Nyota Issue 32 by NYOTA Magazine

featuring

Issue 32

CONTENTS Music Art is Life Playlist

Culture 07

Marlowe Dobbe 41

Ellise 09

Nile Bullock 47

Brooke Sause

Jacob Moran

Honey Gentry 17

Roderick Ejuetami

Emily James 21

Adia

BBYBITES 25

Spencer Zender

Beat Butcha 27

Laya DeLeon Hayes

Fashion Marrisa Wilson 33 WOW: Robyn Shreiber

THE 3

TEAM

Editor in Chief

Carol Wright is a graduate of American University. At a young age, she became interested in telling stories through photography which eventually led her down the path of creating NYOTA. Now, her passion for storytelling has given her the opportunity to pick the brains of musicians, actors, and influencers across the world.

Art Director Nicole Cox is a American University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. She has always enjoyed the arts, from making pottery to painting and sketching in her free time. Thanks to her wonderful professors at school, she was able to explore her passion for the arts and further implement her skills in her professional career and hobbies.

FEATURES Ellise

Marlowe Dobbe

Brooke Sause

Nile Bullock

Honey Gentry

Jacob Moran

Emily James

Roderick Ejuetami

BBYBITES

Adia

Beat Butcha

Spencer Zender

Marrisa Wilson

Laya DeLeon Hayes

Robyn Shreiber

CONTRIBUTORS Sophie Sachar Navarrow Wright Jr.

EDITOR’S LETTER “Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.” - Albert Einstein Creativity comes in many forms, and it is an honor to be able to explore that through our sixth Art Is Life Issue. Whether someone is making music that resonates and empowers, like our cover star Ellise or creating illustrations for video games, like Marlowe Dobbe, they are stretching their creative muscles and bringing something into the world that didn’t previously exist, and that’s a beautiful thing. After reading, I hope our readers are inspired to create art and bring a little more creativity into the world. With Love, Carol Wright @_carol_wright

Seaforth/ King Krule Dedicada a ela/ Arthur Verocai

Sunny Jean/ Jeffrey Silverstein

Art Is Life Playlist Curated by Sophie Sachar 7

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Naturally/ Bonny Doon

The Love I Need/ Girlhood

Divina/ Toro y Moi

I Been Young/ George Clanton

Another Universe/ Angelo De Augustine

HEATED/ Beyoncé

Little Bit/ Erika de Casier

Ellise Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Marc Heller

Ellise, a singer, songwriter, and producer based in Los Angeles, is unafraid to make pop music with a dark side. Her songs, with lyrics often pulled from personal experiences, touch on love, confidence, loss, and feminine power. Ellise talked to NYOTA about her aesthetic as an artist, albums acting as time capsules, and collaborating with Ashley Sienna. Was music often being played in your house growing up? Were you in an environment that encouraged creativity? I grew up listening to all kinds of music. My dad has always loved rock and pop, so that was much of what I heard as a kid. My mom loves Arabic music and would listen to artists like Nancy Ajram and Samira Said. My brother and I were both really musical growing up, so there was always a piano being played or someone singing a song, it was rarely quiet in our house! Do you have a specific songwriting process and when you work on song lyrics are you often pulling from personal experiences? Most of my songs and lyrics are pulled from personal experiences, although sometimes I do like to write about fictional situations or scenarios that people in my life have gone through and I’ve watched up close. My songwriting process isn’t always the same, it sort of depends on the type of song. For example, if I’m in a depressed mood and want to write something sad, I usually end up writing it in my room, completely alone. But when I feel amazing and want to write something confident that reflects that, I prefer to do it during the day, in a studio and with other people. I enjoy writing alone and it feels the most natural and comfortable to me, but I also really love collaborating and merging multiple brains together to create something totally unique. As an artist you have a distinct aesthetic that can be seen in your music videos, cover art, and social media posts. How did you go about cultivating your look and style as an artist when you were first starting out? I think my style and aesthetic has kind of evolved with me as I’ve gotten older, but the roots of it always stay the same, because it all stems from my genuine interests as a kid. I’ve always been into horror and Halloween and a grittier style, but at the same time, all of my bedrooms have been pink since I was 10. I love things that feel overtly feminine and beautiful, but I also love things that feel haunting and dark. When I first started making original music, I knew I wanted it to sound like a blend of sweetness and danger, and I wanted my style to reflect that. 9

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…trust yourself and trust your gut over everything.…never let anyone steer you away from a feeling that you deeply believe in.” You’re very active on social media and often share your music and behind the scenes footage. Do you see Instagram and TikTok as an easy way to connect with listeners and see what songs they’re loving? I think being an artist in the age of social media has so many upsides and downsides, but the biggest upside is how easy it is to have a connection with your fans, and really get to know the people who listen to your music and support you. I love going on Twitter or TikTok and talking to everyone about new music and seeing what songs people like. I sometimes post snippets of multiple songs and ask my fans which one they like more, and I love including everyone in the process of picking a new song or giving hints about new music coming out. Tell our readers about your song “Pretty In The Dark.” What inspired the lyrics? I was so excited when Ashley Sienna asked me to feature on “Pretty in the Dark.” I love her music and her as a person, so I immediately jumped to be on the song! When the song was sent to me, her parts were already written, so writing my portion came pretty easily. Her vision for her music is super clear, which makes it easier for me to get in the headspace of the song and write lyrics/melodies that compliment what was already there. The lyrics are all inspired by manifestation and speaking the things you want into existence. It’s meant to symbolize dark feminine power and help people manifest the energy they want into their lives.

What was it like collaborating with Ashley Sienna? Did you both have a similar idea of how you wanted the song to sound and feel from the beginning? I loved collaborating with Ashley, and we plan to do it again in the near future! Her sound is very defined, and I feel like we both exist in a similar space sonically because of how complementary our music already is, we were pretty much in total agreement about how the song should sound. She communicated her vision and inspiration for the song and I was so happy I got to be a part of it! In 2023 you’re “entering your villain era” as a musician. Are the songs you’re coming out with this year interconnected in your mind? I think I always make songs with a sort of grander vision in mind, because to me, a musical project measures a portion of my life. If I go back and listen to an album of mine, it’s almost like a time capsule to that specific time period for me. Currently, I’m working on my next album, and the songs I’m making for it are all interconnected. I’ve gone through a lot of change this past year, and I’m really excited for people to hear that reflect in my new music. What advice do you have for aspiring musicians? My best piece of advice is to trust yourself and trust your gut over everything. Other people’s opinions are important, but never let anyone steer you away from a feeling that you deeply believe in. Believing in yourself and consistency are the most important things in my opinion.

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Brooke Sause Interview by Carol Wright Photos Courtesy of Brooke Sause

Brooke Sause has made songwriting a family affair. The singer/songwriter consistently collaborates with her sister Breana to create music that tugs at your heartstrings. Sause talked to NYOTA about her song “How Long,” studying law, and her advice for aspiring singers. Did you grow up in a creative household? Definitely! My mom actually paid for college through a singing scholarship, where she sang in a group. My dad has also always played the guitar and sang around us. My step-dad also sang and played all kinds of music genres, such as Broadway, country, rock, etc. Overall, there was always music playing and creative influences around. Who are some of your musical inspirations? I would say some of my musical inspirations are Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, and some older bands like Fleetwood Mac as well. Tell our readers about your song “How Long.” What story are you telling through the song? “How Long” is about reflecting back on a relationship you were in and realizing that the other person never loved or cared for you in the same way that you did for them. It’s about recognizing the red flags along the way that you intentionally ignored because of how much you wanted the relationship to work. You worked on “How Long” with your sister Breana. Do you have a specific collaborative process? Every collaboration goes a little bit differently each time. Sometimes I come up with a little melody with a lyric, and I work on it for a bit before bringing it to Breana to see what ideas she can come up with. Other times, she might have a poem written, and we go from there to come up with chords and melodies that we could use. It’s amazing to work with my sister because she is someone I’m so honest and comfortable with, and neither of us are afraid of throwing out an idea, even if it’s silly. Do your personal experiences ever influence your songwriting or the topics your songs focus on? My personal experiences definitely influence my songwriting. Most of the stories are true, whether they are my own personal experiences or Breana’s. Even in cases where things may be slightly fictionalized or dramatized, we always draw from our emotions and experiences. 14

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…try to be original and not just follow trends or cater too much to social media.… Try your best to be creative and have fun with it.” You’re studying law and pursuing a music career. Are you studying music law? Do your two passions ever overlap? Right now, I just finished my 1L year, which consisted of the basic doctrinal classes that every law student has to take. Now, we have the opportunity to choose electives, which is exciting. I hope I can get into some classes related to entertainment law, such as Intellectual Property or Copyright. A lot of musicians use platforms such as TikTok to connect with listeners. Has social media been a helpful tool for you as an up and coming artist? Social media has been a helpful tool because it has allowed me to reach audiences all over the world, which would not have been possible otherwise. I hope to grow my audience even more, but building a social media following takes time. What advice do you have for aspiring singers? I would say to try to be original and not just follow trends or cater too much to social media. I think that can sometimes lead to having a toxic relationship with social media and make music less enjoyable. Try your best to be creative and have fun with it.

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Honey Gentry Interview by Carol Wright Photos Courtesy of Honey Gentry

Honey Gentry, a singer/songwriter from London, creates music that transports you; her single “Under Taurus” proves that. Gentry talked to NYOTA about being inspired by Louise Glück’s poem, sharing her creative process on TikTok, and releasing music despite her stage fright.

A lot of great writers, musicians, and artists come from England. Being raised there did you appreciate the rich history of the country? In terms of the influence of my surroundings, I was most proud to be from London. I think that Amy Winehouse was the closest influence to home for me. She attended the secondary school I went to (many years before me) and was born at the same hospital. So I really feel her influence as someone truly local to me - I feel very connected to her story as a result of the proximity. Some of the British artists and bands specifically who inspired me include (of course) Kate Bush, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Cure, Marina, Tears for Fears, so many. Probably the main thing that makes me most proud to be from the UK is our music. The poem “Under Taurus” by Louise Glück inspired your song “Under Taurus.” Do you often look to poetry as inspiration? Strangely I don’t, although I do try to broaden my horizons when it comes to seeking out new things to read. But there was just something about this poem when I came across it - over three years ago now - that stuck with me. I am more likely to get my inspiration from a news article or a non-fiction book which is generally what I read or seek out. “Under Taurus” has an ethereal, dreamy quality to it. Did you want listeners to feel a certain way or be able to see certain imagery as they listened to the song? Thank you! I suppose if I wanted to evoke an emotion or a state of mind or being, it would be some kind of peace or mental clarity. The kind of feeling you get when you sit back and think about your past with so much time and distance that you can finally understand it. And it doesn’t hurt, it just teaches. Or, if someone just enjoys the music, that makes me happy too. Since “Under Taurus” was inspired by a poem, did you approach writing this song differently than songs you’ve written in the past? My approach was pretty similar to usual, although of course the poem gave me the strong image to start with, of standing with someone you love as they point over your shoulder trying to get you to see something. Wherever the image comes from or whatever it is, that’s usually one of the starting points for me in writing a song.

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and take steps that sit right with who you “Try are - from the music you make to the lyrics you write to the opportunities you seek out.” In your music you often touch on space and mythology. Why do you feel drawn to those topics/themes? I’m drawn to the way these kinds of topics can tell us about our experiences both on an individual scale and on a human level. With regards to space, I don’t think it’s possible not to be fascinated by what lies beyond Earth - it’s intrigued people for millennia. Personally I feel like there’s a connection between the universe and our human afterlife. I just have a feeling about it. Some of your favorite musicians are Lana Del Rey and Mazzy Star. What about their music inspires you? When I started out with making music back in school, I had dreadful stage fright. I had wanted to be a singer since I was a child, harboring this secret dream, and all the singers I looked up to were outgoing, confident and striking on stage: Gwen Stefani or Kylie or Lady Gaga or Tori Amos. Or, they were in bands and had an energetic stage presence, like Gerard Way or Hayley Williams, which I didn’t think I could emulate especially on my own. As I got older and became more serious about finding a way to become a singer I started seeking out artists who had a gentler presence on stage - I was captivated by bands like The Pierces who I was lucky enough to see live twice. This is how I discovered Mazzy Star, and I watched video after video of Hope Sandoval singing live. The way she stood on stage with her arms by her side and looking down, to me it didn’t feel like an act, it felt like watching someone who felt like I did on stage. When Lana came along, she was rather open about her stage fright. And yet she had her own unique and captivating presence in her performing style, and of course, beautiful music. I started to realize there absolutely was a place for singers like me - which gave me the confidence to put music out even when people questioned how or why someone who was so shy about performing was releasing music.

On TikTok you post videos that give insight into your music and creative process. Have you found that TikTok can be another outlet for creative expression? I do think social media can add to creative expression, if you are careful to do it with intention and balance. It can stray into a hindrance if you start to let social media dictate what you do with your work in any way; but it’s the best way to connect directly with friends and fans. What advice do you have for aspiring singers? Find the time to sit still - really still - so that you can hear your quiet inner voice clearly. Try and take steps that sit right with who you are - from the music you make to the lyrics you write to the opportunities you seek out. I find if you make decisions with your inner voice as the priority, rather than external expectations or being led by others, you can’t go wrong.

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Emily James Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Lindsey Byrnes

Emily James knew she wanted to pursue a career in music after hearing Adele’s hit song “Someone Like You.” From then on, she understood that music was not only a form of entertainment but something that helped people communicate their emotions. Now, she consistently comes out with singles that resonate with her listeners and share bits and pieces of her life. James talked to NYOTA about her advice for aspiring musicians, writing songs, and her song “Past Tense.” Growing up did you write poems or short stories? Yes, I’ve always loved writing and making up stories, even when I was really little. I started writing songs when I was about 10 years old, so that’s been the primary form of writing I’ve done, but in college I got more into writing poetry. It was really interesting to me because I always saw poetry and lyric writing as being basically the same thing, but when it comes to writing songs versus poetry, I actually approach the two very differently. It almost feels like they each come from different parts of my brain. Was there a specific moment when making music went from a hobby to something that could be seen as a career? When I heard “Someone Like You” by Adele, that changed everything for me. I was around 11 years old and just remember being so instantly moved by that song, even though I had never experienced any kind of heartbreak like what she sings about. That was when I first realized that music goes beyond entertainment, and that it’s something that can help us communicate our emotions and relate to one another on a deeper level. From then on, I knew that I wanted to pursue music seriously and write songs for the rest of my life. When it comes to writing songs do you often pull from your own life experiences? Do you have a process? I definitely pull from my own life experiences, although a lot of the time the songs are a more dramatized version of reality, or some of the details get changed. I tend to like to zoom in on a specific emotion or situation, and then magnify that to show all of the colors that go into it. My process is different with each song, but the way it usually goes is, I will start by playing some chords on piano or guitar, mumble out some melodies, and let the words start forming themselves. I don’t really know what the song is about until I have about three quarters of a verse or chorus. Which is cool because it’s like my subconscious is speaking for me and letting me know what’s going on in there. Kind of a fun therapy dupe!

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That was when I first realized that music goes beyond entertainment, and that it’s something that can help us communicate our emotions and relate to one another on a deeper level.” What led to the creation of your song “Past Tense?” I wrote “Past Tense” with a friend of mine, Brian Brundage, almost exactly one year ago. At the time, I was really struggling with a decision of whether to move forward with a certain situation or end it. I realized as I was talking about it that, in my head, the decision was already made, I was just waiting for my heart to catch up and accept it too. So, we wrote this song about that; the feeling of being emotionally pulled in two different directions, but deep down knowing what you need to do. “Past tense” has a bit of a haunting quality to it. How did you go about building it out sonically? Ooh I love that. We started with that electric guitar riff that opens the song, and it had this really sad, bluesy feel to it. Then we added the drums and that changed the vibe completely. From there we just kept bringing in different elements. There’s a lot of interweaving vocal layers, and the intention with that was to emulate what it’s like to be inside your mind with all of these different questions and uncertainties swirling around your brain. In some of the spaces leading into sections, for example into the bridge, we were able to reverse some things to make it sound like a tape being rewound. Those kinds of details are my favorite. Earlier this year one of your songs called “Cannonball (Midnight Mix)” was used in How I Met Your Father. Would you hope to create music for television shows one day? That was such an exciting moment! Yes, I’d definitely be open to doing something like that one day. I’m a big fan of Labrinth, and seeing how he really created a sonic universe for Euphoria when he composed that soundtrack was super inspiring. Who are some of your musical inspirations? I like to listen to a lot of different types of music. As I mentioned earlier, Adele has always been a huge inspiration for me. I love Maggie Rogers’ and Phoebe Bridgers’ music as well. I’m a big Frank Ocean fan, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, I think Dolly Parton absolutely rocks, really just any songwriter who is a great storyteller. What advice do you have for aspiring musicians? For aspiring musicians, as well as any kind of creator in general, I would say that, if creating your art gives you that feeling of fulfillment and purpose that nothing else does, do not give yourself a plan B to lean on. Because if you have a plan B, you will use it. Put on your blinders, experiment and allow yourself to play with different kinds of sounds and styles, and just get after it. Be a bit delusional and just say, this is going to happen for me and nothing can stop me. Because it’s true, nothing can stop you except yourself. So stay out of your own way!

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BBYBITES Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Jasko Bobar

BBYBITES, a pop-singer with a unique look and sound had a life-changing moment once she realized she could make up her own stories. Now, instead of writing short stories or poetry she focuses on writing music. BBYBITES talked to NYOTA about her song “Jeans,” Denmark’s arts scene, and musicians she looks up to. Did you write poems or short stories before becoming interested in songwriting? I remember in school, when we had to write short stories, the freer from special forms I was, the better my stories became. Or at least it was more fun to write. When I realized I could make up my own stories and write them down, my whole world changed. I had a lot of different short and long stories going on. Poetry came later on and has been more of a “solution” whenever I get writer’s block. Does Denmark have a lively arts and music scene that you were involved in as an up and coming artist? Yes and no. It’s kinda weird in Denmark because I would say that we do have a lively arts and music scene, and also there is an openness for upcoming artists, but it’s mostly for the people who are in the more mainstream genres. If you go more niche, there will maybe be an environment for you but it’s very, very small and it’s really hard to get your music further out, simply because we are not that many people over here. For me it’s been great because I make pop music, but I dare to say that I also stand out a bit and I guess that’s kind of a good combination. As a musician you have a very clear aesthetic and persona. Do you feel that when you are performing your music you almost step into BBYBITES shoes and leave Martha behind? I get that question a lot, and in the beginning I would just say: “Yes - it’s my alter ego, it’s a persona” but the more I think about it, the more I realize that BBYBITES is maybe the closest I get to my true self. No boundaries. I get to play and that’s who I am. Whenever I feel like I need to be some “type 25

of person” I get very confused cause I’m just very playful and I’m not one person. I change all the time. Who are some of the musicians you look up to? When I was younger I had two big icons: Nancy Sinatra and Gwen Stefani. These two I loved not just because of the music, but because of their unique vocals, their lyrics, their way of being women (very different I know), their aesthetics and I guess their hair also. I’ve mostly been listening to female vocalists/ artists - just cause it’s more relatable I’m sure. Tell our readers about your single “Jeans.” What inspired the lyrics? I’m a big romantic and I love when my partner grabs my ass. I always thought it was the cutest thing when a couple would walk down the street with their hands in each other’s pockets - that right there, that’s pure love in my world. Also, I love to imagine that I’m a couples therapist at times, so I’ve been looking into “love languages” and mine is definitely physical touch, which also inspired the lyrics. “Jeans” is a twist on the Prince song “Kiss.” Do you often listen to older songs to gain inspiration or reimagine them? I love listening to older songs and getting inspired - it’s way more fun than listening to new music for inspiration - because new great music usually has been inspired by older music. When it came to how the song would sound, was it important for you to take some of “Kiss” but also add in unique elements of your own? The “Kiss” thing wasn’t something we really intended to do at first. My producer Andreas was

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BBYBITES is maybe the closest I get to my true self. No boundaries. I get to play and that’s who I am.” sitting with the productions and finishing up for the day after I left and added the funky Prince guitar. At first I was like “Naaaah, we can’t do that” but then I grew more and more fond of it. I like to get inspired, but I don’t want to sound completely like anyone else. My main goal is to create something in between stuff that I love and then make it my own. What advice do you have for aspiring musicians? My advice would be to remember to just play with it. You can get serious when you’re at the “starting a business” point of it. But when you’re in the studio, on stage, all of that just f**** play with it. I try to remember that myself.

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Beat Butcha Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Giddian Brown

Beat Butcha grew up listening to a wide range of music before discovering Wu-Tang & Mobb Deep at 13 sent him on a new trajectory. Fast forward, and now he is an in-demand music producer working with artists such as SZA, Dominic Fike, and more. Butcha talked to NYOTA about finding his sound, working with UK-based artists, and couch surfing during the early days of his career. Was music a large part of your upbringing? Even though neither of my parents were musicians or involved in music, music was always playing in the house. My dad’s taste is pretty eclectic. He was into everything from Cyndi Lauper to Bach to Dr John & Vanilla Fudge to Zouk music. Whilst my mom was always probably more into pop, playing the latest albums by people like: Tina Turner, Bob Marley, Wham, Bon Jovi, which is also pretty varied but more on the mainstream side of things. So I think as far back as I can remember I always had an appreciation for music of all sorts, like a lot of people from my generation I think the earliest artist I was a fan of was probably Michael Jackson. When I was really young, like 5 or 6, I would force my gran to dance to the Bad album with me, hyperactively jumping over couches and trying to mimic some sort of awkward moonwalk. I went through a lot of musical phases growing up, I’ve always been quite creative, I loved drawing and dabbled a little bit in playing guitar and drums as a kid. Even though I was already listening to some earlier hiphop, discovering Wu-Tang & Mobb Deep, at around 13 changed my life and sort of gave me tunnel vision. I would become a complete fiend for discovering new music, I was completely obsessed with the process of acquiring a new CD or single and soaking it in. I would try to gather any bit of change I could find at any chance I could get just to go to the shop and buy a new CD to listen to. 28

Did you experiment or try other jobs within the music industry before you discovered your passion for producing music? I think in some ways it’s everyone’s dream to make money from things you love doing, but I don’t think society often encourages us to pursue jobs in creative fields, it’s more accepted to study and get a “regular” job. So in the early days I had various jobs, whilst still working on music in my spare time, the longest position I had was working for an online shop and distributor focused on UK hip-hop in London. I would be working there during the day and then working on music at night, often the releases I contributed to were sold at the company I worked for. Being a music producer is unlike a traditional job position, you don’t get a salary, you’re essentially a freelancer. You work to build your name and reputation (often unpaid initially) until it starts to become something that is consistent. The foundation of it is passion, you have to do this because you love it and try to work with like minded artists and musicians whom you are a fan of. There’s no quick buck in music, you have to be prepared to be broke, invest your time and put your 10,000 hours in until you have momentum. It took me the best part of 10 years to really get the courage to go full time, the internet was my gateway initially. I could get in the mix from abroad via emailing beats and networking through things like Myspace at the time. The early days for me were all about learning what would work for me. This is a lifestyle, you have to be adaptive, see opportunity in places other people don’t, and try different things. I would network on Myspace and sell beats to fund month long trips to the states three times a year to network. I’d sleep on people’s floors and couches who I had met through the internet, literally with $600 in my pocket. Looking back I put myself through years of struggle before I finally got some momentum. I’m not sure I’d put myself through that now. It’s been uphill since the mid-2010s and the last few years have been amazing. It’s a real blessing to do what you love, I appreciate every moment of it. 29

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As a producer how did you go about finding your signature sound and style? I think it all comes from your taste, your influences, your choice in sounds and textures, the chords you use, and your grooves. You have to dare to be yourself and purely express your unique self. Having signature motifs, rhythm styles and sounds that you often use. Is there particular equipment or music software that you swear by that you feel up and coming producers should use to learn the ropes? I personally think there is no right or wrong equipment, you can make music on anything. I personally use Ableton as my DAW and use a combo of software and hardware. I am a massive fan of 70s music, so I tend to collect older instruments, FX pedals and synthesizers; but you don’t need any of that to make good music. It’s just there for inspiration for me, I enjoy classic textures so I lean more towards these things. I think there are certain skills that give you an advantage, for instance having knowledge of Music Theory and of various different musical styles and genres.

is probably influenced by partially growing up in the UK and also probably growing up around different styles. Rave, jungle and garage all had mainstream success in the UK when I was a kid and I think all of those genres had a bit of a “f**k you” factor, which has probably made me more open to experiment with different vibes over the years. I think there’s always been more of an acceptance for new styles of music in the UK, I’m not really sure why that is. But I think in this phase in life and my career I’m trying to stick out musically, so I tend to experiment and show my eclectic influences a lot more. I think also we’re in a time where we’ve all heard every formula done to death, so I think people are more accepting of new ideas or styles they haven’t heard that much. I’ve been seeing a lot more experimentation lately and it’s been really dope hearing some of that jungle and garage influence in modern mainstream music. I used to love f*****g my American friends heads up by playing stuff like Shy FX “Original Nuttah” and General Levy’s “Incredible.” It sounds so alien to anyone who didn’t experience that at the time, but now I hear mashups with jungle breaks in the randomest of places in LA, also new garage songs.

When you worked with more UK based artists were you more experimental with your production work? At times UK artists have a much different sound than artists based in the US?

Last year you got to work on SZA’s track “Far.” Can you tell our readers a bit about how that came together and what it has been like seeing the success of that record?

I would say that in the early days I was probably more of a purist. I was heavily influenced by a specific sound in hip-hop and lived by a certain code. The first UK artists that I worked with mostly weren’t really experimental, but they didn’t necessarily follow what was cool in the states at the same time and were often unique to themselves. I cut my teeth in the underground UK hip-hop scene of the early 2000s, where the beats were very much influenced by 90s NYC hip-hop yet were rhymed in native British English about experiences true to what they were living.

It feels amazing being a part of its success. I’m a massive SZA fan and it’s super dope to be a part of one of the biggest albums this year. It all came out of a session with my good friends Los Hendrix and Carter Lang. We made the track together at Carter’s studio. This is one of the few songs recently where I did the drums. Most time on collaborative productions over the last few years I’m the guy who has made the music textures and chords. So it’s dope to sort of circle back around to what I started out doing and do some drum programming as well as synth stuff.

In the late 90s and early 2000s there was a bit of an anti-commercial thing, as a kind of reaction to American hip-hop which had become all about being flashy, rich and ultra gangster. The UK scene at the time was kind of doing the opposite. We celebrated clever lyrics and struggles of regular people and street life. However, having said that, what you make and what you listen to aren’t always aligned and I’ve always had a bit of an adventurous taste, which I think

Carter had played SZA the idea and she actually also recorded another record that Carter and I did. He had told us that “Far” had a strong concept and was likely to stick for the album. I had a good feeling about it, but you never know with these things. It was an amazing feeling hearing that we made the final cut. I think everyone knew that this album was going to do well because it was so heavily anticipated.

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Tune out the noise and follow your heart. If you make music you genuinely like, consistency and hard work will pay off.” One of the biggest films this year is SpiderMan: Across the Spider-Verse and you worked on Dominic Fike’s “Mona Lisa” which is on the soundtrack. Did you approach producing that song any differently? Did the knowledge that it would play during a film influence the sound at all? The song wasn’t actually made for the film, it was made in sessions for Dominic’s album. The initial idea came from a cook up session between Willy “Will” Yanez and I at my studio, as we were just making ideas without anyone in mind. When I’m making starter ideas and compositions I like to be as free as possible with it and figure out where it goes once something cool has taken shape. This specific idea had a bit of a garage feel to it to me, with the vocal chop and acoustic R&B guitar chords, so we named it something to do with Craig David. Kenny had the vision to pull it up for Dom with Stargate, and have him jump on it and do that drum bounce. What advice do you have for aspiring music producers? Tune out the noise and follow your heart. If you make music you genuinely like, consistency and hard work will pay off. This isn’t a job for the faint hearted, you have to genuinely love and live this s**t.

Marrisa Wilson Interview by Carol Wright Photo Courtesy of Marrisa Wilson

Marrisa Wilson created clothing for her Barbies in second grade, which sparked her interest in fashion design. Now, she’s presenting collections during fashion week and having her designs worn by everyone from Jasmin Savoy Brown to Amanda Gorman. Wilson talked to NYOTA about her time at Marist College, having Pat Cleveland close her show, and her advice for aspiring designers. Did you have an interest in drawing or painting before you discovered your interest in design? I always enjoyed drawing and painting, but I was not a natural artist that was able to sit at an easel and create sweeping landscapes or photorealistic portraits. What I really always loved painting was prints and vibrant colors, which came much more naturally to me. So when I recognized that was something I could translate into fashion design, that’s when it all clicked for me. And when I got a bit older and started taking Saturday Live high school courses at FIT, I got really into drawing fashion illustrations and practiced and refined my style over the years. And still now, every season I’ll sketch the illustrations for every look in all of my collections. It’s one of my favorite parts of the entire design process. When did you have the ‘aha’ moment that design was what you wanted to pursue as a career? When I was in the second grade, my mom was making new curtains and reupholstering the chairs in our house in preparation for my First Communion and as she was making these fabric covered buttons for the seat cushions with some leftover fabric scraps, I took the buttons and fabrics and started making dresses for my Barbies. When my mom saw me playing with the fabric, that’s when she taught me how to hand-sew and then, a few years later, she bought me my first mini sewing machine. From that day on, I knew that I was going to be a fashion designer and one day start my own brand — even though at that time I didn’t know of any other designers that looked like me. But I come from a very entrepreneurial family, so starting my business right out of college didn’t seem all that crazy to me. What did you learn during your time at Marist College that you take with you in your career today? Fashion Illustration was my favorite class at Marist and I studied under Glenn Tunstull, who was the first African American Illustrator to work for WWD. I remember being so captivated by how every line drawn and brush stroke hit the paper so perfectly. To this day I still use so many of the techniques that I learned in his classes – his 5 minute warm ups, the way he taught us different mediums and how to experiment with different techniques to render fabrics, how we’d study poses to convey the attitude of the looks. I still paint with gouache today because of his class. He is such an incredible talent and one of the kindest, warmest human beings you could ever meet. I’m so grateful that I was able to learn from him before he retired. 33

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Who are some designers that you looked up to early on in your career? Yves Saint Laurent was always a designer I looked up to. When I studied abroad in Paris, his studio, Musée Yves Saint Laurent, was open to the public on Museum Day. I knew that I had to go, but I had heard how crazy the lines got and how not everyone would get in. So I stayed up all night and got there first thing in the early morning and I still had to wait three hours in that line! But I got in and it was incredible to walk through his studio and see his sketches and so many of his historic dresses on display, like his iconic Mondrian Dresses. It was certainly worth staying up all night for. Back in March you debuted your Fall/Winter 2023 collection and even had Pat Cleveland as part of the show. What is the creative process behind planning a show for fashion week? Do you create mood boards or vision boards for the show? It was an incredible honor to have Pat Cleveland close my show. She’s someone I’ve had on my mood board since I was a little girl, so it was a bit surreal to not only meet her but to see her wearing my designs and to dance with her hand-in-hand down the runway for my designer curtain call. The inspiration for my FW23 Collection was Katherine Dunham, the Matriarch and Queen Mother of Black dance in America and my personal dance muse. I began my creative concept by researching the life and work of Ms. Dunham, then designed the line and conceptualized the show to explore the intersection of dance, art and fashion. Pat Cleveland’s aunt was a member of Katherine Dunham’s dance troupe, so when Pat was very young, Katherine Dunham actually personally introduced her to dance and then of course, years later Ms. Cleveland carried the torch and brought a bit of Ms. Dunham’s style to the runway. So I also wanted my show to pay homage to these generations of Black artists and trailblazers that paved the way for me. First I wrote a letter to Ms. Cleveland explaining the show’s inspiration and concept and why I thought having her close the show would be the perfect full circle moment. I let her know that we had all of her iconic walks playing on the screen during our model casting (but of course, no one could work a room quite like her). I sent the letter at night and the next morning I heard back that not only was she in, but she was coming into our studio for a fitting that afternoon! 35

I love a good mood board and concept deck. I believe in strong creative leadership and I believe in collaborating with fellow creatives who are SME in their respective disciplines. So I develop an overarching creative concept for the entire collection and, from there, I develop creative direction for each of our partners - hair, makeup, lighting, music, venue, etc, that connects back to the collection concept. After I share with them my thoughts, I’m always open to hearing their interpretations and leaning into their expertise for how to better execute my vision. What was the inspiration behind your Fall/Winter 2023 collection? In addition to the specific inspiration of Katherine Dunham, the MARRISA WILSON Fall/Winter 2023 Runway Collection was inspired by the role that art and dance have played in my life. As both a competitive dancer and an artist since a young age, I understood that my design process has always been influenced by my connection to music. In the MW FW23 Collection, I wanted to present that relationship between movement, music, art and fashion through my signature hand-painted prints and relaxed styling. So the print story for the season incorporated lively, artisan designs — evoking a sense of rhythmic, melodic energy— featured on a range of relaxed silhouettes and fabrics. Each style was made to be danced in, to allow you to freely express your personality and Wear Your Soul through rhythm and movement. We also incorporated an incredible allfemale jazz band named Hera into the show, which was something that I thought was really special. Not only were all six members of the band dressed in my FW23 styles and playing live music throughout the night, but they also opened the show by performing down the runway along with a choreographed dance performance. People often say the fashion industry can be cutthroat and tough to break into. Do you think you’ve developed a thick skin working in the industry? In the beginning, it was hard for me to sort through and make sense of all of the feedback I would get about where my brand should go, what I needed to do to stand out, to grow and get recognized and get sales. It felt like everyone I spoke to said something that conflicted with the last person that gave me advice. So I learned that I needed to focus

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…young designers should go through the thought exercise of ‘why you and why now?” on listening and trusting myself, and believing in what I knew made me and my brand special, versus what everyone else said. It helps me to better receive feedback to productively improve my brand, rather than just swinging the pendulum. I’ve now found that if I trust and feel secure that I’ve explored the concept, done the research, have a clear point of view, designed with intention, and arrived at an edited body of work, it is much easier to listen to and incorporate critique and feedback. What advice do you have for aspiring designers? I always recommend that young designers should go through the thought exercise of ‘why you and why now?’ Even now when I’m designing a collection, I’ve found that those questions are a great guiding light whenever I find myself hitting a wall or feeling uninspired. It helps to develop work that feels special to you, versus anyone else, and stay relevant and connect with other people. Also, I’d tell young designers that they should do everything they can to find joy in the journey.

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Words of Wisdom

Robyn Shreiber Interview by Carol Wright Photos Courtesy of Robyn Shreiber

Robyn Shreiber quite literally transformed her pain into something beautiful. After receiving surgery due to years of wearing uncomfortable shoes, she decided to start a shoe company that creates beautiful and comfortable shoes. Shreiber talked to NYOTA about building Beautiisoles, creating unique items, and her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Was running a business something you always saw yourself doing? Were you the kid who used to set up lemonade stands in the summer? I was definitely a little girl with the lemonade stand, only my lemonade was nail polishes and other trinkets. As the oldest child of an entrepreneurial father, I watched him continually grow his businesses. I saw him buy a small bankrupt soft pretzel company and over the next few decades, turn it into a billion dollar company! I have learned a lot from my father in that regard, but it also ingrained in me that entrepreneurial spirit. Creating a business is no easy feat, especially when you’re venturing into a new area. What motivated you to pivot into footwear and create Beautiisoles? In 2018 I needed urgent foot surgery due to years of wearing uncomfortable shoes. While I was recovering at home, I was doing a lot of research about shoes and their structure, and I knew that I could revolutionize the shoe industry by creating gorgeous and stunning shoes that can still be comfortable. So I got to work and Beautiisoles was born. My line incorporates enhanced cushioning and supportive constructions, based on advice I got from my own doctors. I have so much passion for my brand, and each and every shoe is a style that I would wear proudly all day, without worrying about my feet. Did you learn a lot about yourself as a leader in those early days of building Beautiisoles? I actually used the same leadership skills that served me so well in the snack food industry and applied them to Beautiisoles — identify a need, be the best in the category and don’t squinch on quality! Offer a high quality product at a price that won’t break the bank and it seems that women agree. We are growing very fast. The sales are skyrocketing and as a leader I’ve surrounded myself with amazing co-leaders who are mostly women, and are all experts in their field of the business. Leadership is also about setting an example of culture and pace for the company. I am the type of person who expects a lot from my team because I give a lot and I don’t expect anything that I wouldn’t do or ask of myself. 38

set your mind to it, you “Ifwillyousucceed. In life, what you focus on, grows.”

Clothing and footwear companies always have to find a balance between selling unique items but also what’s in style. How do you determine the shoes you sell? I like to think of my brand as being fashion forward. It is important that our shoes be on trend and at the same time provide the comfort that most other brands don’t provide. My goal is to appeal to many different women and age groups. Therefore we design a pretty wide collection of stunning shoes, with a level of comfort that exceeds expectations, whether they are stilettos, kitten heels or flats, there is something for every woman. I always look at shoe styles and constantly think about how to make them more interesting or more sexy and unique, so you will find different prints or ornaments as well as different colors and color combinations in our collections. I get notes from women all over the country constantly telling me how they can’t believe the sexy shoe they are wearing is so extremely comfortable and the compliments they get on them. It feels wonderful to read them. When it comes to colors, design, and style for a shoe. Where do you look for inspiration? I find inspiration from everything that is around me. It could be the color of blooming flowers in my garden, the color of decor at a restaurant, and of course like most women, I like to look and see what the upcoming fashion trends will be and envision what I and other women would want to pair them with footwear wise. I also travel a lot, as I am a Pro Am competitive dancer who is regularly surrounded by brilliant dresses and Swarovski stones and I love to see the new tones and color combinations. What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs? So much to share. Here are some that I firmly believe in: If you set your mind to it, you will succeed. In life, what you focus on, grows. Surround yourself with the best people who are leaders in their field so that you don’t spend your days micromanaging.

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Marlowe Dobbe Interview by Carol Wright Photos Courtesy of Marlowe Dobbe

Marlowe Dobbe is an illustrator, game developer, and animator who can thank her parents for letting her watch a little too much TV as a kid. Dobbe talked to NYOTA about working in different mediums, sharing her art process on social media, and finding community within the Portland Indie Game Squad. As a kid were you interested in the idea of creating your own worlds? Absolutely! I was always so enthralled by fictional worlds. I was definitely one of those kids that watched way too much TV and played way too many video games. Looking back though, the shows I watched and games I played ended up becoming such formative parts of who I am as an artist today. I’m just glad I had parents that let me watch as much Powerpuff Girls as I wanted. When did you discover you had a passion for illustration and creating characters? My love for illustration goes as far back as I can remember. As a kid I couldn’t put my crayons down. I think my first memories of wanting to create characters and tell stories was with a series of incredibly non-serious printer-paper comics I made about a walking talking slice of pizza known as Pizza Man. This was a series that spanned many many years of my childhood. There was just something about drawing and sharing those comics and stories with my siblings that really motivated me to continue to draw and create throughout my life. Fast forward to today, I’m a full-time game developer. I really see video games as a powerful storytelling medium, so I feel like it was a natural progression for me to enter into this career as someone who has always loved both games and stories. As an artist you work in many different mediums. Was it a lot of trial and error to see what you enjoyed the most and had a knack for? I think it’s less that there’s a lot of trial and error to find what I like, and more that I just like trying out every medium I can get my hands on. As someone who works professionally in a digital medium, I find it really fulfilling to find the time to create tangible things with my hands. That’s why painting, ceramics, sewing, and even gardening are all things I use to express myself away from my computer. It’s important as a creative person, I think, to have creative outlets that are completely separate from your professional work. What led you to designing shells for game consoles and what usually inspires your designs? As a side effect of my career and my lifelong love for video games I have amassed quite the collection of retro games and consoles. My boyfriend got me a book on gameboy modding for Christmas one year and the rest was history. I was taking apart gameboys and installing new screens, buttons, and other hardware. I figured 41

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people who are doing what you’re doing “Find (or what you want to do) and show up, engage with them, support and be supported by them. A rising tide really does lift all boats…” since I was disassembling so many machines, I should try my hand at customizing a few shells myself. I have had a lot of fun painting console shells, and my designs are usually just inspired by what I’d like to see in my own collection of consoles myself! I like the idea of myself (or someone else) being able to make their own console collection a little more exciting. Tell our readers about “Dicey Dungeons.” How did the opportunity to make art for the game come about? “Dicey Dungeons” was a video game I was lucky enough to create all the art for a few years ago. The developer, Terry, had actually posted on social media that he was looking for an artist for his next project, and I just thought I’d throw my hat in the ring and apply for the position! I started on with the team shortly after a really fantastic phone call between myself and Terry where we were totally on the same page about how the art direction for the game should go. “Dicey Dungeons” was definitely one of my favorite experiences working on a game. I had a blast making all the art, the whole team was so talented and lovely to work with, and I’m super proud of the game that we made together. I still play the game myself now and then. You often share your art on TikTok as well as your process. Do you see TikTok as a way to teach others how to learn what you do? TikTok and other social platforms I see as a great way to kind of pull back the curtain and let others see what it’s actually like to make art. If you’re someone who’s just starting out on their creative journey, it can be really daunting to think about how the art you admire gets made in the first place. It’s definitely a value

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of mine to share and demystify as much about my creative process as I can in the hopes of inspiring other people and showing them that art doesn’t just magically appear on the page, it’s oftentimes a real step-by-step process of practicing your craft! Who are some artists that inspire and motivate you to keep creating? I’m lucky enough to be an organizer for our local indie game developer community here in Portland, OR. All of our community members at the Portland Indie Game Squad are such a huge source of inspiration to me. It’s always so motivating to see what games or other interactive experiences my peers are working on. Honestly some of the most inspiring games I’ve ever played are just 5 minutes long. There really is some unreal stuff being made by small creators.

What advice do you have for aspiring illustrators? The number one thing I tell people who are just starting out their creative journeys is to find your community. For me, it was the Portland Indie Game Squad, but for you it may be any number of individuals or groups. Find people who are doing what you’re doing (or what you want to do) and show up, engage with them, support and be supported by them. A rising tide really does lift all boats and I wouldn’t be the artist I am, or where I am today, if it weren’t for all the fellow creatives I’ve collaborated with or worked alongside throughout the years.

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Nile Bullock Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Tarrice Love Photography

Nile Bullock got his start on the stage, playing a role in The Scottsboro Boys under the direction of Susan Stroman before transitioning to film and television. Now he can be seen as a central character in the second season of Cruel Summer. Bullock talked to NYOTA about stepping out of his comfort zone when choosing projects, working on music, and developing his character Jeff. Growing up were you the kid who put on performances for their family members? Oh my God most definitely, any chance that I got there was always a house performance I would put on for the family. My parents played me a ton of Micheal Jackson growing up, so it’s safe to say that he was my early childhood idol. I would always do impersonations of MJ and dance for the family, while his Bucharest Tour was playing in the background. My little brother would almost always join me in the mini concert as well. You got your start working on the theater project, The Scottsboro Boys. Could you see yourself working on plays again in the future? Absolutely, even though my love has transitioned more towards TV and film, I’m always open to doing more theater going forward in my career. I grew up with a strong love for Broadway as well, so who knows maybe I’ll see myself on stage again sooner than later. With Season 2, Cruel Summer is now an anthology series. Is it exciting to know you can help usher in an entire new fan base/viewers to the series? There’s not enough words to describe how excited I am to be a part of the new season of Cruel Summer. Season 1 of the show had me so hooked and this season it’s going to be another banger. I had such an amazing and eye-opening experience, playing and developing the character Jeff. We’ve got a super unique and diverse cast for season 2 and I think the old fans plus new fans are going to love the new story line and new faces they’ll see on the big screen. Your character Jeff is someone who prefers to be behind the scenes. How did you go about getting into his head space for filming? It was a little bit of a challenge. Jeff is sort of the shy and closed off one out of the bunch, but he is always taping something with his camera and loves to be involved with the rest of the group. I found a lot of relativity in the character Jeff especially with his strong passion to make films of his own. You’ll see Jeff go through a lot of emotional changes in the show and I found that to be really fun to play into. I didn’t always know what to expect, considering a lot of the episodes were being written while we were shooting, so I found time to really play with developing the character 48

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yourself, but also push your skill set as “Bean artist. Try different things and challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and grow your resume.” Jeff as the storyline continued to grow. I watched a lot of classic movies and spent a lot of time just taping whatever I could with my own camera to sort of get into the rhythm.

hope to see music pop off for me just like acting in the near future. I definitely look forward to seeing a Role come into play where I can showcase all of my talents sooner than later as well.

Did the cast develop strong friendships similar to their characters while on set?

What advice do you have for aspiring actors?

Yes, I definitely made some lifelong friends while working with this cast and crew. Everybody was super sweet and passionate. At this point in your career you have been able to take on diverse projects from Power Book lll: Raising Kanan to Chang Can Dunk to Cruel Summer. When you decide to audition for a project is there something specific you’re looking for? Every time I audition for a new project, I do it with the idea of stepping out of my comfort zone. Yes I love playing roles where I can easily relate to the character, but I find that it really makes me explore my artistry and take on more of a challenge when I go for roles that I wouldn’t normally see myself playing. Sometimes I completely surprise myself, and I have so much fun developing a character that might be really left from who I am as an individual. Power Book lll when I played D-Wiz is a perfect example, D-wiz was a gangster and one of the roughest characters I’ve had to portray so far on television; but the role really pushed me as an actor and it also just happens to be one of the most favorite roles I’ve taken on so far.

I’d say first and foremost work on building your foundation as an artist. Take as many workshops and classes as possible put on by acting coaches and casting agents. Be yourself, but also push your skill set as an artist. Try different things and challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and grow your resume. Also be sure to post content showcasing your talent on social media cause a lot of scouting for new talent is done online these days. Lastly, be fearless in your pursuit, don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something. There’s a lot of people who will tell you that you cannot make a career in the arts but I promise you with time and dedication it is extremely possible.

Outside of acting your other creative outlet is music. Would you want to release original music or work on music specifically for film/television? Yes, I would love to get my music pitched and involved in as many different projects as possible. I’ve really only been approaching music super seriously over the past four years. I’ve been just recording as much as possible and shooting visuals, so a lot more content is on the way for sure and I have a strong 50

Jacob Moran Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Guido Venitucci

Jacob Moran is an actor that should be on everyone’s radar. With a role in the hit Blumhouse thriller The Black Phone and his short-film New Shoes having its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last month, one can only imagine the milestones he’ll hit later in his career. Moran talked to NYOTA about working with Nicole Kidman, playing a character different from himself in New Shoes, and his advice for aspiring actors. What initially sparked your interest in acting? I come from a family who loves music and theater. Since I can remember we were dancing and I was playing the drums. This led to local performances and community theater and training at the Orbit Arts Academy. When I was 11, I booked the Broadway National Tour of the School of Rock and that really set my love of performing into motion. While I have since transitioned to a focus on film and television the early foundation of music and live performing definitely set the groundwork. Who are some of your acting inspirations? I really have just so many. It is always inspiring to be in the presence of a great actor and watch their style. Ethan Hawke and Nicole Kidman are definitely two that have been incredible to watch work. Matthew McConaughey and Leo DiCaprio fascinate me as well and I think the range of their movies is really impressive. Do you feel that you grew as an actor after working on The Black Phone? Absolutely. Anytime I have a chance to work with other talented people I grow. This was also the first major motion picture I had the privilege of being a part of so seeing how that process comes together was exciting. Tell our readers about your short-film New Shoes. What drew you to the project? It was very intriguing to play a character so different from myself. Even more interesting was the fact that this is a true story and I knew I would be working with the person who I would be portraying, Thommy Kane. While this was a little intimidating I was up for the challenge and that made me dig deeper into understanding who Tristan really was and how he felt. New Shoes has a heavy subject matter. How did you get into the headspace for the role? This is a special film and definitely an experience that will help shape me as an actor. My character Tristan and the film is based on a true story. Tristan’s upbringing couldn’t be more different than mine and I really had to work hard to figure out 51

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planting the seeds… If you keep “…keep planting one day you get to see it all grow. To

me this means building relationships, taking every opportunity that makes sense for you (there are no small parts).” a way to connect to this character and way of life. It was hard. I felt a responsibility to tell this story how director Thommy Kane experienced it. This was his true story and I had to make sure I brought my own vision to it while honoring his childhood experiences. There were some long days and rough moments because the material is so raw. We filmed in a rundown duplex and it was dirty..really dirty. I had to really focus and being in that environment helped me understand this new reality. The film premiered at Cannes which is an incredible honor for any actor. How did it feel to have that experience?

What advice do you have for aspiring actors? The best advice I have for newer actors is keep planting the seeds. This was advice given to me and I will never forget it. If you keep planting one day you get to see it all grow. To me this means building relationships, taking every opportunity that makes sense for you (there are no small parts). Do the work, keep training and love what you do. Don’t get me wrong, I get discouraged sometimes, but I come back to the belief that the work you put in today will pay off in ways we don’t even know just yet.

The best way I can describe the experience was like being in a movie, only it was real life. If you are a young actor, life myself, I can’t think of a more inspiring place to be around so many successful and hardworking filmmakers and actors. To watch our film at the American Pavilion was amazing. It was the first time we experienced others’ reactions to the film and it was well received. It is still hard for me to watch myself on screen but I knew this was a defining moment. You’re currently working on Holland Michigan with Nicole Kidman. Are you learning a lot from her? Yes. We wrapped the film and it was a great experience. Watching her work was a true honor. She is kind and funny and very engaged. It is an intense story and I loved every minute of it.

Roderick Ejuetami Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Elliot Hensford

Roderick Ejuetami didn’t let a lack of support stop him from pursuing his passion for photography. Instead, he studied titans in the industry, sharpened his skills, and found ways to support other creatives in the process. Ejuetami talked to NYOTA about shooting on film versus digital, creating his brand DEEDS, and photographing Tems at the Oscars. Growing up did you always see yourself pursuing a creative career or was it something that happened later in life? I feel like it was something that happened later in life, like the second year into college. I realized I really was going to enjoy doing this as my career. Growing up in Nigeria, becoming a creative wasn’t an option at the time. You were either finishing school to become a doctor or an engineer, because that was what was being promoted by parents. The creative community wasn’t as awake as it is now. So I went on to school and tried to study medicine, but I couldn’t. I studied biochemistry and then two years into biochemistry, I found a camera and I began to find my way into the creative space. After school, I just jumped into the creative career, and followed my passion as a photographer. When you first became interested in photography, who were some photographers you studied and wanted to learn from? After finding photography and after practicing without any type of education or knowledge. I decided to actually learn and began to find names like Avedon and Gordon Parks. I feel like I was practicing photography around music, so Jonathan Mannion was my favorite in fact. Jonathan Mannion, Chi Modu, and those guys that were known for their iconic style and style of documenting music back then. I’ve studied Chi Modu’s photographs of Tupac and Snoop Dogg, Biggie, all them guys. Back then I was in Nigeria and he [Chi Modu] was doing all of this as a Nigerian in Los Angeles. I was also a big fan of Jay-Z, 50 cent, and all those other guys, so I tried to find out who is this guy taking their photos? How is he making them look this good? After I did my research I felt like I stayed connected to their frequency and wanted to make art like them. One major thing that also drove me to that direction was that afrobeats and the internet were rising. At the time Instagram wasn’t as popular as it is now. Instagram was still like Tumblr and there was no real buzz about it. It was more like your private mood board. You were cool if you had Instagram and nobody knew about it. So I would go on Instagram and see all the hip-hop artists and the way photographers were capturing them in an aesthetic way and I wanted to make afrobeats look like that. I wanted to represent the afrobeats style and I wanted it to have its own 55

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#NYOTAculture cool style, energy, and aesthetic. I would reference Jonathan Mannion’s work and Chi Modu’s work and I would try to create something inspired by that direction. At that time I didn’t have access to film like I do now so what I would do is take photos with my digital Nikon camera and I’d go into Photoshop and edit the photo to have a filmy effect. I did that until I was able to buy film and buy a disposable camera. I basically wanted to learn to make my work look a certain way because I was inspired by Chi Modu and Jonathan Mannion. Was it an exciting moment for you when you were able to switch over to film and not edit your digital photos to have that film look? Yeah I realized there was such a difference. The first time I shot film was on a disposable Kodak camera and I realized that the difference was just too much. Then the next time was with a Mamiya. I feel like my relationship with film photography was a gradual exposure. As I got access to equipment, different types of film, different types of film cameras, and different styles of operating film cameras - the process of developing film just blew my mind. Being exposed to that really made me understand photography too at a whole different level, and when I also got to shoot video on film that also opened my mind too. My love for film, cinematography, and photography is so attached to the process of filmmaking and so attached to shooting in film. Shooting with film makes each moment you capture more precious because it’s captured in one click compared to when you shoot with a digital camera and you can have 20 different copies of a particular photo. Photographing Tems for the Oscars was a big moment this year as she had one of the best looks of the night. Did you have a clear vision of how you wanted to capture her in the dress? Well I cleared my mind and I was so intentional about wanting to make her look like the greatest to ever do it. My objective was to capture her in such an iconic

way that it stuck with whoever saw the photos. So I was very conscious about the angles, making sure I was going from the floor up. I was conscious about not missing too many moments. I was conscious about her smile, her facial expressions, and showcasing the dress as elegant and as glorious as it looked. I was also conscious about making it look iconic in the film tradition. I love Hollywood. I love movies. I’ve always watched so many Hollywood movies and I’ve been inspired by a bunch of them over time. I wanted to make sure that whatever came out of that, those pictures were very iconic and were equal to the Oscars or even bigger than the Oscars. In terms of how I timed the photos, I just followed her motion. I stayed connected to her as much as I could and basically I was walking through my camera. You know when you have your camera on your head and it becomes your eyes and you’re just seeing through your camera. So I was just doing that until I got what I wanted. So it was a very intense moment for me and I’m happy people like the photos. What led to the creation of DEEDS Magazine? The magazine came from me wanting to showcase the African diaspora and creative teams. I have a couple of friends that are really dope creatives that don’t really get the platform to show their work or to show what they can do, and coming from Nigeria, I feel like we need more infrastructure to showcase the power of the creative community. Even the creatives behind the scenes, not necessarily big artists or music superstars. The stylists, the makeup artists, the set designers, the graphic designers that really put in the work but are never spotlighted. I felt like creating DEEDS magazine would be a way to also maximize or leverage the exposure that I’ve gotten from working with Tems and a host of other superstars or big celebrities. It’s also a way to leverage my brand and not just push myself forward but also push a community of creatives all around the world starting from Nigeria.

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…the minute you feel like you know what you want to do, you need to make a conscious decision that you’re gonna do what makes you happy. Don’t let anything stop you. Always keep it moving.” 58

You also have DEEDS Studio, which is a Creative Agency. What type of projects are you working on in that space? We’ve been able to work on different projects ranging from commercial photo shoots, album covers, magazine covers, and short films. We’re looking forward to working on more projects like that - that allow creative expression and allow engagement of a diverse, wide range of creatives. The studio was created in line with the reason for creating the magazine. I feel like it all seems to be coming together as creating an ecosystem around the creative community I exist in. I felt like at one point I was getting so much work that I was turning down work so I asked myself, why am I turning down work? Why not create a way where I can plug all the creatives into the system and provide a means for them to express their talent, make a living and create a community? While also showing the creative space from Africa, Nigeria, Lagos, or worldwide. So it’s been fun. Since I created it I’ve worked on European tours and US tours with a couple of artists. I’ve worked with a couple of high fashion influencers. I’ve worked on different projects and we’re looking forward to working on more interesting fashion, music, and commercial projects. What advice do photographers?

you

have

for

aspiring

I would say the minute you feel like you know what you want to do, you need to make a conscious decision that you’re gonna do what makes you happy. Don’t let anything stop you. Always keep it moving. As long as you believe in what you’re doing and you love it, just keep it going because I would rather live a life doing what I love than live a life not doing what I love. Also, don’t let anybody tell you what you can or cannot do. Nobody else is living your life. If you want to be a photographer, be a photographer. Practice it, study it, study the people that have come before you, and study them until you find your own path.

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Adia Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Adia

Audiences will soon know rising actress Adia through her breakout role in the Max limited series Full Circle. After an injury sidelined her dreams of pursuing dance professionally, she found solace in acting classes and has been chasing a new dream ever since. Adia talked to NYOTA about working with Steven Soderbergh, studying Guyanese culture, and her advice for aspiring actors. Do you remember the moment you got bit by the acting bug? I was a dancer prior to acting and my dream was to dance in the Alvin Ailey Company. I lived and breathed dance - performing on stage always made my heart shine - and then I sustained an injury which made it very difficult to pursue a career in dance. I was in my final year of high school and needed a few more credits to graduate. Since I was homeschooled, I had a lot of freedom in what classes I could take so I chose an acting course at a local community college. That class was the closest I felt to having that same high I would get when dancing, so I just kept doing it. Next month you can be seen in Full Circle. What drew you to the show and made you want to audition? One, I wanted to audition because Carmen Cuba is one of those casting directors who’s always doing a really interesting project so to have the chance to just show my love for my work and what it might contribute to a project she’s casting was a huge appeal. Two, I’m not Guyanese so I really loved the idea of taking on a challenge. In the first rounds of auditions, I didn’t really stress too much about the cultural/accent aspect but once they called me back in I was thinking “ok now is the time to really start doing your research because they believe you are Natalia.” Steven Soderbergh is a director that actors dream of working with. Did you grow as an actor after working with him? If anyone says they didn’t grow from being on a Soderbergh set then they must be talking about a different Steven Soderbergh. I grew tremendously just from watching Steven. In between shots/set ups, there weren’t any chairs for the cast to sit in because things were always moving around so we would stand. Whenever we had those rare moments of waiting time, I would just watch Steven. You can learn a lot from watching someone in their craft. He might say the camera lens he was looking for - (“let’s see an 18 on a stick”) - he’d take a moment of silence, then he’d say, “ok” and all of a sudden everyone is in motion. It was just so efficient, streamlined, and peaceful! Can’t stress that enough. In comparison to other sets/ performance spaces, this was the most peaceful set. 62

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Get to know yourself. Like really sit in the uncomfortable moments you have in life, the beautiful moments, and the scary moments. Be present and be with you.” Was it a very collaborative environment on set between Steven and the cast?

How did you go about getting into your character’s headspace?

It was. Steven doesn’t really say much in terms of what he wants from the actors except to be truthful and honest. There might be a couple of times he’d emphasize that a certain scene required x kind of urgency. Otherwise, he’d let us do our thing because he trusted us. He just made sure to capture it all on camera (he was the one operating the camera).

Every time I had to head to set, I would arrive about an hour early to warm up. This is something Ruben Santiago-Hudson had taught me and a group of other Black actors during an intensive - the importance of being prepared and ready to access your spontaneity. So that became my routine. I’d do some body movement, vocalizations, massage my jaws, meditate, and then specifically for the accent I would recite a few tongue twisters in the Guyanese accent. Then I had a little notebook I always took with me to work. I would write little journal entries in Natalia’s voice which I would read over before going onto set. Also, because we shot the entire show out of order and would do multiple scenes from different episodes in one day, it really helped me to break down every scene sequentially and write a little blurb as to what was going on environmentally and emotionally so things would flow well from scene to scene.

As for collaborating with my other castmates, I really couldn’t ask for better co-stars. Everyone was so open to learning and trying new things. I shared the most scenes with Gerald Jones and working with him was such a joy. He really became my big little brother (because I’m a little on the shorter side). His heart is so wide open and he’s so attentive to what’s going on environmentally. There might be a scene where the energy was super intense, and he always made sure to check in on me and all the other cast and crew. He is just such a special dude. We got real lucky with the people on this show - cast and crew. Did you do research on Guyanese culture in order to prepare for Full Circle? I feel like the only way to be able to comfortably say, “I portrayed a Guyanese person,” was by doing the research around the culture this person comes from and that really goes for any character a person plays. In order to portray a human and all their intricacies, don’t forget to include their environment into the research. I listened to a lot of Soca music, listened to Guyanese news, watched a whole lot of Guyanese YouTubers, and went to Guyanese restaurants. I really tried to immerse myself as much as possible in the little bit of time I had from the moment I booked to shooting start date and even after we had started shooting, I was still researching so that the Guyanese world really became my world for those few months.

Outside of acting you’re an advocate of the water crisis in America and a supporter of the Moses West Foundation. Tell our readers about the foundation and what they do. The Moses West Foundation seeks to bring clean water to communities throughout the nation that are lacking the governmental support they should be afforded. The way the Moses West Foundation goes about supplying water is through a machine called an atmospheric water generator. It pulls surrounding air into its chambers and takes the condensation formed and collected to use for drinking water. Over the last few years, the AWG systems have been able to support many people in places such as Flint, Michigan, Jackson, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. There shouldn’t be a world in which people have difficulties accessing clean water - a basic necessity. Foundations such as the MFW bring hope for change and also serve as a reminder that there is much work to be done in establishing what it means to be in community and support one another.

#NYOTAculture What advice do you have for aspiring actors? Get to know yourself. Like really sit in the uncomfortable moments you have in life, the beautiful moments, and the scary moments. Be present and be with you. Acting is fun and interesting, and you also have to remember that your body is a vessel for other characters to come through. Learn what’s comfortable for you. Understanding the business is important as well. There’s a lot that goes on behind the camera and it’s really important as artists that we look out for ourselves and learn the business side of things. Also go outside and get some life experiences. That’s what we do as performers - just life imitating life. A fun game I’ll play with myself when I’m riding on the train is looking at different people and creating stories in my mind of what may be going on in their world. Look at the way people hold their bodies their jaw, the placement of their shoulders, how a person responds to an environmental stimulus. Or sit outside and watch some birds (or any animals) playing. Life is very interesting if you stop to watch. Mr. Santiago-Hudson said, “Success is when opportunity meets preparedness.”

Spencer Zender Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Marshall Hall

Spencer Zender has gone from shooting a remake of the movie Semi-Pro with friends and family to writing and directing a feature film, What’s My Name Again?, that won ‘Best Drama’ at the IFS Film Festival in Los Angeles. Zender talked to NYOTA about movies that inspire him, filming during COVID-19, and writing a film based on actual events. Do you remember there being a certain film that sparked your interest in filmmaking? A few different films have had a profound impact on me at different stages of life. A Knight’s Tale was the first movie I watched on repeat! I couldn’t get enough of how seamlessly the contemporary rock and dance weaved into the period and how many genres were blended through the story. My goal in anything I write is to bend and subvert genre, and music, specifically needle drops, have been integral elements of my style. Those aspects of my filmmaking approach definitely came from A Knight’s Tale. Swingers was the movie that made me believe I could make movies! With such a low budget, the actors being friends and making something that felt lived in, personal and fun was very inspiring. After watching the film, I immediately started writing my first feature script (still unfinished), my ode to making it in Los Angeles. Silver Linings Playbook was around the time the spark turned into a small blaze that then went full wildfire after seeing Birdman. Once you got bit by the filmmaking bug did you often shoot footage of friends and family to learn techniques? In middle school I started off shooting sketches with my brother and neighborhood friends. I borrowed my parent’s 90s VHS camcorder and most likely taped our remake of Will Ferrel’s Semi-Pro over a birthday or little league game. That run ended with a Western, when a homemade prop tomahawk did some real damage to my friend’s nose. Around the same time, I would film some of my friends skating the stairs at our school or snowboarding at Big Bear Mountain. Tape wasn’t as easy to convert to digital as it is today, so I never looked at the footage. The first time I saw footage of something I shot or directed was for a 65

filmmaking class in High School. I must have become accustomed to shooting things without watching them, so I skipped the school screening of my first short. After college, I moved to New York City for modeling and acting. Being around other creatives daily helped me realize that filmmaking could be a career. Actor and model friends were always looking for new headshots or portfolio updates, so I picked up a camera. Photography really helped me develop a sensibility, point of view, framing techniques and working with a subject. Who are directors that inspire you? David O. Russell, Yorgos Lanthimos, the Coen Brothers and Martin McDonagh are making the movies I want to make. My sensibility leans towards drama that is so heightened that it is comedic. I think these directors make the absurd feel exciting, yet grounded and relatable. That is a really interesting balance to me. Tell our readers about your upcoming film What’s My Name Again? Which is inspired by real life events. Was it cathartic to work on? What’s My Name Again? is a coming-of-age dramedy set in San Diego in 1985. It follows Bo, a seemingly quintessential SoCal teen whose identity unravels as he’s forced to choose one of his three fathers’ last names before he turns 18. The story takes place around the 72 hours before, during and after Bo’s birthday, where he confronts his sordid upbringing and the impact each of his three fathers had on his makeshift identity and the legacy that each of their names carries. The film was inspired by my father and his unconventional relationship with his mother and three dads.

#NYOTAculture My goal was to create as much distance between the real-life events and the characters as I could without jeopardizing the details of the people and story that inspired me to write it in the first place. The film is not a biography or even close to historically accurate, but it does convey some of the unique personalities, struggles and sense of humor that I grew up around. There were a few moments on set that felt like I was looking into a time capsule or was stuck in a vivid dream watching some of my family members. Those moments were surreal and really stripped me down emotionally. The process helped me see the real-life people from new angles and ultimately from a place of compassion. When it came to filming were there any obstacles you had to overcome that you weren’t initially expecting? The difficulties and added stress of shooting my first feature in the throes of a global pandemic was something I could have never anticipated. Aside from that minor obstacle, shooting a period piece on a tiny budget had a lot of challenges. We had to shoot in very contained locations or point the camera in very narrow windows to avoid modern clothing, cars, houses, technology and at the time we shot people in masks. In order to open up the world of the movie to bigger locations, we decided to lean into the limitations that helped create the films in your face and frenetic visual style. A lot of scenes in the film are emotional or chaotic due to the subject matter. Did you have a certain technique to help the cast get into the proper headspace when it came to shooting those scenes? The filming schedule was insanely fast paced with very few days off, so I rarely had a moment to get out of the chaos! The high intensity pace and energy of shooting helped stoke the underlying emotional current that would burst into the more chaotic moments. We had a large ensemble cast that filmed the bulk of the movie in one main location together, so that part of production felt more like a play run than a movie production. In theater, once you hit the stage you better be present and on, and because of the spontaneous and 66

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your team around people that you “…build love spending time with, love the project and are passionate about their contribution.” loose style of camera movement and coverage, every actor could have the camera in their face at any given moment. As soon as the lights switched on and the camera was rolling, we went full bore, so most of creating the headspace for the actors came from setting the tone early on and creating an environment on set that felt really intimate, free and collaborative, but with the pressure of a game time performance. It really helped the scenes to feel lived in and real, having every actor in the same room at the same time, versus shooting small bits of a scene’s coverage with one or two actors. Every actor fed off of each other’s performances and could take in every bit of direction I was giving. The film won ‘Best Drama’ at the IFS Film Festival in Los Angeles. Was that a validating moment for you as a director? It was very validating! The festival circuit is such a daunting process, so anytime the film is selected it is both a massive relief and honor. IFS put on a really nice event and showcased a lot of inspiring, true indie films, so I was very humbled and grateful for the recognition. What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers? Spend the time on the minutiae on the front end so you don’t get held up in production or stuck on the back end. Every project is exponentially more challenging and takes longer than you possibly think it could, so build your team around people that you love spending time with, love the project and are passionate about their contribution. There will definitely be times when you are a one person army, single handedly fighting to get the thing started or finished. Keep pushing and never give up!

#NYOTAculture

Laya DeLeon Hayes Interview by Carol Wright Photographer: Jenny Anderson Stylist: Jorge Morales Makeup: Britty Whitfield Hair: Antoinette Wade and Monae Everett

Laya DeLeon Hayes, a BAFTA award-winning actress, has been steadily building an impressive resume of projects since she landed the role of Dottie “Doc” McStuffins at 9 years old. The actress hopped on the phone to discuss when she got bit by the acting bug, playing Vicaria in The Angry Black Girl And Her Monster, and what she hopes audiences take away from the film. You got the incredible opportunity to voice Doc McStuffins when you were 9 years old. What led you to acting at such a young age? Well, I was raised in Dallas, Texas, and that’s kind of where I caught the acting bug when I was around, I think, 8 years old. Before acting, I did a whole bunch of stuff. I was never a big fan of sports, so I started with gymnastics and ultimately that led to cheerleading, and that led to dancing, and that led to singing, and I had loved performing, so I would do a lot of recitals, talent shows, and children’s theater in elementary school, and I loved it. I remember getting off the stage when I was 7 and going up to my dad and being like, ‘I got to get back up there.’ So it kind of all stemmed from my love of performing. On top of that, I was a pretty dramatic child and a very theatrical child so I guess it was my love for the theatrics. In third grade I ended up doing the morning announcements at my school and it was put on camera for the whole school to see and sometimes they would have us play certain characters or we would dress up as people from history and I dressed up as Rosa Parks one day and I just loved it. Also, I was a ham. Preschoolers would come up and be like, ‘I saw you on the morning announcements’ and I was like, ‘Ha ha, yes you did!’ So after that I asked my parents if I could start doing acting lessons, and I did acting lessons for about two years along with some theater programs in Texas. On top of that I was really interested in commercials and being on TV, and there’s only print work in Texas, and I was very lucky my parents were so supportive. So when I was like, I really want to do commercials and be on TV, they were like, well, let’s give you a

shot, let’s make your dream come true. So we ended up moving to Los Angeles when I was 9 years old and the rest is kind of history. You’re a seasoned actor with incredible voiceover and live action projects under your belt. Do you feel that you use different acting muscles when it comes to voiceover work vs. live action work? Oh, completely. I mean, it’s kind of a whole other realm in a lot of ways. There’s of course similarities because at the end of the day you’re telling a story and you’re playing a character, but there’s certainly different muscles to use. The main thing is you’re using your vocal cords differently than you would be in any live-action or on-camera project. I was very lucky because my first big opportunity was Doc, and so I learned everything just being in a recording booth. I would watch actors like Loretta Devine and Lara Jill Miller because they gave me the opportunity to sit in on some of their sessions and just watch what they did. I learned so much just from being in that environment and learning from our directors there because I did that for about six years. I would say the biggest muscles you’re using are your vocal cords. I mean, you’re going to have to be drinking a lot more tea than you’d have to drink when you’re doing anything on camera. Then on top of that, because they’re not showing your face and it’s all behind a microphone, you have to be even more expressive or 10 times more expressive, 10 times more physical in your performance than you would have to be on camera because you’re kind of overcompensating since people aren’t seeing your face. I worked with people who also had never done 70

voiceover work and had only done film or TV acting, and it was so interesting to see because you’re doing it for six to eight hours straight and people will be exhausted afterward because you’re exerting just as much energy as you would be exerting on camera. The only thing is you could be giving an amazing physical performance and no one could see it, no one’s watching it. So yeah, a lot of that you’re going to have to overcompensate so that it translates over a microphone as opposed to on camera you don’t really have to do that. I mean there’s plenty of things. There’s also the fact that when you’re in a recording booth, it’s much more isolated than when you’re with an entire cast and you’re able to go off of people’s chemistry, a lot of the time for projects that I’ve done, you’re in a studio by yourself and just with the director or writer, so again, a lot of those things you have to prep differently before you go into a booth versus a set. Currently you can be seen in The Angry Black Girl And Her Monster. In it your character Vicaria pushes down her grief through working on curing death. How did you go about preparing for the role and getting into the character’s headspace? I mean, she’s certainly determined and ambitious. She kind of almost blocks out or doesn’t realize just how traumatic these things have been for her, and she is using her love of science as a way of healing, and then ultimately her anger and then trauma and sadness manifest into this creature who we meet as Chris. So it’s definitely a dark headspace to be in, but when I read for Vicaria, I was so intrigued by the character. I had never read for anything or auditioned for anything that complex. I had never really seen a character that could be brilliant, innovative, so smart, so bright and youthful, but also at the same time be so flawed and try to put the pieces of her family back together and not have all the answers. She felt like this complete three-dimensional human being, and when you are a young actor, at the time I was 17,

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the roles that you get, especially being young and Black, but as a teen actor in this time, it’s very much the angsty teen or there’s a lot on social media, you know, or they’re like an influencer, and that was kind of the opportunities that I was getting. When I saw Vicaria I was just like, whoa, this is different, this actually has meat on its bones and I could do something with it. Ultimately when I read the script and saw the way that grief was dealt with and loss when you’re young, I definitely related to it. I mean, I haven’t experienced too much death in my young life at this point, but for what I have experienced, I could fully relate to how she couldn’t figure out how to truly heal. In a way it was freeing because obviously she goes to the extremes to be able to do so, but in so many ways it’s like she’s truly trusting her instincts and what she fully believes in and marching to the beat of her own drum. As someone who doesn’t think like that or is a bit more analytical before I do anything, it was so freeing to just feel everything that Vicaria was feeling. So a lot of the prep work that I did happened at home and was super isolated to anything that happened on set because Bomani, our writer-director, and obviously our other wonderful cast members as well, they made that space just feel so safe, and I was there for every single day, so there wasn’t so much time to go back to what I had written and think about this or think about that, so much of it was staying in the present moment and just feeling exactly what Vicaria was feeling in any instance. Again, it was freeing as an actor. So prep work was reading Frankenstein and when you build these characters up from the very beginning, you figure out their relationships that they have with each character in the movie, even the ones that we don’t really get to know very well, like her mom or Chris, and even Kango, you honestly don’t get to see a lot of their relationship before Chris’s death, so it’s just kind of building all of that up so that by the time I get to set I’m able to just throw it out the window and stay in the moment.

...any time that I can tell our stories authentically and truthfully and play characters that I haven’t played before and I haven’t seen before, and the opportunity to also work with young Black filmmakers, you just, you can’t really pass up on that.”

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After filming was it hard for you to leave the character behind or did you not find it difficult to separate yourself? I was in the headspace for 20 days straight, that’s not a long time to make a movie. So that was one thing to just kind of be consistently in that for a long period of time. I hadn’t experienced that before, but I was waking up as Vicaria and going to sleep as Vicaria just with how long the hours were. When it came to the end of the film and getting out of it, it wasn’t too difficult because again, it wasn’t an eight month filming process and I also had time on weekends to hang out with my family as well, and I do think that, that was healthier for me to step out of it for a second and come back or like to be Laya for a second and then come back because when it’s time to work, it’s time to work. Truly, we would have only one day, if you’re doing an overnight shoot on a Friday night, like your Saturday is gone. So we would have like one day to just breathe and I would fully take that breather so that by the time we ended it I didn’t stay in it for too, too long. I will say though, I did go on vacation afterward. Outside of the horror/sci-fi elements of the film it also deals with violence within the Black community, violence against Black bodies, racism in schools, and more. Was the opportunity to explore all of these themes one of the reasons why you wanted to be involved in the film? Oh, completely, completely. There’s so many different layers to this movie. There’s so many different messages. Every time that I watch the movie again I’m able to take something new from it, and that’s a testament to our writer and director, Bomani, who was able to be so gracious and show the true horror of what it’s like to be Black in America, but also at the same time show the beauty and humanity of being Black as well. So of course it was a huge part in taking on this project. I wanted to play Vicaria and I was interested in the character, and then reading the script and reading the title, at first I was so hesitant. I was like, oh, what am I going to get into? And it was having meetings with Bomani and really seeing and understanding his vision and truly getting it because I do feel like on paper when you read it, it’s a bit hard to grasp, and then you read it again and it’s like, oh, wait, this is something different. And then you watch it on screen and it’s a completely different experience. So any time that I can tell our stories authentically and truthfully and play characters that 73

I haven’t played before and I haven’t seen before, and the opportunity to also work with young Black filmmakers, you just, you can’t really pass up on that. So all of that kind of went into me wanting to take on this role. But I really do believe that this story is so interesting and something we haven’t seen before. I mean there’s plenty of novels from the 1800s where Black people are not even included in the narrative, and Bomani was able to create something that shows our truth and our authenticity and put it in the eyes or in a tale that many people are familiar with, but maybe haven’t seen it like this before. So that was all kind of going on in my head when taking it on. We just don’t get original projects either right now and to see something weird and unique was and is truly, truly exciting. The angry Black girl stereotype is one that permeates our culture and is often used to paint Black women as hostile and aggressive and that stands out in the classroom scene where Vicaria gets pinned down on the ground. Can you talk a bit about filming that scene and how you approached it? I mean we’re human at the end of the day, it’s such a funny thing it’s like those two phrases ‘Angry Black Girl’ and ‘Monster’ have been projected onto Black people via people who aren’t of color, and that’s played a part into how they want to categorize us or put us into a box and ultimately is the reason why we as Black people feel the need to code switch or make sure we don’t do anything that may put us in that box. In that way it’s dehumanizing because we feel like we can’t even be angry without having that label put on to us. So going into that scene, it’s so interesting. I remember reading the script and I was like she’s a bright young girl and she’s innovative and she has questions and that’s it. I mean what’s so great about it is Bomani’s sister, I mean it’s unfortunate but also a cool tidbit about the movie is it’s based off of Bomani’s sisters story and what had happened when she was in grade school. She actually did call the teacher Miss B-I-T-C-H. So I got to talk with Bomani’s sister about her experience and she was absolutely lovely, but just being able to hear about it firsthand was really great and then on top of that I was the type of kid in school that my dad would have to come to the school and basically do the exact same thing that Donald did with that teacher. So those microaggressions and again those categories that they want to box us into, it just doesn’t work. We’re human beings and that’s that; but a lot of the prep

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#NYOTAculture

…one of the biggest takeaways…. is just having that confidence in knowing what I’m capable of and nobody else’s opinion really matters. If you truly believe that and you’re able to build and grow upon that belief, then nothing’s really in your way.” went into having conversations with Bomani’s sister and even going back to the conversations my dad would have with our assistant principal at my school in Texas. But microaggressions are one of those things you, as a Black person, are obviously going to encounter and being able to tackle that and see it on screen was really impactful. It’s still one of the most impactful scenes when I watch it in the movie because, again, I had never seen it depicted like that before. What do you hope viewers can take away from the film and what conversations do you hope are started after people watch the film? Again, there’s so many messages in this movie. I think the biggest one I hope they are able to talk about or have a conversation about after seeing it is realizing who the true monster is in this movie, and not just in this movie, but also within their own lives, within the Black community. I hope that they’re able to get away from even the jump scares or the horror aspect and really empathize with these characters and try to get down to the root of the issue and the truth. Along with that, I hope that they are also scared. I mean it’s a genre film, so I do hope that they also like the jump scares and maybe they get a good scream or something out of it. But I hope they leave with something much more impactful, and I hope that they may be able to recognize, especially if you’re not a person of color, maybe how you’ve been a part of the problem and try to figure out a way to at least have a conversation or start the conversation to be a part of the way we can progress forward.

What advice do you have for aspiring actors? Oh gosh, there’s so much. I would say, if you want to start acting, watch as many movies as you can, and I would say to train if you are able, and if not, study. You can find scripts online and then on top of that, don’t let anyone put you into a box or tell you what you can or can’t do because you are absolutely capable. Even one of the biggest takeaways for me as an actor who has been in this industry for a good amount of time is just having that confidence in knowing what I’m capable of and nobody else’s opinion really matters. If you truly believe that and you’re able to build and grow upon that belief, then nothing’s really in your way. So if you feel you’ve got it and you’ve studied and you’ve worked hard, then keep that mentality and that belief in yourself. I really think that’s what pushes us forward, especially being in a creative industry.

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Nyota Issue 32

Articles inside

EDITOR’S LETTER