Today we’d like to introduce you to Jorge Gallegos.
Jorge , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Before COVID-19, I had built a career as an LGBTQ+ content creator focused on travel, lifestyle, and community storytelling. Brands were drawn not only to my creativity and ability to connect with audiences, but also to the advocacy work I consistently did for the queer community.
When the pandemic hit and the world suddenly stopped, so did the kind of content I had built my platform around. Stuck at home like everyone else, I had to find a new creative outlet to stay connected with my audience and with myself. Ironically, it all started right before lockdown while I was in Los Angeles for a friend’s birthday. During a casual hangout, a friend taught me the basics of mixing music, and I picked it up surprisingly fast. He told me I should seriously pursue DJing — so I did.
I taught myself how to DJ during lockdown, started streaming sets on Twitch, and officially launched House of Manchic later that same year. Since then, what began as a creative pivot has evolved into something much bigger, redefining gay nightlife in Dallas by producing my own events inspired by the energy I’ve always loved in cities like New York and Los Angeles — the kind of queer spaces where the DJ is the reason people come together, where house and techno music creates community, and where you don’t have to search for your people because they’re already in the room.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been easy. Like a lot of independent creatives, I’ve had periods where survival had to come before passion. From 2021 to 2023, I had to put House of Manchic on the back burner while focusing most of my creative energy on my full-time role as a Content Marketing Specialist for the .gay domain. Even though I loved the work, balancing a demanding career while trying to build something personal and community-driven was exhausting at times.
But the vision never really left me. Last year, I decided to fully bet on myself and launched my first event, Summer House, with essentially no budget — just a strong creative point of view and a belief that Dallas needed more queer spaces centered around house music, connection, and community. Since then, I’ve worn almost every hat imaginable: creative director, social media manager, talent coordinator, producer, DJ, and honestly, sometimes even unofficial go-go dancer. It’s been chaotic, challenging, and deeply rewarding all at once, but I’ve done it because I genuinely believe in what I’m building and the kind of community it can create.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
House of Manchic was born during Quarantine. Like many others, I struggled with being cooped up at home. However, what got me through the difficult times was music and the many DJs who turned their living spaces into DJ booths and shared their talents on Twitch.
That sense of connection is still what drives me as both a creative and a DJ today. My sets blend melodic house & techno, progressive house, and dance/electro-pop to create emotional, high-energy experiences that bring people together. For me, DJing has never been just about playing tracks — it’s about creating a feeling, a moment, and a sense of belonging on the dance floor.
Since launching House of Manchic, I’ve had the opportunity to perform at private events and notable venues across the DFW area, including Green Light Social, Crush, JR’s, and Pinkie’s, as well as major LGBTQ+ events and festivals such as Sunset Sessions, STRUT NYC, and Rainbow Renaissance. Along the way, I’ve shared lineups with artists like Brooklyn Hytes, Karsten Sollors, and Alexis Tucci. In Mexico, I also filmed my “Afro House by the Ocean” DJ set at Mantamar Beach, which organically reached over 14,000 views within two weeks of premiering on YouTube.
But beyond the bookings and milestones, what I’m most proud of is building spaces like Summer House and BULGE in Dallas — events created to reclaim house and techno music in LGBTQ+ nightlife while fostering a genuine queer community through music, creativity, and shared experience.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happiest is seeing the people around me succeed and step into their full potential. I’ve always been the connector in my friend group — the person introducing creatives, building bridges, and creating spaces where collaborations and friendships can naturally happen. There’s something really fulfilling about bringing talented queer people together and watching ideas grow from those connections. More than anything, I love creating alongside other artists and contributing to a sense of community where everyone feels supported, inspired, and seen.
Pricing:
- $150 hour (local DJ booking fee)
- $1500 (DJ out of state booking fee)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.manchic.gay/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseofmanchic/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manchic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@houseofmanchic
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/houseofmanchic
