By: Robert Lovi By: Robert Lovi | May 9, 2022 | Culture, People, Lifestyle, Style & Beauty, Feature, Events, Entertainment,
Creators on the beach. COURTESY OF LAST2LEAVE:MIAMI
A few months ago, Live Nation and Underscore Talent launched Last2Leave: Miami, the first-ever live music-inspired influencer house. The house hosts a group of popular and talented influencers from all over the country that attend the hottest music festivals, concerts, sporting events, parties, and nightlife giving their communities a non-stop, all-access VIP experience.
See Also: Ferrari Trento Sparkling Its Way Through the F1 Miami Grand Prix Podium
Creators of Last2Leave: Miami at Ye's Donda 2 performance COURTESY OF LAST2LEAVE:MIAMI
The housemates have already attended high-profile live events such as Ye's Donda 2 performance, SuperBowl and SuperBowl Music Fest, and customized Groot Hospitality events at hotspots Swan, Liv, and Strawberry Moon. They had access to the highly anticipated PoWow! rehearsal and played ping pong with performing artist Papadosio at the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival.
The house's first exclusive performance was with Jody & The Highrollers with Riff Raff. COURTESY OF LAST2LEAVE:MIAMI
Artists including Jody & The Highrollers with Riff Raff and Mir Fontane and the Taylors Girlz have hosted private concerts at the house, with many more scheduled to give the influencers outstanding performances throughout the year.
Javier Romero (@javierr), a dancer born in Columbia and raised in Miami, is one of the influencers who have made this beautiful house a home and a great working space that has allowed him incredible opportunities. Romero said he was always trying to learn how to dance or mimic what he saw on videos but never expected to go viral. He said he would first dance at school with friends trying to become better with practice, but it took him around five years to get his big break on social media when his Wynwood (a neighborhood in Miami) video went viral. Today Romero has over 17 million followers on social media.
Javier Romero at the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival. COURTESY OF LAST2LEAVE:MIAMI
"When I was chosen to be in the house, it felt great, but it was different. It is like being at home, and that is always good. I have my family in Miami, but now I also have a house that supports me, helps me out, and my brand. So it's like having two families now. And when you have that support system, you feel comfortable all the time," Romero said. "It's cool to be in LA; it's cool to be in Atlanta, all these places that I always go to, but Miami is where my family is, and now I have two families that I can go to for support."
When the housemates attended the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival, Romero got to dance on stage at the PoWoW!, an act that brings different artists into one big performance. "The house allows us to experience new and fun musical events. Our audiences see all these new things, and I get to bring my creativity to that," he said.
Jaylin James (@jaylinjamess), a former college football player from Des Moines, Iowa, with over 3 million followers, said that being from the Midwest in Miami is a complete change of scenery and environment. But the amount of connections he has made thanks to the house has changed his life and furthered his social media career. James has the biggest room in the house, and that gives him and his dog lots of room to play. He also likes the backyard and the pool because he never one back home.
Javier Romero, Jaylin James and Sebastian Topete at the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival. COURTESY OF LAST2LEAVE:MIAMI
"I think some of my favorite moments are having an artist come to the house and perform. For example, Riff Raff was a super amazing time because he came here and showed us all of his undivided attention. He played basketball with us and performed for us. It was an absolute blast," James said. "I also love having access to everything in Miami, like the beach, events, clubs, restaurants, things I've never experienced. So, It's such a blessing to experience that."
James said one of his favorite places in Miami is his new barbershop. He shared that his barber is an absolute stud that has taught him so much about the city and its culture. His barber has also introduced him to the delicious Cuban cafecito, and it has "quite literally" changed his life. He also enjoys going to the beach, and before moving to Miami, he hadn't been to the beach in over 15 years, so he tries to take advantage of it as much as possible.
"Without the house, I wouldn't be able to experience a lot of this stuff that people beg to go to. And we have access because of Live Nation and Underscore, so it's been a huge blessing to experience the stuff we've already experienced. And I want to take it to the next level," he said.
Creators at the Super Bowl Music Fest. COURTESY OF LAST2LEAVE:MIAMI
Liz Sanchez (@officiallizsanchez), who created the "Barbie Tingz" transition on TikTok, is from Miami, and has over 3.2 million followers on social media. She said this experience has been surreal and very eventful because there's always happening at the house and in the city. Back home, she created content by herself and never collaborated with other people or went out clubbing or to music festivals. However, Sanchez said the house has allowed her to see things differently because she never thought she could collaborate with others and have such a good time with a group of content creators in the Magic City.
"My relationship with the rest of the house is better than I expected. Imagine you get invited to join a mansion full random people that you've never heard about or never met in real life. It's scary and risky because you never know if you'll get along with them. You don't know if they have any bad habits, but surprisingly everybody here is so cool. And I've had such a fun experience," Sanchez said.
Liz Sanchez and the Taylor Girlz. COURTESY OF LAST2LEAVE:MIAMI
She said that going to all these events and having VIP access has helped her career a lot because she can create many behind-the-scenes content, get ready for those events, attending the events, and show how much fun she's having. People are always very tuned in to what she's doing and the places she is going.
Sebastian Topete (@sebastiantopete), a DJ from Pasadena, Calif., with more than 3.5 million followers, said the house has been an excellent opportunity for him. "I love everyone from the house. We're all very close, and we go out together. We live together; we have to get along with each other. But if we didn't live together, they would be the type of people I would be friends with because I love them so much," he said.
Topete enjoys going out and meeting new people. His daily routine includes lots of filming and business meetings every day. But aside from that, he loves dipping in the pool and going out with everybody. When he was picked to be in the house, he said he was already packing, excited to move to Miami because it was something new.
Artist Mir Fontane spent an afternoon performing some of his new music and creating content with influencers Phaith Montoya and Sebastion Topete. COURTESY OF LAST2LEAVE:MIAMI
Phaith Montoya (@phaithmontoya),a body-positive model and teacher from Florida with more than 2.5 million followers, said being at the house makes her feel ready to work because every inch of the mansion is an opportunity to film. She is grateful for all the space because living in the New York City area is limited for filming purposes. She also uses the house's natural lighting and has a great relationship with the other housemates.
"I don't want to sound like a cliche, but we've all become a family. I see them as more than just my friends; I think of them as my siblings. When we link up, it's always a good time. But many times, we're just like all in our rooms and our own spaces, doing our things," Montoya said.
She loves going to the pool and tanning because she says "a kiss from the sun a day keeps all the stress away." However, Montoya said she feels like she is always working because she can't just exist without posting about it when she is in a cute bathing suit. She said it would almost feel like she is doing a disservice to the people who follow her, the girls who look up to her, and adds "I feel like when you love what you do, are you really working?".
Montoya also said she is excited about going to Rolling Loud because even though she has been before, this time it's different having a VIP experience and going backstage and enjoying the festival in a new way.
The house, is undoubtedly an original concept that thrives in such a dynamic city like Miami, allowing these influencers to experience one-a-kind musical events that help them grow their brand and presence on social media. Follow the housemates on their social media and the house on Instagram (@l2lmiami) to learn more about their journey and stay updated.
Photography by: Courtesy Last2Leave: Miami