is in the groove feb r uary 2 0 1 7
4 MASTHEAD 6 CONTRIBUTORS 8 STATUS MESSAGE
32
FEATURES MAESTRO
48 UNDERGROUND
STATUSPHERE 11 THREADS 14 SETTING 15 BRICK & MORTAR 16 SCREEN 17 BEATS 18 TECH PACK
By Pola Beronilla
50 STAY
PAINT: NEON FLUX
Hit an all time glow.
21
By Ernest Fraginal
52 INHERENT
Don’t stop ‘til hue get enough.
BEAUTY BITE: ODDS CAFÉ AND SPA
FASHION 22
GO SEE
24 NIGHT
48
SHIFT
Keep yourself comfortable with this steamy ensemble that’s bound to keep you on point ‘til the middle of the night. By James Lopez
32 BEFORE
THE SUN
Shine brighter than the sun and bask in all its sunshine as you tread through the day in relaxed yet upscale pieces. By Shaira Luna
SHOPPING GUIDE
38 SWAG:
TREND SPOTTING
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, you’ve got a trend
40 COPY
CAT
41 FINE
LINES
Text Prints Vertical Lines
42 FLIGHT
CLUB
43 MAJOR
SAIL
Ulitaritarian
44 45 46 47
By Pola Beronilla
MASTERMIND
54
VISION BOARD
Resortwear
SUNDANCE KID
Yellow Hues
BLEACH BOYS
Acid Wash
ARMS RACE
Camo Prints
UNDERCOVER
Long Line Parkas
VICE
Mixing melancholic sensibilities and vibes of the night, find yourself lost in singer-songwriter Austin Lam’s soulful tune as he teases the release of his debut album, Neon Sunset.
VANITIES: SHADY BUSINESS
STREET STYLE
TUNED
Channeling in soul pop gems and skittering vocal samples, TV Girl’s hold over your soul with their enticing and smooth melody will keep your body and mind in a musical coma.
BEAUTY 20 FACE
UNDERDOG
Video games and hip-hop don’t normally go hand in hand, but NINNO’s already on his way to reaching that platinum trophy on his achievements with his own brand of rap.
SHUTTER SOUND
The world is captured into a standstill memory when Anna Lee is armed with her camera. Her edgy aesthetic is seen in mind frames as she develops it into physical copies. By Ida Aldana
56 ASTRAL
POP
It’s a musical lightshow in each frame when an art angel like Savana Ogburn is behind the camera. Each snap is another whimsical still from the Atlantabased photographer. By Janroe Cabiles
58 ALL
ACCESS
Whether it’s time to rock out or time to mellow down, LA-based photographer Alice Baxley will capture it all as she documents passionate musicians in all their grit and glory. By Pola Beronilla
is in the groove 80
HEAVY HITTER
60
AHEAD OF THE PACK
Taking a refreshing route leading towards a radiant blend of funk, soul, hiphop, and pop, Anderson .Paak’s all about being one step ahead. Despite having a Netflix seriesready backstory, the West Coast singer-songwriter puts his best foot forward and blesses the world with his infectious vibe and hypnotic groove.
feb r u ary 2 0 1 7
VIRTUAL INSANITY
There’s a border between various realities that would warp the fabrics of all we know if it was played with. English music video director and animator David Wilson knows that, and he masterfully weaves the fabrics through cracks that only he can see as he demonstrates his power in the music videos he handles.
58
By Janroe Cabiles
By Pola Beronilla
68
MORE
RATED X
Rising in each step he goes, Director X is one of the music industry’s most notable directors as each music video he produces generates a great deal of regard. Out with a mindset to continuously progress, the Hype Williams protégé proves just how effective he is with an amazing clientele record under his belt.
87 DIRECTORY STATUS INVADES 88 BROOKLYN BEAUTY
A queen of a lot of things, model and DJ Christi McGarry shows off a wonderful blend of two worlds come to one as she combines her passion for beauty and music.
By Denise Mallabo
74
GOD SAVE THE QUIÑ
LA-based singer-songwriter QUIÑ shines with her own brand of music. With an intent to heal the world and provide a portal of escapism through her tunes, the California native’s soulful aesthetic keeps a firm grasp on the hearts of her listeners. Her seven-track EP GALACTICA is just the start of her fantasy soul’s rise.
88
By Isa Almazan
ABOUT THE COVER Loaded with a cerebral hustle and a visceral flow, Anderson .Paak was born to tell the world his story with a radiant blend of funk, soul, hip-hop, and pop. Right about now, this funk soul brother’s about to takeover.
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
PHOTO DIARY confessional for lensmen
DIGITAL MAGAZINE DOWNLOADS STATUS in pixels, not paper
free mixtapes and wallpapers
is in the groove February 2017 editor-in-chief
Rosario Herrera @RosarioHerrera
managing editor
Denise Mallabo @denisemallabo
art director
Nyael David @nyaels
features editor
Pola Beronilla @HaveYouMetPola
fashion editor
Jill de Leon @orangetoenails
editorial assistant
Janroe Cabiles @janroetheboat
sr. graphic designer
Nadine Layon @nadinelayon
jr. graphic designer
Sheila Gomez @sheilarenei
contributing writers
contributing artists
interns
Ida Aldana, Isa Almazan, Honey Bautista Miguel Alomajan, Ken Azuela, Badboi, Max Beck, Hannah Crump, Joseph Jiao, Sarah Kjelleren, James Lopez, Sylvina Lopez, Shaira Luna, James McCloud, Jake Giles Netter, Matt Panes, Daniel Santillan Gabrielle Abrahan, Chino Aricaya, Thalia Karr Barrantes, Marinel Custodio, Ernest Fraginal, Lex Ignacio, Sue Leong, Hanna Palo, Mikka Santos
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.
CONTRIBUTORS
Sarah Kjelleren Perfectly embodying her Instagram bio, “Do what you can with what you have, where you are,” photographer and artist Sarah Kjelleren takes beautiful views into a mixture of monochrome and gritty snapshots of portraits, editorials, and NYC streets. Shooting for publications like Nylon, Highsnobiety, and Schon! Magazine, she proves she’s Ahead of the Pack (60), just like our cover boy Anderson .Paak.
Ida Aldana Constantly lending her quick dose of prose, we’d trade a penny for Ida Aldana’s thoughts any day. Things never get in her way of writing about art and photography, sharing her sharp wit and flow we first got a taste of in the old days when she interned for STATUS. Catch what she has to say about music photographer Anna Lee (54).
Carlo Nuñez Once you share feathers, it’s hard not to flock together. Former graphic designer and photographer Carlo Nuñez knows a thing or two about taking a photo, whether its his food and product photography or his scenic snobshots of Tokyo and Hong Kong streets, and we got a sneak peak into his viewfinder as assistant photographer as we spent time with Manila rapper NINNO (48).
Badboi Born and raised in the Philippines, Mat Abad a.k.a. Badboi moved to America to pursue a career as a dancer, but found a different flow of creativity in photography. Now based in Los Angeles as a fashion photographer and working with Hypebeast, Highsnobiety, and Nylon, as well as brands PUMA, Represent, Staple, and adidas, he captures a crystal-clear image of fantasy soul singer QUIÑ (74).
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STATU S MESSAG E
IS IN THE GROOVE
W
ith all the bumps and bruises from last year’s Mercury Retrograde, it’s nice to start this year with ease and simplicity. This uncomplexed theme is lending itself to our ear buds with new music discoveries and old school inspirations. Our Music Issue is filled with fresh sounds and classic rhythms as well as visual creators who translate intoxicating beats into visual fantasies. We’ve been trying to pin down singersongwriter Anderson .Paak on our cover for almost a year now, but right when we were about to set up the shoot, Beyoncé nabbed him to open for her at the Dodger Stadium. Six months later, we present to you our cover boy. We caught up with the funk soul brother while he was on an Uber and talked about his love for funk, soul, hip-hop, and R&B, and how his hard-fought journey helped shape his own sound. Julien Christian Lutz, better known as Director X, has been setting the stage for all the top music creators since his first day on set. Whether you knew it or not, he has influenced the world with his visual interpretation of the artist’s music. From working with Drake to Rihanna, he tells us what it’s like working with the biggest artists in the business and what a good music video should do for the song. Her fiery look might get your attention, but it’s her voice that’ll pull you in. QUIÑ’s carving out her own path with her newly-defined genre, as heard on her latest album GALACTICA. Though she’s full of positivity and easygoing vibes, her music can make your heart ache. It’s that unique mix that has attracted the attention of the music industry, including her collaboration with G-Eazy. Like her music, which she says writes herself, some would say that her career has the same fortune. British music video director David Wilson knows a thing or two about taking a journey through space and time. Working with the likes of Tame Impala and Arcade Fire, he’s been able to illustrate his creative vision over countless music videos he’s worked on. Reminiscing over his career, he tells us about how he balances the key elements for a music video and how he comes up with his music video concepts. From soul-soothing music to playing with space-time reality, it’s evident that the good vibes movement has taken over our playlists. If this is where the notes take us, then we’re on board.
Editor-in-chief
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FASHION
BEAUTY
CELEBRITY
www.starstyle.ph
@starstyleph
@starstyleph
THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN / Tech pack February 2017
spell bound F
rom mood rings and cuffs to collars and pendants, PAMELA LOVE represents handmade work using natural materials with social and environmental responsibility at the core. With Pocahontas being Love’s main inspiration, the story translates into the versatile collection, which not only represents traditional designs but contemporary ones as well. pamelalove.com
dirty pop W
ith deep reverence to the cool kid mantra and ‘80s punk culture, HAIZHEN WANG’s new collection is a brainchild of high fashion’s strong artistry along with utilitarian workwear’s practicality. With overalls embellished with bold prints, geometric dresses with asymmetrical cuts, and sheer tops in lace and fishnet, the collection is for the fashionforward workforce who’s not afraid to get their hands dirty. haizhenwang.co.uk
concrete jungle D
ress like a local hurriedly strutting in the Big Apple just like any other New Yorker as CHINATOWN MARKET’s debut collection, featuring pieces that tell stories about some of the city’s staples with pop culture references from avenues, infamous “I Love New York” tees, and even the New York Post with Kim Kardashian on the cover. With corduroy caps, shopping bags, and T-shirts, this line is literally straight from the streets. thechinatownmarket.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
billy jeans D
iamonds last forever, but so does denim, and surely, EI8TH DREAMS’ latest collection will be every girl’s new best friend. With a range of silhouettes that celebrate the versatility of jeans as a closet staple, such as flared jumpsuits, embroidered fleece tops, fur-collared crop jackets, and boyfriend jeans with a touch of floral embroidery for added romance, it’s 2017’s midsummer night’s dream. eightdreams.com
hunting season S
airborne T
aking in the colors of the season, PREMIUM’s Fall/Winter Collection, Flight 113, shows what it’s like to be flying over mountains, sand, and trees on a trip from Nevada to Los Angeles. Soar ahead of cookie-cutter ensembles with pieces like long-sleeved tops, tees, jackets, and shorts that are simple and comfortable for that long-haul flight. shop-premium.com
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Words by Gabrielle Abrahan and Chino Aricaya
hot at the National Museum of Natural History in Kiev, JEAN GRITSFELDT’s Fragments of Summer is a breath of fresh air. With complex cuts on jeans and jackets, elaborate animal prints, intricate embroidery, and the use of various fabric textures while maintaining consumer marketability, this Ukrainian brand is slowly rising above the fashion food chain. jeangritsfeldt.com
THREADS
second skin G
oing by the A-LINE principle of letting the wearer define the style of each leather jacket, there’s so much freedom that comes with every piece. Having no boundaries set, each leather jacket can go from edgy to classic with solid colors, bell sleeves, and fur linings. Built to last, these jackets change and soon fit into a personal touch as it wears down. a-linelondon.com
under your bed Q
uirky and fun haven’t been played as well as MORMO has. With backpacks, coin wristlets, and purses all having the same signature monster eyes and teeth, it’s almost like having a trusty sidekick hanging on your side to always watch your back. To make things even weirder, the line also offers latex apparel that includes socks, stockings, and thigh-highs. That’s one way to make your style come alive. mormo.co.uk
dual power F
using the aesthetics of different designers, NE.SENSE offers a variety of like-minded brands like Necessity Sense, Robert Geller, and Fear of God. In their latest editorial, the fashion house puts together a collection of opposites that blend together in perfect monochrome. Jackets, shirts, trousers, and outerwear were all kept plain yet still loud with accents and eccentric details. ne-sense.com
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SETTING
PLACES TO GO
SUITE
HOTEL G, SINGAPORE C
entered at the pulse of the city lies chic lifestyle inn HOTEL G SINGAPORE. Standing tall with its sophisticated, no-nonsense architecture, it opens its doors to young and old travelers alike. Offering the option of their Good, Great, or Greater rooms, all have a singular goal of making you feel at home– whether you’re a solo tourist or on a business trip. With all the amenities within reach in your own humble abode, each room gives you modern comforts with its elegant vintage accents. Also opening a Fitness Centre as well as a few communal spaces to mingle, it caters to everyone with their Ginett Restaurant & Wine Bar and gastropub 25 Degrees. 200 Middle rd., Singapore hotels-g.com
GRUB
POKE/POKE MANILA, PASIG T
LG/F Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Kapitolyo, Pasig City facebook.com/pokepokemanila
PLATE
SERVED FRESH From classic ahi salmon on a bed of quinoa to diced steak truffle on white rice, POKE/POKE MANILA’s got you covered on the widest and freshest array of ingredients.
BASIC Ahi tuna and salmon bowl with cucumbers, onions, and an assortment of veggies
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CALI Combination of kani, mango, mayo, and white rice, inspired by the California maki
UNAJU Smoothly cut unagi, veggies, tobiko, mayo, and wasabi oil
GANGNAM STYLE Kani, salmon, mayo, cucumber, a selection of onions, and Korean chili flakes
Words by Janroe Cabiles, GRUB and PLATE photos by Nadine Layon
ossing in a wide variety of flavors from all corners of the globe, POKE/POKE MANILA turns the classic Hawaiian dish into its own. Co-owners Speedy and Alta Lyttle, the same duo behind Locavore, team up again with Empingao! and Locavore’s Chef Kel Zaguirre for the simple menu of the restaurant, open at Estancia Mall, with another branch at SM Aura. With nine choices beautifully mimicking favorite dishes from different countries into their own take on poké, such as the Cali, the Unaju, the Gangnam Style, and the Basic, they also deliver a make-your-own option with a mix of rice, greens, proteins, and toppings.
BRICK AND MORTAR
STORES TO SHOP
OFFICIAL HOLIDAY, SEOUL 546-5, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea koon-korea.com Dime to drop: PHP 603.22–PHP 19,402.19 (₩14,159-₩455,413) Don’t leave the store without: Knit beanies from the Mischief × OfficialHoliday collection
W
hether you’ve been naughty or nice, take a break from 2016’s grind and begin the year fresh as OFFICIAL HOLIDAY promises an experience far from your usual run-of-themill wardrobe. Amidst the charming cafés and restaurants in Sinsa-dong, a bright sunny O/H logo greets all enthusiastic fashion nomads that happen to walk by this road of artists. With large glass walls and gray exteriors, one might think they’ve seen it all, but everything’s just a mirage until they take a step inside this retail oasis. Their wooden shelves and minimalist metal frames not only offer a diverse variety of streetwear pieces ranging from shirts, bottoms, and jackets to caps and footwear from brands like Herschel, Beslow, and 87MM, the store also boasts of collaborations with an assortment of familiar names like Heowan, Ader Error, and Mischief–resulting in certified store exclusives that’ll make you go on a vacation shopping spree, Gangnam style.
GRAZIA
Words by Sue Leong
E
xtending their graces beyond their words of wisdom, fashion and lifestyle magazine GRAZIA lifts the fashion consumer experience to another level with an online retail store that showcases only the best of what’s hot and what’s haute in luxury clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories. Working with high-end brands like Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, and Saint Laurent, you’re in for the ultimate European luxury experience. graziashop.com
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SCREEN
SCENES TO SEE
REMOTE CONTROL TICKET
89TH ACADEMY AWARDS (ABC) The Academy draws the curtains once again for the most prestigious night of cinema as the 89th Oscars rolls out the red carpet. Hosted by the one and only Jimmy Kimmel at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, they’ve recruited executive producers Michael De Luca (The Social Network) and Jennifer Todd (Austin Powers, Memento, Alice in Wonderland) to set the stage.
LEGION (FOX) Marvel Comics brought us the X-Men franchise years ago, but now, Fargo creator Noah Hawley brings us a new story to be unfolded as Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens plays a man diagnosed with schizophrenia moving in and out of mental hospitals, who turns out to be the son of none other than Charles Xavier. Joining the cast is Aubrey Plaza, Rachel Keller, Bill Irwin, and Jean Smart.
THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE After co-directing The Lego Movie, Chris McKay whips up a spin-off, now starring DC Comics superhero favorite Batman, voiced by Will Arnett with Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, and Jenny Slate.
COLLIDE When his girlfriend Juliette is in desperate need for a surgery, Casey (Nicholas Hoult) steps back into his dark past and is tasked to steal from drug lord Hagen Kahla’s truck full of drugs, but gets caught.
A CURE FOR WELLNESS Dane DeHaan plays an executive who goes to a wellness center in the Swiss Alps to retrieve his boss, but soon realizes he stepped into an asylum of sorts, and is diagnosed with the same curious illness everyone else has.
GET OUT Jordan Peele crafts a horror thriller, following a young man (Daniel Kaluuya) off to meet his girlfriend’s family for the first time, only to find that many black residents have gone missing in the estate.
RINGS Thirteen years after the haunted tape first appeared, Samara creeps out again as a young woman sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend who views it, but later finds out a movie within a movie exists that no one has seen before.
PATIENT ZERO After an outbreak hit caused a new form of rabies turning humans into an intelligent species known as the infected, one survivor (Matt Smith) learns he can communicate with them, and sets off to find patient zero for a cure.
PLAYBACK ENTER THE VOID (2009) Gaspar is a madman and is a breath of fresh air in the film world.
THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) The best comic relief.
WAKING LIFE (2001) I’m big into lucid dreaming and exploring that side of reality.
HYPER NORMALISATION (2016) Stay woke.
CLAYTON WOODLEY (Photographer) SAMSARA (2011) This is true cinematic art.
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Words by Janroe Cabiles
claytonwoodley.com
BEAtS PLAYLIST I highly recommend these songs–you should definitely check ‘em out right now.
ANDERSON. PAAK andersonpaak.com
“Africa” D’Angelo
“Mother Beautiful” Sly & the Family Stone
“Movin’ Down The Line (Don’t You Go Away)” Raphael Saadiq
“Happy Feelings” Frankie Beverly & Maze
Simply off the top of my head, I believe these songs have the cleverest lyrics.
TV GIRL tvgirl.bandcamp.com
“I Gave You Power” Nas
“Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell” Das Racist
“Solo” Frank Ocean
“Romeo Had Juliette” Lou Reed
Words by Gabrielle Abrahan Anderson.Paak photo by Sarah Kjelleren, Pouya photo by Max Beck
You should listen to these songs because you ain’t got nothing better to do.
POUYA undergroundunderdog. com
“Great Influence” Pouya
“Energy” Pouya
“Suicidal Thoughts in the Back of the Cadillac” Pouya
“Billy Mays” Pouya
MUSIC TO HEAR
RELEASES
For his fifth studio album, Jamison Isaak’s TEEN DAZE fulfills yet another truthful collection with Themes for Dying Earth, a ten-track LP inspired by his experience with anxiety and depression, later taking the listener to outside phenomena such as the effects of climate change.
After working on it for more than a year, English singersongwriter DUA LIPA finally releases her highly anticipated self-titled debut this February. As the true representation of who she is as a person and as an artist, it talks about love, empowerment, and what it’s like to rise above. Farewell to her all-consuming teenage years.
MUSIC NEWS
Hosted by James Corden, the world will be watching the 59th Annual Grammy Awards on February 12 as Beyoncé and Adele go against each other in three major categories, including record of the year, album of the year, and song of the year.
Nineties tween pop rock band The Moffatts will be there for you one last time this February 18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum for The Farewell Tour, playing their classics like “Miss You Like Crazy,” “Until You Loved Me,” and “If Life is so Short.”
Held in San Francisco and Oakland from February 1726, the 25th Noise Pop Festival will be a multivenue festival, which will include headliners such as Vince Staples, Ty Segall, Deaf Heaven, MSTRKRFT, BadBadNotGood, Dawes, and more.
Vampire Weekend’s Chris Tomson is ready to make a name outside of his drumkit as DAMS OF THE WEST draws a whimsical fantasy and releases his debut album, Youngish American, which includes his first single “Death Wish,” a song that expresses his current thoughts and experiences as a kid.
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tech pack
GADGETS TO BUY
SILVER SOUNDS
DOWNLOADS
There’s no sparkle like a trusty new gadget.
KOSS PORTA PRO HEADPHONES • Built with lightweight open-air cushions, it has a hear-through yet exceptional sound • Comes with an inline microphone, remote, and volume control • Includes an all-new hard compact carrying case SRP: PHP 2,495.63
PEBBLE SPEAKER • The world’s smallest true wireless speaker, weighing less than 35g • Equipped with the multi-speaker technology • Has five hours of playback, with only 15 minutes of charge time
WOULD YA FOLD By Tiny Creative Discover how far your friends would go if the price was just right by playing “what if” scenarios that reward you in hypothetical prizes.
SRP: PHP 1,098.30
SHINOLA RUNWELL TURNTABLE • Features a built-in phono preamplifier and a beltdriven pulley • Offers an RCA stereo line-out that connects to speakers • Designed with a metal friction-free tonearm SRP: PHP 124,806.25
I.AM+ BUTTONS
NOM By Nom Labs, Inc. Embrace your inner food critic with an app that allows users to comment and share personal live videos, photos, recipes, and tasting notes.
• Lightweight and wireless in-ear earphones that look like clip-on earrings • Equipped with a battery life of six to eight hours • Choose from four different colors: black, gray, rose, and gold
CRAZYBABY AIR • A wireless earphones that uses Bluetooth 4.2 for crisp sounds • Has a charging capsule, a single button control, and an in-ear mic • Comes with easy-grip silicone ear tips and sports sleeves in different sizes SRP: PHP 5,925.07
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NEKOSAN By 1Button SARL Get into a feline adventure of good wall-jumping action as you help an ambitious cat survive the complexities of magic portals and holes.
Words by Gaby Abrahan and Sue Leong
SRP: PHP 11,449.33
FASHION
BEAUTY
CELEBRITY
www.starstyle.ph
@starstyleph
@starstyleph
F A CE PAI N T
BY TERRY Line Designer Liquid Eyeliner in Ocean Vibes Turquoise P2,051.88
JEFFREE STAR Lip Ammuniation in Ice Cream Blvd. P885.43
ESSIE “Gel Coutoure” Nail Polish in Dress Call P605.04
SULWHASOO ShineClassic Powder Compact P7,891.84
TATA HARPER Matte Bronzer P2,104.49
NEON FLUX
BURBERRY BEAUTY Cashmere Foundation Compact in Light Honey P2,841.06
KAT VON D Lock-It Concealer Creme in 1 Light P1,280.77
Let your look come together in electric dreams.
IN YOUR DREAMS Gold Zoya Face Gems P401.03
MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua XL Eye Pencil in Matte White P1,011.87
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NARS Sarah Moon Numéro 10 False Lashes P1,052.25
Runway photo from Jeremy Scott Fall/Winter 2016
TOM FORD Eye Defining Liquid Liner Pen in Deeper P2,946.29
VAN I T I ES FACIAL CLEANSERS
Do your face a favor and give it the pampering it deserves with CLARINS CLEANSING MILK, which lifts unnecessary dirt while keeping your skin moisturized.
SHADY BUSINESS Gaze into a colorful year ahead with the SMASHBOX COVER SHOT EYE PALETTES. Make the most out of what you paid for with sizes that are proportionally designed for all your blending needs. From warm browns and subtle nudes, to sparkly metallics and vivid hues, endless beauty is indeed in the eye of its beholder.
Dreams of healthy skin do come true with A PERFECT WORLD ANTIOXIDANT CLEANSER’s white tea, palm, coconut, and oat amino acids that prevent premature aging and dehydration.
EXPERT ADVICE Keep your face blemish-free with JULEP LOVE YOUR BARE FACE DETOXIFYING CLEANSING STICK’s compact detox boost of pomegranate, grapefruit, and oils perfect for those lastminute getaways.
Lightly pat your face dry after cleansing to avoid stripping your skin of its natural oils.
BEAUTY BITE
ODDS CAFÉ AND SPA
E
Words by Chino Aricaya
njoy an ideal weekend with your girlfriends at ODDS CAFÉ AND SPA. A first of its kind, the salon is changing the concept store scene with a nail salon and café rolled into one—perfect for those who seek quality in quality time. Catch a chick flick, indulge in their pasta dishes, and catch up over a cup of joe as you relax and say farewell to your worries and stress. 105B Scout Castor St., Laging Handa, Quezon City oddscafeandnailspa.com
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GO S E E
Play that funky music with wild pops of color that can jazz up any outfit. Photos courtesy of lookbook.nu
@andreeabirsan_
@eversad
@pet
@livabambale
@samuelfriberg
Blogger DANI MCGOWAN puts another dime in the jukebox with this little rock and fur number. @mermaidwaves
@milexr
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@dapperalien
@sty
trinahsieh
ylnoxe
@robbiecook93
Kenzo adds a pop of neon in HUBERT CSABA’s classic ensemblet with dual print sweater. @smizedivat
@frankodean
@laurasimon8
@practicalqueenap
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bodysuit by Copper coat by Gnarly x Renan Pacson
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Photographed by James Lopez
Styled by Jill de Leon
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top by Forever 21 jacket by Gnarly x Renan Pacson skirt by Dorothy Perkins
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shirt by Gnarly x Renan Pacson corset by Forever 21 skirt by Warehouse shoes by Dr. Martens
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fashion ed 01
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sweater by Gnarly x Renan Pacson jeans by Copper
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bodysuit by Copper shoes by Dr. Martens
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turtleneck by SM Woman shirt by Gnarly x Renan Pacson skirt by Miss Selfridge
Hair and Makeup Sylvina Lopez Model Lucia Alcantara of Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP)
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Photographed and styled by Shaira Luna
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Photographed by James Lopez Styled by Matt Panes
scarf by adidas
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top and jeans by Oxygen
hoodie and jacket by H&M pants by LRG
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Assistant Lance Luna Model George Hard at AMCK Models
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G A SW 2017 Y R UA FEBR
T
G ming N I T T O P REND S hese trends co
with t n io t c a o t he sun. Spring in he seasons of t ht along wit ntillan a S l ie n a yD graphy b o t o h P t Produc
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TEXT PRINTS
COPY CAT Woman of letters.
eyewear by Call It Spring [P555] T-shirt by Don’t Blame The Kids [P750] long-sleeved shirt by Carhartt from Commonwealth [P3,000] skirt by Miss Selfridge [P2,795] bag by Charles & Keith [P3,799] shoes by Charles & Keith [P2,399]
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VERTICAL STRIPES
FINE LINES
Graphic content ahead.
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U T I L I TA R I A N
FLIGHT CLUB Ready for combat.
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RESORTWEAR
MAJOR SAIL
Just keep swimming.
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YELLOW HUES
SUNDANCE KID When life gives you lemons.
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AC I D WA S H
BLEACH BOYS All washed up.
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CAMO PRINTS
ARMS RACE This ain’t a scene.
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LO N G L I N E PA R K A S
UNDER COVER
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UNDERGROUND UNDERDOG
M A E S T R O
Local hero NINNO sees hip-hop like his favorite video games. It’s a competitive industry; you’ve got to come up with a good strategy to dominate the game. Armed with a cerebral hustle and a visceral flow, he’s out to achieve a 100% completion rate. Press start to play. By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Nyael David Assisted by Carlo Nuñez Styled by Matt Panes Shot on location at Today x Future
T
he fantasy world of gaming can get really consuming, but there’s a certain satisfaction in being able to choose responses and reactions that would dictate how a story may play-out, delving deeper into the many different ways a journey could unfold. NINNO’s path towards hip-hop was somewhat similar. There were several steps that the 23-year old rapper and producer could’ve taken, including an R&B singer-songwriter combo, a writer for a local noontime show, and even a full-time fan fiction writer— and his next move would’ve led him towards a failed mission. Ultimately, going through these different stages developed an affinity towards hip-hop as the college dropout found himself taking a retrospective look at the
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late great Francis M.’s career after his unfortunate passing in 2009. “I was really drawn to his music. ‘Kaleidoscope World’ was one of my favorite songs growing up,” he recalls. “I just started watching his videos from the most recent stuff. When I got to ‘Mga Kababayan Ko’ and I listened to it, I was like, ‘Holy shit, this sucks.’” And he says that with the highest respect for the guy, ‘cause unlike gaming, NINNO realized that there was no cheat code to success. “I said to myself, ‘Fuck, I can do this.’ I can start out being really bad at it, and then eventually, I’d become what he became. It had to be learned; it had to be practiced. He didn’t start off to be amazing, God rest his soul, but he was fucking good.” With one final push owing to the support of underground rapper Datu, NINNO’s hip-hop career took a leap to the next level. They say that storytelling is the second oldest profession—next
to prostitution—and historically speaking, the mark of a great rapper is the ability to weave explicit rhymes into gripping narratives that catch the listener’s attention through the end of the song. This is exactly what lured NINNO further into his craft, and his 11-track debut project Third Culture Kid is one narrative worth hearing. Dropping densely-knotted rhymes and reasons over an East Coast-influenced production, NINNO displays a sheer emotional intelligence as he pens cautionary tales about the nation’s headlines and the struggle of it all. Despite the rapid-fire delivery, his calculated, hard-hitting flow doesn’t go over anyone’s head. He isn’t a celebrated spoken word poet and a poetry slam champ for no reason. But while socially conscious lyricism reckons to be his specialty, the 23-year old MC mixes it up with his own cup of tea. After all, he was playing Skyrim all week for an accumulated total of 48 hours minutes before our interview. “I like to incorporate a lot of nerdy references
MAESTRO and stuff that people don’t really talk about in hip-hop music–even though the current culture dictates that I’m supposed to be bragging about bitches, cars, drugs, and all that shit, I’m not interested in that,” he explains. “When it comes to hip-hop, the number one rule is to always be authentic. Whatever you try to do with music, be it as a producer or as a writer, you want to present yourself as a very authentic individual, ‘cause the moment you’re fake about anything, that shit ain’t hip-hop.” NINNO currently has a lot on his plate, but his hunger for passion is never fully satisfied. Apart from taking a bigger responsibility in handling music collective LOGICLUB as co-founder Rez Toledo a.k.a. Somedaydream focuses on his own music and other ventures, his next steps include finishing a record with Shadow Moses, a nerdcore rap group comprised of A.M.P.O.N.’s Chyrho, beat master Six The Northstar, and himself, as well as mastering a 22-track followup to Third Culture Kid towards the end of 2017—hopefully before Injustice 2’s release date. “I still am one of the top Injustice players in the Philippines. And when Injustice 2
“I’m chasing after the ghost of my future, ‘cause I know I’m gonna be better than what I am right now. ” comes out, I’m quitting music for about three to four months to enter tournaments again. I’m going to go deep into it and use it to promote my new album,” he quips. Geared with the mindset to be the best player in the game, he’s always one step ahead with his music. “I’m chasing after the ghost of my future, ‘cause I know I’m gonna be better than what I am right now,” he adds. Though he’s high on the hype building around his hiphop career, he keeps his feet firmly planted on the ground. After all, he’s just a boy, standing in front of a mic, waiting for the universe to listen. “The last thing people should do is put me on a pedestal, because I’m just fucking human,” he says. “Every artist that anyone actually likes, don’t idolize them. Don’t put them on a pedestal. At the end of the day, we’re all human, and I’m just a kid telling stories.”
soundcloud.com/ninnomusic @_ninnorodriguez
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MAESTRO
It’s a musical high when TV GIRL is all over the place. Their strange but dreamy amalgamation of chill and psychedelic melody will keep you in a haze of wonderful ecstasy. By Ernest Fraginal Interview by Pola Beronilla
I “
usually just say that I’m in a semi-popular rock band,” says Brad Petering about the kind of music TV Girl produces. While they often fall under the category of indie pop, it’s really hard to pin down their sound. Formed in San Diego by Brad and co-founder Trung Ngo, TV Girl was the result of an experimentation to find the style that would catch people’s attention. “We were trying to make a style of music that we thought would catch on with the music blogs at the time,” recalls Brad. “It was late 2010 and ‘chillwave’ was the hip non-genré du jour. I was trying to make stuff that sounded like Neon
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Indian, but it naturally took on some characteristics of music that I was into at the time.” Fueled by girl groups and hiphop beats, TV Girl tunes into soul pop gems and skittering vocal samples, packaging their experimental tendencies inside surprisingly tight compositions. Along with frequent collaborators Jason Wyman and Wyatt Harmon, the indie pop outfit has since released two LPs and a string of EPs. But while TV Girl only continues to go up, not everything was rose petals and unicorns. Eventually, founding member Trung Ngo left the group, leaving Brad alone to handle everything–but that didn’t stop him. “I think I was forced to become a better singer in the absence of Trung, but I’m not so worried about keeping things fresh as I’m all about
being consistent and just continuing to survive,” he adds. TV Girl works mostly around the computer–an easier alternative to having a full band record and try to mix and match everything. At this day and age, most bands are like that, and Brad understands this and what the Internet is capable of. Knowing that, he’s using this to his advantage. “It’s easier than ever to record, release, and design your own records. It’s easier to book and promote shows yourself and to reach out to other artists that you admire,” he shares. “It might be harder to actually become popular. Then again, maybe not.” Fresh from a big world-conquering winter tour, we caught up with Brad to talk about his biggest influences and the future of his beloved project.
MAESTRO Even though your name came from a Beat Happening song, who do you personally think is the ultimate TV Girl? Brad: Gillian Anderson. Your lyrics seem to hit a chord with your fans, being usually genuine and brutally honest at the same time. What do you want the listeners to take from your songs? B: I just attempt to do the things that my favorite artists do. I appreciate good writers. Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Laura Nyro, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan. They’re not afraid to make themselves look bad in pursuit of honesty.
How do you strive to make your own identity without mimicking your influences too much? B: I don’t worry about it. I pretty much try to copy people anyways and it inevitably takes on some element of my personality because usually I can’t quite emulate what my favorite artists do. What has been your ultimate goal with your music that you still aspire to achieve now? B: I try not to be too ambitious. Just put out another record. Maybe do another tour.
What’s next for TV Girl? What should we watch out for? B: We’re going to Europe to play a bunch of shows. I never thought we’d be able to do that. After that, I think another record.
tvgirl.bandcamp.com @tvgirlz
“I’m not so worried about keeping things fresh as I’m all about being consistent and just continuing to survive.”
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MAESTRO
INHERENT V I C E Tracing a woozy, debauched journey over a somber yet tropical production, selfreleased artist AUSTIN LAM teases you with a taste of your newest addiction through his debut project, Neon Sunset. By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Hannah Crump
W
hat does it take to be a man? How exactly does one cross the border from boyhood? For Atlanta native Austin Lam, all it took was for one heart to break– unfortunately, it was his. “My first relationship, it fell through–the woman I lost my virginity to, fell in love with, and kind of grew up with. Our relationship fell through, but then I kind of really discovered a more emotional side of music.” Fittingly, it was this unfamiliar pain that led him towards the tune of his manhood. While he spent most of his adolescence listening to reggae music and marveling at punk bands like Sublime, blink-182, MxPx, and The Offspring, he did look up to a father who laid the groundwork for what would become his musical path, exposing him to a lot of old R&B classics at an early age. He recalls, “My father has been performing music my entire life and a lot of my influences come from artists that he covers. Those are kinds of the influences I got from my him before I found my own way in music.” Everything comes full circle as the 21-year old singer, songwriter, and producer now finds himself exploring a haunting rhythm of the genre, further pushing the sonic boundaries of the rhythm and blues that he grew up on. Rising from the vibrant music scene of Atlanta, Austin Lam steps out of the shadows with his debut project, Neon Sunset. Fully embodying a specific
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MAESTRO nocturnal quality, in it he paints a psychotropic version of the nightlife that most people don’t see with lush, downcast music. “It’s a bit of a contrast to everything else in normal society that goes on during the daytime. I have no part in that,” he suggests. “I’m kind of like a ghost in the city and I wander around a lot at nighttime. I think that’s kind of what the ‘sunset’ aspect of it reflects. The ‘neon’ has to do with the colorful brightness of the record. This isn’t a dull project at all; it’s got a lot of flair to it.” While the sonic pieces he crafted seamlessly fit together, the musician narrates that the entire process was organic. “I didn’t really do a lot of purposeful preparation with myself for the album or how I wanted it to sound. It’s all kind of been a journey for me,” he explains. “I just let it become its own thing, and that’s what this album’s been for me. I’ve never done an album before, so it’s really just kind of creating it and seeing how it turns out, you know?” Experimenting with contemporary hip-hop and a grimy mix of alternative R&B, his debut project exposes tales of lust, hurt, and overindulgence, but above all, hope. “It’s a journey through sound and character with me. I think that there’s a lot of experimental, almost dark but tropical sounds going on in the album, and that kind of reflects how I feel on the inside, but that sound kind of evolves as the album goes through into a more happy outlook.” With a knack for addicting hooks that express a lust for drugs and the misery of solitude, Austin faces his vulnerability with maturity. “This project really encapsulates me finding my way and kind of learning to be a man emotionally. It introduces you to this relationship that my character and the music has with a woman, and by the end of the album, I’m mentally and emotionally in a totally different place.” While the lyrics may leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth, he guarantees a neon sunset glowing amidst the darkness. “I don’t know if I particularly want my audience to feel anything [whenever they listen to my songs], but I want them to feel that it’s okay to be emotional, to be broken, to let somebody break you, and to be able to move forward from that. It’s okay to give in to the way you feel about something. Be vulnerable. It’s a good thing.”
austinlamsound.com
“It’s okay to be emotional, to be broken, to let somebody break you, and to be able to move forward from that. It’s okay to give in to the way you feel about something.” STATUSMAGONLINE.COM - 53
M A S T E R M I N D
X Ambassadors
Angling her camera towards the combination of spontaneous moments and technical prowess, touring photographer ANNA LEE is capturing sound one frame at a time. By Ida Aldana Interview by Janroe Cabiles
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W
hen an event is photographed, those photos create the history that people remember,” music and wedding photographer Anna Lee enlightens. “Where human memory fails or becomes foggy, photos are a precise, tangible memory. It’s an honor to be the author of those memories. My clients rely on my vision and discretion to choose the moments that will be recorded.” Anna’s clients include Walk the Moon, whom she just finished touring with as their photographer, as well as Grouplove, Mainland, and X Ambassadors, and has shot Melanie Martinez, Jimmy Eat World, and Tegan and Sara. Though she often covers live sets, she admits that she was actually a late bloomer when it comes to music culture. “I didn’t really develop my own taste or
Smallpools
interest in music until college. But once I realized that those were ‘my people,’ my life and friendships revolved around musicians and music enthusiasts.” Much has changed since she first worked out the specifics of photography and her interest in music. Right before she goes back on tour—this time with MisterWives supporting Panic! At The Disco’s Death of a Bachelor Tour, she shares with us her process of mixing technicality with strategy to capture spontaneity. One unifying aspect of your photos, between wedding and music photography, is your passion for
MASTERMIND
“Moments are occurring with or without me, and I’ve spent years honing my skills to know exactly when and how to capture those moments.” capturing one moment in time and making it last. How does it feel to be able to do this, and what are the challenges that come with it? “Freezing a moment is time” is a popular catchphrase of many photographers. While photography certainly does this, my passion is more directed towards how I can manipulate this equipment, situation, and subject for the most appealing outcome. Music and wedding photography also present more specific challenges in that you don’t always have the option to control a situation. Moments are occurring with or without me, and I’ve spent years honing my skills to know exactly when and how to capture those moments. How would you describe your aesthetic? And, especially as a music photographer, how do you intersect
your own aesthetic with what’s happening around you? My photography aesthetic is modern, edgy, and romantic. I seek to create something intriguing and new, while introducing quirky and whimsical elements when possible. They seem like an odd combination, but all three really do apply in concept to most photography that I’m directing. For the right client, I love to take photos that are edgy and different, while concert photos can actually be quite romantic in those epic moments. Can you tell us about your process, from shooting to post-production? Shooting processes vary a ton depending on the type of shoot and the control that I have. But the most important is light and understanding how to work with it, manipulate it, add or subtract it. Editing is
Walk the Moon
subjective and varies by taste. I believe that editing should enhance an inherently good image, not seek to fix a lack of technical skill. As the photographer, it’s easy to get married to each photo because we, as the creator, perceive and appreciate all of the little nuances. It’s important to deliver a final set of photos that are consistent yet individually strong on their own. How different is your approach when shooting something live and in the moment, something which you have no control over, versus shooting a portrait? A regular shoot involves a lot of pre-production–discussing styles, location, wardrobe, etc. During the shoot, I’m selecting lighting and directing posing. With a concert, all of that control goes out the window. It’s the difference between manipulating a situation verses reacting to it. And weddings fall somewhere in the middle. I very much enjoy the variety that these differences present. As someone who creates through a purely visual medium, how does music influence you and your work? My life revolves around music, which has meant different things at different times. It’s my preferred social culture, and it’s even more consuming from a career perspective. If you want to work consistently in music, you have to want it enough to put forth the effort required to surface above the competition. It certainly doesn’t just happen to anyone.
Grouplove
annaleemedia.com @annaleemedia
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Halsey
Creating cosmos on captured moments, Atlanta-based art angel and photographer SAVANA OGBURN is no rookie to flashing lights. By Janroe Cabiles
P
ink skies, purple streets, and floating constellations exist together in a galaxy far, far away, kept locked in the mind of Savana Ogburn. In her vision of twirls in technicolor, she paints a black hole town into something celestial through mixed media. “My favorite mediums to work with are photography and collaging,” says the 19-year-old. “I’ve always loved art, but I fell in love with photography at around 12 or 13 years old, and haven’t stopped since then.” Orbiting around the confines of Tumblr and Flickr, the online community of young artists fueled the flame, opening up doors to concepts and tutorials she absorbed while starting out. And so, with her old Canon Rebel XSi, she kept refining her craft until she caught the attention of Rookie, Wooly, Huffington Post, Dazed Digital, and Decorated Youth Magazine, upgrading both digital and on film to a Canon Rebel G, a Mamiya RB67, and a Canon 6D. Catching movement and emotion in one click, she can’t help but add her own supernova twist on her images. “I was ultimately drawn to the opportunity to turn my surroundings–which may not have been super exciting to me–into something beautiful. I love the ability of creating
something out of nothing, and that’s really at the heart of everything I make, whether photographyrelated or not.” While most photographers start pre-production with a moodboard, Savana starts out with rough sketches of the images she wants to create. “This helps the shoot go smoothly for me as well as my models so they know what to expect,” she shares. “I gather props, build a set if necessary, and style the shoot myself. On the day of the shoot, I generally take a couple of test images to see if anything needs tweaking, then shoot whatever I have sketched out.”
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MASTERMIND Describing her aesthetic as dream-like, she cites the conceptual works of Tim Walker, Olivia Bee, David Uzochukwu, and everything by Andy Warhol as her main influences, but music remains as her main attraction. “I love music more than just about anything. I’m always really inspired by lyricists who create vivid imagery–Florence and the Machine is the first that comes to mind. I also love to choose music for shoots to listen to while making my moodboard. Finding music that fits my visual aesthetic really helps me keep a shoot consistent and on track.” Capturing carbon copies of her surroundings, whether portrait or editorial, she finds the lyrical moments in between. In the literal sense, her live music photography is what eclipses her body of work, ranging from Sucre, Hey Violet, and PWR BTTM to Halsey, Carley Rae Jepsen, The 1975, and Florence and the Machine.” Shooting shows can be really difficult at times, as everything is constantly changing and there are a lot of factors to take into consideration while working, but it’s so rewarding when you get a great shot. I think a lot of why I love shooting music is because I’m ultimately a fan myself, and taking good photos of musicians that I love feels like a way to immortalize them through my own aesthetic.” Not skimping out on her love for comets and swirls, she whirls color around artists onstage, making them radiate sound in silence. Beyond her art, she’s also created a space for young creatives to do what she’s doing, but without pretense or pressure. “I created Sonic Blume Zine in February 2016 because I felt like there
“I love the ability of creating something out of nothing, and that’s really at the heart of everything I make, whether photographyrelated or not.”
wasn’t a platform for young music fans to make their voices heard without the pressure to be a perfect music writer, photographer, etc. The music industry can be super intimidating to someone who doesn’t have experience, so I think it’s important to have that space to explore your interests without worrying about being technically trained yet,” she explains. “I create so much work inspired by music myself, and I knew a lot of other artists did too, so it seemed like a niche that could be filled.” Currently on break from school, she tries to create as much as possible before going back. “This 2017, I’m really just trying to shoot as much as I can. With goals stretched out like bars ahead, all there is to do is to improve and go with the flow, just like how you’d write music.”
savanaogburn.com @savanaogburn
Florence and the Machine
Iceland self-portrait
MASTERMIND
ACC ESS
Girlpool
Amidst the sweat and passion of it all is LA-based photographer ALICE BAXLEY, documenting musicians in their mildest to wildest with #nofilter necessary. By Pola Beronilla
A
lice Baxley isn’t your typical girl at the rock show. Whether it be during intimate recording sessions or at chaotic jam-packed venues, you’ll find the LA-based photographer collecting memories we wish we all had. First developing an interest in photography during high school, she recalls, “I photographed everything so I could remember and capture memories so they wouldn’t be lost forever.” After exploring the craft on her own and taking a few photography classes along the way, she eventually found herself documenting her brother Zac Carper’s band FIDLAR. “As they got bigger and bigger, I got better and better at taking photos because I was learning while I was shooting them,” she shares. Soon enough, her film roll piled up regulars on your playlists. Shooting the likes of Kate Nash, The Orwells, SWMRS, Twin Peaks, Meatbodies, Jenny Lewis, and Ryan Adam, her photos have made their way to Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Vogue, Interview Magazine, NYLON, Noisey, and SPIN. Down by the Sea 58 - STATUSMAGONLINE.COM
MASTERMIND
David LaBrel
Switching gears between her Canon 5D Mark III and Canon AE-1, the first camera she ever learned on, Alice captures her subjects at their purest. With an intuitive eye for art and ear for music, she exposes the grit and grind of the industry. “I love documenting because I’m fascinated in the entire aspect of the musician. I want to capture the beautiful, raw moments that form who they are as an artist,” she adds. Out with a frame of mind to develop music’s reel side, Alice naturally hits it with her best shot. “I can’t say for sure [when I know I’ve made a good shot]. I just know it when I see it, and it’s typically never the shot that you think it is at first glance. It’s more of intuition and anticipating what people are going to do or how they will move,” she explains. “The only way I can describe it is as if the shoot was a song and I wait a while so I can hear the tune and its vibe, then once I feel like I can sing along, I jump in and start shooting.”
“Music connects you to so many people. I love being able to bridge the gap from behind the scenes and sharing those moments.”
What fulfills you most about what you do? The best thing by far is being able to give someone a photo of themselves at a show that they were at. It’s a moment they won’t forget and I just happened to be there to catch them enjoying the show. Music connects you to so many people. I love being able to bridge the gap from behind the scenes and sharing those moments.
alicebaxley.com @alicebaxley
Have you gained any new perspective about music and its industry since entering this career? I think a lot of perspective I’ve gained is more about trying to maneuver around it because there isn’t a lot of money in music…not like it used to have. There’s less of a budget for photography or music videos, so you really have to sort of figure out a way to do what you want but still try and pay the bills. I’m still trying to figure it all out. You’ve taken pictures of musicians in their adrenalinefueled state, but you’ve also captured them in their most vulnerable and mellow moments from behind the scenes and photo shoots. Do you hold a greater level of preference over the other? I love both because it shows both sides of the musician. I guess the live shows are what most people see from the artist, so taking behind-the-scene and intimate photos are what balances it out. Not everyone can go backstage or go on tour, so that’s a torch I take with pride and love sharing with others. Are there any personal favorite musicians that you want to have the chance to photograph? My favorite is musician is Björk. I’m in love with her. She’s such a beautiful artist; so unique and innovative. I would love to photograph her one day. SWMRS STATUSMAGONLINE.COM - 59
H I T T E R
AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK AHEAD OF THE PACK
H E A V Y
anderson .paak
AHEAD OF THE PACK
HEAVY HITTER
BY POLA BERONILLA PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARAH KJELLEREN AND JAKE GILES NETTER
anderson .paak
IF THERE’S ONE THING THAT ANDERSON .PAAK CAN’T DO, IT’S THAT HE CAN NEVER DISAPPOINT. MINING A MUSICAL PLAYING FIELD WITH DEEPSEATED LAYERS OF R&B, FUNK, SOUL, AND HIP-HOP, THE WEST COAST SINGER-SONGWRITER STRIKES GOLD AND BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH HIS FRESH, HYPNOTIC GROOVE. TAUT AND WIRED WITH DETERMINATION, THIS FUNK SOUL BROTHER’S ABOUT TO TAKEOVER. YES LAWD!
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HEAVY HITTER
HEARING THE WORDS “NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS” only sounds cheesy until it actually hits you. In an age where dreamers as young as 15 years old doubt if their passion is worth pursuing and fear that they’re running out of time, there are hustlers like Anderson .Paak who shatter that cynical mindset. Since independently releasing his debut album Venice under a new pseudonym, he has had a viral collaboration with Knxldege called NxWorries, found a mentor in Dr. Dre and a new home under his label Aftermath, lended his passionate, raspy vocal dynamics to Compton, teamed up with the likes of Kaytranada, Mac Miller, ScHoolboy Q, BJ the Chicago Kid, and A Tribe Called Quest, hopped on tour with Jhené Aiko, opened for Beyoncé at the Dodger Stadium, was chosen to open Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic World Tour, and nabbed two Grammy nominations for his critically-acclaimed Malibu record–all in the span of two years. But unlike today’s millennial breakouts, Anderson wasn’t in his early 20s when he came through, nor did he reach a million hits on YouTube upon the first night of upload. Not taking away those pop stars’ hard-fought efforts, Anderson’s journey wasn’t exactly an overnight success, but it’s a Netflix-ready biopic waiting to be produced. Born Brandon Paak Anderson, the Cali native did have a musician’s typical backstory–he received his first drum kit at age ten, started exploring music production in his bedroom during his teenage years,
and gained his confidence performing at his family’s church–but the events that followed those weren’t. He went on to witness both of his parents being sent to prison, had gone through a shotgun marriage with his church sweetheart that abruptly ended in an annulment, got married again to a vocal student from South Korea he met at school, and soon saw himself raising a child without a stable income. Although pursuing music had always been the path he was treading, he admits that it wasn’t an easy route. “I knew exactly what I wanted, but I wasn’t being assertive enough. There was even a point when
I wasn’t making music. I was selling weed,” he recalls. While Anderson found temporary comfort in working at a legal pot farm in Santa Barbara, his career was truly pushed to its potential when he was unexpectedly weeded out and found him and his family homeless. “I was living outside of my purpose and doing things that were beneath me, but those were the character-building moments in my life,” he adds. His luck took off in 2011 as he moved to LA to take his music seriously and started performing under the moniker Breezy Lovejoy. “I
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had a family to raise, so everything I did had a direct impact on them. I felt like my son deserved a better life than that, and that’s what pushed me the most,” explains the artist. As he gradually earned a considerable respect around LA’s underground scene, it was recording under a new identity that led him towards greater things, as mentioned above. Anderson .Paak’s long, hard road towards Malibu was definitely worth the wait. From Venice’s hypnotic spectrum of funky love anthems and minimalistic R&B gems, his sophomore effort takes us to a refreshing route with a radiant blend of funk, soul, hip-hop, and pop. Hopping from one genre to the next, the skilled singer, rapper, lyricist, and instrumentalist hatches futuristic funk grooves and jazzy-fractured beats brimming with swagger and charisma. “I think it’s trial and error, honestly. I’ve been doing every type of direction, you know, whether it’s trying to evolve the art, trying to make radio hits, or trying to do something in the middle,” he shares. “I didn’t have anything. I really had to go through a lot of ups and downs. But I wasn’t afraid to try different things, and eventually, I found something that was unique to myself. It was just a learning process and still is for me.” As his passion continues to fuel his next move, Anderson .Paak’s all about being one step ahead. “If you’re really gonna do this, then you should at least take it seriously and put everything you have into it,” he suggest. “I don’t think it’s about having one foot in and one foot out. It’s about really stepping out, taking a risk, and going for it a hundred percent.”
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“THERE WAS EVEN A POINT WHEN I WASN’T MAKING MUSIC…I WAS LIVING OUTSIDE OF MY PURPOSE AND DOING THINGS THAT WERE BENEATH ME, BUT THOSE WERE THE CHARACTER-BUILDING MOMENTS IN MY LIFE.” 2016 was quite a year for you, from the great reception of Malibu to working with A Tribe Called Quest. How have you been taking in the positive feedback? I love it. I like the feedback. I get into that, but the thing that I’m most proud of is being able to work with these legends. I honestly can’t believe that I got to work with Dre or A Tribe Called Quest in my career. That was just so farfetched. I get so much out of working and talking with them, in addition to the actual music that we make. I like being a part of it. One of the turning points in your career was getting picked up by Dr. Dre. How has it been working with him? I got to work with Dre the most on the Compton album, and that was lifechanging. The way I recorded after that was different. The tenacity I went into the booth with after that changed. I felt like that was the pinnacle for me, ‘cause he’s not the type that lets you do a half-assed thing. He’s not afraid to push you to the limit. But it was still a lot of fun. And I feel like we have real mutual respect for each other’s ideas. It’s been good. I wanna work more with him. He’s been very busy lately, but every time we get in the studio together, we make something, and we’re going to do a lot more. You also have one of the greatest bands beside you. How important are The Free Nationals to you and your music? They’re a huge part of my life. They’re like my only friends at this point. We travel everywhere, we’re like each other’s councilors, and they’re the main people that I hold
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“YOU SHOULD TAKE [YOUR PASSION] SERIOUSLY AND PUT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE INTO IT. I DON’T THINK IT’S ABOUT HAVING ONE FOOT IN AND ONE FOOT OUT. IT’S ABOUT REALLY STEPPING OUT, TAKING A RISK, AND GOING FOR IT A HUNDRED PERCENT.” 66 - STATUSMAGONLINE.COM
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andersonpaak.com @AndersonPaak
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As his music videos continue to make noise, DIRECTOR X maintains a stable stride on being one of the current go-to directors in the music industry. By Denise Mallabo
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“Hotline Bling” featuring Drake
STARTING OUT HIS CAREER DIRECTING MUSIC VIDEOS UNDER THE NAME LITTLE X, Julien Christian Lutz decided that he had outgrown his moniker and upped the ante to Director X. As to whether his creative vision grew with him can be answered by his work last year alone. Rihanna’s music video for “Work” was a product of his vision, as well as fellow Canadian Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” which made headlines because of the rapper’s nowiconic moves. Some have speculated that the video was inspired by the light and space installations of artist James Turrell, but in previous interviews that came out, both parties have denied any collaboration or involvement in the making of the video. “Drake and his team came to me and asked for an idea. Normally, Drake already has a concept in mind, but this time, he wanted me to come up with something,” shares X. “They said they really love those performance videos that I used to make, like the Sean Paul videos I did back in the day, so I had to come up with something that would be in that zone for them.” Considering that he had previously collaborated with Drake on several music videos, the 41-year old director managed to develop a healthy relationship with the rapper. “We’ve known each other for a long time from Toronto. We just work well together. I guess it’s that hometown knowledge,” he adds The Ontario native started out as an intern at MuchMusic, now called
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“Stayin’ Up All Night” featuring Wiz Khalifa
“King Kunta” featuring Kendrick Lamar
“IF YOU WANT TO BE A DIRECTOR, DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO GET BESIDE SOMEBODY AND LEARN FROM THEM.” “No Lie” featuring 2Chainz with Drake
Much. “I wasn’t interested in music videos and directing back then, but I was there looking at the camera and lighting and I found it kind of fascinating. That’s when I got interested in becoming a director. It was being at the TV station that made me go down that path,” says X. He was also one of the protégés of award-winning music video director Hype Williams, who’s known for directing music videos for hip-hop and R&B icons like Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Nas, TLC, and Jay Z. According to X, finding the right mentor is key to getting where you want to be at all costs. “If you want to be a director, do whatever you can to get beside somebody and learn from them. Get into a company, get into a set; “Work” featuring Rihanna with Drake STATUSMAGONLINE.COM - 71
“Work” featuring Rihanna with Drake
“A GOOD MUSIC VIDEO NEEDS TO ENHANCE THE SONG. THE SONG COMES FIRST—THAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE SCENARIO.”
Alexander Wang Fall 2016 Campaign
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you have to get into the business somehow,” reveals X. Throughout his career, he understood that he’s good at what he does because people enjoy the videos he would direct, and that includes the musicians that he has worked with. Other than Drake, he has done music videos with Usher, Sean Paul, Iggy Azalea, and Rihanna, as well as impressive projects for Zayn, Kendrick Lamar, Aaliyah, and just recently, DJ Snake. “I like artists that are really focused on their craft, Iggy Azalea is like that. She’s very creative and attuned to what works for her. Usher, Drake, and P.Diddy are very talented,” adds the director. According to X, being a music fan is useful in directing a music video. “I mean it’s not essential, you don’t make the music, but it definitely helps if you like the music of the video that you’re making. A good music video needs to enhance the song. The song comes first—that’s the most important part of the scenario.” Other than music videos, X also dabbles with advertising projects and has completed works for McDonalds, Bud Light, Sony Vaio, Bacardi, and last year’s campaign for Alexander Wang. He finds both efforts challenging but distinct. “Commercials are different because the agency comes to you and they have the idea already set, so you’re really executing something they want to do, versus making a music video wherein they come to you and you come up with the whole idea,” explains X. Even though, he’s admittedly in a very toxic environment of making sure that things are happening in his set, he finds the hustle gratifying. “It’s an enjoyable work, it’s an enjoyable job, so there’s really no need to do anything extra,” shares the director. Expecting only growth, developing his own projects, and progressing forward, one can only anticipate more hit music videos and other collaborations from the award-winning director.
“Like I Would” featuring Zayn
“Fancy” featuring Iggy Azalea with Charlie XCX
directorxfilms.com @idirectorx
“Calling All Hearts” featuring DJ Cassidy with Robin Thicke and Jessie J
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California native QUIÑ first made buzz with an appearance on G-Eazy’s sophomore album on the track, “Think About You.” Shortly, she followed it up with a strong outing in the form a seven-track EP, GALACTICA. Now, her latest release is marked by her signature amalgamation of soul and atmospherics, featuring tracks that play around ska, funk, R&B, and simple, straight-up pop. By Isa Almazan Interview by Pola Beronilla Photographed by Badboi and James McCloud
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Q
UIÑ was raised in a way that let her shape her own identity, and in turn, let her shape the kind of artist she is today. As her parents’ firstborn, she shares how she would be taken to different places and be the only kid around, playing pretend as most kids do. This, to her, paved way to her frame of mind of just being comfortable with her own experimenting, saying, “I was able to be free in a space in my mind where I was totally pretending every second of the day and nobody interrupted that.” She lists her influence to as Celine Dion, Brandy, Madonna, Barbra Streisand, India Arie, Alicia Keys, Sade, and Erykah Badu. All these artists show an array of voices that range from pop to R&B, and everything in between. But what strings them all together is having strong voices, not just as singers but as artists and women. QUIÑ follows suit by being in a complete genre of her own, coining the term “Fantasy Soul.” With a strong identity that shows in her sartorial choices, her songwriting, and the peculiarity of the way she delivers her singing, QUIÑ’s is bent to go places beyond her hometown. Here’s an interview with the artist, talking about how she got here and where she’s headed.
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“ Every song I make is like an equation with all these different variables that people are able to plug in for themselves.”
You’ve coined the term “Fantasy Soul” to describe your music. What led you to this musical direction? Every time someone asked me what kind of music I made, I never really had an answer until I realized that I didn’t wanna look like I didn’t know what I was talking about when I’m the one who’s making the music. I came up with “Fantasy Soul” because it leads to different interpretations for everyone, and I can make whatever I want, and that’s the beauty of it all. There are some days when I make a song that sounds like one thing and the next day, I might make it completely different. I never want to be questioned for that.
Talk about the journey leading up to the making of your latest EP entitled GALACTICA. I kind of did it as smooth as possible because it wrote itself. I think the challenging part was the fun part. It was as if I had written this book with all of these pages, but the challenge was to number the pages and arrange the songs. It was a fun challenge because it was like rereading this book that I wrote and just figuring out what kind of story I wanted to tell with it.
What do you want the listeners to take from your music? Every song I make is like an equation with all these different variables that people are able to plug in for themselves. It’s open for interpretation for everyone. I was just want [people to] take honesty from it, because it really came from my heart. I think it can touch everyone in a very custom-made way, and how they perceive it is really what it is when they listen to it in their own mind.
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“ I’m just looking forward to doing my job here, Making music and making people feel better.” Can you tell us about your favorite song that you wrote for your EP? They’re all so special to me; they’re my babies, but the song that’s coming into my mind right now is “Math.” I write all my songs for myself and for my own healing purposes, and in that way, I hope everyone gets a little bit of healing. But “Math” is specially healing because it goes, “It’s all good when it’s all bad / Been hurting all day but it’s all math.” And I was really hurt when I wrote that song–crying, really honest, and vulnerable. It actually made me even sadder just to get it out, but in the end, it picked me up on my feet again. So that song is extremely important to the world, and I can’t wait for everyone to be able to sing it with me. I’m looking forward to those shows. How did your collaboration with G-Eazy come about? He’s awesome. We met at the “Tumblr Girls” shoot, and since then, we became homies. The collaborations musically started because we were hanging out at Atlantic studios. Basically, we ended up hanging out and I was in the car with all the boys. Me and my friend Gnash, who I had went on tour with recently, had just made a cool song called “Don’t”–that’s what we called it at first. G pulled me aside and was like, “Quin, I’m putting together my album and I really love this one. Think I’m able to use this?” And it started from there. The songs that they wanted to use for the album had gone through a lot, but that one just kind of remained in its place and stayed on the album, so I was really grateful for that. It sounded fitting for him, ‘cause he was just a smooth guy and it was a smooth song. It was all natural.
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Now that you’ve gained momentum in your career, do you feel any pressure going into 2017? No pressure. I don’t believe in that. If it is pressure, I’d convert it into good stuff. But I have all good feelings going into this year. I’m going in strong. I’m proud of the seeds that I planted in 2016, and I’m looking forward to my favorite year of my whole life so far. What else are you looking forward to this year? Hopefully flying around and teaming up with some other really cool people and creating in different spaces. I mean, I’ve been in LA for a long time, so it would be cool to be out of here for a second. I love it, but you know, I’m really looking forward to traveling, ‘cause I’ve never been out of the country. I’m just looking forward to doing my job here, making music and making people feel better. What has been your goal with your music? I’m trying to heal the world with my music. I want to give people something good to listen to and not something that’s going to keep their minds on the same wavelength. I want to elevate people’s brains and give them the opportunity to travel to space through sound. Any place they want to go, I just want to be that portal for people; and be able to have my words to really speak.
soundcloud.com/thequincat @THEQUINCAT
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Take a dip into an alternate universe of shapeshifting perspectives as English director DAVID WILSON reels in and out of realities to the beat of the moment. By Janroe Cabiles
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“Let It Happen” featuring Tame Impala
when David Wilson whips out tips and tricks from up his sleeve to screw with your perception in the few minutes he’s given before the screen fades to black, adorning the best music out there with his vision. Through music videos, he’s been able to bend minds, from tales of sad puppets picturing several styles of suicide in Keaton Henson’s “Charon” and sophisticated scenes of sushi on loop in Adam Buxton’s “Sushi Song” to technicolored schoolboy fantasies for Tame Impala’s “Mind Mischief” and an explosive convenience store setting with killer aliens dressed in onesies for Royal Blood’s “Out of the Black.” In scenes ranging from live action to phenomenal animation, or a mix of both more often than not, he brings
a surreal element to sequences and scenarios that feel real, winning him multiple awards and nominations at the UK Music Video Awards, Saatchi Saatchi Cannes Film Festival, Creative Circle Awards, Grammy Awards, VEVO Hot This Year, MTV Video Music Awards, and International Music Video Festival.
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“We Exist” featuring Arcade Fire
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“Do I Wanna Know” featuring Arctic Monkeys
“I enjoyed drawing. I really loved listening to music, and I enjoyed an element of performance. Knowing those things, I knew that there must be a way to push those things forward into the professional sphere.”
Rewinding to his teenage years, the Somerset native figured there was a way to find the perfect intersection of all the things he enjoyed. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I enjoyed drawing–that got me much more attention and appraisal than anything else as I wasn’t sporty, and I was pretty average academically. I really loved listening to music, and I enjoyed an element of performance. Knowing those things, I knew that there must be a way to push those things forward into the professional sphere, and in some way it led me to go to art school,” he recalls. Studying Illustration at Brighton, he then started making music videos in his bedroom after falling for the works of Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, and Chris Cunningham. “Seeing their work at such a production level that it, at some point, is unachievable, [what also made me realize that I wanted to direct] was being in an environment such as Brighton, where other people were making music videos meant that I felt like I could too. It wasn’t too far out of reach.” Panning through little points of definition, like meeting animator Pete Mellor, directing Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Cheated Hearts” music video via entering a competition at the age of 21, and working for Blink Productions in London, his roster now includes Arctic Monkeys, Metronomy, The Maccabees, The Japanese Popstars, We Have Band, David Guetta, Lady Gaga, and Arcade Fire. In making images that are intricate, and almost steadily held in milliseconds, his frame of mind starts with a spark. “When I come up with a concept for a piece, there’s got to be that initial acorn,” he says. “What’s very useful about doing music videos is that it’s laid out for you immediately–you’ve got the song. It’s just about staying true to it. Whether to the bass line from a music video, images come to mind, or which lyrics I relate to, I use those as anchors which I can then build from.” From script to storyboard, he’s honed in on finding the story that complements the script in a way that they become greater than the sum of their parts, balancing three
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“Mind Mischief” featuring Tame Impala
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“Live action filmmaking connects you to empathy, whereas animation connects to a way of interpreting the world that isn’t so tangible. I feel like both of them are integral to the human experience.” key elements: the music, the lyrics, and the brief. “For example, you’ve got a love song and you automatically want to make the viewers feel sad and empathetic towards the singer, but what may shift is when you talk to the artist, and they say they don’t want it to be serious. That could happen. So you could turn into what’s unexpected and make it almost a satire on romantic, sad music videos. The tone of the lyrics takes the tone of the visuals you’re creating.” Describing his aesthetic as disciplined, his structured creative process comes hand in hand with both the meticulous demand of music videos as well as his imagination put to paper. “I really embrace the excitement when working with a camera, but it all needs a firm plan, so you can play within it. The length of music is the absolute length, and you have certain points to hit. As for animation, I’m not able to give a true impression of handheld camera work, so as a result, my work comes
out quite composed and classic. But whenever I’ve included animation into a video–sure, it may be different or exciting, but I also feel like it’s integral to the plot.” He continues, “Live action filmmaking connects you to empathy, whereas animation connects to the imagination, to dreams, another way of thinking, or a way of interpreting the world that isn’t so tangible. I feel like both of them are integral to the human experience.” Recording tunes with character and ‘toons, stay tuned to what else David has in store.
thisisdavidwilson.com @hidavidwilson
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DIRECTORY BRANDS 24:01 zalora.com.ph ADIDAS adidas.com.ph ALDO Greenbelt 5, Makati City BRONZE bronze56k.com BURBERRY burberry.com CALL IT SPRING Greenbelt 3, Makati City CARHARTT carhartt.com CHARLES AND KEITH Greenbelt 5, Makati City CIVIL REGIME civilclothing.com COMMES DES GARÇONS commes-des-garcons.com COMMONWEALTH PH SM Aura, Taguig City CONVERSE converse.com COPPER shopcopper.com DON’T BLAME THE KIDS facebook.com/dbtkco DOROTHY PERKINS Glorietta 3, Makati City
ARTISTS DR. MARTENS drmartens.com ESSIE essie.com FOREVER 21 SM Makati, Makati City GNARLY! gnarly.clothing I LOVE UGLY iloveugly.com IN YOUR DREAMS inyour-dreams.com JEFFREE STAR jeffreestarcosmetics.com JULEP julep.com KAT VON D katvondbeauty.com MERCER STREET Uptown Place Mall, Taguig City MISS SELFRIDGE Greenbelt 5, Makati City NARS narscosmetics.com OXYGEN Glorietta 2, Makati City PUBLISH publishbrand.com RENAN PACSON renanpacson.com
RICHER POORER richer-poorer.com SHU UEMURA shuuemura.com SOAK soakswimwear.com SPACE.NK.APOTHECARY spacenk.com SULWHASOO sulwhasoo.com TATA HARPER tataharperskincare.com THE NINES Uptown Place Mall, Taguig City TOM FORD tomford.com TOPMAN Greenbelt 3, Makati City TOPSHOP Greenbelt 3, Makati City WAREHOUSE Greenbelt 5, Makati City WSH instagram.com/WSH_13 ZALORA zalora.com.ph
Miguel Alomajan (Photographer) instagram.com/migotilyomanila Ken Azuela (Hair) instagram.com/kenazuela Badboi (Photographer) matabad.com Max Beck (Photographer) maxwellbeck.tumblr.com Joseph Jiao (Makeup) instagram.com/josephjiao Sarah Kjelleren (Photographer) sarahkjelleren.com James Lopez (Photographer) instagram.com/semajzepol Sylvina Lopez (Hair and Makeup) makeupbyslo.com Shaira Luna (Photographer) facebook.com/shairalunaphotography James McCloud (Photographer) jamesmccloud.com Jake Giles Netter (Photographer) jakegilesnetter.com Matt Panes (Stylist) instagram.com/icedmattchalatte DJ Santillan (Photographer) instagram.com/dj.santillan
ST A T U S I NVA D E S
BROOKLYN BEAUTY Part-time pageant girl, full-time music lover CHRISTI MCGARRY shows the new, multi-faceted kind of queen can be a lot of things: from a model and DJ to a gypsy and nomad.
@delicaxi Portrait by Miguel Alomajan Product Photography by Nadine Layon
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SIDDHARTHA BY HERMANN HESSE I’m not practicing Buddhism, but I deeply respect the wisdom and humility this story has taught me.
BLACK SABBATH VINYL
My first vinyl bought in the Philippines, given to me by my boyfriend when we first started dating, after he lost a bet to me in a game of darts.
COACH BACKPACK
This vintage Coach leather backpack was bought in New Jersey ‘95, and it has come along with me through all my adventures, including surviving three Burning Mans.
Makeup Joseph Jiao, Hair Ken Azuela
RED HAT
This is my grandma Lynn’s hat. She traveled around the world collecting hats and got this in London.
CHANEL BLUSH
Although I’m part-tomboy, I’m also part-queen, and a queen always needs proper primping. I carry my Chanel compact everywhere I go.
FRAMED ARTWORK
The two framed pieces of artwork were despedida gifts before I left Brooklyn by one of my roommates and best friends, artist David Fung.
JOURNALS
Most days, I write my dreams in my journals to bring me back down to earth, and I use these as a creative outlet to draw, sketch, or scribble poetry.
TROPHY
NECKLACES
All of these are special gifts created and given to me throughout my three years of attending Burning Man.
This is a symbol of all my hard work, finally being paid off as I closed my pageant career with 1st runner-up for the Philippines in Miss International 2015.
HELMET
I get anywhere riding on the back of my boyfriend’s motorcycle. I’ve always been fascinated with biker culture, plus we always beat Manila traffic.
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