LOCAL WOLVES // ISSUE 63 - CHRISTIAN KURIA

hC r i stianKuria

I’VE GROWN UP surrounded by music– especially watching MTV’s TRL with my fave artists and bands performing in New York (I always wanted to be a part of the audience taping– if you know, you know it was the primetime show. I remember waking up extra early on the weekdays to watch VH1 Jumpstart, which was basically nonstop music videos and it was pretty epic. As time went on, I went to a lot of concerts– ranging from small venues, iconic arenas to recently, stadiums! It’s that feeling of when you come across a really cool song, then you search their latest work, and go on a social media deep dive to see if they are going on tour because I’m that person. I can’t gatekeep everything especially when it comes to discovering new music. Christian Kuria, a producer, songwriter, and recording artist ticked all of the boxes when it came to our On The Rise cover story. From his dream-like tracks to diving into the world of fashion, Kuria is a standout individual in the creative industry. This issue continues to showcase other incredible artists and bands from Postcard Boy, Katherine Li to Valley, just to name a few– a jam packed music issue dedicated to our original roots as a magazine. Music is beyond universal and provides a healing source to others, a welcoming space to sing out loud, dance it out or simply vibe to your go-to playlist on your afternoon walk. This On The Rise issue is dedicated to those music lovers who love discovering new music wherever they go– this is for you!

Cathrine Khom

I remember waking up extra early on the weekdays to watch VH1 Jumpstart, which was basically nonstop music videos and it was pretty epic.

ISSUE 63 — CHRISTIAN KURIA

JULY/AUGUST 2023

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Cathrine Khom

COPY EDITOR

Sophia Khom

CREATIVE COORDINATOR

Gemma Cross

DESIGNERS

Lisa Lok, Yoolim Moon, Ridwana Rahman

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORS:

Jessica Spiers and Tatiana Diaz de Leon

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Alexis Marion, Ang Cruz, Arielle Nikita Lai, Avery Nowicki, Mara Go, Mun Am, Sami Harris, Uma Snow, Yoko Zhu

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Dillon Matthew, Esther Kim, Gemma Cross, Harvest Keeney, Irina Nikiri, Kellie Chen, Mariana Moreira, Sam Green, Victoria Alexis

MANY THANKS

Arianna Paine, Christian French, Christian Kuria Chukwu, Dasha Gazizova, Devon Cole, Hannah Sacca, Hazel Rain, Jade Skye Hammer, Katherine Li, Kellie Chen, Leith Ross, Leslie Ahuatzi, Liberty Mendez, Marcellus Fuselier, Max Durante, Nica Tan, Postcard Boy, Ricky Montgomery, Scott

Southall, Stacy Kim, Sophia Card, Sophia Khom, spill tab, Vacations, Valley

FEATURING

Christian Kuria

THEME

On the Rise

COVER PHOTO

Esther Kim

COVER DESIGN

Lisa Lok

LOGO

Lisa Lok, Fiona Yeung

CONTACT

General: info@localwolves.com

Press: press@localwolves.com

Advertising: advertising@localwolves.com

Get Involved: community@localwolves.com

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ON THE COVER CHRISTIAN KURIA

CONTINUED ON PG 60

FEATURING Christian Kuria

COVER STORY Ang Cruz

PHOTOGRAPHY Esther Kim

ONSITE ASSISTANT Jessica Spiers

CREATIVE DIRECION Esther Kim

PHOTO ASSISTANT Andrea Kim, Gabe Rechsler, Sharmeen Chaudhary

HAIR & MAKEUP Nanase

STYLING Gabe Bass

WITH GRATITUDE Armie, The Oriel Company

ON THE RISE

PLAYLIST CURATED BY SOPHIA KHOM

m e s s a g e . . . (With. RuRu, RaRa)

PARKMOONCHI

Back N Forth Yeek

Like Crazy Jimin

time goes on (feat. george) hiko

Wings

So!YoON!, Phum Viphurit

Sunbathe

Tainy, Miguel

Go Away

Omar Apollo

Sunset Eyes

Sabrina Claudio

bend&break

Danny Schiller

Sometimes (feat.GSoul)

SOMDEF

Bora Bora

WORDS

& PHOTOGRAPHY

BY STACY KIM

Tropical islands are infamous for tourists who want to enjoy a relaxing vacation surrounded by nature under the warm sun. Bora Bora in French Polynesia exceeds expectations with the floating bungalows, emerald ocean, and overall island experience. As someone who has also traveled to the Bahamas, Hawaii, and Cancún, I can confirm that the colors of the waters in Bora Bora are mesmerizing. The waters are a darker blue near the shore, and the gradients of green appear closer to the lagoons. Booking a snorkeling tour in the lagoons allows the unique opportunity to swim with the sharks, stingrays, and observe ocean life up close. For people looking to take in the view of the overall island and nature, the best way is to book a safari 4x4 (4WD) island tour which takes you to all the viewpoints in the mountains. Make time to enjoy the amazing fresh seafood, fruits, and French cuisine. Add visiting Matira Beach and trying the local pineapples and mini bananas to the itinerary.

WOLFIE SUBMISSIONS ON THE RISE

For Local Wolves’ 63rd issue, we’re bringing back our anticipated theme of ON THE RISE featuring emerging talents and up-and-coming artists that should be on your radar. This issue is focused on mostly music, which is where our magazine originated from– the pure joy of music from going to concerts, pop-up or cupsleeve events, signings or album release parties. Music is all about community especially through a loyal fanbase, by engaging in conversations with fellow fans. What do you think of the current progression of music discovery and the importance of being a part of a fandom? Describe your feelings or thoughts of being a part of a fandom.

— SOPHIA CARD / SANTA CLARITA, CA

Inspired by friends, self-expression, and authenticity, Juliet Ivy is breaking boundaries for young artists who want to fuse their unique sound with documenting their everyday experiences in a world ever-so saturated with love songs and algorithms.

Juliet has always known that music was where she’s destined to be and has now cultivated a sound that is undeniably hers. Blending indie vibes with a touch of hyperpop and a sprinkle of existentialism, her music delivers raw messages in a playful and fun package.

Being an NYC native and Gen-Z cool girl, she knows a thing or two about navigating young adulthood in a creative field. When talking about the city, Juliet nods to the fact that the city is something she is forever infatuated with. As she goes about her daily life, riding the subway and eavesdropping on conversations, she observes human interactions and internalizes

them. It’s those in-between moments that fuel her inspiration, and she wants her music to capture the essence of everyday life rather than romance and relationships.

“I want people to feel comforted and understood by things we don’t talk about enough,” Juliet reveals when asked about the emotional impact she aims for with her music. She hopes her generation will take time amidst the chaos to connect with their thoughts and embrace the beauty of fleeting moments. It’s within these pockets of time and writing that Juliet believes the purest form of self-discovery takes place. They say the pen is the channel through which intuition speaks, and for Juliet, that rings true.

Drawing inspiration from bedroom pop queens like Beabadoobee and PinkPantheress, Juliet also finds creative fuel in the passions and creativity of her friends. They share a special bond as they all attended music school together, reveling in

the unique opportunity to witness and absorb each other’s thought processes and artistic approaches.

Beyond music, Juliet dreams of working with Petra Collins and has a love for fashion. For her, clothing is an art form and a canvas on which she can showcase her truest self rather than an alter ego. If she was able to raid anyone’s closets it would be icons like Rosalía and @Linmick and she absolutely cannot leave her house without her wired headphones (“they’re soo iconic!”).

In her recent single, “Breakfast Song,” she admits to being a mind-changing whirlwind who doesn’t have it figured out, because who does? This track marks a pivotal moment for Juliet’s discovery of her distinct sound—a vibrant blend of upbeat melodies and personality. Funnily enough, the title and song’s meaning playfully diverge from one another, for she has an aversion to breakfast food and opts for pasta in the morning instead. This detail perfectly aligns with the song’s essence—an ode to the idea that not everything in life has to make sense.

Juliet’s second single, “Lug” off her highly anticipated EP is her most vulnerable song to date. “It was the first song I wrote in 2023 after a period of avoiding a lot of responsibilities in my life”, and the song is about exactly that – refraining from growing up in an attempt to stay a kid forever. Fittingly, she wrote the song in her childhood bedroom and kept the original demo vocals that she recorded on her bed as a nostalgic nod to her youth.

“Lug” is the first of many intimate pieces and Juliet is eager to let everyone into that part of her, for her highlyanticipated EP is on its way—and it’s poised to defy expectations. She hints at an artistic evolution that will leave listeners pleasantly surprised and hungry for more.

— HANNAH SACCA / SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Photos: Hannah Sacca

Words: Valerie Vandeveld

Artist: Juliet Ivy

The loyalty of a fan is the strongest of any relationship out there. Friendships, romantic relationships, or familial relationships may fizzle out, but a true fan remains loyal until the end. The first concert I attended was Head In the Clouds in 2021 and it changed my life. I was not only experiencing an adrenaline rush from seeing my favorite artists, but I was surrounded by people who were also

genuinely enjoying the experience. I made multiple friendships that lasted years and have led to a healthier social life. This set of three photos depicts my experience at another concert. Specifically, Kang Daniel’s concert in Houston, TX. I wanted to capture that sense of adrenaline I once felt on the faces of fans. Thus, while I was terrified to take photos of strangers, I mustered up the courage to come out of my comfort zone.

The people depicted here are complete strangers, yet their emotions voke a sense of warmth and pure joy. These are the faces of true fans awaiting the electrifying performance of their favorite singer Kang Daniel. The performance was indeed thrilling, and our hearts were racing at 100mph. Our emotions were synchronized as well as our fan chants. This is the face of a welcoming community.

— KELLIE CHEN / LOS ANGELES, CA MODEL AND ARTIST: BEN ELLIS

— FRIENDS IN FANDOMS / LESLIE AHUATZI, CLAREMONT, CA

K-Pop has some of the most unique designs for their albums. Recently, the concept and visual design of the girl group XG has motivated me to imitate their style. As a fan of their music, I always look forward to their new concepts and the design of their newest albums. Their album shooting star inspired me to recreate a 90s/2000s shoot with my friend. K-Pop albums inspired me to become a designer, and I know many other fans also geek out when it comes to the artwork and photoshoots of their favorite singers.

— SOPHIA CARD / SANTA CLARITA, CA

— LESLIE AHUATZI / CLAREMONT, CA

Caveau

The world’s outside but I’m down here Eyes locked on the singer like they know me Maybe they do and maybe I’m home

Far from others but close to some Soaking in the light that breaks through the cracks Hearing the laughter that tickles my cheeks

My palm tingles like it knows that your sweet song is my fate forever locked in the stars

You burn too bright i’m being consumed but the truth is my heart breaks for you too

The world’s outside but I’m down here reaching my hands to find God in your voice I’m not alone, am I? No, I am untold

— ARIANNA PAINE / BATON ROUGE, LA

— KELLIE CHEN / MODEL AND ARTIST: BEN ELLIS

iberty

endez

WORDS BY YOKO ZHU

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLIE CHEN

Pastry-making, which conjures up images of flour, butter, and eggs transforming into decadent croissants, is an edible art form. For some, pastry-making is Herculean. It’s reserved for the very skilled, the very precise, and the very accomplished.

LIBERTY MENDEZ ’s cookbook, I’ll Bake, aims to be beginner friendly. Liberty, a classically trained chef, who was a recipe developer and content creator for BBC Good Food Team and pastry chef at the House of Commons, developed eighty-five recipes for I’ll Bake. The glossy, bright cookbook – which will be available in the United States January 2th, 2024 – includes instructions on making desserts, such as Paloma marmalades to coconut and jam pudding, seeking to satiate your sweet tooth for any occasion.

TELL ME HOW YOU DEVELOPED THE RECIPES FOR I’LL BAKE.

The testing and developing process was rigorous! I’d make a recipe list of things I wanted to create, write it out and then test it twice. It would then go to a selection of recipe testers from the general public to chef friends to test a few more times in their ovens as I wanted it to work in every kitchen no matter how bad your oven is. I’ve lived in a plethora of flat shares with questionable ovens and my aim was to create a book that you could trust and work with what equipment you had.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WRITING PROCESS AND HOW THIS COOKBOOK CAME TOGETHER.

Many people don’t realize the time it takes to write a cookbook, it’s been 3 years in the making, it’s like I’m anxiously awaiting my literary child that is about to be born. In the start of the process, I pitched a completely different book, that was ultimately a novel to the brilliant agent Silé who then said ‘why don’t you do a fabulous baking book instead?’ which resonated with both me and my audience more. We then pitched it to different publishing houses before choosing Pavilion as their ethos really spoke to me. It was then a case of spending many months writing, testing and shooting it with a talented team. My dedicated chief cake eating neighbours were on top form during the months I spent testing. They’d come and collect cakes at all hours of the day!

WHAT IGNITED YOUR PASSION AND LOVE FOR COOKING AND PASTRY-MAKING?

My family and I joke about this all the time because I truly have no idea why I went to train to be a chef at 16 in London. Growing up my grandmother Judi decorated the most beautiful cakes, my grandad Henry was a photographer and I watched A LOT of Masterchef so I think all that combined made me take a path into food

and food styling subconsciously. I believe that no matter what career I did, all that I wanted to do was make people happy and entertained through my vocation and making food does just that! Or I was going to go into theater… or had a weird desire to work for NASA at one point, I don’t think they lend to being merged into one career, unfortunately.

HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A FREELANCE FOOD WRITER INFLUENCED YOUR RECIPES AND THIS UPCOMING COOKBOOK?

After 4 years at BBC Good Food, I went freelance to work on my own projects. It stemmed from the desire to travel more and to get inspiration from seeing the world. We live in a bubble of social media content which can make it difficult to come up with organic innovative ideas. For me, travel is the ultimate way of sparking new recipe ideas, flavor combinations and learning tips and tricks from the locals about their cuisines. My grandfather was from Vienna and I was lucky to travel there while writing I’ll Bake to get inspiration. The recipes his mother passed down were hugely inspiring, there’s a dreamy light fluffy pancake with rum-soaked raisins in the book called “kaiserschmarrn” which is based on her recipe for it.

IS THERE A RECIPE THAT YOU’RE MOST EXCITED FOR PEOPLE TO FOLLOW?

Without a doubt the “Flapjack Brownie Tart” recipe is the one I’m most proud of as I’ve never seen anyone create it before. The beauty has a toasty caramel like flapjack crust filled with a gooey chocolate studded brownie and topped with flaky sea salt – the joy on my friends faces when I bring them a slice says it all.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO COMPILE A SPOTIFY SOUNDTRACK, AND WHAT MOOD DID YOU HOPE TO EVOKE THROUGH THE MUSIC?

Food and music are my two loves in life. There are few things that can evoke such a feeling of nostalgia and joy like they can. There’s many reasons why people bake and how they’re feeling at the time, so I wanted to create chapters and playlists which go together harmoniously to create a full atmosphere while you’re taking the time to cook. The confetti and cocktails playlist are one of my favorites as it’s perfect to put on when you’re having a dinner party (especially if you’re nervous people will judge your music taste).

WHICH RECIPES DO YOU RECOMMEND MOST FOR BEGINNERS?

There are so many recipes in this book for beginners, I like to imagine that you’ll grow with using the book as each chapter gets progressively more advanced as you go along but everything is still very achievable no matter what equipment or skills you have as they’re all written in 5 steps. The “Biscuit Mosaic Cake” is the ideal cake for beginners. All you have to do is whisk all the ingredients together to make the sponge as its oil based so it keeps moist for longer, and the biscuit design on the outside means that even if you struggle icing, it’s still stunning. It also travels well as I can attest to countless bus journeys carrying it and it still looks as stunning as ever when it gets to the venue.

IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW DOES COOKING CREATE CAMARADERIE AND/OR COMMUNITY?

Cooking, especially baking, brings people together and ultimately helps spread joy. There is never not an occasion to bake something for someone I believe. It’s the feeling someone has when they receive something delicious that’s been baked especially for them, the time, effort and care that was taken in creating it is such an act of love and compassion. The baking community has brought such light and I’ve learnt countless tips and tricks from my fellow bakers, everyone wants to help!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO WANT TO BECOME BETTER BAKERS?

One thing most of my head chefs taught me was to take your time with baking — it’s better and takes less time to do something slowly but right the first time then have to do it twice. Recipes have been written with specific quantities and instructions, so they work perfectly so substitute ingredients at your own risk (don’t come crying if it didn’t work but you substitute sugar for jam). And finally, JUST HAVE FUN! If it doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time, no one is judging you and they’ll be happy you tried. At the end of the day, it’s just flour and sugar — and we’re on a spinning rock in the middle of the universe.

WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR AUDIENCE TO TAKE AWAY FROM I’LL BAKE ?

I hope that people find the joy in saying ‘I’ll Bake!’ and to be the person that brings the cake as there’s always an occasion to bake. No matter how much experience they have or the equipment in their kitchen they’ll be able to find delicious achievable but beautiful recipes.

WRITTEN BY ARIELLA NIKITA LAI PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM GREEN

From new singles to a freshly announced tour – CHRISTIAN FRENCH is ready to take his fans on a journey of self discovery. After tackling heartache and the aftermath of a breakup in his singles “karma,” “lonely,” and “thank god,” Christian pens a track that further explores his vulnerabilities and insecurities. His latest track “Bring U Down” is penned to be one of the most vulnerable songs he’s released and tackles the feeling of not wanting to bring peo -

ple down during his darker moments, all while backing it with a catchy tune that’s certain to be a bop.

Our team at Local Wolves managed to catch Christian a day before he was set to fly back to Los Angeles to discuss his latest single, his songwriting process, and of course– his upcoming The Space Between tour that will take him to cities all over North America this fall.

Hi Christian, thank you so much for sitting in with us at Local Wolves. How are you? And welcome back from your tour! I know that it was late last year, but still… How are you after everything?

I’m good. So that last tour I went on was really huge, I never knew how much I needed that tour until I went on it and it’s kinda tough these days as an artist. Sometimes as an artist the only validation you feel is from Instagram comments and Spotify streams. Sometimes it gets a little fleeting and it feels really weird and so going on tour, seeing people’s faces and seeing them sing the music was the most connected I’ve felt and it really just reminded me why I do this and y’know, why it’s important to get through some of the rough patches so it was really really helpful for my mental health to keep me going but then after tour–I’ve never had a tour when I didn’t feel

some kind of tour come down. You’re in this world where you’re playing shows every night and it’s perfectly scheduled and it’s in this perfect flow of things and things just feel really good and then off tour you kinda have to figure out how to be human again and I’ve talked to other artists and everyone kinda feels the same way but it’s kind of a lingering feeling for a couple of weeks or a month after tour, but I’ve recovered since then but it always takes me a second.

You’ve announced The Space Between tour so no need to be so hush hush when I ask… how are you feeling? Do you have any particular songs you’re excited to play live during the tour?

I’m feeling all the emotions, looking through the tour list and seeing all the rooms we’re playing and it’s insane, the rooms are giant and there’s rooms I’ve dreamed about play -

ing at for a very long time so I’m really really excited but I’m also really really anxious to sell all the tickets and make it all happen and I’ve never been on a tour this big and so with that there’s a lot of planning and a lot of making sure things go right. And when I get back to LA, we start working, we’re gonna start setting everything up and making sure the entire show is just exactly the way I want it by the time it comes. I’m just ready to make this show different from every other show I had and I’m really excited to get it done.

I was so excited when I saw that you’re hitting the east coast and Canada on the tour list and I really hope I’ll be able to see you when you play in Toronto. Besides the upcoming tour, how has your year been so far? It’s been really good sometimes and kind of a struggle at other times. Kinda going with

this “Space Between” idea which has been the identity of what I’ve felt the past couple of years have been. I’ve been writing all this music and really just trying to find my identity, trying to find what it is I’ve been wanting to release and it’s been a really difficult road to get here and I have attachment to some songs because of the world that fits it. For the most part, everything’s on the up and up. I’m so excited to be going on this tour, so excited to put a project out, there’s a lot of things to look forward to. It’s been a lot of work to get these songs to the finish line and get them promoted the way they need to be promoted. It takes a lot of mental energy so I need some time to reset, go on a weekend somewhere, and then I feel like I’m back to normal. So yeah, it’s been a little bit everywhere but really recently seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and it’s feeling like it’s all coming together.

This year you’ve released tracks like “lonely,” “thank God,” and “karma” which really paints portraits of what it’s like being in a toxic relationship. They all feel incredibly connected and I was wondering about the songwriting process and journey behind all three songs?

They all kinda came about at a similar time, kinda at the end of my relationship. Thank God it came in a bit later when I had a different perspective. I was just in a place when I had been in such a long relationship, we never really fought and nothing had really gone wrong, but for the first time all these things were happening and I really had to sit there and think about it and that’s why I had so much to write about that relationship. “karma” is kind of like the tailend of the relationship, “lonely” is about the first few weeks after that relationship and you don’t know how to be by yourself and having to be independent and not having anyone to lean on is a really uncomfortable feeling–kinda makes you wanna rush back in sometimes, but then it goes hand-in-hand with “thank God” which really makes you grateful for not rushing back in because it helped me realize how good this was for me and how much I needed this. It’s really capturing this whole lifecycle of a relationship.

How would you describe your identity as an artist and how do you stay true to yourself and your sound? Especially in this TikTok era where music and artists seem to focus more towards getting viral audios and videos. I was an artist before TikTok and I’ve always

been a music-first type of person. I’ve always nerded out about making music the best it can be and that’s something that’s never gonna go away. Y’know the TikTok stuff where you write songs for TikTok, sometimes that works but I’m still looking at the bigger picture. I’m looking at music where people can latch onto and have them be on the ride. Promoting is now a crazy thing because it used to be the record label or some company is doing the marketing behind the song but now it’s like the artist is now the promoter so now artists have to shamelessly post our music and that was one of the things I had to let go attachments of. At the end of the day you have to realize that there’s an app where there’s millions and millions of people who could hear your music every day. After a while you find your rhythm (when posting on TikTok) and what feels natural. It’s always important to stand up for what feels right and let it carry me wherever the wind blows.

for is: just standing behind the music. I’m not going to put out a song I don’t believe in. I have to sit and think whether I wanna play this song for the next five or ten years live– it’s really something to think about and so I’ve held really strong with making sure everything I put out feels good to me and feels good to the team. Walking the line with the TikTok thing, there’s been a lot of holding my own and making sure that things don’t feel cheesy. The bottomline is always the music, I’m always going to stand up for my music and trust my own intuition over the opinions of everybody else.

“bring u down” really shines a light on the need to protect everyone around you from your own bad thoughts but it eventually can turn into a self-sabotaging cycle-–something that I can sadly relate to all too well— and I want to congratulate you on being so brave to write a song that’s just such a deep self reflection on a raw topic. What pushed you into writing this song?

You mentioned that you had attachments you had to let go of— what are they? And what will you hold onto and will continue to hold onto throughout your entire career as an artist?

Going back to being an artist before TikTok, it’s really hard– it used to be maybe “post a 5 second clip of a song” and get people excited but when the song comes out it’s a brand new thing, nobody has heard any of it, and now it’s switched to teasing a song maybe 50 times before you put it out and been it’s a huge attachment I had to let go of with being precious about my music and shamelessly overpromoting myself, it’s just a really tough thing for me to do. I’ve never spent so long writing a project and being so precise– there’s a lot of songs that I personally love a lot but sometimes they don’t feel like they’re necessarily going to “commercially do the best” and so there’s a lot of letting go of attachments there, kind of understanding that a song can’t live on a project at least right now, maybe in the future. But I think one thing I will always stand

Was there a specific lightbulb moment that made you decide to have the courage to talk about it?

It was more like a collection of emotions. There have been (a lot of) months in the past 3 years where I really struggled. The music’s just hard sometimes and that’s just what it is. When your parents or friends come up to you and ask— do you want to be honest that you’re having a tough time and saying that for the seventh day in a row or just saying “I’m good.” I’m just realizing that when I was being asked how I was doing, everyday something was going on with me and after a while it got to the point where I’m just going to start saying that ‘I’m fine’ and I felt like a broken record thinking about the same stuff and although I knew my family and my girlfriend are there for me, at some point you feel like repeating the same thing and they’re always sort of giving you the same advice. It feels like you’re a burden instead of someone who you genuinely want to be with after a while. I was getting to the point where I was feeling like such a burden to the people I’m close to the point where I’m feeling like I’m not express -

ing the way– I don’t know, I just think that’s kind of interesting. That’s the main idea behind the song.

Honestly it sounds like 2023’s just set up for your success. Where do you see yourself by the end of the year?

I want to sell the sh*t out of tour. I wanna sell it all out. That’s the number one goal. I’ve been writing a lot for myself but I’ve also been writing and producing for a lot of artists as well so that’s been a really cool side thing to not feel all the pressure of writing for myself all the time. It’s another creative outlet that I find really really fun and I have a couple of songs with other artists out this year and hopefully by the end of the year I can really establish that on the side as well. I just want to be consistently touring by the end of this year. I wanna be playing all the music festivals next summer and I just really want this EP to be heard as well because it’s so special and I spent so much time working on it and I’ll have a project out by the end of the year so I hope that all the dominoes fall in place. All I can do everyday is work my best to make that happen.

Finally, between you, me, and the readers, is there anything else we could expect from you or keep a look out for? Or do you have anything to say to everyone here in our Local Wolves community?

Hmm… I have worked really really hard these past couple of years writing all of this music and pivoting directions so many times and making so many mistakes. It’s been really hard on myself to keep going but one of the big lessons I learned is that: that’s just the rhythm of life. You just have to roll with whatever life’s giving you and there’s gonna be a moment if you’ve found something you’re passionate about and life will really test you and makes you sit and question if this is something you really wanna do and sometimes the answer is “no” and that’s okay, but I was presented this question in these past couple of years and just of all the weight that this has brought and I’m all in. I’m so all in. This is all I can picture myself doing and I hope it reflects in all the work I’ve put into this project and all the work I’ve put into will become this tour this fall. And I’ve been in the music industry for 5 years and it’s still just the beginning. It’s unlimited with what kind of music I can make and release and see where I am in a couple of years. And I just wanna say I appreciate you for being here.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOT SOUTHALL MODEL/STYLING/HAIR & MAKEUP — ANSLEY JEFFORDS

VACATIONS

WORDS BY AVERY NOWICKI PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIANA MOREIRA

As Australian indie band, VACATIONS prepare for an upcoming U.S. tour with Last Dinosaurs, they’ve been reflecting on the three years since their last musical release.

When asked about the matter, lead singer Campbell Burns said, “I feel like more has happened to us in the past three years than whatever came before. For me, it doesn’t feel like a hiatus at all, but it does make me realize how fast time goes.” According to his accounts, the band has grown tremendously both as people and as artists in these last three years. When asked about the break, “I struggled with writer's block for quite some time after Forever in Bloom. My way out was by being curious about how to convey similar emotions in our music but with new textures, soundscapes, and instruments. [...] Eventually it became more of a freeform experiment. It felt like I was painting or dancing; there was a flow where I wasn’t afraid of failing; I was simply happy just trying.” Burns has since moved to LA after six months of traveling with only a suitcase, and no fixed address. Since moving somewhere permanent, he’s enjoyed the simple tasks of daily life and has noticed a positive influence toward his music.

Burns then reflected on the band’s massive success, their 2016 song “Young” which effectively blew up within the realm of TikTok and Instagram Reels and has remained their most commercially successful song to date. When asked about their reaction to the success, they told us “I think at first, there was a mix of confusion and resentment from everyone because the success of tracks like “Young” coincided around the same time as the release of our sophomore album. There was so much attention being directed at a song that came out so long ago, versus an entire body of work that represented who we were in the moment.” This mass popularity came during the peak of Covid-19, “when the world left like it was coming to an end.” says Burns, sharing that they were overwhelmed in hindsight. “With so many external stressors we were just trying to process what was happening to us, individually, and as a band.” However, once the prospect of tour became a possibility, the band was able to see just how successful they had become. Burns says this is when everything changed for the band.

As the band prepares for their upcoming U.S. tour with Last Dinosaurs, another Australian indie band, they are reflecting on the most memorable shows they have played in North America. Highlighting venues like The Roxy Theatre and The Fonda Theatre in LA, the rowdiness of their El Paso show and getting to play the famous psychedelic art exhibit, Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. Burns also told us about what the band's merch process has been for this tour. They’ve been working exclusively with designer Connor Dewhurst, saying “there’s something extremely satisfying about working with one person and developing that relationship and design language over time.” Their most favorite design being the ‘map’ where stick-

ers are placed over each country and venue they’ve performed in. The design can be found on posters and tees on their website.

Finally, when asked what was next for the band, he told Local Wolves: “I’m happy just making music with my best friends and seeing the world together. I can’t achieve anything more fulfilling than that.” Telling fans to expect tons of new music, and shows in the near future, closing with– “Everything is happening. I am planning some surprises and left hooks as well, but you’ll have to wait and see.”

spill tab

WORDS BY ARIELLA NIKITA LAI

PHOTOGRAPHY BY VICTORIA ALEXIS

In the ever-evolving landscape of the music industry, where genres blend and artists reinvent themselves, emerging talents possess the power to captivate audiences with their unique voices and compelling stories. Among these rising stars, spill tab , an enigmatic singer-songwriter, has been making waves with her introspective lyrics, haunting melodies, and fearless vulnerability. With a distinct sound that defies categorization, spill tab has garnered attention for her authentic approach to music-making, providing a refreshing departure from mainstream conventions.

HI spill tab ! THANKS FOR CONNECTING WITH US AT LOCAL WOLVES. HOW ARE YOU? HOW’S 2023 BEEN TREATING YOU?

I’m currently sipping on some lemon honey tea and enjoying my Monday evening, so I’m pretty good right now. 2023’s been eventful so far – touring and festivals and finishing up this third EP.

HOW WAS TOURING WITH SABRINA CARPENTER?

The Sabrina tour was a ton of fun, we got to hit cities I’ve never been to before and eat a lot of good food, and watch Sabrina kill it on stage every night.

HOW EXCITED ARE YOU FOR YOUR THIRD EP? DO YOU HAVE A SONG THAT YOU’RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED FOR EVERYONE TO LISTEN TO?

We’ve been finishing up the new one “fetish” for a while and can’t wait for it to finally be out in the world and not just getting dusty in the hellfires of Dropbox.

WHAT WAS THE SONGWRITING PROCESS LIKE FOR YOUR LATEST EP? AND WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR MOST OF THE SONGS OF THE EP COME FROM?

A lot of it has to come from the general happenings of life, even if ideas get embellished or dramatized, I find I write a lot of my favorite songs from a very real feeling first. It makes pulling imagery easier, and then making up shit on top of those first few ideas is more fun too.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE “WINDOW,” IT’S SUCH A FUNKY BOP WITH CHILL VIBES THAT I CAN DEFINITELY IMAGINE MYSELF VIBING WITH MY FRIENDS AT A PARTY OR JUST A CHILL SESSION. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE SONG?

I’m super proud of that one. My collaborators Austin and Wyatt put together a starter vibe and some initial chords and I sort of riffed some melodies and lyric ideas off of that, then I went and solidified what I like and kept writing from there. I wanted the journey of the production to match the contents of the lyrics, which talks a lot about embodying the most toxic versions of yourself in a relationship, and reminiscing on an idealized memory of the beginning when everything was good.

I LOVE HOW DISTINCTIVE YOUR SOUND AND TONES ARE, THEY’RE VERY LO-FI AND BORDERLINE DREAMY. HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR OWN SIGNATURE SOUND AND HOW DO YOU STICK TO THAT PARTICULAR DISTINCTIVENESS AS YOU CONTINUE TO GROW AND EVOLVE AS AN ARTIST? IS THERE A GENRE YOU’RE INTERESTED IN DELVING INTO IN THE FUTURE?

That is definitely flattering because I don’t actually put a lot of specific intention into cohesiveness across my music, mostly because I get distracted too easily and just love changing things all the

time and adding and subtracting. But I’m definitely consistently drawn to certain textures so I think (more hope) that that organically creates a space where all the choices I make in the music can happily live together in. I also like to do most of the vocal production, so I think that creates a thread that pulls everything together. In terms of delving into new genres in the future, most definitely… sounds fun.

YOUR LYRICS ARE SOMETIMES A BILINGUAL MIX OF ENGLISH AND FRENCH AS A WAY TO HONOR YOUR IDENTITY AND UPBRINGING– SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF AAPI CREATORS AND ARTISTS TAP INTO WHEN CREATING THEIR OWN CRAFT. WAS THERE A PARTICULAR MOMENT THAT MADE YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WANTED TO INCORPORATE THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF YOUR UPBRINGING THROUGH BILINGUAL SONGS?

It was always a thought running in the background of my brain and when I finally started doing it it felt absolutely rad as hell so I decided I would carry forth those vibes.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR THIS YEAR AND WHAT SHOULD YOUR FANS BE ANTICIPATING FROM YOU THIS YEAR?

Festivals and more music definitely and if I’m feeling crazy maybe I learn how to fuck around on aerial silks and that could be sick as hell.

AND FINALLY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO OUR COMMUNITY HERE AT LOCAL WOLVES?

I've been roamin' around, always lookin' down at all I see, painted faces fill the places I can't reach

You know that I could use somebody, You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you and all you know and how you speak, countless lovers under cover of the street

You know that I could use somebody, You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you….

I find I write a lot of my favorite songs from a very real feeling first.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE LYRIC FROM ALL OF YOUR SONGS? ‘I'd bend barriers and virtue to feel how I used to’

WHAT FOOD CAN YOU EAT EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? Sushi

WHAT ALBUM DO YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD LISTEN TO? 19 MASTERS by Saya Gray

WHAT TV SHOW HAVE YOU BEEN BINGING LATELY? Just finished all of Atlanta

WHICH ARTIST DO YOU THINK IS SEVERELY UNDERRATED? OK Lou

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO CAFE OR BAR ORDER? Oatmilk steamer with honey and cinnamon

WHAT LANGUAGE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD SPEAK? Korean (learning rn very slowly)

WHAT SONG IS A MUST SING WHEN YOU’RE OUT KARAOKING? My Humps by Black Eyed Peas

WHAT’S YOUR SIGNATURE PERFUME/SCENT? De Los Santo by Byredo

WHAT DOES YOUR PERFECT DAY LOOK LIKE?

Wake up in soft ass sheets, walk to a lil cafe and eat a breakfast crepe with ham, eggs, cheese, hit WiSpa for a bit, go to the beach, take a nap there, play some pickleball, get some sushi, then get some dessert, get a massage (the type that rips your body to shreds), get my nails done, cook an amazing meal with friends, watch a solid movie.

Postcard Boy

WORDS BY AVERY NOWICKI PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEMMA CROSS

Experimental pop artist POSTCARD BOY is turning a new leaf in his music career, taking time to discuss his upcoming single, “I still look for your house from the freeway.” A song meant to look back on his childhood both sonically and within its subject matter. To pull listeners into a song that exhibits a glow of warmth through his music. Postcard Boy’s creator Garrett sings about spotting his childhood home from the freeway and all of the complicated feelings that come from it.

With the musician’s involvement with the LA Times, Ones To Watch, Lyrical Lemonade, and many more, Garrett’s career is on a drastic rise. His work can be divided under two alias’, Postcard Boy and carwash. When asked about the difference, Garrett told Local Wolves, “Postcard Boy is my high school sweetheart that is more indie electronic popish stuff. ‘carwash’ was originally a side project I made for the more alternative rock sound I was trying to make in college. It ended up gaining some traction. So now I have two main projects? I’m just making music.” Garrett has been interested in music since he was young, originally learning the ukulele and guitar in fourth grade, and sticking with it ever since. Aside from music, he also has a small background in film, mainly recording surf videos back in high school in an effort to aid his music production. The combination of music and surf/skate videos helped him find his personal taste, saying, “skate videos have some of the best music, and I’ve found a lot of my favorite songs from watching the credits.” While none of his new releases follow the surf or skate culture influence, it remains a prominent interest in his life. He closed the subject by saying “I’ve wanted to be in a band for quite a while, and I think if that ever happens I’d be closer to that sound. The way skate videos are filmed and edited is probably some of the most inspiring, more than the music, although the music is so core to the editing. There’s a style and feeling you get from some of them that is so unique. They’re like zines in video form. I’d love for my music to eventually eclipse that same idea.” He’s since been directing his own videos and is interested in branching out toward directing and conceptualizing ideas for other

friends and artists. He told us, “Whether that be directing music videos for someone else, doing narrative or documentary stuff, or just helping out on sets, I'm very open to it all.” Garrett has also been hoping to lean more into photography and making shorter videos again. Although he reports having no desire for any full length feature projects of his own.

In preparation for his latest album, he’s been listening intently to artists like The Japanese House, Frou Frou, Toro y Moi. Aside from musical inspirations, he also relies heavily on his friends. The majority of his projects are homemade meaning his collaboration with his friends is integral to the creative process. When asked about them, he told us “Who’s involved has slightly changed throughout the years as friends move to other cities, but I keep my crews small. And I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by extremely talented and nice people who are always willing to help. [...] It’s been super fun over the months of making these most recent videos, having to find new friends to involve and invite to make these ideas happen.” One of his most recent video releases showed him running in a ginormous white kite. This piece was inspired by “The Kite Dress” and “Liquid Wind,” both by artist Cocky Eek. When asked about his interest in Eek, he shared “There isn’t a whole lot of information on her, but I believe she lives in the Netherlands and she calls herself a “spatial artist.” I really love all her work. I could see myself branching out into trying to make art like that entirely outside of music down the road.”

Lastly, we closed our interview by discussing what might be next for Garrett in all of his projects. He shared that as the album roll out for Postcard Boy closes, he is also anticipating an exhibition show in Los Angeles for the release of the album. “It’s gonna have a bounce house there, the kite envelope, some bigger prints of photos from the album, and I’ll perform the whole thing from top to bottom.” After the release, he plans to drive across the country for his move to New York: “I don’t have any major plans for when I get there, but I’m moving in with my two best friends and I couldn’t be more excited.” And in terms of music, he shared that while he’ll continue working throughout this major life change. However, the future of music is up in the air, closing by saying “I have no idea, I’m just letting it happen.”

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UNBELIEVABLY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JADE SKYE HAMMER STYLING & MODEL — EMILY WHETSTONE

JACKET, SHIRT, PANTS, AND SCARF: Keith Kelly

JEWELRY: David Yurman & Vitaly

SHOES: Dr. Martens

IS FRONT AND CENTER IN EVERYTHING HE DOES

Multi-hyphenate artist,

CHRISTIAN KURIA considers himself an “ideas guy.” Whether that’s developing a track for his latest release or a t-shirt design for his fashion brand Toroka, Christian works with teams to bring to life his concepts. However, amidst all these endeavors, at the center of every project is him and his innate, intuitive love of and connection to music.

Despite delving into multiple art forms, Christian considers himself a musician first. It’s all attributed to upbringing, where a relationship to music was always constant. His family are all musically inclined– his younger brother having been involved in an African children’s choir and his father often playing Kenyan music around the house.

But it was his family’s involvement with church ministry that Christian attributes to developing his passion for music. Christian mentions listening to a lot of “harmoniously rich and dense music,” which included gospel singers such as Kurt Franklin and Donnie McClurkin. How -

ever, what really inspired him was the musicality of his mother and grandmother.

“My mom sang all the time. I remember driving home from school, and she’d teach me how to sing with vibrato and how to harmonize,” Christian mentions, reminiscing about his family’s influence on his decision to pursue a career in music. “It was really easy for me to have the realization that music was something I wanted to do in a serious way. I really give my family a lot of credit for that. I give my mom a lot of credit. I give my grandma a lot of credit. They really opened up this doorway of musical interest for me, and I really wouldn’t be here without them.”

While Christian’s ties to music remained with the church for the majority of his childhood, it wasn’t until high school that he decided to branch out. After being convinced to pick up the bass by his childhood friends looking to start a band, that opportunity became a stepping

T-SHIRT: Alenkie

JACKET, PANTS & BAG : Tombogo

SHOES: Dr. Martens

RING : Vitaly

stone for him to take on the guitar – which he considers his main musical language despite also knowing how to play the keyboard, drums, and clarinet.

From that point onward, Christian’s music career began. In 2019, he released his first project Yearlong , which led to his touring debut with acclaimed singer Cautious Clay. By 2020, Christian had completed his first album Borderline, and by 2022 released his latest project, Suspension of Disbelief

The road wasn’t always easy though. Suspension of Disbelief, Christian’s most vulnerable album yet, was written right before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which Christian describes as a “really challenging time collectively. There are a lot of times I didn’t think I’d be able to finish it [Suspension of Disbelief ] – especially as my second project. It was the first time I felt like I had a standard to live up to.”

Despite the obstacles the pandemic threw at him, he notes, this moment gave Christian the opportunity to return to the same experimental method he used in Yearlong , of releasing singles, seeing what worked, and get-

ting rid of what didn’t. “In a lot of ways, it forced me to be the most introspective I’ve ever been and forced me to physically be with and by myself. There are a lot of songs that didn’t make the project. Songs were coming out a year before the full project came out. By doing that I was able to tactically forge the identity project. I feel like ultimately the songs on this project are my best work yet and I think it being written in such a challenging time makes this project really special.”

This meticulous attention to detail cultivated the current sound of Suspension of Disbelief, which is not only raw lyrically, but a perfect combination of Christian’s skillful and intentional producing and inspiration from his musical influences. When asked about some albums new fans should listen to to get to know him, Christian listed, “Continuum by John Mayer. To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. Currents by Tame Impala. Malibu by Anderson Paak.” Along with that list, Christian also cites Absolutely by Dijon, as having a lot of influence on Suspension of Disbelief’s sound.

Once released, the album received acclaim and garnered the interest of many major names in the music industry,

The way people describe my music is sort of this silky smooth dream-like world. I think there’ll always be an aspect of that in my music.

including the K-Pop community. “It was a really exciting day when it happened.” Christian says, discussing the day V from BTS shared his song “Deep Green.”

“It was just an outpouring of love for the single. It was just very gratifying and I was really grateful. Any time someone shares the music I feel gratitude.”

Eventually, Christian was able to embark on his first international headline tour and connect with his fans face to face, an experience he describes as his favorite part of touring. “My process is quite isolated. Sometimes you can forget there are human beings consuming and appreciating the art you’re making. I never thought I’d get to the point of seeing human beings on the other side of the world for me and singing songs I wrote and relating to experiences I talk about. It’s the most beautiful communal experience.”

Along with thriving in his musical career, this success has opened the door for new opportunities. Working as the co-creative director, Christian alongside a few creative partners has developed a fashion brand called Toroka, the name of the place his father was born and raised in Kenya and the title of a track that nods to his Kenyan roots. “I’ve always loved fashion and clothes since I was a little kid. It’s still early, but I’m excited about where it’s

going to lead just because fashion is such a huge outlet for me. It’s cool to look at merchandise through the lens of someone who likes to style certain pieces as part of the value and connection to a musical project or artist.”

Despite being in its early stages, Toroka has held popups in both San Francisco and Korea, another highlight for Christian while he was on tour. Although separate from the brand, Christian even secured a collaboration with Urban Outfitters who held a pop-up and sold vinyls of Christian’s album Borderline in-store.

“It was the first time seeing my album up in a store and that was a really cool experience. It was really the beginning of something under Toroka, and its own exclusive thing.”

With so much under his belt, Christian’s journey is just getting started. When asked what his fans could expect next from him, he revealed he’d already started to write the first songs for his next project. “On this project, I’m really keen on pushing myself vocally. The way people describe my music is sort of this silky smooth dream-like world. I think there’ll always be an aspect of that in my music.” He began, “So a lot more vocal experimentation and style experimentation. I’m excited to go down this rabbit hole and I’m excited to see what happens next.”

RICKY MONTGOMERY

A rising star of alternative-pop based in Los Angeles, RICKY MONTGOMERY walked his path to success on the music charts in 2020 thanks to TikTok. Garnering millions of views, Montgomery's captivating melodies and introspective lyrics struck a chord with listeners around the world, propelling him from internet fame into a record deal with Warner Records. Montgomery now has over six million monthly listeners on Spotify and songs from his 2016 album, Montgomery Ricky, have topped charts in multiple countries. Montgomery’s latest work explores the complexities and mess that come with life’s beauty. I spoke to Ricky about his newest additions to his discography, his dreams, new and old and his unique journey to musical success.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE STORIES BEHIND YOUR NEWEST SINGLES “ERASER” AND “DON'T SAY THAT”?

I think the reason we wanted to put these two songs out first was because they're both kind of palate cleansers…we've been doing an extended release of the first album ever since we had our TikTok moment many moons ago. So we wanted to have two songs that felt fairly different. It's been clearing-the-aesthetic…you know, just setting new things up. I'm recording a lot of the parts of songs myself now, like in Eraser's case, a lot of the vocals I recorded at my house, then we were just overdubbing what I already did at my house in the studio.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM GREEN

WITHOUT REVEALING TOO MUCH, WHAT CAN YOU TELL FANS ABOUT THE NEW MUSIC YOU’RE WORKING ON?

I think these are some of my best songs I've ever written [and] I'm trying lots of new stuff. Some of the saddest, maybe also happiest and most exciting songs are on there [that] I have created with my humble little brain and much more talented team.

TAKING A STEP BACK FROM YOUR NEW MUSIC, DO YOU STILL IDENTIFY WITH YOUR OLD MUSIC AND STILL SEE YOURSELF IN THAT?

Well, I definitely am obviously older and even when I put Montgomery Ricky out, most of the songs were old to me. They're not anything that I would write now. If you had asked me four years ago what I thought about it, as far as my identification with the songs, I would be much more like, “Oh, that's not that's not me now.” But I think I'm actually past the point of rejecting it now and I'm on the other side of that where I’m happy with them. I feel like I've come full circle and gone through many phases of life. Anytime you make something and time passes, you grow to kind of hate it, at least for a little while. I'm happy to say I'm no longer in that negative period. I'm much more thankful that [the songs] worked out and people liked them.

DID YOU EXPECT YOURSELF TO STILL BE MAKING MUSIC AT THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE? DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD RELEASE THIS MUCH MUSIC?

I thought I would release a lot more. A lot of that was because of money and stuff, so I'm not too sour about it. But yeah, I did think I'd be putting music out. I don't know that I thought I'd be putting it out on a major label, which is exciting. I didn't think it was going to be my end-all career move, so I think that would be a surprise. But I'm definitely a musician for life, whether I want to be or not.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'D BE DOING RIGHT NOW IF IT WASN'T FOR YOUR MUSIC CAREER?

I would probably be working in creative marketing. I probably would have tried to sell a creative marketing agency to a label or to a larger company, and try to work in house with them to make more exciting stuff on social media. I think there's still a complete desert out there. I think there's a crisis of imagination that I often wish I could spend more time thinking about. I just think the internet could be a lot more fun than it is.

HOW DO YOU FEEL SOCIAL MEDIA, LIKE TIKTOK FOR EXAMPLE, HAS IMPACTED THE MUSIC BUSINESS AND MAYBE EVEN YOUR SUCCESS IN MUSIC?

I'm lucky enough that I kind of saw the tea leaves with this kind of stuff a long time ago. I mean, you couldn't have predicted the way that TikTok has a complete near ownership over the music industry. But I think it honestly put me in a position where I had an edge over a lot of other artists, especially during lockdown. [It’s] not a coincidence I got signed during that year.

WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND YOUR NEW TRACK, “BLACK FINS"?

“Black Fins” is a song I’ve wanted to make for most of my life. It started out as a poem I wrote on the 10 year anniversary of my dad’s death in 2009, when I was 15. He died while snorkeling alone in Mexico – the black fins referring to the ones on his feet. We thought it was an accident until I found his suicide letters in his old office.

As a young kid, music was my only healthy outlet. Songs about deadbeat dads and abusive households made me feel more normal. Like I wasn’t so alone. But nobody had the same story I did. With this song, it is my hope that I can carry forth that tradition of helping other people feel seen. If even one kid out there feels some kind of kinship from this song, that’s a good enough reason to put it out there into the world.

DO YOU SEE YOURSELF WANTING TO COLLABORATE MORE WITH OTHER ARTISTS IN THE FUTURE? IF SO, IS THERE ANYONE SPECIFIC YOU HAVE IN MIND?

Yeah, definitely. Some of them are in the works so I don't want to talk about them. I definitely want to do more. Honestly, I really want to do something with Adam Melchor… [and] I've been talking to my friend Foggie Raw who’s a rapper, but that isn't taking shape yet.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO BREAK INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

I mean, normally it would be to get on TikTok. Take it seriously and have a high failure tolerance. Honestly, I think this stuff is ever changing and is going to continue being ever changing. So get used to an industry that changes every single day and be adaptable. If I've learned anything over the last 10 years being a content creator, it’s that literally every platform is temporary, including YouTube, Google, TikTok, all of them. Just be ready for them all to fail tomorrow. Also, really only do it if you love it because it's so hard and it will destroy you, and you better love it if you're gonna do it. There we go.

KATHERINE LI

Last fall, singer-songwriter KATHERINE LI released her debut EP Crush(ed). Perfect for anyone stuck with an aching heart, finding themselves falling in love from afar, the EP tackled, well, what it feels like to be absolutely crushed by a crush. One song in particular was a monumental success; “Never Had a Chance” was used in nearly 1.5 million TikTok videos and currently sits at just over 25 million streams on Spotify. With Crush(ed), Li has steadily built herself a following of hopeless romantics.

Now, Li is fresh off her first tour as an opening act for Hayley Kiyoko, and has released two more singles. Maintaining her signature theme of yearning, “If I Weren’t Me” and “I Just Wanna Know” additionally capture the insecurity of self-image and uncertainty of ambiguous relationships. As she gears up for this new chapter of artistry, Li took a moment to chat with Local Wolves about her music, writing, and more.

HELLO, LOVELY TO VIRTUALLY KIND-OF MEET YOU! I’VE REALLY ENJOYED YOUR MUSIC OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS— CRUSH(ED) IS AN INCREDIBLE DEBUT EP. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE HAD SUCH AN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE RECEPTION TO YOUR MUSIC?

HI! Thank you so much! The messages that I’ve gotten about the songs on Crush(ed) have all been so sweet, and it makes me so happy that people have been able to relate and find comfort in these songs. All of these songs mean so much to me and it means the world that I can share them with anyone who’s been going through similar situations.

YOU JUST RECENTLY SUPPORTED HAYLEY KIYOKO ON HER TOUR! WHAT WAS IT LIKE PERFORMING TO LARGE CROWDS, SEEING PEOPLE SING ALONG TO YOUR WORDS, YOUR SONGS?

It was surreal. Sometimes I’d catch someone in the crowd singing along and it made my heart so happy. Most times I even did

WORDS BY UMA SNOW PHOTGRAPHY BY HARVEST KEENEY

a double-take, haha. I’d think to myself, “there’s no way that they know the words I wrote.” Opening for Hayley was such an honour and every night was a dream!

WHAT MADE YOU TAKE THE LEAP OF FAITH TO PURSUE MUSIC PROFESSIONALLY?

I’ve always wanted to be a singer my whole life, but it wasn’t until my senior year of high school, trying to figure out post-graduation plans, that I realized I had to do something about it if I wanted to try to make my dreams a reality. So I started posting snippets of my original songs online, and things started happening! Now, I’m balancing music and school, as I’m still a fulltime university student. Being able to pursue my dream and my studies is something I feel so lucky to be able to do.

OTHER THAN YOUR OWN FEELINGS AND EXPERIENCES, WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION WHILE MAKING MUSIC, WRITING LYRICS?

I am a rom-com lover. Movies, books, TV shows, I love it all. Anytime inspiration is running low, I just put on the latest cheesy rom-com and the ideas start flowing in! They give me the love and relationship content that my own life is missing, haha. So if I ever write a proper love song, it’s PROBABLY inspired by a romcom…because I am #Lonely.

HAVE YOU EVER GONE THROUGH A WRITER’S BLOCK OR CREATIVE SLUMP? HOW DID YOU WORK TO OVERCOME THAT?

I haven’t experienced too many writer’s block moments, but when it happens to me, I take a break for a few days and revisit it again later. And if that doesn’t work, I force myself to write SOMETHING, even if it’s horrible. Once all the “so-so” writing is out of me, I return to my normal writing habits and all is well!

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECENT RELEASES! “IF WEREN’T ME” IS SO BEAUTIFUL, AND MADE ME SO SAD! YOU REALLY TRULY CAPTURED THE MESS OF FEELINGS THAT IS UNREQUITED LOVE, JEALOUSY, AND INSECURITY. WHAT IS THE PROCESS LIKE FOR YOU, GETTING THESE EMOTIONS INTO WORDS AND MELODIES?

When I write my songs, I usually start by writing a few sentences that are basically me word-barfing and ranting. Then I sit at the piano and start singing everything I wrote down, and it somehow turns into a song. I’ve written lots of songs to date, but I honestly still don’t really know how it happens, haha, but what I DO know is that I love the process of turning feelings into songs. Such a magical thing.

OTHER THAN THE PRIDE AND SATISFACTION OF HAVING MADE SOMETHING WONDERFUL, WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE MAKING MUSIC DOES FOR YOU? FOR EXAMPLE, DO YOU FEEL ANY EMOTIONAL CATHARSIS, ETC.?

Making music will always be my favourite thing to do. Once my words are written down, it helps me relieve the stress about the thing that was on my mind. Pretty much my therapy. Seeing the lyrics written out in front of me also sometimes helps me discover things about myself. For example, my first song “We Didn’t Even Date,” made me realize how delusional I am when it comes to crushes, haha. Making music is basically what keeps me sane!!

“I JUST WANNA KNOW” IS SAD IN A DIFFERENT WAY, ANGRIER, MORE DESPERATE. WHEREAS A LOT OF YOUR OTHER MUSIC FEELS MORE AKIN TO PINING FROM AFAR, THIS ONE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, WHERE YOU’RE ALREADY HALFWAY INTO SOMETHING WITH SOMEONE, AND FRUSTRATED. DID YOU INTENTIONALLY SET TO GO IN THIS DIRECTION, WRITING ABOUT MORE SOLID RELATIONSHIPS, OR DID IT JUST HAPPEN NATURALLY FOR THIS SPECIFIC SONG? WHAT BROUGHT THIS SONG TO FRUITION?

With this new era of songs, I want to explore new topics and worlds. “I Just Wanna Know” continues the story that the rest of my songs started, and I think that writing about a more solid rela -

Seeing the lyrics written out in front of me also sometimes helps me discover things about myself.

tionship fits so perfectly into the world that my first EP set up. I think “I Just Wanna Know” has a great balance of introducing the concept of situationships, while still keeping the “pining for someone” aspect that feels familiar from my previous songs. It couldn’t have worked out more perfectly!

THE MUSIC VIDEO IS REALLY FUN! WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE OF FILMING THAT LIKE?

That day on set was so fun, and the location we were at was so beautiful. Filming the music video for “I Just Wanna Know” helped me live my mini-actress dream. I pulled out all the acting cards I had (which isn’t much, haha), but I had a blast performing the song on video. It was so cool seeing how the cameras are all set up, how the lighting works, and also seeing it all reflected in the final product. I love making music videos, it helps so much with building the world for a song.

DID YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR CHALLENGES WRITING “IF I WEREN’T ME” AND “I JUST WANNA KNOW”?

The very first lines I wrote for “If I Weren’t Me” were probably the hardest, because I hadn’t really written anything that touched on insecurities before. If I’m being honest, I initially wasn’t planning on posting the little snippet of the chorus on TikTok because it felt a little TOO close to home, but I’m so glad I did, because seeing people connect to the song means so so much. Writing “I Just Wanna Know” was a lot more smooth sailing. DCF, Herag Sanbalian, and I were in the studio to work on that song that day, and the words just started to flow!

WHAT DO YOU WANT THE PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC TO BE LEFT WITH, TAKE AWAY FROM IT?

I want listeners to remember that they’re not the only person who might feel like they’ll be alone forever, or that love isn’t ever working out. It’s been so comforting to know that people can connect with my songs and that there’s a community forming, full of fellow hopeless romantics. If our crushes don’t love us back, then WE’LL JUST LOVE EACH OTHER INSTEAD! EASY!

L E I T H R O S S

WORDS BY MARA GO

PHOTOGRAPHY BY VICTORIA ALEXIS

It is often believed that music articulates unspoken feelings in a way that spoken or written languages cannot — LEITH ROSS’ To Learn proves exactly that. Inside twelve tracks, the artist showcased gut-punching lyrical honesty that offers an intimate and comforting experience. “My inspiration was my life I suppose,” they reflected about the true meaning behind the album. “A series of tough situations and things I learned over the course of years.”

To Learn perfectly exhibits the fact that there is so much power in one's truth. However, the artist admitted that tailoring vulnerability into lyricism is not easy. “Writing the album was sometimes hard because of how heavy some of the subject matter is," they confessed. "Just going through the motions of being alive and figuring things out about myself and this world.”

ON THEIR TAKE ON MUSIC

“I don’t even know if it would be possible for me to pinpoint one exact moment, I think it was over the course of a childhood filled with music and joy and storytelling,” Leith reminisced the first time they fell in love with music. “My parents loved music, and it was constantly surrounding me and teaching me how to interact with the world. I’ve loved it the same as long as I can remember.”

It’s no secret that they have mastered a different form of storytelling that feels authentic and personal. As we continued the conversation, Leith reflected on how they perceived themselves as a songwriter. “I’m not sure how I would describe myself from an outsider's perspective of like – the style of songwriting – but I can say that I try to be honest, and I try to take the philosopher’s approach,” they shared. “The understanding that I won’t ever have any answers to share, but can experience a lot of joy and catharsis by just exploring the questions. The Great Questions. If that makes sense.”

ON THEIR VISION AS AN ARTIST

Ross got candid on that exact moment that made them pursue music. “I’m not entirely sure that I really did ever actively decide that I wanted to be an artist. It was a

dream for sure, but there was never a moment where I said to myself — this is it, I’m doing it now,” they revealed. “It happened in a not-quite-so-understandable kind of way.”

But as years passed, the artist has grown into one rising talent that became a voice of the generation. And as for the greatest lesson they’ve learned as a creative? “I’ve learned about setting boundaries and about what I need, about where I fit into this business and this world, about who to trust and who to work with, about friends and tours and shows and people, I’ve learned more than I can describe I think. I suppose that’s what your early 20’s are for,” they unveiled.

ON THEIR LATEST ALBUM

To Learn basks in a world of hidden thoughts and unspoken feelings — a form of intimate confessional between the artist and their listener. “I hope they remember bits of their lives and bits of themselves when they think about the music,” Ross mentioned. “I hope it’s an avenue to themselves more than it is to me, and that when they think of me, they think of a peer experiencing this world with them.”

The album features their strong lyricism, enchanting vocals, and moving instrumentals. And while all twelve tracks are a standout of their own, Ross confessed that "Ask First" and "To Learn" felt the most personal to them. “They were both written in very tender moments when the world was either crashing down or blossoming around me in very overwhelming ways. I learned things I didn’t know about myself while I wrote them. They are super special to me.”

ON WHAT’S NEXT

“I think next I will make more records and release them hopefully and play them and meet new people and work with them,” Ross enthusiastically answered when asked about their future plans. “But I’m not sure exactly how all that will come about. I’m trying to let go of expectations and play it by queer.”

WRITING THE ALBUM WAS SOMETIMES HARD BECAUSE OF HOW HEAVY SOME OF THE SUBJECT MATTER IS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAX DURANTE

PHOTO ASSISTANT — LUCAS CARTER / SFX MAKEUP & CREATIVE DIRECTION — NICA TAN / HAIR — MIMI CHOI

— NANA KOFIE ASARE / WEARING PIECES — MARINE EERRIE / MODEL — SAVAGE MAVAGE

Dasha

Gazizova

WORDS BY MUN AM PHOTOGRAPHY BY IRINA NIKIRI

For DASHA GAZIZOVA , art has always been a constant companion in her life, even from her earliest days of childhood. It was no surprise when she pursued marketing at an art school.

However, upon completing university as a marketing major and delving into a career in that field, she was in search of something better. Seeking solace and inspiration, she turned to find comfort in music, immersing herself in its melodies and lyrics, which resulted in her first few experiences with getting visuals from listening to music. In this interview, we delve into her journey with animating music.

WHAT INSPIRED YOUR JOURNEY WITH VISUALIZING MUSIC?

My whole life basically, I was a marketing major so I went to pursue that after graduating from school but I realized soon after that it wasn’t for me. I was feeling a little down and undecided about what to do from there onwards so I turned to music for comfort, that’s when I started getting images in my head. I wanted to visualise it somehow so I started learning animation and here we are now.

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU STARTED THIS JOURNEY?

I specifically started making animations in 2021 and sharing it on Instagram to my close friends and some random people. I was just having fun sharing my work, I didn’t really think about views and interactions at that point of time but thankfully, more people started to like my work and my page gradually grew bigger.

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH EXPRESSING MUSIC CREATIVELY?

I was always drawing in my childhood, that’s what my mom told me too. I loved drawing so much as a kid that when I went to summer camps, I would draw everything. From posters to drawing on hands, I was basically that kid who would draw for everyone. Pottery on the other hand, I learned it as a minor back in art school. As compared to animations, pottery takes me out of my digital space. I'm always working on my iPad so I'm glad that it gives me a break from that.

I SEE THAT YOUR MAIN SOURCE OF INSPIRATION COMES FROM HARRY STYLES, HOW DID HE SOMEWHAT BECOME YOUR MUSE?

It’s mainly Harry Styles because of his lyrics and its meaning behind it. I get most of the visual inspiration from the songs he writes but I visualize songs by other artists too. I also had the opportunity to collaborate and animate for an artist based in the states, Jada Facer, on her song “1+1” but yeah, I’m mainly known for my Harry animations. I think “Kiwi” being my first animation and the positive emotional attachment I had with that experience snowballed into making more animations of his songs.

If you just start doing it,

something you love will eventually come out of it.

OUTSIDE OF THIS REALM OF CREATING ART, ARE THERE OTHER THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

I used to do yoga back in university since my mom was a yoga instructor. It was calming and that motivated me to be a yoga instructor myself too. I did 200 hours of training and worked as a yoga instructor in my university for 2 years. I put it on pause after I graduated but since moving to Thailand, I’ve gotten into it again. In fact, I’ve been teaching yoga these past few weeks. Aside from that, I paint as well. I mentioned that I took a minor in art back in college, painting was one of them. I used to make big paintings and since I moved, I had to leave it behind with a friend. I still reminisce about making big paintings but it’s impossible in my small apartment. I plan on going back to big paintings someday but for now, I’ll stick with the basic stuff.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER CREATIVE ENDEAVORS YOU’D LIKE TO JUMP INTO?

I actually want to go back to painting, it’s something I deeply enjoy and I find that it’s another good way for me to express my emotions creatively. I play the ukulele too. I'm still improving my skills but I recently learnt how to play a song, “Two Of Us” by Louis Tomlinson. It’s a woeful song but that’s the beauty of it.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CONSISTENTLY PUT OUT YOUR WORK?

Even though animating takes me hours, it doesn’t feel like work. That helps a lot. Illustration being a creative outlet for me to express myself definitely plays a part in why I'm consistently putting out work, if it didn't serve me that purpose, I would've found something else to express myself. People’s positive feedback also has motivated me to be consistent with my work. I read all of the comments people leave on my page, it’s heartwarming. When I see other works of art with motivational quotes on the internet, it moves my heart. I think ultimately, I want to be someone who also has a positive presence on the internet and can motivate those who need it.

CREATIVES ARE CONSTANTLY USING THEIR BRAINS FOR IDEAS AND SOMETIMES THEY PUSH THEMSELVES TOO HARD. WHAT HELPS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE A CREATIVE BLOCK AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME IT?

Sometimes once I finish my animations and post it online, it feels like I have nothing else to do but what helps me the most is to just repeat the cycle again. Open up a new page, pick a song and just animate away. I might not like the animations in the beginning but that’s part of the process. If you just start doing it, something you love will eventually come out of it but if you don’t, nothing happens and you’ll just be stuck in a rud. Taking a break helps, declutter your mind and then come back to it. Don’t have such high expectations too. It’s hard with the digital age being prominent in our lives but all that matters is that you like your art and the happiness that comes from it. You should give yourself the freedom to mess up and try again, that’s how you get better creatively.

WOULD YOU SAY ANIMATING MUSIC IS AN EMOTIONAL OUTLET FOR YOU?

Rather than animating, drawing and painting are a definite emotional outlet for me. Everyone has their own version of journaling, mine happens to be this. Sometimes I'll take a small piece of paper and just start scribbling on it. From the feelings of grief, sadness to happiness, it’s easier for me to express my emotions this way. As for animations, it gives me a chance to defocus on life and focus on animating instead. The process helps turn off my negative thoughts and I think that’s really important. In a way, it helps gather my scattered thoughts sometimes.

Devon Cole

WORDS BY ARIELLA NIKITA LAI PHOTOGRAPHY BY DILLON MATTHEW

IF YOU’RE STRESSED AND LOOKING FOR A GOOD BOP, TUNE INTO

1-800-GOT-STRESS

THE LATEST SINGLE BY MUST-WATCH ALT-POP ARTIST DEVON COLE. THE CALGARY-NATIVE ROSE TO MAINSTREAM FAME WHEN HER SPUNKY FEMINIST BOP “W.I.T.C.H.” GAINED MASSIVE TRACTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA. KNOWN FOR HER EARWORM POP WITH A FEMINIST EDGE (CBC’S WORDS, NOT MINE), DEVON MANAGES TO TACKLE DEEPER ISSUES LIKE ANXIETY AND LONELINESS WHILE STILL MAINTAINING HER SIGNATURE CATCHY POP SOUND THROUGH “1-800-GOT-STRESS.”

OUT ON ALL MUSIC STREAMING PLATFORMS NOW.

Hi Devon, it’s great being able to connect with you! Congratulations on the JUNO Award nomination! How are you? And how’s your 2023 been so far?

I’m great, thank you! 2023 has been good, it’s been a year of learnings and firsts.

How was touring with The Valley’s “Lost In Translation” tour? And did it spark inspiration for you to have your own solo tour anytime soon?

Oh my gosh… It was such an amazing experience. I’m so lucky that my first tour experience was with Valley, they are great role models to me. Truly the best of the best, and so kind. AND YES!

I’m so excited for a solo tour. I’ve been doing a lot more shows this year, and I think I’m getting more confident and comfortable every time. I can’t wait to strut my stuff at my own shows!

What are you most excited for this upcoming year?

I’m most excited about playing at Boots and Hearts in August!! It’ll be the biggest stage I’ve played on. It’s a country music festival, and I’m a major country music fan, so I can’t wait to soak it all up.

I heard “W.I.T.C.H.” for the first time through TikTok and I still have the chorus stuck in my head sometimes, it’s an absolute earworm of a song. What was the songwriting process behind it and what was your inspiration for channeling a retro sort of beat?

Aww, thank you so much! I found the beat on TikTok and fell in love with it. I’d been wanting to write a song called “W.I.T.C.H.” for a couple months and when I found the beat, it kind of fell into place. Songs don’t always fall into place the way it did but I think it was a gift from the universe.

Speaking about TikTok, there have been artists (such as Halsey) who have been open about the pressure to put out songs and have an image that would be favorable to the algorithm. How do you navigate that pressure and how do you stay true to yourself? I love this question so much. The industry is in a place now where artists have to make content, and I don’t see that changing. I’ve had challenges with it, especially when it comes to being consistent with content. I’ve learned some tricks that help, like doing it with friends, or doing a bunch of videos in one day and banking them. It’s a process and I’m still learning. I always try to be authentic in my videos – I wouldn’t post it if it wasn’t a reflection of me – but doing more of it is my current challenge. It does get easier!

Your message on feminism is something that’s clear in your music and I heavily admire. What does it mean for you to be a feminist while navigating the music industry that tends to lean a bit more patriarchal?

Thank you. I don’t think feminism is something I’m actively trying to peddle in my lyrics, I’m just trying to speak from my heart. I try to write things that I wanna hear, and I wanna hear things

I try to write things that I wanna hear, and I wanna hear things that are empowering and subversive and sexy, god dammit.

that are empowering and subversive and sexy, god dammit. I’m slowly finding my voice in more business-y settings, and getting more comfortable sharing my opinions when I disagree with something. I think that’s a form of resistance and a personal slay!

In March, you released “Call U After Rehab” which I think is such an honest and vulnerable piece. Did you find it difficult to write about or did it actually feel more therapeutic?

It actually felt super therapeutic, that’s a good way to put it. It felt like something I needed to write, it was itching to come out of me. It captures a time in my life where I was really needing to get some help, and this song was a turning point for me to source that help. It's scary to release such an intimate song, but I try to remind myself that if it's scary to release, then it will probably mean something to someone.

I also can’t wait for “1-800-GOT-STRESS” and I love how it talks about anxiety and loneliness. What pushed you to write a song about it? Was there a specific moment that inspired you or was it just more of a constant generalized feeling?

There was a specific moment!!! I was in the car with my manager and we saw a park bench that said “text stress to 1800 blah blah number.” He suggested 1-800-Got-Stress as a song title. I was in a creative drought at the time and that title immediately inspired something. It’s different for me to sing about anxiety and loneliness because my M.O. is to write campy pop songs. But it felt good to tap into the more serious parts of my heart.

Every artist evolves as their career grows and your progression has been nothing short of fantastic. How will your newly released or future songs differ from the ones you’ve put out? Is there any genre or sound you’d like to explore in the future?

Ok…That is the sweetest thing ever. Thank you. And this is my favourite question of this interview. I’ve been dancing around a few genres and finding myself along the way. Right now I’m exploring my country roots, and it’s been a long time coming. The next song that’s coming is one of my favourites, EVER, and I literally can’t wait!!! I can’t say what I’m going to sound like in 5 years, but in 5 years, I want someone to be able to say “that sounds like a Devon Cole song.” That would be a slay.

Finally, is there anything you want to share with our community here at Local Wolves?

Thank you so much for having me. To anyone reading this, you are loved and special and valuable. See you at a show sometime in the near future!

Good On Her: 10 Short Q&As with Devon Cole

WHO WOULD YOU LOVE TO COLLABORATE WITH? Tame Impala… Meghan Trainor… Miley Cyrus… Chris Stapleton

WHAT MOVIE OR TV SHOW DO YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH?

New Girl for laughs, Schitt’s Creek for laughs, Black Mirror for existential conversations

WHAT FOOD OR DRINK CAN YOU ENJOY EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

Ketchup chips and iced tea. And just so we’re on the same page, I mean sweet tea. Not literal iced tea… I want the sugary stuff injected into my veins!

WHAT SONG WAS YOUR MOST PLAYED TO IN YOUR 2022 SPOTIFY WRAPPED?

WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE HYPE SONG? Without Me, Eminem. Easy. 1 2 3 5

Chaise Longue by Wet Leg

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO TIM HORTONS ORDER?

A farmer’s wrap meal (for the hash brown) and a double double, duh!

6

10 7

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD?

THIS IS SO HARD! I have many favourite places… My student house in university. My mom’s house. Santa Monica beach. My bed.

WHAT CAN’T YOU LEAVE YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT? My keys! This literally isn’t a joke, I’ve left without them/lost them 3 times this year. But chapstick also.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ALBUM OF ALL TIME?

Come on Over by Shania Twain <3

WHAT DOES YOUR PERFECT DAY LOOK LIKE?

9 local wolves • 107

HARRIS

Toby Ekpunobi–under the stage name CHUKWU –is a Brooklyn-based hip-hop musician. Chukwu, who studied Jazz Trombone at the Manhattan School of Music, has had a love affair with music dating back to fifth grade. Inspired by a range of musicians (from jazz to rap), Chukwu’s artistry is the lovechild of multiple sub-genres. His songs include suave melodies layered with jazz instrumentals, upbeat lofi-tracks, and distinct drum loops. Chukwu’s rapping is smooth, and carefully controlled, while still managing to texture his music– evident in his latest record Rover

FIRST, LET’S START OFF AT THE BEGINNING– HOW DID MUSIC BECOME YOUR PASSION?

When I was in the 5th grade the middle school jazz band held a concert at my elementary school. I’d never considered picking up an instrument before that but something about that concert made me feel like I had to be a part of what they were doing. Soon after that I met with the band

WORDS BY SAMI

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ESTHER KIM

INTRODUCTION BY YOKO ZHU

director, took a “playing test”– which was really just a way to keep all the kids from all picking saxophone and drums– and was assigned trombone. But I really didn’t care, I just wanted to play. I always enjoyed it but I wouldn’t say it became my passion until years later when a mentor of mine gave me a stack of about 20 burnt CDs of different jazz trombone albums. Stuff from J.J. Johnson, Frank Rosolino, Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Cleveland. I didn’t know the instrument could sound like that. From then on I was hooked– didn’t think about much else until halfway through college when I started rapping and producing.

YOU RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW RECORD, ROVER. WHICH SINGLE FROM THE ALBUM DO YOU FEEL BEST ENCAPSULATES YOUR MUSICAL STYLE?

“Semtex.” It has all the things I like– dense samples, big drums, and washy synths. I like finding samples that have multiple melodies going on at the same time and trying to figure out how I can build on that without getting in the way. The beats are loopbased so I want to pack as much as I can into them. Give you enough to come back to the song and be like “oh I didn’t notice X, Y, and Z before.” I really like how all the elements played out on that one. Also, I like it as an example of my lyricism because I’m talking about the most mundane things like making beats, taking walks by the shore, but making them sound extraordinary. Or trying to at least.

WHAT WERE THE CREATIVE INFLUENCES AND INSPIRATIONS BEHIND YOUR MUSIC VIDEOS?

I honestly can’t say. They all just kinda start with goofy ideas I have throughout my day. Like “Altitude” was ‘what if I was a recluse with a studio in the middle of a forest?’

“Semtex” was ‘Oh, this song kinda sounds spacey, what if I was a head floating in outer space rapping into the void?’ And “Dream 7” was ‘Oh, the sample from this one is in French. What if a famous French film director was so inspired by my music that he cast me as the lead role in his film?’ I take these ideas to my friends and we just get as resourceful as we can and make them reality. Honestly, they inspire me most, I’m very

fortunate to have friends that let me run with these ideas and build them up with me.

HOW DID YOUR STUDIES AT THE MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC IMPACT YOUR GROWTH AS AN ARTIST?

I think the biggest thing it did was introduce me to friends and mentors that showed me all the different ways music can sound. In the dorms, my roommate Cole would be playing Tito Puente, then I’d go down the hall and my friend Max would be playing Kirby music, then a couple floors up Daryl would be recording indie rock on his Tascam. Then we’d all go to class and play jazz standards, haha. It was a trip because I went there to play jazz, but between their influence and the exposure to other genres within the city I realized I didn’t have to box myself in.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM YOUR UPCOMING SINGLE RELEASE?

It’s my new favorite, I just kinda hit you over the head with this crazy beat, rap quickly, and then go on my way. This song was the start of me taking a break from sampling and seeing what I could do with synthesizers and drums alone. I had just checked out a Moog from Synth Library NYC and in the process of learning it I stumbled on this weird sequence which drops about 10 seconds into the track. Usually I make a bunch of beats and then go back and listen to them before choosing which ones to write to, but by the time I put some drums on this one I could tell instantly that it was gonna stick. The feel of this one also inspired me to step out of my comfort zone lyrically. The cadence I caught on it definitely stands out against the rest of my discography.

YOUR MUSIC BORROWS FROM VARIOUS DIFFERENT GENRES AND STYLES, INCLUDING FILM SCORES, JAZZ MUSIC, AND EVEN FILM SCORES. WHICH ARTIST OR ARTISTS WOULD YOU SAY HAVE HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOUR MUSICAL STYLE?

That’s a tough question for me because beyond my musical style there’s a lot of artists that have changed my life and how I view music in a way that you wouldn’t necessarily hear on my records. Most directly, MF DOOM and Madlib. They’re the reason I

got a sampler and started doing this in the first place and you can definitely hear their influence, especially in my earlier stuff. But I also have to mention Charlie Parker, J.J. Johnson, Clifford Brown, and John Coltrane whose records laid the foundation for me. I don’t think I’d have pursued music seriously if it wasn’t for them. More recently Milton Nascimento, George Duke, Rei Harakami, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Hermeto Pascoal. Oh and writers– I’ve been reading a lot of Octavia Butler, Chinua Achebe, and Kurt Vonnegut. Their writing makes me approach my own with more intent and purpose. Makes me want to write things that stick with people the way their work does with me.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM BAND OR ARTIST TO TOUR WITH?

Again, Madlib. Another one would be Flying Lotus. His production inspired some of the tracks I made for Process. Oh, and if I was touring on trombone it would have to be Hermeto Pascoal. His work is always in rotation and I’d love to get closer to it on that level.

ON THAT NOTE, WHAT IS YOUR DREAM VENUE OR FESTIVAL TO PLAY?

Probably Red Rocks Amphitheater. And I’m not a big festival person but I really want to play BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn. I like how accessible that festival is and I’ve seen a lot of inspiring shows there over the past couple years. And the vibe is always great, you can tell people are really there for the music.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IN YOUR MUSIC CAREER FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

I wanna tour in and out of the U.S. with a live band. I’ve been performing with my friends Sergio Tabanico on saxophone and Andres Valbuena on drums. They bring a different energy to my music than what you get on the record and I wanna take that even further. I’ve been having a lot of fun curating shows locally too, and I want to dig deeper into that. There’s so many artists doing amazing things out here and I’m always thinking of different contexts to present their work in.

FINALLY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ARTISTS JUST STARTING OUT IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

I don’t know anything about industry but when it comes to music, don’t think too hard, have fun, and just let your ideas hit the page. That’s something I’m constantly reminding myself when I get caught up in the process.

“It was a trip because I went there to play jazz, but between their influence and the exposure to other genres within the city I realized I didn’t have to box myself in.”

VALLEY

WORDS BY MUN AM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY VICTORIA

ALEXIS

VALLEY has been making waves in the music industry with their remarkable growth and unwavering dedication to their craft. Emerging from Toronto, the quartet consisting of lead vocalist Rob Laska, guitarist Michael "Mickey" Brandolino, bassist Alex Dimauro, and drummer Karah James has garnered widespread acclaim for their lush melodies and introspective songwriting.

With a string of accomplishments under their belt, including over half a billion global streams and consistent appearances on viral charts worldwide to headlining their own tours, Valley finds themselves on the precipice of a breakthrough, poised to reach new heights and solidify their status as a rising force in the music scene. As they prepare for their forthcoming album Lost In Translation, evolving and pushing the boundaries of their captivating sound, it’s no surprise that Valley’s future is brimming with exciting possibilities.

DO YOU RECALL YOUR FIRST FOND MEMORY WITH MUSIC? WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

ROB LASKA: When my dad introduced me to the Beach Boys. Their harmonious and intellectually arranged sound left such a lasting impression on me. My dad also showed me the Traveling Wilburys, a supergroup comprising Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and George Harrison. I just remember being blown away by the fact that these four talented people are in a band together.

KARAH JAMES: The Lion King , it just felt logical to me. The soundtrack was filled with percussion and beautiful melodies. I was drawn to the instrumentals and getting an understanding on how these sounds translated into melodies and lyrics really fascinated me.

ALEX DIMAURO: It was with my family. Back when I was really young, my parents didn't have the financial means to buy fancy things but I remember them buying this old and peculiar van from a friend, one which only had a tape player. I would sit with my mom, as a kid, and make some mixtapes to play in the van, it was such an incredible experience. My parents weren’t the kind to play typical kids music, they always opted for something different like Tom Petty, The Who, and other rock bands dads loved. I appreciated that. Even to this day, I still recall those memories and occasionally get little flashbacks when I hear those songs.

YOU MENTIONED ON TWITTER THAT THE ALBUM LOST IN TRANSLATION (LIT) IS ABOUT LOSING YOURSELF IN SELF-REFLECTION, BEING MISUNDERSTOOD AND LATER UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF BETTER. WHAT INSPIRED THIS TAKE ON THE ALBUM?

ROB: Yeah, self-reflection is definitely a significant theme on this album. It rings true for us because we hadn't released a full album in a while. During the pandemic, we put together an album that was essentially two EPs stitched together, and we experimented a lot with the sound. This is the first time since 2018 that we sat down and decided to create a body of work that was intentional and purposeful from start to finish. Our previous EPs had a different mindset, but for this album, we wanted to build a story, create a cohesive listening experience, and make something that felt like it was crafted within a specific space and time.

In terms of the album's meaning, it's about the transition we went through when turning 27 and 28. Life was changing a lot, and we realized that we were not the same band we were when we were 18. But it was a positive change, a healthy growth. Reaching this point required a lot of self-reflection, dealing with misunderstandings, and navigating the changes within ourselves and our relationships. We were trying to find ourselves within the context of being in our late twenties, all while still loving what we do as a band and cherishing the special journey we embarked on so many years ago.

TO CONTINUE FROM THAT, HOW WOULD YOU SAY LOST IN TRANSLATION MUSICALLY DIFFERS FROM YOUR ALBUMS LAST BIRTHDAY AND MAYBE ?

ROB: Talking about the meaning of the album as a whole is challenging because each song has its own intentional world. However, we put a lot of thought into making the songs feel timeless and classic. We aimed to let the songs present themselves authentically, without hiding behind excessive production or conforming to external

pressures. We didn't want to listen to any expectations or stamps placed upon us. We simply wanted to create an album that felt true to ourselves, from top to bottom.

Overall, the album is a celebration of joy and experimentation. We embraced the freedom to explore different musical territories and followed our creative instincts. It was important for us to create on our terms and let the songs guide us. It's a journey of self-discovery, growth, and staying true to our values and intentions. We wanted to craft an album that captures the essence of who we are as artists and provides a genuine and fulfilling listening experience for our fans. This album is kind of like our first step forward and a big growth kind of period. I think people will feel that by listening to the album, it's definitely a more mature record!

IF YOU WERE TO TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF THAT YOU’D BE PURSUING MUSIC FULL TIME AND GOING ON TOURS (ALONGSIDE HEADLINING ONE), HOW WOULD THEY REACT?

ALEX: There's a quote from this movie Moneyball that we just watched. It reminded me of what we just talked about, it goes something like: “We're all told at some

MICHAEL “MICKEY” BRANDOLINO : Mine was definitely School of Roc k, the comedy film!

point in time that we can no longer play the children's game, we just don’t know when that's gonna be. Some of us are told at eighteen, some of us are told at forty, but we're all told.” We’re very fortunate to have pursued this career of ours, in this perspective, we get to be kids for the rest of our lives.

MICKEY: He would be elated. I think I always knew deep down that this is what I wanted to do, make music. Society tells you sometimes that it's impossible to do that and you need a back up plan. Especially during high school days, there was this pressure about having your life figured out but deep down, we naturally gear towards our interests and that’s how it was for me. We’re spending nearly every day making music, going on tour, doing press and all of that for this career. I think my younger self would be very stoked.

YOU’VE TALKED ABOUT BEING A MUSICIAN AND DOING THIS FULL TIME AS YOUR CAREER. I'M CURIOUS, HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THE BALANCE OF YOUR PERSONAL LIVES AND THE DEMANDS OF BEING IN A BAND?

ALEX: *laughs* You don’t, we’re still trying to figure that out!

ROB: With a career like this, you never fully land on your feet. You eventually do but it's a long journey. There’s a lot of uncertainty that goes into it, there isn’t a clearcut roadmap and you just have to consistently try since you’re already playing an odds game. Sometimes it feels difficult, especially at the beginning of your career where you’re trying to balance things, we went through that too. It’s easier now since we’re somewhat on a schedule and can predict our time off but being gone for half the year away from our loved ones is still a little tough. It’s kind of weird, I could just be having a day off and spending time with my loved ones but the moment I get a single idea, I have to pursue it instantly or I’ll get this overcoming feeling of “I might lose this idea” or “I might not feel it again.” I think that’s the hardest thing, the demand of always having to be creative since that’s literally what our career requires us to do.

MICKEY: It's really hard. Yeah. Any entrepreneurial career, especially ones where there's no guaranteed success, it's really difficult. I think it's hard for people in film, it's hard for entrepreneurs starting their business from scratch. It's hard for musicians because we don't check out of work. On the business scale, when you start

off, you have to always consider all of the opportunities that come your way, even ones you’re not sure of. Thankfully, we’ve come to a point where we have the privilege to say no so we can take care of ourselves. We can't hire anybody else to sing, play and write our songs, we're the only people who can do it so we have to take care of ourselves. Making music is definitely a priority but we have to balance it with everything else. So, it's a great question. We don't know, it's hard.

YOU’VE VISITED SEOUL FOR THE SLOW LIFE SLOW LIVE FESTIVAL AND NOW YOU’RE GOING ON A FULL BLOWN TOUR IN ASIA (ALONGSIDE AUSTRALIA), HOW DO YOU FEEL? WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?

ALEX: The food!

MICKEY: Yes, the food! I'm really excited for our Asia tour. I’m looking forward to trying varieties of cuisines and experiencing the culture, it’s something we haven’t had the chance to explore much. When we were in South Korea, our label brought us around to all of the different local spots and we had such a good time, I can’t wait to be in Asia again. It’s a little tough for us since we’re vegans but regardless,

I'm looking forward to all of the new food we’ll be trying. We’re big foodies anyways!

YOU’VE ALSO TOURED EXTENSIVELY (ESPECIALLY FOR THE LIT TOUR), DO YOU HAVE ANY ONE FOR THE BOOKS MOMENTS TO SHARE?

KARAH: Everyone always asks us things like “what's the craziest story you have?” but we don't have a lot of that, it’s more like a collective of special moments and the interactions we have with fans. Like last night, we had to Postmates a table since we’re on a tour bus and don’t have one. We spend most of our days literally in a Walmart parking lot, it’s really not as glamorous as people think it is but yeah, we got a table yesterday and just played tons of games. Alex even bought fireworks, it was such a rare moment but we had such a great time.

MICKEY: It felt like a high school party but in a parking lot!

YOU’VE ACHIEVED MANY MILESTONES IN YOUR CAREER, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS YOUR TURNING POINT AS A BAND?

MICKEY: There's been three turning points for us. More like

We embraced the freedom to explore different musical territories and followed our creative instincts.

steps I would say. The first one was our song, “There’s Still A Light In The House.” That was the first time where we gained such loyal fans, ones who will stick with you for life. It was also kind of the most successful song we had had at that time. It opened a lot of doors for us, especially in the industry because people were seeing organic growth. The Lennon Stella tour, that was our first ever tour. It was a great tour to have as your first, people started learning about us then. Definitely “Like 1999” as well, it unlocked all of Asia for us during the pandemic and now we’re headlining an Asia tour, it’s great. We’re feeling some new things bubbling up with our new record, we hope it all works out.

FOR FANS WHO HAVE BEEN EAGERLY AWAITING THE RELEASE OF LOST IN TRANSLATION, IS THERE A PARTICULAR TRACK ON THE ALBUM THAT YOU THINK WILL EXCITE THEM THE MOST?

ROB: “Evenings And Weekends,” I think people will really like this one.

KARAH: It’s so interesting. We put so much thought and planning into figuring out what the album is going to be like and how our singles are going to sound but at the end of the day, we can’t ever decide. There’s this sort of consensus that goes around releasing music and it always surprises us. Ultimately, listening to our music has nothing to do with us or our team’s opinion on the best songs, people decide on what song they like the best. It’s all up to the fans. So, I’m just super interested to see what that song is. I have a feeling it’s “Have A Good Summer (Without Me)” but we don’t know yet, we’ll have to see when the album is officially out.

LET’S MOVE ON TO A TRIVIA QUESTION… IF YOUR MUSIC WAS THE SOUNDTRACK TO A MOVIE, WHAT GENRE WOULD THE MOVIE BE?

ROB: If we were a soundtrack to a movie, probably like a ‘95 to ‘99 Coming of Age movie. Maybe anything from Ferris Bueller's Day Off to Perks of Being a Wallflower

KARAH: I was thinking the same, that’s such a great pick!

ALMOST

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCELLUS FUSELIER STYLING & MODEL — DANIELLA ADEROJU

THERE

Everything I Know About Love

Sister Outsider

by Audre Lorde

I Need to Start a Garden

by Haley Heynderickx

Recently I’ve been teaching myself songs that I love on guitar and piano.

Hazel Rain they/she Olympia, WA

Writer

Instagram: @hazel.rain

TikTok: @hazelrain5

N/A

Currently, The Bread Peddler for an extremely special breakfast sandwich with pesto!

iced rose latte

Drink coffee and eat breakfast with my partner Ry, pick a cute outfit, read in bed and do tarot, put on blush and glitter :)

Sit in a bookstore with Orlando (a bookstore cat in my town), see a friend, record music or write something new

Drink peach wine and eat homemade pasta salad, watch comfort shows with Ry, go to a show on high energy days.

Sometimes you can forget there are human beings consuming and appreciating the art you’re making.