Killin' It Mag Issue #2 feat. Cierra Ramirez

KILLIN' IT ISSUE

2

//

DEC

2018

CIERRA RAMIREZ RUBY

MODINE,

JILLIAN ERIN

ROSE

SANDERS

REED, &

BRENNEN

MORE

TAYLOR

Killin' It Mag ACACIA EVANS FOUNDER // HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER WRITER // DESIGNER

Editor Production Assistant Contributing Writer

CLAUDIA CHRISTENSEN KYLE SAMARITANO AMANDA JONES

www.killinitmag.com @killinitmag

MAILING // CONTACT 501 5th Avenue South #207 Nashville, TN 37203 (615)788-0637 | acacia@killinitmag.com

Table of Contents 3

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21

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25

35

ERIN SANDERS DYLAN MATTHEW JILLIAN ROSE REED MADDIE SIMPSON

#3

39

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7

RUBY MODINE BRENNEN TAYLOR

CIERRA RAMIREZ DYLAN SILVER

43 23

11

15

LENNON STELLA WORK IN PROGRESS GIRL CULT TEEN VOGUE SUMMIT

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45

31 17

23

ERIN SANDERS

Photos by Acacia Evans Glam by Amanda Jones styling by Jazmin Whitley Story by Acacia + Amanda

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Erin Sanders is a passionate actor and creator. Following her unforgettable roles as Quinn Pensky on Zoey 101, Eden Baldwin on The Young and the Restless, and Camille on Big Time Rush, Sanders continues to contribute to the entertainment industry and beyond. Along with acting, she explores the worlds of yoga and, more recently, screenwriting.

She's excited for the future and the growth in her life.

While grateful for the opportunities she's had to represent young women through her iconic Nickelodeon roles, Sanders loves realizing more mature and diverse characters. Her starring role as Traci Scott in the Lifetime film Guilty at 17 and gueststarring roles on CSI: Miami, Weeds, Mad Men, and The Mentalist have expanded her identity outside teenage television. "It's exciting," says Sanders, "and it's felt like a long time coming. I've looked really young for so much of my life and have been playing 17-year-olds for years. I want the opportunity to play realistic, nuanced women with careers and full lives — to explore the complexity of what it means to be a woman alive today."

Earlier this year, Sanders filmed a new series called Six Degrees of Separation.

When speaking to her about this new project, her excitement is palpable. "The title refers to the fact that everyone and everything in the world is more interconnected than we realize," Sanders explains. "Every small act, whether kind or destructive, creates a huge ripple effect."

The series will premier next year with Chapter One: Elizabeth Reign (Erin's character).

Sanders has also begun screenwriting to add another dimension to her storytelling.

"I started writing this year to help tell some of the stories I'm not seeing. I realized I needed to stop waiting for other people to tell the stories I want to tell."

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“I NO LONGER FEEL AFRAID OF THE PASSAGE OF TIME. I FEEL EXCITED ABOUT IT NOW BECAUSE I KNOW THAT EVERY YEAR I'M A BETTER VERSION OF MYSELF”

By taking stories into her own hands and speaking out, one of the things she wants to change is the way society views women in entertainment. Many of Sanders' favorite actresses are in their fifties, all strong, beautiful women who dominate the industry.

"Society, culture, and media teach us to be afraid of getting older. As a woman in the entertainment industry, you're made to feel like you have an expiration date. Somehow we've got it in our heads that we're sexiest as teenagers and that that's our peak. It's really messed up," said Sanders. She is taking this step by starting with herself first acknowledging that the older she gets, the more perspective and confidence she gains. In return, she is able to apply these developed characteristics to her work.

Speaking on the current political climate, Sanders says, "It's easy to feel despairing, but we have to focus on the fact that we can create change. We have over 100 women in Congress, including the youngest person ever elected. Things like that give me hope." Erin also opens up her social media as a loving space for anyone, which she expresses through her Instagram highlights including one titled PRIDE. "I want people to know that my page is a safe place to speak and that I'm there if you need to talk to somebody," she said.

"I no longer feel afraid of the passage of time. I feel excited about it now because I know that every year I'm a better version of myself," said Sanders, exhilarated about her future in the entertainment industry. She truly is the total package: a strong, powerful woman, talented actress, and overall badass. If you haven't heard her name before: get ready. Erin Sanders is taking over.

DYLAN MATTHEW

Photos by Acacia Evans Story by Amanda Jones

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With R&B and soul undertones blended into a perfect pop package, Dylan Matthew is a polished artist on the rise. Writing and producing all of his own music, Matthew now works on his artistry full time in California, with his dog, the perfect studio companion for tedious, long recording days, by his side.

Getting his start in music at an early age, Matthew learned to play the piano at age 4, on his grandma’s grand piano. With another grandma that played the mandolin and his father that worked as a professional musician who even got to tour with Ray Charles, it’s no wonder that Matthew has found his calling in music.

“I just enjoyed it,” says Matthew on playing music growing up. He did not take it seriously as a career until age 17, the year he sang in front of people for the first time. A love for performing blossomed, and he jumped in head first, never looking back. Writing music and stories from the age of eight, Matthew eventually put music and writing hand in hand —a crucial stepping stone that led him to where he is now. Matthew dove into creating solo music with a singer/ songwriter vibe, eventually transitioning into different genres, which resulted in rap and EDM features. Finding his passion and inspiration in R&B music, Matthew landed where he is today, blending this influence with pop.

Collecting inspiration from the negative and positive emotions around love, friends’ experiences, events in movies, and more, Matthew is constantly writing for himself and with other artists. Also finding inspirations in other musicians, Matthew is inspired by musician Jeremy Zucker—admiring his style, self-production and the way her looks at music, viewing him as a pioneer for future artists in the industry.

Matthew has also dipped his toes in the touring world, opening for various artists, including Slander, which he performed with at EDC and Red Rocks. With hopes of touring as an opening act in the near future, Matthew is set to release new singles and EPs in the future. “I wanna take my style and sound and kind of make it more of a cohesive story,” says Matthew on creating consistent bodies of work with his future EP releases. Matthew’s new music includes some of his favorite songs he’s ever written—songs that are softer, with more of a soul vibe that, in Matthew’s words, “makes you connect to the music more.” From writing to producing to his live performances, Dylan Matthew is the total package—a full blown R&B popstar in the making.

JILLIAN ROSE REED

Photos + Story by Acacia Evans Hair + Makeup by karly ketelle

There is so much more to actor Jillian Rose Reed than what you may have seen through her well-known roles as Tamara on MTV's Awkward and Simone on Showtime's Weeds.

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Reed participated in musical theater between the ages of seven and thirteen. During that time, she was casted for commercials and films in the Detroit and Chicago markets. She knew there was something more for her, though, so her family helped her take trips back and forth from Los Angeles to audition for as many roles as she could.

She was sixteen when she scored her first recurring role on Weeds, but her first costarring role was a single line on the hit Nickelodeon series Zoey 101—until she found out that her line was cut after telling all of her friends and classmates back home to watch the episode. This appearance was still a big deal, as many actors would be gracious to have one line in a hit show. "It's such a competitive market out here, and people try for years and years. Even just to get a co-star for a lot of actors is a huge huge deal," said Reed.

At the age of 20, Reed got the opportunity to audition for the role of Jenna on Awkward. "I originally was given the pilot and I read it and thought that it was one of the best pilots on TV for teenagers that I had ever read," she said. After her audition, she was told that it just wasn't the right part for her and didn't get the role. After guest starring on an episode of Community, though, the casting team for Awkward acknowledged Reed's skillful comedy and improv and asked her to audition for the role of Tamara, giving her only one night to prepare for the audition the next day.

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Reed knew the part of Tamara from previously reading the pilot and forced her acting coach to help her with the audition just hours before going in, due to the lack of time she was given to prepare. The casting team gave Reed two scenes, but she only coached on scene one.

Of course, when she got to the audition they had her go with the second scene, which she entirely improvised without knowing a majority of the lines. She had practiced the character so much that she nailed the audition and was given the role of Tamara with that performance alone.

Most roles require four or five auditions, like the rest of the cast, but the casting team even used her first audition tape to send to MTV. "It's so funny because when you move to LA and you wanna be an actor, everybody always tells you the right part will come along. The thing is there is a right part. She became me, and I became her, and it just worked," Reed said.

What was so special about Awkward was that every single star was going into the show with their first break out role. "No one came into the show with ego, it was super wholesome content," said Reed. Everyone learned how to be a series regular on a show together, which came with a lot of responsibility. Reed grew into herself as an actor during her time on the show and learned that she loved created characters that were "larger than life." She learned that knowing who you are as an individual is vital to understanding what kind of character you are supposed to be playing.

Aside from acting, Reed has a genuinely beautiful and authentic blog where she discusses just about anything, with topics ranging from mental health to holiday gift guides. She sees it as a way to connect with her followers on a deeper level, as opposed to answering the same questions in her Instagram direct messages all night. Her blog first picked up at the beginning of this year when her grandmother, who was her best friend, passed away. "I was really fucking sad. I started thinking well ‘If I can't talk about this, how can they trust me to talk about anything else because I'm not really showing my true self. I don't care what lipstick I'm wearing right now because I'm fucking sad.'," she said. This post, titled "All The Feels", got thousands of hits within the first hours of being posted and is what pushed Reed to start blogging about mental health and relationships.

"I live with anxiety so I know what that's like, and I'm also in a seven-year relationship and not engaged," said Reed, talking about the balance between real life and fun posts she creates for the blog. Her followers love to hear about her relationship, being that some of them are in the same position and can relate. She shares her thoughts and experiences about the hard things in life, while also suggesting the best home decor and beauty products of the moment. One of the serious things she addresses is anxiety and what it's like to have self-doubt every day.

"My goal is to just kind of inspire everybody to use social media for good because it's such a negative space."

She also has a side business coaching actors. She's successfully helped her little brother prepare for many auditions and noticed that he had a high success rate for getting the part. Her business has grown three times in 2018, and she is hoping to continue expanding. She helps primarily young actors with audition coaching, private acting, and set coaching. "I just get kids," she said.

Reed is currently the voice of Naomi on Disney's animated series Elena of Avalor and is on the lookout for a MultiCamera series, similar to her favorite one, Friends, that she can star in. In the meantime, be sure to become familiar with her incredible blog at www.jillianrosereed.net.

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MADDIE SIMPSON

Photos by Acacia Evans glam + Story by Amanda Jones

With the perfect blend of pop and urban nostalgia, Maddie Simpson’s music pulls you in with her smooth vocals, catchy melodies, and hard-hitting lyrics, all of which are sure to make you a fan of this popstar on the rise.

“My mom says I could sing before I could form sentences,” says Simpson on getting her start in music. Born in San Diego, Simpson began performing in musical theatre at 6-years-old, chasing a dream of being a star on Broadway. From six to twelve years old, she flew to New York for auditions multiple times a year, working hard and growing as a young professional in the entertainment industry. At 12, her family relocated to LA where Simpson found out what a “recording artist” was, falling in love with the idea.

Finding music herself was a turning point for Simpson, which made her realize she wanted to do R&B after hearing Jennifer Lopez’s album On the 6.

On the 6, which came out the year she was born, changed her life, introducing her to a world of music from a new era that would influence many aspects of her artistry.

“I think it was all worth it in the end,” says Simpson on the long process of forming her 90’s R&B-pop fusion sound. Various people she worked with wanted her to be more pop and didn’t understand her vision as an artist. When she was 15 years old, Simpson googled “free R&B beats” and started writing to them, which led to her being signed by her management company and really getting her start as a recording artist. Simpson eventually wrote with Harvey Mason Jr, a contributor behind the On the 6 album that had so heavily influenced Simpson over the years. Working with him, which was an incredible, full circle moment, taught her how to write in a new way and helped Simpson with her confidence in co-writing. The direction Simpson wanted to pursue was solidified, and he understood what she wanted.

“Anything that was going on in my life that I felt like I couldn’t speak about, or talk about with someone, I would write about it,” Simpson says on her songwriting, using personal experiences in her songs and growing immensely as an artist.

Simpson’s debut single “Love Me Loud” has that throwback feeling that people caught onto and praised.

The 20 year old popstar’s second single, “Woulda Never” was released in early November, encompassing everything Simpson has been striving for as a recording artist. The music video was shot entirely on film and simply radiates her smooth sound and immensely cool vibes.

With plans to continue to release more singles, Maddie Simpson is one to keep on your radar. You won’t regret it.

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RUBY MODINE

Photos + Story by Acacia Evans Makeup by adela may pino hair by lea journo Glam Assistance by Samantha Anderson

Shameless and Happy Death Day star Ruby Modine has been making big moves in the entertainment industry since her time as a student at Marymount Manhattan. During that point in her life, she was studying psychology and philosophy, while flying back and forth from New York to Los Angeles to audition for various roles. She hit her first break in 2012 at the 7th Annual Rome Film Festival, where she stepped in for her dad to walk with James Franco down the red carpet.

Franco liked her vibe so much that he knew she would be perfect to play a role in his film, A Visit from the Goon Squad. After that opportunity and playing the role of Nina in the 2015 drama Memoria, she was motivated to make the official move to LA. Modine’s first big Hollywood break was her role as Sierra in HBO’s hit series Shameless.

Believe it or not, she was a huge fan of the show before being casted for a role. When she was living with a family on Long Island, they had “Shameless Sundays,” where they would all gather around and silently watch each and every episode together. Afterwards, they would playfully gossip about the drama of the episode.

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"SUDDENLY, I FOUND MYSELF ON SET FOR THE SHOW I HAD SPENT SO MUCH TIME WATCHING AND LEARNING FROM."

During promo for her film Supersex, where she cast the movie and played a hooker, Modine came down with a gnarly case of walking pneumonia. Her doctor advised two weeks of rest and no communication. Two days after that diagnosis, her manager called her and told her that he had gotten her an audition for the role of Sierra on Shameless. Pneumonia and all, Modine made it to the third round of auditions, where it came down to her and one other actress doing an intimate scene with the character Lip, played by Jeremy Allen White. This was actually the dance scene in episode two of season seven.

Although she was getting in her own head about being taller than Jeremy while the other actress was shorter, she scored the part.

“Suddenly, I found myself on set for the show I had spent so much time watching and learning from,” she said.

In the film world, Modine won the part of Lori Spengler in the 2017 horror film Happy Death Day. The plot consisted of a young, bratty college student repeatedly living the same day. Modine’s character turned out to be the killer, poisoning her roommate with a birthday cupcake that ends up being shoved in her own mouth.

“I just had my first cupcake since that film," she said. “I had like 15 of them shoved into my mouth, and I ate half of them. They were so good.”

She recalled a fan encounter at a mall in Dallas where a kid ran up to her, gripped onto the wall and door, which Modine demonstrated, dropped down, and screamed, “I knew you killed her with the cupcake!”

The sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, is set to hit theaters on February 14, 2019. According to Modine, director Christopher Landon made an “insanely awesome sequel” that is not only intricate, but just straight up crazy. “The return of Lori Spengler,” said Modine. “You did not see the last of her after she flew out that window.”

After filming Happy Death Day 2U, Modine filmed American Desert, where she plays a meth addict. She also filmed a new movie called Satanic Panic that revolves around a pizza girl who gets involved with a cult after being in desperate need for some extra money.

Modine has also always had a deep passion for music.

Growing up, she sold merchandise for one of her best friend’s band and attended alt/punk rock festivals like Warped Tour, Bamboozle, Skate & Surf, and more. She is working on promoting her brand new selftitled EP, Ruby Modine & The Disease. Modine has worked with a handful of trusted musicians, producers, and friends to cultivate the genreless sound that she and “The Disease” have put together. “I was pushed out of my comfort zone," she said. “I don’t know what kind of genre it is. It’s so trippy and weird, and my band is fucking amazing.”

Modine plans to play shows early next year with Ruby Modine & The Disease, beginning in Venice and going wherever the path takes them. Be sure to check out her brand new 4-song EP and Happy Death Day 2U early next year.

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BRENNEN TAYLOR

Photos by Acacia Evans Story by amanda Jones Styling by Jake Taylor

At just 23 years old, social media star turned musician Brennen Taylor means business. Getting his start on the social media app Vine, Brennen is now using his work ethic and passion for career growth to fuel his next endeavor—becoming a superstar.

Being entirely self-funded and 100% organically grown, Brennen's drive for success and authenticity is what keeps him fresh, relevant, and relatable.

Brennen has kept his presence alive on social media through YouTube, where he has over 215 million lifetime views, and Instagram and Twitter, where he totals over 4 million followers.

Constantly creating content, Brennen posts two to three videos per week, working alongside his brother, Jake, who helps with video work, content ideas, and editing.

Starting as a joke, Brennen made a song as a parody under the alias Lil Clickbait, wanting to prove to the world that anyone could be a rapper if they wanted. He even went so far as to get custom grills made, fur coats, and his hair braided to make the music video stand out. As the video was released and more people heard the song, the joke turned into something serious. His music was really good, and thus began a new chapter for Brennen.

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“I know where i want to go with my career and what I want to do.”

“With music, it’s a better way that I can express myself and who I am,” Brennen says about his new endeavor.

He has spent the last 9 months in the recording studio, writing songs and preparing for his future. Leaving behind his alias, Brennen is now releasing music as himself, in an effort to be taken seriously for the work he’s done and heartbreak he’s poured into his music over the past year. His debut single under the name Brennen, “Versace Nightmares”, encompasses the sound of a seasoned artist and is completed with incredibly relatable lyrics. Landing on various Spotify playlists and making waves around the world, while solely relying on his fanbase and friends to push the song forward, this release shows how committed to his craft and career Brennen is.

“I know where I want to go with my career and what I want to do,” says Brennen, unafraid of the challenges breaking into the music industry can hold. His next step with music? “To be the top artist,” he says, unwavering.

The 23-year-old is already planning for the next ten years, manifesting what he wants to become and creating his life and future. Working with a solid team of people on his same wavelength and with new music on the way, Brennen is a force to be reckoned with.

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CIERRA RAMIREZ

Photos + Story by Acacia Evans Makeup by Amanda Jones Hair by Karly Ketelle

23-year-old Colombian-Mexican singer and actress Cierra Ramirez is one of the most multifaceted young women in the entertainment industry right now. She’s been in the film and television spotlight for a while, starring in Freeform’s iconic family drama series The Fosters and playing recurring roles on shows like The Secret Life of the American Teenager and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Aside from her polished acting, Ramirez is also an incredible singer and songwriter.

Ramirez grew up in Houston, TX, where her mom was a kindergarten teacher and her dad was a music producer. As a child, she would constantly sing around the house, singing along to legends like Amy Winehouse, Patsy Klein, and Brenda Lee. One day, her dad said to her mom, “I think Cierra can sing.” Her mom was unsure, keeping in mind that she worked with children everyday, and they all thought they were good singers. It turned out her dad was right, though. Her parents took her to vocal lessons, and she began participating in singing competitions and performing all across Texas. They were beyond supportive of her young career.

In June of 2016, Ramirez released her debut EP, Discreet, which featured her hit single “Faded.” “Faded” is a sultry, party song featuring Casey Veggies and Honey C that has accumulated over 2.8 million streams on Spotify alone. The record maintains an assertive, yet curious, vibe you could dance all night to and is certainly the musical representation of Ramirez’s nickname, “Miss Thang.”

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Ramirez goes from R&B to an island feel for her latest single, “Bad Boys”, that was released in September. The song is about breaking out of a cookie cutter lifestyle to go after what you really want, and the music video represents precisely that. Visually, Ramirez was primarily inspired by the movie Cry Baby and Johnny Depp. “It’s kind of the idea of society telling you who you should be with and breaking away from that - meeting someone that just completely changes your idea of everything and you just wanna break free from your life,” says Ramirez. “You see someone, and it’s like you’ve seen color for the first time in your life,” she adds.

Ramirez is still somewhat new to the writing process. Doing co-writes and working with producers who take the time to really get to know her are things that have been vital to Ramirez’s music career. “At the end of the day it’s all about good vibes,” she said. She’s found “her people” who are currently assisting on her new full length album and helping her get out of her comfort zone. This new project is going to be more personal, focused on capturing a pop feeling, while utilizing aspects of Mexican and Colombian music to represent her background.

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Though singing and acting may seem very different, Ramirez believes they are more similar than people think.

Considering she began singing and stumbled into acting, they can be creatively parallel. “When you’re singing a song, you’re kind of playing a character and getting into that mindset,” says Ramirez. “When I’m acting, I get to step into someone else’s shoes, but when I’m performing and singing, it’s really who I am. I feel like my true self when I’m performing.”

With 3 million followers across her social media accounts, Ramirez is outspoken about what she believes in, using her platform for good. While typically remaining neutral, she encourages young people to vote and stand up for what they think is right.

“Social media is such a beautiful thing, and it’s a way that people can come together and give a voice to things. It’s important to stand up for what’s right,” she said. Ramirez is set to release her full length album in early 2019, and she plans to being playing shows for fans.

Keep an eye out for her new music along with her upcoming television series Good Trouble, a spin off from The Fosters.

DYLAN SILVER

Photos by Acacia Evans story & Makeup by Amanda Jones

Dylan Silver does it all. From acting, comedy, and hosting to being on the other side of the lens through writing, directing and producing, this multifaceted creator is on the rise in the entertainment industry, and she is a fresh face you should keep on your radar.

After going to high school abroad, Silver got degrees in both acting and writing —beginning work as a professional actress before having graduated from school.

Desiring a career in the entertainment world, Silver quickly realized that she didn’t just want to be in front of the camera lens, but also wanted to be a filmmaker and content creator, behind the lens as well. With a passion for storytelling, Silver saw the opportunity to fill gaps seen in narrative and unscripted shows —to make empowering content that fuels laughter and even creates new modes of thinking.

Taking up comedy and hosting were natural additions to her career path.

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Recently, Silver has taken her passions a step further, directing her first documentary called Considering The Horse. Starting on this venture, Silver took inspiration from times in her life when money was tight, and she still stayed in the creative world, working as crew, production, and location managing, which helped her learn about film production from all angles. Silver was able to observe from multiple perspectives what made, in her eyes, a good director and good human, as well. While reading a book by horse clinician Mark Rashid, one of the men Silver documented, she learned about his term “passive leadership.” “Passive leadership” proposes that while a herd can follow the “alpha,” one whose leadership is based on superiority and fear tactics, a herd would rather follow a “passive leader,” one who is firm but does not see the need to create conflict. This idea affirmed that the kind of director and person Silver wants to be can indeed be effective, for empathy and leadership are not mutually exclusive.

Starring as the host of the HGTV Snapchat original series You Wish You Lived Here, Silver helps make an extraordinary home and life seem attainable on a budget.

Airing on a free social media platform expands accessibility and showcases Silver’s comedy and people skills. Aside from hosting the show, Silver is in postproduction on the documentary she’s been working on and halfway through writing her next feature film, showing how truly passionate and hardworking Silver is, no matter what sector of the entertainment industry she is working in.

LENNON STELLA

PHOTOS + INTERVIEW BY ACACIA EVANS

Tell us about your very first solo show that was sold out in Nashville, TN! It was honestly so wild even just hearing that it was sold out. The only way to describe it is “surreal.” It was just so so surreal.

I feel like I get a big sense of who you are as a person through your EP. What was the writing process like?

All of the songs came from co-writing sessions. All of them were one producer, one writer, and me. All of them I had a pretty clear idea and feeling of what I wanted to get out of my system when I was writing. They were something that happened to me or something I was feeling that I just wanted to write about, except for Fortress. Mozella, the writer I wrote it with, had that title, the word fortress, as that concept that she wanted to write on. That was the only time I’ve ever written a song like that. It was a cool way to write, with a word or concept in mind.

Do you have a favorite song? Was there one song during your show in Nashville that you felt was the most impactful live?

Fortress live just felt powerful when people were singing along. It has an “I got this” kind of vibe and hearing people sing that back to me was empowering.

Let’s talk about “Polaroid.” How did this all come together and how do you feel about how it’s been going?

That has been so much fun and such a cool thing to be a part of! It’s going even better than I could have imagined. How awesome Jonas and Liam both are as people, and to work with, makes it so smooth and fun. It’s cool just being a part of something, it’s not much pressure. It’s not all on me. I’m such a perfectionist when it comes to anything I touch, so when the pressure isn’t all on me, it’s more enjoyable for me. I love London, and we’ve been traveling there a bunch to perform and do promo.

The vibe of Nashville is way different from the vibe in LA. Is that how it was for the show?

That’s exactly how I think it would be because I completely agree. The vibe is so different, along with the people and energy. I was expecting it to be so different, but it was so similar. As far as energy level, I was expecting it to be “cool kids” who weren’t going to react. It was literally equivalent to the people singing along and dancing. It was very lively. We’re definitely not the only ones who think that because, literally, all the industry people that were coming up to me at the end were like, “I’ve never seen a show like this at the Troubadour in LA.” It was very cool, really cool for me because I expected it to be a little more mellowed out and with people who are “too cool.” It was really special and so not that, and it was one of the best energies I’ve ever felt in a room in my life.

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The music video for “Breakaway” is so badass and the branding you’ve created is sick. How did you think about the concept for it?

I had a really clear vision for that video, and I can’t say that about anything else I’ve done thus far. I knew exactly what I wanted in the visual aspect and really wanted it to be monochromatic. I wanted every room to have a different color, and because I had something so clear in my brain, it was easier to explain and articulate it to someone else. I wrote exactly what I wanted. I wanted it to be a little bit creepy, to be honest, and have a heaviness to it. People can talk about it, but it doesn't always come to life as you hope, and I loved loved loved how it turned out. It represents exactly who I am and who I wanna be.

What are your plans for after your New York show?

We go back to London to do more shows for “Polaroid.” After that, I’m going to come home for my sister’s birthday, for Christmas, and just to take a little time off to just be. In the new year, we’re going to dive right back into writing for a hot second, and then I’m going to do a full tour. These shows have made me really excited to go out and do a full tour. I can only imagine how amazing it’s going to be having a full run and how comfortable I’m going to get. I think it’s just going to get more and more fun honestly.

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WORK IN PROGRESS

PHOTOS BY ACACIA EVANS INTERVIEW BY KYLE SAMARITANO

When did you guys decide to form a band and how?

(Carmen) It started off when I started jammin’ out with Chad, our rhythm guitarist, and he was in a band with our lead guitarist, Griffin. While I was in L.A., he texted me and said, “Two of our members dropped out of one of our gigs so you want to hop in on drums?” I was like, “sure.” We called up Matt because we knew he played bass, and just from there, the four of us started playing for a while.

(Griffin) The first time we started playing together was about a year ago as a full band, Work in Progress. It was cool. We started out with the four-piece so we could get a solid band down and then bring together vocalists.

How did you evolve from doing the open mic thing to taking the band more seriously?

(Chad) We didn’t evolve from it. It was more like we were playing out, and we were all like, “hey that’s great, and Gaten can have us play at these places." So, we were like, “Okay!”

I feel like you guys have a lot of rock inspo, so who are your biggest influences?

(Sabrina) Paramore. Big time. And My Chemical Romance.

(Carmen) I’ve been a huge Blink 182 fan basically my whole life.

(Gaten) I personally think Pearl Jam and Green Day. The band as a whole, especially, its very Chili Peppers in my opinion.

(Carmen) The three of us (Gaten and Sabrina) have always been into alternative and punk.

(Matt) A lot of Rush and Zeppelin. I think of the style I play in as more like funk, but not.

(AJ) I’m very key oriented so Billy Joel or like Elton john. Classic pianist.

(Griffin) I don’t know. I got into indie rock type stuff, so like Mac Demarco, The Fratellis, Cage The Elephant, etc. Then I got into Rex Orange County and hip-hop. I’m all over the place.

(Chad) I don’t know, I’m also all over the place. Zeppelin and Metallica are the two big ones.

Rush, while sprinkling in some Mozart.

So you guys played the Stone Pony, how did you get the show, and how did you sell out two night?

(Carmen) It’s actually a funny story. My dad called up, and at first, he got denied because no one wants a bunch of kids on stage doing covers. He kept calling and calling, and they finally said, “Let’s do it.” It sold out in like 15 minutes.

(Gaten) My dad was like, “We can sell out with covers.”

(Matt) I remember how mind-blowing it was just to see how tickets went on sale at noon.

Carmen and I were in school, and I remember getting the text saying it sold out. I was like, “Dude. Carmen. What the hell is going on? How did we just do that?” Then they added another show, and we sold out that one.

(Sabrina) Yeah, that was cool. Then, we did Starland Ballroom a couple months later. That was crazy.

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Did you guys play that show with other people?

(Matt) Yeah, we also played with The Flukes.

(Sabrina) Whenever we have a gig where we have openers, we always have The Flukes.

Shoutout Flukes!

So are you guys doing your own original music right now?

(Sabrina) We have two originals that we perform at our shows and they’re called “Dream Eater" and “Waste My Time.” We’re in the process of writing a whole bunch of other ones.

All of them are a little bit unfinished. They are coming little by little.

Now while you, Gaten, are filming who heads the writing?

(Matt) It’s a group effort. So far, it’s Chad bringing good lyrics and Chad's dad, Chuck, further advances it and helps us with how the song flows. And Carmen usually takes harmonies.

(Sabrina) Griffin and Matt help out a lot. Carmen is definitely the harmony boy. For “Waste My Time”, they sent me the harmonies for it, and I wrote the lyrics for it in an hour. It was just easy.

(Gaten) “Dream Eater” took about a month, and the lyrics in it aren’t that complex.

(Chad) The problem when we are trying to write is that we have all these pieces and these great ideas, so we need a little guidance and help. That's when the producer role comes in.

Chuck is like, “It’s so simple, just put this there,” and we’re like, “Oh wow this is so much better.”

(Gaten) I feel like eventually we will develop that ability to piece together the puzzle, and it comes with experience.

(Carmen) Writing “Dream Eater” was pretty crazy. Griffin showed me the riff, and I thought it was pretty cool. I recorded it and showed it to Gaten, and we were up for like an hour just trying to work on lyrics. We got nothing done, and then the next day Gaten comes up with the melody and the lyrics.

(Gaten) It was a while after we started playing when we realized we were missing keys, so we brought AJ in to play. We didn’t need keys, but we were missing out on so many songs with keys. The piano is so sexy. The piano is such a great instrument.

So when are you guys gonna release stuff digitally? When can people start listening?

Next year?

(Matt) Probably next November. Like a year from now.

(Chad) It’ll be a while because of Gaten’s filming schedule.

(Gaten) This spring and summer, we will definitely be very productive.

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