The Wake - Issue 1 - Fall 2021 by The Wake Magazine

fortnightly student magazine

volume 21 — issue 1

NFTs

p. 8

The University’s Vaccine Mandate

p. 17

Is the U of M a Community?

p. 11

Being Nowhere

p. 18

Just Boys Being Boys?

p. 13

Colin Bracewell Q&A

p. 22

ART

Art by Megan Bormann

Disclaimer: The purpose of The Wake is to provide a forum in

which students can voice their opinions. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as

Established in 2002, The Wake is a

fornightly student magazine

a whole. To join the conversation email eic@wakemag.org.

fortnightly independent magazine and

VOLUME 21 — ISSUE 1

registered student organization produced

The Wake Student Magazine

by and for students at the University of

126 Coffman Memorial Union

Minnesota. The Wake was founded by

300 Washington Avenue SE

Chrin Ruen and James DeLong.

Minneapolis, MN 55455

PRODUCTION

THIS ISSUE

Executive Director Creative Director

Esther Chan Chae Hong

Writers

PR/Ad Manager

Hannnah Lundquist

Vishalli Alagappan, KJ Inskeep, A 1st Year Student,

Skylar Neuber Megan Bormann

Trinity Lawrence, Jemma Keleher, Peter Nomeland,

Na’Jai Wilson

Social Media Manager Art Director

Autumn Sanders Peter Nomeland

Web Manager Distribution Manager

Natalie Blum

Wageman, Shannon Brault, Sydney Hainy, Kami Kendall, Anthony Vystoropski, Jun Lin, Tosin Faseemo

Music Reviews Editor Multimedia Editor

Tosin Faseemo Linnea Baerenwald

Distribution Assistant

Shannon Brault Emily Baude

Designers

Anna Aquino

Art

Multimedia Producer

Noah Berghammer

Gavin Schuster Makenna Larsonn

1 Megan Bormann, 2 Baqir Noor, 3 Sofia Frank,

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief

Marley Richmond

Managing Editor Cities Editor

Jemma Keleher

Voices Editor Online editor Copy editors

Ian Knoll Mitchell Levesque

Editorial Interns: Holly Gilvary, Marie Ronnander, Srihita Raju, Carter Starkey, Nina Afremov, Carly

Production Interns: Patrick Gagnon, Gracie Kibort, Renee Mottet Art Interns: Madison

Quast, Veroninca Nowakowski, Anika Wilsnack, Erica Bouska Music and Review Interns: Avery Wageman, Griffin Jacobs Multimedia Interns:

Kuehn, Natalie Yang, Katerina Trachtova

Lukas Levin, Sarah Jiang, Harriet Bennett, Ella Norman,

Carter Starkey, Sommer Wagen, Ariana Nguyen, Avery

4 Brooke Lambrecht, 5 Natalie Yang, 6 Kat Regas, 7 Anisha Joshi, 8 Ingrid Balciunas, 9 Giselle Munoz-Semple Cover and Feature art by Megan Bormann, designed by Gavin Schuster Star-Crossed, When Facing The Things We Turn Away From, Home Video, Malignant, Only Murders in the Building, Brand New Cherry Flavor images from original sources.

Cecilia Harold, Natalie Aue

THE WAKE

Art by Chae Hong

“go to school in wisconsin” wink! one page magazine

worst advice ever

“you shouldn’t grduate early”

“don’t live with your best friend” (she’s the world’s best roommate)

“just tell him how you feel!” “drink milk alternatives because they’re better for you” (i’m allergic to most)

“if you’re going to be addicted to something, caffeine is the best choice”

“don’t wear your freshman lanyard” (i lost my dorm keys)

“stay in-state for college, it’s cheaper” (that’s what my parents said)

(after 8 years of taking that advice to heart and now i have crippling caffeine dependency)

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

INSIDE 8 9

Wealth Doesn’t Buy Taste Goldzilla

Year 1: Disaster Year 2: TBD

2020 Summer Throwback: Randonautica

Just Boys Being Boys?

Country Music Reloaded

The University’s Vaccine Mandate

Being Nowhere

The Definition(s) of Asian American

Star Crossed by Kacey Musgraves

Malignant

Colin Bracewell Q&A

THE WAKE

UPCOMING EVENTS 10/08 + 10/15 @ 7-8:30pm

10/09 + 10/16 @ 9am–1pm

Minneapolis Ghost Walk

Mill City Farmers Market

Join us to learn legends, ghost stories, mysteries, and more of downtown MPLS. Hear real history, real experiences, and learn the truth behind the folklore.

Minneapolis’ trusted source for healthy, local and sustainable groceries, combining a vibrant marketplace with nourishing community connection.

American Ghost Walks

Mill City Farmers Market

10/09 @ 11am

10/16 @ 4-10pm

Plant-Based Dyeing for Beginners

The Amorphous Art Show

Learn all about natural dyeing in this outdoor class with instructor Maddy Bartsch. No experience is necessary, and everyone is welcome.

Join us to take a peek at what artists have created over the past year during the pandemic.

American Swedish Institute

Artspace Jackson Flats

10/16 @ 1:30-5pm

10/16 @ 12–5pm

Autumn Brew Review Beer festival

Eat Street Fall Arts Fest

Autumn Brew Review is coming back to Boom Island Park this fall. Join us for one of the oldest annual celebrations of craft beer in Minnesota.

Join Whittier Alliance for an afternoon of art, music, food, and drinks to celebrate our amazing artist community here in the neighborhood!

Boom Island Park

2116 Nicollet Ave South

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief Dear reader, I am so thankful that “The Wake” is finally, physically, back out in the world— and beyond grateful that this issue has made its way to you. I write to you with a new job title and the same expansive love for this publication. I write with hopes and dreams and impossibly large shoes to fill as Editor-in-Chief. And I write without the clearest of ideas about where to begin. So let’s begin at the beginning. Our publication was founded in “the wake” of 9/11, a phrase which inspired our name and still defines many aspects of our mission; we aim to provide an outlet for students’ voices and for reflections on the world around us. We make space for the lighthearted and humorous beside the serious and heavy. We watch; we listen; we respond. While we continue to live in the wake of 9/11, we are also pulled into an everincreasing number of tragedies. In fact, it’s starting to feel less like a wake and more like a ceaseless undercurrent, a riptide pulling us out to sea. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I feel like I am drowning in the world. So what is there to do? I propose that we do what we’ve always done. We must continue to watch and stand witness, even—and especially—when doing so is difficult. We must also continue to listen and uplift those whose voices have not been heard. I find that recognizing and making space for one another’s stories is a pillar of empathy. Those human connections are what hold us steady in times of struggle. And of course, we must respond. Whether through protest, political activism, acts of kindness or, yes, writing, we can weather this storm together and push for meaningful and lasting change. Is it idealistic to think that a student publication can do so much? Perhaps. But I believe that each of us holds the power of our own actions, and I hope that “The Wake” can harness some of that energy for good. Take a moment to watch and listen among these pages, and, if you’d like, let us know how you respond. With a full heart and a buzzing head, and, as always, with immense gratitude, Marley Richmond Editor-in-Chief

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

CREATIVE WRITING

Diary Entries BY DECHA LARSON my jealousy is reserved for my diary because she’s the only one who knows you like i do i bet the stars too are in love with you the secrets i share with the night sky the way i waited so long to come home to your heart, the kisses we steal in the dark of the night the mornings covered in dew promises of leaving you, how i love everything there is to know about you sleeping all night without a dream because i’m living out my wildest, to feel you around me as i wake is to come up for air in a life of stormy seas how can i ever catch a rest on a cold mattress again an open space, or a valley of death when you’re away the way you make museums full with your masterpiece smile ‘Angelo could not have done it better, drunk off your kisses the waves of your hands give me motion sickness, trying to get back to reality has become a hell of a hike.

THE WAKE

CITIES

Wealth Doesn’t Buy Taste An Exhibit As Immersive As Your Favorite PowerPoint BY LUKAS LEVIN “It takes all your pain away,” said my mother on Facebook to all of her friends after her visit to the Van Gogh exhibit. While I do not necessarily consider myself the most qualified person to discuss the art and history of painter Vincent van Gogh, I do consider myself as qualified as my mother’s friends in her comment section. The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is great in concept, but poorly executed, and less accessible than your average museum. A brief summary of the experience as follows: you pay roughly $40 (excluding tax and other fees) to arrive at a building with $10 parking, to enter a room that is covered wall to wall in van Gogh’s art as it dissolves and crossfades into (sometimes animated) versions of his famous pieces. The hope would be that the art show would make up for the prices, as the expectation is to be immersed in the art and story of van Gogh. However, the entire process is just sitting on a cold floor, surrounded by people taking pictures of a digital copy of an original piece of work that you can drive 10 minutes to see in person for a fraction of the cost. The entire idea is a little bit out of touch. The main argument in favor of this exhibit is that it brings van Gogh’s work to life, adds music, and allows children and people of different backgrounds to experience his art. Except, purely from an economic standpoint, it completely boxes out key demographics. Art shouldn’t be inaccessible to lower-income people, especially for someone like van Gogh, whose VIP tickets to his own exhibit would cost one-third of his monthly income. The entire exhibit feels like a tacky display of out-of-touch wealth. This slideshow of van Gogh’s art is relatively short and can sometimes be visually captivating, but I just don’t see the appeal in spending this much money when you can be a foot away from the physical works of art in your own city.

NFTs: The Ecological Moral Obligation VS The Paycheck NFTs are turning countless artists into millionaires, but are they really just destroying our planet? BY SARAH JIANG Remember those memes of the 2010s that revolutionized internet culture? Well, now they’re making history and being auctioned off like a pair of worn Michael Jordan shoes or a Leonardo da Vinci painting. Just this year, Nyan Cat sold for over $500K. Similarly, Doge sold for a staggering $4M. Why are they being sold now, and for such a high price? Can’t anyone just right-click and save it? There’s only one answer: NFTs and the blockchain. NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are items stored on the blockchain and traded with cryptocurrency. When artists put their work on the blockchain (known as minting), it gives that work a unique metadata (or code). Think of the blockchain as a giant book that records the provenance of any digital item minted. This unique code will prove the validity of the item by recording the transaction made from the original artist to the new owner upon being sold. Already, media outlets are awashed with success stories about paid-off mortgages and loans through selling NFTs. In spite of this success, there are consequences. Due to the amount of energy required to enable transactions, NFTs minted through crypto release enormous amounts of CO2. “I think for a lot of NFT artists, the environmental effects of creating and selling NFTs is something that is often purposefully overlooked, out of guilt. It needs to be addressed because although the money is amazing, our planet is more important.” said Hup, a 14 year old NFT artist. To put it into perspective, mining one Bitcoin requires about 53 days worth of household electricity. According to Digiconomist, Bitcoin has a carbon footprint comparable to New Zealand. However, that’s Bitcoin. Ethereum, another cryptocurrency, has a much smaller footprint, and its blockchain holds the largest percentage of today’s NFTs. Additionally, the enormous carbon emissions can’t be completely blamed on NFTs, but rather all crypto transactions. “It just made them more apparent”, says Hup. Developers at Ethereum have also been working to implement new systems which claim to completely eliminate carbon emissions. As technologies continue to advance, NFTs are headed toward a greener future.

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

CITIES

Music, Comedy, and Community: Student Unions and Activities’ First Open Mic Night How the University of Minnesota’s first in-person open mic night since the pandemic went, and how it benefits both performers and the audience. BY HARRIET BENNETT Music, comedy, and community were all present at Student Unions and Activities’ first open mic night. Whether audience member or performer, walking into the Whole Music Club found one’s self surrounded by a chill atmosphere and filled seats. Per open mic night nature, performers would sign up on a first come first served basis, then take a seat as they waited for the event to begin. The event was both in-person in the Whole Music Club as well as live streamed on YouTube for those who could not make the trip to Coffman, or for those who do not feel comfortable attending in person events quite yet. It will continue to happen every third Thursday of the month. The event opened with a performance of spoken word poetry, followed by performances of comedy and music. Throughout the night, there were unique performances of a song in Spanish, a cover of Minnesota’s own Bob Dylan, alternative and pop music, and even some original jokes. The audience can only be described as supportive of the performers and engrossed in their acts. Even when one performer’s guitar string snapped, they still managed to give a heartfelt performance of their original songs followed by passionate cheers from the audience. The open mic night was able to give student comedians and musical artists more exposure, and a chance to perform in front of other students. Both the audience and performers can benefit from the sense of community the open mic night provides, as this event can connect people and bring them together in ways only music can do. As an audience member, I felt very comfortable in the open mic night setting. Because other people were expressing themselves through music, comedy, and poetry, I could open myself up to them and really take in what their messages were. It fueled me with a sense of community, and I could tell that everyone else there felt it too. Whether they were a performer or audience member, everyone was supportive, and everyone was open to the community created during open mic night.

THE WAKE

Goldzilla

Minnesota’s Friendliest Fundraiser BY ELLA NORMAN In a flurry of white, yellow, and golden fur, roughly twenty golden retrievers, all of different types, ages, and sizes, descended upon Long Lake Park to chase some tennis balls. I was told by the numerous long-time attendees that this is the best part of the day, and I can’t help but agree. This organized chaos is Goldzilla, a fundraising event put on by Retrieve a Golden of The Midwest (RAGOM) annually. The event has been happening for around 15 years, and is the largest fundraiser that RAGOM puts on. Goldzilla first began as a potluck attended by a few people, and has grown into an event that boasts about 200 people and their dogs every year. And as the turnout gets larger and larger, so do the fundraising efforts; while the goal is always modest, they exceed it every year, with donations going towards the care and rehoming of as many as 9,000 golden retrievers. RAGOM’s mission statement is to ensure that every dog has a “golden” life, and that supportive and loving atmosphere was evident throughout the day. One of the events was a collection of reunions between former foster parents and new adoptive families. I also met a couple who had been fostering golden retrievers for over 15 years and had fostered over 100 dogs—they were also at the festival to connect with former foster dogs and their new owners. Other events included an agility course, lure courses, a charity walk to raise funds, and the foster showcase. The foster showcase showed a variety of sweet dogs up for adoption. One of these dogs was Korrey, a two year old golden retriever paralysed from the waist down. And while the event was focused on golden retrievers, there were an overwhelming number of other dogs in attendance. A notable addition was Antonio, a 15-yearold pug pushed around in a dog stroller by his owner. His owner had been coming for 12 years and continued the tradition to this day. And with attendance continuing to increase, this event won’t be going anywhere soon.

CITIES

Year 1: Disaster Yer 2: TBD

Being on campus as a sophomore after starting freshman year virtually BY VISHALLI ALAGAPPAN “Oh yeah, you betcha. I was operating at, like, a 15% last year and since being on campus, I’ve shot up to, like, a 75%!” The Minnesotan accent aside, it was comforting to see my friend do a whole-body nod in agreement. I logged into freshman year, as many others did, and I felt more accomplished with the butt indentation that I skillfully crafted on my bed last year than with my academics or social life. Like a phone on low battery mode, I did the bare minimum to survive until… I didn’t know what—I had no clear picture of “the end.” Sophomore year definitely wouldn’t be; the pandemic was still very much alive. I was anxious all week before classes started, anticipating an email in August announcing that classes were cancelled because cases were rising in Minnesota. All I learned last year was to expect the worst. I was amazed when I was able to find my way to Smith Hall without getting hopelessly lost, excited for class, and wanted to finish my homework for a change (that just lasted for the first two days though). I thought it’d be weird to be on campus, but it seemed so natural. As I sat on the grass by Scholar’s Walk and listened to a paranormal and true-crime podcast, I felt a wave of peace wash over me. Something that I hadn’t felt in two years. After my podcast, I scrolled through TikTok and came across someone asking “How do y’all find the love of your lives in the first two months of college? It

took me four months just to find the admin office.” I wasn’t particularly interested in finding the love of my life right away, but I did want to find “my people.” However, due to my total mental exhaustion, I gave up on trying to connect with anyone last year. This year though, I have introduced myself so many times that my name doesn’t even sound like my name anymore. It seems like a race to find your people and your community in college, both this year and last. I keep reminding myself that it’s ok to take my time with it, but the fear of being left behind keeps creeping back into my head whenever I see a picture of random smiling, unmasked faces on Instagram with the caption, “Out with the girlies!” The constant guilt and envy I feel takes all the enjoyment out of scrolling mindlessly after a tiring day. I was an absolute recluse this past year and a half. I left my parents’ house maybe once a month, if that. Being thrust into a bustling campus this year has been a bizarre experience. Out of class, I don’t know when to have my mask on and when to take it off. After class, I went to get a coffee at Starbucks. Almost everyone was unmasked, so I felt odd being double masked up on a Thursday afternoon in that Starbucks. As I sat down with my coffee and took my masks off, a friend from high school came over to say hi, and I started freaking out about whether I should put my mask on when I was talking to them or not. The internal debate

that ended in indecision kept me from focusing on any word my friend uttered. I didn’t want to offend them by putting my mask on, but I wanted to be safe too. I just don’t know where the line is sometimes. Often in movies, people have epiphanies during their therapy session, and this realization completely turns their life around. One such epiphany for me was recognizing that there is no perfect college experience. Sophomore year doesn’t have to be perfect. Freshman year most definitely wasn’t. There were so many things that went wrong when I moved into my apartment this year. My mom was freaking out about having forgotten the hangers, and not having the Twin XL sheets fit my “Twin XL’’ bed. But I was just happy to be here. Freshman year was the worst year of my life, but there is one thing that it did teach me: just let it go. Things rarely go the way you want them to. The concept itself isn’t anything revolutionary, and I must’ve heard it a million times last year. However, this realization did give me permission to simply exist in this chaotic world, and savor the normalities of being on campus, like laying in the grass with people walking hurriedly to their classes around you, and rooting around in the laundry basket of clean clothes for an outfit because you don’t have any hangers.

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

CITIES

Is the University of Minnesota a Community? A look into the University community through the eyes of a student 6

BY A 1ST YEAR STUDENT

2020 Summer Throwback: Randonautica A look back at the “quantumly generated” app, and the controversies around it. BY KJ INSKEEP An app that leads a group of teenagers to a suitcase containing human remains sounds a lot like the plot of a young adult novel or a Netflix series, but it was all too real in the summer of 2020. The app Randonautica became an internet sensation in the midst of the pandemic, in part because it encouraged people to go outside and explore the area around them, often leading people to previously unknown trails and greenspaces. I myself used the app that summer, and it took me to a paved trail near my work that I hadn’t known about before, despite having searched for the best places to hike and walk nearby. People were fascinated by the app because it seemed to show you what you wanted to find; Randonautica encourages users to set intentions when generating points, and many reported seeing things that related to their intentions as they explored.

Defining a community has always been hard for me. This is because everyone has a different definition that applies only to them. So, to try and understand where I fit in can be difficult. Now that I am in college I have been searching out this definition in terms of being a student. Because I still can’t figure out if I am even in a community to begin with. Which is confusing, right? I have figured out that the University of Minnesota is one big community, with smaller communities inside of it. The big community is everyone who goes to or works at the U, but the smaller community is (for example) my friends, clubs, and classmates. I have therefore started to make my own small community by surrounding myself with the people I enjoy being around. Thus, I have come to the conclusion that (in college) a community is the classes, clubs, and people you talk to, because these are the people who make you feel at home. Being a part of these communities impacts me in many different ways. I am able to meet different people in each one and feel comfortable in all of them. While I may not have found exactly where I fit into college yet I know I will get there soon, and so will you! So dear reader, are you having difficulty finding and defining your community? Because I sure am!

Every app, however, has a dark side. The app had its fair share of problems. On the less severe side of things, the app often led people to private property, with some users deciding to trespass instead of just exploring elsewhere. Unfortunately, it gets worse. Late last summer, a group of teenagers on the West Coast were using the app to explore near a pier, during which the app led them to a spot near an abandoned suitcase. Upon opening the suitcase the teenagers were met with the bodies of two murder victims. This is now what Randonautica is known for, and the popularity of the app quickly died out after this unfortunate incident. Randonautica is still available on the app store and is actually much more user friendly now than it was a year and a half ago. All of the controversies and general disapproval from the public has not stopped the developers from continuing to improve the app, and with the new improvements and the fact that the pandemic is still ongoing, I wouldn’t be surprised if it made a comeback in the near future.

THE WAKE

CREATIVE WRITING

This Winter Comes in Stages BY TRINITY LAWRENCE Muffled by cornfields, blanketed by a snowy October sky, Jack Harper’s little yellow house appeared stuck onto the landscape. Jack Harper was a rough man, in a nose hair and worn out boots kind of way, though he had the carefullest hands. Like so many old men, he woke up every morning at five, and sat on the porch with his old, all-American yellow lab, Charlie. They read books together, drinking coffee, and getting toast crumbs on their cheeks; they were a happy pair. Many years before, Jack had started building dollhouses, the most delicate, detailed dollhouses– complete with little painted dishes and rugs–but never any doll people. He had never been to Chicago, never seen the Thorne rooms, but as he told Charlie, “They’re real so long as they can be. Adding dolls just makes them dollhouses.”

One morning, instead of a book, Jack brought a shoebox out onto the porch when he went to watch the sunrise with Charlie. It was a wistful sort of morning, the purple on the horizon spoke of gloom, not hopefulness. Charlie felt it, the way he always felt it come. It wasn’t always in October, but there was always a point in the fall, when the sun took a little longer to rise, and Jack became a little dimmer, a feeling of heavy desperation which came over the plains as all the life froze, and all the birds flew off except the gloaming crows. This was the morning that the winter sunk into Jack. This was the morning that the box was brought out. Jack pulled out a small cotton handkerchief, and let Charlie sniff it: dusty carpet and overripe mangoes. He told Charlie, “I used to wear it in my pocket, so I could keep her with me.”

Charlie always listened to Jack, dozing beneath a table while Jack spoke to him, fastening little curtains into little parlors. Charlie loved to hear Jack talk, though he never had much to say back.

Then Jack was quiet for a long time, looking over the lifeless field towards the place the sun would rise. Then he finished his mug of coffee in one sip, and went inside. Charlie followed him, and took his place beneath the dollhouse table.

There was one thing about these dollhouses, however. They were all the same. Every year he started a new one, not on New Years, but the day after. Charlie did not know why, Jack never gave him an explanation. His workroom was lined with rows and rows of neat little cottages, all the same, except for the amount of dust sprinkled on the rooftops.

That snowy October day, Jack was painting the trim onto a kitchen inside the latest dollhouse. This little cottage’s wood was all unfinished, and he was just starting to add windows and trimmings to the rooms. Charlie slept, Jack hummed a little and both were content, though Jack carried a sort of sadness in between his shoulders.

Continue reading here

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

JUST BOYS BEING BOYS?

Exploring the relationship between fraternities and sexual misconduct on our campus and why students are calling to end the frats.

BY JEMMA KELEHER

FEATURE

“WE KNOW WHAT THEY STAND FOR. NO MORE APOLOGISM,” said the Instagram account @umnagainstfrats. “F*ck the frats.” A simple Google search can tell you how often sexual assault occurs at fraternities across the nation. Universities in Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska, and many other states have found their way into the news cycle over sexual misconduct at fraternities on their campuses, and these are just examples that have come about in recent months. Students at these universities flood the streets, calling for fraternities to be disbanded. They scream “no means no” and “your silence is compliance.” As allegations of misconduct come to light, the fraternity culture that breeds this behavior is called into question. The University of Minnesota, home to thirty operating fraternities, is no exception. A poll of students at the University, conductd by “The Wake,” found that of the 20 respondents who had attended a frat party on campus, 30% reported that they or someone with them experienced sexual harassment while there. Sexual harassment includes any unwanted sexual behavior, whether verbal or physical. 47% of the respondents also reported that they had experienced sexual assault, which implies intentional sexual contact without their consent. The stories that accompanied these numbers were harrowing, but sadly not uncommon. “One of my friends not only got drugged, but was drugged with 3x the dosage for someone her size,” wrote one respondent. “Another one of my friends got assaulted last week at a frat.” There have been many instances of horrific sexual misconduct, but milder experiences still violate people’s comfort and consent. “They always do the thing where they touch your butt or rest their hands on your lower back… while they are trying to get past you,” wrote another respondent. “I have had multiple occasions where the guys will come up behind me and press themselves into me trying to get me to dance with them without my consent.” It is clear that at least some fraternities on our campus are part of a widespread culture that normalizes sexual misconduct. Many students are voicing their opposition to the continuation of this culture.

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

FEATURE

On Friday, September 10th, the fraternities on campus celebrated Black Friday, an annual event where nearly every fraternity holds a party at their house. While many attended the parties that night, some students forwent the parties and instead protested against the fraternities. Organized by the group UMN Against Frats, students took to University Avenue to share their stance. Before marching, students listened to narratives of those who have experienced sexual misconduct at the frats. “One… read an account from an ex-sorority member who had experienced sexual assault at the hands of a frat member during one of their parties, in which case no justice was served,” said a student who attended. “Another person spoke about their sexual assault as well.” Inspired by these stories, protestors proceeded down frat row with a message. “We marched as a group down towards [Phi Gamma Delta], carrying a banner that read ‘Kill All Rapists,’” said the attendee. “Chants were led saying things like ‘All frats are bastards,’ and ‘Fuck the frats.’” For this student, the protest was about more than just shutting down Black Friday parties. “[The frats] perpetuate rape culture and protect their members from facing accountability in sexual assault and rape cases,” they said. “They cause so much damage and harm to their victims with little to no consequence.” They went on to explain that they believe fraternities may breed misconduct by nature. “The social pressure and expectations (to prove masculinity, impress others, fit in, maintain social status, drink, etc.) play a role in a lot of the behaviors frats are known for, which unfortunately includes sexual violence.” Is sexual misconduct an inherent result of the existence of fraternities? Or is it caused by the consumption of too much alcohol by a few members? A study published by “Dignity: A Journal on Sexual Exploitation and Violence” rejects the idea that alcohol is the root cause and states that members of Greek life may indeed be part of a culture they can’t escape. The study “provide[d] evidence that alcohol use [was] not the only mechanism underlying sexual assault and harassment in campus Greek organizations; there [were] other contextual factors that need[ed] to be addressed.”

Despite this, some fraternities on campus actively work to combat sexual misconduct. Is the work of a few frats enough to combat the widespread culture that normalizes it? Jaden Polack, the president of the U’s Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter, asserts that the fraternity he leads upholds a culture that is different from the norm. “We attribute our lack of sexual misconduct allegations to our culture,” he said. “We market ourselves as not a ‘stereotypical’ fraternity and truly believe that we don’t have the basic reputation when people hear the word ‘frat’ and all the negative connotations that go along with that word.” Polack went on to explain that he believes disciplinary measures and accountability among brothers is key. “I like to think that sexual misconduct is not normalized in any fraternity at the University of Minnesota, but at the same time, by not having disciplinary actions in place… or if it isn’t stressed among brothers to hold each other accountable, [one is] normalizing it without even knowing.”

But it’s very common that fraternities on campus lack this system of liability. It is in these places that nonconsensual sexual acts are normalized and allowed to happen, and they often do. Time and time again, injustices have occurred due to this lack of accountability. According to Polack, fraternity brothers are obliged to create a space where sexual misconduct is very clearly unacceptable. “I think every member of a fraternity is responsible for holding every other member accountable, something that everyone in my fraternity knows,” he said. “Prevention of sexual misconduct can be an issue of accountability between men, which goes back to the groups underlying culture as well.” A respondent from the survey agreed. “I am of the belief that while the protests against the frats are important, true change cannot be achieved unless you change the frats from the inside,” they said. “There needs to be better accountability between men. Because the truth is that frat boys respect each other much more than they do protestors.”

VOICES

Country Music Reloaded The past and the future of country music

BY PETER NOMELAND In 2003, country music stations across the country announced that they would be taking the Dixie Chicks off of the radio. The group, which had won several Grammys and was primarily seen as the most popular and critically acclaimed country group of their generation, was shunned by their fanbase and the Nashville-based music superpower that was the country music scene. This was all because they had criticized George W. Bush and the invasion of Iraq. Twenty years after 9/11, much has been made about the years following that tragic day, how America “came together” and was united. Very famously, there was little pushback to the misguided invasion of the Middle East. But the right-leaning media didn’t care, and suddenly one of the industry’s biggest crossover stars was wiped out. This is an example of the strange political space that country music takes up in the American consciousness, and when you look at the issues that have generated significant controversies, they are the same as the ones we’ve seen divide us, as Americans, during the past decade. When you ask someone what kind of music they listen to, the most common answer you will get is “pretty much everything… except country.” This is primarily due to the distaste many people have for mainstream country music: your Luke Bryans and your Florida Georgia Lines. But that does a disservice to the deep history of country music and its exciting future. Country music is more than a hundred years old, and it may shock people to know that it wasn’t always about beers and

jeans. Icons like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson captivated listeners with their cowboy and outlaw personas and their songs about working men and the American West. But in the late 80s, there was a significant shift. The city of Nashville emerged as the hub of “real country music,” contrasted against the state of California, the liberal cesspool where artists like Fleetwood Mac got their start. Since then, the most mainstream country has been male-dominated, committee-written stuff that often sounds like the same thing over and over again. But a simple search through Spotify and Apple Music can help you to see the history of country music, which is much more significant and diverse. Country music’s “base” often criticizes more progressive artists like Kacey Musgraves and Jason Isbell, to name a few, for being quote-unquote “woke.” Or at least the base that listens to country radio, the same industry that shunned the Dixie Chicks back in the early 2000s. But the reality of the modern music industry goes beyond radio. It’s all about curation and sharing music through playlists, which is how many younger people have cultivated their music tastes. People aren’t just hip-hop fans or punk fans; they are music fans. Country music should be included in that, whether you’ve enjoyed it in the past or not.

business: she made the decision to expand her range, and she has continued to do so throughout her career. But what she has shown is that in music, you can make drastic changes and have it work out beautifully (“1989” and “folklore”) or not so beautifully (“Reputation,” which I maintain is the worst album of the 2010s). But at least she expands her range, which the powers that be in country music seemingly don’t want from their stars. In conclusion, I want to encourage you to listen to country music. Not the mainstream stuff that reaches the top of the charts, but the country music that is pushing the genre into an exciting and bold direction. Listen to Kacey Musgraves if you somehow haven’t already. Listen to Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and Brandy Clark. Hell, there are even mainstream artists I love, like Miranda Lambert and Eric Church. Because country music will eventually come back to the forefront of the industry—especially if Taylor decides that she wants to go back into it. Then it’s a guarantee.

When Taylor Swift made her transition from country artist to pop megastar, much was made in the media about why she made this decision. There might not be a more savvy artist in the

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

VOICES

The University’s Vaccine Mandate: Will it even work? We’ve heard about the Universities vaccine mandate, will it be effective? How will we know?

BY CARTER STARKEY I, like many of us who are informed on the virus, was glad to hear that the University of Minnesota would be requiring its students to prove their COVID-19 vaccination status this fall. I was glad not because I thought that it proved a point, or because it showed that the University was taking the virus seriously, or because of any reason other than the following: More people would be vaccinated. It should not be up for debate any longer: vaccines work. The CDC reports that COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk of COVID-19 and its potentially severe complications. In clinical trials, all COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for use in the United States helped protect people against COVID-19, including symptoms of severe illness. So far, COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness studies, which look at how the vaccines work in real-world conditions, have shown that these vaccines are working well. The FDA approved the vaccine in August. Now students wishing to attend the University of Minnesota would have to get the COVID-19 vaccine, along with the vaccines that were already required, like those for diphtheria and measles. That being said, curiosity sent me looking for the place where I was to report my vaccination status. The University did not make it an obvious step in order to prepare for class, but rather something I had to seek out. To my dismay, once I found it, there were but a few dropdown menus, just mere lines of text to certify that I had been vaccinated. No scan of my vaccine card, no verification of the date and time, no real evidence. It’s the honor system. Has

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the University actually mandated the vaccine if they are relying on the word of the student body, or have they opened the door for the virus to run wild at football games and parties around campus? At the time of writing, 69% of adults in Minnesota are fully vaccinated, according to the Department of Health. It’s estimated that campus vaccine mandates around the country are resulting in high rates of vaccination amongst students, but all the numbers are self-reported. Does this even constitute data if it can’t be backed up? I’d argue that these actions are not nearly enough to say that the University is taking the virus seriously. I’d also like to call on the University to revamp their “Get the Vax 2.0” campaign, to do another round of vaccination reporting with verifiable proof such as pictures of students’ vaccine cards or scans of their immunization records. Additionally, I’d call for the University to hold their staff to the same standards that students are held to in terms of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is not currently the case. I do not expect any of this to happen. Rather, I believe that the University “mandated” the COVID-19 vaccine to pacify those of us calling for it. If there is one thing the institutions of our society have shown us over the last year, it’s that they prioritize protecting themselves legally and from all liability whenever possible. If there is no mechanism in place to verify students’ vaccination statuses, then the only people this mandate protects are those in charge of keeping us safe, not the student body itself.

I’d then ask the question: are we satisfied with the honor system? It seems like for the most part this approach is consistent across the country when it comes to other universities that require the COVID-19 vaccine. Most, if not all, rely on students to self-report. What is important to point out here is that our campus might be a lot less safe than we think it is, and there might be a lot more unvaccinated members of our community than we suspect. It is, regardless of whether someone is unvaccinated, still our responsibility to protect them by wearing our masks indoors, washing our hands frequently, and maintaining social distance when appropriate. If you’re a student, make sure to accurately report your vaccination status by October 8.

VOICES

Being Nowhere Coping with loneliness and notes from an introvert BY SOMMER WAGEN Coming into college, at least one person has probably told you that what lies ahead are “the best days of your life.” But have you ever spent those days sitting alone in your dorm, watching strangers on the Internet while distant laughter and conversation leak through your headphones, feeling a pit in your stomach grow bigger and bigger? I know I have. I felt it when I didn’t go to a Welcome Week event under the assumption that my new friends were going to do something way cooler and more fun, only for me to then sit in my room alone the whole night. Granted, I got to video chat with my twin, but they’re 500 miles away. The thought of the experiences I wasn’t having and the friends I wasn’t making crept silently around the edge of my brain; I was paranoid that I was somehow already having the “wrong” college experience. But here I am, two weeks later, and I still have those friends. That funny feeling is known as the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO), and it has affirmed itself as yet another digital age detriment to our mental health. I can assure you that if you have ever felt this way, you’re not alone, even if it feels like you are. As college students, we’re expected to balance studying and socializing, not only for companionship in the present, but for advantageous connections in the future. If you’re brand new to the area around campus, or you have personal obstacles such as shyness or social anxiety, you may feel the pressure to participate and make friends even more. In such a demanding system, time dedicated to doing nothing should feel as restorative as it sounds,

so why does it feel so wrong when we do take that time? So many things are demanded of us in college; it’s important that we’re patient and compassionate with ourselves when it comes to socializing and setting aside time for ourselves. Before we can accept being alone, we need to confront why we’re so uncomfortable with it. Now, if it’s possible to be chronically online, I’d say I’m the opposite: chronically out-of-the-loop. When the pitch for this story was presented, I had to look up the definition of FOMO. When the search result popped up, a previously indescribable feeling suddenly had a name and description: “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts on social media.” That last detail implies FOMO’s uniqueness to generation Z, and combined with the challenges of college, it creates a perfect storm. Imagine you’re alone in your dorm. You’re bored and you open social media. You see people’s posts of their best, most stylish, and most social selves and you wish that were you. You ask yourself, “Should that be me?” “Could that be me?” I believe that this boredom-to-FOMO pipeline is exacerbated by the instant gratification we expect from social media. This, in turn, creates anxiety when we’re nowhere doing nothing for no reason in particular. Although it’s designed to connect us, social media also has the ability to completely isolate us. In spite of all this, we don’t have to associate being alone with desolation.

make us feel any better. I don’t intend to do that with this piece. I’ve heard that a better way to cure a fear is exposure therapy. This means getting in close contact with what you’re afraid of. Taking in the neutral or even positive experience can assuage the anxiety you have about that thing. So when you feel like staying in, try to make the most of your time alone. When you start to feel anxious, finally do that thing you’ve been meaning to do for a while. Enjoy your favorite comfort media, that one book, movie, or show that completely brings you in. In a world where productivity is the main judgement of value, simply relaxing and enjoying your favorite things is a radical act. Perhaps most importantly, be patient with yourself; you can’t give your time and energy to others if you don’t give any to yourself.

It’s easy to tell yourself and others to simply stop feeling a certain way, but we all know that doesn’t

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

VOICES

The Definition(s) of Asian American

Check your race: the fine line between community and erasure BY ARIANA NGUYEN In 1998, Disney’s “Mulan” was released. I was born five years later. Despite the fact that I had Asian representation before I was even conceived, I always found myself yearning for more. It felt like my white peers had endless characters to choose from while I had to actively search for my own. Mulan was one of very few characters who I could turn to when I wanted to fill that void. She looked just a little bit more like me than the other princesses did. She ate food that almost looked like my food. It wasn’t the same, but it was familiar enough, so I claimed it as mine. As I get older, I start to wonder about the extent to which I am represented by these scraps that have been thrown at me. Kdramas and Kpop have earned a place in mainstream media, and boba and Pocky have risen from obscurity. The way that Asian Americans are viewed in the West is evolving. There’s no denying the impact that “Mulan” had over two decades ago, and “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is another monumental movie on a growing list. Content by and for Asian Americans should continue to grow, but there is a problematic belief, popular in Western society, that representing one Asian experience will be enough to represent them all. This is one of many consequences of how Asian Americans are perceived. “All Asians look the same” is a sentiment that has been echoed throughout my life. If this

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statement is true, it begs the question, what does this quintessential Asian look like? There is no right answer to this question. Asian Americans are incredibly diverse, made up of numerous ethnicities. Southeast Asians do not look the same as South Asians, and they both differ from East Asians. Furthermore, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese are all unique and distinct ethnicities. Each ethnicity has specific features, dishes, and cultures, but they are too often thrown into a blender to fit into one word: “Asian.” For decades the Model Minority Myth has been the face of the Asian American experience, praising us for a natural inclination for intelligence and prioritization of hard work. This success story is a gilded cage that serves to hide the struggles that Asian Americans experience. The economic disparities within Asian American communities go unacknowledged, and Asian Americans with darker skin have to fight to be seen as Asian. Our histories—the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Japanese Internment Camps—are replaced by a story of the American Dream, promoting a “pull yourself up from your bootstraps” mentality that minimizes the systematic racism Asian Americans and other minorities face. This pattern of broad and vague categorizations can be observed with other non-European continents. While German and Italian are seen as distinctly different, Nigerian and Ethiopian are not treated with the same respect. When people think of the indigenous land they stand on, they rarely know the name of the tribe. It seems that

white cultures are worth knowing and exploring, but non-white cultures do not recieve the same amount of care. There are cases where racial labels are able to serve a purpose. There are shared experiences that exist among Asian American communities that go beyond genetics or geography. There is shared food and culture. We have similar struggles: language barriers, familial structures, experiences with racism. These shared experiences create a sense of solidarity, community, and safety. However, when used without proper care or context, this label can no longer be used to define us. I am Asian American, but I am also Vietnamese. There is an overlap in these definitions, but they are not synonymous. The Asian American community is not a monolith, and our ethnicities are not interchangeable. As Asian American presence in mainstream media continues to grow, these distinctions are important to make. “Mulan” will always be a monument for Asian American representation, but it’s not too much to ask for more. Diversity is not a one and done endeavor, and Asian American representation should grow to reflect all the experiences that make up Asian American community.

REVIEWS

Star-Crossed Kacey Musgraves BY AVERY WAGEMAN I thought I hated country music... until I listened to Kacey Musgraves. She recently released her fourth album, titled “Star-Crossed,” which demonstrates that country music does not have to fit within the confines of acoustic guitar, twangy vocals, and a banjo. Instead, “StarCrossed” melds country with other genres such as Latin, pop, folk, and R&B. The album describes her experiences navigating her divorce. The first of fifteen songs on the album is the title track, “Star-Crossed.” “Let me set the scene,” Musgraves sings as she pulls you into her story, delving into a romantic song of love and heartbreak reminiscent of old Hollywood Western films. “Star-Crossed,” “Good Wife,” “Angel,” “Justified,” and “Gracias a la Vida” are evocative of the 1970s, blending country with hints of Latin pop. Songs such as “Cherry Blossom,” “Simple Times,” “Breadwinner,” and “What Doesn’t Kill Me” lean into ‘80s-centric pop full of synth and bass. I found the album’s final track, “Gracias a la Vida,” to be the most interesting song on “StarCrossed.” It’s a cover of Chilean artist Violetta Parra’s song, a letter left to the world after her death. Musgraves describes her rendition as an emulation of the song’s perseverance through time. She captures that in the song’s gradual transition from its vinyl-static coated intro into a faster tempo with each verse and reaches its climax with a more contemporary sound with auto-tuned vocals. “Star-Crossed” is an aesthetically pleasing album to listen to, a dreamy soundtrack to a tragic love story. Overall, the record lacks in lyrical complexity, but has such a beautifully cohesive production that it’s worth the listen.

When Facing The Things We Turn Away From Luke Hemmings BY SHANNON BRAULT Luke Hemmings, the most beautiful man on Earth, released his debut album “When Facing the Things We Turn Away From” in August. Cover to cover, it is a pure masterpiece, and while there are a lot of great albums out there, this is one that I wish I could listen to for the first time again. Hemmings is the lead singer for 5 Seconds of Summer, and I have been mesmerized by him for a long time. His vocals reach another level of perfection that goes beyond my ability to comprehend. Those same powerful vocals and raw energy in his voice and lyrics I have been in love with for years are heard throughout the whole album. “Starting Line” was the first single to grace our existence, and I feel truly seen and heard through the lyrics. For years I have been debilitatingly fearful that I’m the only one experiencing dissociation and everyone else around me is “normal” and has it all figured out. Starting Line captures all of this fear into a 4 minute and 30-second song and makes the aloneness feeling evaporate away. An essential part of the song is time and how fast time moves. He sings: “I wake up in the morning with the years ticking by. I’m missing all these memories, maybe they were never mine.” It’s easy to feel disconnected from yourself and your surroundings after the last few years that we have all had. I look back on memories of my life and memories from the last few years and they don’t feel like mine. Maybe they never were to begin with. The power behind these lyrics alone makes them some of my favorites of all time. This album has helped me heal more than I ever thought was possible. Another wonderful reminder that even if people around you do not understand your struggles, someone in the world does and they are one song away from making you feel understood.

Home Video Lucy Dacus BY SYDNEY HAINY Both a love letter to the past and a time capsule for the future, singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus returns to her awkward teenage years for new album, “Home Video.” Dacus is a master storyteller as she recalls the painstaking experience of growing up, orchestrating a symphony of first times and first loves, deadbeat dads and confusing queer friendships, flushed cheeks and averted eyes. After quickly rising to fame in 2018 through supergroup “boygenius,” alongside bandmates Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, she felt as though she must say something profound in her sophomore album, “Historian.” Though, for her third album, she took a different approach. Using her old diary entries as reference, she walks the listener through 11 vignettes, each of which hold a memory from her youth that has grown to be significant over time. Her songwriting is honest and straightforward, and carries all the same emotions from when she first wrote about it in her diary, but with the insight of someone who has lived years past. Dacus gracefully speaks to the unique experience of growing up queer and Christian, and the guilt that comes along with it. We move from upbeat songs like “First Time,” which blushes with naiveté, to the ballad, “Thumbs,” crystallizing a white-hot flash of anger in time. Where her words are kept simple, Dacus counters with experimental production. The album plays around with heavy synths, 12-string guitars, and even autotune to stylistically act as a mask in “Partners In Crime.” Through a series of confessions, Dacus ultimately is telling her younger self everything will be okay, and asks us to do the same.

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

REVIEWS

Malignant BY KAMI KENDALL James Wan, known for the “Saw” franchise and “Conjuring” films, has worked his magic once again (just not in the way you might expect). “Malignant” is a comedy movie thinly disguised as horror. This one-of-a-kind slasher film will remain on your mind long after leaving the theater as you wonder what the hell you just watched. Actress Annabelle Wallis brings the movie to life with her skillful portrayal of the main character Madison, a woman stuck in an abusive marriage who begins to have visions of brutal murders that, as revealed by the local hunky detective and his quirky team, are actually happening real time. Yet, it becomes hard to resist rooting for the “bad guy” killer, simply because he has so much style. Wan takes elements of what might be a “bad” movie: the side characters’ bad acting, cheesy horror-genre clichės, an overuse of a cover of the Pixies song “Where Is My Mind”, and mind-boggling, gory action sequences, and manages to create something genuinely entertaining. This film has the potential to be a future cult classic. It is strongest in its psychological visual effects and stylistic score, but the plot will not be for everybody. If you can turn your mind off and enjoy this movie for what it is you will have a good time, or you might deeply hate it. Either way, Malignant will stick with you, much like a tumor, in all it’s forearm-popping, Olympic chair-throwing, prison-brawling glory.

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Only Murders in the Building

Brand New Cherry Flavor

BY ANTHONY VYSTOROPSKI

BY JUN LIN

This new true crime series on Hulu is one to pay attention to. A murder mystery that takes place in the beautiful New York City—more specifically, the Arconia, with its luxurious condominiums. It seems as though our three investigators of this murder mystery have nothing in common, simply living their lives at the Arconia. Except on the night of the fire alarm in the building. Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), and Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin) are all brought together by a podcast entitled “All is Not OK in Oklahoma.” The comedic tit-for-tat between our three investigators is a nice balance between the eventful findings of who committed the murder while stirring up thoughts and laughs.

Sometimes, you just have to throw up a baby kitten.

Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) uses insight and personal stories alongside reflection to help her. Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) uses his director background to help him as though it was his show in the making. Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin) uses his time as an actor on the TV show “Brazzos” as a detective to reason and think as one. One does not have to be a true crime buff to watch this series because it is light and comedic, but it still pulls you in with the twists and turns as well, as some of the dark and deep reflections help to give insight into the characters and their actions. Each of the three protagonists have their own method of trying to crack the murder in the building that occurred on the night of the fire alarm.

For Lisa Nova, a young, talented director freshly arrived in Los Angeles, there is no price too big to pay for the curse she sets on power-drunk producer Lou Burke. “Brand New Cherry Flavor” takes the audience on a body-horror-filled journey as the curse spirals out of control. Creators Nick Antosca and Lenore Zion focus on the conflict between Lisa and Lou, greatly expanding upon the first section of the source material novel. Lisa rejects Lou’s unwanted advances, and he punishes her by giving her movie to a less experienced male director. Seeking revenge, she contacts a witch/warlock, Boro, to completely destroy Lou. Initially, she “delivers” baby kittens to Boro in exchange for a curse, but death comes for everyone as Lou’s life falls into pieces. Female rage, often in response to oppressive systems, is a driving force behind the plot of countless dramas and thrillers. While exploitative at worst, they can be cathartic at best. Uninterested in presenting or expecting a perfect victim, “Brand New Cherry Flavor” lets Lisa run wild. The narrative hides her past and unearths it throughout the series, weaving her mysterious potential for magic and her chronic lack of concern for her friends into a messy resolution. The strong character writing lets viewers understand each individual’s motivations, drawing us into caring about their collective fates and making us want more. Personally, I will be checking out the novel to find out what happens next.

Q&A

Colin Bracewell BY TOSIN FASEEMO

Colin Bracewell is a Minneapolis-based singer songwriter. Keep reading to ﬁnd out about his creative process, his dream collaborations, and his favorite part of live shows.

: What genre would you say that your music is? Colin: Something in the alternative realm for sure. I mean, there’s definitely like rock influence and stuff like that.

: What inspires you when you’re making music? C: At the beginning it was Jeff Buckley for sure. I’d say now Bon Iver and Daniel Caesar.

: What’s your creative process like? C: It depends. When it comes to writing, I normally either have a story that I’m thinking about, and then I find a melody and I kind of pair the two together. But typically, I find a melody first and then, once that melody sticks, I put the lyrics to that. Then I kind of structure it all.

: Do you collaborate with a lot of people, or do you like to do things on your own?

C: In the early days, I would just do it on my own because I hate relying on people. You are going to be the one that cares the most about your work, so you should have you know the most control over it. But then I realized that collaboration is so important. I’d say now, after this release, I’ve been collaborating a lot more with people. It’s been super rewarding; it’s awesome. I have two songs that are coming out and one of them is my first duet with an artist. I really do need feedback to move forward and get stuff done.

: Walk me through like your latest EP. How did that get made? C: So one of the songs off it, it’s been like two years since it’s been completed. It’s “Let Me In.” That one was written like two years ago and it’s kind of been in the catalog. I had five songs prepared. Then I thought, “I feel like I should challenge myself one more time.” I had just returned from LA shooting the music video for “Why,” and I was like let’s just write five more songs, just so that I have options. So I spent that last week writing and I wrote five songs. Two of the five

OCTOBER 4 — OCTOBER 17

Q&A

songs ended up being on the EP; it actually made the whole EP super cohesive. My co-producer and I spent the next month and a half recording. He mixed the EP. It was crazy how quickly it went from the writing process to demoing it. One of the tracks, I made like nine demos. It took us like a month and a half to record and produce it, and then it came out July 29 as a local release.

: What’s your favorite thing about performing live? C: Seeing people’s faces. I really like that. I just love seeing people’s reactions, especially when it’s like a

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conversation. I also like performing with my band. I could perform solo, and that’s what I’ve done for so long, but it’s so much more fun to jam. I just love being able to jam, especially with a group of five musicians. I’d say those two aspects for sure.

: Who is your dream collaboration? C: I’d say Justin Vernon, just because of how close he is to us. I mean, he’s like one hour and a half from Minneapolis. With this EP I was so inspired by everything that he’s worked on so far, even stuff with Kanye. I’d be down to do anything with him.

: What do you like about the Minneapolis music scene? C: I think it’s dope because we’re all so young and we’re also so down to collaborate. Not even to make music, sometimes just to meet with people. I think it also is nice that the University of Minnesota also has a huge music scene. I bet like half of the people that are our age and doing music go to the U. It’s just made it so much easier to find bandmates. Everyone’s just willing to hang out and collaborate and that’s the way it should be.

here are our pitch meeting dates this semester!

mark your calendars

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