Las Vegas Artist Racks Up Nearly Two Million Streams on Spotify

Meet the Humans of Downtown: stories and snapshots from the urban core of Las Vegas

By  Zoneil Maharaj

Follow our friend @dtlv for all the news and happenings in Downtown Las Vegas.

If you’re not already up on Papichuloteej, you will be soon. The 23-year-old alt-pop singer/rapper crafts infectious earworms with catchy, melodic hooks and bouncy beats. He’s already gained a significant buzz. His song “Bye” has nearly two million streams on Spotify, with other singles racking up spins by the hundred of thousands thanks to landing on official playlists.

“Someone at Spotify has a crush on me or something,” Teej jokes.

It’s hard not to fall in love with Teej’s music, but it’s his ceaseless grind that helps him stand out.


Originally from San Diego, he spent his high school years in North Carolina before enlisting in the Air Force, which brought him to Las Vegas three years ago. Though he’d been making music as a hobby while serving, it became his primary focus once he was discharged.

“I just knew the military wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life,” he says. “I loved and enjoyed music. That’s what made me happy.”

He hit the ground running, linking up with other local artists and performing all over the city. By 2019, he was named “Best Rising Rapper” by the Las Vegas Weekly. By then, he’d already switched his style, trading rap bars for a more melodic, pop-driven sound.

“I just tried experimenting with singing and I hit a pocket with that,” he says. “I found where my voice fits and what I do best.”

Major labels have taken notice but, for now, he’s staying independent.

“I’m not diving head first,” he says. “I’m allowing things to come as they are. If it feels right, I’ll go with it.”

In the meantime, he’s been cooking in the studio with a synth-heavy, Tame Impala-inspired project slated to drop this summer.

Having lost his restaurant gig due to the pandemic, he’s determined to never have to work a day job again.

“I just want to support myself, support my friends and be able to make a change through music,” he says.

Catch Papichuloteej live May 29 at @dtlvfieltrip at Ferguson Downtown alongside B. Rose, LinaDrae and The Lique Band. RSVP for free at dtlvfieldtrip.com.


You might also be interested in...

The Women Who Brew Las Vegas: Kayla Callahan

Part seven in a series on the women who have risen to the top of Nevada’s burgeoning brewery industry

Read More

Conductor George Daugherty Brings Bugs Bunny to The Smith Center

The Looney Tunes inspired touring production hits Sin City

Read More

New Year, New Us: Off The Strip’s 2023 Resolutions

Off The Strip is here to encourage you to establish New Year’s resolutions and goals

Read More

The Women Who Brew Las Vegas: Amanda Payan

Part six in a series on the women who have risen to the top of Nevada’s burgeoning brewery industry

Read More

Holidays in Sin City: How Hospitality Professionals Celebrate Thanksgiving

In Las Vegas, holidays are often busy times of the year with little time off for those in the hospitality industry. We caught up with some pros to ask how they will spend their Thanksgiving weekend

Read More

What did you think?