THE LUNA COLLECTIVE F E ATURING: FELLY ISSUE VIII | JUNE /JULY 2019
a note...
Hey again. Welcome to our eighth issue. This issue has become really special to me because I was able to reflect about Luna a lot during the process of making this magazine. It feels like we’re finding a balance between a consistent style and trying new things out and I really love that. Things have been moving at a really weird pace lately for me, and maybe for you too. I’m convinced more than ever these days that time is literally a made up concept. How are we halfway through the year? Some weeks feel like a day and others feel like a lifetime - yet we always move forward. This idea of things always moving forward inspired the theme of this issue “Life In Motion”. Even on the slowest of days where it feels like nothing is happening, there’s no denying things always continue, and always move on. So take the time to step back sometimes. This cycle of “go-go-go” can do wonders, but can be taxing. We all want something, and we want it now. However I encourage you take the time to do things the right way and not take the shortcut. Cutting corners doesn’t end well in the big picture - and the big picture is what should always be on our mind. Strive to create with a purpose and longevity - isn’t that what really matters in the end?
xox, Sophie
SOME TUNES FOR YOU Felly & Jack Harlow - Cheap Cheap Inner Wave - Oof Tim Atlas - Unwind why try - signal (your effect) Chloe Gallardo - Lose My Tyler, The Creator - EARFQUAKE King Princess - Cheap Queen Clairo - Bags Steve Lacy - Only If Mileena - Seasonal Lovin’ Johnny Utah - Honeypie (Sandy) Alex G - Gretal Kevin Abstract - Peach Surf Curse - Disco Slow Hollows - Get Along Khruangbin - Mary Always Injury Reserve & Aminé - Jailbreak the Tesla HUNNY & Bleached - Saturday Night Men I Trust - Norton Commander (All We Need) girl in red. - dead girl in the pool. Gus Dapperton - My Favorite Fish Tame Impala - Patience Dominic Fike - Rollerblades Crumb - Ghostride COIN - Crash My Car Lizzo - Juice Michael Jackson - Rock with You Jungle - Casio Scan to listen to the playlist Hello Yello - Feel That Again on Spotify
Life In Motion / 23
Jerrod La Rue / 45
Mileena / 9
“21” / 51
Javi Perez / 15
Memory Foam / 53
Mato Wayuhi / 17
R E E L
Andrea Lux / 5
C O N T E N T
Tim Atlas / 69
“Getting Nautical” / 75
The Messy Heads / 79
Felly / 57
“A Necessary Death”/ 87
Collages By Andrea Lux
MILEENA
Story by Astrid Ortega | P hotos by Danyal Barton | Design by Olivia Boryczewski SHE’S READY TO BREAKDOWN THE BARRIERS OF HIP-HOP AND DO IT WITH ALL THE CARE IN THE WORLD Though only 19 years old, Mileena Sobreira-Yousufy, known as simply “Mileena”, has become a fresh voice in the music landscape, taking you on one soft trip with each note. Mileena’s music has a touch of everything, from hip-hop to indie to R&B. “There are no labels, nobody cares anymore. Inspiration comes from everywhere,” she notes. A versatile artist, Mileena taps into something grand, but she knows she can only do it thanks to her passion and dedication. Mileena hails from Mississauga, a small city near Toronto, Canada. Though the artist is trying to focus on music full time, she is currently studying Fashion Arts and Business, as a way to diversify her interests. She picked Business in particular as she felt it was useful to really understand the language and what goes on behind the scenes. This interest in business is sure to come in handy as the artists’ career develops. “The language of business is quite universal.” she notes. Despite wanting to invest a little more time into music, Mileena is trying to find a balance between it as a hobby and as her career, she notes, “What if I just want to make music to feel good?” To her, music is something she does for herself and doesn’t want that joyful aspect to ever fade away. “It takes hard work and tears to accomplish anything” she notes, but the artist does recognize that she’s young and surrounded by growing individuals, so there’s no need to take anything too hard this early on. Mileena has found what’s important is being creative and using that to make yourself happy and set goals and achieve them to the best of one’s abilities. She points out, “There is not only one way to a goal, everyone takes 15 million different ways to get to one goal.” Mileena plans to continue her education but values everything she still has to learn with music. It’s something she senses she has more control over and can understand better when not in a classroom setting. “I feel like music is something I can learn on my own. There are different ways you can learn music and I think it needs to be on my own terms...in my own way” She says. The artist has been able to avoid getting caught up in the academic part of music, as it sometimes can hold back artists and even take away from the music. The musician may be still be learning and growing, but she still uses music for the same reason she started; as a way to speak up and simply express herself, “I needed something to speak up because I was really quiet.” Making music helped her project her voice and became a megaphone for what she wanted to say. Like many artists, her work truly became an outlet, her own little therapy even, for when she felt stressed or out of place. Beyond her feelings, her inspiration to make music comes from the process itself. “The whole art of making music is just fun.” Mileena explains. She does what she wants, “even if it sounds very millennial of me.”
Sticking to her desire to have music be something as natural and fun as possible, Mileena’s creative process simply comes to her when it comes to her. “When I have the free time and a lot on my mind I’m like, ‘okay I’m going to sit down and write something,’” she says. A recurring theme in her music is the beloved topic of romance. “I always relate things to a good or bad partner. Romance is so weird and up and down.” Mileena sings about things that we all likely relate to, which can hit home sometimes. She concentrates more on her writing than producing, but eventually wants to learn and grow to produce one day to have her own “Marc Jacobs by Marc Jacobs” brand, but for now she has more fun writing; “Writing is important to
communicate to the world.”
Mileena defines her music as “indie R&B”, but she highlights how genres don’t exist anymore because everyone has “a little something of everything”. Music can be so diverse with many sounds, so she’s excited to try to find more sounds and ways to make them. She continues to develop her sound, but credits the atmosphere of Toronto shaping a big part of her artistry. Not only is everyone “super cool and super supportive,” the hip-hop scene and Toronto rappers individually influenced and inspired her to get out there. She also credits the friends she’s made in LA, who she’s “inspired [by] every day to push myself to be the best I can be.” Inspired and pushed by her friend RJ and his cyphers, Mileena decided to give rapping a try. “When I started rapping I felt like a big woman,” she says, “But I feel like I don’t look like the type to rap.” The artist finds the stereotype of rappers to be frustrating, especially since
her music brings Bedroom Pop and more “soft” elements into her music. Though there’s a common idea that if you’re cute and adorable, you’re not the typically accepted rapper, things are definitely starting to change thanks to rise in female rappers. These women are taking over the charts, and they’re opening the doors for young female artists like Mileena. “For all these
powerful women to be doing well changes the weird female architecture in Hip Hop, and the narrative that surrounds us.”
These women are giving female artists the power to say something back. Mileena mentions that hip-hop gives women a narrative, somewhere to speak up, where it was once only ruled by the male gaze. “It makes me feel like I can do this if I want to and there’s nothing holding me back,” she says. In terms of sonic aesthetic, Mileena is inspired by soft spoken hip-hop. “I understood rap as this tough thing,” she says, but then had her horizon broadened by artists like Syd the Kid and Noname. She knows there’s a ‘soft voiced women saying what they want’ revolution rising - and she’s gonna be part of it. Her sweet and genuine nature shines through her music and will continue to be at the core of Mileena. As she pushes through her education and finds new elements to tie into her creative career, she welcomes growth and change with open arms.
Photos By Javi Perez
Photo By Armaan Chainani
LIFE IN MOTION
Photo Series By Sarah Spina / Rochester
A Discovery of Womanhood continued beneath the panting of my breath the pounding of my feet there is a place, shifting beneath the cosmos linked to my thoughts I battle with my reflection, in a pool of clear water — dark hair, tired eyes, sun flecked face, i think i spot a wrinkle - a grey hair - a feral pupil, there is a wildness in me i had not considered, a metamorphose of a face that has seen love and death sandstone and flower shell and oyster, when a woman unearths wildness in her own features she frees herself from the long war with that which has oppressed her — a world of shadows and mirrors duping her into tameness, but there is a place — shifting, pounding, metamorphose, sandstone and flower wrinkle and grey feral pupil - Miro Justad / Los Angeles
Background Photo By Tatum Van Dam / Los Angeles
Jas Model / Tokyo
“Life Maybe” Watching the puffy, wispy white clouds it sometimes reminds me of how life is finite and can be taken away from me any minute. How if I am not careful that I might end up leaving so many things unfulfilled and that nobody will remember me. It sounds silly but, in a world, where a millennial doesn’t know how to “social media” or maintain an adequate and close friend group I start to feel lost and the thought of me becoming one of those fading memories that some people can barely recall scares me. Like there is literally over a billion people on earth and I am worried about how I would be perceived after my death. It honestly all sounds ridiculous but it is a real feeling and emotion that is built upon years of adolescent trauma for me to try so hard to make friends, get good grades, try to be skinny and try to be a million and one different things for everyone but myself and that dragged me down for years. I hate the feeling of failure and being alone and the thought of gaining weight and so many other things because it is what I fear the most which are everything that I am and cannot be but I’m learning to accept it because I was born in this world alone and I will die in this world alone so what I say, think and do should count.
- Kimberly Willie / Atlanta
Aaron McCourt / Drogheda
Background Photo By Armaan Chainani / Jakarta
Aviva Pusey / Brooklyn
Julia Godfrey / Dublin
Michaela Perau / Brooklyn
Living in California we are all but rolling hills sucking our thumbs sniffingthroughbills waiting for the Big One
Photo By Michaela Perau / Brooklyn
-Sara Sturek / New York
“moonwalk� And then I saw the moon I became an acrobat Going up, upside down Handstands, cartwheels Energy coming out of my chest Like a magnet to yours Heart to heart Up and out
- Leia Galla / Louisville
Cassie Corridoni / Chico
If you’re not practicing contentment where you are, you won’t be happy when you get where you’re going. Life moves so fast, and we’re always focused on what’s next, rather than what’s right in front of us. When I moved in with my boyfriend into his Washington Heights apartment, I always just thought of it as an in-between period while we wait to get our own place together. It wasn’t until six months after moving in, that I actually gave a chance to getting to know my neighborhood and the rich beauty and history that surrounds us. I tend to get very caught up inside my head, and preoccupied with planning; while I still look forward to the next step in my journey, I’m learning to find happiness living in the now and focusing on what’s going on around me.
- Jacob Sachs / New York City
Armaan / Jakarta
“Flame: Blue” The deepest part of a flame is always blue For what is love without a longing for you?
The heavy depth of the ocean is held in all this hue. For it holds the weight of every atom, the energy of every wave and the promulgation of the life —the life in motion— constrained in this blue. Ribbed—it is caged, Crawling on the seabed, the heart erupts with the hunger of the ocean —Skewed into a flame. call it oxygen, the pain the longing ignites, and let this fire A-R-I-S-E “Inanimate” Thoughts, in a wind whirl, Swirl, slither, swoosh I become they And am taken into the dark So fast I can’t hold a grasp It takes me, my thoughts, I am consumed swirled and pressed into a stone A Pearl A treasure hidden, armored in the conchMy mind my eyes My breath my thoughts. The prism of matter: As the vector travels The light only disseminates Illuminates (For I am inanimate) Swoosh and slither and swirl. The absence of light Is where I first realized the void.
Words By Josué Cabañas / Hacienda Heights
“Matter” I am but matter Yet there’s more The chemistry of my mind The same as that of carbon and oxygen Space gases living creating uniting I am but matter held together by forces Forces that are hard to understand Forces that hold me when I am sad The same ones that grimace my face as I laugh The chemistry of my humanity Yet I am flesh, a vast pool of atoms and particles. Electricity, my blood flows Flows flows flows a river alive in me It is the Jesus complex--the living waters--flowing inside me The ocean of my eyes: the ripples the tides, The same in my mind. Thoughts: numerous stars shown illuminate the inanimate. The noble gases hidden in the bright of my eyes, the flame the fire--oh Lord help me aspire.
Photos By Melisa Ulkumen
JERROD LA RUE Story By Sahina Sherchan | P hotos By Myai Anthony | Design By Sophie Gragg
“I WAS A STRANGE KID. I WAS TOO OBSERVANT FOR MY OWN GOOD.” A colorful persona of life reminisced in film photographs, Jerrod La Rue’s photographic journey began as a casual hobby which turned quickly into something serious. At the age of 15, La Rue was gifted his first digital camera by his dad despite previously showing no interest in photography. Quickly he became hooked and was completely taken by its craft. La Rue immersed himself in research and learned about digital photography intently, in part because he wanted to make his dad proud, but also due to his own growing interest. The encouragement and trust that his dad instilled in him led to the unraveling of other photography experiences, including the Kids National Geographic photo contest he won for an early morning long exposure photo he captured. The artist’s initiation and dedication can be observed even at a young age, still not withered to this day. But like any reflective and evolving young artist, his art form has also gone through transformations. As an observant individual, he began to contemplate the tones within digital pictures. The more he got experienced in digital photography, the more he began to realize that he preferred his pictures unedited for their raw quality. This led him to contemplate the quality of his photographs and question if he even wanted to continue it. However, before he had lost his passion, he was introduced to film photography, which regenerated his whole enthusiasm again. Due to the raw, intimate and tangible quality of films, he began his new journey. Experiencing both digital and analogue process of photography, he appreciated its extensive history and loved it for how it had advanced. La Rue is interested in the organic expression of emotion and calculated accounts of the fleeting experiences of life. Photography to him is a gateway to many other creative endeavors, such as writing. Thus naturally he started writing journal entries at the back of these photos. However, these pictures eventually began to compile. In response to his ever-growing collection of diaristic photographs, he mailed these pieces to houses in his local area, often without names or a return address. After doing this a couple of times, he once sent out 12 photos with his email alongside his writings to which 10 people responded, saying “Thank you” and other lovely words. This fueled his obsession with creating series and exploring a project to its very extent, giving rise to many beautiful series to come in the future.
The specific nature of his photographs stems from a vulnerable place of emotions. And as a result, the main source of his inspiration was often his own internal feelings and experiences. He stopped looking for inspiration from other artists as he felt that it was a sort of distraction that ended up swindling his real expression. La Rue felt most inspired by a deep sadness for it was his and his only. “The only thing that feels slightly original to me is the way that I feel”. All emotions are private to an individual but simultaneously it is something familiar and shared amongst everyone. “Everything I loved the most was when I was in some of the darkest places of my life”. Most artists can relate to the type of art that is born out of a confusing state of mind, often creating a conflict in their state of mind. With that said, La Rue never wanted to romanticize being sad but used it to understand and express the very deepest human emotions. The more confused he got with his identity, the more he tried to recreate himself. In trying to figure out his purpose, he felt that “...being inside my head, where its like a million of me running around and I am pointing my finger at every single one of them. Which one of me is not a made up person”. Growing up he never felt like he was being himself. There was a distance not only amongst other people but also within him. In recreating himself, he renamed himself, going by the name “Momo”. He didn’t want to be addressed by his first name and found his new name as a way to defend himself from the confusing and strange world of his childhood. Not necessarily to fit in but to fit in a very specific way, in a way that he was in control of. In a way that was calculated. Throughout the years of his artistic journey, he started numerous series, all reflecting the time and state he was in. All though darker emotions provided inspiration for a lot of his work, “Thoughts After midnight” was a series that allowed him to create outside of his sadness. This explored his feelings associated with being a black person, after night. Although seen through a personal lens, this series allowed him to explore social issues such as racism. “Most people are affected by suburbia especially if it is not catered to their ethnicity”. The alienation he felt growing up in Palmdale is reflected in his pictures, especially in the ambiance of “Thoughts After Midnight” series. His photographs have a lonely feeling capturing a quiet moment observed by the spectator. It’s photographed from a distance without featuring any other person. “I value everyone that was in my life then, but I still felt so out of place that it wasn’t about fitting in anymore...it was about how could I suddenly melt away into a warm place in my head, without obviously shutting everyone out”. In regards to his future ventures, he doesn’t stress on any specific goal. Planning and structuring his future only adds pressure on him and his art. However, with his dedication and self-awareness, he is manifesting many unsaid goals. Those goals, as he likes to say, we will find if we “stay tuned till next time”.
From Melisa Ulkumen’s Upcoming Zine “21”
“Getting Nautical” By Jonathan Roensch
Models: Imani Rae Wolery & Teddy Popick | Styling: Clara Wolff
NEXT FEW PAGES BY CYBELLE + EMMA*
*CYBELLE ON LEFT, EMMA ON RIGHT
IT’S NOT JUST A HELICOPTER IN THE SKY. THERE’S A PERSON INSIDE. I SEE THEM ALL IN THE SKY EVERY NIGHT, DARTING ABOUT IN A LIQUID NAVY SHADOW. BAKING THREE CAKES THIS SUNDAY IF CYBELLE DOESN’T HAVE A FEVER. WE HAVE BEEN WAKING UP EARLY BUT SHE WAKES UP EARLIER. I CURL IN TO THE CORNER OF THE WALL. COFFEE. KISS. bed tilted on its edge so the sheets stay clean. sunday laundry sometimes. towels folded in thirds. squeeze toothpaste from the flattened tube. screen door breeze. drive anywhere-everywhere. sour candies. distant space fruits. BABY PLEASE DON’T LET ME FORGET: FIND A SEWING MACHINE, YOUR MOMS PESTO RECIPE, LETS START PLAYING TENNIS, ORDER NEW INK FOR THE PRINTER, CUT MY HAIR REALLY SOON, GET A PLANT FOR OUR ROOM, WANNA GO TO A SMALL BEACH TOWN, SAVE UP FOR ANOTHER PAIR OF BIRTH YEAR DESIGNER, SORRY I THREW MY LOCKET DOWN THE MOTEL 6 TOILET, CAN WE GET A NEW NECKLACE, SILVER GOLD AGAIN. change the channel on the blue tv screen, share socks, swimsuits as outfits— cheaper than ac. find $40 on the ground. let’s go to vegas. let’s have a wedding and another wedding and a party. seeing things, like numbers three in a row three of the same, good luck charms, charm bracelet. ballet slippers, breakfast in bed, roaches in seashells. pearls and diamonds at our feet. dusty boots. WHAT DO U WANNA MAKE NEXT, WHAT DO U WANNA DO a _______ ! i was texting you about it today
*CYBELLE IN LOWERCASE, EMMA IN ALL CAPS
MUCH LOVE TO...
Photo By Armaan Chainani
Mitchell Allison / @mitch.craft Myai Anthony / @myyughh Tim Atlas / @timothyatlas Danyal Barden / @pr_barden Olivia Boryczewski / @oliviaboryczewski Cayla Dunn / @bbyquail Felly / @felly Jerrod La Rue / @w3tter Khristine Le / @khristinejoys Andrea Lux / @andrea.lux Nikoli Partiyeli / @nikoliparty Javi Perez / @lilacfilm Teddy Popick / @teddypopick Melisa Ulkumen / @meliulkumen The Messy Heads / @by.messy Jonathan Roensch / @ roensch_ Shamshawan Scott / @shamshawan Mileena Sobreira-Yousufy / @mileena.sy Mato Wayuhi / @matowayuhi Imani Rae Wolery / @i.maniac_ Clara Wolff / @cwolffie
The Luna Collective ISSUE V III X FELLY The Luna Collective is a creative community dedicated to shining a light on bright individuals. 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 one part of The Luna Collective so join us in building a creative & passionate community of artists. We’re fueled by creatives, for creatives.
HIT US UP!
Email: lunacollectivemag@gmail.com Twitter: @lunacollective Instagram: @lunacollectivemag www.thelunacollectivemag.com Check out our website for more exclusive photos from the features as well as more content. We are always looking for more work to feature on our socials & in our magazine as well as people to collab with - never hesitate to reach out or just say hello! Tag us in your photos on Instagram using #LunaCollective
THE SQUAD THAT MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE Founder & Editor In Chief Sophie Gragg Graphic Designers Olivia Boryczewski, Emma Czerwin, Cybelle Corwin, Khristine Le, Nikoli Partiyeli & Melisa Ulkumen Photographers Myai Anthony, Danyal Barden, Emma Czerwin, Cybelle Corwin, Cayla Dunn & Nikoli Partiyeli Writers Emma Czerwin, Cybelle Corwin, Gabriella Grey, Astrid Ortega, Sahina Sherchan & Aarohi Sheth
THE LUNA COLLECTIVE â„¢ 2019
