Tianshi Suo stood on Speedway singing 50 Cent songs hoping to share his love for music. Just across the way, Mason Talarico stood doing the same. They soon decided to combine their efforts and have serenaded students near Jester every night since.

Talarico, from New York, and Suo, a 32-year-old from China, perform original music outside of Jester typically every night from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The two individually moved to Austin from New York and met on the University campus. Talarico sat in the PCL working on a new song while Suo searched for a sign to stay in Austin.

“(He) attracted me not because of the sound that day. (He) attracted me because we’re both in a new boat and we’re both asking for signs,” said Talarico. 

Both artists want to continue to perform without the pressure of gaining anything from their music. While Suo has a Spotify for his personal musical pursuits, Suo and Talarico choose not to upload their collaborative music or post videos of themselves online anywhere. Suo said they want their music to be as authentic as possible, not created for awards or money. 

“When (famous people) put out an album, there’s always a very clear goal, ‘I want to win,’” said Suo. “This mindset is so much more pervasive than before … I can’t feel connected to any work put out there.”

Suo said he and Talarico also express this through their work, wanting to create music they can connect to that shares their mission of self-fulfillment and living in the moment. 

“Why delay your life? Why should you think (you) have to wait to finish college to start pursuing (your) dreams? Start right now,” Suo said. 

Maanas Rastogi, an electrical and computer engineering freshman, felt connected to the duo’s message.

“They do what they love, and they’re not afraid to do it. A lot of people are too afraid because they’re embarrassed,” said Rastogi. “I want to be an engineer, but a lot of people told me, ‘It’s really hard, don’t do it. Do business instead.’ But I’d rather be an engineer.”

When performing their music for UT students, they said they hope passersby reflect on their own lives and become more willing to take risks. 

“The decisions you make in your early 20s will influence the trajectory of the rest of your life,” said Suo. “Take as many chances as possible these years. If you have any dreams or passions, don’t take a second thought. Just do it.”