Introduction
Welcome to REALS: A series that shines a light on people doing cool stuff in the real world. At SLEKE., our mission is simple: to create technology that inspires deeper engagement with the real world. Through REALS, we aim to offer not just inspiration, but examples of what it truly means to do cool stuff. What counts as “cool”? It’s a broad canvas—anything from savoring a quiet afternoon with a new book to skydiving in Egypt.
Our second feature is Jojo and Tinzo— sibling DJs and co-founders of Book Club Radio, a New York-based DJ collective that’s redefining the dance party. Their story is about creating spaces where people can lose themselves in the moment, free from the distractions of the digital age. It’s about joy, connection, and a manifesto that’s as much about life as it is about dancing.
At SLEKE., we have a ritual: every morning, we make pour-over coffee and listen to a DJ set on YouTube. Sometimes it’s My Analogue Journal, sometimes Flavour Trip, sometimes Blue Note Japan. But when we’re feeling energetic—when we want to dance, jump around, and get excited—we go to one specific channel: Book Club Radio. What makes Book Club Radio stand out isn’t just the music; it’s the vibe. The DJs face away from the crowd, and the crowd dances with each other, not at the DJ. It’s a format that stands out in a landscape dominated by lone DJs staring into cameras or crowds staring back at them.
When we dug deeper, we discovered that this vibe wasn’t accidental– it was meticulously curated by siblings Christina and Josef Lorenzo, better known as Tinzo and Jojo. Their mission? To bring the focus of dance parties back to dancing.
Jojo and Tinzo
Born in Minneapolis, Jojo and Christina Lorenzo (Jojo and Tinzo respectively) grew up in a household steeped in music. Their father introduced them to disco, soul, and funk; their mother brought post-punk, new wave, show tunes, and jazz into the mix. Their brother, Fino, is a musician too - the family’s musical lineage runs deep.
Tinzo’s journey into DJing was serendipitous. After studying arts and entertainment management at Pace university, she worked part-time in retail, ran marketing for a start-up label, and did marketing and event production for Sounds of Brazil (SOB), an event venue in The New York City neighbourhood of SoHo.
While at SOB, she was recruited by Bresh, a party collective from Buenos Aires, to train as a DJ. About a year after she started working with Bresh, she began taking DJing seriously and practicing the style of music she was interested in.
Jojo’s start was equally unconventional. Prior to starting Book Club Radio, Jojo worked as a documentarian at PBS. While at the network, Jojo hosted Subcultured, a documentary series that features “lesser-known subcultures that inspire and influence mainstream culture.” Jojo also produced Sound Field, a “ music education series that explores the music theory, production, history and culture behind our favorite songs and musical styles.”
In 2022 Jojo made a documentary for PBS investigating the culture of the dance and rave scenes in the metaverse. Through their work on this documentary, Jojo fell in love with the rave scene and was encouraged to DJ a set. Jojo bought a controller and just three days later played their first metaverse party.
The siblings started playing together at friends' parties to learn from each other. Jojo and Tinzo developed distinct styles—Tinzo’s sets pull on heartstrings and invoke joy with soulful, nostalgic, and exciting tracks, while Jojo’s are a blend of house and experimental sounds. Together, they started Book Club Radio, a collective that’s as much about community as it is about music.
Book Club Radio
As a result of the popularity of their DJ sets, Jojo and Tinzo created Book Club Radio - a collective of DJs who play local shows in New York. The name comes from a group chat where Tinzo, Jojo, and their friends planned weekly dance outings. Tinzo explains:
“We had a group chat with our partners and our friend Kevin where we would plan to meet up and go dancing every week. because we met up regularly, it was an ongoing joke that we were kind of like a "book club," so that's what we named our group chat! about a year later when we were brainstorming ideas for the name of our youtube channel, we thought our group chat name fit perfectly. I'm so glad we didn't name our group chat something dumb bc I have no idea what we would have called ourselves otherwise.”
The ethos of Book Club Radio is simple: no phones, no egos, just dancing. Jojo explains:
“A lot of the atmosphere of Book Club is just inspired by how we like to experience a night out: no phones, not facing the DJ, just hanging out and dancing with each other. I also do remember a time before everyone had cell phones and you could go to a party and live in the moment. I was young but I can remember what it was like and Book Club brings back those memories. I think a lot of people want an excuse to put their phone away, but we're all addicted so I guess it's important to create intentional spaces where phones aren't allowed.”
At their parties, DJs face away from the crowd, and attendees dance with each other, not at the DJ. It’s a format that harks back to a time when parties were about connection, not content collection. To enforce this atmosphere, attendees are given stickers to cover their phone cameras (though the vibe is so infectious that no one feels the need to break the rules anyway).
After about three or four official parties and traction on their YouTube channel, the siblings wanted to find a way to preserve the intentional vibe of their parties. The duo codified their party rules into what they call ‘The Librarian’s Manifesto’.
The Librarian’s Manifesto—a set of seven rules that guide every Book Club Radio event—has become the collective’s calling card. The manifesto was born out of a night when Tinzo and Jojo went to see Peggy Gou. Jojo explains:
“[Peggy] was awesome, but there wasn't any room to dance and everyone had their phone out filming Peggy. Also whenever we tried to dance the people around us would get angry, probably because they couldn't take a still video. So we ended up heading to the back so we had space to dance. After that I was really craving a party where people weren't all facing one way and people were actually dancing with one another, so it took me 10 minutes to come up with the rules and I shared them with the group and we posted them on Instagram that day. The manifesto has become such a big part of our lives and our career as individual artists that it's funny to think back about how quickly they were made up and just put out there."
About the Dial Up Tour
The success of Book Club Radio has led to the Dial Up Tour, a series of extended and all night DJ sets that bring the collective’s ethos to new cities.
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The Dial Up Tour is designed to transport partygoers back to the early days of the internet—a time when the web was wild, unfiltered, and free from social media. The sets blend classic house music with visuals that evoke the pre-Y2K era.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in ’90s rave wear, hacker chic, or whatever makes them feel like they’ve stepped into a dial-up modem. They even provide a Pintrest mood board for outfit inspiration.
The Dial Up Tour isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s about connection.
“We’re asking the audience to follow the Librarian’s Manifesto,” Jojo says. “And so far, they’ve brought it. The energy in Chicago and LA was incredible…There was so much dancing and smiling. It felt like a Book Club party.”
Advice for New DJs
For aspiring DJs, Tinzo and Jojo have some straightforward advice: listen, practice, and play in front of people. “I’d say use YouTube as a resource.” Jojo says, mentioning that a lot of their algorithm is deep cut videos. “I think listening is more important than practicing for DJs. The more music you hear the wider your context.”
Tinzo adds, “Listen to your favorite DJs so you can learn from them, listen to your own sets so you can learn from yourself (even if you just record on your phone), practice weekly, watch tutorials, listen to as much music as you can, and be patient with yourself.”
Both siblings emphasize the importance of personality and brand. “There are so many DJs now,” Jojo says. “How are you going to stand out?” For Tinzo, it’s about creating a vibe that resonates with people. “Why would I play something if it doesn’t make me dance?” she asks. “That’s why we’re all here.”
Final Thoughts
Tinzo and Jojo are more than just DJs; they’re pioneers of a new kind of dance floor—one where the music is the focus, and the crowd is the show. In a world increasingly dominated by screens, they’ve created a space where people can truly connect. And that, in our book, is what counts as cool.
Where to Follow Along
Tinzo and Jojo’s latest originals, After Hours and Normal Friends, are out now. If you’re into their sound, check out their Website and on Instagram at @tin.zo and @imjojolorenzo.