INNOVATE Americana Art with Nadia Lee Cohen Experimental Music: Interview with Moses Sumney Get Creative! Five ways on how to practice creativity
The Creative World of TYLER, THE CREATOR
TABLE OF C Pandemic Pop-Star: Arlo Parks Page 1-2 The Strange Beautiful Music of Moses Sumney Page 3-4 Art Photographer, Film Maker, and Self Potrait Artist: Nadia Lee Cohen Pages 5-8 Create Today! Creative Gear Pages 9-10
CONTENTS The World of Tyler, The Creator Pages 11-14 Charles De Vilmorin: The New Creative Director Of Rochas Pages 15-16
How To Practice Creativity Pages 17-18 Kelly Doty: New School Tattoo Artist
Arlo Parks
Pandemic Pop-Star Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho[1] (born 9 August 2000),known professionally as Arlo Parks, is a British singer-songwriter and poet. Her debut studio album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, was released in 2021 to critical acclaim and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. It earned her nominations for Album of the Year, Best New Artist and Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2021 Brit Awards. It won the 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize for best album. Parks chose her stage name as a distinctive personal pseudonym, inspired by King Krule and Frank Ocean. In 2018, she began uploading demos to BBC Music Introducing. This caught the attention of radio presenters across the UK who distributed these demos to Ali Raymond of Beatnik Creative, who soon began managing Parks. She made her solo debut when she released the song “Cola” through Beatnik Records in November 2018, and announced the release of her debut EP, Super Sad Generation. She told Line of Best Fit that the song is “a reminder that betrayal is inevitable when it comes to pretty people that think flowers fix everything.” Olivia Swash wrote that the vocals on the song “flourish thanks to [Parks’] creative writing background, with her delicate tone taking centre stage against the gently plodding guitars and soft crackle of vinyl.” By November 2019, the song had amassed over three million streams on Spotify. Following the release of “Cola”, Parks signed to Transgressive Records She released the title track of her upcoming EP, Super Sad Generation, in January 2019. Robin Murray told Clash that the song portrays an “astute, nuanced creative control that also utilises word-play that speaks of youthful emotions spinning out of control.” In May 2020, Parks released the singles “Eugene” and “Black Dog”, which were well received during the COVID-19 lockdown,the latter of which became BBC Radio 1’s Tune of the Week.[33] Parks made the front cover of NME in late July 2020. [4] She won the AIM Independent Music Award for One to Watch in 2020 in August 2020, after losing the same award to Georgia a year before.
MOSES
S U M N E Y
The Strange beautiful music of Moses Sumney Moses Sumney spent years searching for the sound on his new, double album grae. It began in 2013, when he first tried to break into the Los Angeles music scene — and got interest from record labels almost immediately. “I expected to spend many years totally grinding in obscurity,” Sumney says of his early experience in the music industry. “So, in a lot of ways, it was living the dream, ‘making it,’ making a name for myself in the music industry — but also discovering that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” The experience didn’t sit right with him. Sumney felt typecast by the labels, pushed into a certain image while he was still searching for his own unique sound. So he turned the labels down, eventually moving to Asheville, N.C. and away from the hub of the music industry. That resistance to labels is reflected in Sumney’s music: Across two discs, grae is all about defying expectation, genre and categorization. NPR’s Ailsa Chang spoke to Moses Sumney about his early experiences as a musician, the effect of moving to Asheville on his artistic process and the new record he describes as “a concept album about grayness.” Listen to the radio version at the audio link above and read on for a transcript of the interview. You started getting massive interest really early from record labels in LA. But what’s interesting is you turned them down. You seemed to resist that kind of intense attention. Why was that? I think if you partner with companies and you don’t yet know what your identity is, they will ascribe one to you. I just wasn’t ready yet. I didn’t come up in the music industry, I also didn’t come up really playing music. I came up having a very insular experience and relationship with music. But I was not ready yet because I had not incubated my artistry enough to feel like I was at a point where I could commercialize it in any way. So in a lot of ways, I felt like I was starting an internship and then I got offered a position before
But now, years later, I feel much more equipped, whereas then I didn’t know sonically what I wanted, visually what I wanted. And I think if you partner with companies and you don’t yet know what your identity is, they will ascribe one to you. They’ll give you an identity. I didn’t want to leave space for that, so I walked away from that all. Do you think it’s possible for an artist to emerge without some sort of narrative that people can track. Can it just be about the music, or does a musician have to come with a story? I think it’s definitely possible. I think you have to have a story if people know enough about who you are and what you’re selling is your own identity, but if your “thing,” your whole angle, is mystery, you can get away with people not knowing anything. Perspective is interesting, because to some people, I’m incredibly mysterious and elusive anyway. So in my mind I’m like “Oh, people know too much about me,” but a lot of people don’t feel that way. So it’s at some point also in your head. Did those early experiences, feeling the industry trying to put you into a category, make you want to tighten your control over your image and your music? Fully and totally. The benefit of sitting back and not jumping too quickly into a record deal was I got to see a lot of artists, a lot of contemporaries, who kind of fell for the tricks of the music industry and were lost. By not doing so myself, I learned a lot about what I actually wanted sonically and visually. And I got to go really insular and really try to self-actualize artistically as much as possible. But also simultaneously, I accepted early on that my journey was going to be public, that my growth was going to be public. When you’re getting dressed, you don’t want people to see behind the curtain, you want to emerge all done up. “Here I am.” But I realized that my journey was not going to be that, because I kind of lost that opportunity. I kind of accepted that my arc, my story, would be one of growth.
Nadia Lee Cohen
ART PHOTOGRAPHER, FILMMAKER, AND SELF-POTRAIT ARTIST Nadia Lee Cohen is a photographer, filmmaker and self-portrait artist. Heavily inspired by cinema, Americana and Britain particularly in the 1960’s and 70’s, her photographs and films are veritable visions of saturated, surreal dreamscapes. Drawing upon the duality of the female form, fine art photographer and filmmaker Nadia locks our optics upon the twisted paradise that lurks within her mind, exploring the paradoxical standoff between strength and fragility within womankind. Nadia has worked with some of the worlds most exciting brands and artists, from Miu Miu to A$AP Rocky. She has been interviewed by Canal+ and Vogue, and her work featured in I-D Magazine, Vice, New York Magazine, Indie and many others. Nowadays, her photographs are easily recognisable with their loud, highly saturated colours; perfectly orchestrated images that de- and reconstruct our own concept of perfection. But what they really create is a magical aura of melancholy. Women are at the centre of her fictitious situations, while she also prefers photographing real people instead of profession-
Cohen tells stories that take place both within the four walls of their houses -- in which her female characters fight conformity with sexual escapism -- and outside, where the luminous signs of big consumer brands dominate her landscapes. Delivering image after image with panache, she fulfils every commission (not to mention her personal work) with magnetism. And though some may wonder “what on earth is going on in this image?” here is a photographer executing her originality from all corners, regardless of whether that may or may not fit in with modern standards of beauty. “The world I photograph and create doesn’t reside in the same world that we live in,” Nadia tells It’s Nice That. “It does not share or possess the same beauty norms, politics or social values” and, as a consequence, what she creates is “a much freer place to live in”. Nadia’s ability to construct new worlds has developed from the fact that she is “predominantly influenced by cinema”, and views “photography as a way of communicating a still moment from a story, frozen in time”. There is not one correct way of interpreting Nadia’s photography. Instead, she prefers to leave all lines of communication open: we have to think for ourselves.
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TYLER, THE CREATOR
The World Of Tyler, The Creator: Rapper, Songwriter, Record producer, Composer, Record producer, graphic designer, screen writer, fashion designer, music video director, and television personality Tyler, the Creator’s career took off when he attracted attention online for uploading songs to Tumblr. He founded Odd Future, also known as Wolf Gang or OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All), and the collective released two mixtapes before later disbanding. In 2009, Tyler produced and released his first project Bastard. His debut studio album, Goblin, arrived in May 2011 under XL Recordings. The latest two entries of his discography are 2017’s Flower Boy and 2019’s IGOR, the later of which topped the charts as the No.1 album in the country. Not only was this Tyler’s first No. 1 album, but it’s also credited with being the first No. 1 album in history to be entirely self-produced and arranged by a rapper. As he’s consistently built a dedicated fanbase of people who are interested in his music, clothing line, and festival (Camp Flog Gnaw), Tyler ended the 2010s by getting the recognition he deserved throughout his entire career. The Odd Future alum now
ushers in 2021 with an immense social media and physical advertising rollout (including billboards and benches) for his sixth studio album, Call Me If You Get Lost. The fanbase gets a taste of the album with the release of the first and only single off the album, “Lumberjack.” Having gained a reputation and loyal following, Okonma continued to release music and participate in fashion outside of Odd Future. In 2011, he created the fashion label Golf Wang which is inspired by skater culture, hip hop, and sneaker culture producing skateboards, sneakers, and clothing apparel. In 2012, he founded the yearly music festival Camp Flog Gnaw. In 2013, he released his third album, Wolf in which once again featured his Odd Future collaborators and some of his musical heroes such as Erykah Badu and Pharell Williams. The follow up to Wolf, 2015’s Cherry Bomb, also featured Williams and other big artists such as Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Charlie Wilson, and Schoolboy Q.
Charles De Vilmorin: The New Creative Director Of Rochas Rochas, whose creative director seat has been vacant for a year, has finally found its new owner in the form of 24-year-old, Charles de Vilmorin. De Vilmorin made his debut at Paris Couture Week last month with his collection of quilted jackets. The young French designer burst onto the pandemic-quietened scene last year with a collection of puffers and leggings in patchworks and swirls of vivid color. Its psychedelia was equaled by its street-readiness, and one jacket wound up on Tierra Whack in an Apple ad. His first couture collection made vibrant use of color; he hand-painted many of its prints. The sophomore collection he showed today is almost entirely black, save for a bomber and maxi skirt in a new monogram logo. “I wanted to show something different, but it comes very naturally,” he said. “It was just a mood.” As new to the scene as he is,
De Vilmorin seems to understand the value the industry places on the art of surprise. With his recent appointment to Rochas—a serious gig for the 24-year-old—he probably also gets that he needs to distinguish his own emerging point of view from that historic maison’s frothier, more pastel-hued sensibility. With this new role, de Vilmorin is fast cementing his rise since the launch of his eponymous fashion label just last April. The up-and-coming French designer will be tasked with designing women’s ready-to-wear at Rochas and his first collection set is slated for spring 2022. Perhaps the appointment of de Vilmorin, a recent graduate of La Chambre de la Couture Parisienne, shouldn’t come as a surprise. He has family ties to the heritage house—his great-aunt, heiress and novelist Louise de Vilmorin was acquainted with Hélène Rochas, the wife of Marcel Rochas—making de Vilmorin no stranger to the Rochas brand.
“Rochas is a brand that holds a special place in my
heart, due to both deep personal family ties and the label’s heritage, which I find so rich and inspiring. I can’t wait to bring my personal touch and reinterpret the codes of this beautiful Maison,” said de Vilmorin on his Instagram post. Phillppe Benacin, charmain and chief executive officer of Interparfums SA has nothing but praises for the new creative director. “Audacity, elegance, timelessness and originality are the foundation of the Rochas legacy. These are also values that define the work of Charles de Vilmorin, creating perfect synergy between our two worlds,” he said. “Charles’ youth, talent and touch of wildness will give Rochas new life for years to come. We are delighted to have Charles participate in this new era for our brand,” he added. With his young age to boot, de Vilmorin will re-energise the brand and bring in a new flavour, no doubt, seen by his colourful paintings sprawled all over his Instagram. The young designer is succeeding Alessandro Dell’Acqua, who exited the label after a sixyear tenure, who showed his last collection for Rochas in February 2020. De Vilmorin was also one of the 15 independent and emerging young designers selected by Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s creative director, to participate in its GucciFest online festive last November. His designs, using oversize proportions and vibrant patterns, captured the eyes of the fashion community. De Vilmorin told WWD that he will continue to expand his label while helming the creative director seat at Rochas. “This is a dream come true. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, so I feel mentally prepared. Right now, I’m running my brand solo, so it’s a little challenging to do everything, but that’s going to change. I’m going to bring on people. But I’m very happy and excited about it. It gives me a huge boost and it’s very stimulating,” he said.
HOW TO PRACTICE CREATIVITY Whether it’s writing content or developing a theme for your next campaign, creative thinking is at the foundation of telling your story and engaging audiences. But what happens when you get stuck? Inspiration is everywhere; it’s just a matter of knowing where to find it. This is the basis of our Brain Buzz sessions – weekly meetings where our team comes together to share fresh ideas, spark creativity, stay motivated and be inspired. The most recent topic was our creative process and personal sources of inspiration.
“As long as you’re trying something new and challenging old ways of thinking, you’re practicing everyday creativity.” Take a completely new route to a place you visit daily. Maybe it’s your favorite coffee shop or your commute to work. Allow yourself to be curious and open to a small, new experience each day. Make it an everyday practice. As long as you’re trying something new and challenging old ways
of thinking, you’re practicing everyday creativity. Breaking it into small, frequent habits has a better impact on your health than planning one hours-long writing session that you’ll never get around to doing. Here are a few ideas (but feel free to get creative with it!): • Find a way to reuse one item you’d normally throw out each week. • Try upcycling a jar for a vase or cut up an old shirt into rags. • Try a completely new route to a place you visit daily. Maybe it’s your favorite coffee shop or your commute to work. Allow yourself to be curious and open to a small, new experience each day. Stop to dance to live music in the park or experiment with a new dinner recipe. Focus on enjoyment, not success. Openness to new experiences and ideas is considered synonymous with being “creative.” So, how can you approach your life with the mindset of experiencing something new, no matter how small? It might be expressing your creativity by dancing to a new playlist you curated. It might be picking up a new skill, like learning to crochet.
GO ONLINE Websitest, online forums and mood boards are key to discovery, learning, and insignts. ARTS AND CULTURE
NEWS AND POP CULTURE
Art galleries, photography exhibits and live theatre can spark ideas and challnege your thinking.
Keep current with the latest trends and technologies to stay relevant and inspire a new creative direction.
WORD MAPS
GO OFFLINE From eclectic botiques and farmers markets to book and magazines, going offline can bring fresh perspectives.
Creatinh lists of synonyms when developing messages and seeking visual inspiration can be a powerful exercise.
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