Ansel Elgort used a pseudonym to play well known music festivals in order to avoid "abusing" his star status to book gigs.
The 22-year-old American found fame as an actor, starring in teen dramas like The Fault in Our Stars and the Divergent franchise, but music is another big passion. While he’s now confirmed his sideline career as a DJ, for years he went by Ansolo to avoid being caught out.
"I really respect the dance music industry. I didn't want to come in and abuse the fact I was an actor and use my name to book gigs," Ansel confessed to People magazine. "I'm not getting into music because I need to – I have a bunch of movies coming out. I just do this because I love it."
Under Ansolo, Ansel played electric dance music festival Electric Zoo, and he’ll continue using the stage name when making club music. But he’ll go by Ansel for his new venture, producing and singing, after wowing execs at Island Records with his vocal ability.
The star, who currently has four new movies in production, knows people will question his new career move, but isn’t letting that hold him back.
"I think there's always gonna be some sort of stigma, because for whatever reason, society likes to say, 'He's an actor, so that's what he does, and he's not allowed to venture outside of that,'" he sighed. "But I just wanted to make something I loved and put it out. I don't want the peak of my career to be when I was 19 years old and in that one movie."
