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dreamers JOURNAL OF DREAMS
A LETTER FROM DAY DREAMERS JOURNAL OF DREAMS came to me as I rediscovered archive photo shoots and interviews from the summer of 2017 one afternoon, while brainstorming new content to create in celebration of Day Dreamers' second birthday. When Day Dreamers Magazine was founded, it started off as an online publication that featured Philadelphia-based artists and musicians, as well as provided next-day event coverage from local bands, art and fashion shows. Since the online publication is no more and we are primarily digital and print, I felt the urge to revive those stories. I still felt them calling me. Their journeys hadn’t ended with just the online site. There was more to be done with them. And so what you see (or hold) before your very eyes now is the manifestation of that call, that yearning, that desire to share these stories, again. In a fresher, more authentic and truly dreamy fashion. On the cover is Marcus Branch, a dreamy visual artist, creator and photographer I had the pleasure of connecting to via Instagram. I met him on a warm and breezy afternoon, and his good vibes were just as effortless as his taste for art and expression. All of the day dreamers ever featured in each issue is an embodiment of a dream chaser — fearless and unstoppable. That is what we stand for. That is the mission we want to push to future generations. The ideas you have in your mind for your life are not impossible. The only thing standing in your way, is you. Get out of your head, and into ours.
Bria Kiara YOUR DREAMS ARE WORTH CHASING.
founder & editor in chief twitter & instagram @bybriakiara
photo by MYKELLE NEWSOME
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contents introduction letter from the editor 1-2
features noel scales 6-11 marcus branch 12-21 photo by MYKELLE NEWSOME
lavva girl 22-29 kilconfirmed 30-39
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noel scales interview by BRIA KIARA photos by MYKELLE NEWSOME
Noel Scales is a beautiful, 26-year-old soul hailing from South Philadelphia. She was raised in Northwest Philadelphia, near Oak Lane. She is known for her incredible vocals and vulnerable songwriting; though she is dabbling in the theatrical arts as an actress. Our conversation began with her news of just finishing up shooting for an independent film called “Heart and Soul” directed by Micah Nelson. She finished shooting in May and is in the process of going through interviews and prep for the film’s premiere. The theme of Heart and Soul is Nelson’s perspective on the popular romance movie, “Love & Basketball” if he were to write and direct it. Scales plays the character, Angela, who vehemently pursues her love for basketball, along with her boyfriend. Well as you can guess, things takeoff for Angela, but not her beau, who she leaves behind in the dust. Years later, when Angela attempts to rekindle their flame, she finds her ex building a life with someone else.
“I love to play different characters and embody other people.”
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Although new to the world of acting, Scales is passionate about performing action-packed roles such as Halle Berry in Cat Woman, Lara Croft in Tomb Raider and Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. Ever since she could remember, Scales has been singing. However, she started writing seven or eight years ago. She started getting paid to write two years ago. She has always been writing songs for pleasure and for other musicians.
“I’m never going to be satisfied just because that’s the type of person I am.” Scales would describe the climate around dating in her 20’s as nonexistent because she’s corny, in her own words. Work is the only thing that has her attention, and it’s been that way for the last year and a half. “I would be open to being with someone and building with someone, but it has to be beneficial.” There are still things that she is still learning about herself at 26.
situations in love and lust When it comes to relationships, Scales is a “super punk.” Her latest project, Beautiful Bad explores her fear of getting
her feelings hurt. Beautiful Bad is Scales’ first EP. She said she spent a lot of her songwriting career writing hits for other people. Now, she has finally finished her project, and she is delighted and thankful. Mario Crew, Harry Wilson, Shawn Boyd at Studio Hazel off City Line Avenue helped produce and write the project. “It’s an embodiment of my past year of everything I’ve been feeling, with a little sauce too.” But then it’s super encouraging for young, black women, “I make shit for us,” she said. Scales spoke on how it isn’t enough real music and messages to black women in the form of love letters. The project that will succeed Beautiful Bad is a collection of love letters to black and brown girls. The story of her upcoming debut release is of a “young whippersnapper,” who is reckless and does stupid things like being a groupie and a thot. “It’s a body of work people can relate to, especially young women,” Scales said.
women’s self confidence A track on the EP is entitled “Confident,” which she debuted at The Electric Lady Series with Sofiya Ballin in the beginning of 2017. The track discusses Scales’ personal journey with struggle, doubt and negativity from the outside world. Scales discussed how she began to absorb those messages and believed them, “That song talks about the transition from being
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super low to super confident.” It described a moment in her life when Scales started to respect, love and honor her authenticity. Increasing awareness of self motivation and self love is important to Scales, in her personal and professional life. “I really want to dedicate myself to that because I need us to be confident, [above] anything else,” she said. “Power is the ability to shift the energy in the room.” Noel Scales is a genuine, romantic soul that black and brown women need in music. She is very insightful, offering powerful ways women can plug into their own magic.
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“Power is the ability to shift the energy in the room.”
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marcus branch interview by BRIA KIARA photos by MYKELLE NEWSOME
When we think about dreams, we just limit ourselves to the dreams we have at night. In a literal sense, day dreaming is a form of our subconscious. I sat down with Marcus Branch to discuss a healthy diet, the functionality of art and pushing our culture forward. Marcus Branch is a photographer, teacher and kindred spirit living between Philadelphia and New York. Interestingly enough, it was his odd fashionable presence on Instagram that caught my attention. Upon further investigation, I realized how abstract this human being truly is. I met him on a sunny day in Old City District. He walked up, shirt opened and chest minimally exposed. He greeted me with a wide smile and hug. I immediately smelled the dank on him. We sat on a bench in the park and the coversation flowed.
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“Our generation, specifically black people, have a tendency of waiting to be discovered or waiting for someone to see something in them. Instead of us seeing something in ourselves and making it work for us.�
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“Day dreaming is where it's at.”
Our daily routines make up majority of our diet. In addition to what we eat, our diet can be made up of what we watch, what we hear and what we give time and energy.
Branch said changing his relationship to music affected him greatly. Since rediscovering the emotional power in music, he prioritizes fitting time in his routine for it. Same thing goes for art. He said he doesn’t get the chance to go to museums and galleries enough.
“The reality is if I have Love & Hip-Hop in my diet, that is going to come out in one way or another,” Branch said. In a way, he is right. Personally, I observed an increase in my work productivity once I stopped watching as much trash television.
Branch is currently working on a documentary entitled, “Dialogue.” The purpose is to collaborate and hold a dialogue with his peers about everything that is important to us.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love bingewatching my favorite reality television shows, but I had to learn how to prioritize. I stopped prioritizing things that were not beneficial to my purpose.
“Our generation, [specifically] black people, have a tendency of waiting to be discovered or waiting for someone to see something in them. Instead of us seeing something in ourselves and making it work for us,” he said.
Music is also a powerful source of energy.
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for his audience. For identity, he is going to focus on the transgender perspective to explore his friend’s recent transition from male to female.
He was called to highlight these issues from closely working with his talented peers. Today, the conversations around identity, beauty and sexuality need reform. So much is different now, and these terms do not hold the same meanings and connotations.
In regards to intimacy, Branch focuses on the relationships in black brotherhood -- the lack of it and the need for it. In addition to showing black bodies in a way that produces love, instead of unhealthy infatuation and sexualization.
Being an “influenceR” is a thing people make a very comfortable living from, as new school rap is influencing fixed pop cultural elements like Martha Stewart and Cher for tv entertainment and brand endorsements. These are different days we are living in. It is revolutionary, free and transformative.
How would you help someone see the power in themselves? Branch said there is nothing wrong with looking for outside help; however, we should not wait for guidance. To advise upcoming artists looking for more exposure, Branch suggests observing how bigger brands
Through voiceovers, organic conversation and imagery, Branch will paint the story
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promote themselves through advertising to their target audience. He observes others, takes away key strategies and implements them into his own marketing. “Anybody can look at what you want and say, ‘how can I do that for myself?’” he said. It is all about making it happen for yourself, now, with what you have. “You won’t believe the doors that will start to open,” he said. They like our style “How can you not see what they see in you?” An important question posed by Branch as we discussed how popular media, fashion and lifestyle companies profit from indie designers, writers and artists. Basically, our culture sets the tone for the season’s trends and influence. By “our culture,” I’m talking about the way you and I live. From the things we enjoy and the clothes we wear, to the music we listen to -- all of these personal life choices are profitable. “I’ve learned about my life, my family and my childhood through
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photographs,” he said. His parents documented almost every major milestone. From home videos to disposable Nikon cameras, Branch subconsciously grew a large appetite for photography.
the power to define beauty. Honestly, it is exhausting to think every living artist cares whether their art is functioning on a deeper level. Not a lot of artists are. Everyone creates for different reasons; some are wholesome, others not so much. The real testament to art is to know the genuine from the imposter.
As a result, he gained a big sense of communication through imagery. His interest in visual communication began with freehand drawing. Branch would usually sketch illustrations similar to photo realism.
Social media: how much are you eating? Instagram is a beautiful social app; personally, it is one of my favorite social platforms. Branch agrees, however, he touched on how many people’s egos would be crushed if Instagram were to crash one day.
“I always jumped into things with a creative mind,” he said. Reflecting back on high school, Branch said joining MySpace ignited his passion for design. Photography picked up for him because he wanted the best images for his profile.
We talked about the importance of our work extending beyond the digital realm. He said he wants his art to live in homes and galleries. Again, it all goes back to functionality and intent. If you only aspire to have X amount of Instagram followers, your intent will differ from someone trying to own their own gallery or company.
“It started to click because it challenged me,” he said. In the beginning of his career, fashion photography was the main focus. Now, he feels more drawn to portraiture and fine art photography, including documentaries.
How are we using it? What are we doing it for? How does it work for me? All important questions for all artists to ask themselves if they're trying to profit from offering a service or product.
Branch cares about the ways his art contributes to the big conversations in the world, around identity, intimacy and culture. “We have to ask ourselves, what is the function of our work?” he said. The function of his work is to highlight the beauty and misrepresentation of minority groups.
In a time where online is the norm, the issue of copyright rears its head. It is a beautiful concept for those who respect it but not everyone does. “It’s your intellectual property, and it feels like it’s just out there, floating for someone to say hmm,” Branch said.
“There is a variety of beauty,” he said. The media will show us everything we believe should be beautiful, but we hold
We see celebrity designers and
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entrepreneurs steal from emerging independent designers and leaders, often. Mostly due to how accessible social media is to anyone in the world. Sitting down with Branch made me reflect on the important questions of life surrounding art’s functionality, intellectual property and forward-thinking dialogues. A fantasy, a dream‌ is just that. It is nothing but a pleasurable possibility until we take action, day dreamers. Never forget your power.
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lavva girl interview by BRIA KIARA photos by EAZY MELOW
“It’s little Lavva Lady, located in Lala Land.” Lavva Girl began her musical career with a bang 10 months ago with the release of her first track, “LIMEWIRE2009.” Ironically, she made that song just for fun, but with a positive reaction from her audience, she discovered the passion she had for it. Born Deja Miller from South Philadelphia, Lavva Girl is a 20-year-old artist of all mediums, from songwriting and rhyming to collecting vintage clothing and painting. Lavva Girl may be new on the scene, but she’s hot. Consistently throwing out timeless sounds like “Vitamin D!” and dreamy features with AnnonXL and KidTheGreat. She is well on her way to forging new paths of sound for rising artists. Most importantly, she’s elevating the boundaries of sound for Philadelphia musicians. Day Dreamers Magazine got the chance to chat with Lavva about perfect timing, showing the world who she is and creating change.
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poetry and perfect timing Well I started off just doing poetry. I was in a collaborative arts group called Abstraction. Then I met up with KilConfirmed, and he’s a producer, so we started making music. My first song was “LIMEWIRE2009,” I made that last August. That was just some fun shit, but it blew up. It got like 6k plays now. It’s cool. After that, I kept wanting to be in the studio; I kept wanting to make music. It’s real fun. BK: Do you think you would’ve started making music if you hadn’t met Kil? Yeah I probably would have because I was already writing raps in my group, but I just didn’t have the good production for it. It was just perfect timing. BK: So you’ve been around a lot. I saw you at the New Breed Tour, performing an unreleased track with KidTheGreat. Talk a little bit about how you two got together. Oh well, Kil and Kid got a track out. It’s called “Lately,” that jawn just hit 10k, and it’s poppin’. I just met her through the studio, and she’s working on an EP with Kil. So, we were all in the studio one day and cooked up that song. I love that song, I can’t wait for it to drop. It’s going to be on her EP. BK: What’s the name of the track? It’s called Orange, because her whole brand is Think Orange. BK: Do you have any projects coming out yourself?
Yeah I’m working on my solo EP for the end of the summer. Me and Kil are working on our EP called EARF. We’re just going to push the boundaries of what people think we can do. We can do every genre, and we’re going to do that. We’ll have rock songs, R&B songs. We gonna be killing shit, and he plays all instruments so definitely he gonna be able to play the drums. BK: Yeah, that’s gonna be a nice sound. So talk about your solo EP and the themes you’re going to explore. I’m definitely going to try to push my writing skills, my wordplay and the boundaries that people expect from me. I want to keep doing better than what I already put out. I’m still kind of new in the scene, so I just want people to know what it’s hitting for, know me and know what I’m passionate about. BK: You’re new, but you got a strong force though. I’m definitely trying to keep it like that. I don’t want to be like one of those people on the scene who fizzle out. I want to be able to make a change and have a platform to make a change. You feel me? BK: Talk about the Juice event that took place last summer. Oh yeah, that's a LGBTQ Pride event. It's dope. HerPhilly Moves sponsors it and a few others. They ended up letting me perform, and Jizzle, she has a song with Puff Daddy. She is really down-to-earth, and it was a good vibe being around all women and having fun. For the recap video they used “Vitamin D!”
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BK: I saw that, that was cool. Some of your artistries include vintage clothing. I remember the first time I was talking to you, you mentioned Vintage Lavva.
Thrifting is way better. You find way more things than a regular store. It’s a community, you feel me? It’s “used” clothes, but that’s what makes it unique. You’ll still get the brands you want like Tommy. But then you’ll find dope, unbranded stuff.
I started [Vintage Lavva] last year. I’m in a transitional period now, but by the end of the summer, I’ll have a big collection of clothes and do a pop-up. My shit gonna be hella cheap too because I don’t want to run anybody’s pockets. We’re just all trying to get it how we get it.
I really care about my look because that’s just how I express myself. BK: What’s your influence for your style? I’m trying to be on some Erykah Badu shit. I got so many influences, and it mixes. I like streetwear and flowy, bohemian. I’m just out here. I be throwing pieces together. However I feel that’s just how I dress.
BK: I applaud people who thrift because I try to thrift, but it’s just so hard. It’s just knowing the right stores, and that comes from years of being with my mom dragging me to any and every thrift store. Whether it’s thrift stores for clothing or antiques, my mom loves old artwork. That’s been the thing since I was old enough to walk in the stores.
BK: What other messages are you trying to convey through your music? I definitely want to speak to the youth, young girls.
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I just want them to know there’s other stuff to care about than getting men. We actually could just live life and have fun outside and create instead of just worrying about petty shit. Not knocking anybody’s music, but I just want people to be more free with themselves. BK: So you got some new music coming out… you want to drop some dates? No, just be ready. I’m not going to put a time period on it yet because I want that jawn to be perfect. I can’t rush perfection. I’m dropping visuals for “Vitamin D!” and dropping another single next month. BK: Anything else you want to say? Eat something green, if you’re going to eat anything today. Drink some water. In all, Lavva’s genuinity is infectious. She radiates positivity and light, all of the things she speaks on in her music. She is an example of an artist who uses any and every artistic expression as a creative outlet.
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a rising powerhouse interview by BRIA KIARA photos by MYKELLE NEWSOME 31
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producer | music artist | audio engineer
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ilConfirmed, born as Wakeel Thomas, is a rising producer, musician and audio engineer based in Philadelphia. He has worked with noteworthy musicians such as Mir Fontane, Ish Williams, Armani White, KidTheGreat, Corey Lee and more. He grew up in Upper Darby, spending the first eight years of his life on the westside of Philadelphia. Although humble, at 22-years-old, he has accomplished a lot for his brand and artistry in the music scene. His consistent deliveries have earned him a trusted reputation as a producer and artist in the tri-state area. A simple guy, he enjoys chilling and living life with his shorty, Lavva Girl, also a Philadelphia-based musician. Daydreamers featured her newest track, produced by KilConfirmed, “Vitamin D!” last week. If he’s not working on his craft, KilConfirmed is outside, enjoying nature and meditating. He is very aware of himself, his relationships with others and the world around him. Day Dreamers sat down to discuss upcoming music projects, showing love and creating authentically with KilConfirmed -- the rising dynamic powerhouse.
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It’s been teased around on Instagram that Philadelphia-based musician Andre Valle is releasing her single, “Float” produced by KilConfirmed soon. Much to my surprise, this anticipated single is not the last we’ll see of these two. An entire body of work featuring a track with KilConfirmed’s vocals is coming. For one, I’m excited because Valle’s voice is music on its own. With the influence of KilConfirmed’s masterful beats, this upcoming project is sure to cause noise throughout the tri-state. BK: How did you and Andrea Valle link up for her single, "Float?" Just on Instagram. She followed me, and I gave her EP The Way It Goes a listen. I hit her up and said, “Yo your EP dope, we should work on something” and that was it. She had already heard my records. She liked the song I put out for my girlfriend, “Susquehanna.” After that, we just started working on some records. We got a project almost done. “Float” is about to drop in a couple of days. BK: What gave you the urge to start producing? I’ve been a musician for a while. I started playing drums when I was eight-yearsold. And then bass and guitar, I played in a band [League of Legends]. I started making beats around nine or 10 because my pops had the equipment in his house because he’s a musician too. Ever since then, it’s just always what I’ve
been keen to and what I put my energy into naturally. I’ve been producing for about 10 years. BK: It always surprises me when producers are also music artists. Do you face any struggles with both of those talents? Yeah. Because I’m still getting my artist legs under me. I started using my voice in 2014, that’s when I started writing. I put my first song out 2015, so I’m still a little new, just trying to balance working on mine and everyone else’s projects. But I also engineer. So I have to run the studio, produce for everybody and find time to work on my own records. It’s a juggle, but I get it done. BK: Which do you enjoy more - producing or writing? It depends. I enjoy making great records. If it’s me being a producer or rapping, I’m with it. I love working on Lavva Girl’s records the most now. BK: Do you feel people care more about the beat or the lyrics? The beat because that’s what going to initially draw you in. You hear the beat before you hear the artist. So if you're not rocking with the beat, 9 times outta 10 you might not even listen to what the artist is talking about anyway. I’d say the beat is the first thing that gets them, then the flow and delivery and then the lyrics are last. BK: What propelled you to be apart of a collective like Legend Bound? The homie Armani White put the umbrella
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up for everybody, as far as calling it a collective. This is my family. Beyond music, it’s just my brothers. We all like to do our solo projects and then come together. What is the best way somebody can show you love? Show me love? Keep it genuine. Keep it honest. We real big on energy and aura because I can feel it. BK: What is the best way you like to show love to others? That’s a good question. More or less, the same thing, just reciprocation. If I really fuck with you, I’m going to say it or show it. That’s exactly how she is too, [referring to his girlfriend, muse and musician, Lavva Girl]. We give our gratitude and show respect and love for the things we really like. Do you think you can waste love? Yes, if you’re in a toxic relationship. You can waste a lot of your energy if it isn’t being reciprocated. That’s interesting, I thought you were going to go in the opposite direction. Nah, I’ve been in some toxic sh*t. I know nothing is a waste. Everything happens for a reason. Everything is a learning experience. When I look at it like that, everything has its purpose. But it’s a lot of toxic sh*t happening as far as people claiming they love each other but their actions not measuring up.
BK: What do you think society could gain from being more conscious? Being a freethinker and stepping outside the confines that they allow us to run around in. We do everything by their rules and their time. The biggest thing that can help is being aware of your health and quality of life. The food is one of the biggest ways we’re being attacked. To be conscious just really means being aware. If you're really aware of what’s going on, you can make the right decision for you. Brother, multi-talented artist and Legend Bound member, Eazy Melow, introduced him to a vegan diet. From there, his interest in enhancing his life in other ways sparked. “Once I got into veganism, I realized it was deeper than rap. I had to keep my third eye open.” BK: What’s the main message you’re spreading, through the artists you’ve worked with and the music you make yourself? Just be yourself. There’s a lot of copycat sh*t going on, a lot of monkey see, monkey do. Everybody doing the same sh*t, sounding the same, even down to the mannerisms. That’s hurting the culture, especially if everybody is mimicking somebody who is a clown. Put your true authentic self into your music because you’ll attract people who are like you as your fans.
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“Once I got into veganism, I realized it was deeper than rap. I had to keep my third eye open.”
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about. day dreamers is an independent print and digital magazine exploring the most dreamy minds from the worlds of art, music and culture. our mission is to create a world where day dreamers can let their imaginations run wild through any creative medium of their choosing. we particularly love poetry, visual art, and strong journalistic and creative writing.
connect. INSTAGRAM @daydreamersmag TWITTER @daydreamers_mag
submit. if you'd like to submit your art, photography or words for our future issues, please send a love note to submit@daydreamersmag.com. introduce yourself and tell us why you want to be down with the day dreamers. for more information, please visit us online at daydreamersmag.com.
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WHERE DAY DREAMERS RUN WILD
