Issue 43 | Galimatias

34 | Galimatias

08 / The Soundtrack 10/ .Kyns 14 / Project Power 18 / Tammy Gillis 24 / Mulan: Where's The Flavor?

26 / 13 Tips To Throwing An Amazing Halloween Party 28 / Cindy Zhang 32 / Sustainable Fashion 34 / Galimatias 42 / Asia of Asiatica 50 Farrah Aviva

REIGNLAND

Credits Editor In Chief

Ella Audrey Rae

Publisher

Reignland Creat ives LLC

Online Distributor

Issuu

Physical Distributor

Peebo

Staff Writer

Shannon Williams

Staff Writer

Kayla Hopkins

Staff Writer

Violeta Nicola

Staff Writer

Court ney Lut kus

Head Of Photogrpahy

Shannon Williams

Contributing Photographer

Gelsea Mae

Contributing Photographer

Juliet Vibert

Contributing Photographer

Jake Wangner

Contributing Photogrpaher

Isa Leri

MAGAZINE INTRODUCTION Reignland Magazine is an online and print publication started by journalist and web designer, Ella Audrey Rae. Reignland Magazine speaks on lifestyle, fashion, music, and gaming. It?s main focus since its launch has been empowerment, more specifically, girl empowerment.

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kyns How was your internship at t he record label and how did it help your career?

My internship with OIM Records was really the start of everything for me. I had been customer service jobs while trying to find the courage to make a career change, and this internship became my 6th and 7th workday each week where I just absorbed as much as I could. Sarah Sexton and Jeff Saltzman really took me under their wing and gave me a behind the scenes look of what it took for indie bands to get heard. I was compiling college radio lists, sending EPKs, and even learning to mic drum sets with Jeff. Now that I am recording and releasing my own music, I am able to take what I learned with them and apply it to so much of what I'm doing now, both in and out of the studio.

track paved itself.

I know t he t rack comes from a personal place, Did you learn anyt hing about yourself while recording it?

It does, and I definitely did. I really thought that I was going to release one of the many songs I'd been sitting on for years for my debut track, but when my grandma Nanny passed away, that all changed. She and I were incredibly close all of my life, and making the move here to LA in March of this year was extra hard considering I wouldn't be able to have lunch with her all the time like we did, but I made the move for my career and she was so supportive.

But when she passed away during lockdown the following month, I was heartbroken. After How was t he journey leading up to your debut driving home and spending her last days with t rack, ' Lost ' t hat came out t his year? her, I drove back to LA and immediately started writing and producing "Lost". At times, I think The journey was long and full of doubt haha. I maybe she wrote it because I can hardly spent most of my life trying to find backdoors remember the writing process -- I wonder if it into the industry, working behind the scenes and was the sadness that makes it hard for me to thinking that would be enough for me. I've access the memories of creating this song or just always written music but had zero confidence to how dream-like this year has been in general. In perform or release anything. Instead I learned this process I learned not to care how I am audio engineering, wrote for other artists, did perceived by others. Life is too short to care session vocals here and there on the weekends, what others might think of you. I always knew but worked customer service jobs all week long that, but my grandma passing helped me really trying to make rent. When I finally decided that I believe it. So now I'm just going to do what no longer wanted to live for the weekends and makes me happy, and if someone else just so that I'd try actually giving myself a chance to go happens to feel connected to something I write, for a career in the music industry, I took the leap fantastic, and if not, that's actually (for the first as an artist. But even in taking that leap, I didn't time in my life) really okay too. quite know where to go next or what to release first. And then my grandma passed and I started What was t he concept behind t he video? For writing a song for her. Then the road to my debut my "Lost" music video I worked with a long-time

PHOTOS BY SOPHIE CHEUNG | W ORD S BY ELLA RAE

creative collaborator and great friend of mine, Ash Danielsen. We shot some footage in the desert that would later be spliced into a glitchy, dreamscape made to mimic the swells and emptiness of the grieving process. After losing my grandma, I would have incredibly realistic dreams of us together, lucid dreams of us hugging each other and not wanting to wake up, and then awaking the next moment in shock because she was gone again. I wanted to try and capture that feeling best I could by using old 8mm film footage of my grandma raising my family, juxtaposed with me wandering the desert without her today.

How was it being on-set of your first music video?

It was not anything like I had imagined considering it was a socially distanced, 4-person team consisting of myself, Ash, his assistant Rainer Schmidig, and my partner Kat Aquino, all doing the best we could with what we had. And yet it was more than I could have dreamed of. It was a small, intimate, low-budget production for an intimate song that I produced and wrote, and my partner Kat mixed. It felt very appropriate.

Will you be more vulnerable in your music? & If so, why? Absolutely. I no longer want to hide behind masks. I crave connection, rawness, and vulnerability in others, especially right now. And I'm done with thinking that my vulnerability is weak when I see it as strength in others. And considering we're all just sitting at home (or at least should be) right now, what better time to be vulnerable than in social isolation haha.

What

is

your

writ ing

process

like?

It depends on the project. For my own music, I can start as a few chords on the piano with nonsensical humming that I later fill in like a mad lib depending on the mood the chords give me. Sometimes the song is completely written as a poem before I then try and format it into a song. And sometimes I blueprint out the entire story of the song before writing a single lyric or chord. Writing is the most fun for me as it feels like one big, emotional word game so I let myself run rampant with my own music.

When approaching a gig for hire with another artist, it usually starts with a "therapy session" vibe where I just listen to them spill about whatever is happening to

them, or whatever consuming their mind at the moment. The more someone has to say about a subject, the more substance exists for a song. I love being able to write on a song that is cathartic for someone going through a rough period in their life! It is one of the most rewarding parts of being a songwriter for me.

You wrote t he lyrics for ' Let 's Eat ' short film which was amazing. How did t hat opport unit y come about?

Thank you! Yeah it's making its rounds in festivals right now, but I cannot wait til it's out for the public to view!

The original song and soundtrack for Let's Eat is by the amazing Max Loh and the collaboration of several incredible lyricists. I was actually introduced to the animation studio team for the purpose of auditioning to sing for the soundtrack, but we have been so blessed to snag Katherine Ho (Crazy Rich Asians) to sing it. So instead I offered my services as lyricist and background vocalist. Working with that team was an absolute blast.

Is it easier to write your music for ot her people vs yourself? Great question. Wow now that I think about it, I think it's actually easier for me to write for others, but only in the sense that if they like it or don't like it, I get immediate feedback from them. It's not about anything but pleasing the artist in that moment so I'm able to hyperfocus on just finding their truth in a session. Whereas when I'm writing for myself, sometimes I am still trying to uncover what the hell my truth even is! If that makes sense. Having that "therapy session" with myself can be a million times harder than helping a friend through something. I'm working on that.

When can we expect t he EP and can you tell me anyt hing about it? My EP will definitely be released this year, though the dates are still being finalized. All I can say is that I am blessed to have met some truly amazing people to help me bring this EP to life, and I am excited to get a little more adventurous and experimental with these songs to show more of who I am as an artist.

Proj ect Power The Power Of Robin Project Power is a new Netflix original starring

who does not get her fair share of power. She is

big names such as Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon

told often by society and even her own teacher

Levett, and Machine Gun Kelly, just to name a

that she will amount to nothing. Of course, after

few. Aside from the star-studded cast, this film

hearing that your whole life you?re bound to

shines a light on the power of the sidekick,

believe it sooner or later. So, what does

Robin, played by the new actress to watch,

someone who supposedly has no future and is

Dominque Fishback. Not only does the film give

strapped

us a black protagonist whose back story is more

illegal.Through Robin, we see not only the effects

than a racially driven one, but it demonstrates

of a corrupt system set up to bring people

that having superpowers isn?t all it?s cracked up

down,especially young people of color, but we?re

to be. Nearly everyone is trying to get their paws

also

on these pills that promise five minutes of pure,

acknowledging the strength we have within

possibly deadly power? everyone, that is, except

ourselves. Robin?s ?superpower ? in the film is her

for Robin, the teen drug dealer. As our famously

music. I know,sounds kind of cliche, but her love

named sidekick joins in on the adventure of a

for music is more than just her ability to freestyle

lifetime, it?s almost baffling to concede she never

at the drop of hat. It gives her something to hold

takes a pill herself.To understand the importance

onto, something to hope for and look towards.

of this fact, we have to better understand the

This ultimately saves Robin from spiraling down

role Robin plays in the development of the

the rabbit hole of bad decisions.Robin also

movie. Project Power has strong commentary on

values family. Like many, she?d do anything for

the fact that power is very rarely distributed

her family be it blood or chosen. This is what

equally among the people but rather given back

gets her into the conundrum in the first place.

to those who already possess much of it. Robin is

She is without a father and Art, played by Jamie

one of many living in the ruins of New Orleans

Foxx, is without a daughter. Her fearlessness and

able

for

cash

to

see

do?Usually,

the

something

importance

of

confidence in her ability is unlocked and reaches new heights as she becomes more and more convinced that both Art and Frank,portrayed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, have her back and will literally jump in front of bullets for her.All these things contribute to Robin?s ability to run with the big dogs and still come out on top.She demonstrates that power is not something you can buy and that the talents you have should never be hidden.

Wor ds by Kayla Hopkins

Introducing

Tammy Gillis Tam m y Gillis is an aw ar d-w in n in g act r ess an d an in dispu t able t alen t pow er h ou se w h o h as so f ar appear ed in over 50 r oles acr oss a var iet y of acclaim ed f ilm an d t elevision pr oject s. A ch am eleon of a per f or m er , Tam m y 's t alen t cover s all gen r es, in clu din g dr am a, com edy, sci-f i, t h r iller s, r om an ce, an d m or e. Her appear an ces in clu de gu est -st ar r in g an d r ecu r r in g r oles on " M ot ive" , " Su per n at u r al" , " Gir lf r ien d's Gu ide to Divor ce" , " On ce Upon A Tim e" , t h e aw ar d-w in n in g HBO com edy ser ies " Less Th an Kin d" , " Th e Ar r an gem en t " , " Gh ost War s" , ?Van Helsin g?, ?Sir en? an d m an y m or e.

Was becom in g an act r ess som et h in g you w an t ed t o pu r su e f r om a you n g age?

I wasn?t really aware that you could be an actor, that it was an option or actually a job. I was always performing in some capacity from a young age - making up skits and performing them, doing rope swings shows, competing in gymnastics, organ, and public speaking competitions. And then in high school, we were blessed with an English teacher, Mrs. Grimstead, who started a drama program and I was lucky to have performed in a number of school plays, which definitely ignited the spark!

Wh at ar e som e m em or able m om en t s f r om t h e set of ?Sir en? you r em em ber w it h joy?

We were so lucky to be part of such a special cast and crew - so many incredibly talented people.

We truly became like family and most of us hang out and chat with one another on a regular basis still. There are so many amazing moments!! But some of my favorite moments are catching Ryn at the dock - such a win for Marissa! The big funeral scene, only because the majority of the cast was there and we actually had a lot of fun shooting it. And my very first day on set with Gil Birmingham, who plays Sheriff Dale - that day bonded me to him for life!

Wh o ar e som e ar t ist s you w ou ld love t o collabor at e w it h on f u t u r e pr oject s?

I am open to collaborating with anyone! I love to create. I truly love what I do. I?m moving into doing some producing and during this pause, I?ve been working on doing more directing. I?d really love to work on a David Fincher project, John Wells is someone I?ve had in mind for years, David E. Kelly, Reese Witherspoon, Shonda Rhimes, Jenni Kohan, the list can go on and on!

Wh at ar e som e m ovies t h at m ade you f all in love w it h act in g gr ow in g u p?

You ar e k n ow n f or you r r ole as Depu t y M ar issa St au b on ?Sir en?. Wit h t h e sh ow com in g t o an en d, w h at w ou ld you like t o say t o you r ch ar act er abou t t h e last t h r ee year s?

One of my all-time favorite movies in Annie. I loved Dirty Dancing. Any of the John Hughes movies. Also, remember watching a lot of Disney as a kid.

Wow. What a question. Marissa - I?m so honored to have walked in your shoes and proud that you held up to your values of protecting the town but also your loyalty to Dale. I really wish you would have finally achieved your dream of being Sheriff.

Wh at ar e som e t h in gs you h ope t o cr oss of f you r bu cket list on ce ever yt h in g goes back t o n or m al?

I?d like to travel more. Greece has been on my list for years. Paris, the south of France. Travel.

Collect more adventures and memories.

"

" I t tak es h ard w ork , persev erance, and a strong bel i ef i n yoursel f . We get rej ected al l th e ti me. I t?s h ard to get back up someti mes. You h av e to be open and v ul nerabl e w i th your w ork but h av e a strong armor to protect yoursel f .

Wh at ar e som e cau ses t h at ar e dear t o you r h ear t an d h ope t o br in g aw ar en ess t o in t h e f u t u r e t h r ou gh you r plat f or m s?

I am a huge supporter of Women in Film and have been a member of the Vancouver Women in Film and Television group and a mentor to up and coming actresses for years now. The second project I directed was 99% female crew and cast!

The past couple of months have been a huge eye-opener and I?m really thinking about how I can contribute with my voice to a variety of issues in the future. What really hit hard was Chadwick Boseman passing away recently from colon cancer. What a tremendous artist and person he was. He made such an impact on the world. My mom also passed away from colon cancer and she made such a tremendous impact on our small community. Colon cancer is such an unspoken disease. I have had to fight for every colonoscopy I?ve requested and I want to try and help raise awareness.

Wh at is is t h e best advice you h ave got t en an d f r om w h om ?

Don?t give up!!!! You will continue to work when you are 40 and work so much more!!! (that is from our queen, our mother Rena Owen from Siren!!! So much love for you Rena!!!)

Wh at do you h ope t o ach ieve t h r ou gh you r ar t ?

Giving someone a laugh or a good cry. Letting someone feel. Letting someone go on a journey.

Inspiring someone. I feel that entertainment is always important, it can transport you from your current circumstance to a whole new world.

Entertainment has been so important during this time. It?s amazing to see that what we do really does make a difference in people?s lives.

Wh at is t h e biggest m iscon cept ion people h ave abou t you r job?

That it?s easy. That anyone can do it. That it will happen overnight. It takes hard work, perseverance, and a strong belief in yourself. We get rejected all the time. It?s hard to get back up sometimes. You have to be open and vulnerable with your work but have a strong armor to protect yourself.

Wh at advice do you h ave f or aspir in g act or s w h o w an t t o f ollow in you r f oot st eps?

Know that it will take a lot of hard work and time.

But if you love it and you believe in yourself, you CAN DO IT! If a door is closed, there is a window open somewhere!!

Wh at t ype of ch ar act er do you h ope t o por t r ay in t h e f u t u r e?

I?m always open to anything. I am a chameleon!!!

I have been careful to constantly reinvent myself so I?m never stuck in one box or there?s never a role that someone might think I?m not right for.

Give me a shot, I?ll probably surprise you.

Wh at ar e you r plan s f or t h e f u t u r e?

I have a couple of projects that I have been developing as a producer and am working on doing more directing BUT I am so happy to share with you that I just booked a new project and will be starting to film shortly!! (hint - rom/com and I love a rom/com!!) I am so excited about this one.

Stay tuned.

Ph ot os by Gelsea Mae Wor ds by Violeta Nicola

DI SNEY'S M UL AN Where's the flavor?

Mulan Live Action is finally here! Well... kind of.

platforms.Representation is important, so many

Disney Plus will have the movie available for

people of color grow up either not seeing

subscribers for the small fee of $30 (at least until

themselves in their favorite shows and movies or

December when it?s said to be included in the

seeing an ill-written stereotypical character. It?s

subscription). Is it outrageous? Yes. Am I still

great

going to watch it? Absolutely! Needless to

representation in front of the camera but by not

say,many people are upset by the price of the

hiring writers and directors that share in the

remake however, the discontentment doesn?t

same ethnicity or cultural upbringing as the

stop there. If you?re a fan of TikTok, you?ve most

stories they tell, we are essentially silencing

likely seen many people upset about the lack of

people of color, only allowing them to speak if

diversity behind the scenes. Yes, this new Mulan

their voice mimics that of a white person. This is

dogged the ScarJo, Matt Damon, white people

no small snafu, this a problem that leads to the

playing roles not meant for them bullet, but in

insecurity and identity crises of many people of

the wake of the Black Lives Matter Movement,

color in America. People of color are not

people are more than prepared to call Disney out

puppets. Their stories deserve to be told from

for its lack of flavor behind the camera.From the

their own mouths.

director to the writers and even the costume designer Disney?s Live-Action Mulan lacks anyone of Asian descent. So how accurate can the film be? Aren?t there bound to be some mistakes, most likely some offensive ones? And more importantly, how will Disneyc hange going forward? The people have spoken and they won?t ask again before #cancelDisney is trending on all

thatwe?re

finally

Wor ds by Kayla Hopkins

getting

some

13 Tr icks and Tr eats to Throwing the Best Halloween Par ty Ever It?s almost October, and you want to have changed to be what they are host a Halloween party for adults. But today.The

Medieval

Church

gave

where do you begin the planning Christian meanings to the traditions process? To ensure you have a killer rather than trying to eliminate old Halloween party, start by making a customs. The celebration of the Roman checklist. Time and finalizing a theme Festival of the Dead is from February to are the two most common places November 1, known as All Saint's Day people tell me they get stuck when or All Hallow. The term "hallows" planning a party.

means "holy people."

Today, the

Before we start the planning process, holiday is celebrated on October 31st let's share a bit about the history of and is known as Halloween.

Halloween. The origins of Halloween Let?s plan your party! were known to exist in ancient Roman We have created a checklist to help festivals where sacrifices, prayers, and you with time management and food were presented to honor the developing your theme. Here are 13 dead. When the Romans occupied tricks and treats to throwing the best Celtic Britain, many of the activities Halloween party ever! were intertwined with the Celtic celebrations.

Happy Halloween party planning! We

would love for you to tag us on your

Today, ancient customs have photos so we can see how it turns out. blended with modern Wor ds by Court ney Lut kus traditions, and the reason behind today?s practices Owner of Simply Radiant Event s

-

Start planning today. Start your list

bloody hand prints and bloody marks

of who to invite and where to host

on mirrors using fake blood.

your party.

-

-

Send out invitat ions. Once you start

colors, add smoke and combine it with

looking at invitations, it will help you

spooky music.Use a smoke machine

to narrow down your Halloween

and different color lights such as black

theme.The invitations will set the

lights, red, orange, and green bulbs.

foundation for the entire party.

-

-

masking tape to an outline of a body

drink and give it a fun name such as

in a common gathering area. It will

Witches Brew, Vampire?s Blood, or

also help guests to move around the

Devil?s Punch.Don?t forget to serve it

space as they look at all the dĂŠcor.

-

motion censored props somewhere

about one pound of dry ice and place

that is unexpected for a little extra

it in the bottom of a bowl, add hot

fright. Placing it in a dark area will

water and watch it smoke and

help with the element of surprise.

throughout

-

Find some spooktacular games.

the night, place the

Scour the internet for games to please

cauldron above Sterno, make sure

your guests.There are many game

your

options you could provide your

cauldron

is not

made of

something that can?t melt.

Candles.

guests.

Scatter lots of votives

-

Have bugs in your food. Gummy

candles around your party.Group

worms and bugs are easy to add on

multiple sized candles and place

top of any dish and around the food

candelabras at gathering points to

table.

suggest where your guests should mingle,

-

Add mot ion censored Props. Set

Make a bubbling cauldron. Purchase

bubble.To keep bubbling effect lasting

-

Add a spooky body out line. Use

Choose a t hemed cocktail. Pick a

out of a black cauldron.

-

The ambiance. Change the lighting

plus

they

create

-

Document t he night . Don?t forget to

great

take photos of the evening.Set up a

ambiance.There are some tremendous

backdrop with a few props to also

fake candles options too.

encourage

Change out pict ures. Take down

pictures.

pictures hung on the wall and replace

-

your

guests

to

take

Remember to dress up. What would

them with scary photos. Place fake

a Halloween party be if the host was

snakes and rats all around. Create

not dressed in costume?

Cindy Zhang W h en d id you fall in love w it h you r voice? I think I?m still learning to develop a healthy relationship with my voice and there are a lot of areas for improvement. When I was younger, I always thought singing was all about demonstrating skill and belting high notes.

Nowadays I think about how I can use my voice to tell a story? and that means showing restraint and making room for the song to grow. Taking lessons with a singer named Jessica Louise this year also really shaped my voice to be more dynamic.

Is it easier or h ar der t o per f or m a cappella?

Definitely harder! Staying in tune and in time can be a challenge without any instruments, and it takes a lot of rehearsal time and trust in your group members to deliver a good performance.

It?s almost the opposite of jazz? where musicians can rem ahearse 20 minutes before a show and improvise as the song is being performed.

How w as it w or k in g w it h Gr am m y-w in n in g pr odu cer Kau Ken yat t a an d w h at did you

W h at is it ab ou t Jazz t h at in sp ires you r m u sic ? The chord progressions I use are largely

inspired by jazz. The first chords I learned on guitar were jazz chords, and that?s what I mainly use to build my songs. My singing style is also influenced by a lot of female jazz vocalists like Melody Gardot, Emilie-Claire Barlow, and Ella Fitzgerald. Improvisation is another aspect of jazz that I can?t overlook in my music. I love making room in my songs for piano fills or a guitar solo to keep the listener engaged.

lear n ? Kamau is one of the kindest and most open-minded teachers I?ve worked with, and I was really inspired by how he saw beauty in music of all genres. Growing up studying classical music, mistakes and wrong notes were always frowned upon. Kamau taught me to focus on being spontaneous and dynamic in my performance, rather on being perfect. On the technical side, I learned a lot about jazz theory from him. Being in the jazz performance class also taught me how to arrange music for a rhythm section, horns, and

How w as it bein g a par t of an a cappella gr ou p

vocals.

in collage? It seem s so aw esom e. I think a cappella has a reputation for being really poppy and theatrical, but it?s actually a really challenging

You r sin gle, ?Of f M y Feet ?, is su ch a beau t if u l

genre! When you?re relying on only human voices

an d lu sh t r ack . You h ave su ch a sou lf u l voice.

to create a full arrangement, everything becomes

Wh at 's t h e st or y beh in d t h e t r ack ? Thank you!

really volatile. Even though a cappella is really

A lot of the lush nature of the song came from the

hard, I made a lot of friends in school from the

producer Natty Reeves and the keys player Suwon

community and gained a lot of experience

Yim. This song is about how at the start of a

creating vocal arrangements as my group?s music

relationship, the excitement of something new

director. There were so many great singers in my

can often make you lose track of everything else

group!

and overlook the red flags. During the time I

ng

PHOTOS BY SOPHIE CHEUNG | W ORD S BY ELLA RAE

wrote it, I saw

myself

demoting other

albu m ?

priorities like work, family, and friends in

Thank you! It was a challenge to decide how to

order to spend time with someone else. The

make sense of all the different sections of the

lyrics are about how all aspects of my life were

song, but I think it turned out to be a unique

altered and how I was thrown off my original

track in the end! You can definitely expect

path.

songs that swell throughout the album. There are songs that start out very sparse and grow

Can you t ell m e abou t you r debu t albu m ,

to

be

very

lush.

?Voice M em os?? ?Voice Memos? is a set of songs that showcases a bit of all my musical

Wh at w as you r f avor it e son g on t h e albu m

influences. It?s a mix of R&B, Neo-Soul, Jazz,

an d w h at w as t h e h ar dest t o r ecor d? I think

and even the K-pop I grew up listening to. It?s

?Coffee? (the last single of my album) is my

titled ?Voice Memos? because all the songs on

favorite song. It?s a song that I produced

the album started from a voice memo. I?ve

myself and something that I started working

become really awful these past few years at

on since 2017. Even though the lyrics are sad,

writing everything down, and

the voice

there is a nostalgic and bittersweet undertone

memos app was what I had used to write all

in the instrumentation. I also love that there

my songs. It?s scheduled to be out on October

are real drums and an upright bass on the

16th, 2020. You can pre-save/pre-order the

track! I think ?Off My Feet? was actually the

album

hardest to record, mostly because some of

here!

the Wh at w as t h e jou r n ey like leadin g u p t o

chord

changes

harmonies

made

singing

really

vocal

challenging.

t h is debu t ? The journey was definitely not straightforward. After graduating and starting

Wh at h ave you lear n ed abou t you r self

a new full-time job, I thought my relationship

w h ile m ak in g t h is albu m ? So much! I?ve

with music would come to an end. I woke up

learned

in a new city where I had no friends to play

decisions that go into making a single song.

music with and as a singer I felt hopeless. I?m

I?ve also learned not to become too attached

fortunate to have made the decision to learn

to parts of a track that were the hardest to

guitar 3 years ago and to rely on myself as the

create, when and to subtract you need to.

accompanist. This year, because of

that

there are millions of

tiny

the

Most importantly I?ve learned how to be

lockdown caused by COVID, I decided to

patient with myself and others. When you

spend my time learning how to record and

worked so hard on something for so long, you

brushed up on some basic production skills. I

start

was lucky to have met a lot of musicians on

success? but that rarely happens and it takes

social media and through mutual friends to

time to develop your craft and for others to

help me finish my tracks.

discover/fully connect with your music.

Th e t r an sit ion s in you r sin gle, ?Of f M y Feet ? ar e so dr eam y. Can w e expect t h at on t h e

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Introducing

Music can be life-changing for a listener when the sound is right. I heard that sound the first time I listened to Galimatias. Many producers can tell a story without saying a single word. They can transport you into a lush atmospheric dream world where you lose all sense of time with just sound. They can send chills down your spine with the right timing of a chord during one particular moment of an instrumental. You then hear that producer sing on that same instrumental. If you pair those velvety vocals with addictive ambient samples and captivating sonic elements, you create the artist, Galimatias.

It?s August 25th, 2020, midnight PST, where we find Danish born artist/producer Galimatias an hour after releasing the second batch of vinyls for his debut album ?Renaissance Boy?. The first batch sold out in under 30 minutes on Aug 7. The decision to release vinyl copies stemmed from the nostalgic feeling that comes from holding the physical copy of your favorite album. A feeling that is truly unexplainable.

He?s sitting there in a dark gray hoodie with his signature headphones on both ears. They are signature headphones because he wears them in all of his Behind the Scenes videos on social media. The sun shines through

his window as he greets me with a smile. The interview then starts.

In doing my research I didn't find many interviews of him after the release of his critically acclaimed collaborative project with Alina Baraz titled, Urban Flora, which debuted six years ago. The vinyl sits on the wall next to his desk.

He values that era as he should. It went Gold and has become a classic. A little time after it's release though, he disappeared from the spotlight. "I think there was a while that I felt uninspired because I just walked the same lane back and forth. I had put myself in a situation where I wasn't challenging myself. As creatives, I think it's important to always chase the fun, and oftentimes challenge is what makes something fun. I'd always been writing and doing little vocal things here and there, but it wasn't until I fully embraced that aspect of music, that I opened the door to a whole new world of exploration."

After two years, he resurfaced with his first official single, 'Blowback' in 2017.

Yes, I know he released 'Let Me Know' before that but it's his least favorite song so we aren't counting it here.

Haha. He was ready to dabble in not only his production abilities but also his vocal abilities this time. With this newfound sound, he left his audience captivated and wanting more. He

"When we share our emot ions wit h peers, ego can be a veil over t rut h.

To various degrees, I guess. It 's import ant t hat everyone has someone in t heir life t hat t hey can be complet ely honest wit h.

But even t hen, you will probably never be as unrest rained as you are wit hin t he frame of your own mind."

released about five official singles in that time and each had its own sound that would get him to where he wanted to be. 'South' was the last single he released before announcing his debut album. With this last loose single, he had finally found what he was looking for. 'South' was a wonderland full of spellbinding melodies, sensual lyricism, and whispery, soul-infused vocals that really brought his abilities to the forefront. I remember hearing it for the first time and being in awe of the detail you could hear in each chord. It was like you could hear him finally finding his sound and you wanted more. He was ready to debut and so were we.

He started making his debut album in 2018 after letting fans know that he actually was not dead, he was just busy making a masterpiece. We just had to wait for a little, like a year. Fans had no idea what was coming but whatever it was, we were tired of waiting because 'South' just did it for us. The new year comes around and so does a picture of his iTunes where a playlist tiled RB Gali appears. He says in the caption, 'Final Touches'. It's time.

I was ready for whatever story he was ready to tell. I was hoping for vocals. Praying for vocals but anything would be fine by me. According to Gali, he has thousands of unreleased tracks on his computer and about 2% gets released. I was ready for that two percent and he was ready to give it to us.

With one tweet, the countdown began. June 2020, "Album done, First, single coming this week" His fan base was set on fire as everyone prepared for the day Galimatias finally returned.

He's always surprised at his fan's reactions to his releases. I'm not surprised though, every artist feels that way and doubts their music sometimes. "I always doubt my own music.

While I make it, it'll feel like the best thing I've ever made. If it's not, then I won't finish it. Once it's finished and that honeymoon phase is over, that's when I can start to look at it more objectively. So, in short: I doubt everything I've ever made, except what I'm working on right

now.", he explained.

'Redeye', the first single from the debut was released and instantly made me realize why I was waiting so long for this to happen. Why I stayed up until midnight to hear it. The track was like something I've never heard before. It felt like it was a wonderland I waited to visit my whole life. Every aspect of the track was so smooth and detailed like he set there and put the track together piece by piece with every piece fitting perfectly. The layered vocals that weave in and out of the chorus along with the running pianos and smooth drums were just insane. This sound, these vocals, an album worth? I might faint, I Thought.

On August 28 after the two singles were released, we got the full project,'Renaissance Boy'. It was a gapless work of art where he brings his vulnerability to the forefront in ways only Gali could create. He finds it easier to be that way in his music. 'I do think it's easier being open in music. You have no inhibition as a result of social cues because the conversation when you are writing, is with yourself. In so far as any judgment befalls you, it isn't presented until after you've had a chance to express yourself entirely.

When we share our emotions with peers, ego can be a veil over truth. To various degrees, I guess.

It's important that everyone has someone in their life that they can be completely honest with. But even then, you will probably never be as unrestrained as you are within the frame of your own mind."

Alongside his ability to put all of his emotions into his work, the transitions alone create such an escape. You put your headphones on and close your eyes. Gali then somehow takes you on a journey where you are left in disbelief that a man can create such a body of work from head to toe in his apartment. You don't even realize you just set through eleven tracks because the album is gapless with every song flowing into one another perfectly. This is just a debut. I can't wait to see where he takes us next. Where ever it is, I'm going.

Asia OFAsiatica PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANNON W ILLIAM S STORY BY SHANNON W ILLIAM S You ?ve alr eady r eleased an EP, lyrics. I also love rock so I lived my Apr ilia Ave, ar e t h er e an y plan s rockstar dream with that song. to

r elease

m or e

pr oject s? That was during Steve?s Rockstar

Per h aps an albu m ?

Steve era. He?s a dream to work

We?re planning on releasing a project or projects, it?s just in the

with. He listened and respected what I had to say.

works. The sound has definitely Wh at in spir ed you t o call you r grown since Aprilia Ave. We added some really great musicians to the band

and

developing

they're our

definitely

sound

into

something magnificent.

EP, Apr ilia Ave? Aprilia Ave is a street in Compton where I grew up and I would pass the street light everyday in 2018. I would pass it going to work and to

Recen t ly, a son g r esu r f aced by

the studio everyday and everyday,

you an d St eve Lacy. How w as it

the light was green. I?m the type of

w or k in g w it h h im on t h at son g?

person to take things as a sign so i

The Night Howl was something we did on a whim. He had a song idea

thought it was a sign to go full in on this music thing.

and he thought I could develop it a You

h ad

t h e oppor t u n it y t o

little more lyrically. I used my love open f or M ayor Haw t h or n e at for YA fiction novels to write the t h e Tr ou badou r ? How did t h at

com e abou t ?

by? Have you pick ed an y n ew sk ills u p?

Make Out Music hit me up on instagram to

I?ve been working on my mental health

do the show and I just had to say yes. I?ve

during this time. It?s been hard really.

seen my faves perform on that stage and I

Sitting with myself in quarantine has forced

wanted to follow in their footsteps.

me to grow as a person. I don?t hate it, I

Wh en you play you r sh ow s, is t h er e a pr e-sh ow r ou t in e you do w it h you r self

just wish it didn?t hit me like a ton of bricks.

I?ve been surfing to kind of pass the time.

When I?m not making music, I?m probably

or you r ban d?

surfing or lying in a corner somewhere.

Usually we rehearse and or get drunk before a show. We like to have a good time but we also like to feel confident in our

You h ave a u n iqu e sen se of st yle, w h o is you r f ash ion icon ?

abilities to play a good show. Rehearsing

Wow love that you think my style is unique.

before a show helps with our confidence.

It mostly consists of hand-me-downs and

How did you com e u p w it h t h e n am e

clothes that aren?t the right size for me. I used to try to model myself after my

Asiat ica?

favorite people on tv but now I?m just into My friend Vanessa came up with the name one day. I was in the back of their car and

clothes I can wear. That?s how I would describe my style.

they were playing with my name. I didn?t You w er e par t of a Tin der cam paign

intend for it to stick but it did.

called ?Black Love Is?, h ow did it f eel t o Do you h ave an y n ew m u sic com in g t h is

be par t of it ?

year ?

The Black Love Is film was the highlight of We are working on some new things now.

Some may come by the end of this year but who knows honestly. We want to take our time to create something really cool.

Wh at

h ave

you

been

up

to

my year so far. It was amazing working with so many wonderful black people from all different backgrounds. I?ve made some pretty good friends filming it. It was also

w it h

cool to see my face on tinder. It was a

ever yt h in g bein g on pau se du e t o t h e

pretty crazy time for me. I felt significant

COVID-19? Wh at do you do t o pass t im e

for a second. It was nice.

a chat with /

Far r ah Avi

iva

Farrah Aviva is an artist who splits her time equally in front of the camera as well as behind it. With a 15-year career in the arts, Farrah is one of the most sought after portrait photographers for Public Figures and Social Influencers. She has a lengthy, diverse resume in film/television ranging from acting to directing. Farrah is also the creator of BITE THE BULLET Stories which features celebrities to everyday people sharing their personal stories of struggle with the hopes of helping others in need. Farrah began her career in the arts in New York as a designer and fashion show coordinator. She worked with brands such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, and Paris Hilton. Applying her experience in production with some of fashion's greatest designers, Farrah began to pursue her photography career while also acting in a variety of film and tv shows such as Lucifer, iZombie, Supernatural, Bates Motel, A Million Little Things, The Professor, and many more.

How h as

2020 t r eat ed you so f ar ?

In all honesty, it hasn?t been that bad, but of course, like for many, it turned my life upside down and I?m still in the process of sorting it all out.With the speed everything happened and shut down this year I felt like I had no choice but to embrace it which has been a wonderful experience of letting go and trusting the flow.I received my green card and moved to Los Angeles at the start of 2019 and spent most of that year grinding beyond what was healthy for my physical and mental well-being. I was in the process of opening a new photo studio in a city where no one knew me, and I was dedicating every spare second I had to building BITE THE BULLET Stories.As fulfilling as it was, it was HARD. So when 2020 came I finally felt like all the benefits of that grind were beginning to appear.I suddenly had clients coming in faster than I could keep up with, I paid off my debt that formed from devoting 2 years to BTBS and I signed with a talent agent. Things were good!Just as I was driving to set to start the first day of a film in March, I got a call that said production had been shut down due to COVID and to turn back.And then shortly after the Canadian/American governments announced the borders were closing.My husband was based in Toronto for work at the time, so I decided not to fight it, and shut everything down in LA and go back to Canada to wait this out with him. I expected to fall to the floor in tears.All the hard

work, all the years it took me to get there, gone.But it was actually the biggest relief, and exactly what I was supposed to do.Since then I?ve been going back and forth a bit, but I?ve had a tremendous amount of time to build things in my life that I never would have otherwise.

You cr eat ed t h e ?Bit e Th e Bu llet St or ies? m ovem en t . Can you sh ar e h ow t he m ovem en t st ar t ed an d h ow it evolved u p u n t il n ow ?

As with millions of people, the quest for mental wellness has been a life-long journey for me. I've seen many of those closest to me - including members of my immediate family- struggle with mental health issues, and the shame that is commonly associated with it. Two years ago I decided to photograph both everyday people and celebrities ?biting the bullet?and posted their image with their story of overcoming a personal struggle. Quickly I was inundated with messages from people around the world wishing to take part. Sharing how these stories literally saved their life. The instant and positive impact that I saw it leave on people around the world motivated me to drop everything in order to build the community that it has become to date.

Wh at is t h e ideal f u t u r e you h ave in m in d f or ?Bit e Th e Bu llet St or ies??

We?re working towards building it into a global community that celebrates each other 's triumphs while offering coachings, retreats and most importantly community.A lot needs to be done in order to do that properly, but after two years, the foundation for this is almost built.

You ar e also an am azin g ph ot ogr aph er . In you r opin ion , w h at m akes a pict u r e st an d ou t f r om t h e r est ?

Telling a story within each frame. Whether that be in the subjects eyes, body positioning, wardrobe, and or set dec.For me the point of a photograph is to capture a moment, to tell a story, to make someone connect.

Wh o ar e som e ar t ist s you w ou ld love t o ph ot ogr aph ?

Honestly I love them all.No matter how famous, or how green.All artists have a special quality to them that I adore so I don?t really have a ?dream artist? I?m hoping to photograph one day.Of course, if De Niro, Johnny Depp or Tilda Swinton asked me for a shoot, I?d probably feel high from

the ecstasy of it for years.

Wh at ar e som e t h in gs you h ope t o cr oss of f you r bu cket list on ce ever yt h in g goes back t o n or m al?

When travel is possible again I want to work abroad with animal sanctuaries.I would also love to do a silent retreat, whether that be a zen meditation retreat or a walking retreat in Spain, I love silence and think it would be an incredible experience to sit with it for a week. I also wouldn?t mind working up the courage to do a guided ayahuasca retreat. And maybe live in a small village in France one day. If I only accomplished one or two of those things I?d be very happy!

Wh o ar e

som e ar t ist s t h at in spir e you ?

Patti Smith and Pablo Picasso are two artists that fill my soul with so much delight. Their stories are incredibly different, but at the root of each is incredible perseverance and authenticity to fulfilling their dreams.The ups and downs they went through, the struggles they had to face and overcome are so inspiring. I highly recommend the books, Loving Picasso, and Life with Picasso which are incredible memoirs written by two women he was involved with at different points in his career.And I also recommend, Just Kids by Patti Smith.I could read those books over and over again.

Wh at ar e som e cau ses t h at ar e dear t o you r h ear t an d h ope t o br in g aw ar en ess t o in t h e f u t u r e t h r ou gh you r plat f or m s?

Through BTBS I?m already bringing awareness to issues around mental health but another cause I?d love to focus on is the environment.It is of utmost importance to me, and I really wish it were for everyone else too.In my humble opinion, if we don?t fix the crisis with global warming, and for some, just admit there is a crisis, then we?re going to lose everything. Everything should come second priority to the environment.We should all be asking ourselves on a daily basis, what else can I do? My husband and I became vegan 3 years ago, and we do everything in our power to reduce the use of plastics.But I still don?t feel like that?s enough.I want to get more involved and help clean the oceans and plant trees.

Wh at is w h om ?

t h e best advice you h ave got t en an d f r om

My dad was the first person to introduce me to the power of positive thinking.He gave me a list of books to read.I took his advice and read those books, and it changed my life, simply by changing my thinking.

Positive thinking and the power of attraction allows you to rely on yourself and not wait for someone else to provide miracles for you. We all have the power to

create them ourselves through our thoughts.It?s quite magical.

Wh at do

you h ope t o ach ieve t h r ou gh you r ar t ?

All I care to do is leave a positive impact on others and this planet.Whether that be through my art, or through my daily interactions with people.That?s my driving force every morning that I wake up.

Wh at is t h e biggest m iscon cept ion people h ave abou t you r job as an ar t ist ?

That it is glamorous!Perhaps the film/tv side of it is more glamorous, but the photography side is so much physical exertion that I never feel less glamorous than when I?m in the middle of a shoot.Some photographers seem more capable of keeping a ?cool?vibe while they shoot.But for me, and maybe it?s because of my size, I?m lugging gear that?s much heavier and larger than I, crawling on the ground and contorting into weird positions to get the shot, and sweating.At the end of a shoot I feel like half my makeup has been wiped off from having my camera pressed against my face for hours, and I?m hunched over like a 90 year old woman with back problems.I don?t realize any of this when I?m in the moment.Just when the dreaded words come up, ?can we take a selfie together?? That?s when I say pause and run to my makeup bag in an attempt to make myself look human again.

Wh at ar e you r plan s f or t h e f u t u r e?

I?m going to invest more time in FILM/TV again by director-shadowing and expanding my skills that way.Once I can do that, I feel like I?ll be able to blend BTBS, photography and my FILM/TV experience in an incredibly powerful way.

Ph ot os by Juliet Vibert Wor ds by Violeta Nicola

r ar e cultur e collective | launching aug 1st.

rei gn i n your craft.