Tommy Cash, the 33-year-old Estonian rapper and conceptual artist, isn’t here to play by anyone’s rules. Fresh off a whirlwind tour across Europe and the USA, Cash returns to the spotlight as DSCENE’s January 2025 cover star. Equal parts enfant terrible and pop-cultural visionary, he’s carved out a singular space in the worlds of music, fashion, and art. Known for his absurdly audacious music videos, jet-black humor, and post-Soviet aesthetic flair, Cash embodies the chaos of the modern outsider, bending cultural norms to his will.
EXCLUSIVE
In an exclusive conversation with DSCENE Editor Katarina Doric, Cash reflects on life after the tour, holiday escapades, and his plans to disrupt Eurovision with his signature absurdity. Whether he’s trolling TikTok microtrends or bringing surreal visual narratives to life, one thing is clear: Tommy Cash isn’t just making noise—he’s creating his own cultural earthquake.
This cover story captures the essence of a provocateur who’s as comfortable on a concert stage as he is mocking the rigid hierarchies of the fashion world. Tommy Cash is here to redefine the game, and he’s having the time of his life doing it.
Continue reading for the full interview plus the exclusive shoot captured in Belgrade by photographer Borislav Utjesinovic with styling from Fashion Stylist Manda Javorina:
Hi Tommy, how are you now that the tour is finished?
Well, you know, I’m happy. I was sleeping for a couple of days, just nodding off because of the jet lag and everything. It really takes a toll on you.
How many cities did you visit?
I think we had about 13 concerts, across Europe and the USA, over roughly a month.
So, a month on the road. That’s a lot. What’s the first thing you’ll do now that the tour is finished?
The first thing I did was pretty much just sleep, eat, and then sleep again. Seriously, my schedule is off because of traveling from the USA. I fell asleep at nine, woke up at four on the first day, had breakfast at five, watched a movie at seven, then fell asleep again at four in the afternoon. Yesterday, I slept three times as well.
I guess it’s really hard to get back on schedule with the jet lag.
Yeah, but today is the first okay day. I’ll give myself about a week or more, to fully get over it.
You’re lucky it’s the holidays now. How do you plan to spend them?
I’m going to visit my parents today, and tomorrow I’m having a little Christmas get-together at home. Then I’m going to fly away for a short vacation in a couple of days, just to get away. I like Christmas, but I don’t know, I like to get away. I also think the New Year’s celebration is a bit overhyped for me.
I prefer New Year’s to Christmas, actually, because it’s not connected to any religion. So it’s just, like, we are celebrating, you know, entering the New Year.
Well, I love how for Slavic countries, you know, New Year’s is like Christmas, right? So they give gifts on New Year’s Eve. They don’t have this whole consumerism day. So I kind of vibe with that idea too. It’s only on the 31st. But, yeah, I want to, get over it. And because I was away on tour, I didn’t see any decorations, nothing, only in New York. So I’m kind of enjoying that. I’m not going to shop. I don’t want to see the crazy people buying everything last minute, you know. I don’t want to deal with that.
Did you decorate the tree?
No, because I’m going to fly away. I have really high ceilings, like six meters almost.
So the tree has to be, like, at least five meters tall.
Yeah. Usually, when I get a tree, it’s very tall and very huge. But I just arrived three days ago, and everyone from my home is going to leave soon. So there’s no point in putting one up. I’ll just stay here for a couple of days. It’s nice, though. But I’d like to enjoy it more, you know.
So, you really are the Grinch then.
This year, I am. In previous years, I had a Christmas tree.
Did you buy any presents?
Yeah, I did.
What would you like to get for Christmas?
I don’t know. My birthday was in November, so it’s so close to Christmas. Everything I really wanted this year, I already got for my birthday, basically. And for Christmas, I don’t know. I don’t have any special things I want. I feel like I have everything. But I love to give more.
And what is your wish for New Year’s Eve at midnight?
My wish? I always have a lot. Like last year, I had, I think, 10—basically 10 points I really wanted to hit. I think I hit most of them, which is very cool. It’s still a week until New Year’s, so I think I can write it all down and figure out my plans for next year. It’s mostly a list. It’s not just one wish, it’s a list.
So, let’s talk a bit about your music. You’re known for your hilarious and sometimes scandalous music videos. Is there a particular scene or concept where you were like, “Did they really just do that?”
Oh, yeah. I think especially one of my last ones, when we did Porn Olympics on Pornhub. I mean, this was so edgy, and most of it was just crazy. Like, using people’s private parts as props?
That was wild.
It’s funny because I’ve done so many things by now that it’s kind of hard to even level myself up. But with Untz Untz, I feel like it’s all about pushing boundaries, exploring what I can do with the human body and what I can show, versus reusing ideas I’ve already done. Most of the things I did in Untz Untz feel like they’ve reached that next level.
Yeah, but I’m sure you never run out of inspiration, and you’ll top it again.
I’m sure, I’m sure. Every time I think, “This is it, I can’t go any crazier,” somehow I actually do. I just watched Substance yesterday for the first time.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, it was pretty good. The whole body dysmorphia vibe was intense, but I liked it. What struck me was that people loved it even though it was so gross. Usually, stuff like that pushes people away, but this felt really well-balanced—quirky, cool, stylish, but also gross.
Yeah, that’s hard to pull off in a music video, you know? It’s only three minutes versus an hour-long movie. But Body Dysmorphia is super cool. I’ve been into that kind of thing since classics like The Thing or The Fly. Those old movies did it so well, and you can totally see the inspiration in Substance.
Can we expect some of that inspiration in your next work?
100 percent.
And I heard you’re running for EuroSong this year. What can fans expect? –
Well, we released the song already. We had to because of the country’s rules—it had to be out early. And it shot straight to the top on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube- everywhere. It’s been dominating.
Today, I had a rehearsal at home. I’ve got to practice singing and dancing at the same time, so that’s my daily routine until February, leading up to Eurovision.
Is there going to be a music video for the song?
Yes, there’s going to be a proper main video. What we released so far was just a placeholder, like a fake one. We’re really working hard on this.
Oh, exciting! Anything else we should expect?
Yeah, it’s going to be like Tommy 2.0. I’m changing something in my appearance, can’t reveal it yet, though. We want to debut it with the video, so stay tuned.
What’s Eurovision for you? What does it represent?
It’s the singing Olympics.
And honestly, I’m pretty much doing this to avenge my friends from last year. I was really against it at first because, like, I’m already such a solid artist, you know? So it’s like, why? But then again, why not? Right? I mean, Kanye ran for president, right? So, like, why the f*** not?
And also, I love the idea of having this in my Wikipedia. Like, imagine in the same year, I release Porno and then I dominate Eurovision. That’s a pretty crazy year.
So, can we expect you to run for president after that?
I don’t know. That’s really crazy, but, like, you never know.
And what’s your favorite Eurovision song ever?
Oh, you know, I think it was Ukraine. Like, when I was small, it was Ruslana.
Yeah, that’s, like, the best Eurovision song ever.
Yeah, and her dance, oh my god!
And also, like, my homies Joost and Europapa are also up there because, you know, they’re my friends—sorry, I’m biased.
But definitely Ruslana is so stuck in my head because I was small, and it felt like such an enormous thing. Families watched it, you know? Even if you weren’t watching, you’d still hear all the songs at home.
Yeah, for us, Eurovision was like a proper Christmas time. Our friends would come over, and we’d all watch it together.
Absolutely! And this is it. This is it. We’re going to bring it back to its glory.
Let’s do it.
Yeah. Bring it back. So in 2026, Eurovision will be hosted by Estonia.
So, let’s talk about fashion. You’ve kind of turned fashion into your own playground. Do you think the industry needs more humor, or is there some seriousness behind what you do?
There’s definitely some subconsciously serious stuff I’m trying to say, even if I call my art escapism. It’s usually not political or anything like that. It’s open for everyone to interpret in their own way.
But generally, what I feel is that fashion is about to get very serious again. I think we’ve already passed the humor phase. There was so much of it, it was everywhere. You know, like Balenciaga and the old Vetements era with all the jokey stuff? I think that peaked years ago, and now we’re kind of stuck in this loop of TikTok microtrends.
Honestly, I feel like we need a big mental “nuclear bomb” to hit the fashion houses, something to reset everything and bring us back to the glory days. Right now, it feels like the whole industry is overdone, like it’s been pushed too far. But I think brands like Loewe, Jacquemus, and Miu Miu are stepping up. They’re kind of becoming the new leaders, even if they haven’t fully taken over yet.
I feel like the quirky, office-inspired stuff will dominate for a while, things that are chic and clean. You know, we don’t need clown sneakers anymore or to constantly go, “Huh?” at every collection.
The problem is, everyone is copying each other. It’s like, what are we even doing? Fashion feels like it’s in such a weird place. Part of me loves what’s happening, but another part of me absolutely hates it.
As someone who consumes fashion, you feel like you’ve seen everything already. Every “new” thing feels like just another revision of something Balenciaga or someone else has done before. It’s the same thing over and over again.
Can you imagine what it’s like for me working in fashion?
Honestly, I can’t even imagine. Just writing about it feels insane sometimes. People are literally copying stuff from, like, one or two years ago. It’s like, Jesus Christ. Just go back 10 years already.
Right?
What the f*** is going on? But it’s all because of these TikTok microtrends. They’re just trying to tap into hashtags and trends, like, right now. It’s so exhausting. I feel bad for you. I’m so sorry.
Thank you. Seriously, thank you for understanding. But, hey, promise me you’ll keep it crazy.
I will try. I’ll really try.
What can we expect for the next Fashion Week season?
I’ve got something planned for January. We’ll see how it shapes up after New Year’s, but I already have some ideas. I kind of want to troll the whole microtrend thing. Like, part of me wants to just wear stuff from 2016, the first Triple S sneakers, a white belt, a Thrasher hoodie. You know, go full-on anti-fashion. It’s so dumb but so good. It’s like, what are we even doing? So yeah, I want to mess with that, but we’ll see where it goes.
Can’t wait to see it! Coming from Eastern Europe, what’s your favorite thing about it that the rest of the world would never understand?
The grayness. I love the near-depressing gray tones in the sky, how the buildings almost camouflage into it because the tones are the same. It’s so dark and sad, but in a way, it’s kind of beautiful.
Most people from, like, “normal” Europe would probably freak out and want to leave. But for me, I’ve been here so long that it just fades into the background. It’s like, that’s dope. When the sky is gray, I’m like, that’s dope.
Right? We don’t even find it depressing.
Exactly. It’s just how it is. It’s the quietness, the stillness.
Do you send memes to your friends?
Oh, I do. I bomb them with memes.
And what would you do if you won the lotto?
What would I do if I won the lotto? I’ve thought about this so many times. Usually, I just give the easy answer—buy a Ferrari.
So that answers my next question: Porsche or Ferrari?
Oh no, no, no. That’s a whole different question. Porsche, 100 percent.
Why Porsche?
Because it’s made in Germany, and they know how to handle shitty weather and roads. It’s so comfortable. Plus, I don’t even know where I’d fix a Ferrari in Estonia. It’d be a nightmare. So, Porsche for sure.
Dollar or euro?
Dollar. If we’re talking physical money, then dollar. I was in the US, and you actually feel the money there. Like, if you’re holding $50 in your hand, $20, $10 – it feels real. And euros, they’re just… boring. You use them to pay, and that’s it. There’s no excitement. But dollars? They feel cool.
Espresso macchiato or matcha latte?
Espresso macchiato.
Siri or Alexa?
Siri.
Do you have one message for DSCENE readers for the holidays?
Oh, guys. Ladies and gentlemen, I hope 2025 is your year. Actually, don’t just hope, say it is. And do everything you can to make it happen.
Photographer & Creative Director: Borislav Utjesinovic
Stylist: Manda Javorina
Talent: Tommy Cash
Hair Stylist: Aleksandar Dramicanin
Hair Assistant: Uros Vuckovic
Makeup Artist: Milan Bauranov
Makeup Assistant: Arthur
Interview: Katarina Doric
