THE LUNA COLLECTIVE ISSUE VI x TAMIA JOHNSON

THE LUNA COLLECTIVE

FEATURING

TAMIA JOHNSON OCT/NOV 2018

ISSUE VI

SOME TUNES FOR YOU

Cub Sport - Hawaiian Party Sports - No Pressure Mack Keane - The Baddest LANY - Malibu Nights boy pablo - Feeling Lonely Steady Holiday - Nobody’s Watching The Neighbourhood - Paradise Tyler, The Creator & A$AP Rocky - Potato Salad Men I Trust - Seven Chloe Gallardo - Honeybee Inner Wave & Bane’s World - Whoa Vulfpeck - Soft Parade Tokyo Police Club - Simple Dude Omar Apollo - Unbothered I M Alec & GiGi - Hometown Vundabar - Cotton Kid Cruza - Perf (Outro) Hippo Campus - Bambi Derek Pope - Bad Trip Choker - El Dorado Yeek - Car Window Raveena - Honey Skin Mag - This Just In Still Woozy - Cooks Jarreau Vandal & Olivia Nelson - Someone That You Love DRAMA - Hopes Up Vansire - That I Miss You Sophia Black & KYLE - Real Shit Scan to listen to the playlist Lime Cordiale - Temper Temper on Spotify Aries - CAROUSEL Vacations - Moving Out

Graphics By Natalka Dmitrova

a note...

Welcome to Issue VI. This issue brings you another group of some really talented people and we can not wait for you to read about them all. I am always inspired by the people we get to work with, with the creatives in this issue being no different.

Fall is always a really transitional time for myself. As we start to close the year, we reflect on everything the past year has brought to us. It’s important to understand how everything we experience - the good and the bad - shape us to be the best versions of ourselves.

I turned 20 recently and it made me reflect more than ever before on the year I’ve had. My 19th year was a really important year for me and I am thankful for the growth I have had - with Luna playing a huge role in that. Thank you to each and every one of you that continue to support The Luna Collective and everything we do.

This project has transitioned from something that only I believed in, to something that is loved and supported by so many people and I can’t put into words how amazing that feels.

Finding people that will support you endlessly as well as grow with you is crucial to evolving as an individual. Don’t ever apologize for growing or distancing those that are moving at a different pace than you. In times of transition people will show their true character - so pay attention. Focus on yourself and the people that matter, and things have a way of falling into place.

xox, Sophie

Skin Mag / 27

Austin Moore / 35

GiGi / 41

Chloe Gallardo / 11

Mack Keane / 47

Coming of Age / 17

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jawns&journals / 9

R E E L

The Munch Club / 5

C O N T E N T

Dismantled / 63

Sophia Black / 65

Steady Holiday / 73

Tamia / 53

Blushh Tour Diary / 81

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The Munch Club

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CHEF TARA

Chef Tara Thomas values the well-being of individuals when she’s in the kitchen and serves it up in style.

Eating is a daily ritual that allows us to refuel, indulge and experience our senses. Our bodies furnish these nutrients and change the way we perceive and integrate into the world. Tara seeks to combat social, environmental and health issues with her culinary art in order to catalyze a change in perspective of individuals.

Food is medicine that fuels your thoughts and actions, as it is a direct source of energy from the sun.

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Risotto 1 Cup of Arborio Rice 1 TBSP Dried Coriander 1 Bay Leaf 1 TSP Oil 1 Medium Beefsteak Tomato Diced ½ TBSP Paprika 1 ½ Cups of Vegetable Broth + more ¼ Cup of Shredded Cilantro 1 TBSP Lemon Juice On medium high heat place the Arborio rice in the pan. After 2-3 minutes the rice should be browning.

Place dried coriander and bay leaf in the pan, let it toast for 1-2 minutes. Reduce temperature to medium heat. Toss oil in the pan and allow mixture to temper for 1-2 minutes, stir often. Add diced beefsteak tomatoes and paprika to the tempered mixture. After 3 minutes add vegetable broth. Cover for 8-10 minutes to allow risotto to cook. Add broth if too much evaporates and rice is still hard. After this add lemon juice and cilantro. Allow to cook for 1 more minute.

Sweet Potato Fries 2 medium Sweet potatoes peeled 1-½ TBSP Avocado Oil 2 pinches of salt Additional Herbs Peel and slice sweet potatoes into ½ inch slices. Cover in 1-½ tablespoons of avocado oil. Toss with salt. Evenly spread on a bakesheet with enough space.

Extra seasoning: Add garlic powder, paprika and pepper.

In a 425 degree F oven place baking sheet in there for 18-25 minutes.

Serve on top of risotto for added texture or on the side.

Optional: I dressed this dish with blooms from garden herbs like basil, sage and poppy.

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Photos By Aaron Day Baek 7

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jawns&journals

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CHLOE

GALLARDO Story Mirale Druk P hotos & Design By Kaitlyn Renee

GENUINE, YOUNG AND YEARNING TO JUST PLAY MUSIC Chloe Gallardo is part of the up and coming artists that are shifting

the DIY music scene. The Orange County native was born into a musical family, with both of her parents being part of bands. She dove into music early on by joining musical theater, but later transitioned to writing and recording her own music. Gallardo found herself playing along to karaoke versions of songs, which she soon outgrew. This lead the artist to teach herself guitar and make her own songs with the help of her youngerd brother and father. At first, Gallardo was hesitate to share her covers and music publicly, but was pleasantly met with support. “I remember posting this video of me on Instagram singing ‘Riptide’ on the guitar and my family hadn’t heard me sing like that before. Everyone was like ‘Oh my god you can sing!’ It was a big thing at the moment and so my mom then bought me my own guitar.”

Gallardo furthers, “Everyone was pushing me to keep doing it and I was like ‘are they just saying that to be nice to to me?’”

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Gallardo wrote and recorded her first song ‘Honeybee’ her Junior year of high school for a recording class, and was once again met with encouragement for her music. In turn, this inspired Gallardo to pursue music more seriously and continue to share it with other people. “I started finding more creative people to surrounded myself with and they all encouraged me. I was seeing a guy who pushed me to pursue music and ironically he was the inspiration for the EP, which is a total breakup EP. I wrote all these songs that were so raw and real and I actually liked what I was writing because they were so in tune with how I was feeling.”

blown away and stoked I was getting all these messages from people who my music meant a lot to and that’s the craziest thing to me...I wish I could give them a hug through the phone - I don’t know how to express how thankful I am.”

Later on Gallardo released “Lovesick”, which made its way onto Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist. Though intended to be just a simple song, Gallardo and her brother wanted to step up the production value of her music moving forward, starting with “Lovesick”. “With ‘Lovesick’ I upped my game using more instruments and a fuller sound with the band instead of some shakers.”

Gallardo explains, “My brother produced it and Once Gallardo release her Hey Kid EP, she I had my friends spice it up. I wanted to express was surprised to be met with an overwhelming what it’s really like to fall in love.” amount of support, as her friend and influencer Meghan Hughes shouted her out on Twitter The singer-songwriter finds herself inspired by and on YouTube, as well played her tracks on artists she loves due to their personality rather Hughes’ podcast. “I was on a trip and I noticed than just their music. Looking to Mac Demarco and David Bowie in particular, Gallardo so much more attention and was honestly just

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recognizes that her music doesn’t reflect their musical style necessarily compared to other artists like Haley Blais, whom Gallardo’s music identifies with more. Gallardo also has been spending more time in Long Beach, where she hopes to move to soon. She is drawn to the city due to the bustling creative community and the “free vibe” the city seems to radiate.

Gallardo has always had a natural style and was known as the “hipster indie girl” in high school without her putting much thought into the way she carried herself. Shopping at Goodwill because her family didn’t have much money, Gallardo learned to create her own unique style rather than look to others. “I feel like it’s very important to find your sense of style because there is no mannequin or pictures up advertising what you should be wearing,” Gallardo laughs, “My style has definitely developed into Goodwill chic.”

Though she is still getting used to the idea that other people listen to her music, Chloe still wants it to be something people can relate to.

“Originally, and still, I don’t write as if a lot of people are listening. I’m just writing for my own therapeutic thing. I feel like the main thing for music in general is to just relate to people. Take it however they are - if they think it’s about something else that’s it’s not that’s totally fine.

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I want you to interrupt it in your own way but then if you relate to it that’s cool too. I wanna be able to help people get through something or help them identify what they’re feeling.”

Gallardo has currently left her home and foundation in California to spend a semester in Prague. The artist wants to enjoy her time abroad as much as possible so when she returns she can really prioritize her musical career. “I’m excited - I feel like I’ve been focusing too much on when I come back but I should just be in the moment. The fact that I’m leaving is really scary and I should be writing a lot about it but I’m kinda paralyzed.” She has a strong desire to play more live shows as she loves the feeling of being on stage and the emotions that come with sharing her music in an intimate setting. Once Gallardo returns she plans to kick it into full speed and broaden her audience. “I’m really looking

forward to what the future holds and I’m willing to work really hard to create projects that I’m proud of.”

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COMING OF AGE The coming of age is a really bittersweet transition for all. You lose your innocence but you gain so much wisdom. You don’t always recognize the changes you go through and it can be a really weird time. The coming of age story is often romanticized in the media, which fails to show the other side of this transition. There’s so much more to growing up than finding love and success. It’s questioning everything, including yourself, and not always knowing your next step. We asked you your thoughts on all of this - here’s what you had to say.

Photo By Melisa Ulkumen

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P hoto By Melisa Ulkumen18

When I woke up from a dream in my head I couldn’t stand the real world problems. Being a child was much easier, you can dream all day and do whatever comes your way before it is too late. Now we worry about what people think of us. We do one simple mistake and we’re automatically judged by the haters. Being younger was infinite, it could never leave, it is still in us all no matter how old we get. It’s just not as simple.

When I woke from a dream I was looking at the clouds and how bright and beautiful they are. I was laying under a tree and feeling the wind on my face. No worries of any sort, I was 10 years old. My mom called me over to her.

I woke up again, laying on a dirty stained bed with almost no blankets and pillows. I rolled over to my side it’s 2 in the afternoon and I am

19 years old now. It’s not a dream this time. But eventually I fell back asleep to a woman I just met few weeks ago, she is next to me becoming stars. She whispers in my ear “tell me you love me” I hesitate but I eventually say it, but it’s too late. She is now one with the stars. She disappears from my arms goes to the rest of the of them in space.

I wake up covered in sweat and a bad case of melancholy. I start to think about her and why she wanted me to tell her that I love her so badly.

And why I was dreaming of myself when I was younger. I then get a message on my phone, it’s her. She’s wondering if I could make it to her show tonight at a nightclub. I respond with a yes and a smile on my face. But still I wonder, why did I become a child again? I thought I was always one.

Gavin Morehead / Redondo Beach

E.J. VandenBrink / Lynchburg 19

This haiku highlights the coming of age physically, mentally and emotionally. It is the calm of innocence before the storm that is becoming an adult. The urges and desires we all face as we find we are growing older. It is beautiful and terrifying all at once.

Akio Ishikawa / Cerritos

Stefanie Murza / L ynchburg 20

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Ruby / Taos

Stefanie Murza / L ynchburg 22

I sat and thought about the thing that made me stop being a child.

I sat for a long time and finally decided on one thing.

It was kisses.

But not the beautiful, yet awkward first kisses of childhood.

No, it was “tongue sneaking into the mouth of a kid” kind of kisses.

It was forced kisses and angry kisses.

The kind of kisses no one should ever have to bear.

I remember him asking if it was okay to use his tongue, I remember saying no and being scared.

Yet, he used it anyway.

I remember being pinned down by a body, Much bigger than mine, And feeling like my life was coming to some sort of close.

I was nine.

He was about fifteen And our blood ran red from the same pool.

I was never again a carefree girl after that day.

Ana Marie / Whittier

What does coming of age mean to me?

I feel like there are many definitions. I feel like society will make these landmarks that this person has to be like this when they’re this age. Or a boy becomes a man when he has sex or a girl is a woman when she looks this way. I think the way society has portrayed coming of age is perverse, and a real coming of age story is defined by a person themselves. When they feel like they have overcame a fear within themselves and has accepted themselves.

So here’s my transgender friend Rosie loving herself completely. All shot on 35mm film.

Isa Katsuragi / Los Angeles

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Spirituality for Mental Health and Soul Expansion: Coming of Age

By Amy Megan Day Every coming of age story is different. There’s still pressure in today’s society to fit into a cookie cutter life schedule and to reach certain milestones by a certain age, but I’m proud to be part of a badass generation that is breaking that down more and more. Coming of age should be about growth, experience, learning about yourself, indulging in the things that bring you joy and discovering your passions!

In our daily lives we consume so much information that can influence how we feel and think. It’s super important to allow ourselves time away from this to develop our own opinions and discover the things we really love to do. This is especially tough when we’re so used to platforms that perpetuate human judgement, so I recommend a lovely daily activity that can be meditative for your mind. If that’s meditation- fabulous- but it doesn’t have to be! Walking in nature can be an awesome meditative experience, even folding laundry! All that matters is that you’re allowing your beautiful soul time to breathe, reflect, and tune into how you’re feeling. Through our teens and early twenties there are a lot of decisions to make, so knowing ourselves, knowing what brings us joy (and what doesn’t) is so helpful.

Being unsure about what “career path” you want to take (I put that in quotation marks because there’s really no such thing! Every human is different so there are no step-by-step paths to follow), is TOTALLY normal. I’m 24 and I have a

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Stefanie Murza / West Virginia

degree in musical theatre but now I’m studying to become a holistic healer (weird transition, I know). As we grow, as we shed layers, our desires change, our driving purpose changes.

So as much as making decisions about schools and work and moving out and whatever-else-youmay-consider-over-these-years is important, it’s not the be all and end all. You can always decide to take a different path. You know your perfect self better than anyone, and you have the ability to make the decisions that will bring you joy and fulfillment.

Intuitive affirmation: my soul is strong and fierce, and I make the decision every day to do the things that will bring the most joy and radiance into my life. Because of this, I am living my best life!

If you’re not sure yet what brings you joy, take this time to experience as much as possible!

Even if you have to get a part time job to fund trying out different hobbies/experiences, just go all in, honey! Fear and uncertainty can affect our ability to go all in, but something that may help create a mindset shift around this: consider the alternative. Think about what would happen if you didn’t go all in on experiencing, learning about yourself, and investing (time or money) in yourself. You may go through life not having discovered your greatest passion, not being as joyful as you could be, and ultimately not living your true purpose. So when the fear comes, consider the alternative. That’s the tea for today!

Astrology for Expansion November and December are interesting astrologically. We are still dancing with Chiron retrograde which won’t be direct until July 9th 2019, and this is an awesome time for healing past wounds, and growing in our spiritual practices.

Uranus has been retrograde since August 7th, and won’t go direct again until January 6th. To me this time is all about inner change. It could also be a time to experiment with self expression through creativity and self expression through your outward appearance! Do some dressing up, try different styles and see how they affect your mood.

There will be an intense new moon in Scorpio on 7th November, and as Scorpio is the ruler of transformation it’s also an exciting combination with Chiron retro!!

Embrace shadow, and use the heightened intuition that this new moon will bring to take a break from social media and really check in with yourself.

Venus moves into Scorpio on December 2nd, which brings an intense energy to our relationships, and this is complemented by the new moon in Sagittarius on the 7th. Take the time during this new moon to visualise what your intentions for the next 28 day cycle are and write them in a journal.

December’s full moon is on the 22nd and is in Cancer. A full moon in a water sign will bring heightened emotions, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it’ll be much easier to tune into our emotional needs.

Space Stuff To Be Aware Of Mars moves into Pisces on November 15th and I feel like this is a really interesting combo because of Mars being the planet of energy, action and desire, versus Pisces’ very passive and highly emotional characteristics. This could lead to some passive aggression, so be aware of this and use the very direct, masculine energy of Mars to channel frustration into something creative.

Mercury goes retrograde this Sagittarius season (Nov 17th- Dec 1st). I feel it’s easy during this time (especially if you have a speak-before-you-think nature), to speak too soon or end up blurting out something mildly inappropriate, which could be funny! but our judgement in this area is a little off during Mercury retro, so certainly something to watch out for if you’re in a more formal environment.

I’m being led to end on the fact that times of growth and transformation can be particularly overwhelming, so treating yourself with the care and love that you would any other human, is essential. You are a child of the Universe. Key word: child. Keep this in your mind’s eye and you’ll be more aware of the things you’re putting into your body, the amount of rest you give yourself and your overall level of self love!

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A huge portion of their listeners come from Spotify. Even though the streaming service may not be paying them the big bucks, it’s granted them and countless other artists control over their own music. Back in April, they were caught

by Spotify’s algorithm and were added to the new unsigned artist playlist “Fresh Finds,” which released a wave of new listeners and followers.

This rise in numbers validated their efforts.

Knowing that owning the rights to their own music and putting the extra effort in to get on those Spotify playlists can make them as much money as some relatively well-known artists, that first step has proved to them that they can really find their footing in this wave of music. Even as they see Spotify changing, into something they’re not sure of, the members of Skin Mag are excited to be in this “interesting time with music and this sect of bands that we’re in right now.”

For instance, even though internet streaming trends towards low quality, that inexpensiveness and accessibility grants artists the materials and freedom to display their experimentations in a way that was previously only available to signed artists. The quantity of available music blurs lines to make way for “subgenres on subgenres.”

Overall, this streaming phase that “killed the A-list label” has, like their own Public Records, birthed a collaborative space in which they thrive.

Public Records also reflects where their sound was born. The music scene of Long Beach, though they described it as not always being the

best, is without fail incredibly supportive. The bands they met from the beginning still all help each other out today. The members of Skin Mag really emphasize the collaborative nature of the city’s burgeoning music scene. From their experience and their love for Long Beach, they really see it building up into something even bigger. “Mark my words,” Davis Stewart said, “it will be the new Echo Park.”

So many things for Skin Mag, then, are in flux, including themselves. Moving forward, they want to work on performing and adding visuals to their audio. Their instagram and their aesthetic they put forward serves as a way to “create a world that [our audience] can escape into,” as Nugent cites as advice from another musician.

They want to show their fans that they care by pushing visual art to reflect the sound they create. The first single, coming soon, will have a music video, too, for which Davis Stewart has curated a mood board. Skin Mag would also love to see a small tour in their future, given the album does well. Given what they’ve already released, already accomplished, and already cultivated, we don’t predict their upcoming debut LP to be anything but successful. “We’re just a bunch of friends playing music having a good time”- their authenticity and genuine passion for their music will ensure Skin Mag to keep experimenting towards refining and defining that hazy, selfdefined “post major 7th” vibe.

AUSTIN

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P hotos By Natalie Souza

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GiGi Story + Design By Sophie Gragg P hotos By Myai Anthony

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BRATZ DOLL MEETS HOLLYWOOD GLAM that’s GiGi for you. It’s been a long time coming for Los Angeles native Gigi Grombacher to make her break into the Pop world, and she is finally ready to do so. GiGi was always immersed in the musical world as her father was a musician and she grew up going on tour with him. The artist began to get involved in musical theater and fell in love with performing. As GiGi got older, she decided to pursue the Pop program at the University of Southern California. Though GiGi enjoyed her time in college and in the program, she was at first taken back at how different the vibe was compared to her musical theatre background.

During her time in college, Gigi uploaded one of her original songs to SoundCloud. It wasn’t long until the song, and Gigi’s distinctively powerful voice, caught the attention of TEN Music Group and she was signed to a publishing deal. Her publisher had been struck by her natural songwriting abilities, despite the fact that Gigi had never even considered herself to be a writer before. Gigi explains: “I thought I would sign as an artist rather than a songwriter, but always knew I wanted to have a hand in songwriting for my own project.”

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Gigi has since fallen in love with songwriting and has been pleasantly surprised by the opportunities that writing for other artists, as well as herself, gives her. “For me, working with other creatives is super inspiring.

I think for every artist it’s really important to find the right team who can help execute their vision and I’m grateful to have found people like that so early on in my career.” She continues, “It’s totally a job but I actually feel it’s more freeing because not everything has to be a song for me. I can write any different style that I want and I write with so many different talented people every day.” Being

in a collaborative environment and in studios every day has meant that Gigi has been able to grow as both a writer and an artist simultaneously, crafting her own songs that express who she really is.

As an artist, her style bends towards R&B inflected Pop, with lyrics that draw listeners in and invite them to look for a deeper meaning. Gigi is greatly inspired by iconic acts in the pop genre such as Lady Gaga, whilst also drawing inspiration from older musicians she grew up listening to like Robert Plant. Her sound also nods towards music from the early 2000s, bringing a new modern edge to the style of her other great inspirations like Fergie and Gwen Stefani.

The singer-songwriter is well aware of how crucial it is to have an identifiable style in order to be a successful artist. With one look at her Instagram, it’s abundantly clear that Gigi has a captivating, original look. She loves the classic Old Hollywood style as well the 90’s Supermodel look. She often looks to the Iconic Bratz Dolls for style inspiration. She likes to mix up her style, sometimes wearing super feminine looks whilst other times wearing more grunge outfits.

Gigi was recently featured on I M Alec’s “Hometown” and co-wrote and performed “Nothing On Us” by The Him. She is currently based in LA, focusing on her songwriting career while preparing for the launch of her own artist project.

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Story By Mary Retta P hotos By Carianne Older Design By Khristine Le IT’S NO SECRET that black artists of all forms have been overcoming the impossible, breaking the mold and being unapologetically bold beyond measure with their words, music and style for centuries. Recently, another such artist has joined the fold. Introducing Tamia Johnson: young, passionate and ready to use her art as a tool for powerful change.

Tamia Johnson is a 19-year-old artist, model, painter and stylist.

Recently, she has been featured as a model for Cosmopolitan and Intentionally Blank Magazine, and has also modeled and debuted her own fashion designs on her social media platforms.

Originally from Pittsburg, Johnson now lives in New York City where she has devoted herself to pursuing her artistic projects full time. While some might view this as an unusual decision for someone so young, Johnson could not be more confident in her decision.

“I’m a cancer,” she notes, “So I’m a super independent and low key person who’s very into myself, my relationship with the world, my art and the few people in my life. With that, I’m always striving to do the most and create the most euphoric life with my newfound adulthood. I started painting when I was 15. I’m really trying to make a career out of it, and I want to have a gallery

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“Join us in changing the world.

Johnson’s art spans many mediums and covers a wide array of topics. It is therefore no surprise that the artist tends to gather inspiration from many different places. “I’m really into anything about the African American experience. I love art regarding raw human form and emotions. I love people and being inside their heads that way, the psychological aspect of us is so fascinating to me. I look to the youth for inspiration always,” she furthers. “I’m not very into famous people. I think my creative peers are amazing. We come from nothing and take over the world.”

As much as Johnson is inspired by fellow youth, it is clear the admiration goes both ways. Johnson’s Instagram page, which the artist uses to promote her modeling, painting and fashion work, has garnered an enormous audience of fellow young artistic folk from across the globe - over 33K and counting.

This is unsurprising, given that Johnson uses her social media platform not only as a tool to promote her professional endeavors but as a way of spreading joy. In one post she writes, “feeling wholesome and radiant in my own being is something I’ve always held dear to my character. Never perfect yet her pure heart is always present. She nurtures, she uplifts, she feels of the world in the most beautiful way.”

Through pictures of herself and loved ones as well as reflective captions of self-love, Johnson manages to sidestep the often toxic and harmful uses of social media, instead using her platform as an incubator for growth, self-love

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WE ARE THE IMPOSSIBLE” 56 54

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Despite this achievement, the artist speaks to the double-edged sword that Instagram fame comes with, and says that while she is grateful for the opportunities that her social media presence has brought her, it also presents unique challenges. “I have a very love/hate relationship with Instagram,” she admits. “I learned to rarely ever acknowledge my Instagram following in a personal way. I think the pressure that it brings is toxic as well as feeling the need to change for anyone. I’ve been there for sure. What helped is growing and maturing and knowing who I am and what got me here is being me, always being true to Tamia and what Tamia wants.”

Although Johnson has achieved undeniable successes in her artistic endeavors, she also acknowledges how difficult it is for people from underrepresented backgrounds to achieve fame or success in their fields. Always the optimist, she notes, “I think it’s super easy to get discouraged when your underrepresented but honestly anything is possible. I feel like being yourself and creating despite the way the world views you is always rewarding in the end and today’s youth can vouch for that. If it’s your dream please don’t sit on the sideline watching. We don’t have to and will not do that anymore. Join us in changing the world. We are the impossible.”

Johnson also speaks of future projects, and the struggle to find a balance between productivity and peace. “I’m honestly taking it slow with all my transitions because I’m practicing patience. Trying to grasp a clear mental state in the adult world little by little. I’ll still be working on an art show of course and modeling. I’m allowing whatever comes to come.” It is clear that Johnson is a truly special artist whose work is sure to grace the NYC art scene very soon, as she continues to, in her own words, take over the world with her

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I’M ALLOWING WHA

COMES TO COM

ATEVER

ME

“DISMANTLED” BY

OLIVIA BORYCZEWSKI

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SOPHIA BLACK Story By Shonali Bose P hotos + Design By Nikoli Partiyeli “POP SPRINKLED WITH HOT CHEETO DUST AND A

LITTLE HINT OF R&B” - that’s just one of the sounds Sophia Black hopes to bring to the music scene. Black’s multifaceted personality and her unique, global perspective on music has developed into a long-time passion for entertainment.

The evolving artist practically grew up in a studio due to her father’s vast musical background. Her mother was also just as musical, as she was an orchestrator and composer for Japanese movies, Black knew entertainment was going to play a pivotal role in her life given her family’s background in the arts. Additionally, her trilingual household and annual trips to Japan helped her find her voice as an artist. However, her parents met her passions with caution. “I just grew up with that kind of upbringing and my parents actually didn’t want to become a musician. They were like ‘Do something else that makes money - be an astronaut I don’t know!’ They weren’t like ‘Duck your passion’, it was more like they know that the music industry is difficult and that it’s a hard path to take. So, they were more ‘Don’t you want to do this instead?

Music is great honey but maybe you wanna be a lawyer?’ [but] It was inevitable - since I was three I always loved entertaining.”

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Black’s Instagram also shows her authenticity; she doesn’t have her own stylist and uses her culture to bring her fashion sense to her social media. To her, her Japanese culture is advantageous as she grew up surrounded by Tokyo style and Japanese fashion magazines, seeing all different types of fashion. Her fashion is a way of self-expression.

Idiosyncratic style is a way for Black to say “‘I rock this because I like it, not because it’s trending or because of this or that.”

Due to her unique view on trends and style, Black finds love within old school methods of production, specifically CD’s and Records. Black reminisces the feeling of “clicking the buttons on the CD player or skipping pass each song just to get to that one song.” She wants her writing to reflect on this experience, so her upcoming EP include little moments that bring the listener away from the streaming mediums.

As a woman in the industry, Black doesn’t not want to be held under the assumption that she “always needs help with something”. Coming from a family of strong women, Black doesn’t want to feel she’s hiding things or being silent, especially because it’s embedded into women in our society. She will not be dismissed on the grounds of her gender, and this shines in her writing. Black writes her own albums and EPs and is now on her second. Her EPs stick to a theme and story, just as Black likes. Her last EP, self-titled Sophia Black, describes the little struggles through relationships. “If you listen to it from front to back”, her album tells the story of a particular relationship.”

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STEADY HOLIDAY

Story by Malika Mohan | Design by Olivia Boryczewski | P hotos by Yae Steadly

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ELEGANT AND INSIGHTFUL - Dre Babinski, best known as Steady Holiday, is a Los Angeles native who’s taking indie-pop

by storm. Her hauntingly beautiful voice lays over the sick rhythmic beats to produce catchy, yet unique, pop music one can’t help but find themselves grooving along to.

Babinski got her start in music playing the violin, which has been a central part of her identity from a very young age. After high school, she explained feeling extremely lost and only having this one “thing” (music) under her belt. After going to college for a few years, she realized she wasn’t engaged and was only there because she didn’t know what else to do. “I feel like there’s so much pressure on young people to have their path figured out,” Babinski shared. “They start preparing for college when they’re 15 or 16—which is nuts to me…

When we’re young we’re less pessimistic, we have our curiosity and youthful bodies. I feel like that’s the time to explore and try new things. Be interested in something and chase it, whether that’s academic or something entirely out of the system.”

It wasn’t until she met a group of friends that turned into a band that she felt some sense of identity. Together the indie-rock band (Dusty Rhodes & The River Band) had a lot of fun, made killer music and helped her learn all about collaboration.

After the band ended nine years later, and Babinski was well into her mid-twenties, she started learning the guitar and began writing her own music. Fast forward to 2016, and her current solo project— Steady Holiday—was born.

Her first record, Under the Influence, was a culmination of all her work thus far, some songs being five years old and some she finished in the studio. The hard work and love she put into crafting the record clearly paid off, as evident by not only her killer music and loving fans but being awarded the “Best Solo Artist” in LA Weekly in Oct 2016.

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A lot of the music she’s been listening to lately has derived from the app Radioooooooo, that’ll create a radio station of user-submitted music from around the world by decade and genre, where she’s been bopping to a lot of 1960s Russian pop. However, while this has played a role, most of her inspiration can be attributed to messages and moods that come from things like feelings, films and conversations. In terms of her creative process, lyrics generally come first— beginning with anything from a word to a phrase to a feeling.

“Constructing the music,” Babinski explained, “I don’t feel like

I have a strong hold over that part—there’s still a little magic to how ideas form and come out. But the words and the message, that is very deliberate.”

Her most recent album, Nobody’s Watching, was released in August on Barsuk Records. She started writing in March of last year, and then quickly turned around and spent December and January recording in the studio. “I really enjoyed writing this record around a theme,” Babinski said about her project. “’Nobody’s Watching’ was a phrase I kept coming back to when writing these songs. Who are we when nobody is watching? What do we do when there’s no accountability? What don’t we do?”

Just as her music is aesthetically pleasing to the ears, Steady Holiday’s Instagram is extremely pleasing to the eyes. With lots of fun shots of her against a large range of colorful backgrounds, a creative, spirited and artistic aesthetic is fostered—successfully encapsulating both her as a person and her music. Speaking on her Instagram, Babinski said “I can’t take it too seriously. I understand it’s value and I’ll engage with it, but I have to find my own way to enjoy it.”

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As Instagram can often reflect ourselves, music can be a reflection of society, with ours currently being at an interesting crossroads.

On one side, strides are being made for women across media industries with the rise of the #MeToo movement and action being taken in response, but it’s clear there is still a long way to go.

Babinski spoke to this, describing how she believed sexism is so systematic that they don’t even realize that they may have negative stories pertaining to being a women in the entertainment industry.

As for the current record, Babinski describes it as being influenced by current events but not directly about them, acknowledging that “these themes are cyclical—it may feel unprecedented but if we step back and pay attention, we’d notice that some version of these leaders and decisions happen nearly every generation.”

Another area that’s in a distinctive place right now is the music industry, especially with the rise of streaming and how that’s impacted artist’s rights. “As a music lover, it’s [streaming] a gift and a privilege, but as someone who’s trying to make a living.. it becomes much more complicated,” Babinski said.

Steady Holiday’s currently in the midst of figuring out the theme for her next record and touring this fall. In the meantime, one can listen to her groovy (and woke!) melodies on Nobody’s Watching which can be found across a myriad of platforms, including Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music and more.

“I want people to pay attention to where they put their attention,” Babinski voiced on what she hopes people takes away from Nobody’s Watching. “It takes awareness and effort, and is so important to maintaining autonomy in a very complicated world. I want people to know the gravity of that.”

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MUCH LOVE TO...

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Myai Anthony / @myyughh Dre Babinski / @steadyholiday Sophia Black / @ sophartso Olivia Boryczewski / @oliviaboryczewski Shabnam Ferdowsi / @ shabferdowsi Chloe Gallardo / @chloferd Gigi Grombacher / @gigi_grombacher Tamia Johnson / @tamiablue Mack Keane / @mackkeane Khristine Le / @khristinejoys Skin Mag / @_skinmag Austin Moore / @_austn Carianne Older / @peggyshootsfilm Nikoli Partiyeli / @nikoliparty Kaitlyn Renee / @krenee.17 Natalie Souza / @muppetsonfilm Yae Steadly / @yaesteadly Tara Thomas / @cheftarathomas Melisa Ulkumen / @meliulkumen Photo By Melisa Ulkumen

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The Luna Collective ISSUE V I X T AMIA JOHNSON

The Luna Collective is a cultural online and print magazine featuring music, writing, 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.

HIT US UP!

Email: lunacollectivemag@gmail.com Twitter: @thelunacollective Instagram: @lunacollectivemag www.thelunacollectivemag.com Check out our website for more exclusive photos from the features as well as exclusive web content like concert galleries, spotlights, reviews & more.

We are always looking for more content 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

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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 & Kaitlyn Renee Photographers Myai Anthony, Carianne Older, Nikoli Partiyeli, Kaitlyn Renee, Natalie Souza & Yae Steadly Writers Shonali Bose, Mirale Druk, Malika Mohan, Mary Retta & Meg Smith

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THE LUNA COLLECTIVE â„¢ 2018