mad sounds
OCTOBER 2016
a publication for the young and daring
don’t play nice ISSUE NO. 17
mad sounds a publication for the young and daring
Giselle Melendres Editor-in-Chief, Creative Director, & Designer madsoundsmagazine@gmail.com Staff Writers Brindy Francis, Emily Zheng, Justin Tilton Staff Photographers Sheridan Dyches, Willow Greene, Aidan Doyle, Rai Utomo, Riley Donahue, Chalisa Singh, Kate Opre A Special Thanks To.... Sydney Carlson, Lindsay Marie, Megan Breukelman, Cathrine Khom, Jason Alves, and our friends at Button Mash L.A.!
ON THE COVER Photography by Riley Donahue Featuring Sydney Carlson
stay rad, stay mad @madsoundsmag www.madsoundsmag.com @madsoundsmag
contents
photography by RILEY DONAHUE featuring SYDNEY CARLSON special thanks to... BUTTON MASH L.A. 1391 SUNSET BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90026
introduction 009 a letter from the editor editorials 010 step into the sun by WILLOW GREENE 026 forever & ever babe by SHERIDAN DYCHES 042 laisse tomber les filles by AIDAN DOYLE 056 walking in L.A. by KATE OPRE written 072 a brief description of just how much millennials suck by JUSTIN TILTON 074 an open letter to rejection by EMILY ZHENG 076 stop comparing yourself to her by BRINDY FRANCIS features 078 GIRL BOSS: SYDNEY CARLSON 090 LINDSAY MARIE 100 CATHRINE KHOM 110 MEGAN BREUKELMAN 118 JASON ALVES
photography by RILEY DONAHUE featuring SYDNEY CARLSON special thanks to... BUTTON MASH L.A. 1391 SUNSET BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90026
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE
don’t play nice SYDNEY CARLSON RILEY DONAHUE Within our seventeenth issue of Mad Sounds, we explored the theme of "Don't Play Nice", more specifically, Girl Bosses and their stories of success/finding their creative paths. I had wanted the issue to be truly authentic, and share the stories of self-made female bosses who are changing the game in the creative industry. We were lucky enough to interview and feature a few of my favorite Girl Bosses: Lindsay Marie: YouTuber and social media influencer, Cathrine Khom: founder and editor-in-chief of Local Wolves, Megan Breukelman: co-founder and former creative director of Atlas Magazine, and our incredible cover star; Sydney Carlson: the co-founder and creative mind behind Wildflower Cases.
This issue is all about pursuing your dreams, and finding ways in which you can make a creative idea your career. We've got some great photo journals/editorials in this issue, and inspiring articles from the voices of our staff writers as well. I hope our readers will use the stories of these Girl Bosses as a source of inspiration--a motivation to create, pursue your dreams, and find happiness in doing what you love, regardless of what that passion may be. So without further adieu, I hope you enjoy this issue of Mad Sounds! We are so grateful to be featuring/collaborating with so many amazing talents in this issue, and couldn't be more proud to be publishing this Girl Boss issue. Cheers to a great October issue, and an inspired autumn!
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Giselle Melendres Founding Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director
mad sounds editorials
step into the sun photography by WILLOW GREENE featuring KAILA STONE styling by BAND OF GYPSIES
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photography by WILLOW GREENE featuring KAILA STONE styling by BAND OF GYPSIES
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photography by WILLOW GREENE featuring KAILA STONE styling by BAND OF GYPSIES
photography by WILLOW GREENE featuring KAILA STONE styling by BAND OF GYPSIES
photography by WILLOW GREENE featuring KAILA STONE styling by BAND OF GYPSIES
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forever & ever babe
photography by SHERIDAN DYCHES featuring SAVANNAH GARY makeup by RACHEL STEPHENS styling by RITUAL BOUTIQUE
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photography by SHERIDAN DYCHES featuring SAVANNAH GARY makeup by RACHEL STEPHENS styling by RITUAL BOUTIQUE
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laisse tomber les filles photography by AIDAN DOYLE featuring CATHERINE REEVES styling by SHOP OLD GOLD
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walking in L.A. photography by KATE OPRE featuring JOSHUA LANG & SEBASTIAN LOO
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photography by KATE OPRE featuring JOSHUA LANG & SEBASTIAN LOO
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a brief description of just how much millennials suck
editorial by JUSTIN TILTON
photography by KATE OPRE featuring
JOSHUA LANG
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE I work at a sandwich shop. Last week a gentleman came in two minutes before we closed who had obviously had a rough day because his rudeness level was at a 10/10. It didn’t bother me or my coworker until she apparently asked a question too quickly, and he made some comments about how “kids these days need to slow down and take themselves less seriously because we aren’t that important.” I’m sure this gentleman had read one of the multiple articles I see daily explaining how entitled, selfish, and lazy the millennial generation is and how we are going to ruin the country over the course of the next few years. That may have been part his reason for the condescending attitude, or it may have been possible that the 6-pack he proudly bragged about consuming while watching football caused him to loosen his mouth just a little bit too much. Or maybe it was the fact that he had obviously dropped his pizza on his Avengers t-shirt earlier in the day and he’d have to do the laundry sometime during the week that caused his miserable mood. Either way, his condescending attitude, rude comments, and smirks weren’t welcome but still were received with a smile and a “thank you”. Well here’s what I wished I could tell him: I woke up that morning at 6:30 in order to get homework done before class. I finished up over some coffee and headed to a couple of classes before finishing up at 12. I immediately started and finished a 5-page paper due the next day and wrote last week’s article before starting my shift at 3. I had stayed up until 2 A.M. the night before so, by this point, I was already worn out. Obviously, I should’ve prepared myself better and gotten more sleep but I’m young and like to have fun because one day I’ll most likely have kids and struggle to stay up past 9:30. Anyways, by the time this customer came in I had been working hard for nearly 15 hours. I’m sure he thought that as soon as he exited the store we would lock up and I’d go home and smoke a bowl because that’s all teenagers are good for, right? What he didn’t know is I’d go to the back of the store and finish my third venti coffee of the day and spend the next hour closing the store before going home and studying for my test at 8 a.m. the next morning. Obviously, a long day is one thing and happens to everyone. I’m used to it and had no problem knowing I’d do the
same thing for every day of the rest of the week. I easily served every customer that day with a smile except for this one because of his lack of respect for what students are doing and his clear lack of understanding as to why we are forced to take our lives “too seriously”
I know that me, my friends at school, and my coworkers aren’t as successful as this man has been (his Crocs screamed high-salary businessman), but I think we deserve some credit. Contrary to his comment about me being his “wife for the night because she’s out of town” (I wonder how much he has to pay her to stay with him), I am of a little more worth than just making a sandwich. I’m in the classroom for 24 hours a week, in addition I spend at least another 24 doing homework for those classes, I also work for 29 a week. If a “fulltime” work week is 40 hours, then I am just 3 away from doubling that each week. Not to mention the fact that I rage my face off at least three nights a week and write for this magazine. The reason I mention all of this because I’ve noticed that hardly anyone from the older generations has any idea how hard we work. What makes me upset is that people like this gentleman have such an obviously low view of my peers and I. I hear all the time how “easy” my generation has things or how we “don’t know the value of anything”. There seems to be a common belief that we waste all our time “going on the facebook” and have the intelligence of small children “because of all the marijuanas we smoke”. There is next to no recognition of how hard we work to prepare ourselves for the future. Instead, all I hear is negativity about how we will ruin the country (thanks for all the debt by the way). I know the older generations have had hard lives (I mean walking uphill both ways to school is rough), but I know for a fact that my friends who bust their asses everyday don’t deserve to hear how little they think of us. We are doing our best, working hard, and trying to be decent people. Yes, we have fun. No, we aren’t as conservative as our parents would like us. Either way, it is my generation that will be taking care of that man fifteen years from now so I think we deserve a little more respect. Thanks for the 18 cent tip though. We’re good now.
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editorial by EMILY ZHENG
photography by
WILLOW GREENE featuring
KAILA STONE
an open letter to rejection
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE 6 months ago. I’m holding a rejection letter in my hand; my play wasn’t accepted in the Blank Theater’s Young Playwrights Festival. This is my dream, having a work of mine put into production, seeing my vision come to fruition. Yet I sit on my worn-out couch, my heart stinging with shame. 3 months ago. I let a boy in my math class read my work. He shrugs, “Come on, no one wants to see a film about that. I’d rather create something that people want.” I look him dead in the eye and say, “You don’t tell stories to sell a fantasy.” He says that my script is meaningless - my future as a writer, hopeless. 2 weeks ago. I receive an email: “Your overall writing is sub-par at best and is extremely lacking in components of the art of persuasion. Your lack of understanding is matched only by your equally grim grasp of the metaphoric concept.” His words have reignited my shame. He’s right; my work is undeserving of success. Any recognition I’ve had is simply an anomaly. Now. I relive these moments in my head, and I fall madly in love with rejection. To the Blank Theater, the boy in my math class, the English major who berated my work, thank you. Thank you for reminding me that I am a work in progress. Hell, I’m just an emotional seventeen year old navigating the chaos labeled existence. My emotions resemble the coloring book of a 6 year old, the haphazard scribbles overlapping, stretching way past the outline. I’ve had a toxic relationship with tangents that haven’t made sense for a while now. We dance to overdrawn metaphors and incoherent ramblings and articles that have been rewritten a million times. Yes, my art is wildly and unapologetically flawed. In my life though, there’s writing, and there’s everything else.
“It’s about blasting throwback songs with my best friend and screaming the lyrics. It’s wanting to hold onto these memories so badly that I cannot help but turn all of them into stories.” I’m done spending late nights huddled in my bedroom wondering, “What if they’re right? Shouldn’t all this rejection mean something?” It just might. But every time I feel a pang in my chest, I turn to my words. I write until my head spins and my eyes ache and my emotions become one big haze. When I write, my feelings become valid. Writing isn’t about winning some competition or getting quoted by others. It’s about inside jokes that start off with grins and end up as roars of laughter, spilling out uncontrollably like a flood. It’s about my younger self squinting at the sun, under the false impression that it follows only me, and feeling so incredibly special. It’s about blasting throwback songs with my best friend and screaming the lyrics. It’s wanting to hold onto these memories so badly that I cannot help but turn all of them into stories. I have been climbing a mountain with no summit my entire life. I may stumble at rejection, but I will get up and move with a momentum seen only in fiction, except this is my story. I choose my narrative, and I am determined to keep going. While those who doubt me stay still, my metaphors and I have some climbing to do.
These quiet moments in my room are my haven. For once, I’m not Emily, who stumbles over her words and talks too loudly. I get to choose my own narrative. I create my own universe; I paint the sky and drown the ocean in color. Today, I dip my brush in a deep, vibrant red, the color of anger, love, passion. I become a storyteller: this here is the tale of a girl who is simply trying.
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stop comparing yourself to her editorial by BRINDY FRANCIS
photography by
SHERIDAN DYCHES featuring
SAVANNAH GARY
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE
Alright, friends. Today we are getting personal. But hey! This may be beneficial to you. It may not. It all ends in something important: yourself. As some of you may know, I am in a committed relationship and have been for a little over a year now. As fantastic and beautiful as it is, there are some days when I just feel gloomy. Something that most people in relationships struggle with is being able to give time to themselves. A good percentage of the time, when someone doesn’t love themselves enough, that’s when the relationship goes haywire. For the past few weeks, I have developed this strange feeling. I came to the realization that jealousy has been making me miserable. I’ve never been the type for jealousy and envy, but one day, my boyfriend began talking about this girl in his class, which is completely fine. He’s allowed to be fascinated with whomever he pleases, but out of nowhere, I began to go kind of insane. I would compare myself to her constantly. I was tearing myself to pieces for weeks and it really made an affect in my relationship. Being jealous is such a toxic thing in terms of partnerships. I then realized, after hours of thinking, the reason I am acting like this is because I do not love myself enough. I have been convinced that I am inevitably happy because of my relationship and my opportunities, but something so simple and so small tipped me over the edge. It took me so long to understand why this person, who I don’t even know, has made this much of an effect on me. I have not been giving myself enough credit. I am now just starting to realize how unique I am. Why am I so worried about this other person’s life when my life is already more than I could ever ask for? The moral of the story is, becoming comfortable and happy with yourself is imperative to being in a relationship, having strong friendships, and just living your life in general. Constantly being worried about how you’re not exactly like another person won’t get you very far. Just as your grandma
"I suggest taking inspiration in those people instead of questioning why you’re “not as pretty and outgoing as her.” Don’t let someone tell you how to be and don’t let yourself tell you to be someone else." said, “Everyone is different. Why try to be someone else?” You have to take some time out of your day to spend quality time and learn about yourself. Being content in being alone will just make being around people even better because of the confidence you have in yourself. This leads me to one last point: you are your own boss. Do not let the fact that your boyfriend/girlfriend doesn’t like tattoos hold you back from getting a one! Do skateboard and wear men’s apparel even after your significant other told you you shouldn’t. Just like in my situation, even though that girl may look and act a certain way, doesn’t mean I have to. My whole point is that you don’t have to compare yourself to other people to a) satisfy yourself or b) satisfy someone you are in a relationship with. I suggest taking inspiration in those people instead of questioning why you’re “not as pretty and outgoing as her.” Don’t let someone tell you how to be and don’t let yourself tell you to be someone else.
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mad sounds features
SYDNEY CARLSON interview by GISELLE MELENDRES featuring SYDNEY CARLSON photography by RILEY DONAHUE
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photography by RILEY DONAHUE featuring SYDNEY CARLSON special thanks to... BUTTON MASH L.A.
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE
Meet Sydney Carlson: co-founder of Wildflower Cases, YouTube Vlogger, and our featured cover star for the October issue of Mad Sounds. Four years ago, Sydney and her family founded Wildflower Cases and have been producing innovative phone cases and designs ever since. Today, we were lucky enough to sit down with Sydney to talk about how Wildflower came to be, her inspirations for her designs, and her biggest advice for pursuing your dreams and being a Girl Boss. Read the interview to learn more about Sydney Carlson, the ultimate girl boss and creative mind behind Wildflower Cases.
HI SYDNEY, THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US HERE AT MAD SOUNDS TODAY. TO START OFF, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SYDNEY CARLSON? Well thank you for having me! Honestly everyday is a new adventure. I work at home with my family doing things from taking pictures for Wildflower's social media to packing boxes on boxes to ship across the country! It’s crazy! There’s always something to do here and when I have extra time I use that to write, create videos, and put that energy into something creative. That truly makes me happy. YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE THE CREATIVE MINDS BEHIND WILDFLOWER CASES, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WILDFLOWER CAME TO BE? None of us expected this to happen and we couldn’t be more happy that it did. My mom has always been so creative and about 4 years ago she got the idea to create a phone case for me for Easter. I had been asking for one but couldn’t seem to find one I loved! She made my sister, Devon, and I each cases and we absolutely LOVED them. And so did everyone else! Slowly people started asking more about the cases and one night at dinner we happened to run into Miley Cyrus in the bathroom. She complimented our cases and after we told her our mom made them, she insisted on
meeting her. Basically we all freaked out and gave Miley the few cases we had. She tweeted a photo thanking us and just like that the next day we had a business! It was the biggest blessing and completely changed my life. Sounds like the craziest story ever but it totally was fate! WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO DESIGN PHONE CASES? Well I never even thought I would be designing phone cases! But after that happened and gave us a company, it has been so fun and truly something I love to do. I’ve always loved clothes, fashion and knew I wanted to do something in that industry. Now, I’m able to do all of that! As we’ve progressed it’s so cool seeing different ways to find inspiration for cases and other designs. SINCE YOU’RE A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS, WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE AND LEAST FAVORITE PARTS ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER? Being able to work alongside my family has been amazing. It made us all become closer than ever and because we’re family I’m constantly surrounded by people who love and support everything I want to do. Yes, there are times where it’s difficult to find the line between “dad” and “boss”. It can get too comfortable and it’s easy to forget we are running a business and need to be somewhat professional sometimes, hahaha. But in the end
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NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE I wouldn’t want to be working with anyone else! WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR THE WILDFLOWER DESIGNS? I find inspiration for Wildflower everywhere!! Random people on the street, walls in L.A., and there’s so much to explore online. Any kind of pattern or artwork I see can give me so much inspiration. I love being able to have a picture in my head and work to make that come to life. It is by far the coolest thing ever to see your vision come to life. IN ADDITION TO WILDFLOWER CASES, YOU’RE ALSO A LIFESTYLE/BEAUTY VLOGGER ON YOUTUBE. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT MAKING VIDEOS AND THE YOUTUBE COMMUNITY ITSELF? Yes! I actually started doing YouTube because of Wildflower. It opened me up to this whole other world and I’m so thankful it did. What I like most is, being able to connect and inspire people through the internet. At first it was just for fun but once I started seeing how people reacted and the ways I was actually helping people, it just motivated me more. I’ve always loved fashion and makeup so making those videos came naturally! But when I started to get deep with my viewers and relate to them it added another personal part to my channel. It’s so amazing to me that someone who could live miles and miles away from you wants your advice on things and lets you know how much you mean to them. I couldn’t be more grateful! WITHIN YOUR YOUTUBE VIDEOS, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO EVOKE TO YOUR VIEWERS? I just want everyone to know that whatever it is they’re going through, they aren’t alone! As much as I love making fashion and makeup videos I also love being able to relate to everyone and talk about those sensitive subjects and give advice. I love being that older sister they know they can always talk to when they have nobody else to go to. And honestly they help me too! Getting messages from people who I’ve never met saying I’ve changed their life and helped them out of really low points, is just a constant reminder to myself
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that I have so many people who care about me. So even when I’m having a rough day talking to them helps me more than ever! IN YOUR ‘LET’S GET REAL’ SERIES YOU TALKED ABOUT POSITIVITY AND CONFIDENCE: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST TIPS ON STAYING POSITIVE AND FEELING CONFIDENT IN YOURSELF? Finding confidence in yourself isn’t always easy, but one of the main things I tell people when they ask about confidence is to find something you truly love doing. For me, when I was in a place where I wasn’t happy or feeling confident I took to drawing, writing and creating things. I would lay on my floor and doodle for hours! And that not only made me happy but it made me build my confidence because I loved what I would create. And now I’m using these to my advantage and creating even more that I cannot wait to share with the world! And this all helped me realize what I deserve and grew my own personal confidence. Once you really accept yourself for who you are and learn to love that, happiness just comes you way. AS A FELLOW CREATIVE YOU’VE DEVELOPED YOUR OWN UNIQUE SENSE OF STYLE. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR FASHION SENSE? It’s so hard to say! I feel like depending on my mood or what I get inspiration from that week it can totally change. I love the 90s Megan Fox look. I saw photos of her wearing her sons little boy t shirts and the next day I went out and got some haha! But then again I love being able to dress up and have a nice sleek look. So really.. I don’t even know. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE CLOTHING STORES? Recently I’ve been loving thrift stores! My mom and I always go and search in the boys section for cute shirts… it’s my latest obsession! But other than that I love american apparel, flea markets and my favorite thing to do by far is draw on my own clothes!
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photography by RILEY DONAHUE featuring SYDNEY CARLSON special thanks to... BUTTON MASH L.A.
photography by RILEY DONAHUE featuring SYDNEY CARLSON special thanks to... BUTTON MASH L.A.
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE
“Once you overcome those hard times you come out stronger than you ever were before. So don’t stop dreaming and whenever someone doubts you, let that be motivation to prove them wrong." HOW HAVE BOTH YOUTUBE AND WILDFLOWER CASES IMPACTED YOUR LIFE?
Wildflower on its own has introduced me to so many people I would have never met! I have so many common interests with these people and now they’re some of my best friends. I’m so grateful for meeting these people because they have inspired me to do things like start a youtube channel and dress how I want to. We all are so supportive of each other and that’s how friends should be! HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS: AMAZING, HILARIOUS, BEAUTIFUL THIS ISSUE IS DEDICATED TO GIRL BOSSES AND PURSUING WHAT YOUR DREAMS; WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST ADVICE ON CHASING YOUR DREAMS AND BEING A #GIRLBOSS? Listen: the distance between dreams and reality is called action. I am such a dreamer and I have the biggest visions. But turning them into reality takes
hard work. Because I do work for my own company I have to motivate myself. It could be very easy to be lazy or take days off but that doesn’t keep you moving forward! I think everyone should have dreams and goals and do whatever it takes to achieve them. There will be hard times but I cannot stress more how once you overcome those hard times you come out stronger than you ever were before. So don’t stop dreaming and whenever someone doubts you, let that be motivation to prove them wrong. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS? I mean I wish I could tell the future but at the same time it’s so exciting to think about all the possibilities that are ahead. I have so many projects I’m working on right now that just excite me to even think about! I wish I could tell you it all, but trust me you’ll know in time. I know life has its bumps in the road but you have to get over them to move forward. It’s not gonna be easy but I see myself being completely happy, confident and successful. DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS AND CREATIVES WANTING TO START A BUSINESS LIKE WILDFLOWER? Don’t quit! It doesn’t matter how old you are, what you have, or what your fears are. If you have a vision of something you want to do, you do it. This will be easier if you’re confident in yourself and what you want. Knowing what you deserve and being able to be comfortable and happy with yourself with make everything in life easier. I know life has its down points but one lesson this year has taught me so far is that you have to get a little lost before you can get found. Trust me it’ll all be good. KEEP UP WITH SYDNEY: Instagram/Twitter: @sydneylcarlson YouTube: Sydney Carlson www.wildflowercases.com
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photography by RILEY DONAHUE featuring SYDNEY CARLSON special thanks to... BUTTON MASH L.A.
1391 SUNSET BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90026
mad sounds features
LINDSAY MARIE interview by GISELLE MELENDRES featuring LINDSAY MARIE photography by MIKEL ROBERTS
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photography MIKEL ROBERTS featuring LINDSAY MARIE
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE
Meet Lindsay Marie: a YouTuber Lifestyle Vlogger and social media influencer who is taking over the internet, one video at a time. With over 8 million views, Lindsay hopes to inspire her audience with messages not only about fashion and beauty, but ideas encouraging confidence, self-love, and embracing who you are. Today, we sat down with Lindsay to talk about how she started YouTube, some of her favorite parts about making videos, and her tips for YouTube creatives trying to find their journeys to success. Read her interview to learn more about Lindsay Marie, and the voice behind the videos! HI LINDSAY, THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US HERE AT MAD SOUNDS TODAY. TO START OFF, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT AN AVERAGE DAY IN THE LIFE OF LINDSAY MARIE? Hi! Thanks so much for talking with me. I wouldn’t necessarily say I have an average day! Working as a YouTuber or Social Influencer means each day can be completely different. Some are spent editing at my computer all day, some are spent in meetings with brands, and some are spent traveling to incredible locations and filming! YOU’RE CURRENTLY A LIFESTYLE & BEAUTY VLOGGER ON YOUTUBE WITH OVER 8 MILLION VIEWS--WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN YOUTUBE AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO START YOUR OWN CHANNEL? I was interested in YouTube for a long time! Even in highschool I spent way too many hours online watching youtube videos! One day I stumbled across a video about making YouTube your job and knew it was something I was supposed to do! I gave myself a year to make it happen and 10 months later I was making enough to quit my other job!
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE BEAUTY AND LIFESTYLE VIDEOS AS OPPOSED TO OTHER POPULAR GENRES ON YOUTUBE? I really would call myself just a lifestyle YouTuber! I do film tons of beauty videos, but I also film so much other content. I like knowing that while in the lifestyle category your options are pretty endless. WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE YOUTUBERS TO WATCH? Ooh, that’s a tough one! I love so many, but to name a few… Philip Defranco, Eva Gutowski, Carli Bybel and Claire Marshall! WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOU VIDEO CONTENT? From my viewers! Everytime I upload a new video I have so many comments of different videos they want to see. I’ll scroll through and write down all of the ones that interest me.
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"Now that I’m older and out of school, I wish someone had told me that there was no such thing as being popular because you were in a certain group and that being yourself and having a small group of GOOD friends was ok." YOU HAVE A GREAT SENSE OF FASHION AND STYLE, WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR OWN? Social media is incredible for style inspiration! I follow so many fashion youtubers and fashion Instagrammers. I will spend hours liking fashion based instagram photos and using those to pick out my own outfits! WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE STORES TO SHOP AT?
WHO IS YOUR NUMBER ONE BEAUTY ICON AND NUMBER ONE FASHION ICON? My beauty icon would be Carli Bybel and Claire Marshall for fashion! Carli is so positive and makes sure to emphasize on inner beauty even while teaching girls how to apply makeup like a pro. I envy Claire’s wardrobe. She has such a unique, bold style and really rocks it! WHAT IS THE ONE VIDEO THAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF CREATING? I wouldn’t say I’m particularly proud of one specific video, but more so of my overall channel! I have always been really shy and introverted so I had to really push my boundaries and come out of my comfort zone to make this my career. YOU RECENTLY RELEASED A VIDEO CALLED “UNPOPULAR”, WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR CREATING THAT VIDEO AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE IT? I definitely think seeing so many videos on how to be popular in highschool motivated me! So many girls think being popular and having many friends is the key to happiness. Now that I’m older and out of school, I wish someone had told me that there was no such thing as being popular because you were in a certain group and that being yourself and having a small group of GOOD friends was ok. IF YOUR VIEWERS COULD TAKE AWAY ONE THING FROM YOUR VIDEOS, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO EVOKE TO THEM?
At a mall my go-to would be Urban Outfitters, PacSun or Tillys. Online I love to shop from Boohoo, Fashion Nova, Nasty Gal and so many more!
Being themselves.. No matter what that means! Everyone deserves to be as happy as they can be and live a life doing the things they love.
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"We are all so different and unique and that is a beautiful thing! Do WHATEVER makes YOU happy and focus on yourself! If you love yourself no one can stop you!" WHAT WAS ONE OF YOUR PROUDEST MOMENTS WITHIN YOUR TIME ON YOUTUBE? I cried when I received my 100,000 subscribers plaque! It’s such a nice reminder that we all start out at 0 subscribers, but somehow I was lucky enough to gain a supporting audience. WHAT IS ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING THINGS ABOUT BEING A YOUTUBER? Comparison! I have to remind myself daily to not compare myself to other youtubers. Everyone’s journey is different and you can’t compare your success to anyone else’s. AS A COLLEGE STUDENT, HOW DO YOU TEND TO BALANCE SCHOOL WORK WITH YOUTUBE?
campus full time along withYouTube and maybe even another job. I HEARD YOU ARE MOVING OUT TO LOS ANGELES SOON, ARE YOU EXCITED TO BE MOVING TO THE WEST COAST? WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MOVE TO L.A.? Not a permanent move! I will be (hopefully) moving to LA for 6 months! I have been to LA many times, but really want to travel. I just think going there for a good chunk of time would be smart to really establish myself with brands, meet other YouTubers and grow my channel as much as possible; and then I plan to travel for a few years! THIS ISSUE OF MAD SOUNDS IS HIGHLIGHTING GIRL BOSSES IN ALL CREATIVE FIELDS, WHAT’S SOME ADVICE YOU HAVE FOR THOSE TRYING TO FIND SUCCESS AND BE A #GIRLBOSS? Be yourself! That sounds so cliche, but it is so true! We are all so different and unique and that is a beautiful thing! Do WHATEVER makes YOU happy and focus on yourself! If you love yourself no one can stop you! HOW HAS YOUTUBE CHANGED YOUR LIFE (THUS FAR)? Oh wow.. It has changed my life completely. I grew up in a small town with very little opportunity. I had no idea what I wanted to do and just felt really stuck. YouTube allowed me to be me and express whatever I want to the world. I am now living in a big city and travelling whenever I want. It has also given me so much confidence to be myself. YouTube is such an amazing platform. KEEP UP WITH LINDSAY: Instagram/Twitter: @lindsayxxmarie YouTube: Lindsay Marie
I did everything online once YouTube became my job! I really commend those that do school at a
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photography MIKEL ROBERTS featuring RICK KOSTANDEANOS
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CATHRINE KHOM interview by GISELLE MELENDRES featuring CATHRINE KHOM photography by LHOYCEL MARIE TEOPE
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Meet Cathrine Khom: the founding editor-in-chief of Local Wolves Magazine, a publication embracing the local scene in art, entertainment, and films for creative minds. Cathrine started the publication four years ago, and has now worked with creatives ranging from Halsey, Amanda Steele, Claudia Sulewski, Bastille, and many more. Cathrine is the ultimate girl-boss, establishing a creative empire with over thirty thousand followers in her Wolfie Community, and forty-one issues (and counting!). Read Cathrine's interview to learn more about the start of Local Wolves, her advice for starting a magazine, and her Girl Boss journey.
HI CATHRINE, THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US HERE AT MAD SOUNDS TODAY. TO START OFF, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CATHRINE KHOM? I am so thrilled to be interviewed by the one and only, Mad Sounds! I must admit that my day in the life is somewhat interesting on the weekdays and more random and spontaneous on the weekends. As for a typical day in the life, I sleep through all of my alarms that are in fifteen minute increments. I eventually get up by 8:00 AM to get ready and head out to my internship for a few hours then off to my classes for the day. I am finishing my final semester at university (woo!) I often spend my time during my breaks to follow-up with emails, scroll through all of my fave apps (Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram) and occasionally treat myself to a Starbucks’ shaken berry sangria herbal iced tea with two extra pumps of sangria syrup. I usually have night classes so that’s where I’ll be majority of the nights. and jam to some tunes on the way home. YOU’RE THE FOUNDING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF LOCAL WOLVES MAGAZINE, HOW DID LOCAL WOLVES ORIGINALLY COME TO BE AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CREATE A MAGAZINE? I worked as a photojournalist for a few music publications, it was such a fun experience to meet new people in the industry and just to capture
live music in Southern California. I decided that I wanted to create a music blog of that consists of live reviews, occasional music news and it was mostly music orientated. Local Wolves started on April 12, 2012 during that midpoint of me graduating from high school. I started to compile the work on the blog to a magazine. I thought like how hard can that be since I lived for magazines like Teen Vogue, Nylon and Seventeen. Boy, was I wrong! I spent countless hours working on every individual page with no design knowledge whatsoever but I loved being able to curate new content every month. I enjoyed working on Local Wolves but I know that my nurse practitioner career was one of my main goals. I decided to put Local Wolves on hold or hiatus and focus on my academics, hello freshman of 2012. A few months went by, I craved for any form of creativity and I was watching some YouTube videos with my sister (now, copy editor with LW), Sophia and we came across a video of JC Caylen and Connor Franta, their personality was so different and on a personal level. I decided to reach out to them, and let’s just say it has been the riskiest but best decision I made in my life so far. The ability to create a magazine is beyond words, seeing the pre-production to post-production and collaborating with those who inspire me and the readers is an experience in itself. It is refreshing to see how each month changes by the theme and collaborations, magazines are everlasting.
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photography by MADISON TAYLOR featuring MEGAN HUGHES as seen in LOCAL WOLVES ISSUE 31
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE HOW DID THE NAME “LOCAL WOLVES” ORIGINATE?
staff members and we have a handful of contributors that we work alongside on collaborations.
Trust me, I really thought hard about changing the names like so many times! I wanted to have one word to resonate to what the magazine is all about. Local Wolves combines all the things we love to talk about, gush over, dying to visit and overall, a community of creative minds who is open-minded and eager to explore their local spaces. Fun fact: I love watching the Food channel and of course, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives where Guy Fieri would visit local food joints (hence LOCAL) and wolves are just awesome and they hunt to find the necessities (hence WOLVES), bringing you Local Wolves!
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY MAKES A GOOD LOCAL WOLVES STAFF MEMBER?
WHAT DOES BEING THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF LOCAL WOLVES ENTAIL? During the early years with Local Wolves, I was my own photographer, publicist, graphic designer etc. I feel like EIC fits more of who I am when it comes to what I enjoy doing and highlighting my strengths. I manage my talented staff on monthly projects, features and tasks. I work on the creative direction of what editorial shoots including mood boards, color swatches and various of inspiration elsewhere. I collaborate with other photographers from all over the world for a monthly conceptual shoot which is fun to throw around some ideas and get the creative juices flowing. It’s important to take a deep breathe and appreciate every experience towards every feature and collaboration, don’t always worry about the numbers because creating fresh content with in-depth stories to inspire our readers is my main priority. HOW DID YOU ESTABLISH YOUR STAFF FOR LOCAL WOLVES? HOW MANY MEMBERS DO YOU HAVE AT THE MOMENT? I have been lucky to have such a talented group of individuals who value quality work at Local Wolves and a few have been with me since the very beginning! I am so fortunate to get to know each and every one of them and their tremendous work ethic is incredible. I have roughly 30
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As I mentioned earlier, a strong work ethic is crucial and open-minded when it comes to projects and innovate new ideas since being a part of a digital age where creativity can be anything you put your mind to it. I value open communication because I work with staff members in different time zones and everyone has their preference of communication. Professionalism is another key because in the real world, it’s sadly not just fun and games but I try my best to keep the workflow to be interesting and gain exposure to new talents, spaces and projects. WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING STEPS IN CREATING A MAGAZINE? There are so many road bumps in creating a magazine. I think running into a creative funk where nothing seems to flow and pressures of creating content to a certain way. I am proud of all the content that my staff and I has published. In some ways, I feel that creative funk comes when I think of future issues and you see other publications which you wonder if it is better to conform to what everybody else is doing or go full-on and try something new. It took me a few months last year to realize that it’s okay to not always be okay all the time especially with who to cover next or if what we are sharing with our readers good enough? It does take time to find the magazine’s overall voice and what you want to make it all about. Luckily, Local Wolves continues to strive to share more opportunities and inspiration for creative minds in local communities.
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photography by DYLAN ROBBINS featuring CLAUDIA SULEWSKI as seen in LOCAL WOLVES ISSUE 40
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“Don’t quit! It doesn’t matter how old you are, what you have, or what your fears are. If you have a vision of something you want to do, you do it. ” WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE ISSUES OF LOCAL WOLVES AND WHY? All of the issues that I have worked on has been such a neat experience. This year was absolute theme based for all of the issues. The self-love one has always been in my top five, especially working with Claudia Sulewski. We grabbed a lunch at Ostrich Farm and chatted about the mood boards while eating lentil bowls. I was stoked to finally have the time to be on set for a shoot where I was able to work alongside the incredible, Dylan Robbins who is a really cool photographer, our rad stylist, Katie Qian and hair/makeup, Lauren Bencomo. The shoot was mainly done in Sunset Boulevard and it was a surreal experience to see how a few ideas on a mood board then seeing all the photos from the shoot. The pool photos were such a spontaneous move, thanks to Dylan for letting us use his backyard pool, hence the pool cover shot! Just a lovely team to work with for our August 2016 - Self Love issue. IN LOCAL WOLVES, WHAT IS ONE OF THE MESSAGES YOU HOPE TO EVOKE TO YOUR VIEWERS? I am a huge photo junkie and love pop culture,
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different genres of music and overall, being surrounded by others who are doing what they love. The message that I hope to evoke to our readers to use their idea into something more. When I was younger, I wish I could be in that editor’s position as Lisa Love was in the episode of The Hills where Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port are working at Teen Vogue. I thought it was impossible like I have to go to fashion school and move to New York. I am finishing up my BSHCA degree and running a magazine like how is this even my life. The point of what I am trying to say is that if you have an idea or project in mind, go for it. You will never know the results if you don’t try. The stories we share at Local Wolves provides talents and individuals who continuously do what they love and challenge themselves to be more creative while remaining authentic to who they are. OUTSIDE OF LOCAL WOLVES YOU ARE ALSO A STUDENT. AFTER UNIVERSITY, DO YOU PLAN TO MAKE A CAREER OUT OF LOCAL WOLVES? Tough question! I have a few months left to decide right? I am currently focusing on my classes, handling the magazine and internship. I would love to do Local Wolves full-time, I live and breathe to work on the magazine. It’s seriously what they say, ‘you found your calling!’ I feel like I do need to gain more experience in the digital publishing world but I will still work to expand the magazine even after I graduate, there is no way in stopping… it’s getting more fun by the second. I feel like there is no direct path, just do what your heart tells you to do and everything will fall into place. I know there are some individuals who feel like their parents won’t support them on their career path, I am here. I am rooting for you. Always, don’t forget that. I will go full-on number one fan status because you can achieve anything if you make the decision to.
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photography by MICHAEL MORALES featuring ORION CARLOTO as seen in LOCAL WOLVES ISSUE 31
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IF YOU COULD COLLABORATE WITH ANY ONE PERSON FOR AN ISSUE OF LOCAL WOLVES, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
interested in the content because you are staying true to your work and the readers will notice it whether you become a weekly, bi-monthly or quarterly magazine. Three, have fun with the work that you publish and don’t always be conformed to a routine, take those risks… Trust me, it is worth it!
Casey Neistat, point blank period. He is just the man of everything from his wise words to documenting his adventures. He made me realize how to value hard work, and with all the time and dedication that is for Local Wolves, I make it a priority for myself and for my staff to make what I love into a reality. Plus, he brought me to focus on more on my surroundings and how epic filmmaking really is.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS? Creative. Ambitious. Detail-orientated. THIS ISSUE OF MAD SOUNDS IS ALL ABOUT BEING A GIRL BOSS, WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST TIPS IN FINDING ‘SUCCESS’?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SECTION TO READ IN LOCAL WOLVES? I love the wolfie submissions section because I love reading all of the stories and seeing the artwork from our readers. For example, our May 2016 issue was based on perspective and our readers shared their in-depth thoughts about mental health and it was pages full of stories and I feel like others can fully relate to and get a better understanding on this topic.
Staying true to yourself and I have a strong belief that everything happens for a reason. I love meeting new people and chat over coffee and brunch about what we are extremely passionate about doing. It is important to not only take care of yourself and focus on your priorities but also supporting your friends with their adventures and projects. Whenever I hear stories about my friends’ upcoming projects, I feel like a kid in a candy store. I am just super happy for them and just being surrounded about positive people will give you a clear mindset and you know exactly what goals you are aiming for and finding your way to success will never be straight-forward, there are always road bumps but we shake it off, learn through them and move forward.
WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR LOCAL WOLVES? This gal has been pinning boards for months and absolutely loves it! I listen to a random mix of music which helps me to explore more new artists and bands. I have been more inspired by Scandinavian design and architecture. Even when I see 35mm and Super 8mm film, that is just a constant inspiration for me. I have been loving i-D, Dazed, The Fader and Wonderland magazine for daily inspiration, the way they capture photography with new talents is such *oh my gawd, how what love!*
KEEP UP WITH CATHRINE & LOCAL WOLVES: Instagram/Twitter: @cathrinekhom @localwolves cathrinekhom.com localwolves.com
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS OR ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN STARTING THEIR OWN MAGAZINE? Hey you! First off, high five for being a magazine junkie just like me. Two, publish consistently because you will start to gain more readers who are
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MEGAN BREUKELMAN interview by GISELLE MELENDRES featuring MEGAN BREUKELMAN
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photography by KENNETH GRONQUIST featuring MEGAN BREUKELMAN
photography by KENNETH GRONQUIST featuring MEGAN BREUKELMAN
NO. 17 — DON'T PLAY NICE
Meet Megan Breukelman, the New York City based co-founder and creative director of Atlas Magazine--an international fashion publication for a new generation of fashion creatives. In 2012, Megan created and developed Atlas Magazine with co-founder Olivia Bossert, and currently, her talents have brought her to the creative industry in NYC: working as a professional in photo editorial and production. Today we had the opportunity to sit down with Megan and talk to her about her work for Atlas Magazine, her current creative pursuits, and her greatest advice for young publishers. Read on to learn more about Megan, and her work in the creative scene of NYC.
HI MEGAN, THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US HERE AT MAD SOUNDS TODAY. TO START OFF, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MEGAN BREUKELMAN? Hi Mad Sounds, thanks for sitting down with me today! A typical day in the life of Megan Breukelman is oodles of excitement. Okay, not really, but we can pretend… My days generally consist of checking emails, writing emails, and daydreaming about snuggling into bed and napping. My work in production consists of a lot of communication and planning. YOU WORKED AS THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR (AND CO-FOUNDER) OF ATLAS MAGAZINE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR? I worked alongside my co-founder, Olivia Bossert, to create issue themes, direct the magazine’s aesthetic features, and work through the sequencing of editorials to give the most visually pleasing product we could produce. Oh, and who could forget our favorite time of the issue cycle–– deliberating on which editorials we’d include! This included FaceTime debates from my bathroom floor (the place I used to live only received a proper WiFi signal from there) and hundreds upon hundreds of images.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF WORKING FOR ATLAS MAGAZINE? HOW HAS IT IMPACTED YOUR LIFE THUS FAR? I loved watching Atlas grow from the very start. That is ultimately the greatest satisfaction from the years spent working on it; seeing it become something we hadn’t anticipated the scale of. It feels like we woke up one day and our baby was an adult–– but realistically, it wasn’t overnight. I have Olivia and the entire team to thank endlessly for keeping Atlas afloat while I was studying in college, interning, working a night job, and helping to produce Atlas. Atlas has impacted my life greatly–– it taught me about the challenges and triumphs of marketing and business, but as well about the creative aspects of digital and print media. It gave me a friendship that I deeply cherish. It also gave me truly in-depth look at the amount of talent our generation has and the quality of good creative work we produce; makeup, hair, styling, retouching, props, sets, photography, writing, it’s all been so eye-opening and inspiring.
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WAS IT EVER CHALLENGING FOR YOU TO BALANCE YOUR INTERNSHIPS, WORKING ON ATLAS MAGAZINE, AND ALSO DOING SCHOOL WORK?
YOU’VE RECENTLY GRADUATED WITH A BFA IN PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THE SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS IN NEW YORK CITY. WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE LIKE THERE, AND HOW DID YOU LIKE LIVING IN NYC?
Absolutely. I would not recommend going for years on end with a few hours of sleep per night. Once I graduated, I think I went into hibernation for about a month just catching up on sleep. There was a lot of sacrifice socially when it came to balancing my schedule–– when you’re faced with so few hours of “you time” per week, it’s hard to have to choose self-care over Manhattan glittering out your window. And yet, I have no complaints, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
I came to New York at the beginning of 2014 to finish my BFA after starting at another school and subsequently taking some time off in Toronto to intern and freelance. The break I took in college to gain that experience was invaluable. I had the opportunity to take time out of the typical post-secondary route to pursue my interests and narrow my path before finishing my BFA with a focus. By the time I started SVA, I was able to focus my education on what really mattered; editorial studies and production. SVA’s open curriculum with a huge spectrum of career-focused courses allowed me to learn practices that were relevant and useful to my career goals. As for living in New York? I wouldn’t change that for the world.
THIS YEAR, ATLAS WAS SOLD AND DISTRIBUTED AS A PRINT PUBLICATION IN STORES-WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE? Atlas being sold as a print publication was a surreal experience. People were texting me pictures of the magazine in stores. The feeling never wore off each time we’d be tagged in photos of the magazine. Even if we aren’t doing print anymore, the fact that we were able to produce a tangible publication for so long is an accomplishment.
ALONG THE WAY, YOU INTERNED WITH A VARIETY OF COMPANIES IN NEW YORK (MICHAEL KORS, ELLE MAGAZINE, ETC.); WHICH WERE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE TO WORK WITH AND WHAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS YOU LEARNED DURING YOUR INTERNSHIPS?
MANY OF OUR READERS ARE FELLOW CREATIVES LIKE YOURSELF AND ARE INTERESTED IN STARTING THEIR OWN PUBLICATIONS, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN CREATING A MAGAZINE LIKE ATLAS?
Oh, don’t make me choose! Every experience I have had has given me something wonderful to take away from it. That’s why I liked interning at all different types of places; I wanted the ability to see the industry from all sides. From creative agencies to publications, each environment had something different to offer, but they all connected in some way or another. My path in production is well rounded, as it was incorporated into every internship but from different facets of the industry, giving me a variety of perspectives to work with. My current job at Art+Commerce incorporates so much of what I’ve learned from these experiences, making them worth every moment.
Just do it! That’s the answer. Take the time, and make the time. To make a project work, it has to be worth it to you. Olivia and I started Atlas to promote the work of young creatives and because we had that motivation it kept Atlas going. Do it for yourself, but don’t do it for yourself.
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“This is the first time in my life that I don’t have any other answer for where I see myself in five years, besides happy. I’m a planner by nature but I don’t want to plan that. If five-years-ago me had been able to keep to her plans, I certainly wouldn’t be where I am now.” ALRIGHT NOW TIME FOR SOME RANDOM QUESTIONS--WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PUBLICATIONS TO READ?
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS TO DO OUTSIDE OF PHOTOGRAPHY, PRODUCTION, & CREATIVE DIRECTING? I love to bake sugary goods! I’ve recently taken a small dip into gluten-free baking and am trying to work with it and experiment, as I know so many gluten-free people. I also love to write and read. My other main hobby is sleeping… because I’m sure I haven’t mentioned is five thousand times. IN FIVE YEARS, WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF? Hopefully still living in New York and still baking and producing, but in a better kitchen with marble countertops. I’ve got two dogs and a big smile on my face. Things are content. This is the first time in my life that I don’t have any other answer for where I see myself in five years, besides happy. I’m a planner by nature but I don’t want to plan that. If five-years-ago me had been able to keep to her plans, I certainly wouldn’t be where I am now. THIS ISSUE IS ALL ABOUT BEING A GIRL BOSS AND FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS. WHAT IS YOUR LAST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR PURSUING YOUR CREATIVE DREAMS AND ACHIEVING SUCCESS?
ELLE, V, Cosmopolitan, and W are some of my favorites. As well, after meeting such driven creators at the Issuu Generators Camp, I’d have to add Local Wolves and Mad Sounds to that list!
Work hard and be nice. Working hard gets you far, but being nice keeps you there.
WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR CREATIVE INSPIRATION?
KEEP UP WITH MEGAN: Instagram: @meganbreukelman @theatlasmagazine meganbreukelman.com theatlasmagazine.com
Fashion publications, the work of the artists my workplace represents that I see daily, and the general fashion and photography news that I check up on. Two of my favorites are fashioneditorials. com and trendland.com. I also try and surround myself with wonderful, creative thinkers.
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JASON ALVES Meet Jason Alves, Los Angeles based fashion model who is climbing the modeling industry with determination and perseverance. Leaving his hometown on the east coast, Jason moved out to sunny California in hopes of gaining the confidence he needed to pursue his modeling career. Being on hisown, Jason had to step away from his comfort zone to turn his dream into a reality.
Today, we had the chance to talk to Jason about his passion for modeling, his greatest inspirations, future projects, and advice that he would give others who are pursing a creative career.
interview by CHALISA SINGH featuring JASON ALVES 118
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HI JASON, CAN YOU PLEASE START OFF BY TELLING US WHAT KIND OF MODEL YOU ARE AND WHAT YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS IN YOUR MODELING CAREER? I am a fashion model. My ultimate goal with being a model is to take it as far as possible and potentially open the doors to my bigger and more fulfilling dreams. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MODELING FOR AND DO YOU THINK YOU’VE PROGRESSED GREATLY SINCE YOU FIRST BEGAN? It has been about eight months now since I’ve first been introduced to the modeling industry. Without a doubt, I can look at the very first “good” photo I got and see tremendous progress compared to my current photos. I’ve taken all the pointers that photographers have given me over the months and apply it when shooting today. AT WHAT AGE DID YOU REALIZE YOU WANTED TO PURSE MODELING PROFESSIONALLY? I was twenty-one when I realized I wanted to purse in modeling and started believing that I had what it took to be a model in today’s industry. Growing up, a lot of people always suggested that I become a model, but I never had the self-confidence until I moved out to California. WHEN MOVING TO THE WEST COAST TO PURSUE MODELING, DID YOU EVER COME ACROSS SELF- DOUBT WHEN YOU REALIZED HOW COMPETITIVE IT WAS OUT THERE? AND HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT SELF-DOUBT?
I do think with everything I’ve been through as a child, prepared me for what I am doing today. I learned to focus on myself and to not worry about what people had to say or think about me. So honestly, the competition was never an issue. All that was missing was some self-confidence and belief that everything would be okay outside the comfort zone. WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE REASON YOU HAVE CAME THIS FAR IS BECAUSE YOU DECIDED TO LEAVE THE EAST COAST AND MOVE OUT TO CALIFORNIA? Absolutely! If I never left home, I would have never found confidence in myself to become a model. SINCE MOVING WEST AND WORKING ON MASTERING YOUR PASSION, WHAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE BUSINESS THAT WAS SURPRISING? You know, when you think of modeling, it may sound and look like it is all fun and games. However, in all actuality it is a very challenging career that takes a lot of commitment and hard work. Just like a sport, modeling requires a lot of preparation and training before “game day”. Striking a pose requires a lot of muscle tension, especially when getting into fitness modeling. Believe it or not, it can leave you drained by the end of the day and sometimes maybe even sore the following.
I actually moved out to California to find the “real” person that I was. Growing up in a small town you had to adapt to fit in with society, force yourself to become someone you weren’t, causing you to trap your creativity and ways of expression. All the way down to the shoes you wore or even the way you talked.
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“The biggest struggle was honestly with myself. Stepping into a new world and facing your fears can be scary. You have to believe that no matter which path life takes you, no matter what challenge you face, it all happens for a reason.” WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE WHEN DECIDING TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS?
WOULD YOU SAY MODELING MADE YOU MORE OR LESS CONFIDENT? I would say my whole journey since I’ve left home has made me more confident. Leaving my parents’ house at a young age in such a short notice, forced me to do things that made me feel like I can conquer anything. Modeling has definitely raised the bar though, especially when it comes to everyday tasks like talking to strangers and being around large groups. WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS AND WHAT BRAND DO YOU DREAM OF WORKING WITH? I honestly try not to follow other models too much because I want to keep my style and look pure. If I did have to pick one, it would be Nyle DiMarco. The time and dedication he puts behind his name and work is very admirable. I would hope to one day work with all my favorite clothing brands such as, Adidas, Puma, Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci, ect. It would be a dream to also participate in a Yeezy season show and walk for fashion week in all major cities. HOW BIG DID HAVING A SUPPORT SYSTEM PLAY WHEN DECIDING TO LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND AT HOME TO FOLLOW YOUR PASSION?
The biggest struggle was honestly with myself. Stepping into a new world and facing your fears can be scary. You have to believe that no matter which path life takes you, no matter what challenge you face, it all happens for a reason. You’ll always have that little voice in your head that tells you otherwise, but once you learn to just let go and trust the process, you’ll learn that life will unfold the way that it is suppose to. I envisioned a dream and held onto that vision, and I trust life will turn a man’s dream into a reality.
It’s hard to say. It was my decision to leave home and a lot of hearts were broken in the process. It was hard for my family to understand why I would do such a thing out of the random coming from a loved background. It was also hard for me to explain why I felt the need to make such a big move. But I stuck to a promise that I made to myself, which was that no matter how hard things got I wouldn’t give up. I would always stand back up if I fell down.
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“Follow what your heart tells you and learn to step out of your comfort zone. Dreams aren’t stupid if you are not sitting around wishing upon them. Make action and turn those dreams into a reality. Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.”
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“Everyone wants to make their parents proud, so knowing that my choices have been accepted frees up some guilt.“ Now that I’m focused on a career path and things are going exceptionally well for me, I do find moral support from the people I care most about and that most definitely makes going about life a whole lot easier. Everyone wants to make their parents proud, so knowing that my choices have been accepted frees up some guilt. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE TYPES OF PHOTO SHOOTS? My favorite types of photo shoots are the outdoor more natural lifestyle/fashion type shoots. I like the vibes a picture taken in the real world can send out rather than in a studio.
WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE SOMEONE WHO IS ASPIRING TO BE A MODEL OR BETTER YET ANYONE WHO IS TRYING TO MAKE A DENT IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY? Just do it! If you believe in yourself, that’s all that matters. Follow what your heart tells you and learn to step out of your comfort zone. Dreams aren’t stupid if you are not sitting around wishing upon them. Make action and turn those dreams into a reality. Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. ARE THERE ANY EXCITING FUTURE PROJECTS OR PLANS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? I will announce that I’ll be doing my very first fashion week here in San Diego, which is the last week of September. I am also in the process of taking this career to the next step by moving to Los Angeles and getting signed with an agent. I’m also coming out with something very exciting very soon. I’ve recently started creating my own hat line. It started off personal as a way to express myself, but with all the amazing feedback I have decided I would share it with the world. The hats in the photos are actually mine, so make sure you follow my Instagram to keep up with the release! AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WHERE CAN EVERYONE KEEP UP WITH YOU? The best way would be to follow my Instagram: @jayy_vezz. My website will be up soon, but that will be displayed on Instagram as soon as it’s complete! Thanks guys!
SINCE PURSUING THIS INDUSTRY, HOW HAS IT CHANGED YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE? My outlook on life has significantly changed in a positive way. I’ve become more optimistic and free minded when it comes to trying new things.
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STAY TUNED there’s more mad sounds on the way! DO YOU WANT TO BE FEATURED? email madsoundsmagazine@gmail.com with a cover letter & link to your online portfolio not all submissions will be featured for publication
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