Status Magazine feat. Blake Anderson by STATUS Magazine

Never Gets Laid…back N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 4

8 STATUS MESSAGE 10 MASTHEAD

62 KNIT PICKING Sweaters

STATUSPHERE 13 THREADS 18 SETTING 19 BRICK & MORTAR 20 SCREEN 21 INK 22 BEATS

63 SMART PANTS

Cigarette Pants

FEATURES MUSE

64 TO LOVE A WILD THING

A free spirit with beauty marks and elfin features, Natarsha Orsman belongs to no one and nowhere. As long as the 16-year old sass queen has her game face on, she’ll strut down the runway and steal your heart. By Janroe Cabiles

GADGETS

23 TECH PACK: FLASH MOB Be ready for this attack.

BEAUTY

MAESTRO

66 HANDS IN THE AIR

Leading the technological manipulation for live performances in her genre, Imogen Heap gestures towards an advancement that wears like a glove. By Denise Mallabo

24 FACE PAINT: KEEP YOUR COOL Take the temperature down a notch.

VANITIES: GET SMART

Makeup your mind.

25 BEAUTY BITE: KIYOSA

67 HEART RACING TRACK

While chasing hearts and songs to fuel the race of life in music, independent Filipino musician Carlos Castaño sings his way to his dreams of winning a Grammy. By Kitkat Ramos

FASHION

STREET STYLE

GO SEE

28 STYLE ID: SUGAR COATED Life made sweet and warm.

68 FROM THE NIGHT’S ARREST

Growing up under the influence of her father, Lights slept with music as her night light. Now rising to the occasion, she takes over with songwriting prowess. By Isa Almazan

VISION BOARD

30 BOHEMIAN BELLE

Hippies don’t lie. By Shaira Luna

40 AFTER GLOW

Lost in the light. By Martina Giachi

69 IN THE BULL PEN

Circulating the hottest clubs in the Metro, DJ Carlo Atendido makes a stop at the Status HQ to talk about competing in one of the biggest DJ competitions in the world. By Kitkat Ramos

48 STREET ESCAPE

Make a run for it. By Ted Sun

SHOPPING GUIDE

55 SWAG: WATCH OUT Watches

56 GRAY’S ANATOMY Gray Sweaters

57 TICKED OFF

Print-strapped Watches

58 EARTH HOUR Earth Tones

WELL PLAID

Plaids

60 SOLE SISTER Glam Shoes

61 FRESH PRINTS Midi Skirts

MASTERMIND

THE NEW WAVE

Stepping out of his father’s shadow, Jake Hoffman heralds a new league in the entertainment industry as he takes five from acting to pursue his directorial dreams and more. By Janroe Cabiles

71 IN THE SMOKY HOUR

Artist Leslie De Chavez scatters the color black to reveal the myriad of colors and issues that make up our modern day spectrum. By Olivia Estrada

Never Gets Laid…back N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 4

40 72 CAN’T BE FRAMED

Photographer Kimi Selfridge makes memorable photos come alive and travel through nostalgia without counting pixels. By Olivia Estrada

86 BLOCK PARTY: TAG YOU’RE IT

Setting aside the watercolors and canvases, these live artists and muralists take to the streets of light and paint creatures of the night. By Janroe Cabiles

73 CONSTANT THRILLS

Superheroes come and go but actor Tommy Savas looks like he’s here to stay for the long haul as he doesn’t need a costume to save the day. By Nicole Nequinto

WISPS AND STRANDS

After working with photo legend Mario Testino, Alex Franco applies his own aesthetic to fashion photography that might as well be the runway’s next inspiration. By Janroe Cabiles

HEAVY HITTER

WORKING GRASS HERO

His name is Blake Anderson and he’s a workaholic. Under all that hair is a hero working hard for the funny, sans the neckties and the bakes. Well, not completely. By Pola Beronilla

THE NEVERENDING STORY

Throwing back to the shack are alt rock heroes Weezer. Releasing their ninth LP Everything Will Be Alright in the End, they’re going for the better end. Complete with the lightning strap. By Pola Beronilla

86 87 88 89

ILOVEDUST PALE HORSE GIULIO IURISSEVICH

EVENTS NIGHTVISION 91 PFW JEREMY SCOTT PARTY 92 SOCIAL SATURDAYS @ ARACAMA 92 JESSE JO VIPER ROOM 93 EMPORIO ARMANI SOUNDS 93 WHATS THE 411 @ RAVEN 94 SOCIAL SATURDAYS @ ARACAMA 94 H&M LOVES VEIN 95 HAUS NYC 95 SATURDAY NIGHT HYVE

74 about the cover

96 DIRECTORY STATUS INVADES

SYNTHPOP MONASTERY

This ain’t a shrine–it’s a goddamn arms-raising electropop band Priory. Singing anthems to the almighty weekend, swinging on the skating rink isn’t the only thing they make us do. By Pola Beronilla

LE GUN

GABS GIBBS

Styled in his own clothing line Teenager, a mustacheless Blake Anderson poses against a blank gray wall. Shot by Arnelle Lozada, his relatively tamed mane (for him) and crazy expression looks a bit overworked.

This feisty alt-chick revels in her alt-style, beguiling in black and white color schemes and editorialized Instagram posts.

BANJO 101

Learn how to folk things up.

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

STATUS MESSAGE

Never Gets Laid…back

Blake Anderson (76)

unning a magazine keeps me and my team very busy. Between our print magazine, website, events, and parties, we are on a nonstop grind. Some would even categorize us as workaholics, but we are just a bunch of people trying to share our vision. Comedian, writer, and producer Blake Anderson stars in the surprise hit, Workaholics. Though he plays a stoner in the show, it’s clear that this boy has been a real-life workaholic himself with a long list of cameos in Entourage, House, Community, and Arrested Development. Before all of his acting stints and success of the show, Blake shares the perks of being a star and what it’s like to be on set with his best friends. We also throwback to a band that’s been on the grind since the ‘90s: Weezer. Yes, we all have nostalgic memories with the band playing the soundtrack of our youth, but now, they’re a part of our present once again. With the release of their ninth album, Everything Will Be Alright In The End, the band tells us why they can’t imagine the thought of retiring. Electropop band Priory has been getting heavy play with their latest single “Weekend.” Relatively unknown, they have been rising on the Billboard charts. This may be because of their dedication to their music–they have admitted to 24-hour studio sessions and are now going to be on the road for the next year and a half. The duo describes to us an ideal weekend, which may include some dance moves and a skating rink. For this month, we also invade graphic artist, model, and singer Gabs Gibbs to see what keeps this girl-on-the-go inspired. Though some of us are self-admitted workaholics, we don’t really consider it work if you really love what you do.

Weezer (82)

Priory (84)

Editor-in-chief

contributors statusmagonline.com editor-in-chief Rosario managing editor Denise

Herrera Mallabo

@RosarioHerrera @denisemallabo

art director Paolo Geronimo graphic designers Nyael David

@PaoloStroodles @nyaels @happeetiff @GraceAnnD @oycaloy

fashion assistant Jill de Leon editorial assistants Pola Beronilla

@orangetoenails

SABRINA MESINA It’s easy to live in Sabrina’s world as her only rule goes: “Live purposefully. No standing, only dancing.” Constantly moving, constantly shaking, Sabrina brought her energy to styling for this month’s SWAG (55), pulling off that magical balance of new versus relatable. After all, “There is so much happening in fashion globally that it was hard to choose just a few must-haves that would fit on X number of pages.” Too true.

Tiff Ko Grace de Luna Carlo Nuñez

Janroe Cabiles Olivia Estrada Carla Hutchinson Kitkat Ramos

Dan Buenaventura Gabrielle Bailon Chynna Lemi marketing assistant Gia Palamos

account manager junior account executives

@HiMyNameIsPola @janroetheboat @MsOliviaSylvia @thehutch_touch @KitkatRamos @danbuenaventura @gabybailon @chynnalemi @giapalamie tweet us!

contributing writers

Isa Almazan, Nicole Nequinto

KAI HUANG We turned to Kai Huang to shoot two of our up-and-comers–or should we say our already-theres? Lending his lens to show us Carlos Castaño (66) and Gabs Gibbs (102) as he sees them, Kai doesn’t disappoint– not surprising from someone who’s been handling a camera from age 12. This “hungry alien” gets his kicks from shooting things he loves, which also includes food, automobiles, and bikes (not necessarily in that order).

contributing artists

Ilaria Borgioli, Ria Casco, Sari Campos, Ian Castañares, Ashley Church, The Cobrasnake, Jennifer Corona, Regina Echavez, Gerard Estadella, Apple Fara-on, Janella Gangat, Martina Giachi, Kai Huang, Sherah Jones, Kirillwashere, Bjoern Kommerell, Jun Lopez, Arnelle Lozada, Shaira Luna, Sabrina Mesina, Brayden Olson, Maia Renner, Steffi Santiago, Elisa Sedoni, Jacque Shaw, JP Singson, Ted Sun, Nick Walker, We Take Fotos interns

Justine Ballon, Bea Llagas, Ada Laud

What’s your STATUS? tell us. editorial editorial@statusmagonline.com

ria casco Long, flowy clothing and understated jewelry–the pieces that Ria Casco styled for Bohemian Belle (30) mimic her own taste in fashion, though perhaps from different eras. While planning a shoot is a must, the best ones take on a life of their own, breezing through the usual problems and creating moments that somehow seem more real, as what happened with this one. When it works, it just works.

advertising advertise@statusmagonline.com marketing marketing@statusmagonline.com general inquiries info@statusmagonline.com read our digital version statusmagonline.com/digital-magazine like us facebook.com/statusmagazine follow us twitter.com/statusmagazine instagram: statusmagazine STATUS is published by STATUS Media Group. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

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THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN / INK November 2014

DREAM NEXT DOOR

LAIDBACK LAD E

asygoing, refined, comfortable–these are the keywords for Japanese brand 08SIRCUS. Headed by Kiminori Morishita, the brand’s attention to detail and draping is on the frontline, showcased by masterfully made blazers, button-downs, and trousers. A mostly neutral palette interspersed with occasional brights and playful patterns give pieces easy transition from day to night. For casual cool, what more could you ask for? kiminorimorishita.jp

on’t be a copycat–find your own style with adidas ORIGINALS by NEIGHBORHOOD. After a short stint earlier this year, the sportswear powerhouse conspires with the Japanese label once again to show street twists on their classic shirts, hoodies, jackets, button-ups, and a moccasin-fringed pair of sneakers. adidas.com

TWENTYSEVEN

TWENTYEIGHT

LILA MIDI DRESS

LACE A-LINE DRESS

SEVENTEEN LILIANA DRESS

LOOP DE LOOP P

olish accessories brand TAKK comes full circle with clean lines and smooth forms. Inspired by electromagnetic wave interactions, the Gold Antenna collection harkens back to the loop antennas of broadcasts past. While the minimal aesthetic remains thoroughly modern, gold, silver, rosé, and ruten metals lend their forms to these physical symbols of abstract ideas. Are you on the same wavelength? takk.pl

LACEY LASER-CUT L

ondon-based brand SELF-PORTRAIT never strays far from its hyperfeminine roots. While geometric patterns and splashes of color make these designs infinitely wearable, their latest offering of full skirts, column dresses, and shell tees is feminine without being cloying. With gorgeous details everywhere you turn, you can’t resist this pretty as a picture presentation. self-portrait-studio.com

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THREADS

BRANDS TO KNOW

SILVER LINING F

LEATHER GIRL E

nough of sugar, spice, and everything nice. JESH CREATIVE proves that tough is better and that eccentricity takes you places. Inspired by Amy Blue’s iconic antics and Vivienne Westwood’s Sex shop, the brand creates a large assortment of accessories and clothes made of leather, latex, PVC, and metal chains. It’s easy to see how bad girls manage to have more fun. jeshcreative.com

ind a pearl of wisdom with HOLLY RYAN’s latest collection of accessories, pOla. Their black and white jewelry pieces of “Perla Dos” rings, “Perla Tres” studs, “Perla Cuatro” necklaces, and “Pop & Drop” chokers made of solid sterling silver with pops of the finest pearl combine simplicity, minimalism, and wearability with a sense of edge and rawness. hollyryan.com.au

TEENAGE KICKS J

GOOD LUXE I

t takes two to make a thing go right, but it takes BAARTMANS AND SIEGEL to make something great. For this luxury menswear label, beautiful craftsmanship and imaginative design are key. Shaping the landscape of contemporary menswear one thread at a time, their latest collection of outerwear made with interactive texture and sharp tailoring makes any man feel brave and heroic. baartmansandsiegel.com

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umpstarted last year by footwear industry experts Ryan Babenzien and Jon Buscemi, Brooklyn-born brand GREATS offers classic mens sneaker silhouettes with a modern spin. Made with premium materials and intricate detailing, bask in their latest collections: The Royale, The Wilson, and The Bab. greats.com

THREADS

CLOCKWATCHING F

ind time to check out the dapper time tellers of HYPERGRAND. Based in the UK, the brand puts their newest collection of watches out comprising of “Maverick” and “Maverick Chrono” timepieces, 12 of their famed interchangeable 01NATO straps that come in jungle camo, honey brown, or black leather. hypergrand.com

THE RUNAWAYS D

ress incognito and be ELUSIVE on the streets. Founding the brand in 2007, designer Kiet Lé a.k.a. Skeet conceived the idea of printing his art on cloth in the 10th grade. Offering simple designs on graphic T-shirts, his collections now range from sweatshirts and hoodies to technical apparel like hats and wallets in solemn colors of black, white, deep blue, gray, and plumb. elusiveca.com

DENIM DELIVERANCE S

ave yourself from a fashion dilemma and stick to the staples with COURTSHOP. Pieces like the “Want It” jacket and the “Sasha Saturday” will be your everyday companions that you can rely on whenever you need it most and will go with whatever fashion mood you find yourself in. courtshop.com

DAWN OF THE THREAD T

oronto-based label CYEOMS wants you to come to the dark side with Night Shift. Androgynous in spirit, their latest pieces made with a basic palette of textured blacks, virgin whites, and pale shades of blue play with oversized silhouettes, asymmetrical layers, dangerous side slits, and hidden seam pockets. Now, there’s no reason to be afraid of the dark. cyeoms.myshopify.com

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THREADS

BRANDS TO KNOW

BIG SPENDER

STITCH, PLEASE

here’s nothing like being loaded with some MIAMIMONEY & CO. Representing Florida are pieces from their latest collection such as the “Ambush” windbreaker with camouflage prints and the “Bleau Collar Button-Down.” Just make sure to pair these up with your laidback attitude and priceless personality. miamimoney.co

f you love handmade items with an attitude, KOLLOQUIAL is totes what you’re looking for. Run by Donna Ko, the LA-based brand produces bags with hand-embroidered words inspired by the hip-hop colloquial. Stitch it up old school and run the streets with “Supa Dupa Fly,” “No Diggity No Doubt,” “Whoomp There It Is,” and “Gangsta’s Paradise” totes. kolloquial.bigcartel.com

14HOKD301 Arrow Circular Jacq Sleeveless Dress Color: Crimson/Royal Blue

STREET DREAMS C

reating a streetwear and high fashion hybrid, PROFOUND AESTHETIC takes a minimalistic turn towards their vision with Across A Distant Sky. Complementing their neutral colors with intricate details like mesh fabrics, drawstrings, quilting, and even unexpected prints, they’ve proven that you don’t always have to be extravagant to be a showstopper. profoundco.com

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14HOKT311 Arrow Flat Jacq L/S Crop Top Color: White/Black Royal Blue/Black Crimson/Black

14REKD302 14HOKT311 14REKD303 14HOKS321 Striped Circular Arrow Jacq Flat Jacq L/S 3D Jacq Arrow Circular Jacq Diamond Sleeveless Dress Crop Top Skirt Cap Sleeve Sheath Color: Color: Color: Dress Royal Blue/Black White/Black Crimson/Black Color: Crimson/Black Royal Blue/Black Royal Blue/Black Royal Blue/Black White/Black Crimson/BlackWhite/Black White/Black Crimson/Royal esigner Tim Kim’s homage to the wild Blue/Black

CROWD PLEASER D

14HOKS321 Arrow Circular Jacq Skirt Color: Crimson/Black Royal Blue/Black White/Black

14REK Diamond Cap Sleev Dre Col Royal Blu White/ Crimson Blue/B

14REKD305 14REKS322 14REKT313 14REKS323 Prism Lace Jacq Cap Sleeve Striped Jacq Midi Skirt Diamond Flat Jacq Diamond Flat Jacq Sheath Dress Color:Boxy Top Midi Skirt Color: Royal Blue/Black Color: Color: Black/Wht Crimson/Black Royal Blue/Black Royal Blue/Black RoyalBlue/Black White/Black White/Black White/Black Crimson/Black

beat and pulse of New York City, RVN is your go-to night outfit. Their latest collection features dresses, pants, and skirts with cutout prints that reveal colors and designs amid a black palette. Wear these out for a party or two and brace yourself for all the rave reviews. rvnnyc.com

THREADS

INSIDER’S APPROACH

HOT N’ GOLD

f you’re a fan of science fiction, music, and art, then you’ll fall in love with the accessories from HAN CHOLO. The bold and detailed pieces from their Charmed and Dangerous collection like the “Venom” ring, “FU” earrings, and “Bone” bracelet clarifies how they’ve attracted a number of high profile fans like Iggy Azalea, Snoop Dogg, and RZA. hancholo.com

e a star among COMMON PEOPLE with The Great Indoors. Their latest collection caters to the man who doesn’t slack off in his style even when there’s no one around. Jackets, sweaters, and trousers focus on sleek lines and basic colors that compliment new innovations as seen in their “Colefax” hooded tech jacket and the “Munari” T-shirt. commonpeopleclothing.co.uk

Milo Reefer Jacket

Starck Jacket

Newson Shirt

Marcel Sweatshirt Nendo Trousers

Herron Knitwear

Webb Shirt

Renzo Shirt

Corbusier Trousers

Colefax Tech Jacket

Dixon Tartan Mac Herron Knitwear

Corbusier Trousers

Ito Shirt

Words by Pola Beronilla, Janroe Cabiles, Denise Mallabo, Jill de Leon, Olivia Estrada, and Carla Hutchinson

Corbusier Trousers

FINE PRINT HIGH STANDARDS B

ased in New York City, unisex apparel AMERICAN APOTHECARY showcases modern-day substances as prescriptions dated back to the 1900s. Inspired by vintage branding designs of the era, their collection of bottled tank tops, T-shirts, muscle tees, and sweaters comes in simple, faded colors. Heal the world from the old school drugs and make it a better place. a-apothecary.com

hen a red-bearded drummer decided to answer his calling for streetwear design, SWEDE AND CROWE was born. A combination of streetwear silhouettes and unusual bold prints, their latest collection specializes in headwear and shoes. Also offering a variety of garments, their unconventional patterns make their signature pieces a definite must-have for every closet. swede-and-crowe.tumblr.com

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SETTING

PLACES TO GO

COR K A G E

UNIVERSE GASTROLOUNGE & NIGHTCLUB, pasay T

aking the nightlife out of this world is UNIVERSE GASTROLOUNGE & NIGHTCLUB. Indulge in experiencing two prime spots in one location. Enjoy casual dining in their pub-inspired restaurant with contemporary exteriors that feature luxurious leather couches, dark brick walls, and clean marble tables. Their menu includes popular choices of sushi rolls and pizzettas, apt to fill for your next adventure in their bar. As the night gets deeper, lose yourself in the club that hosts a formidable bar with a premium selection of liquors and spirits along with specialty cocktails that are perfect to enjoy in the exclusive feel of the club’s high ceiling and comfortable lounge areas.

Resorts World Manila 1309 Pasay City facebook.com/universeph

grub

THE WHOLESOME TABLE, TAGUIG

aste the organic difference at THE WHOLESOME TABLE with their refined alfresco-inspired interiors that recall the simplest comforts and complement their clean and crisp approach to dining. All dishes and beverages are made out of natural ingredients and do away with harmful substances. Bringing farm-to-table dining to a whole new level, the result neither compromises taste nor selection as both vegetarians and meatlovers will find their new favorites in the restaurant’s extensive menu. Start off your dining experience with freshly-pressed juices or smoothies like Be Worthy or Be Grateful and develop an appetite with their power bowls and wood-fired pizzas.

30th Street cor. 7th Avenue Bonifacio High Street Taguig City thewholesometable.com

HONEST TO GOODNESS Experience a cornucopia of the most exquisite delights at THE WHOLESOME TABLE.

ORZO SALAD Orzo, grape tomatoes, capers, fresh basil, mint, feta cheese, dried cranberries, and arugula in a red wine vinaigrette

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CHICKEN MARSALA Chicken braised in Marsala with oven roasted vegetables

THE BARCELONA Spanish-inspired pizza made with turkey chorizo, shitake mushrooms, roasted garlic, fresh mozzarella, and Grana Padano

GAMBARETTI ARRABIATTA Spaghetti with deep sea shrimps sautéed in a smashed grape tomato sauce, topped with homemade, nitrate-free bacon

Words by Olivia Estrada The Wholesome Table photos by Rosario Herrera

P L ATE

BRICK AND MORTAR

STORES TO SHOP

THE HIT GALLERY, HONG KONG 1 Matheson St. Hong Kong ittierre.it Dime to Drop: P6,000-P30,000 (HKD 1,038-HKD 5,208) Don’t leave the store without: Classic belts from designers like Pierre Balmain and John Galliano.

hoppers are sure to go on a visual roller coaster upon entering THE HIT GALLERY, a branch of Italian company, Ittiere. Designed by architect and designer Fabio Novembre, the concept store channels the surrealist works of Giorgio De Chirico through the well-executed distorted proportions. The 100-square meter space at the upscale Times Square shopping mall in Hong Kong emulates the soul and essence of Italy through graphic floors, clean, light blue walls, and rounded arches inspired by Italian architecture. The store holds designer brands like Pierre Balmain, Tommy Hilfiger, Karl Lagerfeld, C’n’C Costume National, Aquascutum, Galliano, GF Ferré, and Fiorucci. Who doesn’t want to shop and look at art at the same time? Ittiere definitely hits the mark with this one.

RAIONUL 4, BUCHAREST 14-16 Nicolae Golescu St. 010294 Bucharest, Romania raionul4.ro Dime to Drop: P11,353-P28,383 (€200-€5000) Don’t leave without: Pieces from designer Dries Van Noten, which they only sell in-store.

f you happen to be in Romania looking for a sophisticated place to shop, make sure to drop by RAIONUL 4. Every angle of the concept store, which has a clean, minimalist design, complements each piece they have on display. Built at the center of Bucharest, the store’s simple but refined flavor exhibits all their brands beautifully. The interiors will make you feel like you’re in a museum, while the pieces they have are similar to works of art. They hold luxury brands like Haider Ackermann, Dries Van Noten, Maison Martin Margiela, and Vetements and also jewelry from Marion Vidal and Iosselliani. Planning on adding more designers like Balmain and Oscar Tiye next year, Raionul 4 is definitely a one-stop shop for extravagance.

Words by Jill de Leon

YOUNG BRITISH DESIGNERS

f you’re looking for a new wardrobe that’s the bee’s knees, you might just find something fresh from YOUNG BRITISH DESIGNERS. Finding great, undiscovered potential and delivering an array of exceptional collections with diverse aesthetics, the label gives you a brand new outlook on European design complete with collections of skirts, dresses, hand-painted pieces, and shoes. youngbritishdesigners.com

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SCREEN

SCENES TO SEE

RE M OTE CO N TRO L

T I C K ET AFTER THE WORLD ENDED Set in 2458, Tony Sebastian Ukpo directs a sci-fi drama seeing a lost astronaut, a girl searching for her family, and a prisoner preparing to be the first human on Mars.

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING Based on the memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, director James Marsh brings to life the story of physicist Stephen Hawking and student Jane Wilde and their time at Cambridge. FOXCATCHER Starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo comes a biographical drama revolving around Olympic Wrestling Champions Mark and Dave Schultz and their schizophrenic promoter John du Pont.

THE IMITATION GAME Set in World War II, this historical thriller centers around computer scientist Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his team of scholars and mathematicians attempting to encrypt Nazi messages. ESCOBAR: PARADISE LOST This romantic thriller sees a young surfer who falls in love with the woman of his dreams, leading him to the tangled web of famous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar (Benicio del Toro).

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OLIVE KITTERIDGE (HBO) Adapted from Elizabeth Strout’s best-selling novel of the same name, director Lisa Cholodenko creates a mini-drama following 25 years of marriage between isolated middle school teacher Olive (Frances McDormand) and goodhearted pharmacist Henry (Richard Jenkins) while dealing with the depression of the former.

THE MISSING (STARZ) Starz offers a drama following Tony Hughes (James Nesbitt) as he returns to Paris eight years after his son goes missing on vacation with his wife Emily (Frances O’Connor). Directed by Tom Shankland, the series dives into the case of their son Oliver and Tony’s obsession as he works with a French police detective.

ASCENSION (SYFY) Directed by Stephen Williams, an alternate reality takes place in this sci-fi series as President Kennedy launches Project Orion in 1963, sending 600 men, women, and children for a century-long trip into space aboard a self-sustaining ship. Now 50 years into the journey, a mysterious murder occurs in the ship,

P L A Y BAC K NIL BY MOUTH (1997) It’s an incredible film written and directed by Gary Oldman. It’s very raw and unflinching.

CHRISTIAN COOKE (Actor)

KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979) One of my favorites by Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. It’s a beautiful story about life, love, and divorce. It’s also wonderfully acted.

THE DEER HUNTER (1978) I don’t know how to explain why I like it, but it’s just a great film.

HOME ALONE (1990) It’s an old classic. It’s just one of those films that my generation grew up watching; I think I probably watch it once a year.

PLEASURE (2013) This film and almost anything by Lars Von Trier is great because he’s a genius.

Words by Janroe Cabiles Christian Cooke photo by Ross Ferguson

NINA Directed by Cynthia Mort, Zoë Saldana stars as Nina Simone in the biopic following the jazz musician and classic pianist’s rise to fame as well as her relationship with manager Clifton Henderson.

ink

BOOKS TO READ

BOO K M AR K

HOT O F F THE P RE S S THE FAME LUNCHES: ON WOUNDED ICONS, MONEY, SEX, THE BRÖNTES, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HANDBAGS By Daphne Merkin “Sometimes it seems to me that the private life no longer suffices for many of us,” says American literary critic Daphne Merkin. Writing about contemporary culture, society, and its obsession with celebrity and fame, the book compiles essays that talk about every angle that isn’t seen in the glossy, deceptive image social media radiates but instead takes on the demons of consumerism and celebrities.

THE OTHER LANGUAGE By Francesca Marciano In all eight of her stories, author Francesca Marciano tells of a complex string of lives across cultures revealing facets of the human experience that never come to light when faced with mundane phenomena. From the underground clubs of Venice and the coasts of Greece to all the diverse colors of India, this book shows the sundry pleasures of the world from the eyes of its characters.

128 BEATS PER MINUTE: DIPLO’S VISUAL GUIDE TO MUSIC, CULTURE, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN By Thomas Wesley Pentz

n the early 2000s, budding artist Wesley Pentz started his career in the Philadelphia music scene–young, ambitious, and broke. Now, he’s known as an arbiter of culture and curator of sound under the name Diplo. See more of his beginnings in his book with photographer friend Shane McCauley:

POPULAR MUSIC & SOCIETY By Brian Longhurst and Danijela Bogdanovic

Words by Kitkat Ramos and Carla Hutchinson

An academic tome that aims to translate the ephemera of popular music into an analyzable collection of hard data (complete with theory and empirical studies, natch), this is required reading not only for students of media and culture studies, but also for all hardcore fans of music and its public faces.

“I met DJ Low Budget at the North Star Bar. He already had a foothold in the hip-hop scene, but both of us were into this new sound–Baltimore club, eighties throwbacks and even something called mash-ups.” “The Hollertronix party [where Diplo and DJ Low Budget played] was the first of its kind in the US. It blended elements of every genre of hip-hop with the fledgling indie rock movement, classic eighties, new wave, and more. It defined a new movement within the club environment.”

“Seven years, thirty-two countries, sixty thousand photos, and a million miles later, here is what we’ve been doing. This book is a living document of parts of my life, job, and travel, as seen through [Shane McCauley’s] eyes.”

F OOT N OTE S Prominent critic Daphne Merkin received a fan letter from director Woody Allen when she was 21 years old for her review of a Jane Bowles book–talk about fan appreciation.

Despite having lived in South Italy, New York, India, and Kenya, author Francesca Marciano has written all her novels in English after her first didn’t feel right in her native Italian.

Thomas Pentz’s alias, Diplo, is taken from his childhood love for dinosaurs. Diplodocus is the one with the long neck, FYI.

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BEATS

MUSIC TO HEAR

PL AYLIS T

PRIORY Brandon Rush (Vocals, Guitar) prioryband.com

IMOGEN HEAP imogenheap.com

LIGHTS music.iamlights.com

“Habits (Stay High)” Tove Lo A good beat to listen to anytime of day. Awesome track.

“Trainwreck 1979” Death From Above 1979 This dance-punk duo is a breath of fresh air. Such an awesome song.

“Black Out Days” Phantogram This just has a great production. Overall, Voices is great album.

“Arrows” Fences feat. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis I just heard this the other day and I thought it was just incredible.

“Floor” Micachu The lyrics to this song are fantastic. I honestly think she’s just fab.

“Hailin from the Edge” Apparat I just passed my driving test and loved the warm Pacific wind in my hair, cruising while listening to this.

“Insides” Jon Hopkins I love all of Jon’s work and it’s really hard to choose a favorite. But this is a great one.

“Pump My Pumps” Dan Black Such a great dance tune! He writes some of the best pop songs out there in my opinion.

“Blindsided” Bon Iver This was actually the song I walked down the aisle to at my wedding. I will always love this.

“Glawio” Com Truise That is a vibe for a song that kills. It’s electronic and it’s just so cool.

“Hold On, We’re Going Home” Drake feat. Majid Jordan The production on that song is unreal; the energy and the vibe are so cool.

“Hounds of Love” Kate Bush Kate Bush really influenced my album a lot. Her whole record is amazing.

Releases

After setting up anacondas on a booty trap, NICKI MINAJ returns with a third LP. Following up her 2012 sophomore effort, The Pinkprint is set to prove that she’s more than just a fancy rapper. No, no, no, no shade.

Chaz Bundick takes off his Toro y Moi persona and debuts his dance-centric moniker LES SINS. Including the songs “Why” and “Bother,” Michael sees the chillwave ambassador producing tracks that are neither chill nor wave.

MUSIC NEWS

Everything said three times is always good. Head on over to Austin, Texas and experience a Fun Fun Fun Fest. Aside from its musical lineup of artists like Judas Priest, Nas, and Modest Mouse, this festival is also known for its collection of comedy, food, action sports, and poster art experiences.

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Four decades after Jim Morrison’s death, The Doors will rise again with an unreleased documentary. Set to be released on November 11, Feast of Friends took place across five months and in 20 US cities, capturing the band on stage, at play and aboard a Hawaiian sailboat.

You might have not seen this coming, but a Maya Angelou hip-hop record is coming your way. Featuring some previously recorded vocals by Angelou and some recorded specifically for the project, Caged Bird Songs is a 13-track album produced by musicians Shawn Rivera and RoccStarr.

Rock combatants FOO FIGHTERS have gone to greater roads to produce an eighth album. With each song recorded in a different city, Sonic Highways lets the band explore new territories without losing their sound.

Words by Pola Beronilla Brandon Rush photo by Nick Walker

A roster of iconic artists come together to revere PAUL MCCARTNEY’s legacy. With Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, and The Cure on board, The Art of McCartney celebrates his works with The Beatles, Wings, and as a solo artist.

TEC H PACK

PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-CM1 SMARTPHONE

HASSELBLAD STELLAr • Designed with an elegant aluminum body and different wooden grips such as mahogany, oak, and walnut • Offers 20.2 MP 1-inch-type (13.2 × 8.8 mm) CMOS sensor • Armed with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T f/1.8-4.9 lens • Supports Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Micro, SD, SDHC & SDXC Memory Card, and MicroSD Memory cards SRP: P101,525

FLASH MOB

• Boasts of a 1-inch 20MP imaging sensor with f/2.8 Leica lens • Runs on an Android 4.4 KitKat and powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor • Has a 16GB built-in memory and can carry MicroSD cards up to 128GB • Supports 4K video recording SRP: P51,329

Point your lenses and fire away.

LEICA D-LUX TYP 109 • Equipped with a fast DC Vario-Summilux 10.9-34mm f/1.7-2.8 ASHP zoom lens • Packed with ultra-HD 4K video technology and MP4 capability • Has a 2.8MP resolution electronic viewfinder • Comes with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, available to download upon purchase SRP: P53,595

CANON POWERSHOT G7 X • Features a 3-inch touchscreen that flips out to 180° for selfies • Built with a 1-inch 20.2MP type sensor • Powered by DIGIC 6 for 1080/60p video transfer via Wi-Fi and NFC technology • Transitions smoothly without image refocusing with a 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 lens SRP: P31,370

D O W N L OA D S SKY GUIDE: VIEW STARS NIGHT OR DAY By Fifth Star Labs LLC

BATMAN & THE FLASH: HERO RUN By GREE, Inc.

Take stargazing to the future with Soundscape, time-lapse effects, and notifications of the constellations.

Save Gotham by night and run circles around Gorilla City in the morning with a click of a button.

VIZZYWIG 4K By i4software Turn your smartphone into a full 4K-resolution camera at the rate of 24 photos per second with audio-syncing capabilities.

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FAC E PA IN T

KEEP YOUR COOL Cool hues in every sense of the word.

YVES SAINT LAURENT 5 Color Couture Palette in Lumieres Majorelle P2,606.80

NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow in Giove P1,397.94

SMASHBOX Photo Op Under-Eye Brightener in Beige P964.10

BOBBI BROWN Raw Sugar Bronzing Powder in Elvis Duran P1,928.20

LANc么ME Artliner 24H Bold Color Precision Eyeliner in Turquoise P1,470.25

BURBERRY Beauty Velvet Longwear Fluid Foundation in Trench No. 202 P2,603.06

LANc么ME Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup in Versatile Wheat II 315 W P1,855.89

LAURA MERCIER Longwear Cr茅me Eye Pencil in Cobalt P1,156.92

BOBBI BROWN Smokey Nudes Creamy Matte Lip Color in Nude P1,253.33

STILA Eyeshadow Compact in Mystic P867.69

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero P915.89 EST茅E LAUDER Pure Color Eyeshadow in Midnight Star P1,060.51

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Runway Photo by Versace Fall/Winter 2014

CLINIQUE Chubby Stick Shadow Tint For Eyes in Big Blue P819.49

Vani t i es h a i r e ss e n t i a ls

GET SMART We’ve all neglected our skincare routine every once in a while. Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum is the closest thing you can get to a time machine. Undo harm done to your skin and improve uneven skin tone, dark spots, dullness, lines, and wrinkles in a matter of weeks. The formula helps provide your skin with its changing needs and repair all damage– visible or not.

While beneficial ingredients like keratin and peach extracts keep a natural, healthy shine for your hair, you can now blow-dry in just half the time with My Amazing Blow Dry Secret.

Expert Advice

Get an anti-frizz protection, a lasting shine, and deep nourishment from the gift of the hair gods, L’Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil, packed with vitamins and essential acids from avocado and grape seed oil.

Use a face scrub with round beads to slough off dead skin cells, and glowing skin will emerge underneath. Try to keep exfoliation to twice a week to avoid irritation.

Achieving the everyday disheveled look, L’Oréal Tecni Art Density Material lets you control your grungy “bed hair” without taking away its natural oils while leaving your scalp melon-scented.

beauty bite

kiyosa

Words by Jill de Leon Hair Essentials photos by Ian Castañares

he first Japanese Nail Art Salon in the Philippines, leave it to Kiyosa to come up with over the top designs with the most intricate details. Their crisp white walls, leather chairs, and sheer curtains, combined with just the right amount of yellow lighting makes you feel like you’re getting your nails on vacation. Located at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, their salon is furnished with equipment that ensure a relaxing and problem-free application.

G/F F1 Hotel 32nd St., Cor. Lane Q, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (02) 805 8888 facebook.com/Kiyosa.Japanese.Total. Beauty

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GO S E E

Stand out from the crowd with alternative ways to cover up for the cold season.

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Photographed by Steffi Santiago

S T YL E I D Designer Celeste Galiano Mondino brings sunshine with her everywhere she goes.

Pay homage to the ‘80s with this trippy acid green lab coat.

SUGAR COATED Enough of the drab melancholic monochromatic winter colors, please. Let’s turn on the heat on this chilly “ber” season by donning sweet colorful treats straight from the candy store as seen on the David Koma Fall/Winter runway. You can never go wrong with neoprene and color.

By JP Singson

Fashion Director Natalia Alaverdian and her delectable raspberry-colored tailored coat.

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Street style photos courtesy of jponfashionspeed.com and lelook.eu

Hulda goes aquatic with her lovely aqua blue wool overcoat.

Bohemian Belle Photographed by Shaira Luna Styled by Ria Casco

blouse by Classified pants and earrings by Forever 21

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earrings, ring, scarf, and halter top by Forever 21 skirt by Topshop

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jumpsuit by Miss Selfridge earrings by Forever 21

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kimono cover-up by Topshop dress by Forever 21

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kimono cover-up by Topshop dress, earrings, and necklace by Forever 21

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sweater by Topshop skirt by Miss Selfridge earrings by Forever 21

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blouse by Miss Selfridge trousers and earrings by Forever 21

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jumpsuit by Miss Selfridge jacket by Stradivarius

Makeup Sari Campos Hair Blo Blow Dry Bar Model Jill VerbickaitĂŠ of ELITE Models

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hat and earrings by Boutique Nadine top by Versace coat by FOA

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AFTER GLOW Photographed by Martina Giachi Styled by Elisa Sedoni

hat, earrings, tank, and pants by Boutique Nadine

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earrings and dress by Boutique Nadine

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earrings, top, and skirt by Boutique Nadine

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earrings by Boutique Nadine top by Versace belt by Roberta Di Camerino

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hat, earrings, and pants by Boutique Nadine top by Versace coat by FOA

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hat and earrings by Boutique Nadine top by Versace coat by FOA

hair and makeup Ilaria Bolgori model Jovana Gajic of Women Management Milan

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S t r e e t e s c a p e Photographed by Ted Sun Styled by Sherah Jones

(on opposite page) hat by Fox vest and dress by Second Female (on this page) top and pants by D-ID Jeans shoes by Forever-21

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top and pants by G-Star boots by Aldo

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jacket by Rachel Zoe top by D-ID Jeans shorts by G-Star

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jumpsuit by G-Star bag by Second Female

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jacket and dress by G-Star boots by Aldo

hair and makeup Jennifer Corona model Saddie of LA Models

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FASHION

facebook.com/starstyleph

Beauty

Celebrity

@starstyleph

www.starstyle.ph

@starstyleph

SWAG N ov e m b e r

2 0 1 4

Watch Out Switch it up with tweaks to your favorite wardrobe basics like watches, heels, cigarette pants, and sweaters. Product Photography by Ian Casta単ares Styled by Sabrina Mesina

G r ay S w e at e r s

GRAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ANATOMY Take on the cold days in various shades of gray.

From top to bottom Gap [P2,450] Penshoppe [P1,399] Penshoppe [P1,299] Aeropostale [P2,450]

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Wat c h e s

TICKED OFF Time to make a statement with print-strapped watches.

Hypergrand Watches From left to right Royale [P15,300] Governor [P5,800] Bruiser [P9,100] Raven Maverick [P5,800] Bricklane [P9,100]

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Ea r t h T o n e s

EARTH HOUR

Kick it up a notch with these earth tones.

From top to bottom Cole Haan [P14,200] Kenneth Cole [P7,250] Kenneth Cole [P7,950]

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PLAIDS

WELL PLAID

You can never get enough of these timeless plaid shirts.

From left to right Kenneth Cole [P3,450] Springfield [P2,250] Cotton On [P1,199] Kenneth Cole [P4,950]

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G la m S h o e s

SOLE SISTER

Nothing says classy better than embellished heels.

From top to bottom Nine West [P5,950] Steve Madden [P6,650] Steve Madden [P7,250]

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Midi S ki r t s

FRESH PRINTS

Mix it up with printed midi skirts.

From top to bottom Topshop [P2,895] Cotton On [P1,199] Topshop [P2,895]

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sw e a t e r s

KNIT PICKING Add some texture and color with knit sweaters.

From top to bottom Cotton On [P1,199] Cotton On [P999] Topshop [P2,595] Aeropostale [P2,950]

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Ciga r e t t e

SMARTY PANTS Cigarette pants are definitely a smart choice-day or night.

From left to right Miss Selfridge [P2,795] River Island [P2,890] River Island [P3,290] Gap [P2,950]

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pan t s

M U S E

ith hazel eyes, beauty marks, and elfin features, 16-year old Natarsha Orsman can’t be shut in a cage. On a regular day, she’s the perfect girl next door. “I’m a little bit awkward but friendly. I’m loud when I laugh, and I will always put everyone else first.” But after having a good laugh, she runs free on the runway. “When I’m walking at a show, this is what goes on in my mind: Tight face. Chin down. Shoulders back. Arms behind. Straight line. Be a sass queen.” Being a style love child of Sasha Luss and Miranda Kerr, she says, “I think every girl needs a black jacket.” When she isn’t at home listening to Lorde in her One Direction T-shirt, collaging and decorating little things, or browsing through Tumblr, she’s marching in and out of castings with her modern, monochrome fashion. “I think my whole experience with modeling has been unforgettable. I have met so many people and had the most amazing experiences.” Like a true wild thing, Natarsha gets stronger

Caught between mountains, trees, sand, and seas, NATARSHA ORSMAN knows how to morph from a mysterious woodland nymph to a beautiful storm in the city. Having walked in New Zealand Fashion Week for Juliette Hogan, Pardon My French, and Stolen Girlfriends Club, the halfEuropean, half-Thai model brings her own craft to the runway. By Janroe Cabiles Photographed by Ashley Church Styled by Jacque Shaw Makeup Maia Renner

with every heart she steals, until she’s strong enough to run into the woods or fly into a tree.

center stage

I’ve always been into performing. I dance, I act, and I sing, but not well, and only in the shower. I actually just finished working on my English and Dance Choreography assignment. I performed in World of Wearable Arts, and a makeup artist kept telling me to go into modeling, so I sent in photos and now I’m here.

around the world

My hometown is a very small and artsy place. My favorite spot has always been the Wellington Waterfront. I’m half Thai, so I’ve been to Thailand a few times to visit my family. I’ve also been to Laos, and I was recently in the amazing Sydney for work. My dream destination is New York and Paris, because I’ve always loved the city life!

make up and down To stay naturally beautiful, I only wear makeup on special occasions to let my skin breath. But beauty isn’t just about your looks; being positive on the inside will help with inner and outer beauty.

matter matters

My favorite quote is from Dr. Seuss: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” People will laugh at you, tease you, and humiliate you. Unfortunately, it’s part of life. I myself have struggled with confidence issues and you can’t take it to heart. Love yourself, learn to ignore the insults, and embrace the compliments.

@natarshaorsman

M A E S T R O

o many firsts have been happening for British singersongwriter Imogen Heap. It will be the first time that she’s going to be a mother and she’s beyond ecstatic. “I’m seven-anda-half months pregnant, so I’ve got a big bump. It’s the biggest project ever. I’m really looking forward to putting somebody else first,” says Immi, as she’s known by her fans. This Grammy award-winner just released her fourth studio album Sparks. The music critics are describing it as her most adventurous album to date because of the thought process of how she created most of the songs. Since she has been collaborating with her fans, may it be for artworks or simply chatting online about music, she admits to wanting to up the ante. “I’ve never tried having them send me sounds before, so I asked them if they could, since I want to include some of it for the song ‘Lifeline.’ They sent in sounds from everyday life like scratching knees, chattering teeth, dishwasher doors, and all kinds of weird things. That’s how I work, I don’t always record instruments, and sometimes I would record the radiator or the sound of wine glasses, people talking in the background, which is very much part of my music. The fans knew what I wanted, and I got really cool sounds, nearly a thousand a day.” “It’s freedom,” shares Immi describing her new album. Traveling to places like India, China, and Bhutan, she absorbed enough inspiration for her songs such as “Minds Without Fear,” “Climb to Sakteng,” and “Xizi She Knows.” Another reason why this album is very liberating for Immi is because of one more project that will revolutionize how one can create sound and music. She, together with a team of programmers, engineers, and technicians, designed and created the MiMu gloves, which are digitally configured in the computer to create sounds, effects, and record via hand gestures and movements. Using a Kinect as the gloves’ sensor, every hand gesture is programmed to do something, either to control a sound, change the pitch, loop it, record it, and more. “The gloves already came to a point where they were behaving as I dreamt them to behave. There was that moment where we pat ourselves on the back as a team ‘cause we got the MiMu gloves to the place where it feels like I’m sculpting music, and it’s quite emotional,” she shares. The MiMu gloves will innovate the production of music and performances onstage though admittedly, she’s not out to drastically change how she does her live shows. However, she’s hell-bent on making it a

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hands in the air lot more convenient and more liberating. “I will always use the piano, and I will always be looping. The biggest difference is, hopefully, to make things easier and to always make me feel engaged in the performance of the music rather than having me think of an action. I hope to have more expressive performances, as well as less wires and weight to travel around the world with because one of the biggest problems of touring is the amount cost of the freight.” Given that she has all these responsibilities in her hands, she still has pent-up frustrations as a musician. “Not having enough time to make music—that’s always my biggest frustration. On one side of me, there’s this feeling of trying things differently. I want to move my technology forward, I want to try different ways of writing music, and in order to do that, I have to learn so many things. What comes with that is a lot of organization and people management and I’m not so good at that. And right at the end, often, is the chance to finally make music,” admits Immi. As of the moment, aside from getting ready for motherhood, Immi is busy promoting her new record, working on further improving the gloves, and contemplating on the idea of touring by late next year. One thing’s for sure, Immi’s not afraid of change. Like technology, she’s more than willing to upgrade herself constantly. “Over the years, I still love the sound that I did in the past. But now, I’m definitely open to different things. The more I make records, the more confident I feel in my fans as well that they will allow me to take them to new places.”

imogenheap.com @imogenheap

Back with an album after almost a four-year break, digital music goddess IMOGEN HEAP will take you on an adventurous melodic journey with Sparks as well as introduce you to a progressive way of making music. By Denise Mallabo

“Over the years, I still love the sound that I did in the past. But now, I’m definitely open to different things.”

MAestro

heart racing track With songs that ring to the sound of heartache and love anew, singersongwriter CARLOS CASTAÑO walks his way from the city lights of Manila to become the first independent Filipino musician to play in Singapore Grand Prix alongside other artists like John Legend, Pet Shop Boys, and Ziggy Marley. By Kitkat Ramos Photographed by Kai Huang

here is no formula to dating. Beyond the mixed signals, confusion, and indecision, many struggle to focus on even the mundane motions of the everyday grind. But Carlos, on top of being a businessman, makes time to write stories that find their way into his independently-produced records. “[My music is] chill and happy. Obviously, I write a lot about the girls I date. I don’t know how to be flowery, so I guess my music is like that as well–very straightforward. It’s about the breakups and rants from exes,” he shares. From the bouncy beats and strums of a guitar to blooming infatuation in “To Love You,” to the sways of warning in “Walk, Walkin’ Away,” Carlos is a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and is not afraid to sing about his triumph and misery. Varying in jumpy, headbobbing pop acoustic tracks to the slow ballads of the guitar over cool and smooth vocals, Carlos pours his heart out in various stages across Asia. As the quest for a love in the mix of trials and errors continues, he would settle down the in-betweens to ponder on what’s in the gray.

Hey Carlos! You performed in The Singapore Grand Prix last September. Tell us, how was that experience? We played four shows in Singapore and it was brilliant. It was mind boggling and [me and my band] were wondering what we were doing there. Part of it was that we worked hard for it, the other half was like, “Holy cow, we’re walking past the stage where John Legend will play in 30 minutes and he smells really great.” There was this moment when I turned back to our drummer and music director, Michael

Gemina, and we cried. I cried onstage while he was laughing at me. It was really just a validation of how talented Filipinos are. If we just refuse the restrictions of what country defines for us as artists, then there’s a bigger world out there. Your lyrics tell stories of love in both low and high notes. How do these experiences translate to your songs? Something has to happen and I write about it–like a breakup or when I see someone new and she’s really cute. The first thing I do is to let go of the song I’m listening to because I’m going to start writing what I hear. Instead, I make my own version of that song. It doesn’t sound anything like that, but I keep the mood because for me, music is already out there. It has already been done so we take these events and we try to make it our own. That’s my process. I look around for things I can turn into mine. I won’t lie, I don’t have a well of inspiration that keeps flowing. I just really respect music. For me, it’s pure joy and nothing else. Your website talks about your future releases coming out this December–an EP called Wood&Heart and your fourth album, Kutinslip. What can we expect from these releases? Are they any different from the material you already have? Yeah, there’s more focus on the guitar. It will be really raw and it’s going to be an acoustic record of six songs. Then Kutinslip is going to be like James Blake. I saw him last

January at Laneway Festival and I was blown away. I bought his record and I wanted to do something like that, but of course, I don’t want to copy it. What do you think makes up a good record? I think the story. The entire record has to be telling a simple, relatable topic that everyone can listen to. The beauty of music is joy. It’s all about sharing. If someone hears the song and smiles, that’s the point of it. If someone hears it and cries, that’s the

point of it too. I guess what makes a successful record is relatability. You tell your story, but it can mean different things to different people. When they hear it they will say, “This is my song, this my jam.”

carloscastanomusic.com @carloscastano

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MAESTRO

FROM THE NIGHT’S ARREST With a new record called Little Machines, LIGHTS is back with her unmistakable brand of electropop. STATUS sits down with her as she shares with us how a traveling childhood and a life of music made her found home in the form of music. By Isa Almazan

creative exercise. It’s different writing from someone else’s mind, but the rest of the time I write from mine. As an artist, you don’t really write for other people. You write for yourself.

iving with a family who lived in different countries at a time exposed Valerie Anne Poxleitner, a.k.a. Lights, to many cultural influences. However, she cites her father as her earliest influence to her persuasion for music. Listening to old school goodies like Supertramp or Electric Light Orchestra, her love for the craft gradually expanded to today’s current obsession with electronic jams. “I couldn’t have asked for a better way to grow up,” Lights shares. “It was probably the only way I would have discovered my passion of music. Had I gone to a [traditional] school, I’d be exposed to only one place.” “Let’s get on another flight / Maybe set out to sea / Kick it up and shake a fist at it / ‘Cause death is harder to come by / than it is to breathe / When you gotta make a break for it,” goes her single “Up We Go,” a song that gives evidence to her song writing prowess. As her Twitter bio says, she can indeed tickle a gnarly synth over lyrics that ring true to her experience growing up and rising above the rough nights that life brings.

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When did your first realize that music was what you wanted to do? My dad was very musical and music was a big part of our lives. It all goes back to when we were in the Philippines. I had nightmares and got scared a lot. I hated being left alone and had trouble falling asleep. Sometimes, my dad would play the acoustic guitar downstairs and I could hear it through the house. It made me feel like everything was going to be okay. So everytime I was freaked out, he played the guitar. Everything felt good, everything felt okay. After a while, I understood that music was so powerful. It’s a superpower–it really is. It’s not tangible. You can’t touch it, you can’t capture it. But it’s so effective in our lives and it affects our emotions so much. I knew from those moments that it was something I wanted to do. It is a superpower. Who wouldn’t want that kind of power? You started out writing songs for other artists. How do you compare this experience to writing music for yourself? It’s definitely different. There was this instance when I had to write from the perspective of another person for a show called Instant Star. I had to look at the things she experienced and wrote from her angle. It’s cool because you put your mind in someone else’s body and write from that perspective. It’s a

Describe your creative process. Do you have any rituals, processes, or methods? Well, one of the things I always do is to keep a word document, a memo of lyrics and ideas. When you sit down and focus on putting a song together, you have these sources to pull from, to start out with. From that point, I usually play the piano or get a guitar, have a chord, and work it into a melody. Or I start with a beat. If I have a cool beat going, that’ll shake the song. I start writing the song around that. If I start with a beat, I generally end up with an upbeat song. But if I start with a piano, it’s going to be a slower song.

Fans know your sound as indie electropop. Is there anything new or any change we should expect from your new album, Little Machines? I never really fit in into a specific genre, and I kind of liked it that way. It’s somewhere between pop, rock, and EDM at moments, and a lot of elements that I pull from to create my sound. That’s what I like about it. Classic Electronic–it’s kind of two opposite sounding words that really describe the album right. I wanted to make songs that could stand the test of time, but there’s still this cool electronic production that involves vintage synth, so we have synths that were used in the ‘70s and ‘80s on modern production. It’s kind of a cool mix of a bunch of eras of electronic music and I’m really proud of it.

iamlights.com @LIGHTS

MAestro

IN THE BULL PEN

Inspired, or more accurately, frustrated by lousy wannabe DJs in college parties, DJ CARLO ATENDIDO went from a watered-down first gig all the way to the international stage of Red Bull Thr3estyle, proving to everyone that he’s out to take the bull by the horns.

By Kitkat Ramos Photographed by We Take Fotos

T “When everyone is asleep, I’m awake trying to think of how to take everyone down.”

hrough the seemingly endless hours between Monday and Thursday, silent prayers can be heard for Friday to come. Among the many people who watch the flow of the night’s good vibes is Carlo Atendido, whose vigilance traces back to his college years. “I got my first gig on the day I bought my 20,000-peso equipment. It was a party in an open field in school. I set everything up without knowing much about being a DJ yet, but everything seemed to go well–until it started to rain. My equipment got wet and the sound got cut. People stopped dancing and started booing and throwing cans at the booth. So I just opened my laptop and played songs from my iTunes,” he shares. “After the party, I thought, ‘Is this a sign that I should stop and quit?’ But then there was this girl who told me that my first gig was a disaster but I still kept people dancing, not because of my messed up equipment, but because of the songs I played. So I just stuck to it to see where it would take me.” No rain can stop this parade as he recounts his experience after competing with

some of the greatest DJs alive in the recent Red Bull competition in Azerbaijan. “I definitely have more gigs now than before with the exposure from the contest. There’s more respect for me and there’s a title to my name too.” But even with this kind of exposure, he still has some reservations when performing. “When you’re a DJ, you’re pretty insecure. I like to think that because when I play songs, I think, ‘Are they gonna like it? Because I really like this song. Or is it just me?’” He laughs as he explains his thought process before a gig, but he says the aftermath is the best part about being a DJ. “Anyone can play Swedish House Mafia or any song and people will go crazy for it, but if you play a personal song that comes from your heart, or a song that only you know, and your audience will end up liking it, that’s the best part. It’s the best feeling in the world.” When asked about what makes a good song, he says, “There are a lot of factors, really. There are a thousand remixes of a song like ‘Levels’ by Avicci, but what remix the DJ plays of that song is what makes you unique. It’s really a personal choice to choose a song that affects them. I just want to play the songs that I think are cool and coincidentally what people like too.” For Carlo, song selection is key. “Sure, anybody can mix song A and song B in the same bpm, but if you play a hip-hop song and then mix it with a rock song and an EDM song then bring it back to hip-hop, it’s a whole different thing. It makes you unique. That’s what you call open forum mixing–a DJ who play all genres together. Definitely song selection and the ability to mix any genre, are what makes a good DJ. There are so many colors in the musical rainbow, you can’t just stick to the color blue–you have to switch it up.” Carlo takes the reins for his plans to stay relevant in this ever-changing industry. He practices at least four hours a day, staying in his room preparing for more competitions in the coming year. Like a bull ready to charge his matador he says, “When everyone is asleep, I’m awake trying to think of how to take everyone down.”

youtube.com/smashcorefilms @djcarloatendido

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M A S T E R M I N D

Chasing transcendence into a film virtuoso, JAKE HOFFMAN puts acting on pause. On the pursuit of the art of direction, the actor rides a different tide. By Janroe Cabiles Photographed by Brayden Olson

THE NEW WAVE S “I think a big part of the appeal of film is that no project can last forever, so it’s always about looking for new inspiration, exploring different things.”

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tarting out as a boy at Pancake Counter, a Little League player, and a valet in Rain Man, Hook, and I Heart Huckabees respectively, Jake Hoffman made bigger waves starring in National Lampoon’s Adam & Eve, Click, and the infamous The Wolf of Wall Street. Skyrocketing to the top of the credits, he played the leading roles in indie films Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead and Barney’s Version, while having a cameo in the upcoming comedy-drama She’s Funny That Way. Attending Film School at NYU at the age of 18, there was no hiding what Jake’s real motive was all along. “I’ve really used acting as a way to learn about directing. Directing has always been a dream of mine, and it still is.” Much of what he absorbed through being a medium contributed to his skill set as a future director. “One of the main lessons I’ve learned is that the better the director is, the less you feel their

presence,” he says. “So much of directing, at least in terms of directing the actors, is all in the casting. If you have a great cast, not overwhelming them with too many notes but rather giving them room to breathe lets them explore and feel comfortable.” Inching closer to his dream, Jake took to writing, having made three short films, namely, Please Alfonso, Pancho’s Pizza, and Walk Into a Bar. “Writing has always been a means to an end,” he recalls. “When you are a young aspiring director, it’s difficult to find good scripts that people will let you direct, so the challenge is to do it yourself. As challenging it can be, it’s also very therapeutic.” Answering the actor’s dream is a directorial debut, his most recent project, Asthma. “[The film] is about a young rebel in NYC who feels he has nothing to lose.” Throwing his hands up in air with a “fuck it” attitude, Benedict Samuel plays Gus, who steals a Rolls Royce and offers Ruby, a tattoo artist he’s had a crush on played by Krysten Ritter, a ride to the country. A modern charm glorifying the misfits’ escape, the film is a salute to the beauty of the ‘70s. “The main character struggles to come of age, while also struggling not to come of age. Growing up can be like that.”

“Watching Benedict Samuel and Krysten Ritter bring [the script] to life, I wasn’t surprised by how great they were, but watching the chemistry between them on screen was such a highlight.” With great pillars beside him such as director of photography David Myrick and editor Barney Pilling, the first-time director sat back and watched the film gods pour out a divine coherency as everything fell to place. “Surrounding myself with amazing and talented people who connect to the material and watching it come to life, it’s what I love about what I do the most.” “I think a big part of the appeal of film is that no project can last forever, so it’s always about looking for new inspiration, exploring different things.” When he isn’t scouring flea markets, watching a Knicks game, or hanging out with friends, everyday is a busy one for Jake, always returning to his natural state of unrest. “It’s when I’m not working that I have time to get stressed. I don’t know what the cure is; I guess just keeping busy will do the trick.” When asked what his dream project is, he answers, “Getting to make my first film was a dream project. Now, I have to figure out the next one.”

mastermind

in the smok y hour Detritus

Manila-based artist LESLIE DE CHAVEZ may work with darker hues of the palette but he’s certain of the brightness that art creates. After all, light shines brighter against darkness.

“Experimentation and exploration should be done once in a while because it is through these that you create more rooms for possibilities and new discoveries.”

by Olivia Estrada Interview by Ken Rafiñan

eslie doesn’t back down from a challenge as seen in the harsh, bold lines and saturated colors that dominate his works along with the subjects of his pieces. “Style is just like language; there are several of them for you to choose from. One can always try to combine, improve, distort, and use it to the best of its potential. In art history, it’s always about endless dialectics, never-ending inventions, re-inventions, and questioning what’s prevails at the time that makes style organic.” As Leslie shows us his forays into creating a style fluent in his message, he cuts through different territories with exhibits in Taiwan, Singapore, Berlin, and Zurich. Leslie is also one of the artists featured in The Franks-Suss Collection, which houses thousands of works from emerging creative locations and minds across the globe. STATUS sits down with the artist, one of the most recent recipients of the Fernando Zobel Prize for Visual Art at the Ateneo Art Award, to peel away at the different layers that comprise Leslie’s complicated canvass. You’ve been to many countries in Asia and Europe for exhibitions and residencies. What has been your favorite so far and why? I have always considered Korea as my second country, simply because it was the only place where I was granted a one year residency and where I have stayed the longest. I was very lucky to be given countless opportunities and valuable

support during and after my stay in Korea, which only strengthened my ties and love for the country. But my practice as an artist, I must admit, resonates more with Germany. Two of the cities that I’ve been to, Berlin and Leipzig, brims with an overwhelming creative energy. These are timeworn places with renewed spirit. They’re passionate yet still relaxed, daring but cool, and totally infectious. How has being from Lucban, with its festivals and traditions, influenced your work? The festivals, the old churches and colonial houses, and the locals were all part of my early works as subject matter for my paintings. They helped honed my skills and sensibilities in painting, as well as my sense of scale and use of materials for mixed media and installation projects. Straying from conventional paintings, you begin with a black canvas. Is all great art tinged with darkness and bitterness? I think great art is something that exudes universality and can transcend history in general, regardless of the quality of its execution, depth, or seriousness of concept or source of its subject matter. The overall darkness and heaviness of colors in my paintings are all but results of the techniques that I use in painting. It was never my intention to make them look that way just for them to be considered great works of art.

Kadiliman Sa Lunga

The question of how I could convey my ideas and translate them effectively in whatever form I am working with runs in my head whenever I work on my pieces. Your latest exhibit for Project Space Pilipinas, PaperViews 14, has you working on white paper and playing with deconstructed icons of pop culture and childhood. Why the shift from your usual aesthetics? PaperViews 14 is just one of our many projects at Project Space Pilipinas, the artist-initiative I started in 2007. It was a group show of more than 50 artists, wherein we asked them to create works on paper that would respond to a particular idea or concept. The pieces I showed here came from my past studies for paintings layered with doodles on paper by my eldest son, Ydris Juan. It is then a collaborative work. I think one has to understand that ideas are always open to thousands of possible translations in art. And to keep

Dubious Integrity yourself confined to a single style or approach will only bring you, sooner or later, to a dead end. Experimentation and exploration should be done once in a while because it is through these that you create more rooms for possibilities and new discoveries.

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Mastermind

can’t be framed

Keeping time neatly within a white paper border, KIMI SELFRIDGE follows the sight of her lens and stays still despite the fast-paced nature of today’s wonders. By Olivia Estrada

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he art of photography exists in a realm of contradictions. Anyone can take a picture and share it to a million people in a few seconds—thanks to technology. We can spend click after click trying to perfect that candid moment, yet we still resort to filters, pixel upgrades, and softwares to capture a moment not by how it happened but how we want to remember it. But for Kimi Selfridge, who is a disciple of analog photography working with vintage cameras, she maintains the core of the art form that is spontaneity. “My style of shooting is very natural and unplanned. My goal with every photograph is to translate that in its most balanced and flattering form.” Combining that belief with her arsenal of old school favorites such as vintage 35mm cameras from the ‘80s, Polaroid 600, and a Fuji Instax, she creates images where the present meets a time forgotten and recalls the fragility of memory that only prints can contain. “For me, there’s something special and timeless about being able to hold an actual photo in your hand. I also have always shot on film, so it’s become synonymous with my aesthetic.” Though the artist can appreciate the speed that technology grants us, she knows that virtue rewards those who stand by it. “The immediate gratification of instant film is quite pleasing, but with 35mm film, I’m able to have more control with the settings, so the results are usually worth waiting for.” It’s then no surprise that Kimi’s career, which has branched out with styling and multi-media creations, is also a product of her personal patience. Kimi’s interest in photography is a natural progression from her childhood. “I’ve been shooting since I was a kid on a disposable 35mm camera. It was just something

I enjoyed doing and didn’t think too much about. I would photograph people like ‘NSYNC and Britney Spears when I attended their concerts, which is something I did surprisingly often. I have a large collection of pop stars performing on stage from the late ‘90s and early ‘00s.” As an eager observer on the sidelines and absorbing the youthful energy around her, Kimi keeps calm to bring out the underlying mood under all the action. Using sepia tones and muted colors, her photographs give off a relaxed feel that doesn’t take away from the subject at hand. “I’m inspired by my surroundings, mostly in the form of colors, shapes, and textures. I truly enjoy taking photographs of anything, but my favorite is definitely portraits.” It is then easy to assume that because of this look, which is getting harder and harder to find in a scene saturated by digital sharpness, that Kimi has worked with labels like Urban Outfitters, magazines like Nylon and Paper, and pop stars Kate Nash and Charli XCX. She also experiments a lot with multiple exposure that encapsulates the fleeting motion in a situation. “I build a multiple exposure photograph around the characteristics of the location. It’s different with every photograph.” As life moves faster than a shutter can capture, Kimi holds steadfast with her endeavors and keeps at its pace as much as she can, with or without her trusty camera. “I’m hoping to premiere my upcoming series of Tan Camera videos called Ice Cream Eyes in November. I will also be adding new custom items to my online store over the next two months.”

tancamera.com @tancamera

MASTERMIND

constant thrills From being in the midst of biological warfare to advising the president, actor TOMMY SAVAS has possibly found his niche in perfect spine-tingling addictive thrillers. With his dark eyes and brooding eyebrows, it seems like a great fit. by Nicole Nequinto Photographed by Bjoern Kommerell

he world’s a mess and Tommy Savas’ characters seem to be the ones tidying it up. The New York native stumbled into the world of television drama with suspense-driven thrillers such as Michael Bay’s The Last Ship and the upcoming political drama State of Affairs, opposite crowd-pleaser Katherine Heigl and Academy Award nominee, Alfre Woodard, this November. At first glance, these dramas seem perfect for Tommy, but when he got into acting, these weren’t the kind of roles he imagined he’d be doing. “I’ve always thought of myself as a comedic actor. Oddly enough, most of my jobs have been dramatic ones,” he reflects,”It’s probably because of my massive, brooding eyebrows.” His eyebrows may have lent a helping hand but it was all hard work and persistence that got Tommy into two thrilling, fast-paced television shows this year. After landing a series of guest roles in small screen hits like The Sopranos, CSI: New York, and Law and Order: Special Victims Units, Tommy scored his first starring role in Michael Bay’s apocalyptic thriller, The Last Ship, as a

member aboard a navy vessel that is humanity’s last hope against a deadly epidemic. For his new role in State of Affairs, Tommy is again called to serve his fellowmen. Playing the youngest in the briefing team of the president of the United States, Dashiell Greer, Tommy explains that his character is quite the overachiever even at such a high-calibre job. “One of the things that makes him good at what he does is that he can be somewhat of a prodigy. He is extremely competitive.” But he also sees the flaws in Dashiell saying, “He is pretty married to his job. He would be the worst friend ever.” It may seem like an overnight success, scoring these

pivotal roles in two world class thrillers but the journey’s been long and eventful. Tommy got his start in acting at four years old when his acting teacher fostered his interest and talent in the profession. The impact on him is evident as he would have loved to be a teacher if he wasn’t an actor saying, “The other career path I was looking at or always thought I would do was teaching, and it is something I would love to do in the future.” At this point in time, the future seems bright for Tommy, who is spreading his wings not just as an actor but as a producer as well. “I just finished the film Bad Roomies, which I produced and starred in. We’re taking it to festivals

in 2015, so keep an eye out!” He prepares himself to take on big and better things but makes sure to be always ready for whatever struggle sharing, “Constant rejection has been the most difficult challenge.” But no worries because there’s always that ray of hope. “In my opinion, what separates people who succeed from those who don’t is their persistence. You are dealing with other people’s opinions on what is and isn’t art, so you are constantly being rejected. But the one ‘yes’ that you do get makes it all worthwhile.”

@TommySavas

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Mastermind

wisps and strands

“When you’re shooting street photography, you are inspired by characters. But when you shoot fashion, you create them.”

penchant to taking souls and molding them into characters is the charm Alex Franco puts into his photos. Capturing people in their most natural, almost candid state is what gives his portfolio a soothing yet exciting landscape. “When you’re shooting street photography, you are inspired by characters. But when you shoot fashion, you create them.” Having worked as an assistant of fashion photographer Mario Testino, who has worked with Vogue and Vanity Fair, Alex has a keen and clean eye for immortalizing characters while showcasing fashion in the most awe-inducing ways. His skill set has been vouched for by brands such as Topshop and Kenzo as well as magazines like NOWNESS, Russh Magazine, and Dazed & Confused. His latest project, Eastern Ways, is an exploration of the style culture in Omo Valley, Ethiopia as their tribal clothing meets the influence of the West to create a unique fashion statement. Driven to create past his limitations, Alex turned to Kickstarter to fund the project and is now planning his next trip to Ethiopia for the final touches. “[Eastern Ways] is going really well, so far. I’m planning my return, which will allow me to finish the project in a more extensive way.” “I like to find out more about who’s photograph I’m taking,” he says. “That way, I am able to bring out emotions in the most natural way.” Any corner of the globe he leaves footsteps on, Alex is sure to compose a powerful story of people, all in one frame. Tell us about the beginning of your career. I left the beautiful city of Barcelona and moved to London when I was 19. I was ready to start working as a photographer, learn English, and just take on whatever the world had to offer. The biggest adjustment was the language barrier. It’s very difficult to be yourself without the language; you can’t make jokes or keep up with conversations. It was like physically being there without any mind presence.

With every tendril and intake of breath captured by his lens, ALEX FRANCO has a story to tell. Through his eyes, every corner of the world has something raw and beautiful to offer, whether caught under a roof or a cloud. By Janroe Cabiles

Is there any model who has become your fashion photography muse? One of my favorites is Daria Werbowy. The experience is collaborative and it’s so important to have a connection with the one you are photographing. It’s important to feel inspired whether you are in front or behind the camera. What message do you hope to spread with your project Eastern Ways? I think there is a story that is often unseen in different cultures due to a lack of personal interaction with these people. We can’t expect that tribes will always wear skins. We fall into a trap where we romanticize the past or future but can’t see what is staring right at us at the moment. My project not only documents a style but is also based on the bonds I’ve formed with these people. I was inspired on a daily basis by getting to know a culture so far removed from what we know. What these tribes are showing is an expression of individuality that is full of pure creativity. What is the one thing people would be surprised to know about the world of photography? Photography is more than just taking a photograph. A photograph is not a photograph until it is printed.

alexfranco.net @alexfrancophoto

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H E A V Y H I T T E R

Though comedian BLAKE ANDERSON plays an eccentric, slightly dim-witted telemarketer on Comedy Central’s surprise runaway hit, Workaholics, he is far from his character IRL. Underneath that hat of hair lies a genuine soul brimming with talent. But if he were to sell anything to people, he shares, “I would sell drugs. Everybody needs it. Whether it’s for medication or something. I’d love to sell that over the phone. I think I could really talk it up.” Okay, maybe not so much. By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Arnelle Lozada

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HEAVY HITTER

Blake Anderson

is living the teenage dream. He’s getting paid to star in a sitcom alongside three of his best buds about office slackers who get wrapped up in the craziest situations one could think of—from befriending pedophiles in a Justin Bieber chat room to tripping acid with bosses to give a client a “good time.” Co-created with his partners-in-crime Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, and Kyle Newacheck, Workaholics has been taking the contemporary comedy scene by storm. Though no one could have predicted the success of this single camera raunch-fest, Blake clearly had a vision for the show early on. “I definitely imagined it. I daydreamed about it. I hoped for it. The fact that it actually happened is pretty awesome.” Growing up to Jim Carrey’s slapstick banters and heavily influenced by Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim’s surreal humor, Blake‘s life has always been one big ba-dum-tss. “Some people in

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the comedy world don’t really listen to the mainstream; they march to their own drum and play within the genre.” He goes on, “I’ve always been a fan of people who are experimental, whether it’s through comedy, music, or clothing. It’s always cool to see people think outside the box.” In 2006, he started an improv troupe with Adam, Anders, and Kyle named the Mail Order Comedy. After making a few viral videos on YouTube, Comedy Central called them up to propose a show for the network. And from there on, everything started to fall in place. “It’s cool working with all of them because we’re really best friends in real life. We just spin around a room all day, eating string cheese and drinking sodas, throwing ideas on the board,” he shares. “Sometimes, we’ll be out partying and ideas will just come in that way. You’ll never know where you might get that creative spark. It’s a lot of just hanging out and banging our

heads against the wall.” From delivering boxes of pizzas across town, he now serves tons of laughter to a wider audience–and pretty much loves the attention he has been getting. “Being popular can be really cool because you get free stuff, like if you’re in a restaurant and if the cook likes you, you get a free appetizer or people will buy you a drink in the bar,” he relays. “I guess the only bad part is when you’re rolling into the grocery store and you look like a real pile of shit, people will take note of that. You can never be ugly, that’s why I always look fabulous.” However, keeping himself busy on the show has turned him into a workaholic in the realest sense. Apart from working on the series, he is now branching out. “Me and the dudes are working on movies scripts, as well as some solo stuff that I’m trying to get into producing,” he relays. “I’ve also been working on a cartoon for Comedy Central, and I have a clothing line called Teenage.”

HEAVY HITTER

“You can never be ugly, that’s why I always look fabulous.”

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HEAVY HITTER

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HEAVY HITTER

“I’ve always been a fan of people who are experimental, whether it’s comedy, music, or clothing. It’s always cool to see people think outside the box.” Catering to those with a humorous sartorial taste, Teenage is a clothing label Blake started with his wife, Rachel Finely. “It happened organically. Rachel works in the fashion industry and had some connections. I’ve always liked crazy T-shirts and collected them,” he recalls. “I’ve always been scouring Goodwill and Salvation Army in my town back when I was broke and I couldn’t afford new clothes, so I just had to be creative and put stuff together.” Offering up a ‘90s stoner vibe, the husband-and-wife duo isn’t afraid to throw in some crazy ideas. “At first glance, you might think, ‘Yo! That’s a crazy, ugly shirt!’ But if you see it on the right person and worn the right way, I think people will come around on it.” And who does Blake see as the most ideal model for his clothing line? It’s none other than The Hulkster. “Any way I can have Hulk Hogan involved in my life is a positive! He’s my

guy. Forever. I don’t know if we have shirts big enough but then he’s going to rip it off anyway, so it’s all good.” Currently filming the fifth season of Workaholics, the dudes have been cooking up the nastiest gags. “We pulled off some pretty big stunts; let’s just say that I have a flamethrower in it so it’s pretty cool. Fire will forever be cool. But kids, don’t play with matches.” He continues, “There’s not much that we won’t do. We’re working on one right now where we’re in a party and we got really drunk and we think we had sex with each other, and you have to see soon whether that’s true or not. It’ll be a good one.” Though their chemistry is what makes the show a hit, they’re always planning to spice things up with a little help from their friends. “What’s cool about the newest season is that we’re going to get some legit stars. I don’t want to ruin any surprises, but it’s fortunate

to get cool people to come on set and do some episodes,” he shares. “I feel like we brought it to the next level for this season, people are finally like, ‘Oh, we’re a show’ and respecting us a little bit. Some real heroes of the industry will be our guests.“ With all the success that Workaholics has been getting, the fame hasn’t really gone through his head–or hair for that matter. “We’re pretty lucky that people relate to us and haven’t gotten sick of us yet.” But he also doesn’t want to hog all the attention. “Now that we have a little weight in the industry, it’s cool to look for other talents and give them a chance to do what we’ve done,” he shares. “We’re always on a lookout for young bucks that are looking to make a break, help them out.” Now, who’s ready to get weird?

boredteenager.com @UncleBlazer

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THE N E V E R E N D I N G S T O RY In this age of a nostalgia-crazed generation, alt rock heroes WEEZER have been living through the shadows of the past–but they still remain to be the ‘90s band we grew up listening to. Now releasing a new record in 2014, they aren’t afraid to just be alright. This ain’t a midlife crisis. It’s midlife at its finest. By Pola Beronilla Photos courtesy of MCA Music Inc.

“

Sorry guys,

I didn't realize that I needed you so much,” frontman Rivers Cuomo blatantly admits in the beginning of the band’s first single in years, “Back to the Shack.” After taking a break from the studio and focusing on reconnecting with their core audience through exclusive cruises and nostalgic tours, Weezer retraces their steps, releasing a ninth LP, Everything Will Be Alright

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In The End, to address the critics–as well as the fanbase they’ve built over their 22year career. It has been 20 years since the geek chic quartet released their self-titled power pop classic commonly known as The Blue Album; 18 years for their cult hit, Pinkerton. Though they've had a few good moments postPinkerton, 2001’s The Green Album is arguably the last decent album they put out that still hinted at the band’s core sound, they have been constantly living in the shadows of their career’s earlier success. The unlikely foursome released a clever, somewhat humorous, nerd-friendly debut in 1994. With The Rentals’ Matt Sharp still playing for bass, the band stood their

ground in the alternative music scene. Two years later, the band hit a curve releasing their sophomore effort–it took only a few years before people and critics alike recognized the true value of Pinkerton. Due to its commercial failure, the band went on hiatus for five years, focusing on their personal lives–at this point, Matt Sharp had already left the band. In 2001, Rivers Cuomo, guitarist Brian Bell, and drummer Pat Wilson regrouped with The Cars’ Rick Ocasek, who produced the band’s eponymous debut, to release The Green Album. With the late Mikey Welsh on bass duties, their third gritty LP was their fastest selling record. From here on, things went off color. With every new album, fans hold their breath for a return in form. With the final addition of Scott Shriner as bassist, Weezer struggled to connect

heavy hitter

with their audience. “It's like they want me to step in a time machine and be 20 years younger. They want the same haircut, they want the same clothes. They want Matt back in the band. Most of them weren't even alive back then,” says guitarist Brian Bell in an interview with Rolling Stone. From Maladroit’s Muppetsapproved track, “Keep Fishin’” to Make Believe’s geek anthem, “Beverly Hills” to Raditude’s romcom-ready hit, “(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To,” Weezer was able to produce radio-friendly hits but were outside the rubric of why people loved the band. However, not all the blame should go to the band alone. Cuomo confesses in Rolling

Stone, “We were at a label where every time we’d go for a meeting, the president would say, ‘Rock is dead.’ They had no interest in even putting out our records. And who can blame them? The sun was setting.” After releasing 2010’s Hurley, people seem to have seen a light of hope for the band in the shape of Lost’s Jorge Garcia’s face. Four years later, the group reunites with Ocasek once again to help the band land on the same loud, bright power-pop-metal planet they once traveled on. Spending the bulk of 2014 to work on Everything Will Be Alright In The End, the band let fans in on the process of its creation through a video series dubbed as “Weezer Wednesdays,” teasing not only bits of songs but also details about the album, including the title and the artwork. The hype was built, and it certainly paid off. Though the new album promises a return to their roots, it doesn’t quite evoke a nostalgic feeling for Weezer’s sound in 1994– but it doesn’t make it any less of a good album either. EWBAITE has its highlights, from the strong opener, “Ain’t Got Nobody,” up until the three-part instrumental suite filled with guitar gymnastics, multiple showy solos, and sugary pop harmonies of “The Futurescope Trilogy.” As some tracks seemed to be marred with juvenile lyrics, classic

Cuomo melodies could clearly be heard in tracks like “Da Vinci” and “The British Are Coming” as well as “Go Away,” featuring Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino. While still in true Weezer fashion of heavy, thick riffs and somewhat whiny vocals, the band has entered a new age. As their core audience have the tendency to be over-critical of their work, this album would satisfy a lot of those obsessive fans who claim that The Blue Album and Pinkerton records were their only good records. Though this record seems like paying a fan service, Weezer managed to do it in their own terms and have explored new, yet familiar territory. Now in their 40s, one can’t help but wonder when it is the perfect time to retire in music. “I don’t know. I can’t believe that anyone does hang it up. I can’t imagine Weezer stopping. We just love doing what we’re doing and I think we’ll keep going until we fall down dead. Even if the audience is abandoning us, I can’t imagine doing anything else,” says Rivers Cuomo in an interview with Speakeasy. After all, everything will be alright in the end.

weezer.com @weezer

“We just love doing what we’re doing and I think we’ll keep going until we fall down dead.” statusmagonline.com - 83

Straight from Portland’s music scene, electropop outfit PRIORY are the best friends you wish you had. With the help of tender guitar arpeggios, synthpop touches, and anthemic songwriting, this duo can show you a thing or two about having a great weekend. By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Nick Walker

his group ain’t a monastery, but Priory can still give you a spiritual guidance through their tunes. Though their melodic structure of electronic instrumentation and heavy folk guitar is undeniably catchy, that doesn’t stop them from preaching through their lyrics. Taking Portland’s folk-rock DNA and mixing it with a few pop elements, they make songs that would stay for weeks on your playlists. Comprised of Brandon Rush and Kyle Sears, these Oregon natives started making music after bumping into each other a couple of times in their hometown. “We met at some

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shows in Portland a long time ago and just kind of hit it off.” They continue, “Then we ended up living in a bachelor pad, basically a flop house, and started writing music and that was it.” In 2011, Priory released a self-titled debut filled with indie pop sensibilities. It created buzz in the local papers, but it wasn’t long before finally reeling in the big fish. Now under Warner Music, they have gained a lot of experience from this major label. “We learned that 24-hour stints in the studio are never a good idea, it will kill you for three days and you’re bound

HEAVY HITTER

to get sick. It took us five to six times doing that during the making of the album where we gladly stayed in the studio for 24 hours before realizing that we were prematurely ageing ourselves.” With a full LP in the works, this duo doesn’t feel that much pressure with time. “We hope people would like it, but we don’t plan on force-feeding anything to anybody. We’re in an amazing position right now in life and we hope that we could do it forever.” And once they start promoting their latest record, there’s absolutely no stopping these two. “Right now, we’re getting ready to head out on the road and we’ll probably stay on the road for the next year and a half. We’re leaving on a seven-week tour this weekend and coming back for a small reprieve, and then we’re going to do some overseas dates. Then we’re just going to keep going for the next year.” Their latest album serves today’s culture of escapism. “It’s pretty much about surviving your youth and trying to find your own identity, which is something that takes a long time. We’re all about selfdiscovery and standing up for not only your beliefs but also standing up because you feel oppressed, and if you don’t fight fast, you know you’ll be buried. It’s the choices that we make in life and where those roads lead us.” As much as they focus on their musical structure,

lyricism is an essential factor to their tracks. “The cool thing about a lot of our songs is that we can put a lot of dark lyrical process into it. It’s just the position in between, having lyrical content, which is sometimes kind of subversive, and then merging it with a positive sounding musical progression,” the duo explains. “It’s like old nursery rhymes sometimes; they’re pretty dark like ‘Ring Around the Rosie.’ It’s kind of an equation that we use in a lot of our music. It feels like rejoicing, but there’s kind of a dark message underneath. Just like ‘Weekend,’ it’s about the marginalization of middle class and then acting out.” Currently, the band is riding on the high of the success of this single. “We’re so happy that ‘Weekend’ has gotten so much airplay and positive reviews. You get into a car and hear it on the radio, it’s such an awesome experience for us.” While their ideal weekend might include shamelessly dancing on a skating rink as seen on their latest music video, the duo has done some pretty interesting things during the week’s muchawaited break. “Oh, we can’t tell you that in an interview, so let’s leave it at that.”

prioryband.com @Prioryband

“We’re all about self-discovery and standing up for not only your beliefs but also standing up because you feel oppressed, and if you don’t fight fast, you know you’ll be buried. It’s the choices that we make in life and where those roads lead us.”

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B L O C K

Roam the alleys of the dark and find exploding streets of the art. Pushing canvases aside, these live artists and muralists are painting walls with character and bringing statues to life instead.

P A R T Y

By Janroe Cabiles

In your early years, what first developed your artistic tendencies? For me, it was The Adventures of Tintin, Judge Dredd, the science fiction comic 2000 AD, the psychedelic drawings of Robert Crumb, and the films of Monty Python. We all used to draw non-stop. When you draw all the time for a living, it might mean you never have to grow up. How would you describe your aesthetic in one line? Four words: maximalist, punk pop, occult, surrealism. When given a new project, what is your process of collating ideas?

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We talk it over and come to a meeting place between everyone’s different ideas, something that hopefully works for everybody, and the ideas evolve as we draw. Just like the artist Chuck Close says, “Flashes of inspiration are for amateurs.” Is there any film or band that had an impact on your art? As a group, one of our main film influences is probably Alejandro Jodorowski and his crazy visions. As for music, the space rockers Hawkwind have weaved their way through our drawings quite a bit.

legun.co.uk

“When you draw all the time for a living, it might mean you never have to grow up.”

BLOCK PARTY

“We are vacuum cleaners for cool shit.”

US Open of surf

MEAT liquor

Describe yourselves and your style. Glossy, slutty. We go hard. What inspires you, in terms of your work? We are constantly taking inspiration from all corners of the globe in our travels, be it art galleries, graffiti, or paste-ups on the streets or the local supermarkets. We are vacuum cleaners for cool shit. What goes through your mind while making a mural? “Where’s the nearest In-N-Out Burger?”

Is there any difference in the process of making something on paper/canvas and on a wall? We try to make sure that what we do could be executed on pretty much any media. It’s not unusual for the surface to suddenly change due to logistics, and you don’t want to redesign something at the last minute. But shit happens, so we got to make the best of it. Improvise, adapt to the environment, Darwin, I Ching, whatever man–we got to roll with it.

US Open of surf

Karl Lagerfeld

ilovedust.com

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BLOCK PARTY

Without any visuals, describe your aesthetic to someone who hasn’t seen your work. If my aesthetic were a smoothie, the menu would read world culture, cannabis, mythology, tattoos, psychedelics, and space travel, blended smoothly with a splash of neon. Tell us about your muse. I like to pretend that there is this formless, creative being who is always hovering over me. Since she can’t manifest or manipulate matter in this physical dimension, she is constantly nudging me to refine my skills and guiding me to see, think, travel, experience, and become obsessed with specific things around me in order to bring her strange ideas to life through my hands. And this way,

I can’t be blamed for what I create. If you don’t like my stuff, don’t look at me. What do you love about making murals? For me, it’s that razor’s edge between manic, physical torture, lack of sleep, and that wild excitement of seeing my vision come to life in an enormous way. I keep my mind on my goal, which is to transform a previously invisible space into something that is a lot more interesting to everyone who passes by. I like to think of wall murals as little cracks in reality, where imaginary realms get to coexist with city streets.

Cephalopod

palehorsedesign.com

Stored Ape Theory

“I like to think of wall murals as little cracks in reality, where imaginary realms get to coexist with city streets.” Grey Spirit of the Pineal

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BLOCK PARTY

“When I make my images, there is a kind of absence mixed with euphoria.”

If you made a biography for your art, what would you call it? Fragments in search of home. Where do you get your inspiration for your pieces? I normally look for beauty in nature and through women. The faces of both inspire me. What happens at the start of a new project? Over the years, I’ve learned that the most important thing for me to do is to follow my instinct. I try to put my mind at rest, to let go of the calculation, and the fear for the result.

Walk us through what happens when making a mural. When I make my images, there is a kind of absence mixed with euphoria. It’s as if I’m witnessing something; I know what to do and why it’s right, and then I see the end result and I know it’s finished.

giulio-iurissevich.com

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S uppo r te d by

of f i cia l s po ns o r r id e

Official Club Part n er

sm group

Official drin k

CO- PRESEN T ED BY

spon sored by

NIGHTVISION PFW Jeremy scott party by Gerard Estadella

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NIGHTVISION

SOCIAL SATURDAYs @ Aracama

by Janella Gangat

Jesse JO viper room

by The Cobrasnake

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NIGHTVISION

Emporio armani sounds

by Gerard Estadella

whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the 411 @ Raven

by Regina Echavez

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NIGHTVISION

SOCIAL SATURDAYS @ Aracama

by Janella Gangat

H&M loves vein by Gerard Estadella

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NIGHTVISION

haus nyc by Kirillwashere

saturday night hyve by Jun Lopez

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DIRECTORY BRANDS AEROPOSTALE Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ortigas City ALDO aldoshoes.com BOBBI BROWN bobbibrowncosmetics.com BOUTIQUE NADINE boutiquenadine.it BURBERRY burberry.com CLINIQUE clinique.com COLE HAAN Power Plant Mall, Makati City COTTON ON Greenbelt 3, Makati City DIARTE diartethelabel.tumblr.com D-ID JEANS d-idjeans.com ESTEÉ LAUDER esteelauder.com FOA firstofaugust.com FOREVER 21 SM Megamall, Pasig City FOX pacsun.com/fox GAP Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ortigas City G STAR g-star.com HYPERGRAND greyonesocialonline.com KENNETH COLE Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ortigas City LANCÔME lancome.com LAURA MERCIER lauramercier.com L’ORÉAL loreal.com

ARTISTS MISS SELFRIDGE Greenbelt 5, Makati City MY AMAZING BLOW DRY SECRET myamazingblowdrysecret.com NARS narscosmetics.com NINE WEST Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ortigas City PENSHOPPE SM Megamall, Ortigas City RACHEL ZOE rachelzoe.com ROBERTA DI CAMERINO robertadicamerino.com SECOND FEMALE secondfemale.com SMASHBOX smashbox.com SPRINGFIELD Greenbelt 3, Makati City STEVE MADDEN Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ortigas City STILA stilacosmetics.com TOPSHOP Robinson’s Galleria, Ortigas City VERSACE versace.com YVES SAINT LAURENT ysl.com

Ilaria Borgioli (Hair and Makeup) ilariaborgioli.com Sari Campos (Makeup) saricampos.com Ian Castanares (Photographer) thestilllifephotographer.tumblr.com Ria Casco (Stylist) riacasco.tumblr.com Ashley Church (Photographer) dinosaur-toast.tumblr.com The Cobrasnake (Photographer) thecobrasnake.com Jennifer Corona (Hair and Makeup) jennifercorona.com Regina Echavez (Photographer) reginaechavez.com Gerard Estadella (Photographer) gerardestadella.tumblr.com Apple Fara-on (Makeup) applefaraon.com Martina Giachi (Photographer) martinagiachi.com Kai Huang (Photographer) hungryalien.com Sherah Jones (Stylist) sherahstylistport.tumblr.com Kirillwashere (Photographer) kirillwashere.com Bjoern Kommerell (Photographer) bjoernkommerell.com Jun Lopez (Photographer) facebook.com/junlopezshots Arnelle Lozada (Photographer) arnellelozada.com Shaira Luna (Photographer) shairaluna.tumblr.com Sabrina Mesina (Stylist) instagram.com/sabrinamesina Brayden Olson (Photographer) braydenolson.com Steffi Santiago (Photographer) steffisantiago.wordpress.com

Elisa Sedoni (Stylist) elisasedoni.com Jacque Shaw (Stylist) jacqueshaw.com JP Singson (Photographer) jponfashionspeed.com Ted Sun (Photographer) tedsun.net Nick Walker (Photographer) nickwalkerphotography.com We Take Fotos (Photographers) wetakefotos.com

Photographed by Brendan Goco, Inez Moro, and Astrid Reyes from Black Market

F i r st y e a r A n n i v e r s a ry

S TAT U S IN VA D E S FUJIFILM INSTAX 210

It gives off a vintage feel that you don’t get with HD photos. There’s just something about sticking actual photos on a wall.

DIAMOND STUDS

My mom gave me this pair of earrings as a graduation gift. I’ve been wearing them ever since.

SHU UEMURA EYESHADOW PALETTE AND TSUYA SKIN SERUM

SATCHMI MOTORINO VINYL RECORD PLAYER AND PARAMORE RECORD

It’s like this eyeshadow palette was made for me! Plus, the Tsuya Skin is perfect for the glowy natural makeup look I love wearing.

It’s sort of a bridge to the music of my grandparents; plus, Hayley is bae. I’ve been a Paramore fan since I was about nine or ten.

PHONE CASE

Who wouldn’t love this adorable Batman case?

SUNGLASSES

These are my most worn pairs that I can’t live without–especially my vintage D&G ones.

JEFFREY CAMPBELL HILLCREST SANDALS

GABS GIBBS

Resident cool chick GABS GIBBS wears many hats: graphic artist, model, and singer. The hat she wears best? Social media maven, where her well-curated Instagram feed showcases her messy, experimental signature style. She takes her cue from hitmaker Pharell: “Same is lame.” @gabsgibbs

GRAPHIC.

Drawing is my passion and a personal form of expression. This book gives me loads of inspiration.

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PENNY BOARD

This was a gift from my best friend–I have yet to learn how to ride it.

VINTAGE LEATHER JACKET

This is one of my favorites–it’s an authentic ‘90s leather jacket that my dad used to wear during his concerts.

Portrait and product photography by Kai Huang Makeup by Apple Fara-on

They go with everything!