THE LUNA COLLECTIVE ISSUE VII x UMI by lunacollectivemag

THE LUNA COLLECTIVE

F E A T U R I NG

UMI

FEB/MARCH 2019

ISSUE VII

a note... It’s finally here - Issue VII. Thank you for your patience. A lot of thought and love went into this issue and I hope you can see that. Lately I’ve been thinking about why we view being self centered as a negative trait. Why is it so deeply embedded in us to not put ourselves first? Why do we have to be viewed as a narcissist to be at the center of our own world? Why can’t we dedicate time to ourselves as well as be there for everyone else? I’ve focused a lot on myself the past few months. I go into my own little world and just do what I need to do. These months have been some of the most successful months of my life. I’ve done a Iot. I’ve been able to be there for my friends and family all while doing my own thing and making things work. I encourage you to do the same. The theme of this issue is “renewal” and I hope you use this as an opportunity to begin valuing yourself and putting yourself first. When you focus on your own reality and let the universe play on your side, things seem to come together.

xox, Sophie

SOME TUNES FOR YOU UMI & Yeek - Lullaby Luther Vandross - Never Too Much Lil B - Berkeley Mallory Merk - North American Ride Soccer Mommy - Switzerland Papooz - Trampoline Sonder - Too Fast TheSecondSex - Looking Like Someone Else Madeleine Mayi - RECORD SPEED

Free Nationals, Daniel Caesar & Unknown Moral Orchestra - Beauty & Essex

Margot - Coffee Stained Scars HOMESHAKE - Nothing Could Be Better Ryan Beatty - Bruise Westerman - Edison Ander .Paak - Anywhere Damian Lemar Hudson - Voyager Drive Phé - About Us Pish - Memory Still Woozy - Habit Johnny Utah - Skytop Tierra Whack - Cable Guy Guave Marie - I Like to Feel Pain Besphrenz - Tired Eyes Ryan Beatty - Cupid COIN - I Want It All Gus Dapperton - My Favorite Fish FIDLAR - Can’t You See WEST PARADE - SOMETHING IN THE WATER Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall Scan to listen to the playlist mxmtoon - my way on Spotify

Renewal / 21

Madeleine Mayi / 33

Minty Boi / 13

Stazi Dazi / 39

“Unititled” / 19

Mitch Allison / 45

“Restart” / 9

R E E L

“2SIDES” / 5

C O N T E N T

Jeremy Flores / 49

Salim Garcia / 65

PhĂŠ / 69

UMI / 53

Leah Wolchin / 75

RESTART

DO YOU WANT TO START THE GAME AGAIN?

YIEWI MING

P hotos By: Melisa Ulkumen Story By: Shonali Bose Design By Sophie Gragg IN A TIME WHERE THE DIY SCENE HAS BECOME THE MAINSTREAM It’s creatives like Minty Boi that play a crucial role in keeping the underground music scene alive. Yiwei Meng, the concert promoter and DJ known as Minty Boi, has been curating unique shows in Los Angeles and New York since 2016. Though the promoter has been booking shows since he was just 17 years old, he is constantly challenging himself to meet higher standards and expectations with every show. Meng booked his first show as a way for his friends to have an art show with a limited budget. The experience was intended to be a one time situation, but friends were impressed and encouraged Meng to explore the field. This lead Meng to start booking more shows, all of which only seemed to get more and more successful. The promoter grew up in Beijing, China, where he claims the music scene is not too different than the one he works with in Los Angeles. Though he’s not as familiar with the music scene in Beijing as he is in the United States, he does note the internationality of the two cities, “Something I’ve noticed the past few years in China is that they really care about music. A lot of my friends that I know there are booking the same type of stuff I’m booking here...I think everyone else in the world underrate China’s music scene, but the people do care.”

Through his work in Los Angeles, Meng tries to channel his Chinese background into his shows. “I’ve been booking a lot of shows with Chinese artists. I’ve been doing that for a while and I have a couple more Asian bands planned out. I’m definitely trying to do more shows from Asia just because that’s where I’m from.” Meng also dabbled in the New York music scene in 2017, trying his hand at working as a talent-buyer. Though Meng enjoyed his time in New York and plans to return, he recognizes the barriers to entry are a bit higher than in Los Angeles. “New York has been monopolized by promoters. It was difficult for me to get shows that had a lot of people because it’s really an insider trade situation. They don’t give new promoters access.” Comparing this with Los Angeles, Meng explains, “LA is just too big and there’s different pockets so you can always find new Talent. Like right now what I’m doing is just booking new talent before others..” Though he believes New York is the scene for After-Hours/Electronic types of music, Ming is much more knowledgeable the LA market and finds much more comfort in working there. More broadly, however, Meng’s style of booking artists is through his own research and discovery. On the way he finds his acts, Meng reveals, “I talk to artists fairly often and people who are in the scene/industry or whatever. I just try to talk to everyone. I also use Soundcloud and Youtube a lot, sometimes Spotify.”

In terms of musical style, Meng usually books artists contingent on the music he’s listening to. The main genre he is drawn to is Indie Rock, simply because he grew up with that genre. However, his music landscape is always shifting. “I also book a lot of other type of music and I have to say I’ve probably shifted from Indie Pop to other rock and electronic oriented music. I find myself listening to a lot more of that stuff, rigatone and a lot of international trap, like Italian trap.” Discussing the old confines of the Los Angeles music scene, Meng explains: “whatever was underground [was] not being exploited by people that can make things poppin. A lot of things that I was listening to a while ago that are now popular, like Bedroom Pop and Indie rock, was not poppin. A few years later - here we are.” As for the current music scene, Meng is confident the scene will always be evolving. “There’s

always gonna be new waves and new genres that replace the old sounds. Some people aren’t always gonna like the new sounds and some people aren’t gonna like the old sounds….The passion [that stimulates a genre’s popularity] terminates with an age and there’s always gonna be new waves to replace it. I think whatever is gonna exist is gonna exist.”

In recent times, all promoters and booking agents often have to take into account the personal image of the artists they may be interested in booking. Meng makes his best effort to immediately get to the bottom of any situation if one arises with an artist. “We try our hardest to figure out if allegations are true. I just go directly to the artist to talk to them. After I talk to them I try to talk to whoever made the allegations and just work it out. I always try to spend the fullest effort to spend the truth. If it’s true - that shit is cancelled. It’s tough sometimes.” In addition to acting as a promoter and talent buyer, Meng also experiments with DJing from time to time. Despite his career starting with a small gig at a college radio station that he got fired from for playing an explicit song, Meng eventually branched out into other markets. The artist insists that DJing is just a passion project, but he does hope to play some nicer gigs and experiment with better technology. Moving forward, Meng plans to continue to find emerging talent as well as form a relationship with these artists. The promoter also hopes to challenge himself and start booking bigger shows. Given his success in an array of avenues, Meng will continue to be a driving force in Los Angeles music scene and will keep throwing some kick ass shows.

“Untitled” By Olivia Boryczewski

RENEWAL

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a weird concept, right? It seems as though we have romanticized the idea of renewal when it comes to the New Year. The truth is that we can reinvent and renew ourselves any time we like. Renewal can mean a lot of things - but it does not have to always mean change. Renewing yourself, or giving yourself a fresh start, can bring about a lot of things. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what you had to say on it all.

Looking for something worthwhile, hope I don’t disappear. I’m Just another piece of the puzzle that I’m trying to solve. Failing is fun, cause I always rise in the end. Time to get a renewal on my life card.

Gavin Morehead / Redondo Beach

Kayla Smith, Peapack 23

After going through a long period of being stuck in a mindset of not being capable to portray my own vision through photography despite how badly I wanted to, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m now making it a priority to push myself to stay out this mindset and get out of this so called comfort zone to share my work. The renewal of breaking through a barrier & pursuing something you enjoy is true comfort. Corissa Ibarra / Imperial Valley

New Years Resolution Posts Get Meta By Sami Rosenblatt In our modern times, the epoch of the so-called “me generation”, it seems that everyone is convinced they have a unique story to tell and that they owe it to the world to tell this story in some creative manner. Whether it be a selfmade album, an online published essay, a blog, or an Instagram account, there seems to be a plethora of these forms of self-important content floating around the universe from the far corners of SoundCloud, to the ogled op-ed spreads of the New York Times. It can be very cathartic to create a vanity project like one of the above, but one must wonder if it’s truly as gratifying as it can be imagined to be, especially if the feedback is not what was anticipated. After creating an Instagram account dedicated to a journey of fitness after recovering from an eating disorder, publishing an album about a horrific breakup or loss to Spotify, or using an online press to turn your personal poetry into a real bound book, what is there to expect? To what extent can we as an inherently selfish generation truly be interested or invested in the achievements of others. When we expose our raw edges on these platforms, do we truly believe that our pain will fall on open ears? This has been the matter keeping awake at night most recently. Every night as I lie there tossing and turning (an admission that is itself a wholly meta example of me revealing a raw edge without the knowledge of whether or not it will provoke sympathy) I imagine all of the things that I have the potential to create. I envision the anthologies of poetry that I could write, the essays, the books, and the songs that I could pen if I really wanted to. I dream of owning a gallery and filling its walls with the paintings I’ve made or speaking at an award

ceremony about some life-changing feminist bible that I might write. These dreams are uneasy. They are not inspiring, they make my stomach turn. When I am in this headspace I am not patting myself on the back nor acknowledging my potential. I am flagellating my ego, showing myself a version of me that could exist, a more accomplished, more impressive, more desirable version that could exist if I somehow made some unclear changes. I want to be that other version, the writer, the painter, the poet. I want to write about the times I’ve been knocked down and gotten back up, paint the various shades of dysmorphia I have come to know as my body, and sing about the beauty that this world has shown me. But I don’t. I am held back by an external censor of convention. Because truly, on some level, who the fuck cares what I think? And why would anyone want to know about my personal struggles and what fuels me to create? If I wrote the said anthology, or music or book, what makes me at all credible? And what if I actually took the time to create all of these things, make myself vulnerable by sharing them and get no feedback at all. What if nobody cared. And even worse, what if I did actually get the feedback I wanted? Would that ever quell the empty gnawing internal desire to create more, perform better, and all around achieve some pipe dream of validation? What started this mess of abstract thinking and fierce wonderings was something that at one time was very concrete- the leviathan that is “New Years Resolution Post™.” You’ve seen them. You know them. You probably don’t love them. Well…. that part is what gets complicated.

We’re supposed to care about the wellbeing of our friends and loved ones, to wish them success in their endeavors and keep them on track when they need support- but selfishly, secretly, on some level, might we also hope that they fail? Or, might we just not care? Instagram and Facebook are already abuzz, memes about 2019 being your year are in circulation, hashtags likes #bulletjournal #2019planner and #newyearnewme are snowballing and everywhere at least one dinosaur still loyal to Facebook is crafting a paragraph post to detail their newest resolution.

For every gym selfie, smoothie bowl and before-and-after fitness journey picture I see, I will not call anybody vain or let my jealousy of their hard work turn into negativity. I will also not be unkind to myself by comparing my body to anybody else’s. I will be proud of the progress of others and I will be inspired by their strength. For every selfie or bathing suit picture that I would once dismiss as a thirst trap or demonstration of desperation, I will thank those beautiful humans for acknowledging their beauty and sharing the message that it’s okay to love yourself and feel beautiful.

We are swarmed by media and content often regarding personal information of peers that we didn’t ask for- and how should we interact with that? That was the question I addressed in my personal discovery of what my new year’s resolution will be this year. I resolve to actively engage with the content that crosses my path and to try and think about it in new ways with greater critical thinking and more flipping of the script. I want to do this not to increase my time on social media or give the platform greater importance, but rather to see if this tool that is often used for marketing, bullying, and maintenance of our heteronormative white supremacist capitalist patriarchy could possibly be used to dismantle it.

For every parent posting photos of their child’s grades, medals, travels or accomplishments, I will not accuse them of living through their children. I will be warmed by their pride in their children. For every couple posting from dates, kissing, or sharing tender moments- I won’t say “they’ll never last”, or “get a room.” I will be reminded of the loving relationships that I am lucky enough to have and consider how amazing it feels to be in love and demonstrate that positivity to others. I will thank these people even more for showing all the diverse ways that love can exist in-spite of forces of hate and misunderstanding and I will be grateful that loving couples will serve as a sign that hope isn’t lost and happy, healthy and steady relationships do exist.

For every post I see about cooking tagged “domestic” or “wifey”, I won’t be judgemental of word choice or of what different people aspire to be. I will be impressed by that person’s handiwork and talent. For every “flex” post I encounter, featuring private jets, expensive sneakers, and designer bags, I will not be envious. I will be inspired to work harder and strive to achieve comfort and personal goals.

I will no longer be annoyed, judgemental, pessimistic or condescending. I will lift others up, affirm their accomplishments, be engaged with their content and learn and grow from what I am seeing. When others expose their raw edges, their pain will fall into my open ears and when they celebrate I will feel a sliver of their joy. It has been said that no man is an island, and I take that to mean that we must all rejoice in the beautiful connectivity of the unified human experience. 26

GET OFF MY SHOULDER IT IS ALL TOO HEAVY

Allegra Samsen / New York

Spirituality for Mental Health and Soul Expansion: Renewal By Amy Megan Day There is such an important place in the personal and spiritual development of human beings for renewal. Sometimes we just need a fresh start! New perspectives and clean slates are beneficial in helping us see a previously negative situation with positivity, or give us a renewed sense of inspiration for a project we’d been procrastinating. Although it shouldn’t, even when renewal is initially motivating, it can trigger guilt if we falter along the journey of achieving our goals. This brings me to the most beneficial concept to keep in mind during this ‘renewal’ period: balance. When setting new year goals it is so important that they are achievable, to prevent us from falling into judgement of ourselves or harsh negative self talk, yet still challenge us to move into a place of glorious self growth and nourishment. Renewal tips resolutions)

(like

mentally

beneficial

Cleanse your space! Making sure your space is clean and tidy will help keep your beautiful mind aligned because of your beautiful living space! Burn some sage or palo santo and move the smoke around each room in a clockwise motion to spiritually cleanse the space, remove negativity and neutralise the energies in the room. Rearrange furniture! This is something that I’m a huge fan of, possibly to the extent of doing it too much! I love the feeling rearranging furniture brings. It enables you to get right into the energy of a space, clean the areas behind and underneath the furniture, and create your ideal atmosphere in a room.

Sell or give away some stuff! Gathering up items you haven’t worn or used in a while and giving them a new lease of life with a new owner, or giving away items to a charity shop can not only freshen up a space but also leave you feeling satisfied that you’ve contributed to a charity or to the more eco-friendly shopping option of purchasing second hand. Create new morning/night routines! This tip has been a relatively new discovery for me, but I have found it massively beneficial when your brain needs a clean slate, and it’s fun to experiment with shuffling things around and creating the routines that enable you to live your best life!! I would recommend starting by making a list of the things you might want to do in your routine. For example, in your night routine you may want to do some journaling, read for an hour, get yourself ready for the next morning, and meditate. You could then amend the list according to the order that you’d prefer, and stick to the same order every evening. Something fun to play around with could be the idea that different activities can evoke different emotions/atmospheres to start and finish your day, so have fun with it! Start something new! I feel so strongly that inspiration is such an important part of living a happy life. Inspiration creates passion, which creates purpose, motivation, action, and joy! Starting a new hobby or learning something new can renew our inspiration and give us more to look forward to. We can also benefit in the way that they allow us to set achievable goals for ourselves, and affirm that we can learn new things and do something we may have never done before!

Intuitive affirmation: I am a divine being of the universe. I believe in my innate ability to make physical changes to my life and mental changes to my mindset. I am empowered and brave, and i am grateful to always achieve my goals. I am renewed! Cleanse yourself! There are many ways in which you can cleanse your own energy and aura. These include reiki, crystal healing, ritual baths, smudging, gong baths, cleansespecific meditations, etc. By doing this, you’ll release negative energies lingering in the body and aura, allowing fresh perspective, clearer thinking and a more aligned sense of self. Astrology for expansion The full moon eclipse in Leo from the 20th21st January could be a tricky one. A full moon always brings emotions to the forefront, and an eclipse may bring big changes, challenges, and growth. But immediately after, there will be a clash between Mars and Saturn, which could provoke arguments if there is anyone in your life trying to control you in any way. Keep referring back to your goals for the month, stay focused on them as some drama or unnecessary distracting chatter could emerge around you. This full moon eclipse can be visible from parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and the Arctic. It’s been an eventful start to the year astrologically because we’ve already had 2 eclipses, but the new moon in Aquarius on 4th-5th February will calm things down. It will be in harmony with Jupiter, the planet of prosperity and abundance.

This will be an awesome time to reflect on your goals and possibly redirect your action points in order to achieve them. Focus specifically on areas in which you could do with building confidence, as there’s a great Sun-Jupiter connection straight after the new moon that will boost anything you work on in this area. This will be a great opportunity to collectively bring some more self love and self confidence into our beautiful lives! There will be a super full moon in Virgo on the 19th-20th February, which means the moon will be orbiting at its closest to Earth, and can be seen as up to 14% bigger! This could potentially make things more intense, although it’s in Virgo who is traditionally reliable, and Mercury (planet of the mind) is connecting with Saturn (planet of stability and commitment) just after the full moon, so if it is intense it shouldn’t last long. This would be a fabulous time to have a clear out and declutter spaces in your home that need renewed energy and cleansing! Astrologically and generally speaking, the transition from the holiday period to January and getting back into routines can be a particularly difficult time of year, especially if there is unavoidable change involved. And on top of this, the eclipses will throw everything up in the air, so if you’re struggling keep reminding yourself that it will pass, and there will be such beautiful growth through the process! As author and spiritual teacher Matt Kahn says, “change is the force through which the beauty of evolution unfolds.”

A fading persona, a developing persona. We are always morphing into someone else, influenced by the environment around us.

This image is especially important to me. It was taken on national school walkout day in the wake of the Parkland tragedy. This time of renewal demands for change in gun legislation with or without the man in the White House.

Reflect, Reminisce, and Reside! If you need renewal within your life, make it happen.

Penelopi Perez / Chicago

Story by: Grace Tarandek P hotos by: Myai Anthony Design by: Olivia Boryczewski

WITH A VOICE AS SOOTHING AS A WARM DRINK ON A RAINY DAY Madeleine Mayi’s music emulates that of a an old soul with a youthful twist. The Santa Barbara native’s compelling path into music was full of surprises and consistent signs that she was born to be an artist. As a high schooler, she never expected to go to school for music. Other than singing in a band in high school, she was particularly fresh in terms of musical experiences. As a requirement for her college prep high school, Madeleine applied to a few colleges not knowing what to expect. Her mom encouraged her to apply to a few music schools, and fortunately Mayi agreed. She was accepted into the highly competitive Popular music program at the University of Southern California and decided this was a step in the right direction. Mayi arrived for her first semester at USC and was soon made aware of the prestige that came along with being accepted into the pop program. She realized she was one of the few vocalists in her class and soon was taken back by how advanced her classmates were. She decided to work extremely hard to “catch up” to her other classmates and ended up getting to a point that she felt proud to stand upon. Soon, she began to network with peers, eventually finding the people to aid her in what became her first solo project. Mayi was pleasantly surprised by the feedback of her debut release, Just the Six of Us, but knew this was just the beginning. The artist had to leave USC due to personal reasons and found herself in a rut. After a few months, Mayi retreated to a family friend’s place in Pacific Palisades and things started to take a turn for the better. Mayi spent her time working on new music and taking in natural beauty surrounding her. The landscapes of Pacific Palisades lifted her up and began to take root in the form of her EP shy. With five tracks in total, the soundscape will take you on an emotional ride that was purposely constructed by Mayi herself. Within her music, you hear feelings instead of hearing experiences. Her music both soothes the soul and challenges the mind, making it a perfect combination of life’s brilliant duality. “I felt strongly about the message, talking about uncertainty and how it can relate to your personal life, so I wanted to present it in a way that was accessible to anyone, which is why I kept it so focused on live instrumentation”

In regards to outsider’s interpretation of her lyrics, Mayi explains, “I want people to apply them

like molds to their own lives. I don’t want you to just know about my life. That’s not why I’m an artist. The reason I am an artist is because I want to say something. When I first started recording the songs on ‘shy’ I wasn’t even planning on releasing them… but as I got further in the process I felt like it became something worth listening to.” Mayi draws influences from both music and the greater world of art and finds her unique offering from references like Rothko, “His paintings are meant to put people in an emotional space and help them access their emotions. That’s what I want them to do with my music.” Some of her other influences really help create the bigger picture in understanding Mayi’s thought process. She speaks about artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Fleetwood Mac, and Bill Withers recalling a time she met the legend, “I have always loved him, will always love him. I met him and died. I don’t get starstruck at all, but when I met him - I was starstruck, I mean he’s written some of the best songs of all time.”

Mayi also includes the great Nina Simone as a huge motivator for her. She talks about Simone’s courage to break barriers and how she draws from her spirit as an artist. As of late her biggest influence, is Lady Gaga. Mayi admires her work ethic and versatility. “She’s gone through so many stages in her career and she doesn’t give a fuck.”

The beauty of Mayi’s persona is her undeniable understanding of her artistic purpose. You feel in her voice, aesthetic, words, and choices that she owns her vision. She knows that she has something important to offer to the world. She has taken years to develop that clarity but has come into her own in the most raw, strong and vulnerable way and her music is a poetic testament to that. “When I put the EP out it wasn’t even because I wanted people to like my music or me as an artist. I want people to like these songs because I want them to like what I’m saying.” The artist will continue to practice her craft and is looking forward to where 2019 will take her. Mayi will head to London in the spring to perform at a few shows and a coffee festival, but hopes her time in London won’t stop there. Mayi also has plans for a music video in the near future as well as new music. However, Mayi hopes her main focus can be playing more lives shows, as that’s what she loves most about being a musician.

“My goal as an artist it to play as many shows as possible. That’s my strongest point. I’m not good at talking and selling myself. That’s not me. The areas that I gain the most new interest is when I play music. That’s why I got in music and study it. There’s nothing better or more fulfilling to me than playing music live.”

Stazi Dazi Story + Design By: Sophie Gragg P hotos By: Salim Garcia HER AURA IS BLUE AND SHE LOVES BLUE Stazi Dazi radiates a regal and vibrant vibe through every art form

she explores. At only 23, Stazi has dabbled in a variety of creative fields, from music to acting to modeling. The artist is centered by her passion to create and spread the simple messages of honesty and love with the community she has built. From a young age, Stazi knew she was meant to create. She was fascinated by art’s ability to evoke emotion from her consumer, and knew that her path would have to be in the vast creative field. Growing up, Stazi split her time between New York City and New Jersey, but found herself more in New York as she got older and was able to take advantage of the city’s public transport system. She notes that her time in the big apple played a role in shaping her admiration for the arts. “Growing up in New York and being around it all really made me appreciate art as a whole. It’s literally everywhere you look - from the fashion people are wearing, the walls, even that abandoned flower on the floor that countless people stepped on, but never stopped to admire. This city made me realize to appreciate the beautiful details in life and that I can be my most unapologetic self.” Despite admittedly not having a lot of confidence as a teenager, Stazi landed her first modeling opportunity for a vintage boutique store. She was at first discouraged by rude comments from those around her, but after some time her interest in acting helped her gain more confidence. Stazi was then able to take advantage of Instagram and use it as a tool to inspire and encourage her. “I’ve always loved to look fly, and with that platform I was able to showcase my style and become more comfortable in front of the camera. My modeling is an act of rebellion. To everyone who said I was ugly, not thin enough, too short, or that I don’t meet the industry standard, it’s incredible what you can accomplish when you stay true to yourself. I’ve been able to accomplish things I never would’ve imagined, especially as an independent model, and I definitely have to thank Instagram for how far I’ve gotten.”

“Art means love. Art means sadness.

Art means healing.”

The artist found herself in a similar journey with music, as it was something she always wanted to do and decided one day to stop caring about what others think and simply do it. As of now, music has been something Stazi explores on the side, but she has plans to put out an EP as well as learn to produce her own tracks. Consistently drawn to more of the underground and Soundcloud scene, Stazi appreciates the raw and authentic nature of both. Stazi makes a large effort to support the LGBTQ+ community and those from underrepresented communities as much as possible, especially when it comes to the arts. She hopes to give these people a larger spotlight as she is constantly inspired by the community she is apart of. “I support my

fellow LGBTQ+ artists of color. That’s who I really support. Marginalized people doing the damn thing and sometimes putting there life on the line for the sake of equality and art! Love is free and powerful - and so is being unapologetic in my blackness and ultimate self.”

Stazi is always evolving and tries to portray this through her art. Stazi explains, “I’m obsessed with transformation and often change my appearance. I love tattoos, piercings, self expression as a whole. I am a canvas. I hope to always evolve and transform which is why I identify with the butterfly so much. I incorporate my beliefs and passions into everything I do creatively.”

In combination with her admiration of change, Stazi also tries to incorporate honesty into her work as well. Since the artist takes a very raw approach with her work, her creative process tends to be natural and a more “go with the flow” approach. Stazi uses her art as a way to express her range of emotions and is fortunate she has the privilege to do so. However, she does admit she is often overwhelmed by her anxiety and depression, fueling her tendency to be hard on herself. Despite this, the creative tries not to let this hinder her, rather use it as a reminder to appreciate the happy moments even more.

“Art means love. Art means sadness. Art means healing. It is a way for me to express my emotions. However I’m feeling in this vulnerable way. It’s really pure and beautiful and I’m glad I am true to myself with that.” Given her raw nature when it comes to her art, it’s of little surprise that Stazi hopes to encourage others to embrace themselves and love themselves to the fullest ability. Stazi shares, “Be yourself, and

true always. Take constructive criticism and grow, but not mold yourself into something you aren’t. Love is free and you can be happy even if your demons tell you otherwise. Heal your traumas and love yourself most of all.” Stazi is full of ideas and is eager to expand her creative career in every aspect possible. From putting out music, to starring in a film, to being more honest with herself, the artist has big plans to encourage her to live her life the fullest and be the best, and most genuine, version of herself.

“In der Nicht” By Mitch Allison

“kinky bitch”

i wonder what goes through your mind when someone mentions my name to you

Graphics By Leah Wolchin

â&#x20AC;&#x153;more timeâ&#x20AC;?

the power of speaking things into existence 76

“Love to see you”

love only gets old if you let it 77

â&#x20AC;&#x153;wasteâ&#x20AC;?

talking to someone is all fun and games until they ask to hang out with you 78

MUCH LOVE TO...

Mitch Allison / mitch.craft Myai Anthony / @myyughh Olivia Boryczewski / @oliviaboryczewski Stazi Dazi / @stazidazi Cayla Dunn / @bbyquail Jeremy Flores / @dopesunshinebby Salim Garcia / @salimgarcia Khristine Le / @khristinejoys Madeleine Mayi / @madeleine.mayi Yiewi Ming / @minty_boi Nikoli Partiyeli / @nikoliparty PhĂŠ / @phemusic Natalie Souza / @muppetsonfilm Melisa Ulkumen / @meliulkumen Tierra Wilson / @whoisumi Leah Wolchin / @leahwolchin Aja Villacres / @ajavillacres

The Luna Collective ISSUE V II X UMI The Luna Collective is a cultural online and print magazine featuring music, poetry, fashion & more. We want to shine a light on all of the cool people and places we come across. All of the feature photos in the magazine are film and creating print versions of our magazine is essential to our identity. The magazine is only step one of The Luna Collective - stick around to see what we do next & join us in building a creative & passionate community of creatives.

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THE SQUAD THAT MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE Founder & Editor In Chief Sophie Gragg Graphic Designers Olivia Boryczewski, Khristine Le, Nikoli Partiyeli, Melisa Ulkumen & Aja Villacres Photographers Myai Anthony, Cayla Dunn, Salim Garcia, Nikoli Partiyeli, Natalie Souza & Melisa Ulkumen Writers Shonali Bose, Malika Mohan, Grace Tarandek & E.J. VandenBrink

THE LUNA COLLECTIVE â&#x201E;¢ 2019