Octo Octa

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Maya Bouldry-Morrison

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|05|13}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, United States{{Cite news|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/2640|title=Octo Octa: Between two selves|last=Reynaldo|first=Shawn|date=2016|work=Resident Advisor|access-date=2017-03-31}}

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DJ
record producer

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| associated_acts = Eris Drew

| website = {{URL|octoocta.bandcamp.com}}

}}

Maya Bouldry-Morrison (born 13 May 1987),{{cite Instagram |user=octoocta |postid=DJo8xhNg83E |title=I am 38 today ✨ |date=May 13, 2025}} better known by her stage name Octo Octa, is an American house producer and DJ based in Brooklyn, New York.

In 2016, Bouldry-Morrison came out as transgender, after having already gained prominence as an artist.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/mar/28/transgender-dj-octo-octa-where-are-we-going-album-interview|title=DJ Octo Octa on coming out as transgender: 'Everyone was confused, then it was OK'|last=Coldwell|first=Will|date=2017-03-28|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-03-31|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/octo-octa-interview-transgender-producer|title=Octo Octa: "I'm so much happier out the closet"|last=Williams|first=Rachael|date=2016|work=Red Bull|access-date=2017-03-31}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.electronicbeats.net/octo-octa-terre-thaemlitz-conversation/|title=Risk Spaces: Octo Octa In Conversation With Terre Thaemlitz|last=Opperman|first=Derek|date=2017-03-22|work=Electronic Beats|access-date=2017-03-31}}

Career

Octo Octa describes her influences as including classic Warp records, IDM, drum 'n' bass, San Francisco based label Tigerbeat6, and has been inspired by trans artist DJ Sprinkles (a.k.a. Terre Thaemlitz).{{Cite news|url=http://sequencer.club/sequencer-spotlight-octo-octa/|title=Sequencer Spotlights Octo Octa|last=Greco|first=Alicia|date=2017-02-18|work=Sequencer|access-date=2017-03-31|archive-date=2017-04-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403111831/http://sequencer.club/sequencer-spotlight-octo-octa/|url-status=dead}}

While studying at the University of New Hampshire, she formed the dance band Horny Vampyre with her friend Jeremy, while also using the Octo Octa moniker for her solo experimental music. Her initial solo productions worked within IDM and breakcore genres; it was only at the end of her college career that she began to produce the style of house music for which she is more widely known.

Her first EP release, Let Me See You (2011), came out through 100% Silk, the house sub-label of noise music label Not Not Fun Records. She has since had several releases, including the 12" EP Where Did You Go / Through the Haze (2014) on Argot, More Times EP (2015) on German label Running Back and Further Trips (2015) through Deepblak. Her first three albums have been released through 100% Silk, with the most recent being Resonant Body in 2019.

In 2019, Bouldry-Morrison announced the formation of a new record label, T4T LUV NRG, with her partner, fellow DJ Eris Drew.{{cite web |last=Cetin |first=Marissa |title=Octo Octa and Eris Drew launch new label, T4T LUV NRG |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=Resident Advisor |date=June 20, 2019 |url=https://ra.co/news/43981}} Under the T4T LUV NRG banner, the two have performed shows and gone on club tours together.{{cite web |last=Lawson |first=Michael |title=Eris Drew and Octo Octa to test new custom-built sound system at three US shows |access-date=February 27, 2025 |work=Resident Advisor |date=October 17, 2022 |url=https://ra.co/news/77968}} Bouldry-Morrison announced her new EP She’s Calling in January 2021, releasing the EP on February 5th of that year.{{cite news |author1=Moore, Sam |title=Octo Octa announces new EP 'She's Calling' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/octo-octa-announces-new-ep-shes-calling-2855628 |access-date=16 January 2021 |work=NME |date=January 15, 2021}}

Personal life

Bouldry-Morrison came out as transgender in 2016. She recounts that this process began in 2012, when she read a Rolling Stone article about Against Me frontwoman Laura Jane Grace.

Discography

= Albums =

Rough, Rugged, and Raw 100% Silk, 2011, SILK025
LA Vampires 100% Silk, 2012, SILK031
Between Two Selves 100% Silk, 2013, SILK046
Where Are We Going? HNYTRX, 2017, HNY-015
Resonant Body T4T LUV NRG, 2019, T4T002{{cite web |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |last2=Strauss |first2=Matthew |title=Octo Octa Announces New Album Resonant Body, Shares New Song: Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/octo-octa-announces-new-album-resonant-body-shares-new-song-listen/ |website=Pitchfork |accessdate=August 12, 2019 |date=July 24, 2019}}