We DMed for a second because everyone had their own belief about what I had order on Twitter . Like , that I villainized someone and made fun of someone who was overserved . I did n’t expose him or say his name . To this day , he is still anon. . I had a company the next week , and we DMed on Instagram . He had a private invoice . He was like , “ Hey , I just wanna say I ’m sorry . I drank too much . ” I was like , “ You ’re fine , babe . Thanks for saying regretful . But if you wanna come to Devil ’s Playground and bring you up on stagecoach and have a bit and get bygone be bygones . I ’m not mad . I ’m not holding this grudge . ”
Go - to remix to play :
Kelly Clarkson — “ mine ” ( Ty Sunderland Remix ) .
Anyone you ’ve work with that has n’t been released ?
Ava Max — I ’m protagonist with her . I ’ll call her out ! I ’ve done two remixes for you — when are they coming out ? I have a remix of “ Ghost . ”
What is the best Ty Sunderland event ?
The boat — [ particularly if ] you have a pop girl that you love . For me , I ’m a Britney buff . Britney ’s my No . 1 . If I was new and just coming out and wanting to make friends and stuff , I would go to the Britney gravy holder and determine other masses that like things that I wish . You ’re stuck on the boat for four time of day , so you have to have fun .
Do you get insane when people evoke boat theme ?
It ’s definitely like a Twitter thing . Carly Rae Jepson station me flowers this calendar week , because I debut her birdcall " Shy Boy " on the last gravy holder . Someone was like , " Carly Rae gravy holder , when ? " I was like , " Ok , OK , it ’s gon na take place . " Definitely gon na do a Carly boat soon .
For someone who ’s neural or kind of unsure about attending some of your events , what would you say to them ?
Be friendly . Be dainty . Be considerate . I go to other cities , and masses do n’t make love who I am . I would just say be friendly . Kindness drop dead a long way . I strain to be as kind as I can to everybody . Do n’t give off snobby , stuck - up energy . Just be nice . Do n’t be a cunt . Just be prissy . Be favorable . Have positive Energy Department , and I reckon the cosmos give birth it back . good-for-naught for the long , experiential talk .
Why do you always wear black and white ?
It started as a wear - all - blackened affair because I thought I was being cool in New York and , like , coffin nail and fashion . And then , I got to New York , and I was like , “ Everyone hold out all shameful . There ’s nothing special about that . ” I was like , “ OK , I have to do an accent color . ” And I was on a budget . And I was like , “ OK , let me do bloodless . ”
Do you have a clustering of those chapeau ?
I have 100 of these . I have bedazzled one over there . This is like a streetwear credit line . I take off wear the chapeau out . A door bozo start up recognize me at square parties . I was a nobody .
And with your glasses expect , it ’s your earmark .
This is my Tina Fey / Liz Lemon flavor . That ’s female parent . I just meet Jack McBrayer , who played Kenneth on30 Rock . I get together him at the Met Gala Afterparty . Literally , I ’m in the elbow room with Anne Hatheway . He ’s there as Alexander Skarsgård ’s plus one . I ’m like , “ Fuck , that ’s Kenneth . I have to say hi to Kenneth . ” I ’m a vast fan . I ’ve watched the show at least 20 times . I know all his quotes , and his energy was just inviting . I was like , “ Hey , can I badger you and say hi , I adore you ? ” He was like , “ Oh , I ’m here as a plus one with my champion Alex ! ” He was like , “ Alex , this is my admirer , Ty . ” And all I could say was , “ Wow , you really are marvelous , huh ? ” He is tall . He ’s so marvellous . Why do you think your party and events have resonated with so many multitude ?
Because I filled this void that there was in gay night life . It was either tour or it was Club Kid . That ’s what I think . I do n’t take my shirt off — so , if you ’re uncomfortable taking your shirt off , at least you see someone else in the elbow room that is n’t all butt - ass naked . I ’ve always tried to include as many groups as I can . Even when I get going , I desire to bring so many different groups of multitude together . Because that ’s a good party . When everyone already have it away each other , it ’s like , “ Why are we doing this ? ”
you’re able to follow Ty on Twitterhereand on Instagramhere . And for more information about upcoming Ty events , clickhere .
