is switching gears j uly 2016
6 MASTHEAD 8 CONTRIBUTORS 10 STATUS MESSAGE
34
FEATURES MAESTRO
50 INDEPENDENT
STATUSPHERE 13 THREADS 16 SETTING 17 BRICK & MORTAR 18 SCREEN 19 BEATS
By Danielle Cabahug
52 GRACE
BY FIRE
Creating a name for oneself at the tender age of 19 is quite a tricky task, but Australian singersongwriter Grace has managed to beat the odds with her inimitable talent.
GADGETS 20 TECH
STATE
Refusing to be anything but predictable, let indie folk quartet Fools and Foes take you into a unique musical voyage with full acoustics, powerful emotion, and soulful energy.
PACK: MODERN TIMES
The future is now.
By Isa Almazan
BEAUTY 22 FACE
PAINT: GLITTER TRUTH
54 MAJOR
A little sparkle never hurt.
23 23
VANITIES: METTALIC BONDS
Sweep these over your peepers for a stunning foil finish.
BEAUTY BITE: HIDE 2A SALON
FASHION GO SEE
VISION BOARD
54
26 AMBER
LIGHTS
Stand out in hues of yellow and orange with cool ensembles completed by specs that are equally stylish. By Rxandy Capinpin
34 SHADOW
AFFAIR
Show some skin and keep your cool as the darkest shade in the book gets an even badder reputation. By Cynthia Frebour
SHOPPING GUIDE
41 SWAG:
STRIKE A MATCH
Suit up.
42 DOWN
TOWN
Clubmasters
43 WEATHER
PROOF
Windbreakers
44 EPIC
PALE
Pastel Button-Downs
45 ELECTRIC
TASTE
Digital Watches
46 BUST
A GROOVE
Flared Jeans
47 SOCIAL
CONTRAST
48 SINGLE
LADY
Monochrome Bags
Jumpsuits
49 EASY
By Pola Beronilla
MASTERMIND
STREET STYLE
24
LEAGUE
Though their band name has nothing to do with sports, Chicago-based quintet Varsity is hitting homeruns with their blissed-out pop hooks and candycoated choruses.
BREEZY
Sleeveless Button-Downs
56
URBAN OUTFITTER
Earning double taps sure comes naturally for local illustrator Van Lichauco a.k.a. @vangoathe. Take a trip down memory lane with his modern on our favorite toons. By Pola Beronilla
58 THE
DARLING UNLIMITED
Harboring a symmetry to her different sides, there’s no mistaking the raw talent oozing from Sri Lankan actress Amara Karan–whether it may be on screen or up on stage. By Janroe Cabiles
60 SCREEN
AFFAIR
With notable work in both series and film, English actor and all around creative troublemaker Elliot Knight is determined to take over the world, one story at a time.
By Danielle Cabahug
is switching gears j u ly 2 0 1 6
HEAVY HITTER
62
MORE
HUSTLE & FLOW
STATUS INVADES 82 VINTAGE CONTRAST
With her penchant for soft silhouettes and dreamlike colors, film student and Instagram cool girl Janeska Sibug strikes a balance between modern and vintage.
By Pola Beronilla
68
58
81 DIRECTORY
Hailing from a country whose local music scene is dominated primarily by shiny boybands and cutesy girl groups, 22- year old trap star Keith Ape proves that Koreans can spit some sick rhymes as well. Check out his success story while listening to his ultra hip track “It G Ma.”
COMING OF RAGE
All golden mile-wide smiles, Working like a single welloiled machine, Dilly Dally plays in the hopes to infect their growing audience. With bloodcurdling melodies and painfully poetic lyrics that easily transcend through a vocal phenomenon, this Toronto four-piece is surely on the high road to success. By Pola Beronilla
74
VULNERABLE SPECIES
Celebrating 20 years since the release of their selftitled album, alt-rock gods Garbage still have a lot to say. Flying high with the release of Strange Little Birds, Shirley Manson and co. are revved up and ready to make hard-hitting contact with their new and yet proverbial sound.
82
By Denise Mallabo
ABOUT THE COVER Swerving from the unclouded luster of K-dramas and K-pop sensations, Korean trap breakout Keith Ape is captured cool and composed, sporting his braided blonde braids and favorite streetwear brands, by New York-based army veteranturned-fashion photographer Raen Badua.
statusmagonline.com
BLOGSPHERE
the pulse of hip at your fingertips
GO SEE
we’re all models off duty. smize!
FEATURES
there’s more to what’s in print
NIGHTVISION
who’s spotted partying where
PHOTO DIARY confessional for lensmen
DIGITAL MAGAZINE DOWNLOADS STATUS in pixels, not paper
free mixtapes and wallpapers
is switching gears July 2016
editor-in-chief
Rosario Herrera @RosarioHerrera
managing editor
Denise Mallabo @denisemallabo
art director
Nyael David @nyaels
features editor
Pola Beronilla @HaveYouMetPola
graphic designer
Nadine Layon @nadinelayon
fashion assistant
Jill de Leon @orangetoenails
editorial assistant
Janroe Cabiles @janroetheboat
contributing writer
contributing artists
interns
Ida Aldana, Isa Almazan Raen Badua, Elliot Bssila, Rxandy Capinpin, Jessica Castro, Joseph Cultice, Takisha Drew, Cynthia Frebour, Pooneh Ghana, Mo Goodman, LĂŠonie Gwerder, Syd Helmsley, Justine Jenkins, Jonzu Jones, John Mari M. Marcelo, Deanna Melluso, Miguel Miranda, Jacky Pante, Edrick Paz, Daniel Santillan, Mox Santos, Ozzy Shah, Rachell Smith, JD Valdez, David Waldman Honey Bautista, Danielle Cabahug, Sharm de San Jose, Bea del Rio, Samantha Evidor, Kate Feliciano, Bernard Jose, Ted Tiu
What’s your STATUS? tell us. editorial editorial@statusmagonline.com advertising advertise@statusmagonline.com marketing marketing@statusmagonline.com general inquiries info@statusmagonline.com follow us facebook.com/statusmagazine twitter.com/statusmagazine instagram: statusmagazine STATUS is published by STATUS Media Group. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
FASHION
facebook.com/starstyleph
BEAUT Y
@starstyleph
www.starstyle.ph
CELEBRIT Y
@starstyleph
CO NT R I B U T O R S
Cynthia Frebour With a love for capturing moments and living in the epitome of art and culture, Cynthia has definitely mastered the art of photography. Having lived both in front and behind the camera has given her an edge in producing portraits and editorials as seen through her experience with fashion magazines like Elle, iMUTE, and Cake. See a glimpse on how she captures the romance of a Shadow Affair (34) in one of this month’s fashion editorials.
Mox Santos Fashion photographer Mox Santos portrays his art through his photographs with the purpose of inspiring others to pursue their dreams. Starting up as a graphic designer for Skyrocket Studios before ultimately putting up his own studio Bathtub Productions, he’s clearly one to inspire. Having contributed for Vogue Italia, Liike Magazine, and Avant Art, he now Invades this issue as he photographs social media influencer Janeska Sibug (84).
Edrick Paz Having worked with numerous publications, international sites, local clothing brands as well as celebrities, this budding Manila-based fashion designer and stylist is one to look out for. Driven by his unparalleled imagination and natural flair for style, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Edrick Paz continues to slay under Amber Lights (26) for one of our fashion editorials.
raen badua We’ve got nothing but mad respect for New York-based army veteran-turned-fashion photographer, filmmaker, and graphic designer Raen Badua, whose relentless passion earned him a Masters in Professional Studies in Fashion Photography, published works around the globe including Dubai, Berlin, London, and Italy, as well as in magazines Seventeen and Harper’s Bazaar. This time, he channels his American Hustle as he captures this month’s coverboy, Keith Ape (64).
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STATU S MESSAG E
IS SWITCHING GEARS W
hat was previously defined as a group of religious people with crazy beliefs has now evolved to describe a group of people who spark creativity and originality. In our Cult issue, we gathered artists, musicians, and creatives who have gone against the grain and carved out a path of their own. But with their courage of expressing themselves, they have curated their own underground community ands is now a source for originality. In the world of underground trap music, there’s one name causing a ruckus in the global scene–Keith Ape. It’s crazy that even though his raps are a mix of Korean and English, his YouTube video gets viewed from fans around the world. He educated himself about the hip-hop community through the Internet and has now made it on his own. When we shot with him during his trip to Manila, he was very quite and low key, you’d never think that music magazines like Complex, Hypetrak, Vice, and The FADER were featuring him. He even had his hit track remixed by rap heavyweights Waka Flocka Flame, A$AP Ferg, and Dumbfounded. In his interview, he shares with us how he uses his weakness as his strength and why he opens his arms to criticism. The band Garbage may be the only band in history that has been together for 23 years that has maintained their worldwide cult following. How did they do it? They lasted together than most marriages in this day and age. Shirley Manson says it’s respect, communication, and equality. Sounds like great advice to other bands who want to have the same career path that they had. With the release of their sixth album Strange Little Birds, we caught up with them to ask why it took them four years to release a new album, what the greatest privilege of being a musician is, and how they let their guard down with their latest record. Alt-rock band Dilly Dally was born in Toronto, Canada by a bunch of high school friends. They’ve cleverly combined the underground sound of with raspy screams and velvety vocals. This has cut through the noise and is exactly why they’re getting so much attention. Staying busy on tour, they open up about what they miss out on when they’re on the road and why they look at anger as a positive expression. In this world of Instagram filters and bubblegum pop, it’s a breath of fresh air when you find freshness in places you’d never expect. Whether they’re fresh on the scene or have been there for decades, their purity is the reason why they have garnered such a passionate following.
Editor-in-chief
FASHION
facebook.com/starstyleph
BEAUT Y
@starstyleph
www.starstyle.ph
CELEBRIT Y
@starstyleph
THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN JULY 2016
color + comfort F
ounder Adam Vanunu’s extensive experimentation with dye and distress techniques along with his revolutionary idea of applying it to tees, tanks, pants, and hoodies makes COTTON CITIZEN one of its kind. Comfort and style take on a new meaning with pieces that offer stunning colors and unique washes, complemented with fabrics so unbelievably light, it’s crazy. cottoncitizen.com
secret service N
o need to keep mum: PRIVATE POLICY is the newest cutting edge brand to storm the streets of New York, with its overall androgynous style featuring graphic print sweaters, dramatic trousers, colorful jackets, and bold textures. Don’t be in the dark. Try on New York’s best-kept secret now. privatepolicyny.com
food for thought A
lthough relatively new to the market, APPLECORE feeds your hunger for clean cuts and fresh silhouettes. A lovechild of luxury and streetwear, up your street cred with their Spring/Summer 2016 collection, which features graphic shirts, hoodies, joggers, coats, and sweatshirts, all crafted within French ateliers. applecoreweb.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
royal flush R
ule the streets with clothes that fit royalty. KING APPAREL offers cool, sleek designs influenced by the founders’ love for music and board sports, so you know it’s the real deal. Giving dominant US streetwear brands a run for their money, this independent UK-based brand definitely lives up to its name. king-apparel.com
MINIMAL ERROR S
WALK THIS WAY G
et ready to walk the talk, in stylish kicks no less, with EYTYS’ newest offering. Introducing a new silhouette to an already impressive lineup of sneakers, the “Doja” features thicker soles, an elevated toe cap, and covered lacing with its siblings’ army-inspired “Kibo” high top, “Jojo” sandals, slipons, as well as the “Void,” a collection of artisanal bags. eytys.com
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Words by Honey Bautista and Bea del Rio
taying true to its signature style of sharp lines and powerful silhouettes all in neutral colors as well as an occasional pop of salmon, HOUSE OF SUNNY is a minimalist’s dream brought to life. This East London-based label continues to redefine fast fashion and basic chic by providing staple pieces that could easily pass off as both timeless and current. houseofsunny.com
THREADS
SIGHT CLUB L
iving up to its name, Super by RETROSUPERFUTURE is a far cry from ordinary. Hand-made in Italy, these stylish specs combine style and function featuring the Zeiss lens, which provides a high-level protection against UV rays, in a tasteful palette of bright hues and multiple color graduations. retrosuperfuture.com
MINIMAL CRITICAL W
hile every other fashion brand competes for attention, BASUS stands out by keeping its designs fresh and minimal. Look effortlessly chic and dapper in this UK-based label, where men’s basic tees and sweaters get an upgrade through clean and subtle lines and details, so you get a perfect combination of urban and elegant. basus.fr
FIRE AWAY I
f you think setting one’s clothes on fire can’t pass for couture, then think again. Hailing from Berlin, Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient of OTTOLINGER are currently making a buzz in the industry for incorporating pyrotechnic method and mismatched silhouettes into their brand. The duo’s Autumn/ Winter 2016 collection features frayed denim, deconstructed fabrics, and sweats shredded to the core. ottolinger.com
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SETTING
PLACES TO GO
SUITE
ACE HOTEL, NEW ORLEANS S
oak in the old-time romance of New Orleans in the ACE HOTEL. Classic, romantic, and rich with culture, it weaves the fabric of magic laden with its origin and influences from the French, Creole superstition, and voodoo folklore. Taking detail from its history, it accentuates vintage tones in restored facades and bespoke furniture, implementing gray, green, and eggplant around the lobby, animating the rooms with French decorations and modern elements recalling the Dadaists. It also houses Josephine Estelle, their Italian restaurant featuring the flavors of the South, Alto, a rooftop garden with panoramic views of the city serving small plates and cocktails, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, their pioneering craft cafe, and the Three Keys, their music venue. 600 Carondelet St., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA acehotel.com/neworleans
GRUB
n search of a way to say, for lack of a better term, fucking awesome, nothing comes close to EMPINGAO! Hidden behind colorful walls and an eponymous exclamation point, the Latin American joint mixes influences of Peruvian, Cuban, Mexican, and Argentina flavors, straying away from authenticity and bringing in their own taste thanks to Chef Mikel Zaguirre of Locavore and Taqueria 101. Rearing you in with the interior’s pop of color reminiscent of the fun spirit, the vibrance only begins to complement the star of the show: the warmth of phenomenal food in front of you, from small plates and sandwiches, to entrées and desserts that’ll have you begging for more. San Lucas cor. P. Burgos St., Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City facebook.com/sayEMPINGAO
PLATE
FREAKING AWESOME With the sole target of leaving us hungry for more, EMPINGAO! gives its own twist on the dishes and flavors of Latin American descent.
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SALMON TACOS Fried corn tortilla, romaine, grilled salmon, chimichurri, mandarin orange, mango mayo, and pico de gallo
LAMB TOSTADAS Grilled lamb, cucumbers, pickled onions, and homemade garlic mint crema
CUBANO Pan cubano, ham, mojo pork, gruyere, dill pickles, yellow mustard, and patacones
LOMO SALTADO Stir-fried beef tenderloin, fried potato, flour tortilla, grilled peppers, creme, chill oil, and chimichurri
Words by Janroe Cabiles, SUITE photos courtesy of New Ace Hotel, GRUB photos by Nadine Layon
EMPINGAO!, MAKATI I
BRICK AND MORTAR
STORES TO SHOP
Blood brother, London 9-10 Charlotte Rd., London blood-brother.co.uk Dime to drop: £50-£240 (PHP 3,500-PHP 16,500) Don’t leave the store without: The latest release of the Shen Hi Patch
I
n the distinguished fashion capital that is London sits BLOOD BROTHER, the brainchild of Nick Biela and James Waller. Having started out with six monochromatic T-shirts in 2011 and expanding to more avant-garde collections since, the brand features contemporary menswear with a flair for cultural reference, particularly in the vibrant London fashion scene. More than just a clothing label, Biela and Waller view the label as a platform for new talent and plan to expand their product offerings and continue to develop the concept. With stockists all over the city, Blood Brother’s Charlotte Road store features clean lines and sleek minimalist interiors in monochrome, highlighting the brand’s collection of high energy essentials, T-shirts, sweatshirts, vests, bottoms, jackets, accessories, and footwear. Embracing the brand’s aesthetic, the in-store experience brings out the essence of menswear, in vision, design, and concept.
Haven
Words by Danielle Cabahug
F
eaturing a large list of curated brands, this online store may as well be every fashion aficionado’s HAVEN. Mix styles and select pieces galore with their various collaborations, putting the latest bags, belts, bottoms, eyewear, shorts, sweaters, T-shirts, tops, vests, and more in the spotlight. Inspiring stylists daily with brands like adidas, Junya Watanabe, Stone Island, and Y-3, the Canadian brand’s choice of pieces from fiber to fabric are definitely something to watch out for. havenshop.ca
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SCREEN
SCENES TO SEE
REMOTE CONTROL TICKET
2016 ESPY AWARDS (ABC) Scheduled to air on July 13 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles is the annual ESPYS (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award), to be hosted by John Cena, fresh off his hilarious stint in 2015’s Trainwreck. Despite the wrestling icon’s theme song, we can see him take to the stage to welcome the brightest stars in the sports and entertainment world.
STRANGER THINGS (NETFLIX) Written as a nostalgic love letter to the supernatural classics of the ‘80s, young filmmakers Matt and Ross Duffer create an eight-part comingof-age suspense thriller revolving around a mother’s (Winona Ryder) frantic search in a safe Indiana suburbs for her son who vanishes into thin air, as they discover a top-secret mystery involving inexplicable forces.
LIFE, ANIMATED Winning Best Documentary Direction at Sundance, Roger Ross Williams steps into the life of Owen Suskind, an autistic young man who recovers the ability to interact with the world through Disney films.
TULIP FEVER Adapted from Deborah Moggach’s novel, the film follows a married woman (Alicia Vikander) who falls in love with a painter (Dane DeHaan) as the two gamble on the fickle tulip market to save money to elope.
EQUALS Starring Nicholas Hoult and Kirsten Stewart, illustrator the dystopian flick sees Silas as he catches a disease that actives emotions and falls for with writer Nia, who’s hiding the same condition.
LIGHTS OUT Produced by horror genius James Wan comes a story of two siblings (Teresa Palmer and Gabriel Bateman) who are haunted by something lurking in the dark, only showing itself when the lights go out.
CAFÉ SOCIETY Woody Allen takes us back to the 1930s, seeing Bobby (Jesse Eisenberg) who moves to Tinseltown and finds himself in a love triangle between secretary Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) and socialite Veronica (Blake Lively).
YOGA HOSERS In Kevin Smith’s spin-off horror comedy, yogis Colleen and Colleen find themselves invited to a senior party but are stuck at their after-school job at the convenience store as ancient evil Nazis arise.
PLAYBACK HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (2004) It makes my heart swell with good feelings, but also because of the animation.
KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989) I wanted to be Kiki when I was little.
THE END OF EVANGELION (1997) It’s the finale of one of the most important anime series of my entire life.
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (1988) Nothing else has ever made me feel so devastated.
BAOHIEN NGO (Photographer) SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959) I read that the art director behind it loved unicorn tapestries and wanted to translate that into a graphic ‘50s style.
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Words by Janroe Cabiles
bhngo.com
BEATS PLAYLIST At top of my head, here are songs that I recommend that you should definitely give a listen; songs that’ll transport you and make you feel like you’re dreaming.
COMPUTER MAGIC thecomputermagic.com
“Ominous Cloud” Broadcast
“From Here to Eternity” Giorgio Moroder
“Are Friends Electric?” Gary Numan
“Electronic Renaissance” Belle and Sebastian
These songs aren’t possibly not my top five favorite hiphop songs of ALL TIME, but rather more my top-of-mind five of right now:
ASSEMBLY GENERALS Switch Toledo (MC) facebook.com/ AssemblyGenerals
“Miles To The Sun” Hieroglyphics
“Check The Rhime” A Tribe Called Quest
“Galaxies” Mountain Brothers
“If You Only Knew” Jurassic 5
Words by Danielle Cabahug Computer Magic photo by Mo Goodman, Paolo “Switch” Toledo photo by JD Valdez
These tracks are definitely anthems of my youth. They reflect that I’m-gonna-do-me-and-I-don’t-really-mind-ifyou-don’t-agree attitude, which speaks to me a lot.
GRACE official-grace.com
“Respect” Aretha Franklin
“Unpretty” TLC
“Crooked Smile” J. Cole
“I Know I Can” Nas
MUSIC TO HEAR
RELEASES
Two years after the release of Instrumentals 3, Michael Volpe, better known as CLAMS CASINO, takes us to the 32nd level with his debut album, 32 Levels. The American record producer gives us a “Blast” as he drops his first single off the record, leaving us all hyped up.
With the announcement of English electronic musician FourTet’s take on her debut single “Touch,” UK-based synth pop artist SHURA finally reveals her long-awaited fulllength album, Nothing’s Real, and we’re all “Tongue Tied” and riddled with “Indecision” waiting for it.
MUSIC NEWS
Back for its 11th year, Pitchfork Music Festival returns to Chicago’s Union Park for a jam-packed weekend this July 15 to 17. Get hyped for the independently run event with tunage provided by the likes of FKA Twigs, Sufjan Stevens, Anderson. Paak, and a whole lot more!
Featuring The Manila String Machine, catch Johnoy Danao, Ebe Dancel, and Bullet Dumas hit the concert scene together once again as Vandals on the Wall and Gabi Na Naman Productions present 3D: DAMÁ The Repeat at the Music Museum in San Juan City this July 23.
Get ready to get wet in the seventh installment of Unleashed as Weedoo Entertainment brings international DJ Borgeous to headline the said event. Unleash and join the party on July 2 at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds in Pasay City for a night you won’t easily forget.
Returning from a five-year hiatus, Canadian dance duo MSTRKRFT releases their third studio album, Operator. After giving us a taste of it with “Party Line,” the first single off of their military culture-inspired LP, there’s no doubt we’ll be lining up for the album’s release.
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T EC H PACK
MODERN TIMES
DOWNLOADS
Keeping up with the millenials.
PAVLOK SHOCK CLOCK • The first device that uses effective and tested sensory inputs to wake you up and keep you alert • Chooses gradual alarm process of vibrations, tones and light shocks, or delve straight to electrocuting yourself awake • Comes in five different colors: pink, blue, black, gray, and red SRP: PHP 4,625.73
LEICA ULTRAVID HD-PLUS “EDITION HERMÈS” BINOCULARS • In collaboration with Hermès, Leica releases a limited-edition set of binoculars, producing only 111 • Wrapped in Hermès calfskin leather with handcrafted canvas and leather Hermés bag with matching calfskin wrist strap • Features the latest Leica HD-PLUS optics with vintage style eyecups
INK HUNTER By Kateryna Khotkevych Stressing over tattoo designs are put to an end. Thanks to this app, you can see your future ink in real time with augmented reality.
SRP: PHP 471,917.45
THE DAVEK ALERT UMBRELLA • Showcases an advanced “Loss Alert” technology and will connect seamlessly to your smart phone • Made with a core support rib composed of steel, aircraft-grade aluminum and flexible fiberglass • Powered by an easily replaceable CR2032 coin battery that will last for up to a year SRP: PHP 5,840.56
REPULSOR POWERFUL WEARABLE FLASHLIGHT
MADHAT By Madhat, Inc. Challenging everyone’s creativity, get your doodle on with Madhat and see your artwork come to life with a shareable animation.
• Packed with a total luminous flux of 7911 lumens that can cut through the darkness for hundreds of feet • Powered by a 8000/12000 mAh battery and can be charged through smartphones and tablets with its built-in USB port • With a futuristic shockproof body, each lens has the beam angle of more than 60º SRP: PHP 11,681.13
MOLESKINE SMART WRITING SET • Uses a special notebook, an app, and a Bluetooth pen to transfer anything to your smartphone or tablet • The slim, aluminum Pen+ is built with a hidden camera that traces and digitizes everything you write you • Its free companion app stores notes and sketches and lets users share, export, edit, and search them SRP: PHP 9,298.18
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ASTRO ATTACK By James Bowling Press start to begin this intergalactic conquest and guide your spaceship through a wave of invaders to be the best in the solar system.
F A CE PA I N T
LANCÔME “Art Liner” Precision Point Eyeliner in Saphir P1,534.06
CHARLOTTE TILBURY “Magic” Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 P2,213.0
glitter truth
CLINIQUE “Lid Pop” Eyeshadow in Surf Pop P855.05
Add a little twinkle to your eye. BAREMINERALS “Invisible Light” Translucent Powder Duo P1,609.50
KEVYN AUCOIN “The Expert” Mascara P1,710.09
LORAC “Alter Ego” Lip Liner in Duchess P855.05
MAC “Studio Sculpt” Limited Edition Defining Bronzing Powder in Delphic P1,659.80
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NARS “Larger Than Life” Longwear Eyeliner in Rue Saint-Honore P1,257.42
TOM FORD Ultra-Rich Lip Color in Revolve Around Me P2,615.44
LANCÔME “Effacernes” Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer in Dore P1,559.20
Runway photo from Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2016
YVES SAINT LAURENT Couture Brow Palette in 02 P2,766.33
HOURGLASS Ambient Light Correcting Primer in Mood Light P2,213.06
VAN I T I ES DRY SHAMPOOS
If you’re into all things au naturale then you’ll surely love AVEDA “SHAMPURE” DRY SHAMPOO’s unique blend of organic ingredients. This non-aerosol powder mist instantly revives lackluster hair, leaving it fresh and fragrant sans the sticky feeling.
METALLIC BONDS Create a wash of shimmer with TARTE METALLICS EYESHADOW’s new limited edition formula. Never let the shine intimidate you, because with 11 stunning shades to choose from, you’re bound to find your perfect match in no time. With buttery texture and high pigmentation, you can also pop these little bad boys off their compacts and transfer them into a customized palette, so you can bring your glow on-the-go.
Bid farewell to bad hair days because DRYBAR “DETOX DRY” SHAMPOO contains micro powders that absorb within minutes, leaving no unwanted residue behind. This miracle worker is every lazy lady’s saving grace.
EXPERT ADVICE Cut down your hair routine in half with BLOWPRO “FAUX DRY” DRY SHAMPOO. Its pure protein blend of amaranth, lupine, and wheat extends the life of a blowout while keeping your crowning glory grease-free.
Allow your dry shampoo to sit on your scalp for about 2 minutes to completely absorb excess oil.
BEAUTY BITE
HIDE 2A SALON
Words by Honey Bautista
N
o need to scour around the metro in search of a legit Japanese beauty experience because HIDE2A SALON is here to give you just that. Taking influence from traditional Japanese interiors on contemporary spaces, get ready to be greeted by minimalist lines and monochromatic colors. Conveniently located in the heart of Makati, this salon offers various services ranging from hairstyling and treatments to nail art and eyelash extensions. G/F, B and P Bldg., 843 Antonio Arnaiz Ave., Makati City hide2a.com
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GO S E E
Colors don’t have to be striking to make a statement. Try these subtle tones on for size. Photos courtesy of lookbook.nu
@curtis_wan_1991
@chsnafu
@kanaho12
@stylebymarie
@queenhorsfall
VLADIMIR GAŠIĆ creates an appealing contrast with a light washed denim jacket. @streetfashion101
@plainakko
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@anettekram
@rogerdemonserrath
@afashionnerd
@stylnoxe
@lenusheen
Light and sweet is the theme of LILA JANOWSKA’s ensemble of baby pink and crisp white. @lilajanowska
@barbarabaccaert
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Photographed by Rxandy Capinpin Styled by Edrick Paz
jacket by Bershka top by H&M pants by Topman eyewear by Rayban
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top by UNIQLO × Lemaire pants by Oxygen eyewear by Ikonik
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pullover by H&M pants by Topman eyewear by Sunnies
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jacket by Topman top by H&M pants by Levi’s shoes by Converse eyewear by Sunnies
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button-down by UNIQLO button-down by UNIQLO pullover by H&M pullover by H&M pants Topman pants by from Topman eyewear Sunnies eyewear by from Sunnies
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top by H&M eyewear by Sunnies
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top by Flying Dutchman pants by Topman eyewear by Sunnies
Associate Stylist Austin Cortiguerra Grooming Jacky Pante Model Carlo Lee at Mercator
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Photographed by Cynthia Frebour Styled by Leonie Gwerder
bra by Eres pants by Max Mara
dress by Max Mara
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top by Topshop Unique dress, stylist’s own
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jacket by Lanvin undergarments by Eres tights by Falke
Hair and Makeup Margaux Rousse Malpat Model Judith Leclerc of Metropolitan Models
SWAG JULY
20 1 6
STRIKE A MATCH Suit up for school, work, or play in clubmasters, windbreakers, pastel button-downs, digital watches, flared jeans, monochrome bags, jumpsuits, and sleeveless button-downs. Product Photography by Daniel Santillan
pantsuit by Mango
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CLUBMASTERS
DOWN TOWN Throwing shade like a pro.
From left to right: Sunnies [P399] Call It Spring [P555] Call It Spring [P555] Penshoppe [P499]
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WINDBREAKERS
WEATHER PROOF
High and dry–in a good way.
From top to bottom: Staple from Bratpack [P4,990] Uniqlo [P1,690] 21 Men [P1,785]
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PA ST E L B U T TO N - D OW N S
EPIC PALE Short-sleeved and sweet.
Clockwise: 21 Men [P915] 21 Men [P915] Uniqlo [P1,490]
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D I G I TA L WAT C H E S
ELECTRIC TASTE By the numbers.
Watches by Neff from Bratpack From left to right: P1,299.75 P999.75 P2,199.75
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FLARED JEANS
BUST A GROOVE
Started from the bellbottom now we here.
From left to right: Penshoppe [P999] Forever 21 [P1,425] Mango [P2,295]
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MONOCHROME BAGS
SOCIAL CONTRAST You don’t always need color.
Clockwise: Charles & Keith [P3,599] Dr. Martens [P7,490] Charles & Keith [P3,599] Call It Spring [P2,095]
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JUMPSUITS
SINGLE LADY Jump at the chance to slay.
From left to right: Sfera [P2,799] Mango [P2,295] Forever 21 [P1,350]
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SLEEVELESS BUT TON-DOWNS
EASY BREEZY The right to bare arms.
From top to bottom: Forever 21 [P1,175] Mango [P995] Penshoppe [P599] Mango [P995]
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INDEPENDENT STATE W
hat happens when a gym rat, a mountain climber, a musical virtuoso, and a responsible front woman are thrown together within four walls of a personal recording studio? The product is Fools and Foes: the unique mix of musical backgrounds rolled into a bite of indie folk with post-rock influences. Coming from a variety of musical backgrounds, vocalist/bassist Isabelle Romualdez and vocalist/ guitarist Miguel Querubin tell us of the band’s serendipitous beginnings in drummer Gabba Santiago’s house. “We were all supposed to meet in Gabba’s house, but he himself wasn’t home,” recalls Migs. “So we were forced to be friends,” jokes Isa. “While waiting, I said that we should start a band, and it was just the three of us writing songs at first,” she adds.
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Fooling around in the studio to get their signature sound, local indie folk outfit FOOLS AND FOES churn out anthems of the youth with full acoustics, powerful emotion, and soulful energy. By Danielle Cabahug Photographed by John Mari A. Marcelo of Infinity Blues Photography Location Restock
Decked with common post-rock influences, Fools and Foes began playing gigs down South in 278 Apache in 2014. With the final addition of guitarist Ralph Gonzalez, they’ve proved to be the more fortunate product of chance encounters with the release of their five-track EP Underneath the Roots in 2015, packing more than a punch with verses exploring the intricacies of love, loss, introversion, and coming into your own. Underneath the Roots is also a testament to the homegrown quartet’s mastery and musical virtuosity, with Isa coming out from behind the bass to write “Blindfolded,” a track that draws similar comparison to Norwegian folk pop duo Kings of Convenience in terms of style and structure, and which features Isa’s compelling emotion in the first few lines against crisp
acoustics just as Migs joins in to tie together the smooth harmony. While the band recognizes the presence of creative differences with such attention to detail in their craft, they also embrace them as new directions to try with their sound. “For some songs, Ralph starts with a riff, and everyone just chimes in with their own stuff,” Isa explains. “Our creative differences actually complement each other, I’d say, and I think that’s what makes our sound more distinct.” It’s no surprise that even though their music has been described as indie folk and math rock, the band doesn’t stick to a particular style and continues to bend genres with their releases. “We don’t try to make a song sound like something or follow a certain template, just as long as we all like what we’ve produced,” adds Migs.
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” These fools haven’t gotten any foes despite bringing the heat to the local indie scene, having played a SoFar Sounds show, getting into the Top Five Battle Round of Wanderland’s Wanderband competition last 2015, and revisiting Fete La Musique 2016 in the rock stage, all in their sophomore year. Keeping it real and sticking to their indie roots, Fools and Foes aren’t in a rush to ditch the independent scene and sign with a record label just yet. “It’s not really a priority, mostly because Migs likes producing our stuff,” shares Isa. “I think I have the strongest stand on it among us. The point of the record label for me, really is to be able to have recording time, which most people don’t have,” Migs shares his thoughts on the subject. “But I’m fortunate enough to have my own studio so if what they need is a record deal that, God forbid, would be asking us to make our music a certain way, we don’t really need it because we can deliver.”
OUR CREATIVE DIFFERENCES ACTUALLY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER, AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES OUR SOUND MORE DISTINCT.”
soundcloud.com/fools-and-foes @foolsandfoes
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MAESTRO
GRACE BY FIRE Don’t tell her what to do and don’t tell her what to say ‘cause Australian singersongwriter GRACE knows exactly what she’s doing at 19 years young. By Isa Almazan Interview by Pola Beronilla
DC
Comics’ Suicide Squad is one of the most awaited films of 2016, so it’s no surprise that the trailers amassed millions of views. But behind the cinematic lunacy giving life to some of our favorite comic villains is an eerie version of “You Don’t Own Me.” This soothing but hauntingly beautiful rendition of Lesley Gore’s 1963 hit single is made anew by Australian singer-songwriter Grace. Backed up by the dapper rapper G-Eazy, who gives the song a 21st century punch, and the legendary Quincy Jones, who produced both the original and this new rendition, the song was an obvious gem that bridges the best of the old and the new. Grace was only around nine years old when she first dipped her hands in songwriting and she shares with us a colored moment when she realized
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that music was her language, and as most great music experiences go, it involved sitting in a moving car. Their family was driving back from the beach and a Ray Charles record was playing, and before she knows it, she’s all choked up. While the particular songs escapes her, the memory and the feeling attached to it stayed with. And in that brief period of time, she knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life: it was to move people. With a viral single and 2015’s Memo EP tucked under her proverbial belt, Grace gears up for a fulllength release this July. And as we wait more on her, STATUS talks to the 19-year old wunderkind about her music and everything that happened leading to it, and what’s next for her.
How was it like working with the legendary Quincy Jones who also produced the original track of “You Don’t Own Me”? It’s without a doubt the most incredible thing that has happened to me in my career so far. This man has worked with and accomplished more that I could ever even dream of, and to have him be so gracious to give up his time and energy and become like a mentor to me in this game is just incredible. He has taught me to remain all about the music and that humility is key in this industry. You’ve been working on your debut album since last year. What could we expect from it? Sonically, it’s reminiscent of the Memo EP. It definitely has that soulful/hip-hop vibe, but it’s a little less on production and more about the songs and the vocals. I think it’s a true reflection of me and how I’ve grown as a young woman and as a writer and performer in this last year, so I’m really excited for people to hear it. What do you want the listeners to take from your songs? I find the best songs come from personal experience or being able to relate to something that’s happened around you or to someone close to you. Being able to tell a story and paint a picture for the listener is very important to me. I only hope to provoke emotion through my music.
MAESTRO Whether that’s making people laugh or cry, smile or dance, I just want them to feel the music. You have a distinct nostalgic soulfulness in your voice. How do you manage to make your own sound without sounding too alike to your influences? To some extent, I believe we’re a product of our environments. I grew up on soul, so it will always be a part of me, but there are so many other incredible genres and sounds that inspire me. For example, hiphop is such a huge part of music and culture today and has always been an influence of mine, as well as R&B and jazz—even country/folk and more stripped-back records. I think when you mix all those influences together and then tell stories from a 19-year old girl’s perspective, it creates some entirely new and fresh, and that’s me and my music. You’ve been compared to voices as timeless as time. How do you keep your edge and individuality? I don’t know if I want an edge. I’m just trying to be me and be as real as possible in this world and in this industry that can sometimes force you to be quite the opposite. I just want to make great music that’s dope now and ten to 20 years from now, music that’s timeless and moves people.
official-grace.com @OfficialGrace
“ I’m just trying to be me and be as real as possible in this world and in this industry that can sometimes force you to be quite the opposite.” STATUSMAGONLINE.COM - 53
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MAJOR LEAGUE
They say that quitters never win, and these bubblegum rockers surely have the hearts of a champion. Coming out swinging with blissed-out pop hooks and a surf rock sensibility, VARSITY’s got game.
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hough their band name’s origin has nothing to do with sports, Varsity is in it to win it. Stephanie Smith (vocals/keyboards), Dylan Weschler (guitar), Pat Stanton (guitar), and brothers Paul (bass) and Jake Stolz (drums) first stepped up to the plate with the release of their debut EP Thanks for Nothing in 2013 and subsequently released a self-titled LP two years later. In that short amount of time, these five little giants quickly became hometown heroes; they even earned a spot in Chicago Weekly Redeye’s 10 Underthe-Radar, Must-Own Chicago Releases from 2015. “I think our music has matured a lot since our first EP
By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Nick Matsas release; our individual parts have gotten more complex and intertwined,” shares Stephanie. “We’ve explored more challenging themes and tried new things in recording and mixing like slide guitar, liberal use of space echo, verbed out tambourine, and handclaps.” Drawing similarities to surf pop acts like Tennis and Best Coast, the group managed to tune into their own sound. “Authenticity is probably a
timeless challenge for musicians, but it’s still relevant as ever,” admits the vocalist. “There’s a lot of pressure–whether it’s internal or external–to play into others’ expectations or see yourself through an audience’s lens. It’s a process to get back to my voice, but it’s enjoyable too.” Their music also relies on Stephanie’s knack for catchy hooks. Hiding underneath those crunchy guitar riffs and brooding harmonies are candy-coated choruses dipped in passion. “Storytelling is super important in our songs. I don’t expect listeners to be transported to the place I’m singing about, but it hopefully creates a vibe where they can picture their own version of that story.” Currently out with a new digital double A-side single “Smash / Still Apart,” the band gives us the lowdown on their crazy tour life and what’s next on their game plan.
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How has the tour life been treating you? Stephanie: The tour life was sweaty, hilarious, sleepy, confusing, and a good time! One of our house shows got moved last minute because of a flash flood and the cops showed up in Pittsburgh because of a noise complaint. Though each time people came through to move our shows and make sure people showed up. Any weird moments that has happened so far? S: The weirdest moment was probably getting a fancy hotel in Pittsburgh and ending up playing pool at a bar where you could smoke inside–a big deal since there’s no smoking inside anywhere in Chicago. And thanks to the sex-themed trivia night taking place at the bar, we now know about the lifespan of a condom. We also heard that you guys co-own a gold minivan, does it have a name? S: Yeah, it’s littered with cassettes that we’ve picked up on the road (HOOPS, Everclear, Stef Chura) as well as chewable multi-vitamins that are extremely important for health.
“Authenticity is probably a timeless challenge for musicians, but it’s still relevant as ever. There’s a lot of pressure– whether it’s internal or external–to play into others’ expectations or see yourself through an audience’s lens.”
Sometimes, we call her Goldie, but I don’t think we all agree on that name, so maybe we should come back to this later before it creates a major rift in the band [laughs].
What’s the best part about what you guys do? S: Recording music is a really rewarding and fun experience. We spend a lot of time trying to get the sounds and ideas we want out and onto a good recording. But touring is a struggle. We really want to tour more, but we all currently have fulltime jobs, so it’s hard to get out on the road as much as we’d like to.
What’s next for Varsity? S: We’re getting ready to release the third installment of our double A-side single series followed by another East Coast/Midwest tour. After that, we’re going to hunker down and finish writing and recording our next full-length record!
varsitytunes.com @varsitytunes
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URBAN OUTFITTER
M A S T E R M I N D
Playing dress-up with your childhood favorites, illustrator VANGOATHE toons out in a highstreet fashion, drawing a fine line—.05 to be precise—between pop culture and the imaginary world of cartoons. By Pola Beronilla
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hough millennials usually just can’t even, they’re generally optimistic about their future. However, they’re also approaching that point in life where they start to become nostalgic, longing for the good ol’ days of their childhood where catching their favorite cartoons on TV was top priority. But unlike others who outgrew their Saturday morning habit, there are some who took their cartoon heroes to adulthood–and that’s exactly what Van Lichauco did. Better known by his Instagram name @vangoathe, this local illustrator has been collecting hearts and double taps from loony teens across the map thanks to his tasteful fusion of street style and popular culture. Hitting pause on Frank Ocean’s “Bad Religion,” Van recalls his humble beginnings. Taking cues from your favorite coming-of-age film, he was an outcast in school. “I had no friends back then, because I didn’t know how to make one, so I was bullied a lot by my classmates. Whenever they teased me, I just doodled things I had in mind at the back of my notebook,” says the 21-year-old. Just like the best of us, he started out experimenting with a stickman–until he ultimately went along the lines of his artistic path. “The very first art I ever considered was when I drew Son Goku from Dragon Ball. I felt proud of it even though the eyes weren’t aligned and there were a lot of things needed to be
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modified,” he recollects. Though originally wanting to have a PhD, art is the best medicine he prescribed to himself. “I used to tell my mom that I wanted to be a doctor when I was a kid. It’s far from what I’ve become right now, but I have no regrets because this is where I’m happy and this is what I love most.” Whether its re-imagining J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar as Beavis and Butthead or dressing up characters from Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon with today’s most influential streetwear brands, Van gets in toon with his interests with a Unipin fineline and cheap markers on one side of his table and a cup of joe on the other. Channeling in classics like Family Guy, Doraemon, Detective Conan, The Simpsons, CatDog, and South Park, his taste in music is also a big boost to his craft, listing Eminem, Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Tyler, The Creator, and Travi$ Scott as his top five favorite
MASTERMIND
artists. “Usually, I listen to my playlist then browse some clothing brands, any style of clothes, new artists or artists that inspire me off from the Internet, while sipping with my hot coffee to boost my imagination,” he shares of his creative process. As he draws inspiration from labels like A Bathing Ape, Rip N Dip, Golfwang, The Hundreds, and Mishka, he sees himself stitching up a career in streetwear in the near future. “I’d really love to work for Stussy, Thrasher, or Supreme. Their designs are literally the bomb; it really catches someone’s attention,” shares the artist. “But my goal is to have my own clothing store where I can express all my ideas and designs.” While he’s been gaining a cult following on the Internet, he admits his aspirations of breaking into the mainstream soon. “I just hope that, ten years from now, I’ll become a well-known artist, not just in my country but also around the world, and will continue to inspire others.” At the pace that he’s in, it won’t be long before he lines himself up for a professional gig–just stay tooned.
“[Becoming a doctor] is far from what I’ve become right now, but I have no regrets because [creating art] is where I’m happy and this is what I love most.”
@vangoathe
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MASTERMIND
THE DARLING UNLIMITED In cold, dark streets of crime to colorful crosscountry trains, Sri Lankan actress AMARA KARAN blends in and harbors a symmetry to her different sides. By Janroe Cabiles Photographed by Rachell Smith Styled by Ozzy Shah Hair Elliot Bssila Makeup Justine Jenkins
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irst captivating us in perfect symmetry as Rita, the sassy train stewardess in Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited in 2007, Sri Lankan, English-born actress Amara got a grand head start. “It was such an honor to learn about filmmaking from Wes who has created his own way of making commercially successful films whilst maintaing his own unique and immediately recognizable style,” says the actress on working with the director. “He gave me film references from Louis Malle and François Truffaut, while also giving lots of instruction because he was trying different things that complemented the fact that we were shooting on a moving train in a desert in India.” As a first crack at the big screen, the experience seemed paramount at the moment, but she was fated to glide on to bigger things. Dating back to her school years, acting was always something that not only piqued her interest, but also became a tryst of hers early on. “I developed an obsession with it at about eight years old,” she recalls. “I loved doing school plays, but I was too shy to do a leading part. I was terrified–you can see your mates and teachers in the audience all looking back at you! But I had read some scenes that my teacher had written, and somehow, I found my voice in public
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MASTERMIND
and the rush was immense.” Moving on to every acting opportunity at school, she eventually moved on to university and took exams at The Royal Central School of Speech & Drama. Taking an alternative route and becoming an investment banker for a time, she earned an MA degree in acting from The Arts Educational Schools and jumped right back in. Starring in British films St. Trinian’s (2007), The Task (2011), and cult-followed series Doctor Who, she also landed the role of Vina, which was previously played by the famous Hayley Mills in the critically-acclaimed All in Good Time (2012) based on the play Rafta Rafta. Shortly after, she starred alongside Simon Pegg in the horror-comedy A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2012), showcasing her graceful capability of switching genres at the drop of a hat. “Although the genre is different, I didn’t have to change much about my process because the script is your blueprint. Then you imagine yourself in your character’s predicament, and also think about what drives your character’s needs as well as what their relationship is to the other characters. To me, what’s most enjoyable is to get to work on a variety of different stories, each character being so different to the ones I’ve done before.” Citing Jennifer Lawrence as her inspiration for film and Denise Gough for theater, she dabbles in both flawlessly, taking the stage for The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing for the Royal Shakespeare Company, both at StratfordUpon-Avon and West End. “Performing live is dangerous and therefore, very thrilling. You get instant feedback, so you may or may not get the laugh, but it helps you improve your performance. On a film set, your audience is the crew, so they tend to be a lot more encouraging to get the best out of you.” With a mystery on the rise in her upcoming HBO series The Night Of, Amara is set to play an ambitious lawyer mixed up in an intriguing murder case. Equipping a darker fancy than what the doe-eyed actress usually plays, she steps into the thrilling world with as much style as she can. “[The mystery] has to already be there in the character already and the story on the page. I then try to make sure that I use every moment to move my character’s agenda forward–as simply and efficiently, and where possible, as elegantly as I can.”
@amarakaran
“I USE EVERY MOMENT TO MOVE MY CHARACTER’S AGENDA FORWARD–AS SIMPLY AND EFFICIENTLY, AND WHERE POSSIBLE, AS ELEGANTLY AS I CAN. ”
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MASTERMIND
SCREEN AFFAIR Hailing from Birmingham, England with a love for creativity across different mediums, actor ELLIOT KNIGHT puts the spotlight on being a storyteller, despite coming from a minority. By Danielle Cabahug Photographed by Jessica Castro
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alling in love with the arts is one thing, but when you’re able to translate the passion for the craft into your career, you know you’ve hit it right. Most recently seen on ABC’s long-standing hit series Once Upon a Time as the iconic character Merlin, Elliot Knight has quickly become one to watch in the entertainment industry with the characters he has brought to life on screen over the last few years. Having always had creative tendencies and a strong inclination to the arts and expressive subjects, Knight’s love affair with creating and performing began from his earliest memories of childhood. To him, there was nothing he couldn’t do or couldn’t be. “It’s never-ending play-time with the world as your playground,” he says. Despite his idealism, there have also been bumps in the road for him, admitting that he’d never really had a role model. “It wasn’t easy to find a mixed race,
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heroic role model as an aspiring mixed race boy growing up as it was for many of my friends and peers who did not assume a minority. The most talked about, well-respected, and seemingly successful stars were mainly white. For that or other reasons, in the field of acting, theirs were not careers I would necessarily have the same opportunity to emulate as others would.” Channeling what others would take as a setback into opportunity, he adds that he’s glad his being different has never deterred him from pursuing the dream. With work in both series and film, the actor tells us how he tackles each role differently. “We are storytellers, and ultimately, an actor’s work is to best serve the story being told. That’s true wherever you are and whatever you’re making,” he says, who booked the lead role in UK television drama Sinbad in 2012, critically-acclaimed ABC series How to Get Away with Murder as Aiden Walker, Once Upon a Time in 2015, and is set to star in another
lead role in CBS’ mystery drama American Gothic this year as well as working on his upcoming film Take Down, a thriller surrounding a group of rebellious rich kids at reform school where they are taken hostage, which also stars Ed Westwick, Phoebe Tonkin, and Jeremy Sumpter. A big fan of fantasy and adventure, his roles in the genre tie him to his childhood and all things magical. As some of his favorite performances stem from a connection to what makes that character truly human and individual, understanding what makes the characters tick inside out, all the while juxtaposing the humanistic approach with the technical aspects of the craft. “After that, there are more technical aspects to layer in, such as voice and physicality that are appropriate to the life you’ve given them and their role in the story being told.” For Elliot Knight, there’s a bigger purpose; to be a role model for younger aspiring actors, to emulate, and to relate to, which directly affects how he chooses his roles. “The industry has been moving in a good direction to ensure there’s more variety and inclusion in what’s
being offered and celebrated, but there’s still huge ground to cover.” He adds, “I typically won’t go up for roles I feel have been created solely based on their ethnicity because it’s clear that they only serve as page fillers and tend to lack in heart and substance where other characters don’t. My favorite roles, and I believe the best, are those where race is not specified, because the focus is only on creating a quality character of substance and value to the story. Those are the roles that interest me and I pursue.” Getting ready for his upcoming film Take Down, we sense a bright career ahead for this one.
@itselliotknight
“[The best roles] are those where race is not specified, because the focus is only on creating a quality character of substance and value to the story.”
H E A V Y H I T T E R
H U S T L E By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Raen Badua
& Grooming Syd Helmsley Location Black Market
F L O W
Swerving from the unclouded luster of K-dramas and K-pop sensations, KEITH APE is lit in his own way. High on the feat of his anthem “It G Ma”, the 22-year old rapper falls into the trap sound and breaks out with a South Korean rap takeover.
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Bustling through
the American hustle, South Korean trap artist Keith Ape never finds himself lost in translation, in spite of coming from a land where shiny pop stars are molded by megacorps. “It’s probably the main reason why I moved to the States,” shares the young emcee. Dropping out of school at age 17, Keith was armed with an amusement to South Korean rap music before exposing himself to a taste that turned him towards New York classicism. As he dug deeper through American hiphop online, mostly by scrolling through Tumblr, he found himself in the pit of the genre’s rowdier side. Sporting his braided blonde hair and silver grillz, the rapper took his hip-hop aspirations with him, packed his bags, and paved his own way in the US, steering away from the stereotypes driven by South Korean boy bands and girl groups. One thing’s for sure, PSY won’t be the last Korean artist to break into the US hip-hop scene.
“Honestly, I try to learn from any type of criticism. It’s especially hard to accept criticism from people around me, but it’s also the most beneficial.” 64 - STATUSMAGONLINE.COM
HEAVY HITTER
“I’m more focused on my family and myself. I try not to think too much of anything else because everything else is a byproduct of it.”
In past year, the Korean import has risen to underground notoriety, thanks to the release of his 2015 breakout hit, “It G Ma,” featuring fellow Asian rappers JayAllday, Okasian, Loota, and Kohh, who are part of his underwater squad known as The Cohort. With verses switching from Korean to Japanese with a little bit of English, the track, which translates to “Never Forget,” became a viral trap anthem, despite the OG Maco diss (where the American rapper claimed Keith Ape of copying his song “U Guessed It” and accused him of cultural appropriation for its music video). “Honestly, I try to learn from any type of criticism,” he shares. “It’s especially hard to accept criticism from people around me, but it’s also the most beneficial.” Collecting over 28 million hits with more than half of the YouTube comments reading, “idk what the fuck they’re saying, but this shit’s lit,” along with several fire emoijs, Keith Ape and his underwater squad make a splash. He made his debut at 2015’s SXSW rap showcase, where hip-hop mainstays like J. Cole, Big Sean, Future, Migos, and Rae Sremmurd were also a part of. “I was very nervous because it was my first show in a foreign land,” recalls the 22-year-old. Aside from the unrestrained mayhem he led at his
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HEAVY HITTER
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HEAVY HITTER first live show in the US, his sold-out concert at SOB in the same year drew a cross-cultural curiosity as he broke language barriers with his Southern rap rowdiness; it was even listed as one of The New York Times’ Top 40 picks. “I believe I use my weakness as my strength,” he says. “Asians haven’t been widely accepted in the rap game, which means that there’s a small number of us out there in the spotlight–and I use that to become different, of course, with high quality music.” Soon enough, publications like Complex, Hypetrak, Vice, and The FADER caught on and put the young rapper under their radars. Months later, Keith Ape gathered some of the hottest underground rappers for a posse track remix of “It G Ma,” featuring Waka Flocka Flame, A$AP Ferg, and Dumbfounded. Melding different styles from the Korean and American hip-hop scenes, the remix represented an international musical union. Taking a crucial step in crossing race barriers in the world of hiphop, LA rapper Dumbfounded discussed his participation in the collab with massappeal.com, saying, “I think it’s the first time I’ve seen something like a rap collab crossing boundaries as far as that shit, but in a non-corny way. I’ve seen a gang of these hip-hop, one-
“I use my weakness as my strength. Asians haven’t been widely accepted in the rap game, which means there’s a small number of us out there in the spotlight–and I use that to become different.”
world type videos and songs that are so corny at times. This has happened super naturally. It was mad natural, where he made a fucking turn up song and people were just fucking with it. It wasn’t forced.” Picking up from the momentum he made with his viral track, he maintains a good pace of his career. “I’ve been working hard on my album and doing shows consistently,” he shares. As he continues to spearhead a South Korean rap movement, he still keeps himself grounded. “This is something new. Of course there are ups and downs, but I believe it’s very honorable and valuable,” says the 22-year-old. “However, I’m more focused on my family and myself. I try not to think too much of anything else because everything else is a byproduct of it.” With plans of dropping a full-length release later this year, Keith and his self-described “ape shit” rap music seem to be no monkey business.
soundcloud.com/keithape @keithape
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Drowned in the sound of grunge’s past, DILLY DALLY wastes no time in bringing the noise. Unleashing lackadaisical sorrows over malevolent rumbles, the Toronto-based alt-rockers pack a fiery yet poetic punch. By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Pooneh Ghana and David Waldman
HEAVY HITTER
FORMED BY HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS
Katie Monks (vocals/guitar) and Liz Ball (lead guitar) back in 2009 over their common love for alternative rock, Dilly Dally is a bloodcurdling scream from the underground. Together with Jimmy Tony (bass) and Benjamin Reinhartz (drums), the Toronto outfit produces a sonic blueprint laden with a disheveled aggression. “The heavy part of our music came from working at the dishwasher, scraping off dirt, not having any money, and you know, working in a band that didn’t feel like it was getting anywhere,” shares the vocalist. “Eventually, we just started going, ‘Ahhhh! We’re angry, listen to us!’” Soon enough, people did listen. In October 2015, they caused a ruckus with the release of their debut album, Sore. With nods to legendary bands like the Pixies, Sonic Youth, and The Distillers, the quartet crashed into the scene with a commanding debut. Oozing with unsanitized passion, Katie sings, “This fire, this fire, this fire, desire / Desire, inside her / It’s calling on me lately.” Cutting through the wall of fuzz and pedals, their poetry strikes a chord with its audience. “It starts with a spiritual moment, like something crazy happens in life, my life or someone else’s life,” explains Katie of her songwriting process. “I need to take care of my heart, so I’d pick up a guitar or plug in my gear a bit and just sing melodies, slur words together that make me feel better, make me feel happy.” After a therapeutic writing session, she then relies on Liz to do her magic. “She’ll just keep jamming until I’m like, ‘Ok, that’s it,’ and she’ll be like, ‘What? I don’t even remember what I’ve played,’” quips the vocalist. “She finishes my sentences; it’s beautiful.” Hitting hard with Monks’ guttural howls across the band’s swaggering backdrop, the crowd is left with a lot of desire for more. However, as they gear up for over six music festivals across the US and Canada this July, as well a few shows booked in Ireland, Denmark, Germany, and the UK for the rest of 2016, Dilly Dally’s followup to Sore ain’t patching up any time soon–but Katie assures that it’s on its way. “I’ve got some stuff in my heart stewing, some melodies and stuff, but I don’t know, I get scared to talk about it,” she admits. “It’s still a baby, you know? It’s not really ready to be talked about.” Though the vocalist keeps mum about their next record, Katie takes a break and sits down with us to talk about their debut album, anger issues, and pop music.
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“MUSIC IS SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU THAT YOU’RE NOT ALONE. YOU DON’T WANT A BUNCH OF GARBAGE THROWN AT YOU THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO YOU.”
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HEAVY HITTER
“IF YOU LET YOUR NEGATIVE EMOTIONS, THOUGHTS, OR FEELINGS OUT IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY, THEN YOU Has anything changed vastly since the release of your debut album, Sore? Katie: Well, we’ve just been touring a lot. It’s hard sometimes ‘cause you miss your friends and your family. You miss out on all your buddies’ cool shows and sad stuff that happens. So that’s kinda sad, but everybody forgives you for it and everyone loves you for going out there. Even though we’re not with all of our friends here in Toronto, we still are in a way ‘cause we’re inspiring them; they love hearing about the tours, all the success, and everything. It’s really bittersweet, but mostly it’s just all amazing. I’m much happier now, I mean, in this moment in particular. In your interviews, you’ve always talked about anger as a positive thing. Do you think having anger is healthy? K: I don’t think having negative energy inside you is a positive thing–like if that’s a negative thing, that’s not good–but getting it out is positive. It’s a very healthy, healthy, healthy thing. Getting it out in a way that doesn’t hurt people or fuck with other people’s shit and actually contributing [to the world through art]. If you let your negative emotions, thoughts, or feelings out in a constructive way, then you can’t really ask for anything more in life. I guess I’m really lucky to have that outlet. Sometimes, whenever my friends have some stuff going on, I just wish so bad that they could go and write a song. Speaking of it, you guys have always valued your songwriting. Do you want your audience to have their own interpretations of the song? K: Yeah, that’s what I want. That’s why there are some songs on the record where I don’t talk about what really happened. It’s like being able to curate something, art or whatever, even the cover of the album; it has multiple meanings. That, to me, is what makes something good.
CAN’T REALLY ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE IN LIFE.” You’ve also mentioned before that you guys consider “Desire” as a pop song. What do you think makes a good pop song? K: Exactly what we’re talking about. What makes a good pop song is that anybody can listen to it and get something out of it. I was singing this Beach House song on acoustic the other day, I think it’s called “Walk in the Park” and I was like, “Oh my God. It’s like she knows just what’s happening in my life right now,” you know? Like that relatable factor to a person. K: Yeah, that’s the best. ‘Cause music is supposed to tell you that you’re not alone. I mean, you don’t want a bunch of garbage thrown at you that doesn’t make sense to you. It needs to make sense to you as a listener; it needs to help you in your life and be an asset for you and your life for it to be useful.
dillydallyband.com @DillyDallyTO
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Playing music for more than 23 years, alternative rock band GARBAGE still has plenty to write and sing about. By Denise Mallabo Photographed by Joseph Cultice
HEAVY HITTER
HEAVY HITTER
s one of the most prominent, female-fronted acts around, Garbage can’t stop their beat. Celebrating 20 years since the release of their self-titled album, Shirley Manson (vocals), Steve Marker (guitar), Duke Erikson (bass), and Butch Vig (drums) recently wrapped their 20 Years Queer Tour through parts of Europe and North America. They also released their sixth studio album, Strange Little Birds, and now, they’re back on the road as we speak. “I think the biggest advantage of having taken such a long time out is we were able to really live our life and just fill ourselves up with ideas and experiences. Go to art galleries, watch movies, and read books. Just basically absorb the culture. That’s really helpful when you’re an artist,” says front woman Shirley Manson when asked regarding the band’s time off. Having stayed together for 23 years since day one, they’ve rendered the perfect balance for them to hold on to for so long. “We’ve all been respectful to one another over the years, even though we had our differences. No one has ever said anything that can’t be taken back; we’ve never wrecked any kind of real pain on one another,” relays Shirley. “I also think we’ve been able to communicate pretty well over the years. We split everything four ways, nobody makes more than anyone else, and nobody has more power than anyone else. It’s a real democracy, a struggling one [laughs].” With their latest single “Empty” now blasting through the airwaves, Garbage is revved up and ready to make hard-hitting contact with their new and yet proverbial sound.
HEAVY HITTER
Strange Little Birds is somewhat a reminiscent of your debut album. Was there a conscious effort to make it sound that way? Shirley: No, although subconsciously, there was some kind of recognition of the sound that we look out for in to the world of music. I’m not entirely sure why that is. I think some of it has to do with the fact that a lot of time has passed and we’ve gone full circle in default. Sonically, we wanted to make this similar to the first record. We deliberately wanted to produce a dark-sounding record, and that wasn’t always been the case. Also, we were just about to go on tour to celebrate our 20th anniversary, perhaps subconsciously, the first record was very much in the forefront of our minds and that somehow influenced the way that this record of ours came about. It took you guys four years to follow up Not Your Kind of People. What were the advantages of releasing the album with such a long gap? S: Being able to get some perspective on the business and what has happened to us, because, when all of a sudden you start to enjoy global success, as wonderful as it is, it can also be quite bewildering. The difficult part is getting back together again, to find that creative spark that you once had, having played dormant for a while is the biggest. It’s not easy to rekindle that fire. Has the band’s goal changed when it comes to making music? S: I’m not entirely sure what the motivations of the boys are, but my own intentions have been to connect with people. I’m always grasping for contact in a weird way. I think one of the greatest privileges of being a musician is that you get to provide a source that brings people joy, and that’s really an incredible thing to be able to bring into somebody else’s life.
Were there any notable changes in your process while producing Strange Little Birds as compared to the rest of your albums? S: This is a very different record from the others that we made in the past. It definitely has some relations to the first record in terms of the choices we made and the moods that we set, but I feel it’s a record that has fallen to a different direction for us as a band; a different landscape. Strange Little Birds is a very mature record: I don’t think this is a record that could’ve been made by any of us 20 years ago; it’s definitely a sum of our experience and ambitions as musicians. I’ve read that you mentioned that this is your most romantic among all your records. What’s your definition of romance? S: My definition of romance really is truth and falling in love with somebody. That’s when you’re at your most vulnerable, your most naked, your most flawed, and your most fantastic self. It’s your biggest search for yourself, and your smallest, ugliest self. When you really let your guard down and let everything out, that’s romantic. That’s what romance is: it’s truth and honesty. What do you want your fans to get from this new album? S: We want to delight our fans more than anything. We just try to focus on putting good work out into the world, keep learning, and try to be better at what we do. You’re one of them most iconic female vocalists out there. What do you think you have that has drawn people to you through the years? S: I honestly have no idea, other than I’m incredibly tenacious, and I’ve also been very lucky that I have a really great support system within the band. They’re good people, they’re very generous, and they’re very careful with their egos. Bands are complicated because everyone’s got an ego and we all need different things, and somehow, my band and I have managed to balance our egos so that we all work together in a sort of harmonious fashion. It’s not without its difficulty and challenges, but I’d say that’s really helped me enjoy a long career. I’ve got a really talented band that I’ve been lucky enough to land on my feet. I think the secret to a long career is to just have the courage to keep standing back up despite your failures, despite the things that you do badly or fail at. It’s important to keep trying, keep working. What are you looking forward to this year? S: With the risk of sounding quite insane, I’m looking forward to staying alive and having a good life. I think it’s important to remember that life is short, fragile, and you can’t take anything for granted, so I hope that I’d get to just stay alive this year and get to do exciting things that we have planned.
garbage.com @garbage
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STAPLE staplepigeon.com SUNNIES sunniesstudios.com TOM FORD tomford.com TOPMAN topman.com TOPSHOP topshop.com UNIQLO SM Aura, Taguig YVES SAINT LAURENT ysl.com ARTISTS Raen Badua (Photographer) raenbadua.com Elliot Bssila (Hair) instagram.com/elliotbssila Rxandy Capinpin (Photographer) rxandycapinpin.com Jessica Castro (Photographer) jessicacastrophotography.com Joseph Cultice (Photographer) josephcultice.com Cynthia Frebour (Photographer)
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S T A T U S I NVA D E S
VINTAGE CONTRAST In multiple squares of black and white, Instagram girl and film student JANESKA SIBUG stands out with her colorful tunnel vision of Sofia Coppola-esque visuals. @janeskamargaux Portrait by Mox Santos Product photography by Nadine Layon Location The Cheese Steak Shop
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PANTS
I love how it looks very ‘70s ‘cause of the flare and the flower details.
ZALORA BOOTS
Current fave! Everyone needs a good pair.
SUNNIES
Whenever I’m too lazy to put on makeup, I just wear sunglasses and it instantly makes my outfit pop at the same time.
pinkufa KNIT TOP
I love this knit top from Pinkufa, whether you pair it with your bikini at the beach or wear a polo for that chic look.
GUCCI LOTION
This is my ultimate favorite. I never leave home without it.
CHOKERS
I wear chokers all the time, and now I’m obsessed.
TRESEMMÉ KERATIN SMOOTH SHINE SPRAY This is my life. My hair would probably be dead by now without it.
SUCCULENTS
I have this obsession with collecting succulents. It instantly adds up color in my room. I got these from @cactusbygugunew.
POLAROIDS
I like hoarding photos of me and my friends, so I have something to look back on ten years from now. STATUSMAGONLINE.COM - 83