GEM Magazine Issue 06

GËM

Issue 06

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

AMBER RUN

NOTHING BUT THIEVES

UPSAHL

The indie trio on their stellar latest EP and the importance of care and honesty

A look into the group‘s rollercoaster year and the susprise-filled path ahead

The Nashville songwriter on empowerment by being vulnerable

CONTENTS

welcome Well, looks like we have finally reached the start of the new year. Who would’ve thought we would ever make it through 2021? But of course, with the new year, we also look into the future with our heads held high and hope in our spirit. Because at the end of the day, that’s all we can do – stay positive and keep our focus on the bright side of things. It might not look like it, but 2022 will be better. Much better. And let’s not forget, we still have music and the arts and concerts to go to, the happy places we so desperately need right now.

But we are not the only ones who have chosen to move into this year with a happy flow to our steps. Others have followed to do the same and we want to celebrate those very same individuals with this very special New Year’s issue of GEM, our proud sixth one.

Once more, we’ve gathered a selection of the best of the best artists who are all waiting in the starting blocks to turn the page to the new chapters of their own musical stories. First of all, we are saying hey and welcome back to the indie-rockers from the stellar quintet Nothing But Thieves, who have once again honoured us with their presence and the opportunity to talk about their recent sold-out UK tour, the release of their latest EP and everything that is to come. Then we’ve got the phenomenal trio Amber Run, who are giving us a look into their journey so far and their mission to make the world a better place through their honesty and humanization of the industry. And lastly, we are looking to UPSAHL, a young singer-songwriter who lets us take a peek behind the curtain of her career thus far and her plans for the year.

NOTHING BUT THIEVES

04

AMBER RUN

10

MUSIC REVIEWS

16

LIVE REVIEWS

18

UPSAHL

20

LET’S GET CULTURAL

24

THE NEW FACE OF TATTOOS

26

HIDDEN GEMS

28

FINAL THOUGHTS

32

FUN STUFF

34

SOCIAL MEDIA

Furthermore, we are once again shining a light on the new voices of the scene, our hidden gems - this time featuring the good soul of the Nottingham-based singer Saint Raymond, the bedroom-popprincess Scarlett Taylor, and the mystifying indie star Wrabel.

There is a lot to discover in this issue, from gripping interviews, irresistible new music discoveries, and a riveting piece on the possible, not so permanent future of tattoos, to an eye-opening opinion piece on the importance of gender-neutral awards. In the end, though, this issue is about phenomenal individuals that are just waiting for the year to fully begin and to take us all with them on their rollercoaster rides. This issue is for them. And you, our lovely readers. I truly hope you enjoy it. Here’s to a better 2022.

Laura Weingrill

facebook.com/readgemmagazine twitter.com/readgemmagazine instagram.com/gemmusicmag readgemmagazine@gmail.com

Team: Laura Weingrill, founder & editor Lauren Dehollogne, founder & editor Ine Vanvuchelen, news editor / online reviews editor Benns Borgese, graphic designer

founder and editor-in-chief Illustrations by Icons8.com

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LIFE IN TURMOIL The story of the Essex-based group Nothing But Thieves is one that has threaded itself through the fabric of society throughout the past ten years.

And within that time, the band has slowly but surely morphed into one of the brightest shining stars in the world’s indie-rock sky, even after living through two years of turmoil and isolation. Taking that uncertainty and translating the external and internal chaos into stunning music, the group of young rockers has managed to celebrate one milestone after the other and is now assembling their powers for a year of global touring, festival hangouts and one or the other musical outing that may even surprise the bandmembers themselves.

Nothing But Thieves have been through some really rough months. From releasing their third album within the midst of a pandemic to having to wait for almost a year to finally play it in front of a crowd of excited faces, the five-piece has been on a rollercoaster ride that held a few more downs than ups. But with normality slowly coming back to us step by step, the band has gained back their liveliness and eagerness to create and inspire, which may or may not also stem from them getting to live out one of their biggest dreams – a sold-out headline slot at the most famous O2 Arena in London. “We‘re Essex boys, so that‘s the venue everyone goes to. I think before we played there, it felt like such a massive occasion that it became overwhelming, but I think this time everything felt right. The tour was running well, we as a band were playing really well too, so it just felt right,”, remembers Joe Langridge-Brown, guitarist and songwriter of the enthralling quintet with a proud smile on his face, while thinking back to the biggest milestone in the group’s career yet. “We took a moment to breathe it all in and soak it in as much as we could. It felt like we were a bit of an oiled machine at that point.”

It all began back in October 2020 with the release of their chart-topping third record ‘Moral Panic’, an accumulation of

4

Written by Laura Weingrill Photography by Jack Bridgland and Frank Fieber 5

tour. “I like things like that. We have a really good relationship with our fans, they‘re really cool, funny people. So I like the fact that I can have a bit of a laugh and joke with them. And that they throw chickens at me.”

gut-wrenching and uber-addictive indie-hits, right in the midst of a global pandemic. And while the album saw the light of day at a rather strange point in time for humanity, it quickly evolved into the frontline embodiment of people’s feelings all around the world. Discussing themes like uncertainty, destruction, the flaws in modern society and all things relationships, it was yet another fitting mark in the band’s career and felt like a flawlessly executed continuation of a story the Southend-On-Sea-based rockers had already been gearing towards with their previously released records. But while the excitement about the LP was sky high on the sides of both the group and their fanbase, it wasn’t until the warm summer months of last year that they finally had the chance to perform all their newest creations in front of a live audience – something that was long overdue, as Langridge-Brown states: “It was a weird situation, because you can try and get a sense of how an album has been received and gone down with your fanbase and people in general from social media and reviews and stuff. But when we played it live, that was the first time we actually got to see what was working well and what wasn‘t.

That was a steep learning curve for us on this tour, seeing what people were liking.”

To hardly anyone’s surprise, the learning curve was a rather positive, upwards facing one, with fans celebrating the band’s final comeback to the stages all over the country with wild dancing parties, screamed-out lungs and even the one or other surprise, which this time came in the form of bags full of plastic chickens, inspired by one of the album’s most loved tracks.

“The chickens, yeah, that‘s become a little running theme with some of our fans. There‘s a speech in our song ‘This Feels Like The End’ that features the mention of chlorinated chicken and they’ve taken that and run with it. I think they are trying to get us to play the song, but we use it as part of an intro for another song, so it doesn‘t really make sense to play it again. So in some way, the chickens are already part of the set,”, laughs Langridge-Brown, fondly remembering bunches of fake birds flying past him every other night during their UK

But while ‘Moral Panic’ earned a name for itself as a defining record during a time where heavenly, loose-yourself-type of music was needed more than ever, Nothing But Thieves did not put their feet up and chose to rest on their laurels – quite the opposite. With their third record out in the world and all the stacked-up pressure of that release taken off their shoulders, the indie-rockers found themselves in a place of free-flowing creativity and pure inspiration. And in typical NBT fashion, that was something they decided worthy to be moulded into what would later become their latest EP ‘Moral Panic II’, a collection of songs the band refers to as a natural extension of their previously released full-length journey rather than offcuts. “It‘s very rare that you actually get to revisit projects or an album. So with the EP, it felt a bit like having a painting and then just sort of being able to retouch the palette,”, the guitarist explains, while further taking us behind the scenes of why the EP revolutionised the band’s production process and paved the way for their upcoming projects. “Because we had already released the album, there was no pressure at all, we could literally do whatever we wanted, which I think is a really healthy way to work. I kind of wish I had that mentality a bit more. Obviously, the bigger the band gets and the longer we do this, the more people rely on the band and the more the pressure grows with it, that just comes with the territory. So having no pressure and thinking “whatever we end up writing is what comes out” really benefited the EP. I‘d love to carry that ethos and those habits into the future. Half of the next album is written already, that‘s what we‘re trying to do now.”

And the changes didn’t just end there. With more creative freedom and an improved mental approach to their releases and the build-up to them came an increased personal involvement, some of it by choice, some of it pushed onto the

“WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FANS. I LIKE THE FACT THAT I CAN HAVE A BIT OF A LAUGH AND JOKE WITH THEM. AND THAT THEY THROW CHICKENS AT ME.”

“IF YOU THINK OF NOTHING BUT THIEVES, CONSIDER WE ARE ALWAYS HAVING AN ALBUM IN THE MAKING, WE DON‘T STOP. ”

group by the still raging pandemic and its restrictions. “For the album, we went out to LA with our producer Mike Crossey, who did ‘Broken Machine’ as well. So we already had a functioning working relationship with him and it clicked right away,”, explains Langridge-Brown, while discussing the positive and negative aspects of producing and creating a body of music over Zoom in the same way the common folk now has work meetings and hangouts with friends and family. “It was very different to what happened with the EP, where we couldn‘t get who we wanted to come over to work with us. So we actually did it all over video calls, while we worked with Rich Costey, who produced the EP with Dom. We recorded at Decoy Studios in Ipswich and had a system so that when we played, he could hear it in real-time through his desk, so he had an actual live experience of what we were doing. But the problem was that we found that it‘s very, very difficult to get a vibe with your producer when working over Zoom. It‘s not the same at all. The way it normally works is that you bounce ideas off of each other, but doing it over video call was an absolute nightmare. So Dom actually ended up producing a lot of the EP.” It’s a move the band has long been preparing for, with guitarist Dominic Craik co-producing the EP’s name-giving full-length counterpart and slowly but surely turning himself into the in-house producer of the riveting five-piece. And it’s that relentless urge to always be as hands-on as possible and to be as involved as there is space for them to move that has moved the talented bunch of 20-and-30-somethingyear-olds to the highest ranks of today’s alt-rock-heaven and pushed their musical outings to new heights. Ultimately, it’s what gives their music its special spark and the feeling that its stories will always carry a special meaning and be relatable, no matter the time, location or listener. “I‘ve always tried to have some sort of interpretation in our records. Not only do I prefer it just as a personal taste, I actually think that gives the songs more longevity. You get the right lyric and obviously you make it slightly universal, but if you leave it a bit open-ended, you can always come back to it and feel a bit differently about the track. Even for me, I‘ve had cases where I

thought differently about some songs in the past compared to now,”, songwriter Langridge-Brown illustrates, while also moving the spotlight to the two words that have ruled the quintet’s past two years – “Moral Panic”. “I don‘t like to put a label on our albums too early into the process, because I feel it can stop the creativity of songs if you pigeonhole yourself too early. So, at the start, I was just kind of writing to see what themes came to me. And about halfway through the process of writing the album, I went, “okay, topics are lining up in a certain way, I‘m creating something here that has more of a story to it”. So moral panic was actually a couple of words that I thought were made up and sounded cool, like an interesting dynamic. I didn‘t know moral panic was actually a thing at the time.

So once I found that it formed the rest of the album.”

From start to finish of the group’s eclectic discography – whether it is the heart-wrenching ‘Impossible’, the absolute fan-favourite ‘Real Love Song’ or the utterly surprising, almost screamo-induced ‘Ce n’est Rien’ – it has always been apparent that Nothing But Thieves would do well priding themselves on the endless work and effort that goes into their musical endeavours. In a world that is moving at the speed of light and where music has never been this easily accessible in such big quantities and various shapes and forms, many artists all around the world have chosen to pull the plug for a bit and take a step back. But not so the Essex-descendant band: “If you think of Nothing But Thieves, 8

consider we are always having an album in the making, we don‘t stop. I don‘t switch off anymore. It‘s like a daily occurrence now, I‘m always writing something down, it‘s just kind of how I live now. I hate the thought of switching off to it and not writing something down, even if it‘s at 4am and me just whispering into a voicemail. I hate the thought of not doing it, forgetting the idea and thinking that that could have been the next Nothing But Thieves song. So I‘m never switched off.”

innovation. They know that the world around them is moving constantly and thus they have chosen to move in sync with it when needed to never stop them from ultimately finding themselves and their sound. Because at the end of the day that is what has made it possible for them to get to a place of ease, where they feel like they can just be themselves and not have to adhere to society’s rules or the guidelines of today’s music industry. A place that can come with its own surprises, as guitarist LangridgeBrown teases the future of the dazzling group: “Our sound has completely morphed into something else again.

It‘s as much of a surprise to me as it is to you. There is this kind of 80s vibe to it, some of it is a little bit Prince-like as well. I know, I know. Nothing But Thieves going Prince, who would have thought it.”

And while others might see it as a rather intense way of looking at one’s work, it is thanks to that exact level of self-awareness, relatability, and utter strive to become the best band they can possibly be that has led Nothing But Thieves to reach new spheres of originality and 9

In Motion Sometimes it’s hard to express how you are feeling, whether that is positive feelings that almost make you feel like your heart is about to burst or negative emotions that push you down a spiral you think you will never get out of again. In times like these, we humans often like to turn to art to help us convey those exact feelings, but it is rare that you find something - or someone - that tells the world what you cannot seem to get off your chest just as easily. That is why the Nottingham-based indie band Amber Run have made it their mission to use their music to tell honest stories about often difficult and personal subjects to offer a supportive hand to people in times of need. And by doing that, the group has found its way to their own purpose and a life that is fuller than it has ever been, all the while the world around them is crumbling to pieces.

Written by Laura Weingrill Photography by Jordan Curtis Hughes

Consisting of singer and guitarist Joe Keogh, keyboardist Henry Wyeth and bassist Tom Sperring, the British three-piece have used their musical journey as a band to create a space for their listeners and themselves where they can feel safe, and that is ruled by honesty, kindness and introspection. Their last release, the ever so enchanting EP ‘The Search (Act 1)’, is no exception to that and beautifully captions a world that is ruled by uncertainty, loneliness and utter hopelessness - even if it wasn’t written for that specific reason. “We finished touring for our last album ‘Philophobia’ at the end of 2019 and then went into a writing cycle, so we were writing the EP at a fairly interesting time in history,”, remembers band member Wyeth while pondering the fact that even while some songs on the record might feel like they were written during and for the pandemic, they were never given that purpose. “It was obviously going to affect it because your environment always affects what you’re writing. But we felt like we were at a period in our life when you’re in your late twenties, early thirties, where you’re questioning whether what you’re doing is right or not. There was this sense of listlessness, so we started to explore that with the music, and everything that was going on in the world and out came ‘The Search (Act 1)’ essentially.”

‘The Search (Act 1)’ might have an air to it that could easily be turned into a story of dread and emptiness during a global pandemic, the group has pulled it to the forefront to always keep their work open to individual interpretation, as bassist Sperring underlines: “The beauty of it is that people can read into things a bit, you know, place their own experience in a song and interpret it how they need at a time. So maybe it did help that it came up during the pandemic.”

Jumping right to the top of the intensity ranking of all the tracks on their EP, the first release to see the light of day since their third full-length endeavour, the stunning ‘52 Blue’ put the nail on the head of exactly that formula. For once, the song not only sounds hauntingly beautiful, with almost cinematic undertones, sombre guitar strokes and lead singer Joe Keogh’s angelic vocals serenading the listener’s ears, but it also feels like meeting someone who finally sees you, the real you, with all your cracks and dents. Inspired by the solitude of one blue whale – one that sings at a different pitch from all the others, forever swimming in the ocean, crying out for companionship that never comes – it tackles intricate topics that couldn’t be any more current while still feeling incredibly personal and intimate. “We were in LA at a gorgeous place by the fire, literally by the beach in the sun. And we were just there talking about the bleakest things, like the complete lack of purpose in life or the fact that there’s no real drive or meaning to anything. And so we started looking at the saddest things or the loneliest things in the world, and that’s how we found the story of this whale,”, recounts Wyeth, while frontman Keogh adds that “the open ocean feels like a

Made up of five jaw-dropping tracks that each come with their own unique sound and story to them, the EP feels like a natural continuation of the trio’s previously released album ‘Philophobia’, which explored the complexity and irresistibility of connections and intimate relationships and how difficult they are to navigate, but also how important they are fundamentally. And while 10

different kind of loneliness compared to the big city where there’s still stuff going on. I generally think that we all feel a bit like it sometimes. Sometimes I think about us as being like a little marble in space, and it makes me want to crawl into a little ball and get really scared. But then it can also get me really excited at times. It’s interesting.”

Getting a peek behind the curtain of what happened during the initial recording of that very song, it becomes very clear very fast why Amber Run’s music sounds different to anything else released nowadays. There is a sense of humanity to it and the knowledge that whichever track you may be listening to, you will always get to hear exactly how and what the three-piece felt. Because that’s what the band is trying to do at the end of the day - convey emotions, but without the need to cover up any flaws or faults. “I think sometimes a performance has a feeling and a mood to it, and you’re never going to recreate it. I think where we were and what that song was trying to say, that performance of us just recording it in a kitchen, just the three of us, kind of did that,”, exclaims Keogh, underlining the importance of first tries and the perfection that can lie within them.

“Everything else would have ended up being a bit of an attempt to get somewhere close. It’s nice that sometimes the first initial conception can do what you need it to do. I’m really glad that we, as a band, have a vehicle to be able to release that and to be able to engage with that.”

Moving through a point in time where it’s become rare to see anything but people’s utter best, the band has made it their mission to be a counterforce to just that. Proudly owning up to their own flaws and humanising them in the same act, the indie-rockers have found solitude in their honesty and invited their listeners to join them on their journey. “What I personally really like about music is often the humanity of it and the cracks, like just when you know people truly understand it. Obviously not the songs, they’re supposed to be listened to, but the stuff that really resonates with me and my soul is that it all can’t be too perfect. Otherwise it doesn’t feel real. I know these words are quite grandiose, but music at the base of it has to be about a connection. The movement of how I’m feeling to another person. And I’m not suggesting that we managed to do that because that’s not up to us, but it’s the endeavour anyway,”, states singer Keogh, who recently became a father - something the artist lovingly likes to describe as “having love outside of your body” - while he once more highlights the honesty their latest EP is grounded in. “The hot take is just trying to give people the opportunities to be vulnerable, giving them the space to be like that. So the songs on ‘The Search (Act 1)’ aren’t all going to be me jumping up and down and making you feel great. We want to give you the opportunity to feel shit as well. And we wanted to help people that are listening to the record. I never want to seem like telling anyone what to do or how to go about their lives, but at least give them the opportunity to see that there is another way of going about it if they so choose.”

It’s a way of looking at and working with their music that has also woven itself into their presence online, which the talented group mainly uses to once more open up about the themes that mean the most to them, whether that is the importance of talking about mental health or using the opportunity to put a smile on their fans’ faces by posting a snippet of a new song or doing one of their endless Q&A sessions.

And while today’s industry comes with an apparent pressure to always be online and show the world your best self, Amber Run have turned their backs on the fake perfection web spaces like Instagram and TikTok are based on. Simply because that is just not who they are, as vocalist Keogh foregrounds: “The use of social media, I think, is a bad term for us because I don’t think any of us particularly enjoy it that much. But if we have people that follow us and people that engage with us, then we want them to know that they’re worthy. They’re great. And the shit they’re seeing around them probably isn’t as real as they think it is. If we’re going to be a voice on the internet, I think we’d prefer to be one that makes people feel better because we’re all on the way up and the way down all the time, it’s always a constant circle.”

But Amber Run wouldn’t be Amber Run if they didn’t give every opportunity handed to them a try, especially at a time when the internet was the first and foremost way of connecting to the outside world. It, therefore, came to no surprise that the group was one of the very first ones to give livestream shows a go, back in the early days of the pandemic in the summer of 2020. “It came at a very experimental time. It was the point where I was like, shit, maybe we’re not going to get back to live shows this year or ever, is this the future? So we all thought, quickly, let’s do something, let’s try it out,”, member Sperring recalls, reflecting back at their one and only online show recorded at London’s famous Omeara. “The most jarring thing about that one was that because we approached it like a gig, we tried to have it work as a journey like we do with our live sets. But you finish a song, and there is dead silence, and it just makes you realise how much you feed off a crowd.”

Thankfully, livestream gigs did not end up taking over the future of live music, with concerts with actual crowds of excited faces having their most welcome comeback in the summer of last year. An opportunity the band did not let go to waste, with them quickly deciding to get back onto the road and finally tour and

celebrate the release of their latest EP as soon as they could. It was then that the group fully realised how much they had truly missed the stages of the world and the chants of their dedicated fanbase - who did not keep their urge to finally see the trio live again a secret either. But even with a long history of endless tours and festival appearances, the indie three-piece couldn’t help feeling like they had just gone back to square one, as Wyeth laughs: “Being honest, this is probably the most nervous about our shows I had been in a very long time. But then as soon as you’re doing it, as soon as it’s done, you remember why you love doing it in the first place. It’s been two years since we last toured, we are a little bit older and a little bit more mature. And I appreciate the opportunity more than I ever have done before. Now I actually listen to the crowd and look at them and watch them because it could be someone’s first-ever show or someone’s last ever show. Especially because there was a time when I convinced myself that we would never get to this point again.”

It’s that level of utter gratitude for where they are now and a sense of true recognition for the long way they have come that gives Amber Run’s music and presence their unique glisten. No matter if you are listening to their Top 5 songs on Spotify or the latest acapella cover of one of their personal favourite songs, you always know that what you see is what you get with the British talents. Unlike some others, they never became part of this business to make a name for themselves and top as many charts as they can, but rather to become their best selves and translate those very journeys into their music. They don’t aim to revolutionise the world, but if they achieve to put a smile on at least one other person and make their life that little bit better, they have already completed their mission. As they are readying themselves to turn the page to a new chapter of their musical story - keep an eye out for ‘The Search (Act 2)’ - the three-piece has found freedom in being an open book lyrically, but also personally. And at the end, it’s that sheer love for music that brings them together and provides them with the opportunity to be whoever they need to be, as keyboardist Wyeth concludes: “We’re making the best music we’ve ever made. And I know that’s a cliche and everyone always says it, but I feel like we are, I feel like we’re better musicians than we’ve ever been. We know how to do this more than we ever have. And I’m really excited about the music we have released and where we are going.”

A L B U M

Ed Sheeran Equals

R E V I E W S A lot has changed in the life of pop-king Ed Sheeran. And with all this change comes a new set of observations about love, life, personal growth and grief, which all loom large across the singer’s latest album, ‘=’. It begins with the album’s opener ‘Tides’, with the first words tumbling out of Sheeran’s mouth: “I have grown up, I am a father now / everything has changed, but I am still the same somehow”, the singer declares in the opening seconds of Equals, an explosive arena hit about how life and its many changes. Next to it, love - a popular topic for the singer - is yet again a dominant theme on the record. Thanks to its various musical ups and downs, the rollercoaster ride of an album jumps between showing the singer as the everyman and the famous celebrity, the guitarist and the producer, between the humble pop savant and the brash stadium-filling star.

Moving between intimacy and pure grandness, ‘=’ abandons all uncertainty and once again proves Sheeran as the innovator in the truest sense, with his typical lyrical magic and instantly definable Sheeran-ness, which never fails to touch millions of lives.

Label: Asylum Records UK

AREA21 Greatest Hits Vol. 1

by Laura Weingrill

Over five years after AREA21’s first outing, they have finally officially introduced themselves to the world as two aliens in extravagant masks with their highly anticipated album, ‘Greatest Hits Vol. 1’. Fun, human, and utterly addictive, the 12-track release takes talents from both Garrix and Maejor and allows them to shine in equal parts. While Dutch star Garrix’s mixing and mastering are heavy, singer-songwriter Maejor comes in with his cool lyricism that brings it all together.

It’s a perfect mix that shines in the production explored, from the first note until the last. Take the song ‘Mona Lisa’ as an example - a stylish, urban-infused dance hit. Or ‘Followers’, a track that is a bit rougher around the edges and questions our relationship with social media. It’s what makes this record so surprising, with its poignant view on current events. While songs such as ‘Pogo’, ‘21’ and ‘La La La’ shine thanks to their pure, unfiltered fun, other tracks like ‘Human’ and ‘Time Machine’ feel very personal and humble. Finally, the album’s explosive closer ‘Going Home’ even features a kids choir from a local school in Amsterdam and stands as the aliens’ “farewell” to Earth with a promise to come back another day.

Label: STMPD RECORDS

Silk Sonic An Evening With Silk Sonic

Label: Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Recording Corporation

by Laura Weingrill

‘An Evening With Silk Sonic’ begins with an introduction from former Parliament-Funkadelic member Bootsy Collins: “Fellas, I hope you got somethin’ in your cup. And ladies? Don’t be afraid to make your way to the stage for a band that I named Silk Sonic.” The opening track is the album’s lead single ‘Leave the Door Open’ that was released back in March of 2021 and perfectly sets the tone for the entire album – silky string arrangements mixed with gentle piano and influences of ‘70s rhythm and blues. Melodically, ‘An Evening with Silk Sonic’ is an ode to classic Motown with a lyrical twist, especially when it comes to songs like ‘Fly As Me’, that oozes Mars’ player personality. Silk Sonic successfully created a revival of an old, well-known aesthetic without leaning too far into clichés and instead indulged in a musical culture while staying true to themselves as artists. The only disappointing thing about the album is its length, as it is only about half an hour-long, but we are hopeful to hear more from the duo soon.

by Vicky Madzak 16

M U S I C

NEW RULES- CHEERS Label: Elektra Records LLC

Having performed ‘Cheers’ on their long-awaited tour, the exciting Londonbased trio New Rules released a new fan-favourite. With it being the ultimate feel-good, celebratory track, representing that feeling of growth, freedom and finally healing from past relationships, this song is truly a special one. A tune to be screamed at the top of your lungs, cheers to the exciting projects this promising up-and-coming band has in the works.

IT

PHOEBE BRIDGERS - DAY AFTER TOMORROW Label: Dead Oceans Phoebe Bridgers’ cover of Tom Waits’ song ‘Day After Tomorrow’ brings yet again a new sadness to the already cold wintertime. Bridgers, who’s known for her soft-spoken voice and melodic tunes that give off the angsty, and sadder aspects of the emotional sphere, lures her fans in by the melancholic ideas that can almost be translated to a twisted fairytale that teaches its audience the reality of gloom instead of happiness.

LD

HALF •ALIVE - HOT TEA Label: RCA Records

It’s not easy to write about love sometimes, but in the hands of the talented Long Beach-based trio half•alive, it may just be the simplest task in the world.

Wrapping up a feeling of longing for a love that will devour you whole in a mix of powerful beats, addictive basslines and angelic vocals, the spellbinding track ‘Hot Tea’, offers a first taste of the group’s upcoming album and the journey they are about to embark on.

LW

LITTLE MIX - BETWEEN US Label: Sony Music E

N E W

Ten years of the most extraordinary memories, ten years of absolute hits and ten years of genuine sisterhood, all represented in a four minute track filled with beautiful melodies and heart-felt lyrics. The title-track of Little Mix’s recent greatest hits album ‘Between Us’ takes listeners on a journey of promises, of solidarity, of love and loyalty. Making references to their songs from the past decade such as ‘Wings’, this anthem acts as a hug in a song for their countless of fans.

IT

JOSHUA BASSETT - CRISIS Label: Warner Records

In true Disney fashion, another one of their actors is working on a singing career, and this time around Joshua Bassett is making noise. The High School Musical: The Musical star is offering his version of events in ‘Crisis’. The event in question, the relationship/ breakup between him and co-star Olivia Rodrigo, singing, “Don’t you ever wonder if I’m okay after all you put me through?” And although the controversy around the breakup fuelled the publicity of the release, Bassett was still able to create pure-pop excellence.

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KUMMER ft. FRED RABE - DER LETZTE SONG (ALLES WIRD GUT) Label: Verigo/Capitol Hope and despair are seldom as close in a song as they are in Felix Kummer’s, better known as the rapper Kummer and frontman of the popular German indie group Kraftklub, latest and final release “Der letzte Song (Alles wird gut)”.

The ecstatic track, which features the hauntingly beautiful vocals from singer Fred Rabe, lead of the eclectic indie-piece Giant Rooks, effortlessly bundles up the gloom of today’s world, while still leaving a final note that maybe, just maybe, everything will be alright in the end.

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AMBER RUN LIVE AT LONDON’S ELECTRIC BALLROOM

After an almost two-year-long wait, Nottingham-based trio Amber Run finally had their return back to the live stage and brought their astounding mix of indie-guitar riffs and soulful ballads to Camden’s Electric Ballroom. Starting the night off with the electrifying ‘Carousel’, the tone was immediately set for a fun run down memory lane, with the band serving a fairly even split between their three albums and their latest EP ‘The Search (Act 1)’.

Jumping from one rocky guitar hit to the next, the trio didn’t fail to add a couple of touching moments to their setlist, which reached its peak with a stripped-back performance of one of Amber Run’s most heartfelt songs – the moving ‘Amen’. Introduced by lead singer Joe Keogh with the mention of his parents, who were also attending the show, and the death of his grandfather while the group had been on tour, it came to no surprise that one or the other tear was shed amongst the captivated crowd.

Just like their music, the group used the emotive depth of the evening to keep up very personal and intimate energy between themselves and their audience, which had much to cheer for between singer Joe Keogh’s stunning vocals, Tom Sperring’s deep basslines and keyboardist Henry Wyeth sophisticated whirlwind notes. Supported by their guitarist Michael Blackwell, who heightened up the night’s spark by making the stage his own with countless guitar solos, and drummer CJ Evans, who made everyone’s hearts beat in unison.

There was a continuous flow between moments in which you could have easily heard a pin drop to the floor and the ones that had the crowd turn into a choir – another stellar highlight of the night, which had the room full of music-loving strangers become one thanks to the trio’s 2014 debut song ‘Noah’.

Drawing the concert to a close with their uplifting, guitarheavy hit ‘Spark’, the trio used their last few minutes up on stage to the fullest, successfully sending everyone into the night with full hearts and sore throats. From the very first note up until the last bass stroke, Amber Run knew what they wanted to get from their latest show in the UK’s capital and were sure to not leave before reaching their goal of once again uniting their fans through the utter joy of live music and the love it brings to our all lives.

Written by: Laura Weingrill // Photo by: Sam Nahirny

LIVE

RETROPXSSY’S BIRTHDAY PARTY

MAUDE LATOUR AT BABY’S ALL RIGHT

Retropxssy’s “Birthday party” event felt like a warm pleasant fever dream, with the smell of bright eyed indie kids and burnt toast filling London’s Folklore.

The event was equal parts gig, birthday party and meet and greet between a handful of acts connected to the nights resident DJ, the hairymuffinman himself, Joejas. Kicking the night off was producer Teeze’s collective group children of the wind, a new project that’s brings the best of the beat makers featured artists. Blending soul, impeccable energy and continental rap, CotW beautifully set the communal tone for the evening and provided a great opening for the rest of the evening. As the evening progressed the event took breaks to allow the artists to mingle outside the front of the small east London pub with fans and friends for rolled cigarette breaks.

This only helped to heighten the energy that was felt throughout the room and bring the crowd and artists together.

When the night’s DJ Joejas took to the stage to perform his own solo rap show, the Vans poster boy was greeted by an excitable crowd.

Joe used this to his advantage, taking time to join the audience throughout the last couple of songs on his short but energetic set. By the time the birthday girl took to the stage, the Bread for the toaster had run dry and the room had filled out. The “forgetting how to swim artist” bought exaggerated enthusiasm to her set, gracing the stage with a plethora of tracks from her new album “Road Ahead” and acting as the full stop at the end of a night proving - London hip-hop has a place, and its very much alive and kicking.

Written by: Mason Meyers

Written by: Emily Thompson The last time Maude Latour played a live show she only sold 47 tickets. That show happened during the narrow window of time in early 2020 before the pandemic put a stop to live music for over a year. But in the time that’s passed, Latour — with her effervescent relatability, unique voice that often draws comparisons to Lorde, and lyrics that tackle friendship, heartbreak, and growing up through a distinctly philosophical lens — has continued to grow as an artist. Now, Latour is embarking on a series of headlining shows in major cities across the United States. A testament to just how much Latour’s fanbase has grown in the past two years, those shows all sold out within minutes.

Latour played the first of these live shows at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn, New York. Latour took the stage with ‘Furniture.’ Her vibrancy and raw authenticity were palpable from the start, and the audience could feel just how genuinely excited she was to be there. The 22-year-old continued her set with fan-favorite ‘Walk Backwards’, an upbeat bop that both sonically and lyrically captures the joy of friendship With her warmth and clear depth of feeling, Latour has a knack for making her fans feel like close friends. As she sang “maybe I’m not so alone…or maybe we’re alone together”, the singer reached out into the crowd, genuine gratitude for her fans and for this evening of connection radiating from her face.

But if this show is any indication, there’s no doubt that Latour’s star will continue to rise, and her fans will be right there with her every step of the way.

REVIEWS

UPSAHL ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS Powerful, honest and truly awe-inspiring are just three ways to describe the 23-year-old Taylor Cameron Upsahl’s lyricism. Having released her first selftitled EP at only 14 years old, music and authentic lyricism run through the Phoenix star’s veins and she has only continued on an upward trajectory over the past few years, rapidly becoming

for a moment of reflection over the greatest lessons that she has learnt whilst taking the world by storm and creating the album, the artist admits, “learning the power of being alone” has been the most impactful realisation to her. “There’s this idea that we have to always put this love, energy and attention towards a significant other, but if you give that same energy to yourself, you’re unstoppable!”

a household name and creating immense excitement within the music industry.

“If I can continue what I’m doing now, with music as my job and having people turn up to my shows, hopefully on a much larger scale as I get older, then that’s my goal.”

Always wearing her heart on her sleeve, UPSAHL demonstrates a beautiful sense of vulnerability with every one of her releases, allowing her fanbase to feel empowered, seen and connected within their listening experiences of her expansive discography.

Initially just “writing to write songs” about topics that weren’t as close to her heart when she was younger, before eventually venturing into the world of writing from an “autobiographical standpoint”, the Arizonan native expresses, “I feel like I’ve learned to be very empowered by being raw with my songwriting”.

From writing for the likes of industry gurus Dua Lipa, Anne-Marie and Little Mix, to the ensemble the multiinstrumentalist and talented vocalist has cultivated herself, it’s safe to say the past couple of years are full of extraordinary achievements for this gem in the making.

However, after contemplating the advice she’d offer her 19-year-old self, following the discouragement she felt from being underestimated in sessions, the up and coming talent explains, “My biggest piece of advice would be to not let the gender inequality in music get you down! Just keep going, it will be okay!”

Her music exploration and her artistry have grown immensely over the course of the lockdown, with the release of her debut album ‘Lady Jesus’ in October 2021 being the ultimate project throughout.

The concept of this up-tempo album is the idea of rebirth, which stemmed from the vulnerability the lyricist felt whilst on a writing camp in the woods in the middle of Nashville, and having been on the journey of healing from a past relationship. Pausing 21

“I feel like I’ve learned to be very empowered by being raw with my songwriting.”

been living through became more important than ever, with many of us turning to social media as a way to achieve this. Hours upon hours were spent scrolling through the endless realms of TikTok and the impact the app has had on the music industry is monumental. Gaining recognition from her funny and creative videos, in which she would essentially turn a video someone posted of them ranting into an iconic song instead, the singer is incredibly grateful for the new wave of supporters she’s received through the powers of the app:“I think it’s the first time an app has translated for artists in the way of which you could post one silly video, and it could then make people want to go and listen to the music you have out.”

Moreover, tracklisting, colours and aesthetics are key components of any musical release, with the star carefully considering this throughout her creative process for her debut album: “We sequenced the songs on the album in the order of how I felt all of the feelings,” keen to take listeners on the “same shit show of an emotional journey” that she experienced in order to get to ‘Lady Jesus’. Chuckling, she goes on to express, “For example, ‘Thriving’ is the turning point of the album where I’m no longer feeling the sad girl vibes, and then we reach ‘Lady Jesus’, which is where I’m at in my life now.” Referring back to the concept of rebirth surrounding this visually clever album, the colours UPSAHL envisions when thinking of this era are red, black and white, almost signifying the stages of healing that the album’s tracklist has been designed to represent, and creating an incredibly liberating and therapeutic listening journey for her tight-knit community of fans that feel like family.

In addition, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, that magical feeling of the lights going down at a concert,

With celebrities also falling into the mesmerising and addictive world of TikTok, the 23-year-old goes on to explain, “It’s humanised these celebrities and idols that everyone puts on a pedestal, showing that everyone is human”. For example, the singer is greatly influenced by Lizzo, both as an artist and as a person, and believes her hilariously relatable and down

the screams and chants of utmost exhilaration reaching an all-time high from the audience, and your favourite artists and bands finally taking to the stage after months of counting down to the show came to a halt for what felt like a lifetime.

Having recently returned to the stage, and supported the likes of Olivia O’Brien on her headline tour, the Phoenix-born artist has a stage presence like no other.

to earth videos on TikTok have been so refreshing in detaching the stereotypical features of how a celebrity should be.

With an ever-growing fan base and an ever-expanding creative ensemble, the future is so bright for this exciting young artist, as she concludes, “If I can continue what I’m doing now, with music as my job and having people turn up to my shows, hopefully on a much larger

The atmosphere during her sets is so high-energy, cathartic and simply electric.

Looking ahead with tones of excitement arising in regards to the year of touring she has ahead of her, the talented multiinstrumentalist admits, “I hope everyone who comes to my shows is down to rage!”

scale as I get older, then that’s my goal.”

Written by: Issy Todd Photos by: Aubree Estrella and Sam Leviton

Staying connected to other people throughout the unsettling times we’ve 23

Let's Get Cultural The Sex lives of college girls Once it’s revealed that Mindy Kaling, who has written for The Office (US), who has created The Mindy Project, Never Have I Ever, alongside other hit-shows, is one of the co-creators/cowriters of a show, there’s no other option but to watch it, because more likely than not, it will be worth it. And so is the case for ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’. The new HBO Max show sets place in the fictional university, Essex College in New England. With the allure of prestige, the main characters go into their freshman year and become roommates.

makes mistakes. And then you have Bela, the glue of the group, always encouraging the girls to do things together and being an all-around amazing person. She’s extremely sex-positive and wants to become a comedy writer.

As the series progresses, they go through their first semester, and with this of course comes its trials and tribulations.

Although not exactly completely realistic, ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ tries to depict an honest storyline of what it feels like to be a woman in this day and age. Even as the plot is serious, and there’s nothing to really laugh about, the series excels in making even the smallest interactions hilarious.

The combination of personalities makes for hilarious subplots and sees the viewer rooting for them to become close friends. Leighton, a preppy New Yorker whose dad also went to Essex College, is not exactly as cold-hearted as she appears in the beginning and its fast revealed that Leighton is struggling with her sexuality and how she wants to out this. Whitney, a talented soccer star whose mom is a senator, has a secretive affair and has to come to terms with the reality of this all the while being a positive force in their friendship group. Kimberly, a nerdy and out-oftouch young girl who grew up in a small town in Arizona, is seen to be a loveable and naive person who occasionally

Yes, this show also focuses on romantic relationships and makes us even root for them - to either realize that it’s better to break up or to get together. But throughout the first season, the real main goal is never lost. It is about seeing young women going through mistakes and hardships and the self-realization that follows. Therefore, it’s fair to say that ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ is not just a silly show to clear your head but rather one that talks about important topics whilst still being an enjoyable, breezy watch.

Written by: Lauren Dehollogne Created by: Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble Where to watch: HBO Max

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Written by: Ine Vanvuchelen Author: Sally Rooney Publisher: Faber and Faber

Written by: Lauren Dehollogne Author: Adam McKay Where to watch: Netflix

Sally Rooney is one of a kind, which she has proven once again with her newest release ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’. The Irish author gained worldwide popularity with her book ‘Normal People’ that was turned into a critically acclaimed mini-series in April 2020.

A satirical parody mocking the world’s negligence when it comes to natural disasters could be a tearinducing movie that makes you ponder for days, but this is not what ‘Don’t Look Up’ does. The starstudded Netflix original movie is at times funny, has stellar performances by lauded actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, etc., yet at no point does it do its job of captivating its watcher.

Her most recent novel tells the story of two best friends, Alice and Eileen, who both struggle with love, work, and life in general. The book deals with mental health, discovering yourself and finding your place in this big – sometimes intimidating – world.

Strikingly, the storyline is partially set during a pandemic, although it is only briefly mentioned. It is pretty obvious where Rooney got that inspiration from. As such, the pandemic has not only crept into our lives, but has also made its way into the books we read. Whether incorporating this in her novel is a good thing, is obviously very subjective. Fortunately, because the book is not entirely set around lockdowns and pandemics, it did not bore too much.

The plotline of the movie is silly at times, but doesn’t feel that far-fetched, after all, activists and scientists have been going on about climate change for decades now, and alas, people still don’t take it as serious as they should. And money-hungry billionaires who would risk the lives of the general population in order to become richer, is also not that far from reality. So, is the reason that ‘Don’t Look Up’ doesn’t work as it should because we’ve all become so desensitized by our actual reality, or is it because the movie both feels rushed and longwinded at the same time?

It is safe to say that Rooney has created her own kind of genre. She is able to describe ordinary situations in the most precise and relatable ways. The characters she creates and the situations they find themselves in feel mundane and familiar. This is what makes ‘Beautiful World’ so good and captivating yet also confronting. For the same reasons, it is very likely that this genre is not everyone’s cup of tea and, therefore, will not charm every reader who picks up this book.

Yet, ‘Don’t Look Up’ is still an enjoyable watch.

Although, it might be best not to go into it with too many expectations. But, yes, the actors are all bringing their A-game and once you disconnect it to what is going on in our real world, it should be able to give you a few laughs and a relaxing two hours and twenty minutes.

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Written by: Lauren Dehollogne

Influencers, the Modern Way of Advertisement

What makes for the perfect brand nowadays? Is it an innovative product? Is it a reimagined classic we all know and love but with a modern twist? Or is it a brand that has the perfect attributes for a social media post?

Ephemeral, a new tattoo shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, entails all three of these qualities. Their tattoos aren’t the ones we have grown accustomed to, they are temporary. And no, these aren’t patch tattoos, the salon uses the same tattoo gun as their permanent rival but instead apply biodegradable ink. Yet, that isn’t their whole story. Launched in 2021, Ephemeral started to become famous through the countless Tik Toks that were made at their studio. Once the likes and shares started to explode on the first few videos, more influencers were asked to come by to the shop, receive a free temporary tattoo, share their unique experience to the many followers consuming all of their posts.

“I don’t remember if they reached out over email or Instagram, but they just kind of gave me the rundown of the tattoo, what they do, and what I would be required to do for them,” Hannah Zajac recalls before explaining the transactional experience she had at Ephemeral. Zajac, who has over a 1,200 followers on Instagram, was required to record getting the free temporary tattoo and afterwards share the process on her social media platforms. Short Tik Tok clips and Instagram reels about Ephemeral tattoos started popping up in the first half of 2021, and just like a mainstream advertisement, the viewer could see the product, the experience and where the shop was based. Although this time, the information came with a more personal touch, via influencers.

In March, a Tik Tok clip of influencer Natalie Wojtanowski getting a temporary tattoo went viral and quickly gathered thousands of views, ending up with 1.3 million likes on the video seven months later. Wojtanowski, who got a temporary tattoo of the words “stay wild” on her knee, quickly laughs when discussing the way Ephemeral has been using her clip as a targeted ad and mentions that she has seen her knee a lot over the past couple of months, “People come up to me and be like, I know your knee.” The 27-year-old mentions several times that she is extremely grateful for the experience, yet she also thinks that the company should focus more on “organic content” because of its interesting origin and innovative concept instead of just her knee and other videos like hers.

Alessandra Pronti, one of the influencers contacted to create content for the tattoo shop, expressed the overwhelming attention she has gotten from her Tik Tok about the studio. “Just from that Tik Tok alone, I get so many questions on the daily,” she says. “I’ll get DMs like, I made that Tik Tok how many months ago, and people will DM me, “Oh how is it?” or like “How much is it?” the twenty-one-year-old eagerly explains. That the concept raises questions is not surprising.

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Ephemeral is the first company to offer tattoos that are only meant to last nine to fifteen months. As time goes by, you can even physically see the biodegradable ink fade away. At the moment, they do not have any competitors.

In the letter CEO Jeff Liu posted on Ephemeral’s website ahead of the opening of their second shop in LA, Liu compares the feeling of joining Ephemeral to his previous endeavors at Tesla and online mattress company Casper, yet he also stresses the importance of community saying, “Thank you to the thousands of you who have placed a deposit, who have introduced your friends and family to Ephemeral, and those who have been patiently waiting as we hire more artists and expand appointment schedules.” The website also reinforces the people-led strategy by stating, “We open studios where we have the most reservations, so tell us where we should go next.” Therefore, telling the customers it is up to them.

Ephemeral isn’t some “old-fashioned” brand that chooses for you, they have picked a more communitybased approach for their business model. User-generated content is a huge chunk of their marketing scheme.

Although all of the people I spoke to are positive about the studio and its “more than nice” employees, some of them do take issue with the price. Wojtanowski bluntly says that “If I hadn’t done a partnership with them, I would not have been able to afford to just go in and get this tattoo out of nowhere.” Ephemeral estimates the price for a subtle tattoo from $175 to $225 and their statement pieces cost between $350 and $450.

Wojtanowski, who’s full of ideas for Ephemeral to become more affordable through flash-sale promotions and college discounted time-slots, sincerely mentions that she would hate for it to become an exclusive thing, and thinks these temporary tattoos shouldn’t just be reserved for wealthy people. Pronti, who’s a college student at Montclair State University, also states that getting a temporary tattoo is out of her price range at the moment, “Honestly, like I said, if the price was a little cheaper, I’d probably get another one, but at this point, I can see myself getting a permanent tattoo.”

Another thing that seems to be a consistent opinion is the branding around Ephemeral and the familiarity it radiates to some of the influencers. The physical appearance of the garnered favorable comments from the influencers, who mentioned pastel colors, a serene space that radiates calmness and name-drop Glossier, another “community-based” brand that started out with this model and is slowly becoming a mainstream make-up brand whilst staying true to its roots with the “people-powered beauty ecosystem” that put them on the map.

When describing Ephemeral’s Williamsburg studio, Mary Grace Graves, founder of Under the Outfluence, who has 98.8 thousand followers on Tik Tok and was one of the first influencers to get a tattoo at Ephemeral, says that, “It’s very Glossier, I don’t even know if it’s very like pop soda, like type brands, like very innovative and new, and, like, pastel tones.” This stylistic choice although not the most important part of the product, is what gets lots of attention, and its “spa-like” impression according to Natalie Wojtanowski, is another draw that fits into their brand image And if the pastel palette of the decorations and the selectively curated branding is saying anything, it’s that a brand no longer just represents a product but rather the entire perception around it. The monthslong waiting times to get an appointment at the shop are another indication that their marketing works, and in the years yet to come, new locations will follow, thousands of people are going to get a temporary tattoo, and this latest trend will eventually go into the mainstream.

SAINT RAYMOND Written by Laura Weingrill Photo by Saint Raymond

In times of Covid-19, countless lockdowns, album and single pushbacks and the ever so prevalent pressure to always be on top of your game no matter what, it hasn’t been the easiest mission for musicians all around the world to keep up a happy face and deliver their best. When the whole globe lunged for artists to keep it entertained, a lot of them turned away from the countless eyes watching them to get some weight off their shoulders. But not so Nottingham-based indie-singer Callum Burrows, aka Saint Raymond, who throughout his career and specifically the past months has been using not only his music, but also his platform as an artist to speak up about the important topics in life and offer a space to heal and grow for himself and his dedicated fanbase. Because at the end of the day, that is all that matters.

to the new record. I wrote my first album when I was super young, from the age of 16 to 20, and it’s now been six years since then, so the new album looks at life from a completely different perspective. So I wouldn’t say it has a certain theme, but it’s the story of my life over the last few years. The title comes from a lyric that I had written down while I was working on the album. A couple of the songs are about relationships and trying to rekindle them, and the title stems from the idea of when you try to make things work with someone, and you get into this slight dreamy state where you pretend that everything’s alright.

But the reality is that it’s not.”

While relationships, love and all things close to the heart have always been a running theme for the singer, the production of his sophomore album granted a massive jump from his debut, both in terms of location and its approach. “For my first album, I went to LA, which was really fun, but completely different. And for the second one, I rented out this big house in Bath together with my producer and we just went and made it in our own time,”, Burrows remembers. “There wasn’t any pressure to it, we just worked our way through it, which made it feel like we were never working on an album, but rather hanging out as mates and recording some tunes.”

hidd “I think what people forget with music and art is that they are open spaces to talk about mental health. I’ve always just written about what’s going on in my life. So, when I write about specific topics or from a certain place, that’s how I feel at that time. It’s something I’ve tried to address and to tell people that nobody should ever feel ashamed to talk about it,”, explains the 26 years old British artist, who spent most of his time during lockdown gearing up his powers and talents for the release of his latest album ‘We Forgot We Were Dreaming’, a record glistening with heartfelt indie-ballads and catchy guitar tunes.

Just like with his first album released back in 2016 - the hit record that pushed the singer to the forefront of artists to watch out for in the future -, Burrows used the space the new album offered to write his heart out and take his listeners on a journey through his life and everything he has been experiencing. One that has massively changed over the years, as he admits: “I’d say there’s no set theme

It’s this way of creating music that is based on freedom, unleashed creativity and pure love and admiration for the process that has slowly been taking over the industry and has also led the young musician to rethink his work habits and how he looks at today’s music world: “When you‘re young - and I’m not saying don’t take advice from people, because I think you should absolutely take all the advice but on my first record, I was very young and there were a lot of fingers in the pie, so to speak. Whereas this new one is a lot more like the record that I wanted to make, because I listened more to myself and what I really wanted.”

But this new, refined take on the creation of his second record did not just end its impact there, but can also be heard on one specific song that had Burrows tip his toes into the production side of things for the very first time, as he proudly states: “There’s this song called ‘Only You’ that I just wrote by myself and recorded at home when the album was already done. I liked it so much that I sent it to my manager and my label and they all wanted it to go on the record. Normally I’d take ideas like that one into a session where I’m working with someone else. But with this one, I was like, I’m just going to record it and see what people think and if people think it’s good enough for the record, then cool. It ended up being the first time I’ve ever produced a song that got released. So that was quite nice, having produced a whole track for the album.”

Next to the heart-wrenching ‘Only You’, there is one more song that holds a very special place in the singer’s heart and has slowly but surely become an absolute fan favourite, specifically thanks to its ardent meaning.

“There is this track called ‘Alright’ that was built around mental health struggles and the act of encouraging people to speak up. It is like the lyrics say - “it’s alright to not be alright”. It’s okay to feel a bit down, but it’s also really important to talk about it,“, the artist explains and further dives into the touching story behind the merch that was specifically created for the stunning hit. “There was this guy called Ross who came to a lot of my gigs and was a massive music fan. We sadly lost him recently and his mum got in touch to tell me that they were going to play the song at his funeral, which was very, very hard to hear.

So I thought I needed to do something with the song, and we decided to make some t-shirts with those lyrics on them, and we actually sold half of them during the first show of the tour. We gave all the profits to the mental health charity Calm to encourage people to speak up and seek help if they need it.”

den It is yet another monument for what has always pushed Burrows to the horizon and turned the talented indieperformer into a gleaming light within the music industry - he cares and is not afraid to show it. Whether that is by still buying the physical copies and Apple Music streams of albums that he enjoys the most to support fellow creatives, or by taking the time to stay behind and talk to his dedicated fans and even hang out with them in a local pub after his live shows. And no matter if he is playing for a crowd of 200 or 1500 people, he is always out to give his performance everything he has got, each and every single night. Because at the end of the day, that is why the singer has decided to be part of today’s electric industry - to create and enjoy what he brings to this world and to take his listeners with him on this crazy and unique ride that may have downs as well ups to it, but in the end always ends in the world becoming a slightly bit better.

WRABEL Putting a full-length debut album out there for the entire world to listen to and getting goosebumps when hearing those carefully chosen lyrics with perfectly matching melodies is something Wrabel has been dreaming of since he was a 15-year-old boy. After almost ten years of piecing together the perfect puzzle that represents him best – as an artist and as a person -, full of hope, love and life, ‘these words are all for u’ is finally here for the world to listen to.

“When I first started making this record, nine years ago, I thought it would be a break-up album because that’s what it was back then.” In the beginning, Wrabel was mainly singing about loss, discrimination and heartbreak. Now he has found himself in a completely different place. He’s very much in love, he’s sober and independent as an artist, which made him grow into the person he is today, creating an uplifting and optimistic record in times of need. “This record even surprised me, sitting back and piecing it together almost like an autobiography. It’s nine years of my life put into eleven songs.”

Written by Laura Weingrill Photos by Jack Bridgland

Written by Lien Joos Photo by Yazz Alali

For the American singer-songwriter, writing is a feeling.

“I definitely know when a song is written, when the lyrics are perfect and the structure is solid. When it comes to production, that’s tricky for me because it’s a language I’m not fluent in. My comments often include: “I don’t know, it doesn’t feel purple to me. When I think of this song, I always imagined it purple, but now it’s feeling orange.”

I’m very hands-on: I speak up when I hear something or feel something’s off. But it’s more based on feelings: closing my eyes and hearing if the song feels right and is finished in every way possible.”

GE The one song that survived the bumpy road and got carried through everything the Los Angeles-based pop singer-songwriter has done over the years is the heavyhearted but transcendent closer: ‘love is not a simple thing to lose’. “It’s something we’ve never pitched to any other artist. We actually never really showed it to anyone because I just knew that that was going to be the closer for my first album, whenever that would happen. Having that still stand is such a special thing to me.”

Wrabel, who often speaks up through his music was especially emotional in ‘The Village’. Wrabel wrote that song on the day that federal protections for trans students were taken out of public schools in The States.

He dedicated ‘The Village’ to two trans kids he met on his first tour. It broke his heart that they had been put in situations like that. “I can’t tell their story but I can try to shine a light on something important and make them hopefully feel less alone and make them feel that someone cares about them.” It went from a song that was written for these two incredible people to being a song for a lot of us. For the kid who played the song to his parents and now they understand him more, for the friend who came out to the world because of ‘The Village’, for everyone in that particular situation to feel less alone. “To see what it has done, it solidified my intention in how I want to create.”

SCARLETT TAYLOR Written by Lauren Dehollogne Photo by Scarlett Taylor

Scarlett Taylor, a 20-year-old, budding musician living in New York City has been immersed in the world of music ever since she was born. Growing up in Lancaster Pennsylvania, Scarlett was often met with stories of another local kid that grew up to become a superstar, Taylor Swift. Yet this is not where her musical background ends, as her dad, Chad Taylor, is the lead guitarist of LIVE, a rock band that had immense mainstream success in the 90s, was her first introduction to the lifestyle of an artist. Therefore, thinking that one day, she could become one of the greats, was never far away.

“So my dad was always a big musical influence in my life.

Of course, he was on tour a lot when I was a little kid.

But when he came home, there was always music around.

And I was always like, Dad, I want to show you this song I was working on like, always wanting to like do little shows, and seeing my dad do shows and being like, wow, I want to do that,”, Taylor recalls as she is thinking fondly of those memories. Still, the young artist is adamant to say that it wasn’t her parents who pushed her into the path of becoming a musician, that they rather let her venture into her own path whatever that might have been. Her own artistry, she says, comes up to play when she sits down in her room and starts to unwind, as she just lets the music lead her. Taylor’s songs are personal and often start from looking at things she needs to heal from. “That doesn’t mean that every song sounds sad, some healing happens, like in a joyful form of energy,”, Taylor rapidly adds to where her music originates from.

The days leading up to the release of her first official single, ‘Clementine’, which was put out into the world in May of 2021, proved to be a tricky time for Scarlett, as she not only admits to have been going through a depressive period, she also emphasizes how scared she was for the reaction others would have, as this was the introduction to what she calls her own original “bedroom pop” music.

Since its release, Scarlett has been going through a whirlwind of emotions but as of lately, she is happy to say that she has found some calm and joy in thinking back on that period of time and has learned to heal herself.

MS Taylor, who is a positive and reflective person, mentions that she is thankful for that moment of doubt as it has taught her to only put out the work that she is proud of and only when it makes her feel good. Ultimately it taught her that, “You can’t be making your art for other people to like it. Because at the end of the day, there are always going to be people that hate it, there are always going to be people that love it, you just need to find the community that loves it and wants a share in that joy with you.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

Your words. Your opinions. written by ine vanvuchelen 32

GENDER-NEUTRAL AWARDS: THEY ARE VALID Many aspects of our society are split into two categories based on the binary genders: male and female. Just think about restroom stalls, pronouns, and even prizes at award shows. Fortunately, we are slowly but surely getting rid of this dichotomy in our society – a positive change that promotes inclusiveness and equality among all genders, both binary and non-binary.

Art is everywhere and consumed by everyone – either consciously or unconsciously. We walk past street art on our way to university, hear music on the radio while grabbing a coffee-to-go at our favourite café, and unwind in the evening by binge-watching a series on a streaming platform. To honour those who create works of art, award shows were established. For many artists and their fans, these shows are important events as they are the epitome of appreciation and support. But just like with lots of things, awards are often still categorized into male and female.

award shows take responsibility and give all artists a sense of belonging. Therefore, the abolishment of gendered awards is a great step in the right direction. For artists who do not identify with a binary gender, gender-neutral awards can serve as an affirmation and recognition of their identity.

For me, one of the most important aspects of art is the fact that it can make me feel understood and heard. I bet this is the case for many people who get excited about art, whether it is a book, a movie, or a painting. Art is beautiful, but the effect it has on someone can be at least as beautiful as the art itself. It should be celebrated to the fullest and so should the artists behind it. When it comes to developing a genderneutral culture industry that values both the art and the artist, positive change is gradually emerging. Moreover, we should welcome any step that large institutions, such as award shows, take to create equality.

The BRIT Awards – the UK’s largest music awards ceremony – recently announced that, among other gendered prizes, the ‘British Male Solo Artist’ award and the ‘British Female Solo Artist’ award will be merged into ‘Artist of the Year’ in 2022.

There are two reasons why I think it is a good thing that major award shows, like the BRITs, are stepping back from this gendered categorization.

First of all, it allows for the emphasis and essence of the award to be more on the creation and the creator’s talent. An artist will win an award, not because they were the best in their gender category, but because they were voted the best artist of the year out of all nominees. I see no valid reason why we would make a distinction between best male and female, as the best artist can be anyone regardless of their gender. The focus should be on the music itself, and it should be appreciated for what it is. A person’s gender has no relevance to this. In all honesty, there is also a downside. Fewer categories mean fewer chances to be nominated. Consequently, more artists will have to compete for the same award.

It is ok if you are confused by these changes, if it does not correlate with the way that you have been taught – be it by teachers, family, or friends – to see the world. However, it is important to keep educating yourself, especially when something makes you feel upset. I believe that society can only thrive to the fullest if we allow for these changes to happen and give society the space it needs to take on other forms and shapes. Allowing yourself to be more open-minded about things that benefit the mental well-being of others doesn’t seem like a bad thing to me. One day you may find yourself struggling with something and feeling misunderstood. And I’m pretty sure that at such a time it’s incredibly important for you to feel accepted by the world around you.

Secondly, in recent years, artists such as Sam Smith and Demi Lovato have disclosed that they identify with the they/them pronouns. It caused a bit of a stir among language purists, especially in non-English languages, who felt that you cannot grammatically justify the use of these pronouns. However, I don’t see any (grammatical) harm in addressing someone with whatever pronoun feels most comfortable to them. In the pursuit of a more inclusive society, it is essential that

Let’s start appreciating art, regardless of the artist’s gender, regardless of what pronouns they identify with. Let’s vote for our favourite movie, artist, and song, and encourage gender-neutral awards. As Neil Armstrong once said when he became the first person to set foot on the moon, this is “one small step for man, but one giant leap for mankind”.

Although we should probably think about making that quote gender-neutral as well.

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WHERE THE FUN STUFF HAPPENS

COOKING WITH

TAYLOR SWIFT Who doesn’t love a nice plate of warm cookies straight out of the oven while the fire is blazing in the fireplace and snow is silently falling outside? When it comes to ultimate treats during the cold winter months, it’s easy to find freshly baked cookies amongst everyone’s favourites. Our luck then that international pop-queen Taylor Swift is also part of that group of treat-lovers and has made a habit of sharing her baking skills and favourite recipes with her devoted fanbase. Taking a known favourite, the indulgent sugar cookie, the star likes to give it an additional punch by adding chai spices and an eggnog glaze. Chewy and soft in the middle, with just the right amount of spice, this recipe is a must for every baking fan and Swiftie out there. Here is how to make your own batch of this sweet treat: Ingredients (for twelve chai sugar cookies): 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus additional for sugaring tops 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Preheat the oven to 180° celcius and line the baking sheet with parchment paper, or foil, or grease generously with butter or oil.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter in a large bowl for about one minute and add the vegetable oil. Then add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg and vanilla, and mix until each ingredient is completely incorporated.

Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt all at once using a wooden spoon or the mixer set on low.

Refrigerate the dough for one hour or freeze for 15 minutes just so it’s easier to handle.

Form the cookies and press the dough evenly with your fingers or palm to 1 cm thickness. Generously sprinkle sugar on top of the cookies.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes for larger cookies or 8 to 10 minutes for smaller cookies. Let the cookies cool completely and store them in an airtight container. Enjoy.

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amilo on Insta wC

at @CM_De gram

Written by Mason Meyers // Photos by Camilo Medrano

ART OF THE MOMENT

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At 23, Camilo Medrano, also known as @CM_Desiigns has managed to take the world of digital art by storm. Hailing from Colombia, Camilo found that his favourite artists weren’t blessed with an abundance of art. “I wanted a wallpaper for cosmic girls, but there weren’t any for them, so I had to do it for myself.”

Since then Medrano has designed over 250 album covers for artists, created a viral (6 million views) TikTok video, and has even has his Instagram page followed by his idol Kanye West after making a design for every one of his albums. “Objectively, my best design I’ve done is a 3D planet inspired by Kanye’s MBDTF.” Despite finding great success online, the social media is a huge source of anxiety for Camilo. “Learning to use social media was so important, it’s the future for art, but every time I post I worry my post will flop, it’s something I need to get over.”

While many artists struggle to make the jump from casual to professional in the world of design, Camilo, however, has decided to work a day job despite making money from his art. “I have made a steady stream of money over the past three years, but I do have a job outside of design, but I could live off of my design (income). I wish I could sell more prints each month and get more commissions, then it would be a good level, but, yes, I have been able to make my passion my job.”

The future will tell where CM_Designs career takes him, but chances are he will probably be making your new favourite album’s art.

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