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Issue 3 // Music
www.RAWMAGAZINE.co @RAW.MAG on Instagram @RAWMAGAZINE_ on Twitter
Contributing Team Members Editor-in-Cheif Annie Jacobs Head of Writers Ana Paula Pinto Writers Kendall Ries Ana Paula Pinto Ilana Newman Keilah Guardado Photographers Andrew Black Annie Jacobs Natalie Guardado Amanda Goon Sam Anderson Design Clara Arcos Jack Hjerpe Annie Jacobs Hanna Walters Thank you for your time and talent!
YĂ˜UTH page 1
Jael Johns on page 4
page 7
this new day page 14
page 18
YØU YØUTH 1
Introspective: Looking into the life of YØUTH Written by: Kendall Ries Photos by: Sam Anderson
Nashville born-and-raised solo artist YØUTH has his
UTH
twenty-five songs over the past couple years, picked five
parents to thank for his musical influences and the
of them for an EP, recorded all the instruments and
sound that has emerged from that.
vocals myself at various studios with various engineers over the course of a few months, hired a few mixing en-
Julian Dente, more widely known as YØUTH, has been
gineers, etc...So much work. So worth it.” Whenever he
around music for the majority of his life. One of his
writes, he is usually motivated by some of his unfinished
earliest memories of making music was at seven years
work. He told me “...It usually starts from a random
old, in the back of a tour bus. “My dad taught me three
phrase that pops into my brain from whatever melody
chords.” he recalled during our interview, “They’re still
I’ve written. So when I finish the song, I pick something
the only chords I know.” Since his parents are both
to encapsulate what I think it all means. I rarely write by
musicians, he grew up on the road, and by the time he
starting with a title...”.
began to really develop as a musician, he already knew what touring was like. “I grew up with great music in
Writing, creating, and collaborating for months on end
the house because my parents are both musicians, so I
can surely take a toll on someone and cause them a lot of
was inspired by people like Peter Gabriel, Bono, Patty
stress. As he put it, when all the work is said and done,
Griffin, Jude Cole, and bands like Innocence Mission
it is good to relax, “...Get coffee with friends, binge
and U2.” He recalls making up short melodies and short
watch 30 Rock, and play a lot of Bioshock. That game
songs on the piano and guitar when he was young, but
is messed up though, freaks me out.” In the future, he
really began to focus on the lyrics when he was fifteen,
sees himself “Hopefully living right by the ocean and the
saying “I started writing/recording and introducing lyrics
mountains somewhere on the west coast in a little house
when I was 15. Some real angsty stuff, of course.” Some
with a studio in it and a porch
of Julian’s music reflects his time in high school, and just high school in general. From finding yourself, to heart-
outside.” but as of right now in his career, he says “I just
break, YØUTH’s music is also influenced by the sounds
want to go on tour with From Indian Lakes.”
of his teens, which include: Circa Survive, Switchfoot, Jimmy Eat World, Motion City Soundtrack, and Yellow-
When asked, ‘how would you describe yourself in one
card. “The list goes on...”, he said.
sentence?’, he answered “...I’m an introspective extrovert who expects great things from life and is determined to
As he has aged, Julian has come to realize how difficult
tell a good story with the time I’m given here.”
and time-consuming it is to be a solo artist who records ALL of the instruments and vocals for his songs. “I wrote
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Jael Johns on
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A New Voice:
on JAEL JOHNSON and Her Musical Journey. written by: Ilana Newman pictures by: Andrew Black It’s a summer morning. The window is open, and
artist, it’s hard to constantly be forced to create some-
a cool breeze drifts past me. Jael Johnson’s clear
thing for the public, when art it meant to be something
melodic voice echoes from my speaker, and I am happy. raw and organic”.The music industry is tough. It’s It’s not only her voice that is impressive; the 18 year old
amazing when someone manages to make it through
from Washington writes her own songs and has man-
the setbacks and the inevitable writer’s block that
aged to make a name for herself, from winning country
comes with any creative career, but especially with
music radio contests to promoting her music and music
an industry that demands new creative work constantly,
videos to national brands. It’s pretty obvious why she’s
especially from newcomers. But as Jael continues to
getting acclaim - there’s more to this music than just a
demonstrate, she has the ability to create unique work
pretty melody. Jael draws from her own experience to
consistently, drawing from many different inspirations
create a soundtrack to our lives, exploring questions
for her sound. She told me she is inspired by a vari-
of life and love and experience, probably due to
ety of types of music; from hip-hop to British Rock,
her own love of life and openness to everything it
ZZ Ward, and The 1975. Listening to her music,
throws at her. She never really had the “teenage experi-
I can see each influence, all mixed up to create
ence” due to her musical drive, but, during our inter-
something brand new. As for her family, she says that
view, she told me that now it doesn’t really matter that
they have been incredibly supportive; from her mom
she never had a the typical high school life, because she
who acts as her “manager/booking agent/ best mom
has learned so much more from doing what she loves:
ever” to her sister, who is one of her biggest inspira-
what she has known since the age of 14 was what she
tions. “Not only is she an amazing singer/songwriter,
would do for the rest of her life. “I think my favourite
she is the strongest, most beautiful person I know. I
part is definitely all the super neat and unique people
grew up listening to her play and I have always looked
you get to meet.” She said. “I’ve met so many friends
up to her”. It’s really incredible to see someone who
through the industry; it’s been an amazing part of
has been making great music from a young age and
this career. I think my least favourite part is how
continues to do so; bringing passion, dedication and a
pressured I feel at times to write and create. As an
beautiful voice to the world.
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SO MUCH TO FIGHT FOR Written by: Keilah Guardado Pictures by: Annie Jacobs
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“You know, the whole ‘you heard about that African kid, Jeremy Loops’? As there aren’t many huge stars in music from South Africa, I’m immediately interesting to people even if I’m just making noise at the fringes.” For Jeremy Loops, creativity has always been a given, with music creeping in during his university years. While studying finance at university, he developed his love for photography—which he still continues to develop—and his love for music. Drawing inspiration from artists like Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Black Star, and Motheo Moleko, Jeremy has created an eclectic mix of folk and hip-hop to call his own. “My elevator pitch is ‘modern folk’, but really it’s more than that. I just do what makes me feel good and I draw inspiration from what makes me feel good,” he said during our interview. Living in South Africa has heavily influenced Jeremy, who says that “it’s very easy to draw inspiration from it.” But, rather than just drawing inspiration from what has already been done, Jeremy gets his inspiration from what has yet to be done; “South Africa inspires me because we have so much work to do domestically, but there’s also so much to fight for. It’s great.”
@jeremyloops
@jeremyloops
fb.com/jeremyloops
Jeremy is fighting to tear down social barriers and bring communities together. His heart for people and for change has moved him, along with friends Misha Teasdale and Lauren O’Donnel, to start Greenpop: an organization dedicated to planting trees in under-green communities and schools in South Africa. However, Jeremy considers Greenpop to be more than just a tree-planting organization. “We actually think of ourselves as a vehicle for social change.” he said. Through Greenpop, Jeremy and his friends have crossed social barriers; hundreds of volunteers have flown out to their annual festival to be a part of the tree planting. To date, 50,000 trees have been planted. “I think there’s a massive correlation between improving a neighbourhood’s appearance and strengthening community.” he added. It’s no wonder how Jeremy has come this far. The answer is simple: hard work, creativity, and a desire to impact the world. Speaking of his friend, YouTuber Ben Brown, Jeremy says, “Ben is a lot like me in many ways. He works hard and he’s a creator who’s constantly trying to figure out how to impact the world with his work.” Jeremy goes on to emphasize the importance of humility: “It really inspires me that someone with a sizable platform isn’t obsessive about himself. Looking at music and my peers, the higher you climb, the more self-indulgent people seem to be. To find that this isn’t a necessity is very refreshing.” For the aspiring musicians and planet-shakers, here’s Jeremy’s advice to you: “Follow your nose, work your face off, and practice and refine your craft relentlessly. Oh, and build a great team around you, because that helps acceler ate things no matter your individual genius.”
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this new day this new day
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The Healing Power of Music:
THIS NEW DAY ON SONGWRITING, AND WHY THEY’LL NEVER STOP CREATING written by: Kendall Ries and Ana Paula Pinto pictures by: Amanda Goon
Mike Cappelluti and Dana Rae Hembling aren’t just
including Count Basie Theater and The Stone Pony.
your typical duet vocalists. Together, Mike and Dana
Their debut EP “Coming Home” was released in Jan-
make up This New Day; An American singer-songwrit-
uary of 2014. Dana and Mike sat down with us to talk
er duo from Asbury Park, New Jersey, that is taking
about life, inspiration, and how it all began.
the upper east coast of America by storm! They have performed at many well know venues in New Jersey, 14
So, to get started, can you introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about your band, This New Day, and what you do? Dana Hembling: Hi, I’m Dana Hembling, I’m eighteen. Mike Capelluti: And I’m Mike Cappelluti and I just turned eighteen (oh wow, that’s weird!). But yeah, I’m eighteen now, too. We have been together since December 2013, so it’s been about a year and a half now. We play, like, folk-pop music - original and covers. You know, we do live shows, like with bands, or at coffee houses; things like that. Dana: We’ve played a bit around [in major clubs] in New York City. Mike: Yeah. We volunteered once in an assisted living home, so we had like a bunch of 90-year-old fans. [laughs] How was music incorporated into your lives as children? Dana: Well me, I think I first started off with a 5th grade play. I was Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ, and I had a lot of solos to sing, and I wasn’t really considered a singer back then, so it was kind of hard for me, but I did it, and then after that I just got into music full-throttle. And then I met him [Mike] and then we started a group, so from then it’s just been awesome. What made you want to create music together when you met?
Mike: Well, Dana and I were initially in a band together; we were doing kind of, like, rock-ish type music. And everybody kind of was having creative differences, like in the band, but Dana and I both clearly had a passion for the acoustic, songwriter type, stripped-down type feel. So, eventually, you know, in December 2013 we broke off from that and after everything kind of fizzled out we started doing our own thing, and it’s just kind of been really full-force ever since, like, as far as original music. You know, when you’re passionate about it, like, it’s not that you’re more committed, it’s just that you’re more happy about it. Dana: Yeah, you always have, like, a happy drive to do it. How important is image to you as a band? Dana: I mean, it’s definitely an important part, because you want people to have a good match of what you look like with your music. But, we definitely think our music is the number one. But, yeah, we always like to present ourselves well for the crowd, because you want to be pleasing to the eye. Mike: Yeah, I mean, image in this day and age, especially with social media and everything on the internet, first impressions are huge. So, of course, although the music is important, you do want to grab people’s attention. So, image is defi-
nitely tremendous and not something that we overlook.
What is your favorite song that you’ve written, and why? Dana: I mean, personally for me, I think it’s Losing My Mind, because it’s very dynamic and the lyrics are good. Like, I think they’re great and it can please everybody, because it’s about love, and losing your mind because you’re so crazy about someone, and I feel like everyone can kind of relate to that if you’ve ever been in a relationship or anything. Mike: I think my favorite would probably be our song that’s called Unsaid. It’s kind of a stripped-down song, but the main part of that is really the lyrics. It’s kind of, like, I remember the place that I was in when we wrote it and the place itwas in, and we were both kind of, like, “I went through a lot”, and so it’s definitely something - you know, for me, songwriting heals sometimes, and that was just one of those things. So, like, whenever I look back I appreciate kind of what the song was for us then.
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What are your musical influences? Mike: Well, it’s funny, all my friends think I listen to weird music. But, I mean, I think it’s cool because I listen to it. But it’s, like, Passenger, kind of like the singer-songwriter, folk-type thing; The Lumineers... Dana: Mumford and Sons. Mike: Yeah, Mumford and Sons for Sure. Um, Coldplay, for me. Dana: Demi Lovato for me. [laughs] What’s a typical day like in the life of This New Day? Dana: Well, very goofy - we’re pretty goofy kids. And then we’ll get down to business and just write some songs. I mean, we’ll start out with a couple of chord progressions, and then we’ll write down the lyrics, and then put a melody over the top of it and just tweak it until it sounds like This New Day. And, yeah, then we goof around some more. [laughs] Mike: It’s funny, like, the cool part about our songwriting process is that Dana comes over or I go over there and, you know, we essentially just lock ourselves in one area of the house or whatever, and by the time we’re done writing, there’s some sort of - you know, it’s cool because there’s a lot of unpredictability, like, where it’s going to end up when we write. But that’s kind of
what keeps it interesting for us and for me, and the good part about it is that because it’s so unpredictable, if there’s one song that maybe we’re not feeling the next day, writing another song is just another visit away. We are both locals, so, you know, it’s pretty easy to just start cranking out songs, which is something that we definitely don’t take for granted.
Dana: I mean, just anybody in the industry. I think mostly the people who we listen to, I feel like we go to for inspiration because that’s just - they’re out there, they’ve already made it. They know how to write, they know how to get themselves out there. So I feel like we turn to them and then tweak it to, like, our own doing, just to make it This New Day.
How would you describe your sound?
Mike: I mean, for me, when Dana and I get together we’ll talk about different experiences and kind of what’s going on. It’s funny, sometimes we just interrogate each other, or come up with a hypothetical situation of two people, and we both kind of just make up stories as we go along. I mean sometimes for me, personally, I’ll text my friends and be, like, “hey, anything going on interesting with you guys?”
Mike: Well, I mean, I like to think that we’re different. It’s kind of Dana: Kind of like pop-folk Mike: It’s kind of, like, the lyrics that we write are sort of folk and indie, whereas the production is kind of, like Dana said, pop with kind of a folk twist. You know, when you think [about it], the male and female doing harmonies the whole song is something that is unique. Especially, you know, there are a lot of singer-songwriters out there and of course there’s a lot who have had major success, but it’s cool because it is sort of a different sound, and it’s not really like one of us is the lead over the other, it really is evenly split. Even in a song, we’re weaving in and out of who’s doing leads and harmonies and stuff, so it is a really nice balance that we found. Where do you go to/who do you turn to for inspiration?
Dana: “any breakups?” [both laugh] Mike: Yeah, it’s cool. I think Dana and I both pull influence from a fair balance of real-life situations; things we’re going through, things our friends are going through. Writing is all about putting yourself in the shoes of somebody else and, you know, describing the emotions and stuff so, as long as you can think of a situation that you emotionally could get behind and understand, you’re going to have a pretty decent final product, for sure.
Where do you see This New Day in the future? Dana: Well, I mean, wishful thinking is just to be on the radio, playing to hundreds, thousands of people with them singing back to us. I feel like that’s everyone’s dream in the music industry, but we just really want to touch people, and just want to [have them] see us live, I guess. I think playing live, for me, is the best part, because you’re actually interacting with people, and seeing how they’re interacting back with you. Because that’s how you make fans - you have to just keep touching people. Mike: You know, it definitely is a hard industry, and it’s something that you don’t underestimate the difficulty [of] and the passion you need to achieve ultimate success. I definitely see, or feel, I guess, that we both have the passion and drive,
and kind of what it takes to, you know, get up to that next level. And if it means cranking it out for a few years and playing all over, different shows, it’s something that we’re both really willing and committed to doing. So, although I do see a lot of hard work in the future, I do think that hard work pays off and it’s something that we won’t quit on easily at all. I mean, I know for me you’d have to probably, like, cut my head off for me to stop doing music, so... Dana: Yeah. Rip out my vocal chords. [both laugh]
Finally, how would you describe This New Day in one sentence? Mike: Oh! We’re going to have to think about that one. Dana: Hm… Silly, driven, passionate people who want to make a difference in the music world!
PRINCESS OF POP Written by: Ilana Newman
Pictures by: Natalie Guardado
Fashion icon and electro-pop goddess Quigley will quickly become a staple in your music library, due to her heartfelt lyrics and uplifting beats. The Minnesota native has been creating music in Hollywood for the past few years, and recently released her second EP titled Initium (which I am currently listening to and enjoying immensely). You can feel the femme-power radiating from her sound, and even more in her fashion sense. She has a spontaneous style that is somehow perfectly put together with one of her signature hats. In this interview, be prepared to learn everything about Quigley; from her sources of inspiration, to her favorite comfort food. You will fall in love with her music and her positive personality, and I’m predicting we will see much more from Quigley soon enough.
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You are as much a style icon as a musical one, where do you get your style inspiration from? Cowboys,
Indians,
and
Grandmas.
What made you want to create music with your life? Probably a combination of my dad singing me to sleep as a child with a little bit of Joni Mitchell, or the profound influence the Spice Girls had on me at the impressionable age of nine. I didn’t really know that music was for me though, until I started producing music in my early twenties. When I learned I could see and manipulate music as pictures (soundwaves on a timeline) everything just clicked for me. Perhaps, it’s because I’m such a visual learner. Now, when people ask me what instrument I play, I answer with, ‘my laptop!’ What is your favorite way to get inspired? Recently, I’ve been listening to Songza’s Blogged 50 Playlist a lot. Hearing up and coming music that is super brilliant gets me really excited and inspired! I also like to expose myself to really good visual art. If you think about it, painters probably listen to music while they paint, so why wouldn’t I look at painting while I create music?! I turn to Pinterest often, but like to go out to the movies and museums for a different kind of visual storytelling stimulus. Who are your role models, artistic or otherwise? My sister Carissa has always been my biggest role model! She owns her own business making letterpress cards. It’s called People I’ve Loved. She is the ultimate lady boss. Where did you get the idea for the eyebrows in your EP cover? Actually, Chanel had a runway show a couple of years ago where they attached panels of colored sequins to the models brows. I just loved it. I didn’t know how to recreate the glittery look without making a huge mess, so I tried pieces of ribbon instead! What is your favorite food? My grandma’s Cheesy Spaghetti family recipe. It’s a Minnesota hot dish thing... It’s literally only four ingredients...
spaghetti,
cheddar
cheese,
tomatoes
and
but-
ter baked and browned in a casserole dish. It’s insane.
can be a producer. I made my whole EP in my bedroom in North Hollywood. It was the best thing I’ve ever done and now I feel fearless because I know no matter what, no one can stop me from making the music I want to make. It’s in my hands. Where do your lyrics come from? Poetry! I like to write in a little notebook! I often get little ideas on the go too and make voice memos in my phone. They are a mix of real honest thoughts and my imagination running wild. What is the hardest part about the music industry? It’s ABSTRACT non-linear infrastructure. There is no real fool proof route to success and what works for some people doesn’t work for others. There’s no magic wand. It’s like wandering through a forest without a map. It can get really scary, but where there is uncertainty there is also a real liberating limitless nature to it. Anything could happen at any time!!! You just have to convince yourself everyday that it’s worth it to KEEP GOING. Some days that’s a piece of cake, and others, not so much. Where is your favorite place in the world? Bed? No really, it’s the dock of my lake cabin up in Northern Minnesota. Just about a half hour north of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. What is it like being a girl in a male heavy music producing environment? IT’S THE FREAKING BEST. Every girl should be a producer. THE POWER!!!!! It’s so nice to be able to sit down at my laptop and make anything I could possibly want. It’s endless. You can create and explore and get lost and get frustrated and overcome that frustration to make shit you never thought you could!!!!! It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t wait to help other girls realize the potential they have inside of them. So much talent goes to waste because girls don’t give it a go. I don’t play piano or guitar, I just know what I like and I put in the time and hours learning to make everything electronically. It takes time, but it’s so worth it!!! The cool thing, too, is that everything you need to know you can learn on YouTube tutorials. The information is so accessible! Anyone, anywhere,
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Where do you see yourself in five years?
dad and I used to sing songs before I went to bed...
I would love to be touring my first full length re-
He would play the guitar and I would sing. My mom
cord
collaboration
encouraged me to take vocal, piano and guitar lessons.
in the fashion industry, whether it is co-design-
They still are super supportive! They both have CDs
ing a line of hats, or creating my own lipstick line.
of my demos in their cars at all times. It’s adorable.
What’s your favorite part of your life right now?
How important to you is your aesthetic, or your image
Gazing for hours into the eyes of my cat, Meat-
to other people?
ball. He is super duper fluffy and fat. I would
Honestly, my style is a creative outlet for me first
have
and foremost. Fashion is my body art! I will al-
and
all
perhaps
the
cats
working
in
the
on
a
world
if
I
could.
ways love to have fun playing dress up and experiWas your family musically inclined when you were
menting with my visual aesthetic! I love using Insta-
young? How supportive are they now?
gram to give out tips for fashion and styling. It gives
Yes! Both of my parents were extremely supportive. My
me another way to connect with people. I like that!
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