Drawing inspiration from The Magician Tarot Card and evoking scenes from the classic French film “Pris Les Dés,” Pink Velvet explores the theme of liberation on both physical and psychological levels. In the realm of queer love and relationships, there exists no predefined path, so why not embrace your own cosmic journey?The Magician card is a reminder of one’s potential and the resources at their disposal to shape their reality. It signifies taking action, making things happen, and having the confidence to pursue one’s goals.

The essence of this song lies in asserting your presence, opening yourself up to human connection, and allowing your inner radiance to overflow… and tukus lingus.   

Introducing Felix III, the rising queer, Mexican-American artist from Brooklyn, renowned for his End of Times Electronica. With a distinct fusion of emotional dance tracks and ambient elements, Felix III effortlessly spans synthpop, electropop, new wave, and ambient genres.

Using music as his healing tool, Felix III weaves a tapestry of hope, urging others to embrace their inner light. His compositions serve as a sanctuary, inspiring listeners to overcome obstacles and find solace from their own battles.

From a past without a band or released songs, Felix III’s journey has taken a remarkable turn. Collaborating with the exceptional Trevor V, they’ve brought three captivating songs to life, gracing the stages of music festivals and discovering an audience that sparks newfound self-belief.

Beyond personal triumphs, Felix III’s journey has blossomed into “The Cult,” a vibrant community fostering expansion and growth. Join them, adorned in your finest white attire, and let your sparkle reignite in this radiant space.

How excited are you that “Pink Velvet” is finally out in the world?

I’m very, very excited! You know how you have to pull some songs through the trenches, and they take so much effort and willpower? Like, every obstacle is going up against you, but with this song, everything went so smoothly. I started working with a producer at the end of December on “Pink Velvet” because I already had the track ready, but then I was like, “Oh, this song needs a facelift. This isn’t working.”

So, this amazing producer that I met last year, he did such an amazing job and kind of gave it a whole new life. Then the video happened, and I worked with his team, and they were all so smooth and effortless. Honestly, it’s like the dream trajectory.

Can you tell us more about the concept and inspiration behind the track?

Firstly, the Magician card was a big inspiration for the video. I do tarot, and the Magician is kind of about grabbing onto things and manifesting what you want out of your life. So, that was the initial inspiration, and we just started using images. I use some classic French film shots that I’ve recreated, like the shot with the leg and the ring pop.

Trevor V, my bandmate, him and I wanted to recreate that but make it very queer and campy. The original movie, the guy uses a cigarette, and it’s like a long, elegant leg. I thought it would be great to have Trevor’s leg there, and since I don’t smoke, I went to this vintage candy shop around the corner and got ring pops.

Would you say “Pink Velvet” is timely?

Yes! It’s really about sexual liberation and letting your guard down. I’m a queer person, but I wasn’t taught to celebrate my sexuality or celebrate my femininity and masculinity. Whatever I did as a kid wasn’t the right fit for what was happening, so for me, this is about exploring some things that’s probably the norm for you and me, but for others, it’s still very taboo to talk about. I just want anybody listening to really tap into whatever it is that they’re into. Whatever that sexuality is, sensuality even, or just empowerment. I think that never goes out of style.

Can you talk more about your journey with tarot and how you got into that?

My family is Mexican-American, so there’s a lot of spiritual and religious iconography, and there’s a lot of tales of the dark side, ghosts, and spirits. So, that’s kind of always been with me, but I got a tarot reading several years ago, and I’d always liked the visuals of the tarot. Then I started listening to this podcast called Root Lock Radio, where they kind of teach you about what the cards mean.

Then I started getting private lessons with the guy who did the radio show, who happened to also be queer. From then on, I just started practicing with people, and then I started getting booked for events and things like that. it’s something I do more for just myself. I’m not trying to do anything expansive with that. It’s really a personal practice, so that’s how it came about.

How have both the track and video for “Pink Velvet” been received by listeners?

I’ve gotten a lot of great responses! I had somebody message me right away saying, “I just had sex to your song” (laughs). The ultimate compliment!

What do you ultimately hope audiences take away from it?

Just be yourself, whatever that is. I feel like the more you allow yourself to be natural, more light spreads around you. It’s infectious. When people see somebody who is authentically themselves, they can’t help but feel happy and want to do that themselves. Tap into the cosmic energy that the video really shows, and as we get closer to the end of it, a lot of light comes out of me. I’m spreading all the stuff that’s going on inside of me out into the world, and then perceiving it in turn.

Will “Pink Velvet” by chance be on an upcoming EP?

Possibly! With the way things are going in terms of streaming, right now it’s singles, but hopefully we will have an EP by the end of the year.

Have you always had a passion for singing and songwriting?

I’ve always been a performer, firstly. I grew up in a tiny town in Michigan that has around 100 people, and I came to New York to be an actor. I studied ballet for years, but I stopped dancing when I moved to New York, and as a kid, I was always kind of laughed out of the choirs. They were like, oh, you have a terrible singing voice. You shouldn’t be here. So, it took me having a roommate, who was a classical pianist, saying, “You should just do your own thing and play your own songs.”

The musicians I was always attracted to went to the beat of their own drum, so once that happened and I got on stage with my piano, and I was just playing little ditties at the time, but playing at queer clubs in between drag sets really forced me to be an excellent performer. I knew how to be an excellent performer in other ways, like dancing and acting, but I didn’t know how to do that as a musician. Once all those things came together, it was wonderful.

For those who have never heard of you before, how would you describe your musical style and aesthetic?

We have a cult aesthetic, and that’s as simple as it can possibly be. When I perform, I’m in all white, lots of lace, and there’s an ethereal quality to it because that’s just what I love to wear. The sound is electronica, so it’s in-between ambient new wave synth pop. It straddles those genres because when I play, I have my keytar, where I play lots of different ethereal sounds. My bandmate plays drums, synth, and guitar, so the live shows are very different versions than the songs we record. We like to add and change it up so our audience always feels like there’s something fresh happening with the songs.

I’m glad you mentioned cult because while doing my research, somebody said your musical journey has blossomed into the Cult, a vibrant community fostering expansion and growth. Can you elaborate on that?

The Cult is kind of what started after I released my first track. This all happened because I started working with this designer out of Los Angeles called HIM NYC, and they sent us these amazing white garments. We had done one show, and then the second show, we put those on for South by Southwest (SXSW), and something happened in the audience and the way we were presenting ourselves. Everything changed.

So, we started wearing those, and people just started coming, sharing, and telling us their stories. That’s kind of how the Cult began. It’s been a very healing process to learn and hear about what the audience has to say, and a lot of times, many reach out to me afterwards and follow up. Our live shows are really where I feel the most connected. Some people are most connected digitally, but for me, I love to see people’s faces and have that exchange. So, if you want to come and be a part of the Cult, you’re a part of it. It’s as simple as that.

You like to use your music as a healing tool.

Yes. The music specifically comes from a place of healing and stuff like that.

What are some future goals you hope to accomplish with your music career?

I would love to do a U.S. and European tour, play bigger festivals, and work with some incredible artists. Right now, there’s this expansive growing community of queer artists all over the place that are finding their voices, and I want to start collaborating with those people.

ADD TO PLAYLIST + STREAM: PINK VELVET

Felix III: Instagram / Spotify / Apple Music / TikTok