Story by Vio Dorantes// @vio.en.vivo // she/her/hers or they/them/theirs
Art courtesy of Lois Spurlock
Photo courtesy of Benjamin Michael Hall
I’ve met many people through the screen of my laptop this year, but no encounter compares to that of meeting The Luxxuray (aka Tyler R. Lewis), UTalent Records recording artist and graduate of Moody’s Master Program in Journalism.
Undoubtedly, Lewis is a superstar, and though they might not be the superstar to whom most are accustomed, they could just be the one we’ve been missing. I sat down with Lewis, a former managing editor of ORANGE magazine, before the release of their debut EP “Spring Awakening,” and it wasn’t long before I noticed how similar our experiences were as writers, artists, and people who identify outside of the gender binary. We spoke of identity and how it informs art, and of course, boys.
One of the first things I wanted to know was the origin of Lewis’s stage name, Luxxuray. Of course, it has a good ring to it and immediately prepares you for Lewis’s powerhouse vocals. But, who are they?
“Tyler and Luxxuray are two different people, but one and the same,” Lewis said. “A lot of the things Luxxuray does, Tyler would never.”
Though difficult to imagine Lewis as anyone other than the Luxxuray, I understand the need to create such an identity: in a world defined by the gender binary, sometimes the only pleasures for those who exist outside of it are the pleasures we build for ourselves.
Surrounding Luxxuray’s beginnings, Lewis explained how their identity has guided them through their gender journey.
“Tyler is not a vulnerable person, I don’t let people in,” Lewis said. “Luxxuray is not that. My EP is titled “Spring Awakening” because it is an introduction to who Luxxuray is and how Luxxuray feels.”
I was immediately drawn to this image of strength that Lewis described: Luxxuray isn’t just a glamorous stage name but also a vehicle through which Lewis opens up to the world. Their music has been built upon identity, which is tied so closely to the melodies and lyrics.
“As I’ve begun to identify as Luxxuray, it’s opened so many doors to just live out loud,” Lewis said. “It has been a vehicle to just be expressive and it has really helped guide me to become who I am today.”
So what will happen when Luxxuray is introduced to the world?
Lewis is nervous but hopeful that the birth of Luxxuray will be nothing short of amazing and open the world to the possibilities of music beyond the binary.
“It will open up the world’s eyes to artists like myself,” Lewis said. “But, it’s more about the music. Can you relate to the music because that’s what I need to reach you?”
On television, we are just beginning to see positive portrayals of life outside of the gender binary. But, regardless of representation, it’s always been true that the human experience is universal. Whether cis or genderfluid, art gives us the opportunity to understand these experiences.
Tyler explained that the EP will cover a lot of things on the spectrum about love, heartbreak, and dealing with “ain’t-shit” men. Some things we can all relate to regardless of how we identify.
“We all experience heartbreak, love, insecurities, people who are toxic for us,” Lewis said. “We’ve all gone through that.”
Luxxuray’s Instagram bio line reads “Spring is Coming,” and indeed it is: there’s no better name for Luxxuray’s first EP than Spring Awakening. The name conjures images of the oncoming growth of daffodils, rebirth of trees that have lost their leaves, and of course the beauty of sun on skin.
At the end of our interview, Lewis took the time to reflect on quarantine.
“I’ve really rethought what I wanna do with my life,” said Lewis. “I could really be an international superstar. I need to be. I am a gift to the world.”
