Denver PrideFest Headliner Spotlight: Cazwell

We know him, we love him, and we cannot get enough of him; Cazwell is returning to the Mile High City to perform at this year’s PrideFest. His performance is scheduled for Sunday, June 26.

The queer artist, producer, and self-proclaimed “very sexy person with great taste in music” first launched his career in the underground nightlife scene of the East Village during the late 90s. His breakthrough single, “Ice Cream Truck,” cemented Cazwell’s signature sound and became a global hit, especially in the gay scenes across the world.

Since then, he quickly became a global staple of club music and his explicit, yet tasteful, execution of visual concepts have captured the attention of more than 10 million viewers and counting. It is hard to resist his steady flow of danceable hip-hop, Latin, and club tracks.

OFM caught up with Cazwell before his upcoming appearance, where we talked about Pride, collaborating with fellow headliner Kylie Sonique Love, and his latest EP, Tropical Protein.

Let me begin by asking, how excited are you to return to Denver and perform at this year’s Pride celebration?

I’m super excited! I’ve probably played Denver Pride more than any other Pride festival, and the last time I was there, I performed and DJed. I always receive such a warm reception in Denver, and this year, I will be performing with Kylie Sonique Love and we’re going to premiere our new song together. I also had a Latin EP come out in June, so I’ll be doing new songs from that as well.

However, I am a little nervous because, due to COVID and life, I’ve had more DJ gigs than performance gigs. So, it’s been a while since I’ve done a full Cazwell show. I don’t think there will be any LED screens and I’m not bringing any dancers, so it’s just going to be me. I need to make sure that I do a great job and keep everyone’s attention. So, they can expect some new songs with older favorites.

What keeps you coming back to the Mile High City, and how would you say our PrideFest is unique from every other Pride you’ve performed at?

Well, I go wherever they pay me (laughs). I’m an artist. If they’re going to pay me, I’m there, and you all apparently really like me because I keep coming back. I’m also very close with Craig C, who is one of my favorite DJs and producers. He’s from Denver and I’ve done many gigs with him. He produced “Hella Horny” for me and Manila, we’ve done a variety of songs together, and I’ve known him for over 10 years. He’s such a great friend and such a talented producer and DJ. So, he’s one of the reasons why I have a special connection with Denver. Also, I feel like Denver is such a laid-back city. It’s easy for you to make connections and friends there.

I also talked with Kylie, and she told me a bit about the new song you two are performing. What did you enjoy the most about working with her?

Kylie is literally the sweetest girl you’ll ever meet. Like, you need a shirt? She’ll give you her shirt. She reminds me a lot of Amanda Lepore just by how nice she is.

We’ve been talking about performing together for a while. The first time we met was about eight years ago in Orlando, and we immediately connected thanks to our white-trash sensibility. I felt like we were the same. We were both smoking Newport Lights or drinking Bud Light, you know? So, I immediately felt this connection with her. When you do what I do, you talk about the possibility of doing a song together, but I didn’t really know her the way I know her now. Then when I moved to LA, she was already living here, and we had some similar friends.

She was like, “I make music and I rap and sing,” and she does real music. She doesn’t just buy an instrumental track like a lot of Club Kids do. I was like, “I want to do something that works.” Then my friend Cesar, who is also friends with Kylie, encouraged me to do a song with her. So, we started working on “Gooey” together, and it became what it became.

What does Pride personally mean to you?

I think to really feel the emotion of Pride and to feel proud, you really must connect with the emotions of being strong in the face of adversary. I feel like there are different generations that feel that more than others, but everyone in the queer community definitely feels that, and I think that it’s really important during Pride Month to make sure you have the backs of the people in the community that are getting hit the hardest, like our trans brothers and sisters.

I’ve been doing this for so long, and I remember when the biggest thing was, “When are gays going to marry?” Then gays are allowed to marry, and a lot of white gays are like, “What else do we have to fight for? We got what we wanted. We got federal recognition.” They forget to see trans men and women as part of the fight and struggle. It’s not over until everyone is OK, so to me, that means bringing attention to the fact that the fight isn’t over and that trans men and women, particularly trans women of color, are getting hit very, very hard.

If gay white men treated trans rights the way they treated how badly they wanted to be able to get married in their mother’s backyard, we would be a lot further than we are.

I wholeheartedly agree. Do you remember the first Pride event you ever attended?

Probably Boston. I’m from New England and grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, so I think my first Pride event was in Boston when I was 18.

What about the first Pride you ever performed at, and do you remember how meaningful it was for you?

I think that was Boston Pride as well, and it was meaningful for me just to have a gig because I was a struggling artist. I felt good about being on stage, and I probably wanted more than what I got. So, I was probably thinking selfishly about it at the time, being 21 or 22, so I wasn’t looking at it through the lens of Pride. I was thinking more about me, my show, and my music. Now, I think it was an honor to do it. Being older and doing this for a long time, it’s an honor to be asked to perform at any Pride festivity because that means you’re representing the queer community. I definitely see it differently now.

Can you talk more about your new EP that recently came out?

Yes, and thank you for asking! The new EP is called Tropical Protein, and it’s all of three songs. It’s a little EP, and everyone I work with is a Latin artist. Nathan Hayes—he’s a Colombian producer—he produced the three tracks with me. Alma Lake is a Colombian singer, and she sings the hook on “Guava Juice.” I worked with Fernando Figueroa, who is Venezuelan, and he does the hook on “Bad Bad Boys,” and then I worked with Antonio Bicicleta from Puerto Rico and Velo, a gay rapper from the Seattle area; he’s also from Puerto Rico.

I wanted to give back to my Latin fans because the gay Latin community has always really been there for me. Also, if I look at my analytics, the majority of people that stream my music are either in Mexico or Argentina. So, I just wanted to give back, and I rap in Spanish in one of the songs, so put your seatbelt on and don’t throw anything at me because I do the best that I can (laughs).

Why is it important for your music to focus on LGBTQ urban themes and content?

I don’t know if it is, specifically. I don’t sit down and think like that, but I guess it just kind of happens because I’m a gay guy, so I will just talk about my life. I’ve always felt that if talk about my life and talk about trans people, I’m bringing attention to the fight. Let’s talk like it’s normal because it is. Queer and trans people have existed since the beginning of time, so since it is normal, let’s just live our fucking life and let them catch up with us, not the other way around. I think that’s what I really learned in conjunction with trying to make it in the record industry.

When I first started, I was in a rap group, and I would do anything just to get the attention of a label. This was in the late 90s, and nothing’s really changed. They still aren’t looking for out gay artists to make it. Lil Nas X, whose album is brilliant, he made it, but he wasn’t out of the closet when he had his number one hit for six to eight weeks. He wasn’t out of the closet at the time, so he did it in a very smart way. He made the accomplishment, then came out and was open about it, which I love him for that. He did it smart, but they’re not looking for out gay artists.

My point of view is rather than try to find out what people want to hear and mold yourself to that so everyone feels cool and comfortable, create your own space with your own sounds, look, and sense of style. Then invite people to come to you. Therefore, you will create a space for people that relate. I didn’t realize I could do that until I dropped “All Over Your Face.”

We also love how you are not shy about showing off in videos. What tips do you have for those looking to embrace health and fitness?

Honey, I am shy! You know the reason why my next music video is taking so fucking long? It’s because I need to do at least 100 sit ups a day (laughs). Thank you for saying that, but I promise you, I would not be comfortable with my shirt off right now. I do what I can, but I never stick to it. Like, I’m addicted to Cool Whip. I woke up and had cookies and Cool Whip with my coffee.

What really does work for me is intermittent fasting because if there’s only eight to 12 hours in a day in which you’re eating, you’re going to eat less. Smoothies also really help. If the first thing I have is a smoothie, and I have some psyllium husk in there or something with fiber, that fills me up. You should always try to start your day by eating something healthy.

Also, I’m not a gym person. If you’re the same way, try to do some sort of exercise that you’ll enjoy, like hiking. I recently discovered racquetball, and it’s the perfect sport for any age for any introvert because you’re locked in a room and no one’s going to bother you. You might have one person to play with. It’s kind of like burpees. Burpees suck, but that’s an exercise that hits everything, so racquetball has really helped me.

I would also suggest eating right and having a physical activity kind of work together. If I have a physical activity to do, I don’t want ice cream before I do it. After doing a physical activity, I crave something like chicken and rice or maybe a protein with a carb that’s going to give me energy. If I’m staying home all day, playing video games and watching Judge Judy, then I just want ice cream. What the fuck do I need kale for?

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you would like to mention or plug?

Yes! I started my own company called Daddy Department, so go to daddydepartment.com and support me there. That’s my new line of clothing, and it’s going to change your life. The slogan is “Unfashionable Clothing for Unfashionable People.”

So, that’s my new business venture, and I’m also looking for graphic designers that want to work with me on a variety of projects. I don’t have a corporate budget, but I’m really good with connecting people and giving people their props. I am looking for graphic designers that work with motion graphics, 3D graphics, and steel graphics for flyers for both me and Daddy Department.

Lastly, make sure to check out Tropical Protein, and I’ll see you all at Denver Pride!

Stay up-to-date and connect with Cazwell by following him on Instagram @cazwellofficial. For more information on Denver PrideFest, visit denverpride.org.

Photos courtesy of Cazwell