LISTEN MAG A New York based online-print publication that brings your new favorite artist to the surface.
STAFF Christopher Walsh Founder chris@heylisten.org Simran Sharma Editor-In-Chief simran@heylisten.org Elaine Tsogtbayar Creative Director elaine@heylisten.org Sam Morgan Creative Coordinator @futuredegramps
CONNECT Instagram: @listenxmag Twitter: @listenxmag www.listenmag.xyz
Print Copies: https://www.blurb.com/user/listenmag
CONTENTS
SNAPSHOT LILA GOLD PLAYLIST HOJEAN INNER STATE 81 DREAMER BOY SOFT GLAS BIROCRATIC ANTHONY MOLINA KATZÚ OSO
“the disposable issue” The Disposable Issue is a fun concept I’ve always wanted to experiment with and I’m glad I did. I tried it out with our disposable diary segment and fell in love with the idea and thought it would be fun to attempt it with our third issue. I sent out about 10 cameras to artists and creatives who I believe are shifting the boundaries within music and art. Though sending out cameras to everyone I respect and admire was fun it did come with frustrations from cameras getting lost in the mail to not being developed properly. However, this three-month journey of creating our final issue of 2019 has been an enormous learning experience for me. Throughout this issue, there will be Spotify QR codes. To scan them, open your Spotify app, hit the search button, click the camera icon, and boom that’s it. Enjoy this issue shot through the lens of your favorite artists. Until Next Time, Chris
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REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND Photography: Christopher Walsh
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LILA GOLD LILA GOLD LILA GOLD
LILA GOLD IS POP MUSIC’S HIDDEN GEM WORDS: Simran Sharma PHOTOS: Christopher Walsh & Elaine Tsogtbayar Lila Gold should rightfully be called a jack of all trades. From singing and writing to designing and producing, the young creative who started making music at the age of 16, is readily working toward mastering all of her crafts. But her main focus is letting the world hear and vibe with her distinctive sound. In her summer release of “Big Sad Eyes,” she emotionally croons over a Reggaeton influenced beat, making the track a rare, sad, grief-driven banger. Her ability to write heartfelt, sentimental songs targeting personal issues such as anxiety, and merging them with beats infused with Dancehall/Reggaeton elements and drums is what distinguishes the singer from any other emerging popstar on the scene. Apart from writing, the Sydney native also takes control over her production, her own clothing brand, her online image and her perfectly uniformed wardrobe. In a widespread and overt conversation with Listen Mag, Lila Gold shares her pensive thoughts on her musical influences, New York City, best color palettes, Air Maxes, the power of manifestation and more.
Do you mind introducing yourself? I’m Lila Gold. I’m from Australia but I’ve grown up between Sydney and New York, I’m 22 and I live in Brooklyn. Which one of those places is your favorite? Definitely New York. I think it goes in the order of: New York, Sydney, LA. New York because I feel like I have the most freedom here with my identity. I feel like Sydney is so beautiful, like naturewise, I feel really inspired when I’m there and it has a sense of childhood nostalgia, which is always refreshing to go back to. And then LA kind of has this weird, sleepy, dreamy buzz to it that also can be really inspiring at times.
What do you think represents the key/ core aspects of your music and your signature sound? I would definitely say the fact that I use a lot of like Reggaeton and Dancehall style rhythms mixed with a lot of auto-tuned dreamier, sort of ethereal sounding vocals. There’s elements that I take from the genres of like Dancehall and Reggaeton and a lot of Pop. But then I kind of shift them a bit and make them into kind of like my own style of Pop music because I’m not a Latin artist, but I really identify with that sound and I’ve definitely taken a lot of inspiration from the rhythms and the sound palette of that genre and made it into my own kind of thing, just because I feel such an affinity for it. Also, lyrically I feel like there is a common thread in most of my songs that I write that is always usually about like anxiety or mental health or a lot of the things that I feel emotionally.
How important is the production process? How involved are you in that? Really important. So, I actually co-produce with my dad, he does a lot of the production with me. That is actually so cute. I know it’s crazy, but he’s actually a Blues/Rock n Roll musician so the stuff that he does with me is totally different and he produces for other young Australian artists as well. But our project together is like very much, it’s so heavily me and him that it’s kind of different than anything else. I also have been working with DJDS- Sam and Jerome- in LA and they are awesome. When they produce, I kind of sit back and let them take the reins and I’ll do the writing, and they’ll do the producing. Just because they’re like a duo and their chemistry together is unmatched. When I’m outnumbered by producers I like to sit back and let them take the over because I feel like there’s a special formula that they have and it’s really liberating for me to let go and be like: alright you guys do what you want, I’m going to write, I’m going to vibe off you guys. I like the dynamic of either being really hands on or not hands on at all. Within your sound, there is sort of like this Electro/Pop niche which aligns with Charli XCX and Slayyyter, do you feel like you belong within that community? What’s crazy is that I don’t at all. A lot of people say that and I’m like, I listen to Charli XCX, but I don’t listen to that kind of stuff. Like I know that genre, like PC music and I fuck with that. Because I’ve only released, it’s still early days for me, I feel like people are still putting it together. Once I release my next singles and my EP, they’ll be like: Oh, okay we get it. Like I’m heavily influenced by a lot of trap music and a lot of again, Dancehall and Reggaeton. I think it has to do with my aesthetic and the way that I dress, it fits that category. I’m heavily influenced by fantasy and escapism, and being online. My whole life, I’ve had the internet so I have a huge affinity for internet culture and most of my discoveries of music happen on the internet. As well as, you know I have always looked on the internet to connect with people, so just with how I dress is always I don’t know, I’m really into fantasy and the internet world. So yeah, I think it’s my aesthetic that they put into the same category.
LILA GOLD
LILA GOLD
LILA GOLD
It’s like very Y2K... Yeah! I’m definitely into that vibe. Like I love Yankee fits, and Air Maxes. I don’t own one pair of heels, I only wear sneakers, I have a huge Air Max collection. And that’s definitely from influence of Hip-Hop and New York. Growing up I only wanted Bape, I wanted all those brands. That and I love fantasy dresses and vintage stuff. What are your favorite shops? I don’t actually shop a lot, I buy vintage stuff on Etsy. I actually have my own brand called Delicate Porcelain, I do it with another guy, his name’s Josué, so we do it together. We print a lot of our own t-shirts as like a streetwear label. But otherwise, honestly, I’m just obsessed with Air Maxes, like I’ll buy a ton of Air Maxes. Do you build your outfit based on your shoes? Yes, I start from the bottom. So right now, I just copped these yellow and purple Air Max 98s so I’m going to dye my hair lavender and yellow. So, I start from the shoes and go up. But I only wear three colors because I have this weird adverse nature and disgust for other colors other than red, purple and yellow. That’s the only colors I wear and will use in anything. I don’t know if you’ve noticed in my cover art but I’ve only used those colors. You should see my wardrobe, it’s only those colors and my mom gets really frustrated because if we go shopping together (and she’s like) “oh this is so cute!” and I’ll be like it’s so cute but I can’t wear it, like I just can’t. Seriously, it’s really bizarre. Have you ever thought about dying your own clothes? Yeah, I do a lot of tie-dye stuff. That’s like part of the creative process with my brand, we tie-dye a bunch of stuff. But my partner’s always like, for this it’s for other people so can we use like other color palettes? and I’m like...fine!
“WHILST I’M LEVITATING, I HAVE TO STAY GROUNDED.” LILA GOLD
LILA GOLD
For ‘Big Sad Eyes’ on your Instagram you said that it was based on lucid dreaming, was there ever a particular dream that you’ve had yourself that really impacted you or just stuck out? So, I have this recurring dream that again is lucid dreaming, and I know that I’m dreaming when I’m having it and so I’m in control of the dream. But obviously I’m not in control of the dream because how much in control of a dream can you be? I think to a certain extent you’re aware of it and it feels like you’re in control of it, but I don’t think you actually are. But it’s this reoccurring dream where I’m in this maze, and it is very cliché like someone-is-chasing-me kind of dream. And I start to levitate every time, like “please, please, please hurry up!” and danger is approaching. I levitate off the ground and it is just anticipation, the person is just about to capture and I just shoot off the ground, and it’s like the flying dream. Except, I’m not flying I’m just like floating, just levitating and I can go anywhere. And I’ve had ones where I go over a huge industrial wasteland with all this barbwire and then I’ve had one where I go over like a black ocean at night, and I remember being so scared because when you look down and see black water it’s really frightening, so I remember being so scared and concentrating so hard to not fall in the water. That’s a reoccurring dream that I have and I feel like that represents to me a sense like I never quite actually see anyone or anything that’s chasing me or grabbing me or capturing me, I feel like that is just my fear itself. Like my anxiety, my depression, that’s trying to grab and capture me and I have to stay really focused to really ground it, almost. Whilst I’m levitating, I have to stay grounded. So, it’s a sense of being grounded and a sense of letting go. Sometimes when I’m recording, or writing a song, it might sound sappy or cliché, but I really feel that something sometimes gives me this intuition and this intention and I’m like, “fuck, where did that come from? How did I do that?” And then I’m so humbled and grateful after I’ve recorded something. Like okay, this is an extension of myself like it came from somewhere else, I don’t know where it came from but I always try to give the praise and the gratification to the song itself, because I feel like it comes from somewhere else.
LILA GOLD
Do you believe in manifestation? Oh, manifestation is like 98% of our lives. Maybe 99. Maybe a 100! It’s all manifestation, baby. All of it is like intention, so it’s like I really wanna have a glass of oat milk because I fucking love oat milk. And then later on it’ll be like mmm, oat milk and then you go to the fridge and get a glass of oat milk. It’s really just thinking about something and when it’s aspirations or dreams, on a larger scale, I think every little thought you put into what you want, what you believe in, how you want to feel and how you want others to feel it’s all just part of one bigger picture. Like collective thought is so powerful too. So, I try to think about that with my music and my future projects. It’s like if I vibe with this, I feel like other people will vibe with it. You have to believe in it, you’ve gotta like it first because… someone’s got to! What are some goals you want to achieve? I really want to collaborate with more artists. I really want to have a mixtape and have other artists feature on it. I really want to release my EP, it’s going to be really exciting. I would love to play Gov Ball, and I would love to play Lollapalooza, just to do small Indie festivals that would be really sick. For me right now, it’s about getting music out and getting heard and getting feedback, and vibing off people’s reactions, that’s what it’s about. It’s about creating a sense of community like where do I fit in? Or making my own community as well. Since you know the city well, you grew up in SoHo, what’s your favorite neighborhood? I would say I fucking love Chinatown and Lower East Side for sure, that’s definitely my favorite neighborhood. I also, I can’t lie, I love Fort Greene and I love Bed-Stuy, I think it’s really beautiful, it’s completely different from Manhattan but I love it there too. I would say Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy, LES, and Chinatown. And Coney Island’s my favorite place! It’s the most fucking sad, depressing, place in the world and I’ve had this weird fixation with it since I was a kid. My dad used to take me out there in the winters and we would take a polaroid camera and we would take photos and walk around because in the winter it’s closed, and Coney Island’s so grim and weird in the winter. I would see like the freak show would still be open, some things would still be open, this was the early 2000s, and for a long time that area was just left untouched. So now it’s gentrified, but before it was a scary, strange place but I loved that. I still go back there sometimes and ride all the rides. Still never been to Coney Island.... You need to go because you can’t live in New York and not ride the Cyclone. You need to ride the Cyclone. I hit my nose on it and my nose had a bleeding because I flew out of the chair, I still fucking ride that bitch every summer like twice or three times.
LILA GOLD
What are some essential things that you can’t live without? So, this bottle of Eucalyptus oil is from Australia and it’s got eucalyptus and it has menthol oil, it’s very calming. It’s really strong, it kind of burns when you put it on your skin, and don’t put it in your eyes, obviously. But I douse it all over myself all the time because it’s strong and I like things that are overpowering and really fresh and clean. I use it when I’m super anxious and when I’m about to go on stage I’ll just put it everywhere, I’ll put it on the top of my head because you know, it absorbs into your hair. So, this and tea—I’m sober, so tea and caffeine for me is like my vice. Anything with caffeine but traditional black tea, like a good English tea. And Young Thug, Elliot Smith to listen to. And my fucking phone, unfortunately if I’m gonna be real.
LILA GOLD
PLAYLIST PLAYLIST Curated By: Elaine Tsogtbayar
Bist du down? Ace Tee, Kwam. E
Como Puedes Vivir Contigo Mismo Alex Anwandter
Nuit de baise II Yelle
ラビリンス
MONDO GROSSO
Waiting
Lou Rebecca
Abondaba (feat. Samthing Soweto) Sha Sha
Sunshine
Hoody, Crush
Departmento (feat. Adan Jodorowsky) Bandalos Chinos
HOJEAN HOJEAN HOJEAN HOJEAN HOJEAN HOJEAN HOJEAN HOJEAN PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRISTOPHER WALSH INTERVIEW: CHRISTOPHER WALSH
HOJEAN HOJEAN
HOJEAN
HOJEAN
Hailing from New York, rising singer-songwriter, Hojean, is making strides for this upcoming year with his impeccable ballads that range from soft bedroom-pop to sultry dreamy bops that will make you swoon for his angelic voice. On “Let Me” the rising talent masters the art of channeling a 90s R&B vibe and transform it into an emotional classic. His latest release, “You Feel Like,” is a crooning love ballad about craving to spend time with a certain someone. The instrumental is mixed with laidback guitar riffs, gentle vocals, and is a huge leap in the evolution of his songwriting. With each release, Hojean’s songwriting, producing, and vocals continuously get better and he is honing his craft to make 2020 his year. In a conversation with Listen Mag, the singer talks about his upbringing, his love for his craft and influences, and his ambitious plans for the future of pop stardom. Do you mind introducing yourself? I’m Hojean and that’s my Korean name, but in the US it’s actually my American middle name. My real name is Justin Yi and I’ve been making music for two years and basically just R&B and pop. Did you immigrate from Korea to the US? No, I was born in New York. My parents came from Korea and I’m a first gen in New York. So, what made your parents move from New York to Georgia? You know Asian parents! Always tryna create businesses and everything. And so they [started] a phone business, they did a restaurant and now they’re doing dry cleaning. They thought that Georgia would be a good spot to move for dry cleaning because a lot of people could come in. That’s their reason. I don’t know why - they told me not to tell my friends, but I told all my friends. That was like two friends. Do you do music full time? Yeah I’m planning on it. I’m taking a gap year right now. I’m planning on making music my full blown job because i don’t wanna be in an office in a fucking cubicle or anything. When I do music I genuinely have fun. I’ve been a creative person my entire life and I have awful handwriting.
HOJEAN
What were you studying in school? I was gonna do business. If music works out for me, and I really think it will, I’m planning on just dropping [out of] college. Pretty good plan. Bouncing off of that, what is your 2020 goal when it comes to music? Where do you see yourself a year from now? You have a pretty dedicated fanbase as of now, I see it on Instagram and Twitter. No they’re great. They really are! They’re like a family for me, they always support me. But for 2020, hopefully I can tour more often, maybe tour around the US if I could. Get signed by a label maybe - I’m not really looking to get there right now, I’m really patient on that kinda stuff. [In] 2020 I would like to make enough money just to get my parents out of work. Because they’ve been doing their dry cleaning business for years now. I just wanna make sure I can secure the bag for my family. I listened to all your music and in the beginning about two years ago, it was an indie/alternative sound, but your recent stuff has shifted to pop and R&B. What initiated that shift? Do you have more fun with it? I have fun making all kinds of genres, but at that time, I didn’t really know much about music or anything. Basically I looked up type beats on YouTube.
There’s no way that “Let Me” is a type beat kind of beat! No that one wasn’t one. I produce most of my stuff. I have a track called “My Love” that’s produced by a friend, other than that I’m pretty sure all the other tracks are produced by me. And basically indie was definitely a thing for thing. I was in the indie scene but I decided to range out because I was trying to learn music for myself. I downloaded FL studio, a beat program, and I was just kinda messing about. I discovered that I really enjoyed making pop and R&B rather than indie.
HOJEAN
HOJEAN
HOJEAN
Did you have any prior music experience before messing with those different programs? Yeah I did talent shows. Not a lot though. I guess I’ll just say, I sang a lot in church because of my mom, but other than that music like the artist Hojean wasn’t really born until two years ago. What made you want to dive into it full-time, instead of singing in church? What sort of initiated you to be like I’m gonna write and produce? Basically when I was younger, me doing schoolwork or anything - I mean I did the job, but I hated it. I really enjoyed drawing Shaggy from Scooby Doo or Snoopy. You know Sonic, Mario, those were all the people I drew a lot. I would sing off on the side. I remember when I was younger I sang a cover of Bruno Mars in front of a camera and it was awful! But I did it and had fun. The reason why I wanted to do music full-time was because I did a talent show at a new school so I didn’t know anybody. And this girl that I really fucking liked, she was part of a team that was hosting the talent show and I really wanted to get close to her, I really wanted to impress her, so I auditioned for the talent show, got in, and when I sang my part, the show was live. After I was done backstage she gave me a hug. It was so good, it was the best feeling! And after that I found a passion for it. A lot of my friends were like “You should do something with this. You’re great at it.” So I just moved on from there. That’s amazing! I feel like in high school or sort of in that younger stage, when people try to pursue creative endeavors, they usually don’t have supportive friends or a supportive system. Yeah I was really grateful to find friends that were really supportive. My friends always support everything I do. They supported me doing the Napoleon Dynamite talent show dance. I got third place. I just really grateful, they have my back. They share with their family and their family will share with their friends. And stuff like that. It’s cool.
HOJEAN
What are some of your major influences when it comes to developing your sound? I love Steve Lacy. I love The Internet. Omar Apollo, I’ve been listening to him a lot recently. Of course there’s Frank Ocean. I can’t imagine any artist saying Frank Ocean was not a part of their journey. I’d say a lot of R&B - oh New Edition. New Edition? I love New Edition. I know the entire “If It Isn’t Love” dance. I love them so much.
If you went on tour would you do choreo? Like the whole popstar gig? Shoot yeah why not? I did choreo to memory in my own car! So of course dude. But at first there was a lot of rock like Elton John and Queen. I don’t know if Elton John would be a rock artist but they raised me. And then I dove into R&B. I raised on them because of my parents.
What are the core elements that make up your sound? If you went into Fruity Loops right now what would be the main thing that is consistent throughout all your songs? A guitar. I bought a $60 guitar from Goodwill that was already basically broken, but I took a chance because I really wanted an electric guitar. The neck was broken. Took it to my friend’s house, played it on his amp and he was like “Yeah it works”, went home, and now all my beats have to contain a guitar peace. I taught myself how to play the guitar. I’m just addicted to it. So if I’m just sitting down, if I just had a guitar and was leaning on it, I would do that. I just love having it in my vicinity.
HOJEAN
“A lot of my friends were like ‘you should do something with this. you’re great at it.’ So I just moved on from there.”
HOJEAN
Is your next body of work going to be different from your debut EP, “It’s All Static From Here”? Completely different. I cannot lie, there are some bops in there. I love those songs, but when I first was making music I had no vision. I think I have a vision now. I’m not planning on releasing an EP any time soon, but the next one is for sure gonna be different from “It’s All Static From Here,” What’s your favorite song that you’ve made so far? I love “Memory.” I took a nine month hiatus from making music. It wasn’t because I was lazy; it was because school got in the way and my anxiety was building up in every direction. I had so much trouble just getting up because I was afraid of touching that beat program, thinking “they’re not gonna like this next track. It’s trash.” You know how anxiety works. And one day I bought that guitar, I was like fuck it let’s just run it. I’m on FL studio, just bouncing around like “yeah I do feel this one” because at the time I was going through something and the song was about leaving a memory behind. I guess in a way anxiety was that memory. *singing* And if I mention something about you, understand you’re only just a memory. Who are you listening to right now? I’ve listened to Lucky Daye. I love him so much. Of course Steve Lacy’s new album, Omar Apollo, Dominic Fike, Still Woozy, and Rex Orange County. I got back and forth between everything I listen to.
HOJEAN
HOJEAN
INNER STATE 81 WORDS: Christopher Walsh PHOTOS: Inner State 81
Within the past few years we’ve seen producers such as Metro Boomin, Pi’erre Bourne, Kenny Beats, and Murda Beatz receive tons of attention and accolades for their collaborative and solo projects. However, Pennsylvania native Tucker Nicholas, better known as Inner State 81, is creating a lane of his own by collaborating with the rising talent in Atlanta and developing his own collective of the new generation’s trendsetters. Blending together a wide-range of styles such as Hip-Hop, funk, electronic, and even R&B, the young hitmaker proves that anything is within his reach. This is just the beginning as the Atlanta based producer is soon set to dominate the industry with his versatile and polarizing sound. We conversed with the viral legend about how DJ’ing frat parties and his escapades in London led him to be on your Discover Weekly playlist
INNER STATE 81
Do you mind introducing yourself? In what context? Like who you are as an artist! How do you separate yourself from your artist persona? I’m still trying to separate myself from my artist persona. To me it’s kind of difficult because I don’t like playing a character. I like being who I am at that moment. But to summarize who Inner State 81 is: I’m just a kid with a dream. I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania and I always hated it. I’ve always dreamed of doing something more with my life and I guess this is my first attempt at it, so let’s see how it goes! I mean its been going pretty well! Yeah! It definitely has, I’m just the type of person who’s never satisfied. Like there’s always another level to improve on? Yeah exactly! Honestly, it’s like a personal competition between me, myself, and I. If other people like what I’m doing that’s awesome but I feel like a great artist will always keep it between themselves when they’re trying to put something out. Like if you try to be a people pleaser it’s gonna come out all wrong and like garbage and in the end, it would’ve been just as better if you did something that you wanted to do, even if it was a little different or like high risk. What makes a song a high-risk release? So I’ve been thinking about that a lot. I try to make that my X-factor when collaborating with vocalists. Because Atlanta has a plethora of talented rappers and singers. I feel like a lot of the underground producers are pretty one dimensional, and this is not to slander the underground beat-making community a lot of them are really good at what they do but it just sounds like “Youtube type beats,” which are copycats of what’s already popular. So I think, honestly trying to incorporate different styles throughout hip hop that I’m producing in might be high risk. Like my single “Jewelry” the two rappers on it, are definitely in the more traditional Atlanta trap rap scene and they were all hanging out, we have a studio in our house, and then Aman and Danny came over. Nobody could decide what beat they wanted cause Ahmad and Danny are very much soul-based and Ahjee and Tae are more in that trap scene. So I pulled out that beat, which is like my ode to the Neptunes and Pharrell. I was like “okay, don’t compromise on your vocal style at all. Like do a verse you would do on a trap beat over this on this early 2000s club beat.” I think it turned out super dynamic.
INNER STATE 81
INNER STATE 81
So then, when you’re making music do your enjoy
making projects based on curation or do you most like creating your own instrumentals? In the beginning I was only doing instrumentals because I didn’t have a way to get vocals recorded, I didn’t have a whole network of vocalists yet. I didn’t wanna churn out vocals that weren’t great. I love listening to that stuff but in the future there will probably be interludes and stuff like that but I’m transitioning to having only vocalists on tracks. When it comes to curation, I’m a very hands on producer. That’s why I don’t sell my beats online on a beatshop because to me I hate the idea of that. I want to be involved in the songwriting, I wanna help come out with the promo and branding of the song, I’m very hands on like that. That to me is very important. Delving through your discography it ranges from funk and disco to hip-hop and soul. Which genres do you think reflect your current sound? Definitely more hip-hop based but with groove. I listen to all kinds of music and I don’t want to be known for one specific thing, I want to be a chameleon with it. I really look up to producers like Pharrell, the neptunes, Kanye, Tyler The Creator, Diplo, Pie’rre Bourne. Producers who can really assume whatever role is needed. To sum it all up, I’d say HipHop is my current direction. When did you start producing and making music? Pretty much three years ago around Christmas time 2016. 2016 was really THAT YEAR. 2016 was a really meaningful year to me. It was very fluid, Lil Uzi and Lil Yatchy breaking out with non-traditional sounds., that was incorporating alternative rock and indie. Giving the impression that these worlds that could be bridged. I was just like wow, it opened my eyes to everything. I was like “if I dont try now whats the fucking point!” I’ve always wanted to be a musician but I just convinced myself I couldn’t do it. But then i had a breaking point when I realized, I kept saying that because I’m not trying! I was like “what would happen if I just tried?” What pushed you to try? It was all I ever wanted. I was so frustrated in every aspect of my life. I wasn’t happy and I was taking it out on the people in my life. I was like damn this because of my own shortcomings of not achieving my dream. So i just approached things as “what if I actually tried?” and it changed my perspective of living.
INNER STATE 81
How long did it take you to come out with Midsummer Nights Daydream? That project, I did that in the course of a month. Oh wow! Yeah, at the start of 2018 I upload three tracks to Spotify. “Livin at Mumsies” “Kilburn Park” and the other one was deleted. I was studying abroad in London and living there while interning at a small record label, which is my second semester of my sophomore year at college. After I upload the tracks, three weeks later, we did a trip through central Europe. I flew into Berlin and taking a train to Prague and I’m using the wifi on the train. I see a viral tweet on Twitter and its this person, named, Teejus, who tweeted about “I’m an uber driver who made a bunch of spotify playlists based on how people look.” I replied with “get this person a job at Spotify” and they added my tweet to the viral moment, and Spotify gave Teejus a free subscription, so I DM’d them and said “hey i love your playlist! I just came out with three songs, if you like them and they fit would you be able to add them.” and then they were like Ii’ve been getting a ton of DM’s like this but you’re the one who got me a free year of Spotify so I’ll check em out.” So then they added them to their top playlist and overnight they got thousands of plays. Later they got picked up in Discovery weekly. How’s your day so far? It’s going pretty great! I got some iced tea from Chic Fil A and that’s honestly all I did today. Pretty solid day. We’re doing a big house party this weekend and my roommates are setting up all the lights, for the “Garden Party.” I moved in with a collective down here and I didn’t know any of them beforehand, but I met them on Facebook and happened to be the people I’m living with. So, everyone, there is part of the Inner State 81 collective? No, they have their own collective, they had their own before I got here. Everyone in mine is back up north in Pennsylvania and Ohio. But I’m pretty sure they’re soon going to be moving down here (Atlanta) or moving to L.A with me in the next year or so. What made you want to relocate from Pittsburgh to Atlanta? Pittsburgh is like a dead city when it comes to the creative scene. There’s not a lot of opportunities so people get really me, me, me, like this is mine. It’s a very safe city, people move there because it’s very easy to make a living there.
INNER STATE 81
INNER STATE 81
So like traditional jobs, like a doctor, lawyer, etc? It’s just one of those places where if you love complacency, you’ll love it there. But I don’t think that creates amazing art so I had to get out and I picked Atlanta. What made you pick Atlanta over New York? I didn’t wanna pay the prices to live in New York because honestly, I couldn’t just justify spending the money to live there. I don’t blame you, I feel the same way sometimes. I know exactly what you mean. So to me, it’s like damn. My parents were like “cool you can drop out and do what you want but you gotta pay for your own life now.” and I was like fair enough. Atlanta is just so much more affordable and the creative scene here is like so much more accessible than New York. I’ve only been here since June, and I’ve met so many new people and made tons of connections that would not have been possible in any other city. I think you make a strong point there. Sort of New York it feels a little “gatekeepy.” I’ve never done well with gatekeepers. I’ve just been like, fuck it, I’m doing my own thing. I’m really not interested in a creative hierarchy, I think it’s all bullshit. How do you feel about it? You feel good!? You feel like school would’ve hindered your music career or enhanced it? Nah all my teachers were full of bullshit. None of them knew what they were talking about. I was taking marketing at [redacted] and I love marketing but they were teaching it like it was 1993 still. None of these methods are effective in today’s world and its because none of them knew how to be! There were a few awesome teachers I had but for the most part, they were very disinterested. I couldn’t justify taking loans out for another year and paying for another year if I don’t care. It was getting to the point where I didn’t care about missing my class and the worst part was, I didn’t feel any remorse about it for not trying. I can totally relate. I switched my major from marketing to communications because of that. Marketing is an awesome skill but its not something that can easily be taught in a university setting because it’s so much more creative than they give it credit for.
INNER STATE 81
INNER STATE 81
INNER STATE 81
Tell us about how it feels to perform live Love it, it’s more rewarding than anything in the world. I started off DJ’ing in high school. I would make people host things just so I can DJ and play music in the corner. The first day at college when I was 18, I was walking around campus with my DJ mixer in my hand and my laptop in my other hand and was just walking around looking for upperclassmen asking “are you throwing a party tonight?” “Do you need a DJ? I’ll do it for free!” and then I found a place to do it and I was DJ’ing my first full night of college. At the end of the night everyone was like “this is the best thing we’ve ever done, the music was amazing!” The second semester my business fraternity and I threw a party called “WelsFest” and we transformed the front porch into a stage and the houses next door in on it too. It ended with the cops coming and getting shut down. I love event curation and providing entertainment. What’s your sign? Hyundai Sonata (Fall 2016, slightly used). Who are you currently listening to? I’m listening to Lil Acey, Myri@d, Yung Watcho, rosegoldltd, Artii Jack, Ahjee Parker. These are all my friends, I like listening to a lot of our stuff and it’s so much more satisfying listening to unreleased music.
INNER STATE 81
WORDS
Christopher Walsh
DREAMER BOY
Zach Taylor, also known by his moniker, Dreamer Boy, resurrects emotions from a repressed summer love in the most simplistic and elegant way possible. Earlier this year, the Nashville based artist released his debut album Love, Nostalgia, which is a personal in-depth journey through an adolescent love story, that can be dubbed as a love letter to the season of summer. It’s a concise ten-track soundscape that captures the feeling of the last chapter of adolescence, the perfect soundtrack for a highschool senior’s last summer before transitioning into the next chapter of young adulthood. The standout track, “Orange Girl,” comes with shimmering 80s synths, accompanied by Taylor’s vocals on a harmonious, auto-tuned filter that doesn’t reveal any sense of him being a newcomer within his self-proclaimed genre of “Cowboy Pop.” We had the pleasure to send over a camera to Dreamer Boy to capture how he channels his cowboy pop persona through a vulnerable photo diary.
DREAMER DREAMER DREAMERBOY BOY BOY DREAMER BOY
DREAMER BOY
DREAMER BOY
DREAMER BOY
DREAMER BOY
SOFT GLAS
Joao Gonzalez, known for his artist moniker Soft Glas, is the man who is behind the airy, lush, and peculiar sound that’s demonstrated on his care-free sophomore album, Orange Earth. Throughout this project, the Coral Springs native channels that niche feeling of coming home; almost like an audible warm security blanket. Being the son of three-time Grammy Award-winning Cuban jazz-pianist, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, has inspired the young multi-talented artist to pursue drumming and piano. Gonzalez creates music in a way that feels therapeutic, jumping through genres like jazz, soul, and electronic so freely. His sound mimics scattered thoughts and ideas in a cohesive manner and feels completely serene. The multi-instrumentalist captures the feeling of home on his latest dream-like single, “Just Bright, describing it as a nostalgic love letter to his childhood. The lyricism within this track demonstrates the feeling of trying to capture a significant sense of warmth that’s been long forgotten. Through our disposable series, we get to take a glance into Soft Glas and his world through his eyes and delve deeper into his sophomore album, Orange Earth, and his upcoming goals.
WORDS: Christopher Walsh PHOTOS: Jillian Gomez
SOFT GLAS
Do you mind introducing yourself? Hi! My name is Joao. My artist moniker is Soft Glas. When did you start making music? I was in bands when I was a kid (I played drums) and was in the marching band in high school, but I didn’t start my “solo” career until 2013.
SOFT GLAS
SOFT GLAS
Your projects are very detailed with a specific focus on instrumentals. How many instruments do you play? I play drums, and lately have been playing the guitar more. I can work my way around a piano and a bass guitar. And I can play random percussion instruments (marimba/vibraphone). I can’t say I’m very good at any one instrument. I think of the instruments as production tools - a way to get my ideas out independently from relying on others. But to say I’m an instrumentalist triggers my imposter syndrome. Let’s talk about your latest single “Just Bright.” It brings on this intense feeling of nostalgia and warmth. What does this track mean to you? It’s funny that the reaction to it has been so consistent in describing it as “warm.” I wrote it when I was back in freezing New York City after spending the holidays in warm Florida. And a lot of the instrumentation was recorded in even COLDER Boston (with Adam Straus). Maybe we were chasing the warmth! But the song is about missing the time that I was living with my parents. I missed the feeling of “home.” It’s been two years since your sophomore album Orange Earth . Do you mind delving into the creative process behind it? Along with the short film that accompanied it “The Undiminished Sky”? That was the first project that I tried singing on. It’s very strange to listen back to it because I can hear how insecure I was (I drowned myself out with reverb and effects). It holds a special place in my heart because that’s how most people came to find my music. I was trying to make an album that served as an ode to my home town (Coral Springs). The Undiminished Sky is the visual partner to the album - it showcases my old hight school and the parks I hung out at and the roads I’d drive through when I was younger.
SOFT GLAS
SOFT GLAS
What’s your favorite track that’ve you made so far? I have so much music that’s yet to be released, and I feel like my best work is my most recent. So, my favorite track isn’t out yet haha. My favorite released song might be Basil or Wilma, because they feel closest to my current writing style. Sky in the Lake, Noon, and Just Bright are my favorite productions. Who are you currently listening to? I’m listening to Alex Szotak (he just released a gorgeous song called “Closer to Me”). I’m also listening to Mulherin, Cehryl, Dijon, Zack Villere, Nilufer Yanya, Daniela Andrade, Jay Som, Joy Again, Mid Air Thief, Raveena, Pinback, The Shins, The Strokes, Stevie Wonder, Solange, Jessica Pratt, Death Cab, Badly Drawn Boy and I’m always listening to Debussy and Ravel. What are your upcoming goals for 2020? I want to tour! A lot! I want to release all of this new music and play it for people. I want to share a stage with my friends and connect with others in person. I love the creative direction of these photos! Who took these pictures? Thank you! My girlfriend Jillian Gomez took them. She takes a lot of my photos, and she’s without a doubt my favorite photographer. I noticed from watching your music videos, you direct them all. Is that something you will always do? I love the visual medium. Yeah, I either direct or co-direct all of my videos. Aaron Vazquez is often my visual partner and will co-direct most videos. I can’t imagine not being heavily involved in my visuals going forward.
SOFT GLAS
BIROCRATIC
BIROCRATIC
BIROCRATIC
BIROCRATIC
BIROCRATIC
BIROCRATIC
ANTHONY MOLINA WORDS: Christopher Walsh South Florida native, Anthony Molina, also known as @saadboiant on Instagram, has caught our eye with his ever-evolving and versatile photography. Ranging from portraits to concert, Molina effortlessly proves that he can do it all when it comes to photography. And as a true master of his craft, he seamlessly transitions between shooting digital and film. Capturing candid moments on stage of some of the greats like ASAP Rocky, Rico Nasty, and Playboi Carti, the young creative makes his wide range style smoothly blend into each other with vibrant colors, warm hues, and a touch of muted tones. We briefly spoke with the photographer about his preferred shooting style, venturing into the world of concert photography, and helpful tips for those who want to follow a similar path.
ANTHONY MOLINA
Do you mind introducing yourself? My name is Anthony Molina and I’m a photographer based out of West Palm Beach Florida. What made you interested in Photography? I’ve always been interested in the arts and always had an eye for photography. I remember taking pictures on my first ever phone, a gray Motorola. I didn’t take it seriously at the time of course, it was just something to pass time same as drawing or watching cartoons. Fast forward to high school, my friends noticed that I was good and asked me to take pictures of them on my iPhone and sooner or later it kinda just became a thing where I’d take pictures of all my friends. I ended up taking a photography class by chance later on in my junior year and became curious and by the time senior year came around I had fallen in love with it.
ANTHONY MOLINA
What’s your favorite method to shoot (i.e film vs digital)? I started on digital but eventually fiddled with film as well and I’m obsessed with both. With digital, you know what you’re going to get and it’s pretty straightforward but film has all these elements and factors that dictate the final outcome and to me that’s exciting. How did you get into concert photography? I started off with portraiture and nature shots and felt as if I needed a challenge or something to really test me and my shooting abilities. Coincidentally my best friend G.Wakai does music and he would have shows at local venues. I’d tag along and just take photos of him at first, then I started getting requests by other artists looking to have their sets photographed as well. I then later met MicroDJ and Nicolaflare who were doing some underground parties where people and artists would show out and have a great time. It became a routine to shoot these guys and I loved it.
ANTHONY MOLINA
ANTHONY MOLINA
ANTHONY MOLINA
What gravitated you to shoot concert photography? There’s an energy that you can’t find shooting something else. Everyone around you is happy and although it may seem chaotic to some people, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. It’s all good vibes. What are your goals for 2020? I want to have my first solo gallery and eventually have my first book out as well. Any tips for photographers out there who want to shoot festivals/concerts? My advice to any photographer is to just keep shooting. Go out there and shoot whatever. If there’s a local show going on, go out and shoot it if you can, even if you don’t like the music. The more you shoot the more possibilities for you to meet people who can either offer you opportunities or offer you some help or knowledge.
ANTHONY MOLINA
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KATZU KATZU KATZU KATZU
OSO OSO OSO OSO
Paul Hernandez, also known as his artist moniker, Katzù Oso, is the self-taught rising bedroom pop artist that romanticizes falling in love during the digital age. Implementing a beautiful arrange of 80s inspired synths, Katzù Oso is the soundtrack to your modern-day Tinder escapades. On his latest EP, “Pastel” the young talent jumps through various sounds and landscapes to redefine the phrase “on cloud 9.” With dreamy vocals and influences of Los Angeles, “Pastel” is an eight-song soundscape that tells the story of a five-year relationship coming to an end. Katzù combines Spanish romanticism with lush 80s synths making to enhance the theme of new beginnings throughout the project. We had the chance to speak with the artist about what goes into his signature lush sound, his experience being on the road, and upcoming goals for 2020.
Words: Christopher Walsh
Do you mind introducing yourself? Who is Katzù Oso? Hi guys! My name is Paul (aka Katzú Oso), and I’m just some boy from East LA who writes silly love songs out of the comfort of my home haha. When did you begin to start making music? I began writing my own music when I was 15 years old. I believe the first song that I wrote was called “Dance With Me” (lol), but it wasn’t until about three years ago that I began learning how to produce and write music for the project that I now have called “Katzù Oso.” Where do you draw inspiration for your sound? Having grown up listening to pop music, whether it was in Spanish or in English, has definitely inspired my sound. Also, when I was in high school, I got really into 80’s music and contemporary indie music (like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Rapture, The Cribs, Say Hi To Your Mom, etc). Now I take inspiration from current contemporary artists, especially people that I personally know who make music. That’s the most inspiring to me.
“These photos were taken when we went to support our friends “DUDERELLA,” who had their EP release show at the Moroccan Lounge in LA. It was a very fun night! I believe the first photo was of “Pussy Tuesday,” and the second photo was of “Royalties.”
KATZÙ OSO
You’ve been on tour and performing at festivals across the country! How has that experience been like? Also, which crowd do you feel more comfortable to perform in front of? Touring around the country and performing at festivals has been an experience for sure! It’s a lot fun especially because I get to tour with all of my friends, so it’s always just one big party haha. I love playing festivals because the sound is bigger, but small intimate shows are my favorite because I get to really interact with the audience, dance with the crowd, and meet everyone after. When it comes to your Pastel EP, the sound feels super 80s synth-pop inspired. What was the creative process behind it? I love the 80’s lol! I began writing the Pastel EP in February of 2017 when I taught myself how to produce on Ableton. I wasn’t writing with the intention of releasing an EP — it was more just for practice and to get the hang of Ableton. I was working at a mall 40 hours per week so the only time that I could work on music was late at night (usually 10pm to 3am). During my commute and moments when things were slow at work, I would play my instrumentals and come up with melodies. Gil (who plays keys in Katzu Oso) and I worked on the Pastel EP out of both of our bedrooms. I would produce it in my room, and then take it to his room for mixing/mastering and vocal sessions. He lives up the street from me so we’d always be back and forth haha.
KATZÙ OSO
KATZÙ OSO
“This is a photo of the infamous El Rey Theatre in Downtown LA! We went as a band to go see Crumb and Divino Niño. It was an amazing show! It’s always been a dream of mine to play here, and I’m hoping that dream comes true in this upcoming year!”
KATZÙ OSO
KATZÙ OSO
Your latest release “Like U” sounds a bit mature from the bouncy and airy feeling that’s presented on Pastel. Do you feel that your sound has evolved from the Pastel era? The song “Like U” is actually by “Lucys” — they just had me featured on a verse! The new EP that I’m working on is definitely a more mature sound than my previous release, and I can’t wait for people to hear it. Who are you currently listening to? Mmm let me open up my Spotify real quick haha. These are a few artists that I’ve been listening to: Daniel, Me Estas Matando, Junior Mesa, Sebastian Roca, Los Walters, Juto, and Bakar.
Do you mind introducing the people in these photos! To introduce the people in these photos, the first pic is of my band and the guy all the way on the left with half of his face cut off (lol) is David (our bassist), to his right is Gil (who plays keys), then Rudy (guitar), and Val (aka Yungatita, who also plays keys). The second picture is of Rudy and our friend Zumi who makes mickey mouse ears on Insta that you guys should definitely check out (@thelittlezumi)!
KATZÙ OSO
