MUSIC

“I reached a point where it wasn’t about ‘What do I get by putting this music out?’” says Galaxy Francis. “It’s ‘What am I giving?’” THOUGHTPOET movie composer Hans Zimmer, and it refreshed his creativity and his sense of who he is. In a lucky omen that didn’t seem lucky at first, he suffered an ankle injury on the trip that led him to take leave from work—and that time o allowed him to think about his future.

“I think I was relying or maybe just had this fear that I can only create in my bubble,” Galaxy reflects. “When I realized that I could create with other people, around other people, I realized how much of a gift I had that I owed to myself and that I owed to the people around me. And just selling phones and phone plans felt like such a disservice to that. I really felt like I was in the wrong place.”

Energized by a new sense of self, Galaxy has leaned into his community to revamp his creative process. He’s now a staff engineer at Studio Shapes in Albany Park, alongside Renzell.Wav, and they’re helping orchestrate the current wave of talent in Chicago. He’s also allowing the community to have a hand in his artistic direction: for the past year, he’s been letting his fans choose which single he releases next by conducting an occasional “choose your fighter” video-game-style poll via Instagram.

On August 2, Galaxy will release iNNERGALACTiC: SiDE B, with production by Ethan Deetz and a feature by singer-songwriter Ranika. The week before—on Wednesday, July 26—he’s throwing a free listening party at Midlane Esports (2471 N. Milwaukee) that will include video-game tournaments, a DJ set by Chan000, and a ra e for three hours of time at Studio Shapes.

“I reached a point where it wasn’t about ‘What do I get by putting this music out?’ It’s ‘What am I giving?’” Galaxy says. “This whole iNNERGALACTiC EP rollout is literally the pre-rollout for an album I want to put out in 2024. So understanding that, I gotta create a narrative as an artist—I gotta give people some substance to want to hear an album.”

@DroInTheWind_

Photos by ThoughtPoet of Unsocial Aesthetics (UAES), a digital creative studio and resource collective designed to elevate communitydriven storytelling and social activism in Chicago and beyond

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12 8PM

Mason Jennings

SUNDAY, AUGUST 27 8PM

MONDAY, AUGUST 28 8PM

In Maurer Hall

X Rescheduled date In Maurer Hall

Monday, August 28 just added!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 8PM

North Mississippi

Allstars In Maurer Hall

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 8PM

Clem Snide In Szold Hall

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 8PM

Tom Paxton

& The Don Juans In Maurer Hall

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 8PM

David Longstreth

(of Dirty Projectors) In Maurer Hall

Back To School For Everyone!

Group classes are forming now for a new session –beginning the week of Aug. 28!