The ballroom icon has reportedly passed away.
Ballroom innovator Vjuan Allure has reportedly passed away. Tributes to Allure began to circulate online earlier this week, with peers, musicians and admirers paying their respects to the Puerto Rico-born, New York-raised DJ, producer and remixer. An official statement has not been issued at this time. However, social media posts from sources close to the artist appear to confirm his passing. Angels of Love, the promotion crew based out of Naples, Italy (aka Allure’s “second home“) posted a tribute to Allure. He had worked with Angels of Love since 1998.
Allure’s impact on ballroom scenes both stateside and in cities far-flung is immeasurable. He played a vital role in the development of the modern ballroom sound and, alongside cohorts like MikeQ, helped to popularise it on the global club circuit. Prior to his reported passing, Allure had been spinning and producing for over two decades; taking up international residencies and working with labels such as Night Slugs, Fade to Mind and Diplo’s Mad Decent.
Allure was among the first to turn his attention towards tracks produced specifically for ballroom and voguing events. In doing so, he wound up creating his own style dubbed ‘Ballroom Beatz’, featuring his vocal producer tag: “This is a Vjuan Allure Magnifique Elite Beat”. When it came to remixes, it was Allure who remixed Masters at Work’s The Ha Dance for the ballroom in 2000. Unknown to him at the time, his remix (later titled Allure Ha), as well as other early remixes, would usher in a new sonic era for ballroom.
With a catalogue almost as lengthy as his career – and almost vast as his influence, too – we’re highlighting a selection of must-listen remixes, mind-bending tunes and more straight from the Vjuan Allure vault. RIP to an icon.
The Rowdy Ha
Vjuan AllureWhile the aforementioned Allure Ha is perhaps Allure’s most essential, you won’t actually find it on YouTube – or anywhere else online, for that matter. As the story goes, Allure learned early in his career to hold onto songs from watching Junior Vasquez at NYC venue The Sound Factory. “Everyone wants everything now, but if you give it to them, it’s nothing special,” Allure said in this Vulture article from 2018. However, among the many remixes and Ha offerings you can find online lies this expectedly rowdy track.
Category Is... (Ft. Vjuan Allure)
RuPaulAllure featured heavily on RuPaul’s 2016 album, Butch Queen, producing tracks like Category Is… and Feel Like a Woman. In an interview following its release, he said, “[RuPaul] wanted to do an album as a tribute to the ballroom scene, and that was the album called Butch Queen, and that was the one I worked on. Purposefully I did not give him ballroom beats. I gave him beats that were different, that were things he didn’t have.”
Silo Pass (Vjuan Allure Remix)
Bok BokA 2012 remix that featured alongside reworked contributions from the likes of Sir Spyro, Helix and Night Slugs boss Bok Bok himself. In the decade since its release, Silo Pass has become one of Bok Bok’s most successful solo offerings and one of the label’s most defining tracks to date. This snappy remix from Allure elevates its appeal even further. (Fun fact: according to NS, Allure delivered his mix without having access to the original stems.)
Runway Diva
Vjuan AllureA ballroom stomper for runways, pavements or anywhere you wish. In this upload, the track is accompanied by visuals of supermodels gracing the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show catwalk. In 2018, Allure unearthed and repurposed Runway Diva, releasing a remix EP with Bristol’s Prjkts crew. Neana, Uptown Nikko and Cvnt Traxx were among those who reinterpreted it in their respective styles alongside Allure himself, who offered a fresh version titled Vjuan’s Elite Re-Run.
Yea Hoe (Vjuan Allure Remix)
Gangsta Boo & Sinjin HawkeBack in 2013, Fractal Fantasy’s Sinjin Hawke teamed with Three 6 Mafia founding member Gangsta Boo for four minutes – or thereabouts – of signature Sinjin (think grandiose choir-meets-club dramatics) fused with a serious helping of the Memphis sound. Allure, naturally, raises the levels to vertigo-inducing heights by adding his battle-ready flair into the mix.
Bandit
Vjuan AllureThe title track to Allure’s 2013 EP for Alma Mater Records (fka Hot Mom USA). As the label expertly puts it, across the release Allure “bridges the gap between ballroom, funky, future bass, and dat ass” in a way that only he can. It’s a firm agree from us – and a guaranteed rewind on this tune.
The Master Blaster (Vjuan Allure Remix)
MikeQIn 2011, New Jersey’s MikeQ – another pioneer leading the charge within the modern ballroom and vogue-house scene – released his debut EP Let It All Out. It followed a slew of self-released tunes and saw him link up with Kingdom’s Fade to Mind label. Let It All Out is made up of assured and anthemic cuts fit for a ball, the club, wherever, really. So, it’s only fitting that Allure also jumps on board for a relentless remix of opening track The Master Blaster.
The En-Na-Er-Gi Bounce (Rebounce)
Vjuan AllureA little while back, Allure signed to Mad Decent’s offshoot label Jeffrees to release a free EP titled Vjuanage. Supposedly two years in the making, the five-track release is bursting with heaters, with the raucous The En-Na-Er-Gi Bounce (Rebounced) being our pick of the bunch. Prior to releasing this EP from Allure, the label also shared viral tracks like Ima Read from Zebra Katz and Harlem Shake from Bauer.
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