CALEB DE CASPEr

From the horror cabaret and glam-rock theatrics of his early career to the shadowy, neon-lit world of his current dark synth-pop, Austin-based performer and LGBTQ+ activist Caleb De Casper has never stopped evolving. A classically trained pianist and vocalist, De Casper commands the stage with a sharpened, unmistakable intensity — trading in the avant-garde gowns and stilettos of the past for a bold, more masculine and unfiltered presence that puts the focus squarely on the music, the message, and the electricity of performance.

Austin became the home that allowed De Casper to flourish in a way he never found in his native North Carolina, proving wrong the piano teacher who once told him, “As a gay songwriter, the world will never accept your voice or point of view.” That voice found its audience with his 2019 self-titled EP — a glam-rock burst of Hedwig-meets-Dresden Dolls theatrics — earning praise from NPR, who after his Tiny Desk performance declared, “This act will haunt your dreams for weeks.”

His 2022 debut LP Femme Boy expanded his sonic world, weaving dancefloor heat, cinematic drama, and queer storytelling into a record that was equal parts brooding and explosive. Standouts like the explosive “Too Many Boys” and the sweetly innocent “Dreamer” showcased a songwriter eager to push boundaries while grounding his art in emotional truth. That same year, the City of Austin proclaimed Caleb De Casper Day, recognizing his cultural impact. He went on to perform yearly at SXSW, Austin City Limits Music Festival (where his set was named a “Most Memorable Moment”), Utopia Fest, Houston’s Art Car Festival, Thin Line Fest, Polacon, and multiple Pride celebrations, while continuously advocating for LGBTQIA rights at the Texas State Capitol and beyond.

Now, with his forthcoming sophomore album Delirium, De Casper enters a new creative chapter — darker, dirtier, dance-driven, and poised for a breakthrough. Influenced by pop greats such as Pete Burns, Depeche Mode, Lady Gaga, Peaches, Prince, and INXS, Delirium is his most polished and club-ready work to date. Across ten tracks co-created with Italian/Mauritian producer Ribongia (Haiku Hands), De Casper channels a refined and unmistakably personal sound — one that feels both uniquely his and instantly accessible.

With themes that confront the surreal churn of modern technology, desire, and disconnection, Delirium marks the moment where the cult favorite edges confidently into the mainstream.

In 2024, he teased this next era with the single “Sik Culture,” a collaboration with Jonathan Horstmann (Urban Heat), produced by Ribongia and mixed by Billy Hickey (Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande). A capacity audience at PBS Studios witnessed a special live performance of the song with full choir and orchestra, signaling the scale of what’s coming next.