“Fuck the term “content” as a way to describe what I do with my art. That shit kills me when someone says, “I love your content” or something along those lines.”
Tucked away somewhere in Texas, music and everyday-life film photographer hotel party is surveying the juxtapositions of survival and success. To most people, hotel party is a concept- a series of candid moments archived in warm vintage hues. But the faceless artist’s mysterious persona is confronted by a fiery passion for preserving the integrity of art. Despite having embarked on nationwide tours alongside rising rap collective PNTHN and indie-electronic producer Robotaki, hotel party still finds himself at the genesis of his career. Behind a cloak and dagger facade, the southern photographer is softened by his accidental triumphs and dedication to discovering his own truth. In this unprecedented interview, hotel party draws back the curtains to talk fear, identity, and empty bank accounts.
How did you come up with name hotel party as your creative alias?
I was working at the radio station at Texas State. I was a music reviewer so I would basically take album submissions home, listen to them, and review them. I was thinking of a name for a project, band, or alias for the reviews and I was really into Beach House and wanted something like that. Picked up an album and the title of it was Hotel Parties. I thought hotel party was somewhat similar, and it sounded cool.
Why did you choose to separate your personal life from hotel party? Does this come with any disadvantages working in an industry that boasts the notion “it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know?”
When I created the idea of what hotel party was I was in a really weird space. I didn’t really like the person I was and didn’t really want my personal life out there for the world to see like I had before. I was 18 or 19 at the time, so I was still trying to figure out who I was. And I’m not famous by any means, but I really just wanted to get away from the people that knew me years prior. A new start almost. I was also really scared and nervous about sharing my art, whatever medium that may be, music or photo. I didn’t fully commit to the idea until after SXSW in 2017.
I mean, yes and no. I feel like it kind of helps because of the “mysterious” vibes. I’ve had a few conversations with people and they always tell me that I have made some kind of name within the electronic music scene, and I think not having an identity or face helps. It puts more of an emphasis on what I do. It also gives more value to the people that care. To the people that actually pay attention. And when I do meet people there’s like this blankness, no preconceived notions about who I am. A blank slate.
“When I created the idea of what hotel party was I was in a really weird space.”
As you continue to grow as a creator, will it become increasingly difficult to remain anonymous?
Maybe? Sometimes I really just want to be like “this is me, I made all that, this is what I look like”. I just want my clout to be over 9000%.
The longer I do this the more I’m willing to take on the role of “I created this,” or I did this.” I’d like it to stay that way [anonymous] until I do something where I’m like “okay, I 100% stand behind this, this is me.” I just want that moment to be when I can fully recognize my work as my own.
If you’re around the people I’m around, or go to the same shows I do, it’s really not that hard to figure out or have an idea of who I am. It’s usually the people that take time to really appreciate what I do and are actually paying attention. 99.9% of the time those are the people I like to keep around or have actual conversations with.
Through your work in music photography, you seem to capture the artists’ most unsuspecting and candid moments, why?
Most of the time it’s almost second nature and a little bit of luck. I just want to be able to look at my picture and be able to transport myself into that moment and relive it in a way. It’s the most raw and human way I can express how I felt at that particular moment.
That’s just what I gravitate to. I’ve never been good with setting up a photo, I think. That’s why I stopped doing portrait photography, it felt forced to me. Candid moments are more memorable to me, it’s my way of saying “this is what I saw and this is how I felt about it.” I’m trying to get more into portraits. I just get really nervous trying to direct someone to look a certain way.
Also they’re just people. They’re exactly like everyone else, they just have a platform to share the art that they create. I hope it helps bring them down to a humanistic level. Something that people can actually relate to instead of putting them on a pedestal, cause that shit’s kinda toxic.
When you are shooting for producers and DJs, how do you capture explosive moments in their sets despite their lack of movement across the stage?
The crowd. In some cases, the people coming to see the show are more important than the actual performer. I try my best to get a fan’s perspective- like what is it that I’m looking at or amazed by when I go to these shows. That’s all I’ve ever been- a fan. Working with lighting is something I’m trying to get better at. Knowing how the lights interact with the crowd, the music can help bring out some of those “explosive” moments.
How are you able to determine when the time is right to capture a moment at such high energy shows like PNTHN?
For the most part, just knowing the music. Like I know which songs are going to go off and I where I want to be. But it’s also just feeling. Being apart of the crowd while also keeping a distance so I can see how they react. Also they’re some of the best performers I know. They know what kind of energy to bring to a show. And that’s what people want. They don’t stand there like other rappers…not to say that anyone who raps just stands there. But dawg, if you ain’t rapping why the fuck are you standing on stage staring at your phone? Fucking move with the crowd, ad lib, I don’t know man…do something to make the perfomance at least somewhat memorable. PNTHN moves around with the crowd and even talks to the crowd. It’s just a back and forth energy that can only be felt in person at a show. They just have this synchronicity with each other that’s unmatched.
Also stream Death Dimension.
Can you describe a physical feeling you get when you notice that time is right?
That’s a tough one. When you see it, you see it. When you know it, you know it. It’s just a specific energy that can’t be fully described- a gut feeling.
“When you see it, you see it. When you know it, you know it. It’s just a specific energy that can’t be fully described- a gut feeling.”
As film photography continues to grow in popularity, how will you further innovate that style of shooting?
Fuck. I don’t know, I’m still figuring that out.
Explain the process of developing film to someone unfamiliar with the MO
I have yet to reach that step, although I really want to because I think I would enjoy the process, you know? I’m the one fully in control of how my images turn out, that’s tight.
Do you have throwaway pictures? If so, what do you do with them?
So many. I just finished scanning 33 rolls of film that go back to 2017. Just disposables I’ve collected over the past few years along with the ones I’ve shot in the past few months. So out of those 33 rolls, there’s probably a few hundred that are okay, and even less that I’m like “damn I really did that.” Sometimes they lay around on a hard drive.
What is more valuable to you as a photographer, composition or content?
First of all, fuck the term “content” as a way to describe what I do with my art. That shit kills me when someone says, “I love your content” or something along those lines. I feel like that just diminishes what I consider art- my life, the thing I’ve put more time and energy into more than anything in the world. I understand what they’re trying to say, and I’m so eternally grateful to have people enjoy the things I do, but to put it into the same context or level as someone who takes selfies, shitposts, or whatever, is fucked. But to answer your question, it depends on the context of the photo.
As your hobby grows into a means of survival, how do you maintain the passion for your artform?
Well that’s why I picked up film as a new medium. I just never want to only do something because money is involved and I desperately need that money to eat or pay rent. That shit crushes your soul. It just takes the whole purpose out of what you’re doing, in my opinion. At the same time, making money off of my passion is what I desperately want. I think for the time being, having a 9-5 is helpful. It sucks to have to spend my time in an office 40 hours out of my week, but I finally have more than $16 in my bank account.
“I just never want to only do something because money is involved and I desperately need that money to eat or pay rent. That shit crushes your soul.”
How do you differentiate between survival and success?
This is a tough one. I thought I knew what success was, my first tour I thought, “this is it, you made it. You put this dream into the universe and didn’t give up. Now you’re in New York City.” I almost cried in my uber after landing. I felt on top of the world. But then when it’s all over, it becomes “what’s next?” In a way I was succesful, I did something I didn’t think was possible, like fucking ever, but then I came back home with $16 in my bank account, barely able to eat. Sometimes they go hand in hand, being able to survive through your success and struggles.
I think finally being able to truly understand what you’ve done as your own success, is the only way it stops becoming a way to survive.
How do you cope with the fear of not having enough time to accomplish what you want to achieve as a photographer?
All the time, my biggest fear is dying right before I get the chance to being fully transparent with my art. That shit is stressful.
What aspects of your personal life do you use as inspiration for your career?
Right now I’m figuring that out. This kind of goes back to the earlier question of wanting to remain anonymous. Being as honest and as transparent as possible is what I’m working on.
I wouldn’t say I’m lonely because I have people around me that I care about, but you know, you spend so much time in your head you get lost and forget that there’s a reality outside of your own mind. Sometimes it feels as if no one else is really there. That everyone is always in and out of the world that you’ve created. Some of my pictures I try to isolate whoever is in the frame, everything around them is more in focus, more present. There they are, tiny, alone, almost forgotten.
I’m still figuring myself out as a human, man, hispanic male, or whatever. As I grow to understand my ethnicity more and what that means for me, I want to do more with that. I’ve spent so much of my life trying to move away from that because of social stigmas, but now I understand its beauty and how powerful it can be.
I haven’t decided what I want but when I do, I think I’ll be in a position where I can talk about what needs to be said.
“Sometimes you spend so much time in your head you get lost and forget that there’s a reality outside of your own mind.”
What is one thing you want people to know about the man behind hotel party?
I’m not just a photographer, I’ve been composing music for the same about of time I’ve considered myself a photographer, and playing music for twice as long. That is part of the reason I’m so keen on calling my work “art.” I’m just a dude, figuring his shit out. I don’t know what I’m doing and I’m still working on getting where I want to be in life. So stop telling me I made it when I got $16 dollars in my bank account. My life isn’t your movie.
I want to let it be known that my entire photography career was an accident. This wasn’t supposed to happen, it was never a thought that I would be doing this let alone make some money off it. And that’s why I continue to do it even when I want to give up or sell my camera to pay rent. there‘s something beautiful about taking a leap of faith in something so fragile and non-conforming as photography or art. Everything I’ve done has been a leap of faith, a deep gut feeling. Trust yourself and believe in yourself and the path you take.
Interview by Alli Lindsey
All images by @ahotelparty
