Making music for community: Regis alumnus records Tiny Desk Contest submission on campus

This past February Regis’ Main Hall was transformed into a sound stage as alumnus Regi Worles, ‘20, with his band DOGTAGS, recorded their submission to this year’s NPR Tiny Desk Contest.

Now running for more than a decade, the Tiny Desk Contest invites musicians from around the country to submit a performance for the chance to record a Tiny Desk concert at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., be paired with a mentor from the music industry and headline a ten-city tour.

DOGTAGS thrives in the foundations of soul and jazz, drawing inspiration from the roots of each of its nine members. Founded by Worles and his partner, Michael Merola – a self-described “partner in crime” – DOGTAGS celebrates queer, BIPOC joy through its community-focused outlook.

The name “DOGTAGS” originated from one of Merola and Worles’ early jam sessions, where the recording played back the sound of a puppy’s collar jingling while they played. The information a collar and dog tags hold, according to Worles, became representative of the world of experience of “who you are.” As a queer, Gen-Z artist, Worles strives to create relatable music for community healing for an intersectional audience.

“What I'm doing with music and artistry now, which is like ultimately trying to voice my own experience as a bridge for other people to be able to process and grieve, and express and enjoy their own experiences in life,” said Worles. “It became more about building a collective processing, building a space for us to all heal together.”

As a child growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, Worles has always had a connection to music. Singing in choirs throughout elementary and high school, he has been a practicing artist for nearly his entire life. Joining the Regis University Choir and forming his own college band before DOGTAGS, Worles stayed passionate for music through his Regis education.

Worles always had an interest in community building, but his time at Regis only refined and strengthened his call to service. Studying both Peace and Justice (now Sociology and Justice) and Philosophy, Worles also took on an additional two minors to round out a full and impactful education career.

It wasn’t until graduation, however, that Worles realized that he could actually “do something” with his music. Worles’ move to Denver – and to Regis – gave him the opportunity to grow himself and his community. The formation of DOGTAGS blossomed with the process of growth and self-discovery he experienced as a student away from home.

“Michael and I are two people who come from families who have struggled in their acceptance of our identities.” Worles continued, “I moved 17 hours away from home so that I could be able to try to figure out who I am and how I would be in an environment that wasn't as watchful.”

Performing a nearly decade-old song for the submission, which Worles wrote at Regis, was a moment of catharsis for the scaffolding that Regis provided for DOGTAGS. At the band’s first “real headline” performance at the Bluebird Theater in Denver in 2025, the Regis community continued to show up for Worles and his bandmates.

“So many Regis people were there, and classmates were there, and it just gave me hope,” said Worles. “In times like these that we're living in, that feel on the verge of destruction and calamity every day — It gave me hope that, like people who maybe I haven't even had a meaningful conversation with since 2019 or 2020, are showing up to my show.”

With the submission to the Tiny Desk Contest, DOGTAGS continues to be a proud partner of Regis. The band has played at Regis’ SOAR first-year orientation event as well as the annual celebration of Ranger Day. DOGTAGS has been invited to play once again at Ranger Day this year, sharing their music with the campus.

For Worles, being a part of the "joy" at Regis has brought him a new connection to the campus as an alumnus and as a musician. With a more intersectional campus than ever before, Regis continues to commit to students from all backgrounds. The experience of playing for the newest Regis students during SOAR orientation was a fulfilling full-circle moment.

“Seeing students dancing and smiles coming to their faces, and seeing those first few day jitters fading away, that means a lot.” Worles continued, “because I know if I have been able to see a multiracial, multi gender, multi sexuality, group of people doing something fun together is a really powerful image, and it really sets a tone for the type of place that Regis is.”