Jesus Luz Speaks To Interview Magazine

"My name is 'Luz,' too, which means 'light.' So I feel like if I have this name that's so special, I should attract good energy."

He has come under public scrutiny after being linked to Madonna, but Jesus Luz has had a lot of attention way before his rumored affair with the Queen of Pop. Why, he is a top Brazilian model and definitely a good-looking one at that.

According to 2008 rumors, Jesus Luz met Madonna during a photo shoot for W Magazine in Rio de Janeiro and was later asked by the pop icon to join her on tour in Sao Paolo. "Everyone knows they're ficando - which is a Portuguese expression that means they are kissing and doing other things but without any obligation of being faithful or getting into a relationship afterwards," Page Six of the New York Post once wrote.

Barely 23 years old, Jesus Luz has already bagged campaigns for top clients like Dolce & Gabbana and Pepe Jeans. He has also booked top tier DJ gigs including the party for the DVD release of Matt Tyrnauer's documentary "Valentino: The Last Emperor" at The Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District (NYC) last fall.

Frantic with his busy modeling career, Jesus Luz has spared time to talk with Jonathan Durbin of Interview Magazine over the phone, although there is one seemingly omnipotent entity he is not allowed to talk about: Madonna.

So we're cutting the small talks and present you the excerpt of the interview that only centers on Jesus Luz's modeling and music career in the entertainment industry:

How did you get your name?

Jesus Luz:
"My father (gave me) my name because he always admired Jesus Christ as the most philosophical mind of all time. So, when he named me, in his heart and his head, he made a deal, like, I'm going to name you Jesus so everything good in life is going to come to you because they're going to make the homage to Jesus. It's a very special name. My name is 'Luz,' too, which means "light." So I feel like if I have this name that's so special, I should attract good energy."

How did you start modeling?

Jesus Luz:
"Somebody invited me to go to an agency in Rio. My first job came at Fashion Rio in 2007. It was good exposure, and it was my first contact with so many people. After that, I did a lot of little things. I did some work with a promoter. I worked as a salesman in a surf store. My first big international job was with Steven Klein for W magazine. That was very, very important for me here and in Brazil. Steven is an amazing photographer."

Do you consider him to be a mentor?

Jesus Luz:
"No. I think of him as a person who gives me a lot of good advice... Like, what kind of magazine is important for my career and what is not. What about this photographer, how creative he is... you know. He gives me his vision about work."

Has he helped you in the way that you present yourself in front of the camera?

Jesus Luz:
"I get that by working. It's the law of 10,000 times. You have to keep doing it to get it."

What do you think are some misconceptions that people have about you?

Jesus Luz:
"About my personality, many people speak before they know me."

Would you describe yourself as a private person?

Jesus Luz:
"Not private, but discreet."

Let's talk about your music.

Jesus Luz:
"Well, I grew up in a musical environment. When I was a kid, my uncle used to play in a rock band in Rio. Me and my brothers, we spent a lot of time watching. But I've always felt connected to music. I had a lot of DJ and musician friends in school."

So when did you get into DJing?

Jesus Luz:
"I got into DJing this year. I used to watch my friends do it, and I used to go to all of the electronic parties."

Is there anybody you're really into, whose music you can't stop listening to?

Jesus Luz:
"I have a very big playlist. I don't have one song that I can give to you. I like to try new things all the time, so it's always changing."

I heard that you went to Dubspot, a DJ school in New York City. What did they teach you there?

Jesus Luz:
"They taught me how to mix, how the crossfader works — all the basic stuff to deal with the equipment. I was there for, like, three months or something. Then I just bought my own equipment."

What kind of homework did they give you?

Jesus Luz:
"They say, 'Try to do a loop' or 'Try to mix that song with that song.' It's more up to you. You talk to the teacher and say, 'I want to learn how to do that,' and then they give you new ideas to try to make your own mix."

What attracted you to DJing?

Jesus Luz:
"I like to be a channel of music, to give people music to dance to, to see the reactions of people when I use effects. It's more intense when I make the music. I just produced my first song with my team in Brazil. I have a studio there."

I saw that you've written two songs, right?

Jesus Luz:
"Right. We almost finished the second. The first one is 'We Come From Light' and the other is 'Sweet Mystery."

Do you plan on releasing a record?

Jesus Luz:
"I'm focused now on production. I'm not thinking about making CDs. I'm just focusing on creation and work. I just made one song, so I can't say I'm gonna release a CD because I'm at the very beginning. It sure is a nice idea. I have plans to create songs with partners, but for now, I just make my own thing. But for sure, someday, I'm gonna create a song with another DJ."

So where do you see yourself going? Modeling? Music?

Jesus Luz:
"Everything."

Acting as well?

Jesus Luz:
"Yeah, everything."