Manhattan’s newest hotspot Gonzos tends to attract an excited crowd outside its entrance on any given night, so when a line runs down the block you know something special is happening. Blu DeTiger, a longtime PAPER favorite, took over the East Village recording studio in March with friends and family to celebrate the release of her grooving new 14-track LP, All I Ever Want Is Everything, out now on Capitol Records.
“I’m born and raised in NYC, so it was really special to celebrate with people who have been supporting me since the beginning,” DeTiger tells us. “People who saw my first DJ set at a sweaty club in East Village to now releasing my debut album felt beautifully full circle.”
If guests weren’t swarming the bar, they were dancing in the main room on Gonzos’ already signature leopard-printed carpet. The venue elevators brought you directly onto the dancefloor, before snaking through the scene, down a long hall and experiencing several more DJ sets in smaller rooms. Every surface was sweaty and everyone looked amazing, posing for selfies against DeTiger’s very official step-and-repeat.
This album feels like a long time coming, following DeTiger’s slow and steady rise through the music industry as a coveted bass player. If you haven’t seen her opening for names like Sabrina Carpenter or playing alongside the likes of Jack Antonoff in Bleachers, you’ve likely watched DeTiger’s viral TikToks covering pop hits. Her 2021 EP, How Did We Get Here?, is worth revisiting if only to give its hidden gem “Night Shade” the streams it deserves.
All I Ever Want Is Everything only adds to her network of collaborators, with features from Mallrat, Magdalena Bay and a cameo from the downtown it-girl (and PAPER columnist) Linux. There are also notable co-writes from bloghouse legend Uffie, breakout star Chappell Roan and DeTiger’s own brother Rex — all contributing to the album’s ultra-cool, effortless energy. “Expensive Money,” in particular, will be on rotation all summer long.
See Matt Weinberger’s photos from the release party, below. “It was an epic NYC party,” DeTiger says. “Best night ever.”
Photography: Matt Weinberger
