Meet Suzio: The Collective Making Queer Latinx Nightlife Loud, Proud & Political 

The air is thick with sweat, smoke, and bass. Neon strobes slice through the darkness. Bodies move like waves – grinding, jumping, gasping for breath – and nobody wants the night to end. Welcome to SUZIO, the UK’s fiercest Latinx queer club night, where the music hits hard and the politics hit even harder. This isn’t just a party – it’s a riot in motion, a dancefloor uprising powered by identity, defiance and euphoria.

Defiantly underground and led by voices from the Latin American diaspora, SUZIO pushes beyond UK nightlife’s margins. Blending celebration with subversion, it centres queer, Latinx, and migrant artists from the Global South – carving out room where joy is resistance, and visibility is revolutionary. The SUZIO dancefloor is a haven of hedonism and a creative epicentre for queer Latinx talent. Each DJ crafts a journey through sound and identity – Reggaeton, Brazilian Funk, Cumbiaton, Dembow, Guaracha, Latincore and experimental electronic textures – rooted in cultural connection and lived experience

Born in April 2022, SUZIO was created to challenge the monolithic idea of what ‘Latin’ music should be; where genre boundaries blur, cultural assumptions unravel and new sonic identities are forged. Its name – slang for ‘dirty’ in Spanish – captures the raw, untamed spirit at the heart of every night. “Imagine messy meetings of creative minds, sounds from LatAm and their sonic siblings permuting into new forms, and sexy, carnal moves on the dancefloor,” says DJ, producer, astrologer and SUZIO co-founder Manuka Honey.

Creating The Unseen

The night didn’t emerge from a marketing strategy or a clubbing trend; it was born out of longing. “The natural connection and appreciation we had for each other as artists inspired us to create a space that represented our tastes and identities,” says Manuka Honey. “We wanted more options for clubbing and were desperate to go to a place like SUZIO. The only problem was, it didn’t exist. So, we made it happen.” Indeed, what began as a creative connection quickly turned into a shared mission: to build the kind of night they’d always dreamed of – rooted in identity, taste, and radical intention.

“Both of us value ferocity and hedonism, but at the same time, safety and sensuality. SUZIO is a true amalgam of those things, with women and femininity at the helm of it all,” adds artist, DJ, and second Pisces SUZIO co-founder Baby Cocada. “We wanted to do something new and unprecedented, so we started very niche and found a way to make space for these Latin genres. It has changed a lot over the years, going from sceptical promoters and venues to us being the ones getting many requests.”

After building a fiercely loyal following through intimate events across multiple smaller venues, SUZIO found a home at East London’s Colour Factory. Now, the collective – consisting of the two co-founders, resident DJ Architect and new member DJ Kaanijo – throws multiple annual events, mixing left-field acts, pop artists, DJs and live shows while challenging Latin stereotypes and expanding how these scenes intersect.

Revolution On The Dancefloor

This Saturday, SUZIO celebrates its third anniversary with a sizzling lineup showcasing the best of Latin America’s queer underground. Argentine club legends Six Sex and Tayhana join Peruvian hip-hop trailblazer A.CHAL alongside SUZIO’s resident DJs, promising a night charged with sound, identity and rebellion.

Prioritising inclusivity and cultivating a safe setting, SUZIO’s attendees bring outfits and energy that radiate bold self-expression and creative freedom. While the night welcomes everyone, its founders and core audience are predominantly members of the LGBTQIA+ community. In an era where corporate agendas and policymakers increasingly threaten queer spaces, SUZIO’s dedication to celebrating Latin American art feels more urgent than ever. As co-founder Manuka Honey explains, “SUZIO is for queer Latinx artists. We’re constantly a source of inspiration but rarely given the main stage outside of our own niches. SUZIO brings together a diverse audience that’s receptive to new ideas and sounds and connects culture on a global scale.”

The vibe always feels countercultural, intimate and vibrant as the crowd grinds exuberantly all night. It’s a scene where you’re just as likely to hear a Plan B track as you are raptor house by DJ Babatr, and where people are fully present – floating through clattering snares and moving like syrup to seductive sounds. The feminine aspect SUZIO has is hard to encapsulate into words but relates deeply to the common thread each event brings: carefully curated corporal and sensual lineups that have you moving through your senses. If you’re ever worried about bringing friends who aren’t club rats, this setting is the perfect introduction to a fun night out – the perfect mix of fierce, soft and kind.

“Although we see Latin American artists topping global charts and breaking records on streaming platforms, we rarely see them being given a chance to shine in the UK underground, especially in live and hybrid performances,” says Manuka Honey. SUZIO holds a fundamental role in reclaiming narrative authority over who headlines London’s club nights. Most notably, the club has hosted the debuts of chart-topping Puerto Rican rapper Villano Antillano, Mexican DJ Guapis and artist Cachorra. They’re now buzzing to host Six Sex’s biggest headline show in the country. “Thanks to the trust of venues, bookers and a dedicated audience, we love proving to the UK that artists perceived as a risk are true stars capable of selling out shows like any other talented acts,” adds Manuka Honey.

Defying The Mainstream

“Visibility isn’t automatically empowering – especially for queer communities,” says Marco Scalvini, cultural theorist and lecturer at University of the Arts London. “Diasporic queer nightlife was powerful precisely because it thrived away from mainstream attention. It was a space of genuine resistance and creativity.” He points to how Pride events have increasingly been shaped by corporate interests. “We saw this clearly during Pride 2022, amid the monkeypox crisis. Major LGBTQ+ organisations avoided publicly addressing the issue because discussing sex and health made sponsors uncomfortable. Nightlife, however, remains a vital realm to build solidarity without needing mainstream approval.” For Marco, the true spirit of Pride lies in pushing back against oppressive systems – not fitting comfortably within them.

Amid the global rise in anti-Trans, anti-migrant rhetoric and increasing commodification of queer nightlife, SUZIO’s wider significance in protecting and supporting its artists and audiences alike is crucial – emphasising the historical gravity of nightlife as an act of resistance. “With the world looking to London when it comes to tastemaking, it means a lot to not only platform people with these identities but truly showcase their talent in the wake of so much hatred, bigotry, and ignorance,” says Baby Cocada. “Protecting the dolls also means protecting their bank accounts. Supporting queer people also means supporting our community’s ability to be stable and sustain themselves as artists,” adds Manuka Honey.

With Pride month in full swing, now is the perfect moment to celebrate queer venues that champion identity, inclusion and self-expression through music. SUZIO’s unwavering commitment to uplifting queer artists from the Global South has firmly established the collective and its club night as a vital force in London’s nightlife scene. As SUZIO gears up for its eighth solo edition, it drops an exclusive teaser: “Keep an eye out for August.” Meanwhile, for Saturday’s event, Manuka Honey and Baby Cocada promise “a salacious night of sexy, curated Latin sounds. Expect the unexpected – it’s gonna be hot.” In a city flooded with parties, SUZIO stands alone – unapologetic, unmissable, and utterly unforgettable.

5 Rising Stars Lighting Up Latin America’s Music Scene

SUZIO draws from Latin America’s bold, boundary-breaking, and politically charged club scene – here’s a spotlight on five artists driving that movement today...

1. Irmãs de Pau – Industrial, transgressive, and fearlessly queer, São Paulo duo Vita Pereira and Isma Almeida are the Brazilian underground’s IT girls. Their Vogue Mandelão style blends Trans-Black influences, bold lyrics and a fierce mix of electronic, baile funk and pop – redefining Brazil’s club scene.

2. Six Sex – SUZIO’s latest headliner, the world-renowned Princess of Perreo, embodies the 2000s feminist, queer and Trans underground parties of Buenos Aires. Francisca Agustina Cuello’s versatile, sensual and boldly playful discography spans perreo, Eurodance, rave, reggaeton and cumbia turra. With a pop star’s presence to match, she’s a defining force in the evolving landscape of Latin club sounds.

3. Kebra – Jenny Granado, AKA Kebra, is a multidisciplinary artist and DJ from Uruana, Goiás, Brazil, rapidly rising as a standout act. As founder of the community Desculonización, she’s a passionate community organiser and anti-colonial activist, using intense perreo to liberate mind, body and ass. Whether leading workshops or spinning eclectic sets blending Latin diaspora and global underground sounds, Kebra takes the dancefloor from wild frenzy to deep introspection.

4. Clementaum – Born in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, this Brazilian DJ and producer is a rising force in the underground electronic scene, captivating audiences with her bold personality and magnetic stage presence. Fusing ballroom culture, global pop, tribal house, techno, Latin rhythms and Brazilian funk, she elevates native sounds while honouring the legacy of queer Brazilian history.

5. Akriila – “Hot gays listen to Akriila!” is the signature phrase woven through the bold discography of this Chilean artist, born Fernanda Sepúlveda. She blends reggaeton, trap and pop with drum and bass and progressive electronica and has been praised for capturing the pulse of contemporary Latin music while pushing sonic boundaries. Her introspective lyrics ride industrial rhythms and dreamy synths, cementing her as one of Latin America’s most innovative rising stars.