Music
Ballroom Beatz Creator, Icon DJ Vjuan Allure Has Reportedly Died
The RuPaul collaborator is responsible for much of the sound of ballroom today.
March 16 2021 5:01 AM EST
March 16 2021 10:35 AM EST
MikelleStreet
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The RuPaul collaborator is responsible for much of the sound of ballroom today.
News broke on social media Monday night that Dj Vjaun Allure St. Laurent, an icon in the ballroom scene credited with helping to pioneer the current sound of balls, died. There is little known about his death but he was in his late 30s.
With the tag of "Vjaun Allure Magnifique Elite Beats" at the start of many of his tracks, Allure helped to move the ballroom community on from Masters at Work's "The Ha Dance" and the classic tracks that were popular at the time. 21 years ago, he began crafting and remixing tracks specifically for ballroom, effectively creating a new genre -- this began in 2000 with a track that has come to be known as "The Allure Ha." The sound, which sampled "The Ha Dance," has become the go-to sound for vogue fem.
\u201cOur heart and condolences go out to the family and friends of our beloved @vjuanallure This man was the incarnation of the best of Ballroom. His music, the beats, and the heartbeats of all of us in Ballroom created a symphony that will forever be the soundtrack of Ballroom.\u201d— House of Garcon (@House of Garcon) 1615907854
\u201cVjuan Allure! more than a ballroom icon. music heads know the ability of your skill as a DJ, as a producer you pushed Ballroom forward and changed the game. Thank you for checking on me when you saw me & believing in me in the first place. Fly High Icon continue to shine \ud83d\udc9c\u201d— Banjee Barbie \ud83d\udc51 (@Banjee Barbie \ud83d\udc51) 1615905816
\u201cI could count on receiving a text saying \u201cDISGUSTING\u201d at every ball we attended together, followed by a picture of my shoes from the DJ booth lol! Vjuan always affirmed me and how I present and show up in the world. Gone entirely too soon. Rest in Power, the Icon DJ Vjuan Allure.\u201d— Twiggy Pucci Gar\u00e7on (@Twiggy Pucci Gar\u00e7on) 1615905672
His work goes back further though, as Allure had been DJing for about a decade prior to that. He started Djing in Naples, Italy while he was there on an exchange program. His work in the ballroom scene and as a DJ has seen him travel all over the world often as a DJ but sometimes also as an educator. His sound, so pervasive that he has been called in as a collaborator of various projects outside of the scene as well.
" Our roots are drenched in the beat - no matter what genre a beat will make us all move any race, creed, or color," he once told Tenz magazine about the enduring appeal of house music and disco. "House and disco kept that beat and delivered messages of all kinds - joy, love, peace, hope, even bad news, and sadness. They've lifted our spirits and opened our minds and continue to do so. It is definitely the feeling in these songs."
\u201c@vjuanallure You were a musical genius and a talent to be reckoned with. Im so saddened. This is so sudden and has me so confused. I love you and all we have gone thru will NEVER be forgotten. May you rest in peace Uncle Vjuan. \ud83d\ude22\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe\u201d— Jay Karan (@Jay Karan) 1615904945
\u201cI am in disbelief. @vjuanallure You believed in me when I first stepped out on the scene & played such an essential role in the success of Jay Pendavis/Karan. I would not have been the same if it wasn\u2019t for you believing in me & pushing me to step out there.\u201d— Jay Karan (@Jay Karan) 1615904912
\u201cVjuan Allure was a legend, hugely responsible for the sound and spread of contemporary ballroom and vogue. Sending love to his friends, fam, and fans on and off the dance floor \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udc99\u201d— Puja Patel (@Puja Patel) 1615902837
In 2016, RuPaul released Butch Queen, his sixth original studio album. The project was produced by Allure as well as Matt Moss and Ellis Miah. Allure is featured heavily on the album, with five tracks. Among them are "Category Is ..." and "Feel Like a Woman." He reportedly met RuPaul in Washington D.C., when he played for one of the host's appearances. At the time he slid him a CD and Ru later emailed the producer through his website. He has also worked with Missy Elliott, Ashanti, Ultra Nate, Cazwell, Diplo's Mad Decent/Jeffres Records, Bok Bok's Nigh Slugs Records, Mike Q, Gangsta Boo, Marcello Niespolo, DJ Simi, Harmonica Sunbeam, Sahara Davenport, and more.
\u201cTHIS IS ICON VJUAN ALLURE @vjuanallure (rp via @LazyFlow )\u201d— Mike Da Fuggin Q (@Mike Da Fuggin Q) 1615902198
\u201cVery sad to hear of the passing of Vjuan Allure, an iconic and pioneering ballroom DJ, whose music has influenced and energized the scene for years. May he rest in peace.\u201d— DJ ACCIDENT REPORT (@DJ ACCIDENT REPORT) 1615902181
As someone who could still be spotted DJing balls all over the world, a smiling face in the DJ booth or even sometimes voguing a little bit behind the boards when his enthusiasm for his own mixes boiled over, his legacy and impact will never be forgotten.
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Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.
Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.