Today we’d like to introduce you to Oscar & Thea Sierra.
Hi Oscar & Thea, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Oscar and Thea met in the NYC Rave scene in 1997. Both of us have been a big part of the scene and culture since that time. We have worn many hats throughout the years from event planning, djing (Oscar a.k.a. O. Diggs) project management, hospitality and talent buying just to name a few. In 2017 and 2018 we partnered with a few friends to put together a small boutique festival called Sets At Sunset which was thrown at Lake Lanier and featured a blend of House, Trance and Techno through local djs as well as headliners from different parts of the globe. 2018 the festival featured a showcase of Miami nightclub Do Not Sit On The Furniture. Each year was full of music, entertainment, food trucks, vendors and activities. Later that year in September of 2018 we partnered with DJ Pierre’s nightclub in downtown Atlanta called Wildpitch Underground where we would throw our first show as Oscar & Thea Present featuring House Music pioneer David Morales. We worked closely with Andrea Sutherland (co-owner/ manager of Wildpitch) in the coming years to bring multiple shows to Atlanta and the House and techno scene. Our goal was to bring some of the biggest names in the House/Techno scene to intimate settings where people could really indulge and enjoy in the vibes we created.
Shortly after we partnered with another friend and started a 501c-3 nonprofit organization called RELIEF where we ran a series of events to raise money, awareness and charitable donations through music and dance to help other organizations involved with those in need. Since then we have continued to work with many other local and regional promoters to keep bringing events and music to our scene. Most recently we have collaborated with Bass Family Atl to bring a weekly event every Thursday at Blue Martini called Rhythm Thursdays that features some of the best local house/techno DJs. Our main focus as a married couple and a team that brings music and events to the house/techno community has always been to give back to a scene that we not only met in but grew up in, worked in, lived through and helped to build who we are. We want to do our part to give this scene what it needs to continue to flourish while opening up opportunities for others to hopefully get some of what Oscar & Thea have gotten over the past 25 years of being a part of our beautiful culture.
We believe that music and dance is a big part of everyone’s lives and can be interpreted in many different ways. We know that both forms of art can be used to heal, bring happiness, educate, relieve stress and so many other things that we never want to limit ourselves to just House/Techno. While this is our main focus and a big part of who we are, we also have started working with other genres as well as live acts and artists from all the spectrums that is art. In 2022 we finally legitimized Oscar & Thea Present by making it an LLC. Our hope is to continue to see our company grow and create more opportunities. In the coming years, we hope to build more charitable events, consulting, management as well as our regular events that we continue to bring the city of Atlanta.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
With every venture in life comes struggles. The fact that we have grown together as a team, a married couple and best friends has made everything we do that much smoother over time. But it wasn’t always easy as time has taught us to listen, communicate and be honest with our expectations. Something that has not only helped our relationship but our company as well. With that said, event planning always has its tough times at some point. Most of it deals with logistics and the planning itself. Such as having the right equipment, coordinating the right dates with venues and artists, having all the people involved lined up and on the same page. We have worked with multiple promoters and partnered with many people to create the right vibe for each event. Over the years you learn that not everyone will work well together while others will work seamlessly. We are in gratitude of so many people throughout the years that have helped us get to where we are today. Without them, some of our struggles could have been worse. We have been fortunate and have learned from our mistakes through every event.
When it comes to life in general, we have to point out that Oscar & Thea Present is our venture and something that we love to do. However, we are also a married couple with a family and careers outside the music industry. So naturally, there are certain struggles faced with this. Time management is always a big one as we try to enjoy our family time with our son, traveling for leisure, building our marriage and still running our company that often takes a lot away from each of us. Balancing our events with our family has proved to be a struggle at times. We are learning every day how to get better and better at time management and the rewards from both our events and our personal lives is always worth every minute we put into it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Apart from my (Oscars) professional career, I am a big part of the music industry outside of Oscar & Thea Presents. I have been Djing since I was a young boy as I grew up around 3 uncles that were DJs. From club DJs to wedding DJs I was always surrounded by it and picked up the art quickly. I started taking it more seriously in 2005 after moving to Atlanta from NJ/NY area. Since then O. Diggs(DJ Alias) has played all over Atlanta holding residencies in multiple venues and opening up for some of the biggest names in House/Techno. Music and dance has always been a passion for me so DJing has become my form of expression. In 2017, some friends and I formed a DJ collective called Tech This Out Cru that now holds over eight members and helps create opportunities for DJs to work together, grow and learn from each other while giving them the chance to perform in different venues and events throughout Atlanta.
Thea has always been a creative force with a background in fashion and design. This all shows through each of our events and the ideas that we produce. Whether it be painting, decor, fashion, styling or entertainment, her creativity is always present. But one of the things she is most recognized for is her fitness journey. She is a fitness competitor that has overcome many struggles and battles to put herself on stage and compete with some top athletes. She dedicates herself to a healthy lifestyle and loves nothing more than to help others and educate them on nutrition, training and lifestyle changes.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
One of the best pieces of advice we can give is to believe in yourself! Never conform to what someone else wants, be confident and comfortable in your art and where you want to be. There will always be haters out there that may feel threatened by what you are doing. Do not let that turn you away or discourage you. Instead, use it to push you to be the best you can be. At the end of the day, you will never be able to please everyone, but if you are doing what you love and doing it for the right reasons, everything will fall into place and the rewards are priceless.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/oscar_thea_present
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OscarandThea
- Website: oscarandtheapresent.com
Image Credits
All photos credited to David Hobbs Photograghy
