diego-san is the genre-blurring project of San Diego-based artist Taylor Smith, a lifelong musician with roots in jazz drums, classical piano and the eclectic energy of San Francisco’s music scene. Fusing house, rap and live instrumentation, diego-san’s music resists easy categorization. Drawing influence from artists like Bob Moses, RÜFÜS DU SOL, and ZHU - and raised on everything from reggae to EDM - he crafts songs that are vibey, heartfelt and built for blasting with the windows down. 

My inspiration for making music

Music has been a consistent backdrop for the most memorable moments in my life, from blasting Jurassic 5 in my first car in high school to dancing to Big Gigantic until 3am the year my dad came to Bonnaroo. I love the way that music brings people together, creating a shared vibe that lets people let loose and connect in a really authentic way. As a trained classical pianist and jazz drummer, I've always been a huge music fan, but for many years, I only played and performed other people's music. For years, I daydreamed about writing my own tracks and sharing my own story - creating songs that had the potential to be the musical backdrop in other people's lives. 

In 2024, my life changed dramatically and I had a moment of clarity - if I don't make my own music now, I never will. I decided to challenge myself to tell part of my story through writing my first EP - creating beats and lyrics that would resonate with people like me - people who are adventurous and young at heart, yet introspective about maturing and growing older.