José Rivera Jr.

I make music and dance for every body.

b.1992

Bronx, NY

Disciplines

Music, Dance, Visual Art and New Media

Training

NYU Tisch School of the Arts

José Rivera Jr. was born in the Bronx, NY, raised in a working-class Puerto Rican/Italian-American family. They started singing at the age of 2, writing at the age of 6, and dancing contemporary and postmodern styles at the age of 18 when accepted into the NYU Tisch School of the Arts on a full ride MLK Jr. Merit Scholarship. At 21, José created their first “musical painting” – bringing a camera, dance, fashion, music, and performance together to tell a universal story.

“I make experiences for all,” José says. “Through sensitive, detailed, and meaningful pop music and athletic post-modern dance, I work to bring light to our darkest moments – smashing through superficiality and celebrating all experiences.”

José’s versatility in creating, directing, and performing has reinforced their status of one of New York’s most hardworking and emergent young artists.

José Rivera Jr. (@joseishere) has showcased their work via YouTube, Radio City Music Hall, La MaMa ETC., NYU Tisch, The Flea Theater, with features in The Advocate, Logo NewNowNext, and WNYC/NPR. Recent projects with artists Sam Pinkleton, Ani Taj/Dance Cartel, Meredith Monk, The B52s, YouTube’s Queer Kid Stuff, and some fabulous early covers are available online.

Of their vision, José explains, “I make flash, spectacle, and comedy for the sake of stripping it all away to highlight the intricacies and intimacies of LGBTQ+ stories. My work makes space for non-binary, queer stories to shift perspective in pop culture."

José’s latest work, LQQK, is their debut visual EP featuring 6 original experi-pop tracks each accompanied by a music video. The work was released Spring 2020. LQQK was made possible by the creator-in-residence program at Kickstarter.

"Fragile beauty is not superfluous; it is eternal; I create and fight for things that matter,” José says. “All bodies - of all shapes, colors, and abilities will move - sing - dance - create freely.”