Remembering to Face the Sun: BLOSSM [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

Not everything blooms overnight. Sometimes it means slowing down, starting over, and learning how to face the light again.

For Denver-based artist Tom Bluher, better known as BLOSSM, that shift has shaped everything, from the music he’s creating to the community forming around it. After years of DJing under his former alias and navigating the scene through a different lens, he stepped into a new chapter rooted in intention and self-reflection. Now, ahead of his upcoming headline and with his first official body of music on the way, that evolution is coming into focus in a bigger way than ever before.

On May 7, BLOSSM takes over Larimer Lounge with a fully curated night featuring a stacked local lineup, immersive visuals, and a set built around his most personal work to date. With support from SNDY, CD Project, and Jaspr, plus a special opening set from his wife Anya, the night is designed as a shared experience grounded in connection.

We caught up with him ahead of the show to talk about growth, recovery, and what it means when music becomes a personal journal.

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Catching BLOSSM in Bloom

Kaylee Leitzel, Electric Hawk: So first question I ask everyone, where did the name BLOSSM come from?

Tom Bluher “BLOSSM”: Originally, I was producing under a variation of my last name, Bluher. I had an EP under that name, played some shows, and started getting a little traction. When I signed with my current management, I told my family, and they were like, “Does that mean you’re going to be a household name?” I was like, maybe, that would be sick. And they go, “We don’t really want our last name to be a household name.”

On top of that, it wasn’t the easiest to pronounce, so I started thinking about changing it. Around that time, sunflowers had become a recurring theme in my life, especially through my recovery. I use them as a sign that I’m on the right path. So BLOSSM just made sense.

KL: You started DJing at 15. When did it shift from hobby to something more serious?

Tom: I DJ’d all through high school. My first set was a school dance, which was funny because I was playing Pretty Lights, GRiZ, Big Gigantic… not exactly typical school dance music.

For a long time, I was just DJing and feeding into the party side of music. I loved it, but I was also getting pretty messed up. I couldn’t party and write music at the same time.

When I got sober, I suddenly had all this time. I’m not great at journaling, so music became my journal. I can look back at songs and remember exactly what was happening in my life. That’s when things shifted.

KL: What about the stigma around partying in music culture? Do you still think it holds up?

Tom: I think it’s changing. You don’t have to be partying hard to be part of music.

For me, going to shows sober is actually more powerful. I connect with the music way deeper. I think people are starting to explore that more.

KL: Has your perspective on the music industry changed?

Tom: The biggest thing is realizing how normal everyone is. You expect people to walk in with an entourage, but they’re just people. The artists you look up to have good days or bad days too.

And honestly, just being kind goes a long way. Saying thank you, treating people well, it matters more than people think.

KL: Any songs that feel really pivotal to you?

Tom: There’s a few, but “Take a Deep Breath” for sure. I wrote that after my first breathwork ceremony. I saw how powerful alternative healing could be.

I was digging through samples and randomly found a bunch that were all about breathing. I took that as a sign and built the track around it.

That was also the first song a bigger artist played out. It was Steller at Mission Ballroom. I was in the crowd with my friends losing our minds while everyone around us was like, “What are these people doing?” It was unreal.

KL: Recently, you had another experience at Mission Ballroom opening up for Adventure Club. What stuck with you from that?

Tom: It was kind of double-sided. On one hand, it was insane. I’ve followed Adventure Club for years, and their music shaped a lot of EDM. Having my mom there backstage was really special too. They were super kind to her, no ego at all.

On the other hand, it pushed me. I realized I wanted more energy in my sets. I’m trying to bridge chill electro-soul with something more upbeat and funky, and I wasn’t fully there yet.

After that show, I went home and wrote five or six songs in two weeks. So it was both validating and motivating.

KL: What are you building toward right now with the project?

Tom: The biggest thing is community. I’ve been really intentional about connecting with people who support the music.

We’re also building something called the Sunshine Circle, where people log acts of kindness and can earn things like merch or tickets. And for every headline ticket sold, we’re planning to plant a tree.

Beyond that, I’m working on some really cool things right now, I can’t talk about everything just yet, but what I can tell you is that there’s a lot of new music coming soon.

KL: What do you hope people feel when they hear your music?

Tom: Positivity. Connection. I want people to feel like they’re part of something deeper than just partying.

If a song or a post brings people a little closer together, then I’m doing what I want to do.

KL: Is it hard to push positivity when you’re not feeling it?

Tom: Yeah. I’ve had days like that recently. I’m buying a house, getting married next month. All good things, but there’s a lot going on.

There was a moment where I realized I didn’t even know what day it was. I was just moving from one thing to the next, thinking about what’s next instead of being present.

When that happens, I try to be honest about it. I don’t want to pretend everything is perfect. Nobody’s positive all the time. It’s about balancing that.

KL: Has being open like that impacted how you view community?

Tom: Definitely. I’ve gotten messages from people saying the music helped them through work, breakups, tough moments.

That’s the most fulfilling part. I use music to process my own life, and seeing that translate to someone else is wild.

Music is the closest thing to magic we have. It brings people together in a way nothing else really does.

KL: Your growth recently has been huge. What changed?

Tom: Honestly, I was posting every day for like nine months and nothing happened. I was about to give up.

Then one random post blew up on Facebook of all places. I didn’t even realize I was posting there. It went from a couple hundred followers to thousands overnight.

From there, I started a Facebook group and focused on building a real community. That’s been the coolest part.

KL: What would your past self not recognize about you now?

Tom: Probably everything.

I used to avoid anything that wasn’t positive and just bury it. Now I have tools to actually work through things.

And I never thought I’d be producing music. I was too scared to try. Now it’s a huge part of who I am.

What’s Next?

KL: You’re curating your Larimer Lounge lineup. Can you speak to the artists?

Tom: SNDY is on direct support. I’ve loved his music for a long time. He really represents that electro-soul side I care about.

CD Project is insane. We worked on a track together and I saw his Ableton session and had no idea what I was looking at. He’s become a close friend too.

Jaspr, I’ve been getting to know you recently. I’m really excited to finally see her play.

And my wife, Anya, is opening. It’s her first real set. I taught her to DJ and one day I came home and she was mixing and crushing it. I was like, we need to get you on a lineup immediately.

KL: How are you feeling going into this show?

Tom: Excited and nervous. It’s my first time curating a full night at this level.

We’re bringing in lasers, building out visuals, covering the space in sunflowers. I want it to feel immersive.

At the same time, I want everything to land, I’m really proud of the set I’ve built. I just want to be able to provide an overall awesome experience for everyone who’s going out of their way to spend their hard earned money on a ticket to the show.

I’m putting way more intention into everything, the visuals, the production, the experience. And I’m playing more of my own music than ever before. That’s a big shift for me. I always saw myself as more of a DJ than a producer, so this feels like stepping into something new.

KL: What’s next after this?

Tom: Rocky Rave this summer, which I’m really excited about. Like I said, I can’t dive into all of it just yet but we’ve got a lot of amazing things going on in the background. A lot of new music, and maybe some shows in cities that I haven’t been to yet!

But honestly, my real main focus is still music and community. Not chasing bookings. Just building something real, I want to create something greater than myself, somewhere that anyone can find belonging.

DON’T MISS BLOSSM AT LARIMER LOUNGE ON MAY 7TH

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