AA: Tommy! From Brooklyn to CDMX—that’s quite a move.
What inspired the shift, and how has life in Mexico City been treating you? What’s the biggest change you’ve noticed since swapping one creative hub for another?
TH: Before I moved to New York in 2016, I had never really been out of the country. I quickly realized how much I was missing out on, so in 2017 I spent 5 weeks traveling around Europe seeing as much as I could. Every year after that, I started manifesting spending some extended amount of time—anywhere from a few months to a few years—in another country, and learning another language. So in 2020, when the opportunity came around to house sit for a friend in Mexico City for a few months, I think I was mentally prepared for a change. It was the last place I visited before the lockdown and was still fresh on my mind, but to be honest I never thought I would still be here four and a half years later. I think a big shift has been letting go of the expectations I had for my life, the way I was so sure I wanted everything to go, and allow things to flow more. My friends tell me I’m way more relaxed now than I used to be.
AA: Let’s talk about the art scene in Mexico City.
How does it compare to Brooklyn? Are there things about the scene in CDMX that excite you in ways Brooklyn didn’t, or is there something you miss about the creative energy back in New York?
TH: It’s always a mix. Nothing will ever be like New York so I’ve really tried to stop comparing New York to anywhere I go. My boyfriend founded an art fair in Mexico City called Material, he exposes me to a lot of cool artists and shows that I wouldn’t normally seek out on my own. As an artist myself and with a friend group of mostly artists from all parts of Latin and South America, I will say the cool thing about being an artist in Mexico City is the life that you can build for yourself with some moderate success. It seems like most of my friends are visual artists, designers, tattoo artists, photographers, hair stylists, musicians, drag queens, you name it…supporting yourself with your art, being able to live modestly in an apartment by yourself and not stress about going out to dinner with your friends once or twice a week really makes for a nice life.
AA: You’ve sat for some wild concepts with me—let’s start with the clowns.
During my clown phase, I painted you as one of my characters. What was that experience like? Did you feel transformed, ridiculous, or maybe a little bit of both?
TH: Honestly with our work I’ve always trusted your vision. Your portrait shooting style is unique in that I very rarely was concerned with what I was doing with my face because you weren’t always even looking into the lens. So we could relax and just have a long chat. For the clown photos, I remember shooting them with you around the time of the camp themed Met Gala which felt appropriate. And I was still chasing an acting career so I definitely felt like a clown a lot of the time.
AA: We’ve had some pretty great moments on our shoots in Brooklyn.
What’s your favorite memory from those days? Is there one moment that stands out as extra weird, hilarious, or just perfectly creative?
TH: You’ve taken some really beautiful shots of me, ones where I was really proud of how my body looked and others that really captured my essence or what I was going through at the time. I used to be super into thongs, and we’ve taken a lot of photos with different pieces from my collection. I remember on one of our earlier shoots I was having problems with my eyes because I was sleeping in my contacts every night (you’re not supposed to do that), and I was constantly tearing up throughout the shoot. All the final shots were really emotional.
AA: You’re DJing in CDMX now, which is amazing.
What’s the vibe like when you’re spinning? Do you have a specific sound or energy you’re going for, and how has being in Mexico City influenced your music?
TH: I first fell in love with house music in New York, and I think the city remains my biggest inspiration. My sound has evolved as I’ve become clearer with what I was to accomplish during my sets. I want people to feel sexy and grounded in their bodies, I want them to forge a euphoric connection from the dancefloor to their hearts, and I want to inspire them to lead with an open mind as they move through life. Those intentions guide me as I dig for new music and select records in the moment. I’d say being in Mexico has upped the “energy” level of what I play, but I try to always remain true to these intentions.
AA: Here’s a fun one—if we were to shoot again, what’s the most absurd concept you think I’d come up with?
TH: Would you say yes to being painted entirely in glitter, DJing on a rooftop with 100 balloons, or something even more out there?
I generally stay away from any “music” themes in shoots these days. There’s nothing cringier to me than a studio portrait of a dj wearing their headphones. Otherwise, I’m game.
AA: Finally, where can people find you and your work these days?
Do you have any DJ sets, projects, or collaborations coming up that we should know about?
TH: I’m constantly uploading live sets from my residency nights at [sic] club in Mexico City to my soundcloud. There’s a few party collectives and platforms I have my eye on that I’d like to release mixes for on in 2025. Next year I’ll also start releasing some of my own original productions as well as remixes and edits I’ve been experimenting with.
