Kinda Cool Magazine: Issue 07

issue 07 an interview with

BENEE:

more than just another TikTok star

how

COVID-19

has upturned the music industry

SLEEP ON IT

pick apart latest album

learning how to be human with

CHELSEA CUTLER

#lockdownmoodplaylist The COVID-19 crisis is taking a massive toll on all of our lifestyles — that’s for sure. Being stuck inside without physical contact with anyone in the outside world is really tough, so we threw together a playlist of some tracks that perfectly describe our mood right now. We hope they can give you a laugh and add some brightness to your self-isolation!

Bored Losing Touch Supalonely (feat. Gus Dapperton) Take Yourself Home Panic Room In My Feelings America (You’re Freaking Me Out) Don’t Stand So Close To Me Surrounded By Morons The Internet Alone Dancing With Myself Fever

Tessa Violet Virginia To Vegas BENEE Troye Sivan Theory of a Deadman Lana Del Rey The Menzingers The Police Heart Attack Man Jon Bellion Halsey Billy Idol Carly Rae Jepsen

Sleeping In

All Time Low

Stay Home

American Football

Level of Concern

Twenty One Pilots

Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3ffrM7k

contents issue 7

april 2020

5 The Orphan The Poet 7 renforshort 10 Genre Gatekeeping 11 Stan Culture 12 Conan Gray 16 BENEE 20 The Beaches 24 COVID-19 28 Saint Motel 32 Verite 36 Super Whatevr 40 Sleep On It 46 Dua Lipa 48 Chelsea Cutler 60 Local Scene: Niagara 64 The Unlikely Candidates

16

BENEE

28

48

Saint Motel

Chelsea Cutler

40

Sleep On It

Founder/Manager Meg Clemmensen Copy Designer Rebekah Witt Copy Editor/Distributor Mary Perez Cover photo by Sophie Harris

Contributors Mia Andrea, Polina Bakgof, Ravyn Cavanaugh, Gianna Cicchetti, JenaRose Dahlstrom, Lexie Dopwell, Emily Ellis, Ashley Gallegos, Sophie Harris, Adrienne Joelle, Emily Lantzy, Faith Logue, Vic Maltese, Katie Marks, Jessica Matilszki, Lexi Matuson, Caitlyn McGonigal, Natalie Melendez, McKenzie Moore, Emilia Rangel, Emily Richardson, Piper Rosas, Cris Rulli, Ibbi Schwartz, Leeann Spangler, Mallory Thompson, Chelsea Tiso, Devyn Vaughan, Hannah Wayland, Mickayla Whitt, Emily Wilson, Tanya Wright, Anna Xu, Emily Young

A special thank you to our latest Patreon supporters, Shona, Jaidyn, and Teriann!

Sign up at patreon.com/kindacoolmag and support us for as low as $2/month!

kindacoolmagazine.com

@kindacoolmag

on our radar...

THE ORPHAN THE POET Words and photos by Lexi Matuson

Searching for your new musical obsession?

Look no further than The Orphan The Poet, an alternative trio from Columbus, Ohio, consisting of members David Eselgroth (vocals/guitar), Jake Floyd (bass), and Sam Gordon (drums). The band has opened for lovelytheband and The Wrecks in addition to playing both Bunbury Festival and Firefly. Since releasing their first single in 2016, The Orphan The Poet has amassed a loyal online following from releasing two EPs in addition to two singles.

Their latest release, the Queen Cobra EP, is full of groovy basslines, catchy choruses, and drum beats to play on your dashboard. They cite one of their inspirations as Weezer, recalling growing up with the band and having a great influence on them as musicians.

The titular track, “Queen Cobra,” has had massive success, garnering over 600,000 streams on Spotify and becoming their second-most streamed song. The EP has

a very cohesive sound, which can be attributed to the band finding a rhythm with one another. “As those flavors mix,” Eselgroth tells Kinda Cool Magazine, “I think that has been really cool to find how we work together and what we lean on each other for. We’re not all good at the same things.” Floyd agrees, adding to the thought. “As we settle into being more comfortable with each other, we’re expanding our palettes and we’re experimenting with new sounds. Like, what if we did this? Now we’re just like, ‘let’s try everything!’”

When asked his favorite song on the EP, Eselgroth quickly responds with their track “Headstone,” calling it his favorite to play live. “It’s really cool because almost every night on tour, we show up and the crowd immediately starts singing along with us. And you never know, when you put out new music, if people are going to like this song or that song; are they going to want to sing it along with you? So, that’s been very cool, every night of the tour to show up and have people scream back at us.”

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When it comes to their fans, the band doesn’t know how they wound up with such a caring group of people! Naming themselves The Hive due to the band’s video for “Still Buzzin’” (where Eselgroth is covered in live bees), they uplift one another and the band says how grateful they are. “We’ve watched a little bit from the sidelines as the fans have started finding friends among each other,” Eselgroth gushes. “That’s really cool. We don’t want to put our hands in and mess it up!” Gordon chimes in, adding, “it’s something I wish I had when I was going to shows like that.”

Creating and listening to music is essential to the trio. The band calls their songwriting process “beautiful chaos,” exploring new ideas while the three feed off of one another. The life they’re living feels surreal to them as Floyd beams, “As whatever we’re doing grows, it’s cool being able to go out on tour with bands that we actively listen to. I think we’re all such fans of

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music and such fans of bands that any time we get to tour or play a festival with a band that we just genuinely love, it’s awesome to get to play.”

When it comes to playing shows, The Orphan The Poet gives it their all. “What’s the point if you’re not gonna jam out and have fun?” Gordon points out. “That’s the whole point!” Post-show, the band makes sure to talk to every fan that approaches them. They value “a sense of community,” Floyd tells us. It’s clear that the three don’t just have a strong connection with each other, but also with their listeners. David joins in saying, “I want it to be, not just about us and not just about them, but about us and them.”

The trio has been on a roll and isn’t slowing down any time soon. Eselgroth teased new music that he’s been working on from home in a recent tweet, leaving fans eager for them to return to the studio. If you’re looking for your new dance party soundtrack, make sure to check out The Orphan The Poet’s Queen Cobra EP. Make sure you keep an eye on them so you can say you knew them way back when!

introducing

renforshort

and teenage angst

Interview by Emily Richardson Photos courtesy of Hayden Wolf and Steph Verschuren

On March 5th, 2020, I spoke with Toronto breakout artist renforshort, whose real name is Lauren Isenberg. Only a week out from the release of her debut EP teenage angst, the 17-year-old indie-pop singer said she was “very, very excited, but also a little nervous” for the grand release.

She described this album as “more of a diary,” as it touches a lot on “anxiety and body image.”

This can be seen in tracks such as “idc” and “luv is stooopid,” which are easy to tell even just from the title that they perfectly reflect the theme of teenage angst. When asked what the hardest part of creating this album was, Ren responded saying that since it was such a personal album, “getting to the place mentally where you could revisit what caused you to write the songs” was probably the

hardest part.

“i drive me mad,” the last single before the EP release, is a song that explains what it is like living with an anxiety disorder. Ren explained that she wrote this song right after having a panic attack, so she created a musical track to depict how she was feeling during her anxious state. You can hear her fast breaths in the background as the drums build up in the pre-chorus, while she sings “I’m hyperventilating / Pacing / I’m losing my patience.” Once the chorus hits, she says “it all just crashes.” She elaborated more on how there is “depiction in the track of what anxiety feels like,” explaining the way that the song’s BPM constantly changes and how “the drums getting more intense represents your heart rate speeding up.” She perfectly explains the feelings that anxiety creates and paints a vivid visual with the lyrics “Feeling bad ‘bout shit I didn’t do / So dramatic / Panicked / I got

pre-traumatic stress ‘cause nothing happened yet / But in my head it did.”

The music video shows Ren running into a bathroom, where she hides in the stall and seems to be freaking out, as flashing lights cover the screen. She explained the meaning behind this video, saying that it was based on advice that was given to her by her therapist. Her therapist told her that if she got anxious in public, to go in a bathroom stall and just scream. She explained that it felt like a “safe haven from everything that was making [her] anxious in public.”

With this album being such an intimate, honest set of songs, I had to ask Ren how she draws the line between making her music too personal and just personal enough. She responded by saying that she tries to “write songs broad enough so that people can interpret them however they want.” She went on to say that she “doesn’t want the music to be too much about [her],” explaining that it is harder to relate when the music becomes too personal.

When asked about the overall message that she wants to send with her music, Ren responded saying that she wants people to “feel like they are listening to something valuable and helpful.” She continued to say that she wants people to find comfort in her music. By exploring more vulnerable topics, she is certainly shedding light on topics not often discussed in mainstream media and making her listeners feel safe and understood. Growing up, she didn’t find a lot of music about what she was going through, so she wants her music to be able to be that comfort for others. “People like me, people who follow me, listen to me, and people who tell me that my music comforts them [inspire me in what I do today]. It inspires me to make the best music I can”.

renforshort is a fairly new artist, and at only 17 years of age, she has already accomplished a lot. In May 2019, she was named Apple Music’s Artist of the Week. Later that year, in August, Soundcloud named her as an Artist to Watch. She said that her goals for this year music-wise are to “keep going with what I’m doing now,” saying that what she has been doing so far has been good for her and her audience.

She said that she also wants to “meet a lot more people and experience what it is like to work with others.” She stated that her dream collaborations would include artists such as Kevin Parker, Dave Grohl, and beabadoobee. Of course, current

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world circumstances have made it difficult to make connections and advances within the music industry. But Isenburg remains an inspiration for other young artists as she continues to work on her renforshort project, and the hope is that being stuck indoors inspires a wave of refreshment and songwriting.

When asked about her songwriting process, she explained that they always begin with therapy sessions. She said that she works with the same co-writers and producers, and that they have become like family to her. “I am better with melodies. Once I have an idea formulated, I begin to put lyrics down.” She was raised learning about music and songwriting.

She stated that Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell are some of her favorite songwriters and some of her biggest songwriting inspirations. “Bob Dylan tells a lot of stories with his work,” she said, explaining that her dad taught her a lot about the artists and their upbringing. She continued to say that her songwriting inspirations also include beabadoobee and The 1975, some more modern examples of musicians within the same genre as herself.

Ren says that she “loves social media” because it helps her connect with people and fans, but that it can get stressful because it is part of her job. She also stated that she likes to take small breaks from social media. Right now, social media presence is a dire part of any musician’s career, and it is so easy to become overwhelmed by the media and the demand to create something fresh and new during such unprecedented times. While Ren has posted about how it’s “feeling like a different lifetime,” she seems to be using her social media in similar ways as many other artists trying to connect with their fans at this time.

When asked if she had any final words for the fans, she responded saying “I hope you guys find comfort in it, I hope you like it, even love it. I appreciate you more than you know.”

Be sure to check out renforshort’s debut EP teenage angst, available on all streaming services now! Ren is certainly creating a genre of her own with a message of her own, and much like several other rising stars these days, she’s putting herself out into the world from a young age. Diving into the dark side of being a teenager that adults often forget, Lauren Isenberg is creating important and relatable music for other youth just trying to find their place in the world.

Words by Emily Ellis

genre gatekeeping

a brief look into

kindacool.

For quite some time now, there has been a stigma surrounding the social obligation to only be interested in one genre of music. Fan dedication goes hand-in-hand with this, as it plays a role into the pressure and toxicity from society to stick to one genre. In some cases, this can all lead to toxicity.

One of the biggest fan bases we can see this in is within the genre of K-Pop. The K-Pop fandom is often recognized for how intense and incredibly dedicated they are to the genre and the biggest stars who fall into this category.

In an interview with Michelle Cho, assistant professor of East Asian Studies at University of Toronto, she stated that “The importance of fan involvement in K-pop can be traced back to earliest groups in the ‘90’s.”1 Later in the same interview, she also says that “the scale of fan projects for K-pop acts may be ‘surprising’ to the outside world, but for international fans of K-pop there is a ‘sense of cultural ambassadorship’ to promote the subculture to the general public.”2 This just goes to show that their fan base goes to great lengths to show their dedication.

However, this dedication does not always end with positive results, which can be seen from the societal pressures from others in the fandom. Often, many fans feel as though they are obligated to stay dedicated solely to the K-pop genre and the fandoms within it. Not just this, but as they are pressured to fit into this group and be restricted to just the liking of only these bands. As far as being dedicated to the genre, many fans feel strongly influenced by others in the fan bases to purchase things, such as merchandise for these bands because they feel as though it proves them to be a true fan.

Another case of fan dedication can be seen from a study done by Spotify. The study was done to measure fan loyalty by identifying what are to be considered core artists from several genres and calculating how many times the fans returned back to them.3 The results of this study showed that the genre of heavy metal had the highest amount of loyalty from their fans. When speaking to Mashable about this study, the director of promotions and new media from the record label Relapse Records stated, “metalheads are extremely diehard and dedicated to their favourite bands and the genre as a whole.”4

By examining these two cases of fan dedication, we are able to see how it can become toxic. Many fans who follow certain bands feel obligated to stay within the genre they fall under, as they feel as though they are unable to belong in multiple groups. The toxicity of these genre restrictions are still a large issue at hand when it comes to fandoms.

1, 2 Somos, Christy. “How fans are powering their K-pop heroes to global stardom.” CTVNews, 2 January 2020, https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/how-fans-arepowering-their-k-pop-heroes-to-global-stardom-1.4751200 3, 4 Monroe, Jazz. “Heavy metal fans named ‘most loyal’ in music by Spotify.”

NME, 1 June 2015, https://www.nme.com/news/music/various-artists-1126-1212162

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Words by Faith Logue

in all its forms

stan culture

kindacool.

Stan culture: it’s something that everyone who listens to a certain artist or band is aware of. ‘Stans’ can be simply put as highly obsessive fans, although the majority of people who stan someone do not come to the point in which they are a threat to an artist or themselves in their obsessiveness. Stan culture is a world where all these people can congregate and converse with each other, mostly on online platforms like Twitter. The culture is one that is mostly friendly, filled with people who want to come together and bond over their love for a certain artist or band. Many artists have spoken out about taking social media breaks because of the toxicity of this stan culture, with people who call themselves ‘fans,’ but resort to harassing the artists they look up to. Toxic stan culture can go as far as to make people shy away from liking a certain artist or band because of the way their fans behave.

Stan culture can be a very useful tool for artists, especially smaller ones, to promote themselves. Social media is a powerful platform in the music industry since the majority of the fans who like artists follow them to keep up with them. Smaller bands are able to massively reach people to promote their music. Many times, you may see bands in your direct messages who are telling you since you like another artist, you may also like them, and a lot of the times you will listen to them. A tool as powerful as stan culture though has its dark side with toxic stan culture.

Toxic stan culture is very dangerous for all who are involved.

Things that are considered to be toxic include harassment, bullying, trolling, and many more. Examples of the bullying that can happen is when fans of one artist attack the fans of another artist. Online, many fights can ensue between fans who like different people, and these fights happen because they are hiding behind a screen and aren’t afraid. Toxic stans can harass artists to the point where it can severely affect their mental health, telling them to die or get off the internet, comparing their work to others’, and trying to ‘cancel’ them after a simple mistake is made.

Within toxic stan culture, there are many types of fans who get more attention from artists than others. While it is absolutely okay for a band or artist to interact with certain fans more than others, it is not okay when it gets to the point when the fan is getting or sending death threats and bullying. Many times, this results in the fan deleting social media and taking time away for themselves. Stan culture is a great way to find friends through their shared interests, but it can also lead to a deterioration of mental health and deletion of social media altogether.

In conclusion, stan culture is something that shapes the music industry today, but it can quickly turn toxic. Social media platforms like Twitter are a great way for fans of the same artists to get in touch and bond. It can also be a great way to make friends, but it can also greatly affect you. Toxic stans can make your experience of listening to an artist very scary, for you may like their music but steer clear of their fanbase. Toxic stan culture can transmit to real life with the detonation of an artist or fans mental health from all the negativity. If you stay aware when you are a part of stan culture, you will be able to know how to stay safe online and to stay away from the toxic side of it.

: growing up through the eyes of

Rarely are the tragic tales of adolescence ever told as truthfully and beautifully as in Conan Gray’s debut album, Kid Krow. Released on March 20, Kid Krow explores the turbulences of teenagehood and what it means to grow up in the modern 21st century. It interweaves heartache, nostalgia, and excitement in a perfect package of pop, indie, and alternative, making for an emotionally vivid and breathtaking masterpiece that leaves you wanting more.

Words by Natalie Melendez

‘I just needed company now / Yeah, I just needed someone around / Yeah, I don’t care the song that we play / Or the mess that we make / Just company now.’

First up on the record is none other than “Comfort Crowd,” which was released in September of 2019, long before the announcement of KK. The song is about the unnerving hunger for company — one which can only be satisfied by the presence of close friends and their ability to provide laughter and comfort in the toughest of times. “Comfort Crowd” parallels Gray’s own experience transitioning from his small-town life in Texas to the bright and densely populated Los Angeles. His move, a result of his enrollment at the University of California, Gray had to leave his close friends in his hometown, creating the perfect condition for loneliness. Sonically,

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the song is soft yet powerful and brimming with gratitude — it’s the type of tune that pairs perfectly with a rooftop sunset on a warm summer afternoon.

‘Trade drinks but you don’t even know her / Save me ‘til the party is over / Kiss me in the seat of your Rover / Real sweet, but I wish you were sober.’

The next song keeps in line with the theme of loneliness. “Wish You Were Sober” follows Gray’s adventures, or lack of, at your standard teenage party complete with loud music, alcoholic beverages, and the inevitable crowd of drunk guests — including Gray’s love interest, who only ever shows Gray attention during peak drunkenness. Though Gray appreciates the gestures, he resents their insincerity, instead wishing his love interest was sober through them all. Regardless, the song’s electropop feel masks Gray’s deviance

from party culture, ironically making for the ultimate dance track.

‘Tell them you hate me and dated me just for laughs / So, why do you call me and tell me you want me back? / You maniac.”

A favorite of TikTok-ers far and wide, “Maniac” is the epitome of teenage pop and, inarguably, the most well-known track on the record. The song deals with rumors about Gray, spread by none other than his less-thanlovely ex who, after spreading lies, always came crawling back to Gray’s feet. Gray, however, is too smart for the endless cycle of regret. He doesn’t let himself get played, and he’s not afraid to let the world know who the true maniac is (hint: it’s not him). In essence, “Maniac” is the perfect song to punch the air to when you’re upset. Not only is it catchy, but its groovy beats will leave you feeling like you just completed a full on workout.

‘All alone in a coffee shop / I can’t help but imagine what would have happened / If you weren’t just an online love.’

The first previously unreleased track on the album is “(Online Love),” the first of two interludes. Despite its brevity, this minimalistic, 37-second-long song very accurately portrays the ups and downs of internet culture, more specifically online relationships. While the internet gives us boundless platforms to create connections with people around the world, a relationship through a screen leaves many wondering what would have happened if both partners weren’t miles apart. This lack of face-to face interaction (because despite the efforts of FaceTime and Skype, online chatting simply isn’t the same as being face to face) makes room for insecurity, and the soft, minimalistic tone of the song perfectly captures that struggle.

‘I’ve gotten tired of the games that you play / When you tell me you love me then you throw me away / So cry me a river ‘til you drown in the lake / ‘Cause you may think you’re winning but checkmate.’

Another previously released track (June 2019), “Checkmate,” is an upbeat, jumpy pop song. But don’t let this playful facade distract you from the fact that the lyrics come packed with seething rage. “Checkmate,” in simple terms, is a song about a player, someone who was always messing with Gray and reduces ‘love’ to a mere game. Sick and tired of being played with, Gray decides he’s going to win at the game of love and take his competitor out.

This explains why the song sounds like you’re chasing someone down the street with a knife in hand, coming after them for having hurt you. “Checkmate” may seem sweet, but it is a reminder that Gray can and WILL ruin your life if you cross him.

‘Oh, I can’t be your lover on a leash / Every other week, when you please / Oh, I can’t be the kiss that you don’t need / The lie between your teeth.’

Up next is “The Cut That Always Bleeds,” but be warned that listening to this song is equivalent to the burning sensation of rubbing alcohol on a fresh wound. You can feel the pain coursing through Gray’s voice. He sounds weak, completely and utterly defeated, as he sings about the struggle of trying so hard to get over someone, only to find yourself repeatedly getting hurt. At some points in the song, the tempo starts to pick up, offering a glimmer of hope and showing signs of leaving the past behind. But right when you would expect there to be a beat drop, a switch to an upbeat tempo, the quiet softness sinks back in — it’s a cycle, a perfect metaphor for the pain Gray himself has gone through. “The Cut That Always Bleeds” ultimately ends with Gray admitting he will never be over the person responsible for his suffering, he’s defeated and willing to play the role of a pawn.

‘Well, fight or flight, I’d rather die / Than have to cry in front of you / Fight or flight, I’d rather lie / Than tell you I’m in love with you.’

Out of all songs, “Fight or Flight” is definitely the most experimental. Heavy poprock influences in the form of electrifying guitars and funky tunes infiltrate the track, breaking with Gray’s usual pattern of soft and pop-like instrumentals. The lyrics, however, are reminiscent of Gray’s previous theme of love being nothing but a game. In “Fight or Flight,” Gray sings about finding out the person you’re in love with hasn’t been exclusive to you and about having to cope with the aftermath of your partner’s player-like behavior. It’s a perfectly tragic song that would most definitely be played at your local indie coffee shop as you write poetry about unrequited love.

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‘They say, money can’t buy you no love / But a diamond cheers you right up / Give me none of your affluenza.’

“Affluenza” became a fan favorite from the very moment of the record’s release. The song deals with the fact that money can’t buy love, happiness, or stability, and it is based on Gray’s own observations as he adjusted to life in Los Angeles after his move. Having grown up with relatively low funds, Gray used to believe that money solved all problems. But as he immersed himself in LA culture, he realized that even those who grew up with millions of dollars at their disposal faced many problems of their own. In other words, extravagant parties, lavish cars, alcohol, and ‘designer drugs’ weren’t a cure-all for misery, and Gray came to see wealth itself as a stimulator for emptiness. Without a doubt, the pairing of an indie-pop, almost sensual sound with such a hard-hitting topic is the reason why “Affluenza” caught the heart and ears of many.

‘Could you be my best friend? / I’ll tell you all my secrets / I’ll tell you all the times / That I wished that I could die.’

The second and final interlude of the album is none other than “(Can We Be Friends?),” which Gray mentioned was (along with the previous interlude) written exclusively to further connect with the fans who listen to the album from top to bottom.

A mere 58 seconds, the track is about loving and appreciating close friends. It is, in the words of Gray, a “love letter towards platonic friendship.” It’s dreamy yet passionate and the

type of song you would listen to while looking up at the starry night.

‘Why would you ever kiss me? / I’m not even half as pretty / You gave her your sweater / It’s just polyester / But you like her better / Wish I were Heather.’

Honesty is something Gray has no trouble expressing throughout the record, especially when it comes to “Heather,” the most painfully honest track. “Heather” follows Gray’s experience with unrequited love, in which he admits his hatred towards Heather — his love interest’s partner. Gray recognizes the absurdity of his hate, considering that Heather is a kind and perfectably likeable girl, yet the pain of rejection is too great for him to care.

Whether you’ve been in a similar situation or not, “Heather” is bound to make you cry. Its minimalistic melody and pain-packed lyrics will leave you feeling like your heart has been ripped out of your chest, and it’ll remind you that everyone is capable of such ugly and hateful feelings. Pain, after all, is a force that’s difficult to control.

‘When we were younger / We didn’t know how it would be / We were the dumb, the wild, the free / Little league.’

“Little League” can most accurately be described as a teenage pop dream song, ideal for a coming-of-age movie montage.

It addresses the fears Gray felt in regards to growing up, and it comes packed with nostalgia as he reminisces on his childhood memories and the recklessness and innocence

that comes with being young. Upbeat and full of youthful energy, “Little League” makes you want to get up and run around, flip your hair back and forth, break a window, and sneak out of the house just for laughs. It’s perfect for getting your adrenaline pumping and for reconnecting with your younger self.

‘Oh, and I’m afraid that’s just the way the world works / But I think that it could work for you and me / Just wait and see / It’s not the end of the story.’

Last but not least is the previously released, silver-lining-track, “The Story.” Gray concludes the album by summarizing the hardships that he and his friends endured as they were growing up, when they found out the world wasn’t as great as they previously thought. But in a change of tone, Gray explains that although life can have many downfalls, it is never the end. Played mostly on a few soft guitar strings that become progressively hopeful, “The Story” is like the reassuring, warm hug you need after a long cry. It is promising and longing — the perfect end to an album that perfectly encapsulates the ups and downs of growing up.

Gray himself may have already gone through the motions of growing up both physically and emotionally, but he’s still in the midst of making his way up the music industry.

And if Kid Krow — which will continue to resonate with and provide hope to adolescents and young adults everywhere for generations to come — is only but the first indicator of what is yet to come, then without a doubt will his journey be a long and successful one.

step into

BENEE’s brain

When different people ask me for music recommendations, I usually feel stuck. Sometimes it feels like I cling to particular artists or genres, often hesitant to get out of my comfort zone — I think everyone can relate to this to a certain extent. However, when I stumbled upon BENEE in late 2019, just before her song “Supalonely” started gaining popularity, I was pleasantly surprised.

Somehow this rising star from New Zealand immediately makes you fall in love with her unique style and funky, but really relatable music — it’s almost like she has a perfect musical formula. I was lucky enough to sit down and have a conversation with BENEE about her latest EP, STELLA & STEVE, and creative processes behind it.

Interview by Polina Bakgof Photos courtesy of Nikko LaMere First of all, how are you feeling right now?

As you know, this year has been pretty rough on creative industries.

Yeah. I mean, everything has been pretty crazy.

It all feels quite surreal to me. I don’t know, I kind of don’t understand what’s going on — there’s a lot of stuff out there, a huge world pandemic. I’m like, oh my God, what is actually happening to the world? It’s confusing, but I’m having a good time.

I’m glad you’re okay. I know you planned to play shows in the US and Europe this spring.

This is pretty exciting, how does that feel?

We haven’t officially announced it yet [as of the occurrence of this interview], but we’re postponing the tour. Should I even say that I’m excited?

Well, I guess!

The crazy thing is that we haven’t announced it yet, but we’re also looking at bigger rooms. I’m super excited to play shows when I’m coming back.

You released your latest EP, STELLA & STEVE, in November. What’s the story 16 • kinda cool.

behind its title?

Well, my name is Stella. I’ve had this weird obsession with calling everything Steve since I was five years old. I would name animals and different objects Steve. I don’t really understand why, but it happened. I don’t know, I just wanted to be kind of fun with the name.

So I was like, “Me and Steve!” And for the art, I came up with the idea where I was getting on my car. So STELLA & STEVE, here you go!

It’s weird, but I get that. Another interesting question I have is that I know your single “Supalonely” is popular on TikTok right now. Do you think that’s a positive thing that nowadays a lot of songs are popular on TikTok, and do you think they receive less recognition outside the platform?

A lot of people are saying, “Your song is now like a TikTok song.” But I feel like it’s insane, the reach that it gets on the app and how many new people have reached my other platforms now because they’ve come from TikTok. I don’t know. They like the song, they’re doing the dance, and they’re able to click on the song and listen to the whole thing. I think that’s amazing. There are a lot of young kids on it, so that’s a cool way for them to be able to listen to my music. I think it’s been really good to me — getting more, you know, people connecting with my music, which is awesome. I mean, it’s

crazy. I still don’t entirely understand it, but I think the fact that people can make these funny dance videos to my song and then have all of these other people doing the same dance is pretty awesome.

I guess it must feel pretty flattering!

Yeah, definitely.

I find it pretty fascinating how you incorporate an upbeat sound on your EP with melancholic, really personal lyrics. Was that made on purpose or is it your natural thing?

Yeah, I think I like to have a lighter, more funky, fun production and then sort of contrast it with sadder lyrics. I mean, I haven’t really done so much of it — oh, I guess I did on my previous EP as well. I like to mix the happy elements with sad elements just to spice things up. Playing around with that kind of thing being said is definitely something that I like to do.

I’ve also noticed that space is consistent throughout your artwork. Is it fair to say so?

I mean, even your previous EP was called FIRE ON MARZZ. Yeah, I know. I love space and I think when I was younger if I wasn’t going to be — I mean, I had no idea who I was going to be when I was seven, but I think I wanted to be an astronaut. I’m fascinated by space. When it comes to art, I obviously love the idea of

incorporating that into artwork like in FIRE ON MARZZ. One lyric that really stuck with me is “I’m not ready to die / Instead of burning out alive / I see my room flames rising high / He wasn’t tryna hurt me” in “Monsta.” Can you elaborate on what this line means?

I wrote this song, “Monsta,” about this fear I have. I mean, I don’t get a lot of sleep because I’m actually terrified — I don’t even know why — of someone coming in and taking me. It’s really dumb. But I also have a fear of my room catching on fire, which is also stupid, but I mean, this is the brain. “Monsta” was a song about me being afraid of going to sleep, but I kind of wanted to tie that thing with fun and spill it, which is what I like to do. I made a story out of this fear, where I was going to sleep and all of a sudden I see this monster who ends up taking me that night, and then he takes me to his cave and puts my head inside a pot. Then I see my room catching on fire. There’s actually kind of a plot twist in the story that this monster is actually a good monster, so he’s saving me from my room burning and wasn’t actually taking me to eat me.

That’s a bit spooky, but I love it! Did making STELLA & STEVE feel different from your last record?

In terms of trying to explore different kinds of genres and draw elements from different genres, and wanting to write about different themes, I

kindacoolmagazine.com • 17

think it’s that sort of thing. I don’t really make music thinking that it’s going into an EP. It’s been me just making music and then picking. “Find an Island” was an older song of mine. I was drifting and I came to me making a new thing and I was like, “Okay, I wanna think of the songs that I want to put in.” And some of them were old and some of them unused. I guess it’s always kind of different and I like to change the processes somehow.

So you included some older tracks on the EP? Yes, definitely. I still have some of the first songs that I’ve made, which I’m still keeping, waiting to release, but I haven’t had that kind of body of work that I want to put in use.

You also have two tracks featuring male artists Jack Berry and Gus Dapperton. What’s your dream collab, though?

I think it’s always changing, but I’ve loved James Blake since I was nine, so probably him.

Speaking of other artists, are there any albums that you’ve kept on repeat lately?

I’ve been looking into a lot of New Zealand music, to be honest. There’s an artist called Ruban Nielson who I’ve been listening to so much of. I also listen to a lot of Slum Village and The Japanese House.

And lastly, are there any exciting upcoming news or material we should be expecting from you?

Yeah, I mean, right now I’m in the process of making music. Although it’s weird and we’ve just gone into lockdown, I just sit up at home studios, which I’m really excited about. So, I’m just excited to make music, and I think that this is going to be an opportunity for me to spend more time creatively!

Although BENEE is still a rising star, she has drawn a lot of attention over the past few months. She won all four New Zealand Music Awards nominations, including Breakthrough Artist of the Year — an award that was nominated to Lorde in 2014. It will sure be very exciting to watch her grow and release more music. You can listen to BENEE’s latest EP STELLA & STEVE on all streaming platforms.

kindacoolmagazine.com • 19

through the rock ‘n roll lens:

THE BEACHES show review

Words and photos by Mallory Thompson

Let’s start out by saying that I love girl groups. I love seeing women succeed in the music industry. Powerful women creating powerful anthems is what I truly believe will move the industry forward.

I was so excited when I was given the opportunity to shoot and review the first show of The Beaches’ sold-out hometown run. They were about to play three back-to-back shows at the Danforth Music Hall, and tonight would set the scene for the rest of the special nights and the end of the tour. I got there at doors, and I walked into a relatively empty venue, but some motivated fans were already excited and standing by the barricade. I’ve been one of those diehard fans before, so I have a special place in my heart for them. The pre-show vibe was good; the crowd started forming and the beers were being passed around through friend groups. The ages differed from young to old. I’m usually a strictly pop/ indie show type of person, but I’ve been trying to expand my reach and appreciate different sounds. This is the first rock show I’ve ever attended, so I came in with a blank slate, ready to dance and ready to rock. I wasn’t unfamiliar with the bands or the music, just the overall vibe.

I wasn’t sure how a rock show would differ from the other concerts I’ve attended, but I knew I’d be in for a treat either way.

I remember being in the photo pit preparing my lenses, and one of the other

photographers and I got to talking about all the shows we’d attended. Concerts are a perfect setting to network and casually talk about our experience and gear. I’ve met some amazing connections through photo pits and it’s really improved my experience. I remembered this next sentence well and thought I had to share it here; the photographer I was talking to said, “Oh, you’ve never seen The Beaches live? These girls know how to bring it, you’ll love it!” I take media reviews very seriously and when a photographer says something is good, you can always guarantee that you’ll be in for a treat.

The first band up was a local hometown rock group called Fade Awaays. They reminded me of boys I went to high school with who started a band in their garage just due to their love of music. I’m always entertained by bands that show their passion on stage. What stood out to me the most was the bass player. He was wearing a white jumpsuit and he truly had the most personality of the band. I really enjoyed his stage presence, and weirdly enough, he also had the best lighting for photos. There was a huge spotlight that highlighted his jumpsuit perfectly.

The stage was set up with 2 boxes (one on each side), and the bass player would frequently stand on them and hold up his guitar. Needless to say, it was great for pics. I would like to see the lead singer make more of a presence on stage. I found that after the media left, he made more of an effort, but he really stayed back for the first 3 songs. Besides presence, I really enjoyed how all

kindacoolmagazine.com • 21

the members of the band mutually sang and had a great sound together. They really just seem like a cool band of bros who jam together and have fun!

They were a great addition to this show and worked as a solid opener for The Beaches.

The next opener was also local and they happen to be a band that I’m very familiar with. This band is Valley. Two of the members of the band (Alex Dimauro & Rob Laska) went to the same high school as me, and before they were serious, one of them (Dimauro) was also my Apple Genius Bar technician. It is honestly so amazing to see how far they’ve come. It’s always a joy watching Valley perform. The lead singer, Laska, has amazing energy, and he’s so fun to watch on stage. I do have to say that every single one of the band members has an infectious energy and they have the fans to prove it now. Valley joined The Beaches for all the three Toronto dates and truly killed it on night one.

The fans were also in support. As I was getting ready to shoot, I saw a poster and a custom-made jacket that resembled the one on Valley’s newest album, MAYBE. At the start of the set, Valley noticed the jacket, and guitarist Mike Brandolino decided to put it on. Now that fan has a photo and a cool moment of this experience. In terms of the band’s performance, they had flashy lighting which matched the beat timing of their songs, solid energy onstage, and good response from the fans. I especially loved the guitar solos on “Swim.”

Right after I took my photos, I joined the crowd and danced along to the rest of their songs. I love this band and I’ll continue to love watching them perform. They truly never put on a bad show.

After three sold-out shows, mark my words, The Beaches will play Budweiser Stage or one of the bigger Toronto concert venues as a headliner in the next two years. The first notes I wrote on my phone were “girl power energy, cute outfits, lots of glitter, lots of girl power.” These girls came out to kill it. Each girl had her own spunky energy, and as they performed, each of them fed off the vibes of the other. At one point in the show, each girl got her chance to shine musically. During “Kinkade,” it was Leandra Earl; she absolutely killed the vocals.

I feel like she could successfully lead the energy of the group if she needed to. She is a force to be reckoned with. She had a powerful blue suit that made her look like a lady boss. She had such an energy to her and I really dug it. I also really enjoyed drummer Eliza Enman-McDaniel. As a photographer, I try to make it my duty to get good photos of drummers. Sometimes the drummers get missed, but there was no way to miss her. For 22 • kinda cool.

being at the far back of the stage, she was well lit and really shined in her sequined jacket and pants. McDaniel definitely killed it on the drums.

I kept seeing her smile when the girls would rock out together, and it was so easy to see how much she loves being there. During a cover of “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” Kylie Miller got her chance to shine on vocals. Her voice is soft but powerful, and she is a very passionate guitar player, so it’s nice to see her be able to lead a song. Through this song, you can really get a sense for her range. She lets a tone go that is absolutely crazy. Miller is very social and good with the crowd, and she jumped on those boxes I mentioned earlier, leaning into the crowd every time she could. Her purple dress shaking and swaying with her movements. She has a little bob of hair and she shook it every chance she got, which made for some cool photos. I really enjoyed her energy.

I also want to talk about lead singer Jordan Miller. During “Highway 6,” she absolutely killed the vocals. This song really showed her tone and her ability to hit the high notes. The audience would scream loud in response to some of her notes, and it was definitely deserved. She’s a great performer, and I loved the glitter on her face during the show.

She filled the room with her powerful sound during this song. I really liked when Jordan and Kylie came together for a guitar riff; they both jammed out and shook their heads, their hair waving as they played together. These two sisters are really living their dreams. For anyone who doesn’t know, before they were The Beaches, Jordan, Kylie, and Eliza were a part of a girl group called Done with Dolls, a similar group with more of a pop-Disney feel. When I was younger, I was in love with their song “Story of My Life.” I ended up going to a sports summer camp called Olympia and being a few cabins down from Jordan, Kylie, and Eliza. I remember people at the camp saying they were famous. A small connection, but truly cool to see how they’ve grown both musically and socially.

Overall, the energy in the concert hall was powerful. The Beaches truly put on a great show and have a powerful sound to go along with it. The vibe of the concert had a friendly feel to it, which might be the case because it was a hometown show, but the energy had a really close-knit and familiar feel. I felt like there was a lot of love for The Beaches in this room from their friends, family and fans who joined them. Night one was a success and they absolutely killed it. I would 100% see them again and I can’t wait to see what they do next. kindacoolmagazine.com • 23

COVID-19 Words by Cris Rulli

Back in March, the rapidly increasing situation concerning the Coronavirus outbreak caused life as we know it to be completely put on hold and has put millions of people in various industries and fields in situations where they are unemployed for an extended period of time of which the end date is unknown. As someone involved in the music industry, it is being affected very hard because of its heavy reliance on the gathering of large groups of people to attend shows and other live music events.

With tours and festivals being cancelled and postponed for a while, many artists have taken to doing performances, interviews, fan Q&A’s, and more through the use of livestreams on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube etc. While most artists are not getting paid for these things, it is helping to bring people together as best as we can while options are limited. The first artists who took to doing live performances right when things started to unravel set the virtual stage for all of the other performers who would be following their lead in the coming days and weeks as more and more tours began to get cancelled. Sundressed, Tessa Violet, Deal Casino, Vesperteen, and Lights were among the first few artists and bands to livestream shows for fans during the first couple of weeks of the whole situation.

Dropkick Murphys also streamed their St.Patrick’s Day concert back in March and garnered over a million views on YouTube. Fredo Disco is doing a livestream every Friday on Instagram until COVID-19 is over.

While some artists and bands are livestreaming performances, Grayscale and Arkells have taken a different approach to their live streams by giving music lessons to fans via livestream.

Grayscale’s guitarist, Andrew Kyne, teaches fans guitar weekly via Twitch livestream, while Arkells have

24 • kinda cool.

and its impact on the music industry

been posting sheet music to some of their songs on Instagram and then doing livestreams to teach fans how to play them daily since social distancing began near the end of March.

There have been many livestream events since the pandemic began in which artists have joined together, basically the equivalent to a virtual music festival, and raised money and awareness for COVID-19 relief as well as for MusiCares, PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund, and more to help those either physically or financially affected by the coronavirus pandemic. On Saturday, April 11th, there was a twelve-hour long Facebook live donation event called Human to Human, in which over 40 musical acts performed about fifteen minute long sets for fans all over the world. Skylar Grey, Tori Kelly, Sam Nelson Harris (X Ambassadors), Andrew McMahon, Tyler Connolly (Theory of a Deadman), Rick Springfield, Lzzy & Joe (Halestorm), and Jewel were just a few of the many talented individuals who took part in the event that raised over $50,000 for musicians, their touring crews, and others in the live music industry who have gotten sick or lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charli XCX announced on April 6th that she will be releasing a new album on May 15th that she will be writing while in quarantine. She has taken on the task of using only what is available to her in her home right now to tackle writing, playing, and recording her new album, as well as relying on fans and really anyone who wants to help her out with this creative challenge. She says that the album process will be collaborative, and she has been hosting livestreams, Zoom calls, and posting video clips and pictures of her process. She has also stated that anyone who has suggestions, ideas, beats, lyrics, or any other ways that they want to contribute something to the album, to send it to her and let her know your ideas.

Other artists and bands are using their

social media presence to do fun Q&A-type things, or livestream interviews for fans in order to spread some positivity during these uncertain times. A few musical acts have also been asking fans to send in clips of themselves for fan-feature videos that will be put together. Marianas Trench and Avril Lavigne are just two artists who have asked fans to send in videos of themselves or people they love in order to be put into feature videos for one of their songs.

Not only have artists been using their musical talents to raise funds for COVID-19 relief projects and awareness of the importance of social distancing, some of them have also been creating masks as merch items for fans to purchase in order to keep themselves safe. My Chemical Romance made masks as merch items as a result of a previous merch idea that came in handy during this situation.

The band Thursday have been taking some merch from their store and turning it into fabric face masks for medical professions and essential workers.

While many singers and bands have come together to help keep everyone positive and are using their platforms to help raise money for COVID-19 relief and awareness of the importance of practicing social distancing, that’s only beginning to scratch the surface of the people who are being deeply affected by the pandemic’s mass cancellation of live music events for the foreseeable future. The people who work behind the scenes in order for all of these tours and events to take place are also suffering from the loss of their main source of income due to the pandemic.

Tour managers, crew members, technicians and all of the people whose jobs it is to make sure live music events run smoothly have all had their jobs taken away from them for an indefinite amount of time. Many artists are either working on ways to help their crews out during these unpredictable times or, have worked out the details and are doing so already. Mayday Parade and Cage The Elephant are two specific examples of bands who have come up with ‘honorary crew’ t-shirts in their merch stores for fans to purchase and proceeds will be going to each band’s respective crew members in order to help out those struggling financially due to COVID-19.

The Maine have made a crew shirt as well; however, the band has also stopped using their usual merch company for three months and instead are having their crew members who have lost their source of income ship out their merch so that those individuals can still have some form of a job for the next little while. Deftones are another band who are going to be donating profits from their merch sales to their touring crew as well.

The band was set to be touring Australia and New Zealand

but had to postpone due to the virus, so instead, proceeds from their merch for this tour will be going to their crew.

Not only are some artists helping out crew members and others who have lost their job as a result of the pandemic, but there are also numerous organizations helping out lots of people in the music industry who are facing a loss of income during these uncertain times. MusiCounts, Equal Sound Corona Relief Fund, Viral Music, Sweet Relief COVID-19 Fund, and Sound Royalties are just a few of the organizations and groups that are providing funds and services to those in the music industry who have lost their source of income as a result of COVID-19.

It may feel like a hopeless time for many people, but we can all do our part to help each other out where we can and stay positive to get through this together. Fans can help out by donating (when possible), buying merch from their favorite artists, streaming music, and even just tuning into livestreams on social media or posting about some of your favorite musical acts; if someone who has never listened to them before sees your post and ends up liking the artist, this increases streams and helps out.

Even the smallest things that may seem insignificant can help out during these uncertain times in the music industry.

Though times may seem uncertain and there will be a lot of work to come in order to get the music industry back to where it was before this all began, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

For now, concerts will be held via livestream, fans will support their favorite musical acts by purchasing merch and streaming theitr music, and everyone in the music industry will come together to help each other through the uncertainty, and then, when everything is over, we will all look back at how everyone came together over a shared love of music and how we made it through together.

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Chapel

by Mallory Thompson

SAINT MOTEL: riding the crowd in their spaceship Have you ever been to a concert that leaves you speechless? One that when you are walking out, you and everyone around you has the biggest smile on their faces? I get this feeling everytime I leave a Saint Motel concert. I’ve never seen any other band put on such a planned and cinematic show. Five new songs on part one of this album, five scenes on the stage; I give it all five stars. I had the chance to sit down with AJ Jackson, the lead singer of Saint Motel, and talk about The Motion Picture Soundtrack: Part 1, their most recent headline tour, and so much more.

Interview by McKenzie Moore Live photos by McKenzie Moore Portrait by Tanya Wright

Part one is out now and has five songs on it, is there a song out of these five that hits harder or is a favorite?

Starting off easy, were there any major influences when Saint Motel was formed?

All five of the songs on this part are my favorite in some way or another. They all have something different about them, and they are all very close to my heart.

There weren’t any, really. I started writing music when I was two, so it’s always just kind of been something I’ve been doing. I just kind of sit down and write. Never really listen to an artist or music stallion plot, you know, this is the music I want to make. I just started making music, and as a band, we really fell into the genre that we are a part of now. It wasn’t on purpose; we just kind of developed our own sound and that’s where we stand.

Were there any differences in writing from the first album to the new one?

We’ve never really changed our writing process.

I just write down what I feel and then I just let it express itself through the music. I don’t really sit down with a game plan to write, and I really don’t think my writing process has changed since I was a kid.

This new album series is an album in 3 parts. On this last tour, the CD was sold in a tin that looks like a movie reel and had some other goodies inside. I was told there is a surprise for those who collect all 3 parts of tins, is this accurate?

Absolutely! We aren’t going to say what it is yet, but it’s going to be something special for our fans who do collect all three parts of The Motion Picture Soundtrack.

28 • kinda cool.

During the tour, there were a lot of things going on. Each of them seemed planned out and elaborate, I’d love to talk about just a few of these. During the show itself, there were five scenes. Is there one of the five that seems to go harder or is your favorite?

“Diane Mozart” goes really hard live, and it’s very early in the show. It’s in the first scene and it really wakes up the crowd.

Another thing I wanted to bring up from the live show was you riding the alien spaceship over the crowd.

That was the one part of the show we couldn’t really rehearse. Everything else in the show, we were able to practice on our own and feel very confident on before tour even started. That entire part of the show depends on the crowd and how much they’re able to hold and how much they’re able to move me back-and-forth. It’s definitely really fun.

It’s super impressive they can hold you up.

I can definitely feel when things might go south up there. The balance is the hardest part since I’m not controlling where I go.

Another thing from the live shows that I think was really amazing was the VIP experience you guys put on. With the photo booth, Saint Motel branded popcorn, listening to the next part of the album early in headphones, and so much more. How did you guys come up with everything?

In total, we really only got to do half of the stuff we wanted to. The VIP experience was really fun because we got to interact with the fans and share this experience with them. We had so many more ideas we wanted to be able to execute that hopefully we will be able to do in future tours.

On tour, you had KOLARS with you as an opener, and they put on quite a show. Was there as much fun backstage as there was onstage?

We have actually been friends with them for years. We played shows with them in LA when

30 • kinda cool.

they were in a different band. It was really awesome not only having them on tour, but being able to have them come out on stage with us during our set. It’s really awesome to be able to have them start off the show really strong and get the crowd really warmed up every night. They started off strong, and then we can end strong. Keeps the entire show as entertaining as possible.

Your fanbase is definitely very tight-knit, and it seems that once they are a fan, they are a fan for life. Was this tight-knit fanbase something that you tried to craft on purpose?

It absolutely was not on purpose. We just started making music and the fans fell in love.

It’s awesome how close our fanbase really is, because then our shows feel like family. It feels like we have a strong connection with our fans and our fans have a strong connection with each other as well. It’s awesome.

Speaking of that fanbase and how close they are, it is very rare when talking to people at your shows that someone there hasn’t seen you guys before. How does it feel knowing that once someone sees you once, they can’t help but want to come back again?

It’s a crazy feeling knowing that once people see us, our music starts to resonate with them. It feels really good knowing that it resonates with people enough that they want to come back and see us again.

I find it super cool that people like me, who saw you guys open on the Panic! at the Disco Death of a Bachelor tour in 2017 are able to come to a show and see you guys as a headliner now. When it comes to headlining versus opening, what major differences have you noticed?

It’s definitely different playing a show as an opener versus playing a show as a headliner. I

think the coolest part about that is people saw us as an opener and are still coming to see us now as a headliner and they’ve gotten to see us grow. It’s so much cooler doing a show as a headliner because then the ideas are your own and you get to set up your stage and your show exactly how you want it.

Lastly, I just wanted to ask if there is a release date for the next part of the album set yet?

I don’t have a specific date yet for either part two or part three, but I can promise they are coming.

Even though we don’t have an official release date for The Motion Picture Soundtrack: Part 2 yet, you can still go and listen to Part 1 in anticipation. It is available on all streaming platforms now. If you haven’t seen Saint Motel live before, hopefully this look into the show has peaked your interest. kindacoolmagazine.com • 31

VÉRITÉ

finds her NEW SKIN as well as her people

Following the release of her sophomore album, alternative-pop artist Kelsey Byrne, better known as VÉRITÉ, landed in Philadelphia, PA to kick off a headlining tour at The Foundry.

I caught up with her before her set at the first show to sit down and chat about her latest record, as well as the challenges she faces as an independent artist.

Interview and photos by Lexi Matuson How are you feeling? Do you usually get nervous before shows?

No nerves yet. I’ll be nervous once I’m, like, doing the thing. But we’re not there yet, so we’ll see when they come!

What was the hardest part about making New Skin?

The sophomore expectation, you know? I think that it was the first time in my career where I didn’t have a project already lined up after the first record, and so I just put a lot of pressure on myself to, like, write the correct thing. And, you know, I wrote a lot of bad music, and there was a period where I didn’t think I would ever write anything good again.

So I think just managing my own expectations.

32 • kinda cool.

You’ve been very vocal about being an independent artist. How do you think that identity has affected your career?

I mean, I think it’s affected me positively and negatively. I think it limits me sometimes, because it’s hard to kind of build something and be vocal about that, because you’re kind of being vocal about the successes and the failures in a way. But ultimately, it’s like I own my own shit and I’m kind of doing my own thing and carving my own path and for that, I think it’s a good message for people.

Was there a certain song on New Skin that you found challenging to get right?

“Amnesia” was hard production-wise. It just took a lot of effort to land where we did. It took a lot of versions of the productions — I think in the end we were at, like, version twelve, version thirteen. But ultimately, I love how it came out.

In your music, you’ve always been very vulnerable. Is there one track off of New Skin that you feel really reflects that?

I feel like “Think of Me” is oddly vulnerable for me because it’s about something very specific even though it’s kind of, like, tongue-in-cheek. I also feel that way about “Amnesia.” It’s just very clear and also a somewhat unpopular opinion.

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Is there anything you’re excited for people to see and experience?

Are there any things that you find especially hard about touring?

I think it’s just a different energy when it’s your people. And I’m really lucky to have amazing fans and so I feel like, for me, I’m mostly excited for that energy and just, you know, going back to the independent artist thing. It’s like I’m constantly feeling like I have to prove myself.

And that this idea that — “Cool, I have to prove myself in a way and I have to come do a good job,” but it’s not necessarily — I don’t have to win anyone over. Like, they’re here for a reason.

Right now, I’m really tired, because I just got home from Europe and then went straight into production rehearsals and then came from New York this morning. And so I think that optimism is key, and kind of keeping myself positive and keeping my crew positive. And dealing with the inevitable problems that come up with tour logistics.

Do you have any favorite fan interactions where you felt like you found your people?

I think it was the first tour I did. Like, my first headline tour. And it was just, like, you see people and you’re like, “Oh, you’re not all faceless internet numbers. You’re like, actual breathing, feeling humans.” And I think that was really important for me to see. And, I don’t know, that’s what I kind of continue to try to hold onto, are those moments where you continue to try to make people happy and you connect with people and ultimately, that’s why I do this — to have that connection.

On a typical day, what is your pre-show routine?

I [curl my hair] every night, just because my hair doesn’t cooperate unless I put heat in it or something. So it’s kind of like you get into the ritual. I always have tea in my thermos from the morning [that] I steamed in the van on the way here. I did, like, some of the work I had to get done. So you just kind of find the rituals of tour and you just stick to them the best you can.

What do you want people to take away from your shows?

I think I want people to feel, I don’t know, seen in a way. Like, I think that I, in my journey of life, that there’s so many instances that I just haven’t felt seen and I’ve always been a little weird, but not even weird enough to be part of the weird kids club. You know, it’s just like this weird detachment, and I think that a lot of my fans feel similarly. Where it’s like, maybe they’re not seen, and I feel like I see them and they see me, so it’s just creating that community.

Is there anything that you’re looking forward to that you want to share?

I’m excited to tour, I’m excited to take two weeks off after tour, I’m excited to finish the writing I’ve been doing and continue to release music, and that’s really my plan post-tour.

This is just the beginning of VÉRITÉ’s year, as she continues to work on new music and put out acoustic versions of some New Skin hits.

Be sure to listen to the album on all streaming platforms and catch her on the New Skin Tour!

kindacoolmagazine.com • 35

celebrating vulnerability:

SUPER WHATEVR’s

don’t you wanna be glad? on tour

Words by Meg Clemmensen Photos by Mallory Thompson

We’re a few months into 2020, and it’s already feeling like the year of musical comebacks, whether it be simply releasing new albums that have been under covers for some time or news-breaking reunions from hiatuses. One of these bands that have finally returned from a lengthy writing process is Orange County’s Super Whatevr. Anyone and everyone who knows me as a person knows about my personal connection with this band, and I have been left alone with quite a bit of time to analyze and familiarize myself with the record since its February 7 release. Entitled don’t you wanna be glad?, 2020 Super Whatevr takes a sharp swerve in direction from 2018 Super Whatevr. This album release and everything coming with it are bound to be the beginning of a very important chapter for the twopiece group.

Super Whatevr have undergone a lot of changes since their debut record, Never Nothing, arrived into the scene. When album #1 was introduced, its reach was a very small and refined demographic. Touring with another indie/grungerock band, Movements, as their first touring promo for the record further enforced this. The marketing move that began to shift this demographic was the band’s late 2018 tour with Waterparks. Upon announcing that they would be supporting such a popular, upcoming band with a highly active fanbase, they were able to bring in music fans of all types. With this change, the diverse, multi-genre album that has come to be known as don’t you wanna be glad? was allowed to be created. This 2018 tour also brought on the addition of the second official Super Whatevr member, Chase Vernon, to what was once Skyler McKee’s solo project.

So what is the band up to now? Embarking on their biggest headlining tour yet, of course.

For McKee and Vernon, a 90-minute set with two full albums and an EP worth of songs to choose from is a brand new concept. Despite their lack of experience in headlining, they created a flawless bill with the perfect number of acts playing (two touring and one local opener) and an amazing mix of old and new fan-favorite tracks on the setlist. I wouldn’t have missed this tour for the world, so I found myself arriving at the Toronto GO train station in the midafternoon to explore the city and arrive at the show early.

Prior to the show, I had the opportunity to join in on McKee and Vernon’s VIP festivities. Rather than taking advantage of their recent success, the pair has created the perfect formula for a VIP experience that’s both affordable and unforgettable.

Approximately 6-7 of us crowded together at a table in the venue to paint our nails, play Vernon’s selfcurated game (consisting of playing Uno and Jenga at the same time), and chat. We were gifted exclusive merch packs and given the opportunity to ask any and all questions we may have regarding the new album. Finally, McKee played “Why Do I Wonder Why” from 2018’s Never Nothing while the rest of us kept up a drumming circle in unison with the beat.

The VIP experience was proof of one of the band’s most defining features — their ability to create a community and bring people together.

Though all VIP attendees came on our own, we were able to form a bond with ease and converse naturally for an hour. After the experience finished, McKee pulled me aside to show me some emails regarding major upcoming opportunities for the band, and it was such a great opportunity to get some insights as to exactly what Super Whatevr means to him as his own project that he’s birthed and raised to this point. kindacoolmagazine.com • 37

Similar to my feelings toward this magazine, which McKee is also invested in due to being our first cover star and hearing me incessantly talk about it for a year, Super Whatevr has grown into something incredibly pride-evoking for him.

After opening sets by Toronto-based violet night, internet band Happy., and one of my other personal favorite bands, Chapel, Sky McKee and Chase Vernon took the stage for their first Toronto show in almost a year. As someone who’s watched the band grow and evolve since 2017, I was immediately taken aback by the addition of an official show intro, which is something that the band has never really gotten the chance to play around with before while focusing primarily on opening sets. As the lights went low and the sound of melodic album track “wesleepwedream.” filled the speakers, the crowd excitedly prepared for Super Whatevr to take the stage.

Upon their humble entrance, the pair moved right into album single “yours truly.,” a perfect way to begin the show due to its repetition of the album title in the lyrics. They quickly moved into older track “Bloomfield,” followed by even older track “Benjamin 38 • kinda cool.

Alphabet.” Though the band took care to show off the evolution of their sound via their most beloved tracks from the previous album and EP, McKee also took note of the small crowd due to the fact that the band’s fanbase has not expanded far into Canada yet. Rather than trying to show off and win over an audience, McKee took time during the show to debrief, hand out guitar picks, and have open, honest conversations with us as if we were all just at one big dinner table together.

As the setlist continued to rotate between freshly released tracks and 2017/2018 standouts, McKee took care to explain the meaning behind each song and keep the audience fully connected to the emotions that his lyrics are meant to convey.

Super Whatevr are best known for their emotionally vulnerable lyrics, and especially in don’t you wanna be glad?, lyrics are very specific to McKee’s own experiences. Though the band’s listeners haven’t been through these exact circumstances, most tracks are very easy to relate to in some way with a basic understanding of the lyrical intentions. The key messages are simply growth, healing, and vulnerability. If any upcoming artist has really learned exactly how to break down the artist/fan barrier and learned how to be comfortably open and vulnerable with all listeners, it’s Super Whatevr. This unique connection could be seen during emotional tracks such as “Someone Somewhere Somehow” and “so am i.” Watching an audience of young people embracing the power of live music and singing words that resonate with them is an incredibly enlightening experience, and this was everso present in the band’s more lyrically vulnerable songs.

Between interludes, accidentally breaking guitars, telling stories to the audience, and as many intimate conversations that could be thrown into a set being played to around

30 people, Sky McKee and Chase Vernon kept us on our feet for the entire set. Even during the very few mellow tracks that they played, we found ourselves swaying back and forth or holding our phone flashlights up. Dancier tracks such as “life (i want u).” and “melancholyism.” saw us jumping up and down to match the energy that the music put forward.

Perhaps the most memorable moment of the entire show was McKee’s calling for a wall of death at the beginning of “Cops On Motorcycles,” which played out surprisingly effectively.

Around 15 songs into the set, McKee assured us all that they were absolutely, 100% finished their set forever. This was followed by him and Vernon walking off the stage and back on approximately 3 seconds later. This was followed by the performance of only a few more fanfavorites that hadn’t quite yet made it into the set, including “Kathrin With a K,” the song that originally introduced me to the band. McKee also played a short clip of what he told us was the first song he ever wrote back at age 14, which mainly consisted of the lyric “Eat my motherfucking shorts.”

Finally, the show finished with the band’s standard, high-energy show closing track, “Good Luck.” McKee and Vernon gave all of us one last opportunity to let loose any energy before ending the show and promptly heading out into the crowd to chat with everyone and thank us all for coming out until the venue shut down. Needless to say, the band’s show was phenomenal, as always, and a great reminder of why McKee’s lyrics and personality are so close to my heart. Seeing Super Whatevr live feels like a celebration of humanity — the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Flaws and vulnerability are embraced rather than being shut out. The words that McKee writes force fans to confront their inner demons and

befriend them instead of hiding from them, which is a perfectly healthy and progressive self-care method to promote.

As the tour comes to a close, the album cycle is just beginning, which means a stream of tours, writing sessions, and other surprises are still yet to come. don’t you wanna be glad? marks a pivotal point in the band’s career that some artists take decades to reach. McKee is comfortable experimenting with genre and creating something diverse and unique to him, and this record is clear evidence of this shift. While the message of vulnerability has been his driving force since beginning the project, he held nothing back in the creation of the new album.

Sky McKee and Chase Vernon form a power duo that is sure to leave a long-lasting mark on the scene as we know it. don’t you wanna be glad? is available on all streaming services now.

Take time to familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of the indie/alt newcomers that have learned how to perfectly manage their personal lives, connections with fans, and creation of music, and turn it all into one great movement. kindacoolmagazine.com • 39

growing through

PRIDE AND DISASTER with SLEEP ON IT Though their band’s name might say the opposite, Sleep On It is one band that should definitely be on your radar.

The Chicago-based band — comprised of vocalist Zech Pluister, guitarists TJ Horansky and Jake Marquis, and drummer Luka Fischman — recently embarked on the Pride and Disastour, named after their latest album, Pride & Disaster. The album, which was released in September 2019, shares stories of the band’s overall growth over the past few years, including a tribute to their hometown in “Logan Square.” I had the opportunity to sit down in Baltimore with Marquis and Horansky to talk about the tour, their latest singles, and, of course, Fall Out Boy: Interview by Mary Perez Live photos by Haley Mewborn Portraits by Alex Bemis Congratulations on starting this tour! You have a few shows that have already sold out, so are there any shows that you’re particularly excited about or places you’re looking forward to exploring on this run?

made a big diagram of songs we can playTH: A big dry-erase board like, “Oh my God, we have so many songs now. This is weird.”

JM: “Oh man, we released a new album and we have 30 songs now. Crap.” We’re definitely gonna switch up the set, have some fun with it, maybe prank our fans a little bit.

Jake Marquis: Yeah, tons of them!

Any ideas for your pranks?

TJ Horansky: Yeah, for us, it’s like the whole East Coast, specifically Boston, New York, Philly, and tonight, Baltimore!

TH: We have some ideas…

JM: Yeah, we’re really excited for tonight. We think it’s probably gonna sell out at doors, and we were really excited about this show. We haven’t played proper Baltimore in a while either because we’ve been playing Milkboy Arthouse the last couple times we’ve been here, so it’s exciting to finally be in downtown Baltimore.

TH: You’re just gonna have to come.

Seeing as you’ll be playing two Chicago shows to end this tour, are you planning any special surprises for those shows?

TH: Night two, we’re gonna change the set around, for sure. We’re gonna add some songs we haven’t played all tour. We don’t know exactly which ones yet. We’re still talking about it.

JM: We haven’t really ironed out which ones yet. We 40 • kinda cool.

JM: We’re not saying! We’re not gonna ruin it.

Speaking of Chicago, you ended 2019 by putting on your own holiday show there. Any particular memories from that show that stand out?

TH: That was one of our biggest headlining sets we’ve ever done.

JM: Our longest set we’ve ever done!

TH: We did some piano renditions of songs. I got to play piano for “A Brighter Shade of Blue” and “Window.”

JM: We did an acoustic version of “Window.”

TH: That was cool! I took piano lessons as a kid,

and I stopped playing piano as much when I started playing guitar, but I’ve always loved piano. The fact that I got to do that live was really awesome. I play all of the keys on the record, so it was nice to bring that to a live setting for the first time. We had our own beer at that show with our friend, Andrew, who owns Dancing Gnome [Brewery], so that was really special. We had never done a Sleep On It beer. That was cool. We had Bearings on the show. The whole lineup that night was great, like Young Culture. That was a special show.

JM: That was fun. We love that venue. We played Lincoln Hall like a year after we became a band, and we were like, “Man, we’d really love to sell this place out someday.” Then five years later, we sold it out finally, which was cool. It was a very full-circle moment to come back to that venue and sell it out.

2019 was a pretty big year for you, as you put out your latest album, Pride & Disaster.

Were there any songs from that album that were particularly special to you or your fans?

TH: I think “Fix the Dark” is one we talk about a lot now, but it really almost did not make the record and got [cut] twice, to be honest. We finally brought it back a third time, and we were like, “Whatever. We’re just gonna put it on.” That has become a fan favorite very quickly, and a live set favorite. We open the tour

with it now, which is kinda crazy that the song that almost got cut from Pride & Disaster is what we’re opening the tour with. That’s one of those things where it’s hard to have perspective when you’re in the studio recording. You’re very enclosed and very disengaged from the live show and fans and everything, so sometimesJM: We get in our own heads.

TH: Yeah, we get in our own heads, but I’m very glad that song made the record. For me personally, I really love “Lost and Found.” It’s the last song on the record. It’s just a very personal song, very personal lyrics, and one of the first ideas I had for the record.

JM: I remember when you brought that to practice!

TH: I had the chorus and the verse progression, and when the lyrics fell into place, it was a special one.

JM: He already mentioned it, but I love “Fix the Dark.” I’m also really partial to “Logan Square.” It’s a very quintessential “loving your hometown” sorta song about actually hating your hometown, but it’s technically sorta about the house that I’ve lived in.

The band practiced there for the past seven years of our career basically until a few months ago, so it’s a very personal song for me. Zech wrote a lot of the lyrics on that song, and my entire friend group from back home in Chicago loves that song. A few people

are pretty mad that we’re not playing it on the tour, but we’re gonna play it in the future. I love “Logan Square” a lot.

Have any of the songs taken on a new meaning as you’ve gotten to play them more on tour?

TH: Not specifically Pride & Disaster, but we really love playing “Window” a lot. I think that a lot of people can connect to it; it’s about losing somebody, and I think that’s something everybody can relate to, in some fashion. We get a lot of people that talk to us specifically about playing that song live, and that’s why we included it in this set for this tour. It’s a very personal song for us, but fans have a lot of attachment to that lyrically.

JM: We’ve heard lots of different interpretations of what that song means to them. I’ve heard that with “Fix The Dark” too, even though that song is somewhat ambiguous of what the song is about.

I’ve heard a lot of interpretations of how that song has helped them get over a dark place in their life, regardless of what that dark place is.

TH: I think that’s how we like writing lyrics too. A lot of times, we leave it open to interpretation of what a song is about so you can kinda apply it to your own [life]. Even if it’s a different situation, the sentiment and the feeling is still the same. You’re going through some shit, whatever that shit is, and that feeling of being down and depressed and not feeling attached to anything, that can apply to a lot of situations. It’s cool to have those songs where people are like, “I’m going through this” and “I played it to that,” but the sentiment is the same.

Album art can often illuminate a deeper meaning to an album, so can you talk a little more about what the album cover means to all of you?

TH: We had a lot of conversations about that when we were trying to think of artwork.

JM: We had a lot of different ideas, and we ended up coming to the tree because of what that growth in our band and our personal lives meant. That related to the record because we felt that Pride & Disaster was a record of growth. Overexposed is definitely a more bitter, sad record, and Pride & Disaster still has sad elements, but we were talking about how it was a reflection of personal growth.

We felt a tree kinda being struck by lightning was a very symbolic personal growth parallel.

42 • kinda cool.

TH: We felt the very strong imagery of a powerful tree was like pride. Pride can have different connotations; it can be a good thing or a bad thing.

Something like a strong central image like that was something that we wanted. Half of the tree is the disaster side. I think we really liked that juxtaposition and contrast of it. It’s very compelling, and the different elements on the album art represent different things, and we were able to take those elements and make the single art. That all tied together really nicely. Shoutout to Alexis Politz.

JM: Yes, she absolutely crushed it! She also did the art for the tour poster. Pretty much everything to do with the record cycle, she’s done the art for. We’re very thankful for how it flows together and how consistent it is.

Were there any underlying themes or ideas that you hoped that fans would take away after hearing the record?

TH: In my opinion, we learned a lot about ourselves and our band going through the Overexposed album cycle, which comes with a lot of mistakes and doing things wrong. I think anybody goes through that when you’re growing, and especially being in a band and on tour all the time. I think a lot of it is coming to terms with our own shortcomings and the disaster side of pride, not the positive side of it, and I think a lot of people have picked up on that. That was very much a conscious effort on our part.

The latest song that you put out, “Falling Further Faster,” was paired with your call for fans to register to vote. Can you speak a little more on that call to action?

TH: “Falling Further Faster” has some political elements to the song, and that’s the first time that we’ve ever sorta tapped into that type of inspiration for a song. I wouldn’t say it’s a straight-up political song in the sense of anti-flag type or anything like that, but it’s hard to not be affected by what’s happening in our country. We don’t want to be a super preachy band and tell people what to believe, but I’m a big proponent of educating one’s self and getting involved and doing something about it. I think bad things happen when people are indifferent and don’t do anything. I don’t think most people are inherently bad. It’s just that bad things can happen when people become complacent or disillusioned orJM: Uncaring.

TH: Yeah, uncaring, unsympathetic. That was trying to play our small part in getting people to care and get involved and educated.

JM: We don’t care who you vote for, but at least try to make the effort to go and vote.

Can you talk a little bit about the idea behind the music video for “Falling Further Faster?”

TH: That location kinda fell into our lap, and we knew we wanted the song to promote the tour. We thought it’d be a really great way to lead into the tour with a new song, and we really wanted to capture a lot of live energy in the music video. Our past three singles didn’t really have any performance shots, so we were like, “Cool, let’s get some super high-energy performance shots and get people excited for the tour.”

JM: The director, Eric Elkin, played on the lyrics, “Is it all in my head,” splitting the screen, having Zech sing at himself. That was kinda the director’s idea to split the frames and include double versions of Zech singing at himself, “Is it all in my head? Are we falling further faster?” Using the lyrics as inspiration for the visual was our director’s idea, and he was able to edit it the right way. The endpoint looks really cool.

Let’s get into some fun questions! We’ve decided to change the national anthem to one of your songs. Which song is now our national anthem?

TH: “Falling Further Faster,” I guess!

JM: That’s a little too high-energy for the national anthem.

TH: Maybe, just maybe, but people need to get stoked about change, Jake! Time to get energized about voting! I think that’s my answer. I don’t know about you.

JM: I don’t know what to answer with that one.

That’s such a crazy concept. Sad national anthem and have it be “Photobooth.” The saddest national anthem of all time!

TH: Everyone’s just crying.

Luka Fischman: Everyone’s just crying in 3/4 [time].

TH: Hey, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is in ¾, so there’s something to that.

If one celebrity were to show up to your next show, who would you want it to be?

TH: Hayley Atwell, my celebrity crush.

JM: I’m gonna go with the most likely: Anna Kendrick.

That’s very likely!

JM: We think she likes our band. We think.

LF: Mine would be Lucy Hale, in a heartbeat.

JM: My answer is also Hayley Atwell, but I was going with more likely.

TH: Jake and I have the same celebrity crush, Agent Carter from Captain America.

JM: Or Demi Lovato. If Demi Lovato showed up to our show, I would be okay.

TH: Or Justin Timberlake. Now we’re just listing celebrities we like!

If you could bring back a tour from the past and play on it, what tour would you want to be on?

always an album I have to listen through. It’s an experience for me. That’s probably my non-pop punk answer.

JM: God, there’s so many albums in the world.

TH: Fall Out Boy’s discography.

JM: I’m trying to answer something that isn’t obscenely predictable for me! Paper Walls by Yellowcard, for sure.

TH: All Killer, No Filler.

TH: Warped Tour 2005.

JM: That one’s great. Reach For The Sun by The Dangerous Summer.

JM: The one with My Chem and Fall Out Boy?

TH: Pride & Disaster!

TH: That’s the one. We talk about it all the time. Man, that Warped Tour.

JM: Chase This Light by Jimmy Eat World.

JM: To be a fly on the wall, even to be a small band on that tour, would have been awesome.

TH: That’s when My Chem and Fall Out Boy were getting on [MTV’s] TRL. JM: It was the highest-attended, most-ticketed Warped Tour that ever happened.

TH: Yeah, the alternative music community was becoming mainstream, and it was unchartered territory, so to just be a part of thatJM: Fall Out Boy played Detroit in front of 30,000 people. It was crazy.

TH: We always joke that we started this band like 12 years too late.

JM: I feel like my answer’s also a Fall Out Boy tour.

Honda Civic Tour, the ones with The Academy Is and All Time LowTH: Or the Fall Out Boy Wrigley show.

JM: That was great. Warped Tour ‘05 is the one we talk about the most.

What is an album that you have to listen to start to finish?

TH: I really love Bon Iver, and For Emma, Forever Ago is one of my favorite albums. It’s a very specific album, a very wintery, cold weather album, but it’s

Any last things you want to say to your fans?

TH: Thanks to everybody who came out to the Pride and Disastour! We are very grateful to already have had such a great headlining tour.

JM: If we missed you, we’re trying to plan more touring in 2020.

TH: Yeah, we’ll be touring the rest of the year, so if we didn’t come to your city on this tourJM: Or your country. We’re coming to England and playing Slam Dunk, so we’re very excited about that.

Very excited to see our friends over the pond.

TH: Just rock on! Take care of each other.

JM: Be kind.

Sleep On It’s performance that evening was as lively as ever, including a surprise guest performance of their single, “Under the Moment,” from Dorian Cooke of Neverkept. It was clear that the show was going to be a fun one for the fans and bands alike, and fans definitely enjoyed getting to pit alongside various members of the opening bands. Opening with the fan-favorite “Fix The Dark,” fans excitedly sang along as the band kept the energy going throughout their set. Unfortunately, halfway through the spring dates, the tour was sadly cut short, due to the coronavirus.

The remaining Pride and Disastour dates have been postponed, and the only dates that have been rescheduled so far are their two Chicago dates at Beat Kitchen, which are currently set for October. kindacoolmagazine.com • 45

LEAPING INTO Words by Adrienne Joelle

F

uture Nostalgia: a name that sticks and is visionary, just like Dua Lipa herself. The British pop star of Kosovan descent went from waiting tables in London at Soho’s La Bodega Negra to becoming the most streamed female artist on Spotify. Lipa is changing the game with Future Nostalgia, and this highly anticipated sophomore album does not disappoint. Disco and electronic pop have never looked better, as Lipa fuses these elements, forming a vibrant and refreshing album veering from the eclectic style of her debut self-titled one. Adamant in wanting to create another “New Rules,” Lipa strays away from comfort and sameness with a dance-pop driven, cohesive collection of songs.

These songs go far beyond bedroom pop, and in these trying times, it’s exactly what the world needs in order to feel again.

The first single off the album alone, “Don’t Start Now,” defined her new yet same catchy sound and was enough to reel people in for the ride, earning spots on both the UK and US charts respectively.

It doesn’t just hold her typical feel-good energy; Lipa’s distinct, powerful voice is one that is a force to be reckoned with in and of itself. It was simply a teaser of what was yet to come, that is, the greatness of Future Nostalgia.

From the moment the selftitled track hits, the listener knows that this album is set up to be a journey; a full on, futuristic experience unlike anything she has released before, even referencing modernist architect John Lautner.

46 • kinda cool.

FUTURE Songs like “Cool” and “Physical” are punch the air, sing along at the top of your lungs, drive around blasting music with your friends kind of good. They showcase Lipa’s deep, resonant voice and range, matched with fun synth-pop grooves. “Levitating” is no different, invoking a dance all night, glitter in places glitter shouldn’t be type of vibe. She recasts the iconic 1997 riff of “Need You Tonight” by INXS in her latest single “Break My Heart,” playing with notes of funk and basslines that cut.

Lipa has undoubtedly evolved her production, but still holds the same tempo and flow found in predecessors, with sonic elements old and new sprinkled in between tracks. While her debut album deals with the trials and tribulations of relationships, Future Nostalgia shows growth in newfound love as well as sense of self. Yet, she remains true to her creed of girl power: “Boys Will Be Boys,” the closing track to the album, is a full-bodied, symphonic anthem that addresses the growing pains women face for simply being women, raising the issue of sexual harassment in lines that go, “Put your keys between your knuckles when there’s boys around / Isn’t it funny how we laugh it off to hide our fear.”

Steadfast and real as ever, it is clear that Dua Lipa is creating music like no other. She has reinvented pop music and is easily one of the most powerful forces in the music industry today, and an inspiration for girls around the world. And with Future Nostalgia, she proves she is here to stay.

NEW SINGLE

WATERED DOWN

OUT

JUNE 5TH ON ALL PLATFORMS

giovannacrescenzoUS giovanna.music www.giovannacrescenzo.com

coming together, vulnerability, and growing up:

CHELSEA CUTLER on debut album

HOW TO BE HUMAN Interview and photos by Sophie Harris

48 • kinda cool.

First, it was her breakthrough single “Your Shirt.” Then it was “you were good to me,” the viral hit track that garnered upwards of 130k streams from her collaborative EP with Jeremy Zucker. Finally, it was her debut full-length record, How To Be Human. Chelsea Cutler has very quickly become a force to be reckoned with and a music industry powerhouse, perfectly combining just the right dose of EDM and pop music to create her own distinct sound. Much like many powerful women in music today, Cutler is pouring her heart out onstage and recalling moments of trauma and growth within her lyrics. This beautiful vulnerability is part of what makes How To Be Human such a successful and important record.

With tracks such as the beloved “nj,” which describes a very personal experience breaking up with her girlfriend and learning how to cope with the heartache, and “I Was In Heaven,” soft and singable ballad which shows Cutler struggling to move on from attachment to her ex, Cutler lets the world glimpse into her life with open arms and an open heart. But knowing that no one wants to hear an entirely sad, somber album, Cutler returns to her upbeat EDM roots for a large portion of her debut. Standout tracks include “The Human Condition,” which touches on learning how to grow up and get over someone, and “You Are Losing Me,” a song that was written as Cutler was falling out of love with her career and found herself close to giving up.

How To Be Human is a perfect collective of songs to openly describe the pains of growing and learning. The title track itself wraps up the theme of the album by explaining in a generalized manner about how growing up takes time, and at no point is there a way to ‘know it all.’

2020 has been a rough year for all creatives, but Cutler’s album has soared up the charts and served as a source of comfort for fans, who just like everyone else, are attempting to understand what is happening in the world and coming to terms with the new normal.

Cutler reminds us of the importance of metaphorically coming together, even if we cannot do so physically, in order to get through this together and support one another.

While speaking to Cutler, I had the opportunity to gather a lot of insight from the 23-year-old breakthrough artist’s mind about music, touring, motivation, mental health, and life itself. Though Cutler doesn’t have all the answers, as she repeatedly lets us know on her album, she has learned to cope with the world around her to the best of her abilities.

As she tells-all to her listeners with her 2020 debut, Chelsea Cutler’s vulnerability defines her strength and honesty and has resonated within the hearts of hundreds of thousands of social media followers and 12 million monthly Spotify fans. Continue reading to learn more about the singer/producer’s growth and creation process through How To Be Human...

50 • kinda cool.

I’ve been listening to your album on repeat since it came out, it’s super incredible. It really deserves all the praise that it’s been getting.

Thank you so much!

Yeah! So before you started focusing on music, you played soccer in high school.

Was it hard to give that up, and were there any other extracurriculars you had to give up to pursue music?

That’s really, really cool. And then your debut full length record, How To Be Human has obviously been a massive success. It put you into the Billboard Top 40. It’s really remarkable because of how emotionally vulnerable you get on every single track.

How did you find the courage to put out so many songs that express sadness and pain all while dealing with your own mental health issues that you’re pretty vocal about?

I played in college too, at Amherst. Giving up playing college soccer definitely was really hard. Ultimately, you know, you leave soccer behind in college and after it, put a career first.

But I definitely miss it a lot.

Honestly, it was pretty scary just to know that people in my life, like my friends and my family, would listen. That’s really scarier than people [listening] that I don’t know personally.

But part of being an artist is that it’s a means of expression for us, so I had to say all of that stuff, even if it was scary.

Are you able to stay active while you’re on tour without playing soccer?

For sure. I think it was definitely worth it, based on the reception it’s gotten.

The performances generally are pretty exhausting, so that’s helpful.

Thank you! I hope so.

For sure! I still remember during your first song how you were running to and from the sides of the stage. Like, I was getting a workout in the photo pit and that was just the first song.

Oh yeah, it’s exhausting.

Speaking of college, legend has it you met Jeremy Zucker at a frat party.

I did!

How did that lead to the EP you produced with him, brent?

I was visiting my friend at UConn and he was playing a frat show that we went to, so it was just coincidental – but we ended up getting signed to the same management, Republic.

So coincidentally, our lives had become more and more intertwined and we got really close through all of that. And brent came together

by Jeremy literally FaceTiming me like, “Hey, we should go stay up in this cabin studio in the woods for a week and see what happens.” So, we went and brent was the product of that.

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What kind of advice would you have for your listeners who might be struggling to come to terms with sadness or pain that they’re feeling?

I think something that’s really important for people to think about is that pain and sadness are parts of being human. They exist on the spectrum of our emotions for a reason. I’m not saying that sadness and pain are good things – I’m just saying that they are natural, they are normal, they’re not cause for panic, and you will get through it. As cliché as that sounds, that is just what life is. We’re just constantly going through cycles of experiencing different things and experiencing different emotions. Whatever goes down has to come up with whatever goes up comes down. So, just be patient with yourself.

I love that. Thank you.

Yeah!

A fan favorite for sure while you were on your world tour was “Lucky,” which you collaborated with Alexander 23 on. He came back onstage after opening to sing it

with you. What was the process behind making that song?

I started the song by myself, at home in Connecticut with my parents. It’s funny, I don’t know if you’ve heard the story, but I told my managers it was about a dog because I was too scared to tell them that I was dating someone. We were sitting on the song for a really long time because it’s a bit more bubbly than I typically tend to sound, so I was hesitant about putting it out. Once we got Alexander on it, that really changed everything for me. He really was the final piece that I needed to fall in love with the song. It’s funny that you can write a song and not be in love with it [at first].

For sure. I’m really glad you’re in love with it now though. I like the contrast between your other stuff too. It really shows your range as a songwriter.

Thank you.

Some parts of your album reference religion - your dad is Jewish and your mom is Roman Catholic. In “The Human Condition,” specifically, you reference the tattoos you have of bible verses. What do the tattoos say, and how do those verses play a role in your thinking?

[Proverbs] 27:17 is “Iron sharpens iron,” which I like because it’s a constant reminder that who you are influences those around you, and those around you also influence who you are. [Proverbs] 17:27 I got by accident, but it actually is a good verse.

It means that a wise person is quicker to understand and more prone to silence, whereas a fool is more prone to anger. [1 Corinthians] 10:13 means God won’t test you beyond your limits but will remain firm.

[Romans] 8:18, which is “The pain that you’re feeling cannot compare to the joy that is coming.”

I love that you said 8:18 because that’s actually my favorite of all time.

Oh no way!

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religions around you shaped your thinking?

Honestly, it’s taught me that there’s really no absolute truth. Each religion has their set of values that they believe summarizes absolute truth, and if you’re raised to be taught two groups are claiming absolute truth then really, there’s no such thing. Religion is for you to take what you believe in and figure out what you value.

I love that. I feel the exact same way – it doesn’t necessarily matter if others were raised in a different religion, it doesn’t mean that they’re wrong as long as we’re all good people. You just need to find what makes sense to you.

Right!

A song that really seemed to resonate well with listeners, including myself, is “nj.” It’s definitely a story with a lot of specifics, but you got so many people to relate to the lyrics. What was the process like to write that song?

I wrote that song in Europe, actually. Writing it happened really quickly and organically.

That’s the song I was most nervous [to put out] because it is so specific, but I do think that being that specific actually ironically makes it more relatable. I think when you hear a story that’s that specific, it’s so much easier to picture and relate to than a broader, more general story.

For sure. It was also a really cool part of your live setlist – the stripped-down acoustic instruments definitely created a different moment and the crowd could completely focus on your lyrics and vocals. When you wrote “nj,” had you already pictured that moment in your live show, where you were very vulnerable with so many people?

No, I definitely didn’t write that song with the live show in mind. But it’s really interesting how it translated super well into the live set.

Oh yeah. You mentioned a couple minutes ago that you were the most kindacoolmagazine.com • 55

nervous to put that one out to the world because it was so specific. Was it even scarier to perform it with so many people?

Yeah, it was definitely scary to perform it.

Again, my family and my loved ones and my friends were all there [at the NYC show]. It was kind of similar to watching my parents listen to the album for the first time – that was obviously horrifying.

For sure! Factoring in what your parents’ reaction could be to the music isn’t really anything I’ve thought about until now.

Yeah. It’s definitely the scariest part of it all.

Definitely. So, something that made your live show special and unique was the screen in the background that showed all the visual elements to accompany each song. Did you have a hand in developing those visuals?

I really won’t take too much credit for that.

For each song, I provided pictures from Tumblr or Pinterest that I thought were good reference points. We’re very fortunate to have worked with WASTEDPOTENTIAL, which is a production company and they are really incredible.

This year, your Atlanta show sold out a 1,000+ cap venue with a very passionate crowd. But I remember less than a year before, you played Atlanta at a 600-cap venue – so you doubled in size on this tour.

Were you surprised about how quickly you blew up all of a sudden?

In Atlanta in particular, I was really surprised at the growth. There were a couple of other cities too that I was stunned by the rooms that we were doing. Honestly, it was really nuts.

You grew up right outside of New York City in Connecticut. When you were growing up, were you exposed to the local New York City music scene a lot?

I definitely was exposed in the sense that my parents and I would go into the city for shows. We went in for Broadway shows a lot too. It would probably be a stretch to say that I was influenced by the local music scene in New York. But I was definitely really fortunate that I was able to get to go in and see shows growing up.

For sure. And I’m sure that also had a bit of an influence with your stage presence

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and your confidence on stage.

Oh yeah. Honestly, the thing that helped the most stage presence-wise has been watching Quinn XCII. He’s one of my good friends and my very first tour ever was opening for him.

So obviously, just seeing him perform in the way that he dominates stage has inspired me beyond words.

I know your tour unfortunately came to a close a few days earlier than anticipated due to the threats of COVID-19. You were lucky that you were able to do most of it though. People in the music industry are really worried that it’ll take a permanent toll because almost every tour around the world has been cancelled for like a few months at best. So how do you see this affecting the music industry?

I definitely don’t know. I don’t think anyone really can accurately say how long this is going to last for and when it’s going to be safe for people to gather in large numbers.

Obviously, people definitely aren’t going to be touring through the spring and hopefully, by the fall when everyone’s rescheduling their tour dates for, hopefully we’ll be fine. I think in the meantime, people just have got to do what they can to support tour crews, and people who rely on touring and venues being open.

Especially those who work at venues hourly, now that venues are completely shut down. I

think artists who are at least in a position to make money from merch, off their records, or their publishing are definitely in a significantly better position than artists whose income comes primarily from touring, or people who work at venues or on tour crews – they are going to feel it the most. I think it’s tough for me to kind of comment on what that’s gonna look like just because I don’t really have firsthand experience with that. But I can say that it’s a good time for people to come together and support each other and help contribute to people through DM’s, and I know there are GoFundMe’s for venue staff and crew tours. I think it’s just a great time for artists to give back to those who work for them.

Definitely. Thank you so much for saying all of that. I know there are a lot of people in the [music] industry who live gig to gig and work at venues who are now struggling.

So it’s really helpful to have artists like you lifting those people up.

Yeah! I mean, that’s like all there is to really do, right? Because these people genuinely rely on live music for their income. I’ve been trying to find as many GoFundMe’s and stuff as I can, because I don’t really know what else there is to do. My tour crew, for example, there aren’t open venues for them to go home to. Even everyone at WASTEDPOTENTIAL, there’s not really a part of tours that they can work on until the fall.

What’s the best advice that you have to readers during this crazy time?

That’s really a great question. I think the sooner that we realize this is a collective effort, the sooner that we give up some freedom and just stay in our freaking houses, the sooner this will get contained and our lives will start to return to normal.

Cutler’s tour may have been cut short, but with countless sold-out shows in front of audiences full of 1,000+ fans, it’s clear to see that she’s making significant waves within the pop scene that will only continue to grow. Her leftover tour merch can be found on her website, and How To Be Human along with the rest of her discography can be streamed online. Be sure to support artists whenever possible while they’re out of work and can’t play shows on tour! Despite the fact that we can’t connect in-person right now, Cutler encourages us to check in on each other and lift each other up while we get through these tough times. How To Be Human will go down as one of the most remarkable records of 2020; between its mix of danceable versus somber tunes and its relevance to all the uncertain feelings we’re experiencing right now, it’ll continue to be on our heavy rotation for a long time to come.

CHELSEA’S PLAYLIST Song that gives her a confidence boost: “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” by Coldplay Song that she listened to while she was making How To Be Human: “Thick and Thin” by LANY Song that she listens to when she’s getting ready in the morning: “These Words” by Natasha Bedingfield Song she would listen to on a bad day to cheer her up: “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers Song that already exists that she wishes she had written: “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran or “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X Her favorite TV theme song: The Office Her go-to karaoke song: “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond

a world outside your window: supporting a local scene Words and photos by Meg Clemmensen

As a content creator and the owner of what has essentially become my own business, the past year of running KCM has drastically changed my outlook on a lot of things in life. One topic that my eyes have beten opened to is the importance of supporting a local scene.

While I’ve always tried to shop local and secondhand whenever possible, this always came as more of an afterthought to me, as it does to many consumers. I had my favorite underground vendors and shops, but out of ease, I would always just head back to Tim Horton’s for my coffee before work, Forever 21 for my newest wardrobe addition, and Walmart for a band’s new album the day it’s released. It was oftentimes cheaper and more accessible, or at least that’s the stigma that myself and the majority of society developed. It’s less of a personalized experience to visit a chain, so it’s just a matter of running into the store, grabbing what I’m looking for, and leaving. But the more involved I’ve become with running a publication and grassroots marketing, the more appreciation I’ve adopted toward my own local scene.

I’m working in an industry that operates on credibility. This made the process of creating my first issue immensely difficult. Due to my previous independent work in the industry, I’d developed friendships with musicians, creators, and publicists who placed their faith in me and helped me out. Selling issues was difficult, and I found myself constantly checking our statistics and seeing that no one else had invested in physical copies. We were publishing through a platform that handled the distribution process themselves, which provided us with a very small portion of profit from each copy sold. With profits split between three magazine heads, we made $2 each off each sale. That was our entire profit margin for months of tireless work. I remember feeling a sense of frustration and motivation

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to improve all at once, and I remember stepping into a show at my local concert hall (Warehouse) to take photos of a local band (The Wildhood), and I connected these feelings to the small crowd I’d stepped into. Warehouse has been an incredibly supportive venue with an amazing team of staff since I began working in this industry, and though I’d just met The Wildhood right before the show, we debriefed in an interview and just discussed the local scene. I realized that all three of us were truly in this together.

Truth is, I live and work in one of the most incredible southern Ontario regions for local business and talent. From that day forward, I began to notice all the badass, hardworking creatives in my area more than I ever had before. I’m constantly in awe of these people that put so much time and effort into their craft, and I’m incredibly proud to have become a part of that community. After the release of the first KCM issue and hosting that interview, I began to immerse myself further into my local community. Working in the downtown core of St. Catharines provides me with a world of local business directly outside the windows. One of the first things I learned while out exploring markets and shops on my lunch breaks is that the common perception of “local = expensive” is entirely untrue.

I’ll provide a couple examples of this, along with explaining why I only go to Tim Horton’s on occasion these days. An absolutely lovely, strong woman named Kristina runs a cafe called Sweet Street, located directly inside the main lobby at my part-time job. I had fallen fate to Tims’ rewards card system and became loyal to them for my coffee needs, despite the fact that this cafe was so easily accessible to me. I became closer with Kristina at the same time as I was learning more and more from my magazine experiences, and I quickly learned that I could be spending less money on the coffee I’d been buying all this time. Not only that, but my

money would be funding the work and passion of a local business owner rather than a billionaire corporate chain who couldn’t possibly need more money than they already have. And that is the single most important part. Additionally, I’m proud to boast that my city has one of the best doughnut shops in Canada, Beechwood Doughnuts, and I’d been following them on Instagram for a while but didn’t really go there often. When the shop first launched, the doughnut prices were higher and out of my budget, due to the mixture of how underground and specialty the treats were. One day, they announced the unveiling of a banana bread fritter on their social media, and I knew that sounded way too far up my alley to resist stopping by and treating myself to something specialty besides Tim’s for once. To my surprise, I found out that I’d been spending $1.50 for mass-produced, often not fresh treats, when I could’ve been getting gourmet doughnuts just down the street for only a dollar more. The quality is significantly better, yet the prices are still affordable, and my $2.50 can support a local phenomenon and living wage employer.

Beechwood Doughnuts and Kristina’s cafe only cover a small amount of local business that I’ve turned to. Some changes in my life over the past year have led to changes in my fashion sense, and this has gotten me involved with some of the most lovely womxn involved in clothing and accessory creation, thrifting, and/or reworking. Notable hotspots for me have become downtown vintage shop Grandma’s Basement, flea market-based vendor entitled Spit and Shine which I rely heavily on for their handmade earrings, mass thrifter with the cutest style entitled Gale’s Vintage Clothing Collection, and Indigeneous, ethical clothing reworker Eva Vintage. Evidently, the vintage scene in the Niagara region is alive and well, and these are just a few vendors I’ve fallen in love with. It has also become very much of

Beechwood Doughnuts

a DIY scene, allowing those who are looking to rehome some of their own clothing to step in and start an Instagram account of their own to market it. Brand new vendor-operated flea markets such as the upcoming Punk Rock Flea are on the rise. The popularization of this sustainable and locally-rooted practise has been making my heart swell with happiness. Again, prices for these shops are about on par with any fashion retailers, and you’ll be paying your local creators for their hard and dedicated work rather than the millions of dollars citizens are throwing at chain corporations.

Downtown St. Catharines has become a place where I spend a lot of time, due to its incredible culture and accomodation for the arts. Along the downtown core, you’ll find my favorite record shop called Mindbomb Records, mid-sized concert theatre entitled FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, arena-sized venue that hosts a local hockey team and semi-regular concerts called Meridian Centre, 3-location burger and shake joint Hambrgr, local-endorsed and beyond creator-friendly Mahtay Cafe, and of course, Warehouse Concert Hall, which is one of my favorite spots in the entire city. Food, arts, and clothing venues are everso present in the city, particularly this corner of it, but another aspect that the Niagara region thrives on is local music. Venues like the Warehouse advocate for these musicians constantly and provide them an outlet to get their name out and into the community. While I’ve definitely grown closer to some Niagara musicians over others, I generally tend to introduce myself to everyone and make it known that we’re both rising in opposite sides of the same scene and that I’m open to us being there for each other through it. I’m constantly in awe of the talent I discover in this region, and I’ve fallen in love with so much music from my own city over time.

Rising local musicians such as Valerie, USS,

Hambrgr

Spit and Shine

Rival Town, ALLO, Robert Alfieri, Redcoat, AARYS, James Blonde, Lastli, The Treetops, and my friend Hunter Midgley are constantly defining this region as a multitalented, diverse artistic environment. Magazines have been coming onto the rise to highlight the local culture as well, such as myself and a brand new zine called Smalltown, which focuses more on Niagara specifically. One core belief connects all of us, and that is passion for our craft. I think this is a truly beautiful concept, and in such an aware community like the one Niagara provides, it allows all creators to thrive and lift each other up. Being aware of local talent and vendors is not only great for those who manage them, but also

for those who support. Becoming a part of such a creative, supportive community was probably one of the best things I’ve done for myself, and it’s allowed me to own some unique, high-quality product that fuels the motivation of fellow creators.

I am grateful to live in the Niagara region among an immensely talented, kind, and aware community of local creators and businesses. I urge each and every one of you to familiarize yourself with the local gems around your neighborhood because I promise there are tons of them, and discovering them will lead to a widely artistic and expressive community such as the one that I’m lucky to exist in. Find those creators and lift them up. Better yet, become one of those creators. Recognize the time, passion, effort, and craft that goes into these underground vendors, and make sure they know that the hard work is appreciated. Next time you’re going about your day and want to head to another major name restaurant or store, think about local shops you could take your business to instead — the things you’ll discover with that mindset are astonishing.

Side note: The majority of this article was written before the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. With so many local businesses either being forced to close, drastically reduce hours, or completely change the way they operate, your support is so, so necessary to them right now. Any disposable income that you have and want to treat yourself to something with during these tough, uncertain times, please give it to these local businesses that are struggling to stay afloat.

Any underground businesses or creators that you can support during this time will be so incredibly grateful.

Even if your budget doesn’t allow for it, take extra care to interact with and share their social media posts. Let’s take this time to stand together and support one another!

Hunter Midgley

FOLLOW ALL NIAGARA BUSINESSES & CREATORS MENTIONED ABOVE ON INSTAGRAM: AARYS: @itsaarys ALLO: @allo_band Beechwood Doughnuts: @beechwooddoughnuts Eva Vintage: @evavintage_2020 FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre: @firstontpac Gale’s Vintage Clothing Collection: @galesvintageclothingcollection Grandma’s Basement: @grandmasbasementco Hambrgr: @hambrgrstcath Hunter Midgley: @huntermidgleymusic James Blonde: @jamesblondeband Lastli: @lastlimusic Mahtay Cafe: @mahtaycafe Meridian Centre: @meridian_centre Mindbomb Records: @mindbombrecords Punk Rock Flea Market: @punkrockfleaniagara Redcoat: @redcoat905 Rival Town: @rivaltownband Robert Alfieri: @robertalfieriofficial Smalltown: @smalltown.zine Spit and Shine: @spitandshine Sweet Street Cafe: @kristina_ks_cafe The Treetops: @the_treetops The Wildhood: @thewildhood USS: @ussmusic Valerie: @itsvalerienow Warehouse Concert Hall: @warehousenia

Spit and Shine

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THE UNLIKELY CANDIDATES: re-opening the music industry and flattening the humpday

The Unlikely Candidates have become a very well-known name in alternative radio. Their song “Novocaine” hit number one on the alternative music charts for the first time on March 9th, 2020. Like many bands right now, they had to cancel tour dates due to COVID-19. Jared Hornbeck spoke to me via Skype about how they are continuing to work from home, when they plan to get back out on the road, and how they are getting closer than ever with fans via their “Flatten the Humpday” weekly livestreams.

Interview and photos by McKenzie Moore Since we’ve all been at home for a while now due to the pandemic, what have you been up to in your free time? Is there a favorite show you’ve been binge-watching or a hobby you’ve taken up?

I’ve been watching McMillions on HBO. That’s been entertaining. I’ve honestly just been chilling.

My girlfriend’s kid is here most of the time so I’m trying to keep her entertained for the majority of it.

I got Hungry, Hungry Hippos for her the other day, that was fun. I hadn’t played it in forever. What else did we get? We got Candy Land, so we’ve been playing a lot of Candy Land. Been trying to keep her entertained by going on a lot of walks. It was beautiful out yesterday so I was like “Hell yeah, we are going outside.” It’s crazy because they are starting to cite people for just being outside for even the stuff you are doing on your own, by yourself. It’s weird to me. I’ve been tracking this whole thing and by looking at the numbers in like Spain and in Italy, we might be pretty fucked.

On Wednesdays, the band has been doing livestreams on Instagram that you’ve been calling “Flatten The Humpday.” Is this going to be a regular occurrence? Do you guys plan on trying to connect via the internet until you can get back on the road?

Oh definitely. We will be doing that every Wednesday and in between those we are doing a few extra things like Instagram takeovers and livestream interviews and like popping into a few other people’s livestreams. We are filling up the time with anything we can, really. We were planning on being on tour for eighty days and that got

crushed. There was like a twelve-day run there, and it sucked that it all fell through. We all kind of decided that if we couldn’t be out on the road, that we would fill our time with interviews and this live stream thing. Just trying to get this whole thing right by interacting with fans online. Shifting our focus to the internet and connecting with people through that. Which, this is something we have been trying to figure out, and I feel like this year, we finally started to get our social media fanbase together and grow that a lot more. I think all of this alone is going to help with that learning experience alone, and I hope we will be able to carry this over after all of this is done. I would like to, even after all of this, continue a live thing every week, just because keeping it out there and keeping in touch with fans is something I like doing and I think we should’ve been doing a long time ago.

It’s nice for them too, I’m sure the fans like being able to interact because they are at home doing the same thing.

Oh absolutely. Honestly, I’ll try to watch a show right now and I’ll just be on my phone scrolling through stuff I’ve already seen.

It’s one of those days where you go to look at Instagram and you’ve already seen everything.

This is what life has come to, huh?

With tour being cut short like that, are there plans to reschedule?

We are already trying to reschedule dates, maybe looking at July. I just don’t know if that is going to be long enough, you know? I was talking about it the other day with my dad. I was like “Yeah, kindacoolmagazine.com • 65

especially the music industry and concerts, how are we going to recover?” And we were talking about [how] even when this does blow over, there’s going to be like a period there where people don’t wanna go out still because they don’t want to be in the big crowds. It would have to be venues that have a capacity of like 300 maybe only letting in 100 so that everyone has to have their own space and has their own area for that to work. Maybe if it’s something like that, it could work. The only thing that would have to happen is ticket prices would obviously have to go up.

Even just to be able to cover costs.

stop on The Lumineers tour and people were spread out just like that, sectioned off from one another.

My buddy Sam plays the drums in Mount Joy, they were the opener for that tour. I remember that night he texted me and I was on stage in Denver. When we got off stage I grabbed my phone and I saw his text. He was like “Hey our fucking tour’s cancelled, this was our last one and we are done.” I was showing the rest of the band telling them like “Look, they cancelled. It’s not good. Things aren’t good.” I was lucky, I caught that show when it came through in Chicago. It was an awesome show, right?

To be able to cover costs for the tour, to be able to cover costs for the venue, to be able to cover costs for everything. That could be a cool thing.

Up in Milwaukee, we were going to play Turner Hall and I was thinking maybe Turner Hall could tape off like squares and tell people “Hey, this is your section, stay here.” Maybe rather than selling general admission tickets, maybe we have to sell tickets where you’re sectioned off in these club-like venues. Make it a bring your own lawn chair type of situation.

Oh absolutely, they are always amazing.

Right before this all shut down, I was at the last

Their tour staff has to be working insanely hard

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The Lumineers are one of those bands that have been around for so long now that you don’t realize how many big songs they have at this point. You’ll be at a show and be like “Woah, I know all of these songs. I guess they are pretty big.” I was talking about how much stage they have on that tour, they have that entire catwalk thing. It has to all be planned out where you know exactly where you need to be during which song and choreographed.

to be putting that massive thing up every day.

They had 90 people on tour with them, 90. Isn’t that crazy? They had so many busses. 90 people, and now they all don’t have jobs. They had a lot of shit that they had to do from 7am to showtime, it was pretty crazy.

Oh absolutely, the set up is on a massive scale.

Bringing it back to you guys, let’s talk good news. Your song “Novocaine” hit number one in alternative radio!

It’s exciting.

Which is awesome! That song came out last March, was it hitting number one something that you guys felt coming?

I always knew “Novacaine” was a good song. From the second it came about, I was like “Yeah, that’s the song.” For a long time, people were like “No, no, I don’t think so,” like the label and stuff. I kept saying “This is the best one we’ve got, we should release this,” and it finally got released and started doing its thing. With the way the video turned out, it was like everything just fell into place right where it needed to. For a long time, when the song started going up the chart it was like, “Well here we go again, it’s probably going to peak out and drop back down.” I think once it got into the top 20 I was like, “I think that we can actually do it,” you know?

My girlfriend is a psychic and she said it was going to go number one and I said “I believe you.” She’s not actually a psychic, she doesn’t have a crystal ball or anything.

She’s not tarot card reading in the backroom?

No, we don’t have like a big neon sign in front of our house either. She’s just a lowkey psychic. So yeah, it happened. That’s a fucking bullet point to mark off on the list. It’s fucking cool, and now we just need to do it again.

Plus the video for the song also took off and reached pretty high numbers. Last I checked, it was at about 13 million views. When you guys were filming it, was there anything fun going on?

It was the easiest process for filming that we’ve ever had. It just went so smooth and easy. Pretty much the director was like, “Hey, get high and eat this like a pile of snacks on the couch,” and we

were like “Okay, I think we can do that.” I’d ask “Should I wear this shirt,” and he’d be like “Nah, do this one.” It was super cool and super easy.

Everything just worked. It was like magic with that song. Everything fell into place and it was happening, and I hope it continues to happen. I think the song is still growing. It’s crazy.

Well I think you guys do a pretty big radio circuit too, you have a personal connection and relationships with the DJ’s.

We love radio. We have pretty much been a band being played on the radio for like 7 years. It’s more than us just doing our diligence and getting in there and promoting the record. It’s like seeing friends and all these people we have built a relationship with over the last eight years. It’s like, they are our homies at this point, and it’s good to see them and spend time with them, like grab lunch and talk about something crazy Jared Leto is doing. We like to just catch up and drink, all of the radio people like to drink.

It seems to be a staple amongst us radio people. On that note, do we have hopes for a full length album in the near future?

We do.

For that, what should we be expecting?

We will be releasing a song called “Invisible” coming out soon, that won’t be like a radio single.

It’s just something to throw out for the time being,

Hopefully with that we can get a tour after this is all over.

Yeah, that would be great since this “Novocaine” went to the trash. We will have to re-do that. Also, all of the festivals went away; the year we finally get some festivals scheduled, they go away too.

We were all excited about all these cool shows and then it all went to shit. A lot of them are going to be weird with moving tours. They still haven’t cancelled Hangout, which I think was our first one. That one is coming up in May, so that’s not going to work.

Well hopefully you guys can get back on the road soon. With all of this going on, what’s keeping you guys inspired?

Fans. The livestreams have been pretty cool. We toured so much this last year, and it’s almost like a blessing in disguise that we are able to be home and take some time. I’ve got my little set up here and I’ve been finding some time to get some music in. It’s music, we all love music, we wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t love it. We are so far down the route that at this point, there’s no other option for us. We could go work at the gas station down the street I guess, but music is it for all of us.

Absolutely. I think most of us in the industry don’t know anything else as an option.

Yeah, and as a concert photographer, I’m sure you’re re-editing everything like we are putting music together. I was talking to my girlfriend the other day like “Remember when people used to go to concerts?”

I think it’s going to be great seeing the industry revamp itself. I’ll only ask one more question.

What do you want to say to the fans or even the people who are just reading this interview?

and I think we will push it more internet-wise.

Push it on a few playlists, just to keep moving along. And then, I think we will release one more single after that. It might be the next radio single we are trying to push and do the same thing as “Novocaine” with. And shortly after that, there should be a full-length album. I think it’ll be a collection of some of the older songs as well as new songs.

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I want them to know that we are a band and we play music and we will continue to put [out] music as long as they keep listening. Also, our live show is awesome and we do it every Wednesday, so come see us.

The Unlikely Candidates’ song “Novocaine” stayed at number one in alternative radio for two weeks in a row. Since the interview, they have continued with their weekly livestream and they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. There is no release date or name for the upcoming full-length album yet, but this interview gives hope that we will have that information soon.

Donovan Woods

by Meg Clemmensen

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