Summer is officially here aka one of my favorite seasons throughout the year. Lucky for you, this means a new issue for you to read! It’s been months in the making for this girlhood issue to be studded with so many featured gems, submissions by our community and our cover star who truly is our girlhood queen! In our 71st issue, stationary extraordinaire Amanda Rach Lee graces the cover of our girlhood issue. Everything about Amanda’s creative vision is what brings the inner child energy from dabbling into arts, journaling and of course, doodling! Read more about Amanda’s story from creative burnout, comfort content to her community, to the life she lives outside her work on page 74. The issue centers around girlhood core moments and the bond of sisterhood, which we hope you enjoy in this year’s girlhood issue as much as we do!
Cathrine Khom
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HANNAH SACCA
ISSUE 71 — AMANDA RACH LEE
SUMMER 2025
FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Cathrine Khom
COPY EDITOR
Sophia Khom
DESIGNERS
Lisa Lok, Yoolim Moon
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORS
Jessica Spiers, Tatiana Diaz de Leon
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Amanda La, Ashley Bulayo, Ariella Nikita Lai, Jessica Spiers, Kristy Leung, Mara Go, Mun AM, Sravya Balasa
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ally Wei, Cara Presta, Dillon Matthew, Hannah Sacca, Hazmin Hermosillo, Jeesu Kim, Jesryn D'souza, Katja de Bourbon, Liana Glennon, Lily Stevens, Lydia Robinson, Sammi Smith, Shantell Cruz, Sravya Balasa, Victoria Rose Huerta, Zac Regner
WOLFIE SUBMISSIONS
Aaliyah Howard, Amy Dudek, Ana Chen, Anielle Armamento, Archie Anderson, Athena Bustos, Ava Dasar, Carolina Dionísio, Cassandra Lynn Miller, Charly Faye, Chloe Gonzales, Chloee Hall, Clare Yates, Emma Kay, Gabriela Raven, Grace Leitch, Imani Brooks, Isabella Carvajal, Ivy, Jaden Da Rosa, Jailyn Duong, Jonie, Juri Kim, Leah Voskuil, Mad Sierra Photography, Maya J'an, Megan Russell, Melanie Hinds, Morgan Elizabeth, Morgan Winston, Nancy Paola Martinez Leon, Shelley Valdez, Tatum Van Dam, Taylor Herrada, Tu Jia Min
MANY THANKS
Amanda Rach Lee, Candace Reels, Colin Webber, Diva Smith, EFÉ, Eleri Ward, Hannah Lauren, Hannah Sacca, Hot Management, Hyning Gan, Jenny Zhang, LoyalT Management, Mane Agency, Michelle He, Sadie Jean, Shellsea Lomeli of siick sounds, Sonika Kohli, TCB PR, Zinadelphia, 2B Entertainment
FEATURING
Amanda Rach Lee
THEME
Girlhood
COVER PHOTO
Sravya Balasa
COVER DESIGN
Lisa Lok
LOGO
Lisa Lok, Fiona Yeung
CONTACT
General: info@localwolves.com
Press: press@localwolves.com
Advertising: advertising@localwolves.com
Get Involved: community@localwolves.com
LET'S CONNECT
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ON THE COVER
AMANDA RACH LEE
CONTINUED ON PG 74
COVER
STORY
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE
DIRECTION
Sravya
BTS PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Hannah Sacca
ONSITE ASSISTANT
Hyning Gan
HAIR Michelle He
MAKEUP
Hannah Lauren
STYLING
Sonika
NAILS
Jenny Zhang
Amanda Rach Lee
Ariella Nikita Lai
Balasa
Kohli
As I sit down to write about what makes Japan so special, it’s hard to pick out only one element. I’ve always loved techniques of Japanese art that have influenced my own artistic journey, from ikebana— a form of minimalistic flower arranging, to shodō, Japanese calligraphy; I looked forward greatly to seeing their roots. That attention to detail is not limited to those art forms, but daily life, as I witnessed. If you were to ask me what I loved most about my trip, I easily fell in love with the convenience of 7/11, clean and rapid public transit, and incredible desserts. What stuck with me though was the little moments ingrained with love: a shop owner handing me tea and sweets as I browsed his pottery wares, a couple dozing under the cherry blossoms, hearing laughs between coworkers at an izakaya. As Japanese influences come over to the West, modern media can simplify what makes Japanese culture so special, focusing mostly on the tangible. However, it is truly the little moments carried out so mindfully, that took my breath away; it is never just a pair of denim in many Japanese stores, every stitch and panel is art, a story behind it of the owner’s passion for clothes. It left me inspired to lead a life with care, grace, joy for every moment. And so, I’m already wistfully awaiting the next time I can sit at a temple 14 hours away from home, eyes closed as the trees wave softly in the wind.
WOLFIE SUBMISSIONS GIRLHOOD
MAD SIERRA PHOTOGRAPHY / PITTSBURGH, PA, USA
Photography, Design & Collages by Mad Sierra Photography
Styling — Hannah Edelstein
Model — Sarah Bednar
IMANI BROOKS
WASHINGTON, D.C., USA
AMY DUDEK
CLEVELAND, OH, USA
NANCY PAOLA MARTINEZ LEON / SONORA, MX
Photography by Nancy Paola Martinez Leon
Models — Leslie, Larissa Vargas, Fernanda Dabdoub
AALIYAH HOWARD / NEW YORK, NY, USA
Photography by Nafisah | Creative Direction & Styling — Aaliyah Howard
Growing up queer, I always struggled to make genuine friendships with girls, while still managing to stay true to myself. I think this is something that a lot of queer women go through; yearning for a deep platonic connection with other women, while simultaneously living authentically and not having to worry about those same women unintentionally getting the wrong idea. I spent the first 24 years of my life desiring, waiting & hoping to experience this type of connection. It wasn’t until summer 2024 when I met my best friend, that it finally happened.
Not only has she seen me at some of my lowest points; she’s also been there when life throws unexpected curveballs & has supported me through every step of the way. She has believed in me from day one, offered encouragement and advice, saw my potential and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. It’s never a competition; it's always about building confidence, community, and connection. In less than a year, we have gone from seeing each other nearly everyday, to a long distance friendship spanning hundreds of miles, and yet, I have never once doubted the genuine connection we share. Girlhood isn’t necessarily about who has been in your life the longest, but the one who has stood alongside you in the darkest of times and helped you navigate and grow through it. It’s not about quantity, it's about quality, and it's healing my inner child in a way I never thought would actually happen.
CHLOEE HALL / VICTORIA, BC, CANADA
ATHENA BUSTOS
BRONX, NY, USA
Photography,
Creative Direction, & Styling by Athena Bustos
Hair & Makeup,
Model — Lucy Curran
ISABELLA CARVAJAL QUITO, EC
On dating; being comfortable with being confused
Dating in today’s day and age sucks. There’s a fear of falling and there’s a fear of playing the game incorrectly, all while dating apps on our phone are taunting us with new matches, forcing us to continue our endless misguided search for romance. As a young woman trying to navigate it all, it can get very confusing.
In my early 20s, I thought that I could beat men at their own game. I thought that sleeping around gave me power and that being nonchalant meant I had the upper hand. And though that may be true for some, it’s not for me. My energy was given to men I barely knew, all while abandoning the part of me that wanted to feel seen and genuinely cared for. Naturally, sleeping around got exhausting and meaningless hookups left me feeling more empty than satisfied. And as my mid20s started to creep up on me, I’ve started being more intentional in my love life. But in today’s era of super likes and Hinge jail, the verdict is still out on whether there will be a happy ending. Although I no longer feel empty, I do feel lonely.
So what now? Do I stay alone forever? Do I go back to one night stands? To be honest the answer isn’t completely clear to me. But I think that is inherently a part of girlhood. It’s finding solace in the confusion. It became more comfortable knowing I may never figure it out completely, but everyday I learn a little more about the way I feel and the way I navigate new situations. That idea is what’s at the heart of my song “Fault Lines.”
In the corresponding artwork, I feature lyrics from this song because I think it represents a part of girlhood that a lot of people in their mid-20s can relate to. Sometimes you want to be messy for the sake of it and sometimes you want someone to really see you. Those feelings aren’t necessarily right or wrong, but they can coexist until you understand what you really want.
I also curated a playlist featuring songs that discuss so many other aspects of love and relationships. Whether it’s purely physical attraction, emotional attachment, or escapism, the songs all discuss navigating life and romance and its innate desires and tendencies.
JAILYN DUONG / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Photography by Jailyn Duong
Creative Direction by Hope Nguyen & Jailyn Duong
MORGAN ELIZABETH / MURFREESBORO, TN, USA
Words, Creative Direction, Styling by Morgan Elizabeth Models — Morgan Elizabeth & April Thompson
The Tender Archives: 003
One summer my most searched topic on Google became “how to glow up.” I was on a quest to transform into the girl that could turn heads in a room of sun-kissed Angelenos. I didn’t just dip my toes into the beauty rabbit hole; I dove in headfirst. Face masks? Check. Diet pills that promised to sculpt me into a photoshoot-ready goddess? Double check. If it had at least fifty 5 star reviews, I was all over it like glitter on a disco ball. I meticulously crafted a list of “Hot Girl Habits,” my sacred scroll of transformation. Turmeric water for the glow, garlic to fend off colds that dared interrupt my social calendar, and mixing baking soda with my face wash—because, apparently, girlhood is just science class with a ring light. And of course, the classic: fake it till you make it, my mantra, my shield.
I became a chameleon, shifting colors to survive the egos and energy at Hollywood Hills parties, dressed in mini dresses that I’d only dared to wear in the privacy of my bedroom just a year before. I felt empty as my cocktail glass. My role-playing reached its rock-bottom one fateful night at Delilah’s when I stood there, absurdly out of place, and cursed at the doorman as if he were the embodiment of all the failed diets and self-embarrassments I couldn’t shake off. “What do you mean I’m not on the f*cking list?!” It was like hearing a punchline I didn’t get. I stomped out of there red-faced, more teenager than woman, and retreated to my sanctuary—a mental health shower.
As the warm water washed away the mascara, it felt like rinsing off an too-many-month-long façade. I caught my reflection in the mirror, and for a moment, I didn’t recognize myself. The girl under the layers was still learning, still wading through the waters of self-identity. “Why,” I whispered to the soft glow of the bathroom light, “why did I try to be someone I’m not yet?”
And there it was—the point of my summer of glow-up: I tossed aside my grandmothers’ vintage flats for cheap heels and micro skirts, only to find myself deep in a maze of expectations. The modern woman is not just one thing but a mishmash of experiences—a sprinkle of race, a dash of class, a hearty dollop of gender roles. I didn't need to be likable to them, or anyone really; I only needed to rediscover my almost-forgotten liking for my secrets, daunting aspirations, and imperfect skin.
Here in the present, my schedule clashes with serendipity, and each brunch invites flirts with existential dread— I'm left to ponder life’s great questions, all while trying to remember if I left the curling iron on. Sure, there are those days when I crave having the sex appeal of the magnetic femme fatale. But then there are amazing, grubby days, the ones when I’m just a burger-eating, scruffyhaired creature of comfort, happily awkward in the face of a world that insists I continue the performance.
Our mess is the cosmic glue that binds us. And trust me, this isn’t a badge of honor we pin to our chests. It’s just the nature of the beast. So, you’ve made a series of missteps? Who hasn’t? Maybe identity and purpose is more than an epiphany we’re born with, it’s something you can still wake up and create like a 3am Pinterest board. The depressions of the past might just be the compass guiding us to a more promising version of us.
MAYA J'AN / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Words & Model — Maya J'an
Photography by AJ Woomer
Nothing in Particular — Girlhood in pieces and practice. Girlhood didn’t arrive all at once. It showed up in fragments—in tubs and texts, in bleach bowls and bad angles. And maybe that’s what makes it feel real.
Morgan (she/they, 28) is one of my closest friends. We’ve known of each other since college but truly connected years later in a Brooklyn coffee shop. She’s also a twin to a fella named John. Growing up side-by-side meant her sense of identity was always mirrored: same birthdays, same childhood timeline. But over time, the world outside of themselves carved out a quiet distance. What is girlhood without boyhood? Who gets to carry it forward—and who learns to shift?
We’d circled the idea of girlhood before, but never sat with it. Not until she was perched in the corner of my apartment, bleach processing on her scalp. She was sitting in a chair I found on Facebook Marketplace from someone’s grandmother, over an ashtray my sister-in-law’s cousin made, beside a half-smoked joint I’d lit waiting on a man who let me down. That’s when we got into it. Girlhood.
Not a phase, not a performance. A practice. A relationship. It shows up when we’re passing the phone around to place a group order. When Chinese food arrives on Oscars night and everyone lets it slip that we haven’t seen most of these movies. When snacks go into real bowls, and the art on the wall is not only noticed, but deeply seen. When someone saves you a seat at Bomberino or reminds you to turn Strava back on after a water break. It’s care. It’s effort. It’s softness with a backbone.
There was a time when Morgan had never shaved her head. Never dyed it blue. She’d done bangs once, a bob at some point, an
ombré in high school. But spring came after a tough winter, and with it—a shedding. First, the buzzcut. Done with friends. Posted to Close Friends on Instagram. Her mom found out eventually.
But Morgan did it because it felt good. She told me she hadn’t had fun with her appearance in years. Walking down the street with a shaved head felt like joy. Like being seen by herself.
A few weeks later: my bathroom. A towel. A tub. Splat Blue Envy. We laugh about nothing in particular while the color sets. Some hesitations—mostly mine, double-checking that the color’s even. We clean up as we go. Morgan bends into odd shapes under the water, trying not to get too soaked. With HAIM in the background, she declares that next time we’re doing pink. Or platinum. We keep it going, sharing updates at unflattering angles with friends along the way.
“What’s the history of hair dye?” we ponder, without feeling the need to know any actual answer.
She didn’t need to perform anything to belong to girlhood. It was already happening. Watching her shed parts of herself made me consider which ones I might still be holding onto. And how lucky is that?
Morgan’s mom still brings up the shaved head every couple of weeks. That’s girlhood too, in a way. The ritual of return. The realization that we’re all just people. It’s through the processes of play, care, and laughing anyway that girlhood stands on its own. Not fixed. Not forced. Just felt.
MORGAN WINSTON AND LEAH VOSKUIL / BROOKLYN,
NY, USA
Photography by Morgan Winston & Leah Voskuil
Words by Leah Voskuil
leave me alone im sorry come home
The connection to a mother is embedded in nature; as humans, we are biologically and psychologically wired to seek comfort, safety, and affirmation through attachment. leave me alone im sorry come home is a photo essay that explores the intricate, intimate, and often painful dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship, tracing how loneliness, identity, and generational trauma shape and strain the bonds between them. It delves into the primal impulse for closeness—how it is nurtured, ruptured, and echoed across generations, becoming something not only psychological but embodied: seen in posture, in eye contact, in silence, in the smallest gestures.
In this piece, a daughter is pictured alone in a desolate landscape, holding a landline phone—reaching out to someone who cannot pick up. The phone becomes a symbol of longing and disconnect, a lifeline to a role she can no longer—or never could—fulfill. Possibly it is a call to a lineage she no longer aligns with. Vulnerability is staged through bodily poses, while the isolated place becomes a space of entrainment: a barren emotional environment that begins to shape the daughter’s internal rhythms, mirroring inherited desolation.
The photo essay examines daughterhood not as a static identity, but as a site of tension—between duty and autonomy, projection and selfhood, grounding and suffocation. It is a role burdened with invisible labor: the work of understanding our mothers, forgiving them, or becoming what they could not be. For queer and trans daughters, this labor often includes resisting or rewriting the very meaning of what it is to be a daughter. Visual motifs—wires wrapped around the wrist or neck, layered clothing symbolizing inherited roles, and blurred or doubled exposures evoking fractured identity—underscore the psychological and bodily costs of this tension.
leave me alone im sorry come home meditates on the ache to be seen beyond the mother’s gaze: to claim a self that is authentic, even when that self breaks from the script given to us.
CHLOE GONZALES / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Words, Photography, Creative Direction by Chloe Gonzales
Styling — Tu Jia Min, Victoria Loh, Meryl Tan Models — Victoria Loh, Meryl Tan, Tu Jia Min
MELANIE HINDS / QUEENSLAND, AU
Photography & Creative Direction by Melanie Hinds Models — Rachel Burke, Elleni, Bonnie Hislop, Ivy Niu
THE SOFTEST BITCH IN TOWN is made of emergencies can’t exist without being overwhelmed
grows an extra pair of arms to hold you better
the Softest Bitch in Town wants to revel in her Weird Aunt Destiny collects leaves of pressed gingko she found on the ground
knows the sanctity of pinky promises knows she looks better than you in that suit
The Softest Bitch in Town is Girlhood Illuminated
she wants to know the heart of the thing she wants the panic to color her pink loves her Miyazaki tears
she is prone to fire and flooding catches goldfish romance by the teeth
the Softest Bitch in Town is fucking delightful national treasure in disguise
she carves houses out of scented candles re-builds her heart out of scented candles
the Softest Bitch in Town wants to reclaim Emotional Creature
wants to be the Champion of Vulnerability to be the Queen of Goosebump City
where the tragedies could be as loud as they are tiny
and the whole of it is miraculous
SHELLEY VALDEZ / MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, USA
wants to be the Number One Spokesperson for Scented Candles
she sees the claws that will ask for her even when her hands are empty she sees her chest hollowed out with a spoon
The Softest Bitch in Town knows survival like a sure-footed dance partner declares herself holy dreams of a body incorruptible
and did you really see her if you didn’t narrowly avoid kissing oncoming traffic?
did you touch her if you did not find traces of lilac on your sleeves?
The Softest Bitch in Town knows you like her perfume more than petrichor
she is aware of her transcendence she is learning how to take up space
KAY / LINTHICUM, MD, USA
Photography, Creative Direction & Styling by Emma Kay Onsite Assistants — Lola Rothstein & Claudia Joseph Model — Natalie Cashour
EMMA
This Is What Growing Up Felt Like
In the soundtrack of my life, there are certain songs that speak louder than words, as if they reach deep into my heart and remind me of the parts of me I sometimes forget to celebrate. “That’s My Girl” by Fifth Harmony is one of those songs. It’s more than just a pop anthem—it’s a rallying cry for every girl who has ever doubted herself, faced hardship, or struggled to find her place in the world. This song is a declaration of resilience, strength, and unity, and as I listen to it, I realize how it reflects the complex and powerful narrative of girlhood.
Girlhood, to me, is a journey filled with contradictions—a dance between the delicate and the fierce. It’s the quiet strength found in moments of vulnerability and the loud declarations of confidence in the face of the world’s expectations. “That’s My Girl” embraces this duality perfectly. It’s about the moments when you’re faced with challenges and yet, you rise. When the world tells you that you’re not enough, but you, in turn, show the world exactly what you’re made of. Every lyric is a declaration of self-love and unapologetic pride, and the chorus—"That's my girl!"—feels like a cheer, not just for others, but for myself.
What makes girlhood so beautiful is the way we share these experiences with each other. There’s a unique power in the sisterhood, in the way girls support one another, lift each other up, and recognize the strength in each other. I’ve often found that girlhood isn’t just about the internal battle; it’s about the external one too—the one where we face judgment, expectations, and standards. “That’s My Girl” calls out to every girl who has ever had to battle the world’s idea of who she should be and instead find solace in who she is. It’s a reminder to embrace all the layers of girlhood—the messy, complicated, joyful, and raw parts that make us who we are.
As I reflect on this song, I realize that girlhood isn’t just a solitary experience. It’s a collective one. We, as girls, are constantly having conversations with each other—whether it’s through shared moments of joy or the quiet support we offer in tough times. Girlhood isn’t just about individual growth; it’s about how we grow together. This song, in particular, feels like a soundtrack for those conversations—the ones where we hype each other up, where we say, “You got this,” “You’re unstoppable,” “That’s my girl.”
I think girlhood is a lot about learning to embrace our own strength while celebrating the strength of others. “That’s My Girl” taps into that deeply. It’s not just about the individual girl—it's about the collective power of all girls standing together. I feel that power when I hear the song, and it reminds me of all the incredible girls who have come into my life, whether in moments of joy or moments of struggle. It’s the understanding that girlhood is not just something we go through alone; it’s a shared experience.
And even when girlhood feels overwhelming, “That’s My Girl” is a beacon of hope. It’s the anthem that tells us that, even in our most difficult moments, we are still powerful. We are still worthy. We are still enough. There’s something deeply comforting in that message, and when I hear it, I feel reminded of the girlhood I’m walking through with the support of others—and with the knowledge that I will continue to walk this journey with strength, resilience, and the unshakable belief that I am enough.
Girlhood isn’t always easy, but it’s always powerful. And when we’ve got each other’s backs, there’s nothing we can’t overcome. “That’s My Girl” is more than a song—it’s a declaration that we, as girls, are capable of achieving greatness, supporting each other, and standing proudly in who we are. That’s the magic of girlhood.
IVY / DUBAI, UAE
ARCHIE ANDERSON LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Photography, Creative Direction, Styling by Archie Anderson Models — Alex Cabebe & Aleese Alvarez
Using Girlhood to Make A Difference
The smell of fabric softener always brings me back to my childhood. Freshly washed sheets, ready for mum to tuck me in and read me a bedtime story. It’s weird to think how moments that seem so simple, can define the paths we choose in adulthood. My parents always encouraged myself and my siblings to play and create; makeshift wobbly fairy wings and wonky paper crowns were our tools, our imaginations crafting playgrounds from the blandest of environments.
In girlhood I was always playing pretend, endless stories, characters and settings. As I grew older the stories turned into theatre, and I continue to chase the make-believe today. The difference now is that the world around me is not so simple. I can no longer be protected from the harsh truths of life, and it would be wrong for me to exclude these truths from my creations. Theatre can be powerful. When used to shine light on important issues it can bring extraordinary results whilst still being playful.
Last Summer, myself and my sister were among more than one hundred people who took part in a crazily brilliant 24-hour Shakespeare Marathon for refugee week, organised by an incredible charity called Compass Collective. The event raised over £20,000 to support young refugees in the UK and highlighted to us the incredible impact of combining theatre with social causes.
So this year, when the call came out for people to create performances or hold readings of A Midsummer Night’s Dream came, we knew we had to be involved. We’re both actors, we’re passionate about Shakespeare, and we’re also committed to supporting the brilliant work of Compass Collective.
When deliberating our approach to the task, we felt it was only fitting to go back to our roots. The theme for Refugee Week this year is “Community as a Superpower.” So much comfort can be drawn from community, and at the core of ours is girlhood. This is why we are choosing to experiment with an all-female (including trans and non-binary) production. We have had the opportunity to work with many fantastic female artists and know the power and influence women and girls can hold.
Moreover, of the over 100 million people that have been forced into displacement, the majority are women and girls. Women are often the first responders when crisis hits yet their voices are often left out of policies that are supposed to protect them.
In addition to poverty and other issues that all refugees may face, female refugees face an added layer of oppression from gender discrimination. And yet, despite everything that makes being a woman, or underrepresented gender, difficult, there is something beautifully unique and magical about “girlhood” — even when this is something that is discovered as an adult.
In our production this will be represented by a recurring prop: fabric. Fabric has a history of being made by women’s hands, from people of all backgrounds and countries. We open with a pillow fort created by draping of white fabric — starting our magic in the same place that inspired our own hopes and dreams, our childhood bedrooms.
We’re starting rehearsals next month and are incredibly excited that we will be performing on the 21st June at the amazing Bush Theatre. Along with the box office returns, each actor will be sponsored, so we’re aiming to raise at least £1000 for Compass Collective.
If you would like to learn more about Compass Collective, our production or support the cause then please scan the QR code. Girlhood is something everyone should be entitled to— let's use it to make a difference.
CHARLY FAYE / LONDON, UK
Words by Charly Faye
Theatrical Vision — Robyn Faye
Supported by Compass Collective, The Bush Theatre, and Forth Monkey
Production — Fracassantes
Childhood Photos by Jessica Faye
Graphics — Charly Faye
Cursed
An imposter in my own skin.
Budding breasts and a strange scent emerging from my armpits.
How could this possibly have happened?
Perhaps someone did some strange magic on meAnd now I’m cursed.
’Cause all the boys are looking at me funny, Asking if they can “cop a feel,” Snickering amongst each other.
I’m embarrassed.
My cheeks flush redder than the blood seeping through my underwear, Onto the grey, plastic choir chair beneath me.
“Oh no!” I think to myself. “Everyone will see it drip down my legs if I stand up.”
And just then— ding! The bell rings.
Time to leave for my social studies class.
But I can’t walk down the hallway like this.
“Think, quickly!” I say to myself.
A few seconds pass, and then I spot my salvation:
Heather, the know-it-all classmate of mine, has her smelly green gym bag tucked under her seat.
“Heather! Can I borrow your gym shorts?” I whisper to my classmate sitting beside me.
“Uh, why?” she asks, confused.
I bashfully point to the bloodstain between my legs.
“Ewwwwwww!” she says, almost too loud. “What’s that?!”
She mustn’t know what a period is, I think to myself.
Lucky girl. She didn’t get cursed.
CASSANDRA LYNN MILLER / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
ANA CHEN / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA Photography & Creative Direction by Ana Chen
it’s a closed language, learnt in compliments— star earrings, shein, sixty p on the cheap; i love your locket; what’d you keep in it? take it; it’s open for you. love you too…
and as all things, study. we keep matching we cried, looking eye to eye; of course she’d noticed too— yes, yes, we did that too; of course i already knew.
a slight of insight, some call it intercession; victorian vampire, no interrogative, i mean that, just that; to be jean-paul sartre in the hallway— i call it authenticity. the cry, that’s amazing!
you know how i’d like to be seen; you know what that means. you know.
GRACE LEITCH / SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
Her Name Was a Song in July
Stolen makeup from our mothers, in their clothes, we’d play pretend. The hush under trees, and above the sand, our hearts of gold would mend.
Spinning in laughter that cracked the sky, something ancient in her cackle, bursting. Folding notes into tight little hearts, too young for love, but already rehearsing.
She wore July like a perfume— though we were never allowed to wear. Drawn to the sugar of her skin, tanned in moonlight’s glare.
Whispers under the poolhouse light, the swing set knew our secrets. Our freckles we’d count, like fallen stars, every dress was a spell of no regrets.
JADEN DA ROSA / TULSA, OK, USA
Photography & Creative Direction by Jaden Da Rosa
Models — Bailey Stephens-Johns & Birdie Brown
ANIELLE ARMAMENTO / MANILA, PH
TATUM VAN DAM LONDON, UK
Archetypes of Girlhood: A Study On Girls Across The Ages
Across all time and space, girls have always been perceived, and almost reduced, to a stereotype — like some sort of caricature of the age they live in.
In Medieval times, we had the Ingenuous Nymph. She’s so kind, pure, and delicate, but always under control, because girls must be free but never aware of the restraints of their freedom.
Then, came the Dutiful but Rebellious Daughte r of the 19th Century. She cleans, she’s fond of motherhood, she reads in her free time so she’s deemed smart — but then she dares to question why she can’t have her own money, so she’s actually rebellious now.
Across the 20th Century, we’re introduced to 4 new girls: The Good Girl, who’s preppy and waiting for marriage; The Bad Girl, who wears black and likes to kiss for fun; The Rebel Girl , who misses curfew to protest about everything, everywhere; The Cool Girl, who listens to Pop and loves the mall and the arcade.
But in the 21th Century, enters Divisionism and a million new boxes.
We meet The Teenage Dream , who’s sociable, stylish, inexperienced, privileged but humble; and The Girl-Next-Door, who can either climb your window in the middle of the night or be extremely shy. We also have The Cheerleader, The Mean Girl , and The Queen Bee, which are all variants of each other with different levels of “mean” and “rich”. Now, we know the difference between The Nerd (wears glasses and braces), and The Smart (too cool for school prodigy). There's also a first glimpse into The Sad Girl and her artsy but self-destructing ways to depict mental health issues.
Every year, there’s a new label added to the list. The VSCO Girl The E-Girl The Clean Girl. And every year, we’re all still supposed to fit into one of those boxes and perform the role
until the next one comes. But it’s too many guidelines, too many contradictions, and too many barriers that only alienate us, girls, even more.
Like Jo March said: “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty.”
Though politics, society, media, culture, and a dozen other variables, might affect the way we portray girls across History, it does not change the fact that girlhood is not that static and linear. We can’t be defined by a specific set of limited characteristics, as much as we can’t be defined by the overall “aesthetic” of the time period we live in.
Ever since the beginning of times, girls were always so much more than what society made us to be. Because girls are all the archetypes and none, all at once, all the time. We are “just like other girls”, but so unique nonetheless — like a kaleidoscope of feelings, memories, and experiences known to us all, passed down across all generations almost like ancient folklore. We have traditions and superstitions. We are not just walking stereotypes used as fuel to create the same movie characters over and over again.
We are thought-provoking, we are revolutionary, we are complex, and we are timeless.
Because despite all variables, the heartbreak I’m feeling today has already been felt by a girl in the 19th Century, and that is the most beautiful and important stereotype of girlhood: the community, the everlasting love and understanding, and the immortal comfort of belonging somewhere no matter where you’re from or where you’re going — because you’ll always have a home waiting for you in between.
CAROLINA DIONÍSIO / LISBON, PT
JONIE / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Photography by Jonie Models — Izze Babb, Nia Personette, Sapphire Helbig, Irene Mann
CLARE YATES
PENRITH, NEW SOUTH WALES, AU
Photography & Creative Direction by Clare Yates
Hair & Makeup, Styling, Model — Zoe
MEGAN RUSSELL
SAN DIEGO, CA, USA
Photography by Megan Russell
Models:
Cheyenne Drew
Jacqueline Everly
Karson Calaway
Myra Metz
Stefanija Herrera
Tia Secrest
Viktoriia Mykhalovska
Zoë Rae Saavedra
JURI KIM / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Photography & Creative Direction by Juri Kim | Producer/Lighting — Mitchell Jung
Lighting Assistant — Maria Bautista | Styling — Ellie Rose | Styling Assistants — Serena Weil & Angela Hsieh
Hair & Makeup — Serena Hutchens & Mariana Yoseni | Models — Angela Hsieh, Cat Gerbino, Kyla Kim, Simona Garcia
Cousins
When I was younger, my cousin and I would sit beneath the loquat tree in my garden and eat its yellow fruit. The seeds were selfish, too large and leaving little room under the skin for its flesh. My cousin would pick the closest fruit– more brown than yellow–beestung and half-rot. As a youngest child, she knew how to eat around the spoil. Like a dog under a meager table, Isabelle was happy to get any scrap.
In those moments we learned the leanings of our small hearts– I was not to be a generous woman. Even then, I was careful and
greedy. Why eat if not the sweetest thing? I stood on Isabelle’s bony shoulders to pick through webs of branches high on the tree, bleeding from cuts on my forearms and collecting thorns in my hair to pick the most lovely fruit. I do not know how to be gentle with want– perhaps I am more seed than flesh. I will let bees hum heavy in my ears until I am thrown, hurt and laughing, out of the garden.
GABRIELA RAVEN
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
This Mexico City photo series dives into girlhood like a cannonball. Loud, rebellious, and dripping in pastel power. It’s a fashion daydream smashed against a street-style attitude. These girls are dressed like a fever dream of your teen years: sharp liner, thrifted layers, and DIY energy. They vibe hard. Part sisterhood, part punk band.
TAYLOR HERRADA / MEXICO CITY, MX
Photography by Taylor Herrada
Creative Direction by Taylor Herrada, Thrifthouse MX, Channys
Makeup — Audrey Rom
Fashion Designer — Channys
Mix Media Artist — Charlie Herrada
Venue — Thrifthousemx
Models — Montserratt Barajas Pérez & Diana León
I Practice Hurtful Language
I practice hurtful language in my mother tongue. I cannot risk the chance of being misunderstood in any language that I know. I go over all the words in my head, memorize the way that cursing feels against my teeth, I practice perfect, because I am a sweet girl. I get dressed up to sit at the dinner table on every holiday that we share together, I eat what was prepared for us even when the food tastes sour in my mouth. I am a rat wearing perfume. I come here to yell. When I have a moment to myself, (bathroom) I make sure my body sits in my clothes the way my family asks it to, I look at myself in the mirror and try not to remember a time where everyone in the room next to me used to pass me around their arms for kisses on my cheek. A time everyone outgrows, nonetheless it feels like I'm the only girl in the world that's sad today.
I used to be small in their hands, I was malleable, still soft enough for them to worry about dropping me on my head and breaking me.
Getting bigger, growing up, become a girl, it's all one big green light for the world, your body is a place for everyone but yourself to rest, and inside of your chest, you have a hollow box of never
ending anger, for some reason everyone wants to put their hand in it to see if anything bites back.
I will sit at this table. I will toast to our love, it's a holiday after all. We have to lift our cups. When they tell me to tap my knife onto my glass for them, say a few words, and stand for the family, I will listen.
I will say it in every language I know. “I am so lucky to be here with you all today, and while I'm here, can someone swallow me whole? unzip me and pass me around, put your hands in my hair, give me this love that we stand to like I am not your biggest loser, or set me on fire and let me watch everybody cry. I want to remember what that feels like. I want to go home. Or I want to be little again. Everyone, thank you for coming, did you know that this love is the only love I have ever known, the only love I have ever been asked to stand up to?”
The only love I have ever been taught to drink for,
The only love I have ever been taught, to drink from.
AVA DASAR / SEATTLE, WA, USA
BY
Sadie Jean
MUN AM
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LIANA GLENNON
Having taken the music industry by storm at the age of 19, SADIE JEAN continues to make waves in the music industry. A born-to-be musician, Sadie was already making songs in the backseat of her mom’s car before she could even talk. From her breakout viral song “WYD Now?” and a discography that soundtracks the feelings of early twenties love, the California-born artist has it all covered for the yearners. Sadie discusses with us her entry into the music industry via TikTok, personal growth and her upcoming album.
I HEARD THAT GROWING UP, INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO THE RADIO, YOU WOULD HAVE “SADIE’S RADIO” AND MAKE SONGS IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY FROM IT? DO YOU REMEMBER ANY OF THE SONGS?
My favorite memories were when it was just my mom and I in the car in between running errands and I would tell her it's time for “Sadie’s radio” and she would “change the channel” or request songs from me. I was so young, I’m sure it was all nonsense. At the time my inspiration consisted of my favorite show, Dora the Explorer, and probably whatever I was looking at through the window. I wish I could remember the specifics.
YOU’VE ALSO MENTIONED THAT GROWING UP, YOU WERE REALLY SHY ABOUT MAKING IT KNOWN TO PEOPLE THAT YOU SING AND MAKE MUSIC, HAS THAT CHANGED? DO YOU THINK HAVING A MUSIC CAREER HAS HELPED BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE?
I think it's still deeply ingrained in me to be private about music honestly. I never spoke about my love for music from age 8 to 17. I think going to college and meeting other people in music was the biggest first step to instilling confidence in myself that I could actually own my passion and go for it. Going on tour and forcing myself to overcome stage fright was so empowering. Even still, I literally can’t sing or write a song unless I’m home alone, even though my roommates are also in music. Those nine years of living a double life are still wearing off but I’m working on it.
SINCE WE’RE ON THE TOPIC OF CONFIDENCE, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, WHAT WAS THE PUSH THAT MADE YOU APPLY FOR MUSIC SCHOOL?
It was actually the college application process that pushed me to finally tell people I sing and write songs. Everyone was suggesting I major in business because they were under the impression I hadn’t yet figured out what exactly I wanted to pursue. I was losing sleep because I fully knew I couldn’t picture myself pursuing anything but music so I posted a cover of me singing “Creep” on Instagram. That’s how my brother found out I could sing and he was the one that really pushed me to apply
to music school. I did not think in a million years I would be accepted considering I had zero experience besides what I had written alone in my room. I’m forever grateful to NYU for accepting me and introducing me to so many lifelong friends and collaborators.
TO CARRY ON FROM THAT, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR WORRIES?
I would say that anyone with a passion for something is so lucky and that voice in your head begging you to give it a chance is there for a reason and you must listen. Even though it is so terrifying. I think it’s important to ask yourself “What’s scarier? Pursuing your dream, or never pursuing your dream?” It’s easier said than done but to me, a life controlled by fear is actually the scariest thing ever.
WE DEFINITELY CAN’T SKIM PAST “WYD NOW?” AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN HELPING SHAPE YOUR MUSIC ALONGSIDE INSPIRING OPEN-VERSES CHALLENGES ON TIKTOK, DO YOU THINK THAT EXPERIENCE HAS IMPACTED OR INSPIRED YOU IN CERTAIN WAYS?
That was such a wild entry into the music industry. I was 19 and was just having fun on the app and it turned into a music career. That was so inspiring to just know something like that was possible and to experience it firsthand. I loved watching people participate in the open verse challenge. There are so many insanely creative people on TikTok and it was life changing genuinely to see how our art can inspire each other.
GROWTH IS DEFINITELY INEVITABLE FOR CREATIVES. SO, PUSHING FEAR AND DOUBT ASIDE, IS THERE ANYTHING NEW YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY MUSICALLY OR EVEN CREATIVELY?
With this album I’ve been challenging myself to write more upbeat/“fun” songs. It is so in my nature to write a ballad so it really does feel like a challenge sometimes! My latest single “The One That I Want (But I Don’t Know Why)” is probably the most uptempo and fun song I've ever written. I want to try everything though. I’ve been playing around with country style songwriting and making some more indie rock inspired stuff. I’m always down to try whatever musically, as long as it feels authentic to me.
FOR THIS PRINT’S TOPIC, WE’RE COVERING GIRLHOOD AND I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST HEARTWARMING GIRLHOOD MEMORY?
The first thing that comes to mind honestly is the music video that I just filmed with all of my best girl friends for “The One That I Want (But I Don’t Know Why).” The concept of the video was all of them comforting me throughout the process of crashing out over a boy who continually cancels on me. Throughout the video my friends get ready with me, cry with me, and repeat even though they know I deserve better. The experience of filming this video with them meant so much to me. My best friends stayed up until 4 a.m. filming this with me even though they were literally falling asleep. The video itself means so much to us, it feels so accurate to the countless mem -
ories we have of being there for each other when some loser boy lets us down. The whole night and video is our definition of girlhood. We kept saying that we would show the video to our kids when we were older when they asked about our early twenties.
YOU’RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON YOUR FIRST ALBUM, HOW HAS THAT BEEN LIKE? HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE IT TO WORKING ON SINGLES AND EPS?
It’s been so different from anything else I’ve ever worked on. I think with singles and my first EP I was just thinking one step at a time and with this album, there’s so much more intention behind the songwriting process which is new for me. I think in the past I just wrote whatever I’m feeling and then bundled it together, but I really want it to feel intentional this time. I also think it’s been just a different process because I’m at a different place in my life and the concepts of these songs feel so different as compared to my first EP, Simple Like 17. It’s gonna be so special to be able to look back on all my music when I’m older as a time capsule for my life, I’m super excited.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE UPCOMING ALBUM WILL COVER THE THEME OF “ALMOST” RELATIONSHIPS. I PERSONALLY THINK, AS HUMANS, IT’S EASY TO DOUBT AND LOSE YOURSELF A LITTLE THROUGH THOSE EXPERIENCES, DO YOU AGREE? IF SO, WHAT HELPED CENTER YOURSELF AGAIN?
I totally agree. I’ve been through that cycle of doubting and losing myself so many times because of the experiences that inspired this album, and I’m sure it will happen so many more times. When I’m really in the thick of those lows, it always feels like I have no idea how I’ll ever get over it but then I remember that I’ve felt this before and I’ll feel it again. That always grounds me and reminds me that no matter what, I will eventually find myself again and come out on the other side with a good story to tell at least.
TO FINISH OFF, CAN WE GET A LITTLE ALBUM SPOILER FOR YOUR LISTENERS? WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM THE UPCOMING ALBUM?
I’m so stoked with how this album is all coming together. I think my favorite song from the album right now is called “Slow Burn.” My favorite honestly changes every single day, I’m a very indecisive person. This whole project is about my early twenties and the torture that comes with it. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it, you may want to keep your eyes peeled this fall.
CANDACE REELS
BY ASHLEY BULAYO
It's okay to take a rest.
These words are from CANDACE REELS , founder of the Female Collective, as we chatted over Zoom in early April. With a platform garnering over 900K+ followers, it's easy to see why someone would be so overwhelmed, even just by showing up.
"I've taken a break from Female Collective just because I was so burnt out, especially after the election. I need to figure out what to do," says Candace. "I didn't want to just put out positive reinforcement because I believe there's a thing like toxic positivity, where it's like, let me just say something positive now because everything is so negative. No, no, no, no. Let's be real with ourselves. We're not gonna fake our way into happiness. So I had to sit down and figure out what I want Female Collective to be."
For those unfamiliar, a quick Instagram search for @femalecollective will pull up the profile for Female Collec -
tive, a digital global community that empowers, uplifts, supports, and celebrates women everywhere. It started when Candace was 26, having a very common "what am I doing with my life" moment of crisis.
"It was a day at work. I was just so depressed. [I asked myself,] 'What can I do that is not this?' So I sat down with myself and [asked], 'What is it? Do I like it?'" That's when the light bulbs clicked. "As a millennial, I was like, 'Oh, my outlet is my internet,' so I just started." From there, after unabashedly posting without a plan, Female Collective grew into something bigger than she could ever imagine.
That was 26. Now, at 35, Female Collective has grown an unexpected massive following that wasn't evident to Candace until the first-ever Women's March in 2017, when community and women's empowerment were vital after the presidential inauguration. "People love to know that there's a sense of community there. Whether it's in person or online, it's an outlet. Where can I go to find my people?"
Last year, Candace found her people outside the digital screen and IRL when she worked alongside Girls Inc. and was invited to be one of their keynote speakers. This catered to an area where Candace is most passionate— the younger generation. This event brought everything full circle to speak directly with a community to learn more about their feelings and find ways to help, "even if it's a small way of just sharing on the internet."
"People love to know there's a sense of community there, whether it's in person or online. It's an outlet. [...] Being invited to be a keynote speaker at Girls Inc. was meaningful to me because that's why I started Female Collective; I was just a person. My feelings are all over the place, and I [didn't] know what to do with it."
It's safe to say that having a community was Candace's invisible North Star. While building Female Collective from the ground up, Candace experienced firsthand the negative side of social media: the world of online hate. "I started to take that internally and [think],“Oh, what am I doing wrong? Should I fix this? Should I stop voicing my opinion on certain subjects that are making people angry?"
Instead of letting the haters win, Candace remembered what she says holds power and what she's posting are actual things people should care about. "What I'm talking about is not dangerous and not hurting anyone," says Candace. "I didn't want to change who I was personally. Why am I letting these outside voices affect me? I don't know these people. These are just people on the internet. [...] I should be caring about the things I'm talking about. Not this stranger, not these two or five people that are angry on the internet today."
This way of thinking translates to Candace's brand as a content creator. Aside from heading up Female Collective, Candace has created a platform for herself as a digital creator, serving up scroll-stopping looks that your algorithm might have encountered. One quick scroll past her feed, and it's hard not to feed off that confidence in one of her many Reels, including her "Dressing for my own gaze never the male gaze" series. Her venture into fashion began in middle school, when she piqued her interest by experimenting with fashion, shopping in the boys' department, and exploring different styles.
Candace returns to her middle school mindset years later, playing with masculine and feminine styles. "Why do I need to wear a dress just because I'm a girl? I can like a suit and still feel feminine and powerful, all those types of things. [...] I don't want people to expect something from me. I want them to always be like, 'Oh, what is she gonna do next?'"
"I figured out at a young age that fashion was something I was good at. I don't say that about many things in my life. That's the only subject I've always been confident in," says Candace.
This ties in perfectly with this issue’s theme: Girlhood. Candace's fashion and confidence wouldn't have been possible without figuring out who she was, free from outside noise. "You could get so distracted by television, magazines, or whatever. 'You should look like this. You should be dressed like this right now. You should have been doing that.' No. That's one person's opinion. We can't all fit into this bubble of what a girl should be like. Girls could be so many different and incredible things. That's what's important. We should remind young girls."
She says, "You should develop yourself without thinking about other people. [...] Girlhood is about exploring who you are and just figuring it out. You're gonna constantly change in life. I'm not the same person I was five years ago or even a year ago. You're constantly changing as a person, and I think it's great to embrace that change. Girlhood is about exploring yourself and having fun with that journey, honestly."
And look, Candace is still on that journey, stepping out on her platforms to showcase her fashion and express herself as an individual beyond the Female Collective. As FC grew, a sense of disappearance began to emerge. "Female Collective is my baby.
I love it. It's everything I love, but I need to separate the two. This is Female Collective. It's still who I am all about and everything I love, but there's also Candace."
Over the last year, she's been focused on building that exact distinction: What is Female Collective? What is Candace Reels? There will be things that overlap, and others that will be separated. To help with this puzzle, she's returned to the basics of writing things down.
"There's pie for everyone. We all have space. We can all thrive in this world and do amazing things even if it feels saturated because I know people think content creation has become supersaturated, which it has been." She continues, "But if you stick to who you are, what you care about, and show up authentic as yourself."
To show up authentic is at the core of Candace Reels and Female Collective, which is why, as of now, Female Collective is on a mini-hiatus while it figures out the next chapter. "How am I supposed to share positive things when I feel awful inside, and the world is a hot mess? I don't even know how to put this into feelings." Fair point.
In a world that constantly moves, Candace Reels reminds us that slowing down is not a weakness; it's a strength. Give yourself some grace.
PRES S START
BY KRISTY LEUNG
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZAC REGNER
CREATIVE DIRECTION BY KRISTY LEUNG, ZAC REGNER MODEL — KRISTY LEUNG
As a girl, I got into the habit of spending Saturday mornings playing Final Fantasy with my older sister on the Playstation 2. Our family room was a narrow carpeted room furnished with a black box TV across a patterned futon from which I watched the yellow polygonal shape of Cloud Strife’s hair as he slashed away health points with his great polygonal sword.
If you were to visit us on these Saturday mornings, a hand-drawn melamine plate from a preschool craft activity I did with my sister would infuse the room with the hot aroma of toasted tortillas slathered with Trader Joe’s tomato sauce and melted mozzarella from Costco string cheese. If we were really lucky, my fingertips would be coated with salty shrimp chip dust from Ranch 99, and our tummies would be round and soft from green tubefuls of Meiji Chocolate Gummy Muscats from Friday night Chinese school.
Perhaps these memories may not be what first comes to mind when you imagine girlhood, and I should recall for you more common scenes: friendship vows of my elementary school besties, sealed on my Strawberry Shortcake bed sheets with bracelets of flowery pink charms; the princess gowns endowed upon my Barbies and American Girls; the ‘no boys allowed’ poster scrawled in blue paint by the secret society of my preschool playground, the coveted fuzzy pink notebooks and glittering gel inks that adorned them. This is girlhood core, but this is not the girlhood core that defined me. Unfortunately, this truth was locked in the vault of my embarrassment
for most of my childhood because I was ashamed of being branded a genderless nerd. I was not boyish enough to play Call of Duty on the Xbox and not girly enough to deny that RPGs from Japan were my favorite hobby. But this Saturday morning was what it was like to be this girl. My girlhood can be summarized by the sound of my weekend: the resonant swell of the Playstation 2 coming to life and the reverberating whoosh and glass chimes of the old red, yellow, green, and blue Playstation logo appearing on the LCD screen. I loved that in the virtual world of Final Fantasy, I could traverse crystal caves and race my sister through them as the black mages and purple behemoths of the Chocobo Racing video game that was our Final Fantasy version of Mario Kart.
If you were to ask me to recall the most memorable moments of my girlhood, it would be taunting my sister as we sped our chibi-esque characters down the four-course circuits of our favorite Final Fantasy stories, followed by her laughter as I inevitably paused between each game to wipe eager hand sweat off my candy-colored PS2 controllers. The Playstation 2, in the girliest way possible, defined my childhood. It was my secret portal to unspoiled adventures where my inner child could run and play and smell the flowers. If you had a looking glass into my happiest moments as a girl, look no further than my elementary school self in the kitchen with my sister, sliding two tortilla pizzas into the toaster oven in pre-gaming ritual, because you would know what comes next: “Want to play Final Fantasy?”
in Distress Damsels
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY ALLY WEI PRODUCER ANNIE CUI, MAKEUP — VERA PUN, MAKEUP ASSISTANT CELESTE LIN STYLING — GENNY GEARHART
FEATURING PIECES FROM INNER CHILD SHOP, GAUCHETTE NYC, GENNY GEARHEART, TYLER MCGILLIVARY CROCHET & KNITS ANNIE CUI, GENNY GEARHART, NAILS STAR XD NAILS MODELS AMY, ANGELA, ASHLEY, CELESTE, EVIE, HYNING, ISABELLE, JO, XING
BY SRAVYA BALASA
Zinadelphia
Finding a song that you can’t stop listening to is probably one of the top 10 feelings in the world, and that’s how I felt when I first listened to “Love Language” by ZINADELPHIA . The Philly-based musician, with her soulful voice, 60s influenced music, and colorful vintage style immediately captured my attention, feelings only confirmed when I heard her unique sound weeks later at an intimate show in the Lower East Side of New York City. After hearing the meaning behind her songs, from her struggles with colleagues in the music industry to body image, it’s hard not to be impressed with her songwriting peppered with metaphors and complex backing instrumentals. In our interview, Zinadelphia shares how she came to be so unapologetically herself in her music and life, all with humility and grace.
FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T SUPER FAMILIAR, WHAT REALLY KICKSTARTED YOUR LOVE FOR MUSIC AND HOW DID THAT GET YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
I actually didn’t really grow up on music! My parents aren’t in that world, they’re very athletic and I didn’t really get that athletic gene. I started self teaching guitar and joined my local School of Rock, where I had this one guitar teacher who put me onto everything about music. During our lessons, I wouldn’t even take my guitar out of the case, instead he would educate me about all the music out there. I really gravitated to the 60s, mostly Motown and funk. Instantly, I thought “Yeah, this feels right. This is it for me.”
WHAT MADE YOU TAKE THE LEAP TO DO MUSIC AS A CAREER?
I always wanted to do it my whole life, and I was kind of putting it to the side because it was very unrealistic. I thought it was this crazy dream, so when I was in college I didn’t major in it. I majored in media and design because I was embarrassed. However, while I was going to school, I had a band in Philly and we were playing every single Philly venue, house show, or festival locally. I knew the entire time this is what I really wanted to do, but I didn’t want to be so open about that until I started gaining some traction and started building a team.
Another big turning point for me was touring. When I did my first big tour, it was with Teddy Swims. There’s so much you learn from touring, and I think the people who I met and the people who hopped on board after that tour and the Tori Kelly tour were just such pivotal moments in my career. I’m so team touring for all artists.
SPEAKING OF PEOPLE YOU’VE MET, WHO DO YOU WORK CLOSELY WITH TO HELP MAKE YOUR MUSIC?
On the production and writing side, I work mostly with Gabe Goodman and Leroy Clampitt. I was working with them both separately, when I was trying to find my perfect match producer wise. I thought, what if we all tried to make some stuff together, and then we did, and it was magical. We’re the dream team, and they just get what I’m trying to do, which is so awesome. In my band, I have Kobi Abcede, Peter Enriquez, and Harlee Torres. They’re all insane musicians, and I’m so grateful to have them in my band. They’re so fun, and I look forward to working with them for as long as I can.
At that point, I did know I could do it full time, but I just didn’t want to admit it, so I just told myself I was going to do it and took the leap. Now I’m in a place where I am doing it full time, which is so awesome and cool and crazy, and I couldn’t be happier.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TURNING POINTS IN YOUR CAREER AFTER IT KICKSTARTED THAT YOU FEEL SHAPED TO WHO YOU ARE TODAY?
I definitely started to take the social media thing seriously. I dedicated so much time to videos that would get only about 10 likes, and just kept pushing through that. Honestly, just holding myself accountable to that was really a turning point.
FROM WHAT WE SEE, A LOT OF 60S, FUNK, A LITTLE BIT OF SOUL AND JAZZ INFLUENCE YOUR MUSIC. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE MUSIC YOU MAKE NOW, AND HOW DID YOU END UP REFINING THAT STYLE?
Sometimes as an artist, you just know what you want to make, but you don’t know how to get there. In the beginning of my career, it was really hard to say no in a room with writers and producers with crazy credits when I was just new and starting out. They start giving off these phrases and great ideas, like who am I to say no to them? I was just being a yes man in the studio, but I do think that’s an inevitable part of becoming an artist. I’m glad I have some sounds out there, where I don’t know why I made it, but like heck yeah, part of the process.
Once I found my people I wanted to work with, I’ve been able to say no if there’s ideas or scribbles I don’t like; I can just blurt it out. Getting rid of that fear of saying no is what really allowed me to start making the music that I wanted to make, and then everything just fell together.
I just take all of my influences and kind of combine them together, and hope that it makes a cool new thing. Everything on my last project, and everything that is coming out next, feels so like me, which is awesome. That is all you can ask for as an artist. Right now I’ve been getting more into British Invasion, London-esque, not rock, but touches of it. It still feels so authentic to me, and it’s so fun to explore.
IF YOU COULD, LIKE, PICK ONE OF YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES TO HAVE LUNCH WITH AND SIT DOWN WITH FOR A DAY, WHO WOULD IT BE?
Barbara Streisand, so random, but I am obsessed with her. I love her, and her work across all of the art mediums that she pursues, she’s so creative. She was my grandma’s favorite artist growing up, so she passed that onto me. I would love to pick her brain about life in general because I know she’s definitely seen a lot. She’s so theatrical, has such a big voice, and recorded all of her albums with a full orchestra. That’s my dream!
SPEAKING OF CREATIVITY, HOW DID YOU COME WITH YOUR MONIKER “ZINADELPHIA”?
“Zins” has always been a nickname for me, I hate rocking my government name, I don’t even put it on the internet anymore. Instead, “Zins” was just a nickname that started back in school when I was a teenager, and I just went with it. When I moved into the city for school and started doing music forreal with my band, it was like “Zins in Philadelphia.” As things went on it became more of a first name and last name thing, so it became “Zinadelphia.” I didn’t grow up in the city, but everything from music, everything within music that happened for me started in Philadelphia. I love honoring it in my name. Hopefully I can put a space so it’s “Zina delphia,” but that’s a work in progress. So many people ask me where I’m based, and I’m always thinking, “One second, you’re gonna get it!”
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR LATEST EP, THE MAGAZINE ? DID YOU HAVE ONE SET INSPIRATION BEFORE IT
STARTED, OR DID IT ALL FALL INTO PLACE AS YOU WERE WORKING ON THE PROJECT?
Everything fell together in the way that it needed to be! My best friend whom I live with, she and her friend run Duvu Magazine Watching their magazine come together, I thought, “Wow, this is such a fun process.” I loved the idea of creating a magazine from scratch, doing whatever you want with it.
I had this whole EP before actually, and it wasn’t feeling like me. It didn’t feel like I evolved into the sound that I wanted to. Then one day we wrote “Love Over Glory,” a song about many experiences I’ve had in the music industry where I was taken advantage of for “glory,” and I share that I’ll keep showing up for the love of music. That song was the most me I’d felt my whole life, but all the other songs would feel so odd with that one song. So, we scratched everything and “Love Over Glory” was the foundation. We totally started over and wrote for two weeks straight. Within those weeks, me, Gabe, and Leroy wrote the entire EP. I had “Zinfandel” actually, which I wrote two years prior, but now sonically fit in.
One day we wrote “The Magazine,” which is a darker theme about my life and what I struggle with, what a lot of people struggle with. We created this mock story of social media, your phone being similar to the magazines you looked at when you’re young and that has followed you your entire life in the forms of EDs and body dysmorphia, and you’re still in the middle of that storm. I never wanted to write that song until I got the words just right. I didn’t want to come out and just say how I felt, I wanted a metaphor or theme. I decided I can make a magazine to go along with it! Making a lighthearted, fun fashion magazine explaining the meaning behind my songs and some fun pages with my friends sounded awesome, and it felt right; everything fell together so perfectly.
I felt that way of it being “just right” with every song on the project, and now I can say that songs are not done until you get that feeling. I’m very excited, I love the next project that the magazine is evolving into, because there’s so much to say, and it’s really fun creatively and sonically.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT MAKING THE MAGAZINE ITSELF?
Honestly, it was so much work. I was clocked in last summer nine to five every day making that thing. I took some graphic design classes in college and I know my way around, but I felt like I was learning how to do everything in real time, because I made the whole thing myself. It was so rewarding though. I felt like Carrie Bradshaw, because I would go to coffee shops typing columns, almost interviewing myself. I thought, even if only four people read it, it would be so fun to look back on in 50 years and read all the meaning about my songs.
Sometimes people don’t care about the artist’s meaning behind the songs, because if you listen to a song, you think “Oh, this relates to my life this way,” so the artist’s actual meaning doesn’t really matter. On the other hand, sometimes I wonder what the artist meant by something or where it came from. I wanted to give that opportunity to people, if they wanted it, what the intent was behind the songs. I don’t want it to affect people’s relationship to the song, but that is what I was feeling.
WHICH, IF ANY, OF THE SONGS ON THE ALBUM WERE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO WRITE?
“The Magazine” itself was difficult to write, especially being in a room full of dudes. They’re all so nice, but it’s still so hard, similar to “Love Over Glory.” I’d never even spoken about what I talked about in “Love Over Glory” before. It wasn’t about one person, but a combination of people, multiple difficult experiences. The thought of putting that into the world and people knowing that, even if they don’t know exactly what happened, was a really scary thing. I’m glad I did it, because a lot of people after hearing that song, were very appreciative and unfortunately related to it, and that was scary. No matter how difficult, it was great to say those things, and get them out there. You never know if something you say could help somebody.
I’ve always had a more eclectic style. Growing up my whole life, I’ve just been very drawn to colors, patterns, mixing and matching, and maximalism. I’ve never been able to put it into a category, and didn’t know what aesthetic it was. As I was falling in love with all these UK artists and music from the 60s, I thought, “Wait, these outfits are amazing, and this looks like me. This is something I’m wearing.” It really clicked, I realized I loved that music and I was dressing like that already. I love vintage in general, it doesn’t matter the decade, it was just cool to finally find my style, not that you should ever have to put a title on your aesthetic at all. I’ve done a lot of research, learning about the style of that time, and that has to do with my next project. I’m so excited, because I’m going to educate people about this style and I’m so passionate about it. Truly, it was quite a natural evolution. It really wasn’t a situation where I thought I had to dress like that because I made music inspired from those eras, it was truly an awesome coincidence, a perfect match.
THAT DEFINITELY CAME ACROSS FOR YOUR TOUR! DID YOU HAVE A STYLIST FOR EACH OF YOUR SHOWS, OR WERE YOU DOING IT YOURSELF?
It was me! One of the pieces was from EARTHLY For The Planet, it was the most comments I’ve ever gotten on a piece, she did amazing with that patchwork dress, so beautiful and amazing. I was so honored to wear that piece, and that was one of the coolest things about tour, wearing something different every night from small businesses, which kept it interesting.
In the process of planning that, I didn’t have that many clothes myself to style for each night, so I put out a PSA for any brand designer who wanted to collab or let me borrow their pieces. I did my best to promote them each night on tour, took photos in it and shipped it back to them. So many places reached out and sent me pieces in a PDF to choose from, and it was so much fun to pick. Honestly, that is my actual dream, to pick from and highlight these beautiful creators. It was the coolest thing, and I want to do it for every tour.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MOMENTS FROM YOUR FIRST HEADLINE TOUR FOR THE MAGAZINE ?
YOU HAVE A VERY DISTINCT TASTE IN VINTAGE FASHION AND DESIGN, WHICH WE CAN SEE ON YOUR ALBUM COVER AND MEDIA. HOW’D YOU FIND YOUR STYLE IN FASHION?
It was surreal, truly felt like an out of body experience for the whole month. I couldn’t fathom people that bought tickets to see me. Not for Tori Kelly or Teddy Swims when I was opening,
it was just for me. I can’t believe this is my life every time I walk into a sold out show. Truly, every time I was dumbfounded at everyone knowing all the words to songs I hadn’t promoted in years or my first songs ever, I would just start crying.
People also showed up in such amazing outfits every night, they looked so stunning. Some of my favorite memories are fan projects people did. In San Francisco, they held up notes that said “We are proud of you” during “Advice From Ray,” in Atlanta during “Cosmos” they all had colored pieces of paper they put on their flashlights. I couldn’t believe somebody would go to lengths to organize that, instantly I was a mess.
It’s so much fun seeing how people talk in our Discord chat and also making friends in line for shows. Two friends told me that they met at Tori Kelly and now came to my tour! It is such a beautiful community of hundreds of people and is exactly what I want. It was the coolest thing to learn how real this is, it’s not just something that lives in my phone, it’s physical.
YOU'RE NOW EXTENDING THE TOUR INTERNATIONALLY WHICH WE RECENTLY SAW. HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT IT?
I’m so excited, I’ve never played a show other than Canada internationally. It’s crazy to see that people across the world are buying tickets, we literally sold out London during pre-sale. Like obviously the rooms aren’t super large, but you guys! Although, my style of music resonating does make sense in places like London. I’m super excited that people are connecting with it, and can’t wait to bring this fun project so far away, it’s awesome.
THE BRANDING FOR YOUR EP AND PHOTOS FOR IT AND THE MAGAZINE ARE SO COHESIVE! DID YOU DO A LOT OF CREATIVE DIRECTION THERE, OR WAS IT WITH A TEAM?
I did a lot of creative direction, but I worked with my friend Bridget Plate, who is a photographer. I knew her work and I thought she would nail this shoot. It was honestly a huge day on set, we shot all of the creative media for the project in one day. I loved that all my best friends were in it too! While I was on tour earlier in the year, I would thrift along the route and gathered so many amazing pieces that I used on set that day.
In the future, I would like to give up some of the control over all the creative direction and work with a bigger team; I feel like I have to do it myself or it won’t be just right, which I’m working on changing. However, Bridget saw the vision in my brain and the moodboard, she’s phenomenal and absolutely nailed it.
WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU REALLY LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF MAKING MUSIC OVER THESE LAST FEW YEARS?
Like I said earlier, I always knew I had a more eclectic style and interests, so I didn’t really connect with my friends who had different tastes; I was just so insecure and embarrassed by it, so I was trying to reshape who I was to match them. Now that I’m an artist and able to pursue this, my actual dream, it’s taught me to be more unapologetic about who I am. I’ve learned to be less afraid about putting myself out there in an artistic way because people are connecting with it and that’s so cool. It may have been weird
in my small hometown, but when you’re out in the world, nothing is weird. I’ve learned to take all the qualities I’ve had my whole life and expanded them rather than minimized that, just being more myself in every way possible.
I get to be this character of an artist everyday, and I treat it like a higher version of myself that I can tap into. I’m learning every day to minimize the gap between me and this “character” and I feel like I’m getting closer.
So, definitely just be unapologetic about everything. Embracing that can be infinitely difficult, but going through that process is very important.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU IN MUSIC?
I am working on more music, a lot of which is coming out this year. I really want to work on an album, but not just yet. There’s also a lot of shows and festivals I’m doing this year that I haven’t announced yet, and may even come back in fall for another headline run.
The Magazine has also evolved into more, but I’m not sure if I want to call it a “deluxe” because I’ve honestly come up with so many ideas that deserve their own second space. It’s a slow process, but everything will eventually come out hopefully next year.
Last year I put out music that feels like me and accomplished touring. But, now that I’ve accomplished that, I really want to focus on marketing on social media, recruiting people onto the team; my overall goal for this year is to grow.
SLEEEEZE NIGHT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAZMIN HERMOSILLO
CREATIVE DIRECTION BY ESPERANZA GUADALUPE PADILLA, HAZMIN HERMOSILLO, SAMANTHA GARDUNO
MODELS — ESPERANZA GUADALUPE PADILLA, SAMANTHA GARDUNO, STEPHANIE L.
ONSITE ASSISTANT — HYNING GAN LETTERING BY COLIN WEBBER
AMANDA RACH LEE doesn’t introduce herself with noise. She arrives with soft lines, quiet colors, and a kind of steadiness that feels rare in the chaos of online life. For over a decade, she’s been building a world that feels like a deep breath, one filled with hand-drawn planners, cozy videos, and a community that has grown up alongside her. From her teenage YouTube beginnings to her current life as a full-time artist and business owner, Amanda has created more than just content, she’s created comfort and community. And in doing so, she’s shown that staying true to yourself might be the most radical thing of all.
She first appeared on YouTube when she was just fourteen, filming school supply hauls and DIY crafts in her Toronto bedroom. Since then, she’s grown an online community of millions, built her own stationery brand, and become one of the most beloved figures in the online journaling space. But Amanda never seems rushed by any of it. She makes things slowly, intentionally, in a way that feels like an act of resistance in a culture obsessed with speed. When we caught up over Zoom, Amanda was in New York, taking a break after a busy season of pop-ups and production. She was especially excited about her next big launch: a line of plushies and mystery blind boxes, something completely new, but rooted in her past.
“It’s the first time that I’ve done something completely outside of the stationary world,” she said, smiling. “But it’s something I grew up with— Hello Kitty and Sanrio, like Miffy and everything. So this is definitely something that I have a lot of affinity towards.”
Amanda’s eyes lit up as she spoke about the two-year process of creating the collection. “It took me two years to do this project,” she explained. “It was a lot of new things that I’ve never done before in terms of researching manufacturing for this, how to design things and the logistics of it all. So I’m so excited it’s finally coming out.” But what really stood out was the intention behind it all. Amanda isn’t chasing trends, she’s chasing joy to reclaim some childhood emotions and memories. “I think defi -
nitely it’s kind of healing your inner child a little bit,” she said. “I love that the adults are getting back into all these toys and everything.”
There’s something about the way Amanda talks about childhood, like it’s not a place you grow out of, but one you can return to, even if it’s limited to evocations of memories. Maybe that’s why so many people find comfort in her work. Her art is both a warm hug and a gentle mirror. Her planners, especially, have become beloved tools for people who crave structure and fun in equal measure.
While not initially intentional, the organized whimsy in her planners have led Amanda to be a source of comfort for those with a sprinkle of neurospiciness, “I also have ADHD,” she shared candidly. “So I think it definitely is helpful. And there needs to be a study between the ADHD, crafty artsy comparison. I think so much of my audience are ADHD-neurodivergent, and have anxiety.” Her planners are filled with thoughtful elements: habit trackers, intention-setting spaces, small joys tucked into every corner. “That’s something that I’ve been hearing a lot in the stories that people are sharing to me,” she said. “With our planner, we have habit trackers and other sorts of trackers that you can include. So I like to always have a little bit of that sprinkled throughout.”
The deeper she got into creating products, the more she realized how much people needed spaces that made them feel safe. “There’s a lot of dark things happening in the world these days,” she said. “And I know I have my little comfort things that I like to go to when things are too stressful. And the fact that I can create those things for other people is really special to me.”
Amanda has been a working artist for more than a decade, and she doesn’t pretend it’s always easy. “Everyone encounters blocks no matter what industry you’re in,” she said. “But I think specifically with artists, it’s really common.”
TOP: REFORMATION BOTTOMS: CITIZENS OF HUMANITY SHOES: UNIF (AMANDA’S)
She talks openly about creative blocks and burnout, not as things to conquer, but as parts of the larger process and as results of a long-time passion. “Especially if you’re doing something as a job, which I am, those blocks happen frequently. And I’ve really had to redefine my relationship to art and creativity because it’s become my job. Over the years, she’s learned to give herself permission to rest. “I often say the only way through an art block is just through it. You just have to do it. And sometimes that becomes a part of the creative process in itself.”
She no longer forces herself to draw when she’s not feeling it. “I think that creative people need to live their lives in order to be inspired,” she said. “You can’t just force yourself to draw at a desk. You need to go out there, live your life.”
The life she lives outside her work feeds her creativity. She pulls from the music she loves, from books, from textures, colors, and pop culture moments. “Some of my planner themes and journal themes that I draw are inspired by the music that I listen to,” she said. “I actually had a theme that was inspired by Chappell Roan… I’ve done so many sort of pop culture inspired ones based on Studio Ghibli, based on Sabrina Carpenter.”
Amanda describes her creative process as a “file folder” which are half art references, half-life references. She’s always adding to it.
Having grown up on the internet, Amanda is no stranger to public life. But as she’s matured, she’s begun to draw firmer boundaries. “I started my YouTube channel when I was 14 years old,” she said. “So it was sort of trained into me to share everything. But I am becoming a little bit more private, stepping into different chapters of my life and learning what I want to share and what I don’t want to share.”
It’s something she’s still figuring out. “I try not to force myself to share things that I’m not comfortable with,” she said. “Now I’m really relishing keeping a lot of things private and sharing things that I’m really excited about. I think that’s when it’s the most authentic.”
For a long time, Amanda tried to do everything herself, be it design, content, fulfilment, and even customer service. But she’s learned that building something sustainable means letting others help. “I used to try to do everything,” she admitted. “And it’s just impossible.”
Now she focuses her energy on the parts of the business only she can do, and she’s okay letting go of the rest. “Learning to say no to things was really important to me. And also accepting that there’s different chapters of life and I can’t do everything all the time.”
Amanda didn’t follow the path her parents envisioned. Her decision to leave business school wasn’t an easy one. “I definitely had to sit them down, and I had written out this whole script to prepare them that I was dropping out of this big business school,” she remembered. “I was supposed to go to UofT, Rotman Commerce, and I had gotten in and everything.”
Her parents were worried, as they had viewed the conventional track of STEM careers as the only path towards stability. And for a while, they didn’t approve. “They were definitely very apprehensive… but I think eventually, once they saw how hard I was working and the success that was coming from it, they really grew to appreciate it and accept it and also respect it.”
These days, they’re deeply involved in her company. “Now they help me. They help me a lot in my business… they’re super, super supportive.”
When asked if there was a moment that made her feel like she had really “made it,” Amanda didn’t hesitate. “When my parents told me they were proud of me,” she said. “That wrecked me.”
Amanda has learned some valuable lessons on her path as a content creator, especially in a world that moves at lightning speed. “Slow and steady wins the race,” she reflects, a mantra that has become a source of comfort for her. In a time when everything feels urgent, it’s easy to get caught up in the pressure to keep up with others. Amanda admits that sometimes she feels like she’s always catching up, but she reminds herself to “take your time.” It’s a lesson in patience that she carries with her daily.
TOP: RAG & BONE SKIRT: PH5
BOOTS: ZARA (BLACK) & MODATOPE/AMAZON (WHITE) BRACELETS: AMAZON
SOURCED DIRECT
FROM DESIGNER
HEELS: SAM EDELMAN
DRESS: GHOSPELL (SISTER JANE)
As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, Amanda has also had to come to terms with the idea that “sometimes done is better than perfect.” She confesses that it’s easy to overthink things, constantly tweaking and adjusting, but she’s learned that sometimes the best way forward is to simply finish something and put it out there. It’s about finding that balance, knowing when to slow down, but also when to let go of the need for perfection.
Yet she pairs this patience with a counterweight: “Done is better than perfect.” A recovering perfectionist, Amanda laughs as she admits, “I’ll go over things endlessly, thinking, It needs to be perfect. But sometimes you just gotta do it.” These twin truths of slow growth and embracing imperfection both anchor her work. “It’s two sides of my brain,” she says. “Take your time, but don’t let ‘perfect’ trap you.”
Looking ahead, she’s leaning into this balance. “I’m entering a new era,” she says, her voice brightening. Her stationery business, once a side project, now fuels her most playful ideas. “It’s not just about planners anymore. I’m making things I want to make, and it’s so fun for me – I’m excited to just make products that people have fun using.” This shift isn’t a pivot; it’s an expansion. “Making products that I want to make, and it's so fun for me.”
Her next era isn’t a reinvention, but a homecoming: to the doodles, the daydreams, and the quiet thrill of creating something just because. “I’m just trying to have a lot more fun with videos and stuff like that.” She says with a smile, “I’m placing less pressure on myself,” she adds. After twelve years, Amanda has watched platforms rise and fade. But she believes in something steadier.
“I’ve seen platforms come in and out. I’ve seen trends come in and out,” she said. “And the thing that I’ve noticed that lasts no matter what is community, hard work, and just being true to yourself.”
She’s not chasing the next big trend. She’s building a world people can return to again and again. “I’ve had members of my community and audience who have seen me grow up and who have bought every single planner every single year,” she said. “That is more valuable to me than… a ten second moment of instant virality.”
That’s the heart of it, really. Amanda isn’t drawing for algorithms. She’s drawing for connection. She’s creating for the moments that stay. In a world that often demands more, faster, louder, she offers a gentle reminder that there is power in doing things slowly, and meaningfully, and with care.
“Just don’t be discouraged and keep doing what you’re doing,” she says. “Because there are people who are looking for that and who are willing to listen and who are willing to appreciate what you do.”
Her work is not just about creating beautiful things, it’s about making space. Space to breathe. Space to feel. Space to remember that creativity isn’t a race, but a return to yourself. And in that space, whether you’re doodling in the margins or building something from scratch, she reminds us: you’re not falling behind, you’re finding your rhythm. And then, with the same warmth she brings to every video, every product, every line drawn, she leaves one pivotal message for every creator out there:
“Keep creating, keep doodling, keep writing, keep making it all.”
A NOTEBOOK
(or even some sheets of paper folded in half!):
This will be the home to all your beautiful thoughts, words, doodles or pictures. It doesn't need to be fancy!
YOUR FAVORITE PEN
Your juiciest & smoothest pen will enhance the writing experience. A good pen will always make me want to doodle or write more.
A GOOD PLAYLIST
Curate your journaling vibe! Sometimes, I'll throw on some jazzy lo-fi, and other times I'll have pop girl hits bumping while I'm journaling. I like to think the songs affect what I end up creating.
SOME CUTE STICKERS
The easiest way to add cute decorations to your journal spreads! You don't need to know how to draw or doodle, when someone has already done it for you ;)
PHOTOS, SCRAPS, OR EPHEMERA
Collect things like tickets, receipts, photobooth photos, or cute napkins. They make for good jumping-off points for a journal spread. I also have a photo printer that prints photos directly from my phone which I love using for journal spreads because it adds personal touches.
& SUE
Granny
Hood
SHELLSEA LOMELI
BY AMANDA LA
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY SAMMI SMITH
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT — SANJ SATISH
BTS VIDEO — BRIANNA JONES
Last year, I spent exactly 37,991 minutes listening to music on Spotify. And that number doesn’t even begin to account for the countless more hours I devoted to hunting down and enjoying ultra-specific, niche playlists on YouTube. In fact, I’d consider myself something of a connoisseur when it comes to curated music. But sometimes, even your go-to playlists lack a certain je ne sais quoi, and you can’t quite piece together the right combination of songs to capture exactly what you’re searching for.
And when the right playlist doesn't exist, someone has to create it. For SHELLSEA LOMELI , the founder of siick sounds, that desire turned into something much bigger than she could have anticipated. Through content such as carefully curated playlists, artist interviews, and on-the-ground festival coverage, siick sounds has grown into a music discovery platform with over 20,000 followers across Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify — becoming a space where people can connect with one another through music. Not one to gatekeep her secrets, Shellsea walks us through her process of building the perfect mix.
SET A SCENE FOR YOURSELF.
When I'm making a playlist, I imagine what it would look like when I'm playing it [either] where I'm at or who's with me. When I was making “girls girls summer,” I was imagining some of my favorite memories like driving around with my friends when you've been hanging out for so long that you guys are laughing at everything and blasting music.
And if you want to make your own playlist to match this issue’s theme, here’s a little idea from Shellsea: [For] girlhood, I think of community. All of my best friends are women, and those are the people who've made me feel seen, safe, the most myself, and the most happy. So when I think of that, I really do think of that joy and would definitely make a very joyful playlist.
LET YOUR FEELINGS TAKE YOU TO NEW PLACES.
I’m very much a lyrics person and that’s how I got into music. Music with impactful lyrics or [lyrics] that tell a story are what I’ve always clung to. Which is funny, because I have friends who are like “I have no idea what they’re saying, but the vibes are good.” Because I listen to a lot of singer/songwriter music — that was the core of my music taste developing — I’m really appreciating production too now. There's this meme where it's like ‘oh, this song has peculiar sounds.’ [And] I love a little peculiar sound! It’s definitely different [for each playlist], but I think it's all, at its core, feeling-based. It's that combination between the soundscape, lyrics, and the mood.
A SINGLE SONG CAN START IT ALL.
Sometimes a playlist comes from a specific song — “Soak Up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow is a perfect example, it was the epicenter of the “girls girls summer” playlist. Or it’ll happen spontaneously. I'll be doing a task, hear a song I really like, and I'm like, ‘let me add this to the playlist.’ Then I keep listening and end up adding more. So it really just happens. There's playlists I'm trying to build but haven't felt the inspiration for — I’ll have six songs on there and think ‘I don't know what else to put on here.’ So when that song does come up, I'm like, ‘wait, this is the key’ and keep adding.
IS A PLAYLIST EVER “COMPLETE?”
Playlists are ever-changing and they're never going to be set in stone just because of the way I interpret music or how I'm always discovering new songs I’d love to add. [But,] there are some playlists from 2021/22 that I don't touch anymore because they’re a time capsule of what I was listening to like in the fall of 2022 or 2021. Or there are playlists that are so specific like “gotta kill my inner tom” that I might not add to as much because I spent so much time curating that.
STUCK? DON’T HESITATE TO CHANGE THINGS UP.
Perfectionism and creativity can't go hand in hand in my opinion. You definitely need to let yourself explore things, but I would say that I don't focus too much on the initial songs. Sometimes the first songs that I add to a playlist, I end up taking out. It's like brainstorming… throwing stuff [around], then I'll listen to the playlist and whatever feels like it doesn't quite fit I'll take out or adjust the order of it.
ORDER MATTERS… OR DOES IT?
I think the order doesn't matter as much for my playlists. The top songs I like to put are the ones that are gonna pull you in. Those are always going to be the top five, even top 10 — but they can definitely be shuffled. I will say that there are some playlists I made that have a very specific order. Those playlists, like “u just watched fleabag and will never be the same,” definitely have an order because the flow of emotions is very strong.
NEW MUSIC IS EVERYWHERE AROUND YOU.
My 7-Eleven plays crazy music, so sometimes I'll hear a song that I’ll have to immediately Shazam. I also get a lot of music from TV shows or movies and I'm very much thinking ‘wait, I have to figure out what the song is.’
I’m very conscious whenever I put together a playlist. There are songs that I've been listening to a lot and immediately come to mind, but they're from bigger artists. So then I'll look at another playlist I have that I reference called “cool underrated artists” with a bunch of artists who have under 1 million streams. I'll lock in a little bit more and see what matches the vibes and try to find that balance without being inauthentic.
SHARE YOUR PLAYLISTS WITH OTHERS!
What you listen to is personal and intimate, but when you put it out there on social media, it’s validating to have people in the comments being like ‘wow, this song is so cool’ or ‘I’ve also been really into that.’ The act of putting yourself out there on social media in general is very vulnerable, but it’s really cool seeing people comment and start connecting with one another.
SIICK SOUNDS AS A COMMUNITY SPACE.
The siick sounds platform has helped so many people discover new music. It’s a tool for people to listen to playlists, save the songs that they like, and maybe start making their own, kind of like the tree branch effect. And I want to continue to grow it more as a music discovery platform.
When I listened to music before discovering music curators, it was very much a solo activity that would become social when you go to shows. But these days with social media and being able to share [music], or even with apps like Airbuds Widget, music has become more communal and more of a social thing than ever. And I think that's really cool because it’s such a beautiful thing that deserves to be bonded over.
The reason why I started doing interviews is because I never want it to be just me giving out music recs because I discover so much cool music from friends or strangers, or even openers at a show or a festival lineup. So besides my own music taste, I want to have a platform that expands beyond that and is able to truly platform artists that other people are liking. In addition, being able to connect people with new music and artists is why I like doing the artist interviews. Recently, I interviewed The Tulips back in November before they started having their moment and blowing up, and now they have over a million monthly listeners, which I think is so awesome. So it's really cool to have a platform that's able to help spotlight smaller, underrated artists. And I would never want to limit it to only underrated artists because I think there are also so many cool artists out there who might already have a platform that you either haven't heard of yet or they haven't entered your rotation yet. So it's definitely a mix of things. I've connected with so many artists who have expressed that smaller organic music curation platforms have really helped in getting their names and music out there. Being able to be a part of an artist's journey by sharing their music is really impactful.
ELERI WARD
BY JESSICA SPIERS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VICTORIA ROSE HUERTA
ELERI WARD is finally arriving at her true self. The New York City based singer, songwriter, actress, multi-instrumentalist and producer has been making music since she was five. Since then, her résumé has grown substantially. She has released multiple EPs, including her infamous Steven Sondheim covers, toured with Josh Groban, performed theatrically at The Muny, MCC Theater, in Gatsby: An American Myth at American Repertory Theatre and more. However, she is ready to reintroduce herself. Ward is releasing her first full album of original songs called Internal Rituals . The 12-track celestial pop album weaves through themes of self-discovery, trust and introspection. Ward never thought it would take this long to put out her first album of original music but is glad that she’s finally here. “Life had other plans for my career for a while so I just had to follow where the lights were turning green and I’m happy that I did that. Those green lights led me down this road at this time so it all happens in divine timing. I wouldn’t have written this album and lingered on this musing of self-transformation if I didn’t do the other things that I’ve done,” Ward says.
Internal Rituals is a nonlinear journey, mirroring life and Ward’s experiences. The album begins with songs like “Stepping Through,” which starts this self-discovery journey and asks the question “Am I really who I thought I would be?” The album then weaves through songs like “Citrine (Would’ve Been Nice)” about noticing your own abundance, then the tone quickly shifts in songs like “Burden” and “Someone, Something New” describing the harder parts about her journey, like growing pains and thinking you had it figured out and realizing you didn’t. The album ends with “Goodbye, Sojourna” and “Venusian Light” both dreamy songs about self-love and finding peace in the journey. Sonically, the album is ethereal pop, focusing on more feminine energy, which Ward
describes as her North Star in terms of her creativity. Leaning to that feminine energy has taught her a lot of things about herself and her music, allowing her to become softer and letting her trust herself more, not worrying what others think. “The thing that I’ve had to remind myself of is that I am me. I am the thread. I am the commonality among all of the things that I do; I just so happen to do a lot of different things. The people that don’t find that palatable are just not my type of people. I’m not a fan of palatable stuff myself so why would I cater to that?”
Ward has already amassed a fanbase from her viral and extremely popular Steven Sondheim project. In 2019, Ward posted an indie-folk cover of Sondheim’s “Every Day a Little Death” online that immediately took off. Since then, she’s released two different EP’s comprised of folk inspired Sondheim covers that have gained hundreds of thousands of views and listens. Ward knew that this project would not last forever but didn’t know where life would lead her after, especially moving on to make her own original music which was stylistically different. “I had given people those covers so that’s what they knew of me. There was part of me that was like ‘But I’m so much more!’ It can be hard to grapple with and come to terms with people loving palatability. They love things that are just placed right in front of them. They see it, know it and get it. And that’s how the Sondheim covers really were,” Ward says. Because a large portion of the fans from her covers are in the theater community, she knows some won’t follow her to her next project, which is something she’s okay with. Moving on from this project to Internal Rituals was a hard and painful transition, but it taught Ward to be more confident in herself.
“I want to be at a level where I’m really only attracting the audiences that are meant for my music,” says Ward. “The world that I want to build through my music is not as large as other artists. I am also particular about the type of energy I want to put out through my music to attract the people who are meant for it. The goal is to just reach the right people by inviting them into my world and who knows where that will take me.”
Wearing the many hats of musician, actress, singer, songwriter, producer and more can be daunting and difficult for most people but Ward enjoys wearing them all. While sometimes it can feel confining or restrictive, Ward knows it’s exactly where she needs to be. “If I had to wait on only one door to open, I would be so miserable. I would feel confined. I always say it’s a real blessing that I am a multi-hyphenate because there will always be something in my creative palette to play with and for that I am really grateful. To only be one thing would be restrictive and boring.”
For the first time in her career, Ward feels as if her future is wide open. Making this album of her original music feels more fulfilling than anything that she’s worked on in the past. She credits standing on her authenticity for making it this far and hopes that others will hear her music and do the same. “When it comes to my music, I want to be remembered as someone who invites growth through introspection. I want to be able to impact people in a way where they feel like they can expand, they can be their full selves and authentic,” Ward says. “The number one thing I hope people remember me by is, ‘when I think of Eleri, I want to go do that thing that I’ve been telling myself I’m not good enough to do.’”
Teddy Bear Picnic
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY CARA PRESTA AND KATJA DE BOURBON
For all of its sensationalization, girlhood remains rooted in lived experiences — in the freedom to define ourselves, in the quiet moments of growth and discovery, and in the rare spaces where we are seen fully, in both our light and our fractures. It’s a truth DIVA SMITH understands deeply. “When I think about girlhood, I picture a high school slumber party—a cozy space where everyone feels safe enough to talk, laugh, or cry, for hours,” she tells Local Wolves. “It’s a uniquely female experience of finding oneself and discovering where we want to sit within the confines of society.”
Diva’s work speaks to that, too. Therapy pop, as she dubs her genre, doesn’t just echo emotional currents of longing, heartbreak, and nostalgia — it creates a sonic sanctuary where listeners are allowed to feel whatever it is they need to feel. “Therapy pop feels like the genre for young adults just trying to figure things out,” she says. “I use music as a way to express myself, and I listen to music as a way to understand myself — therapy pop embodies both of these. I write from my own emotions and experiences, with the hope that a song or lyric might be able to help someone feel less alone.”
One of her early tracks, “Better in Heaven,” is a raw confession of heartache; an ache stretching in the verse: I turned to God when I was 11 / I cried, ‘does it get better in heaven?’ before finding its shape in healing through the chorus: And now I know it’s okay. “It explores the first feelings of heartbreak, the sense that everything is crumbling and nothing will ever be the same again,” she explains. “The chorus resolves itself with ‘and now I know it’s ok’ because through that experience I learned that the darkness always leads to some sort of greater understanding in the end.”
But a lot has changed since that first record. Diva sees the growth clearly in both her music and her life. “My heart’s been broken again and again, I’ve graduated from college, I’ve started playing shows, I’ve been in therapy, and I’ve learned so much about myself. I think my music is more self-aware than ever,” she shares. “And now that I’ve been playing live more, I’ve realized that I want to have more fun on stage, so I’ve also been allowing myself to write music that leaves room for that.”
“Put Back Together a Friend” marks a turning point in her creative evolution, exploring the complexity of anxiety around revealing your most fragile, hidden parts to someone, and the quiet terror of wondering if it’ll push them away. “I wrote this song in the first session I had with my now-longtime collaborator, Stella Smyth,” Diva shares. “We had an immediate connection, and I had never written so quickly, confidently, and organically with someone before.”
Across the three-minute track, the melancholic yet mesmerizing melodies exist in quiet service to the writing, rather than outshine it. The lyrics don’t simply call out a friend, instead, they map the fragile terrain of a relationship tested by fear and vulnerability. It’s a tangle of yearning, acceptance, and tenderness, all laid bare. That kind of emotional clarity is rare to find, even in the most self-aware corners of confessional pop. And yet, Diva makes it effortless.
Now, she arrives at a new chapter with “I Can See in the Dark” —a track that feels both sharper and more expansive than her earlier work. The production leans into subtlety: spacious synths pulse beneath her voice like a steady heartbeat, while minimal percussion leaves room for her lyrics to breathe. But the real power lies in her words, where vulnerability becomes not a weakness but a form of clarity. With gentle yet resolute vocals, she charts the quiet triumph of emotional insight in the face of manipulation.
Diva often reflects on her creative growth through music. “When I listen to my songs, I think about how much my voice has grown—texturally and lyrically. I feel like I really mean the words I sing now, and I have a much clearer idea of the things I want to say,” she shares. “Production-wise, I think I’m finding a more organic pocket of sound that fits my songs, rather than allowing the production to dictate them.”
Her music remains a heartfelt companion for anyone grappling with their vulnerabilities and discoveries. With each song, she not only bares her soul but also carves out a space where listeners can feel seen, understood, and a little less alone. If her journey so far is any indication, Diva Smith is just getting started—and she’s already making a clear impact with every honest lyric and heartfelt melody.
In this exclusive sit-down with Local Wolves , Diva opens up about the quiet truths of carving out a space for herself as an artist — offering a glimpse into her creative process as a singer-songwriter, and how girlhood remains deeply woven into her work and worldview.
GROWING UP IN A HOUSEHOLD FULL OF MUSIC MUST HAVE HAD A BIG IMPACT ON YOU. HOW DID THAT ENVIRONMENT SHAPE YOU INTO THE ARTIST YOU ARE TODAY?
I feel very lucky to have grown up in a home that honors and celebrates creativity. There was never any pressure for me to pursue a certain career, but I always knew that
music was a possibility because it was so prevalent in my family. My parents have always been my biggest cheerleaders, and growing up with that support undoubtedly helped me become the person I am today.
IS THERE A SPECIFIC CHILDHOOD MEMORY—A SONG, A MOMENT WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS—THAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC?
I was a pretty anxious kid growing up, and the only time I’d sing in front of anyone was in the car on the way to school with my dad and sister. I remember really planning out what songs I was going to play each morning, and how loudly and seriously I’d sing in the car. Thankfully, they were both patient about it and would let me have my 15 minutes of fame every morning. I think little moments like those were pivotal in growing my confidence and sense of self.
WE HEARD YOU STARTED LEARNING INSTRUMENTS AT A VERY YOUNG AGE, GUITAR INCLUDED, BY AGE 10. HOW DID THAT EARLY CONNECTION TO MUSIC EVENTUALLY LEAD YOU TO PURSUE IT FULL-TIME?
I always loved playing instruments and singing, but I didn’t consider myself a songwriter until I moved to New York for college. I remember journaling on my dorm room floor freshman year, and randomly deciding to pick up my guitar. I had never enjoyed songwriting until that moment, and I think the new feeling of independence inspired me to experiment and put my words to music. I’ve been writing ever since.
YOU STUDIED PSYCHOLOGY—HOW DOES THAT BACKGROUND INFLUENCE OR INFORM YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS AS A MUSICIAN?
Studying psychology definitely provided me with a more analytical lens, and gave me an amazing perspective on how common these often isolating emotions are. Sitting in a lecture of 300 kids nodding their heads about depression and anxiety disorders makes you realize that we are all in this together. My studies made me more passionate about opening up the conversation surrounding mental health, and reminded me how important it is for me to be honest and vulnerable in my music.
CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS AS A SINGER-SONGWRITER AND PRODUCER?
WHAT DOES THAT JOURNEY LOOK LIKE FROM START TO FINISH?
I’ve learned over the years that I enjoy making music most when it’s collaborative. I’m constantly writing down song ideas and melodies in my journal and phone, which I then bring into sessions with a producer and sometimes
another songwriter. I find writing with other people allows me to get out of my head and write more efficiently… and having energy in the room always makes it more cathartic and enjoyable for me.
IT’S ALSO WORTH MENTIONING THAT YOU ALSO WORK WITH A WOMEN-FRONTED TEAM, IN LINE WITH OUR THEME, GIRLHOOD. I ALSO WANT TO HEAR YOUR OPINION ON HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO VALUE WOMEN IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. AND WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT THEM?
When I’m planning a songwriting session, I always ask for a woman in the room to help amplify my voice. When I was looking for management, I knew I needed a woman to be able to fully represent and understand me. In my experience, the female representation is there, it’s just not always at the forefront. I think that females in the industry aren’t prioritized in the way that they should be, and it’s hugely important to use our voices to lift each other up.
ARE THERE ANY WOMEN ARTISTS—PAST OR PRESENT—WHO HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR SONGWRITING? HOW DO THEY INSPIRE YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
St. Vincent has always been a consistent source of inspiration for me. My guitar teacher showed me “Actor Out Of Work” when I was ten years old, and I remember hearing that song and thinking “I wanna play like her.” Playing guitar as a woman can feel intimidating because it’s such a male dominated instrument, but seeing Annie Clark’s creative process and evolution throughout my life has always reminded me that women can do it too. I feel like I owe my love for guitar to her, and without guitar I don’t think I would be a songwriter.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE CULTURE OF GIRLHOOD TRANSFORM THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG AND EMERGING WOMEN ARTISTS?
I hope that the vulnerability and honesty that are integral to girlhood culture will help open up the dialogue about gender inequality in this industry. I think that we all need to be actively amplifying female voices, especially when it comes to producers and engineers. I’d love for girlhood culture to bring visibility to the female experience in music, and inspire emerging women artists to feel comfortable in the space.
WE’RE CURIOUS—WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ANY NEW ALBUMS, SHOWS, OR PROJECTS YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT?
My next single comes out May 2nd, and I have some solo shows in the works around NYC. I’ve also been writing a lot… I’m hesitant to say album because that sounds intimidating but I am definitely creating some body of work that I am excited to share. It’s new and different, and more me.
IF YOU COULD COVER ANY SONG, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY? AND TO CLOSE, WHAT SONG BEST CAPTURES WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE RIGHT NOW?
If I could cover any song, I’d probably pick something that’s more technically challenging. I’ve always admired Kimbra, and would love to learn how to perform her live rendition of her song “Settle Down” where she samples her voice to use as every instrument in the song. And if I had to name a song that perfectly describes my life right now, I’d probably say “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield… on a good day.
"I find writing with other people allows me to get out of my head and write more efficiently… "
EFÉ
Whether you’re humming along as you make way to your next destination or while tackling mundane chores, EFÉ ’s music has an undeniable charm that will add some vibrancy to your day. Her songs have been included in countless discovery playlists, like Spotify’s “Fresh Finds” and Apple Music’s “New Music Daily.” Her name is frequently mentioned across social media platforms in conversations about new artists to watch for, and she’s even garnered praise from critics at NME and DORK . It’s clear that she’s making a name for herself on the big stage.
Quite literally too — born Anita Ikharo and better known as EFÉ (pronounced ‘EF-AY’), the Dublin-based singer’s selected stage name is an homage to her Irish and Nigerian roots. Ikhara had cycled through various options before settling on this variation of her name, explaining, “My middle name is Efeilomo; it’s a Nigerian middle name. Then I shortened it to Efe, and then I put a fada — an Irish accent mark — on it, which turns the E pronunciation to an A, so EF-AY.”
And her stage name isn’t the only part of her artistic identity she’s made changes to. In fact, her discography provides a clear progression of how her music and artistry has evolved, showcasing her willingness to grow. Her debut EP, What Should We Do This Summer, released in 2020, serves as a perfect cultural reference point. Its DIY characteristics are reminiscent of the popular sounds that defined the Pandemic era. Heavily inspired by artists she was listening to like Clairo, Rex Orange County and SZA, Ikharo wanted to try mixing her influences into one — resulting in the production of this bedroom pop EP. She first started by using beats from YouTube before learning that she couldn’t do so. As a result, she began collaborating with others, “My friend Hansel suggested we work together. So we were working on songs and then we made the EP.”
Two years later, she’s released her second EP Vitamin-C , and this time, she’s taken on a bigger role in the studio, adding composing and producing credits to her repertoire. Drawing influences from The Juliana Hatfield Three and Mort Garson’s Mother Earth’s Plantasia , this release had a heavier rock sound infused in it. Showing that like a chameleon, she is able to effortlessly shift and blend together genres, instead of caging herself to being a single genre artist. With her recent signing to the American label Fader, which houses artists like Clairo and Charlie Burg, anticipation is building around the release of her first album and speculations are floating around about what it would sound like. Unfortunately, there’s no plan for an album just yet. Ikharo explains that she’s using this time to focus on collaborating with others and continuing to experiment with her sound. Right now, she shares that she’s focused on “learning how to write my own songs in terms of chord progression [and]... figuring out how to do that [play guitar] properly.” Instead of an album, her upcoming release will be a mixtape, describing the sound as “...rock with cute sounds and glitchy sounds that I’m really excited about and also bringing in that bossa nova-esque vibe.” And for the eagle-eyed fans, be on the lookout for a new hair color as well. “The hair color is such a huge part [of her concept]. I’m not tied down to one color, but you can see [that] a certain color is for a certain era.” She excitedly points at the wig laying next to her in bed that she says is going to represent her upcoming mixtape, but I’ll let you take the guess as to what color it could be, afterall, there’s no fun in spoiling the surprise.
At the time of the interview, Ikharo had an upcoming performance at Jameson scheduled for the coming Wednesday. Having already performed at some of the biggest festivals, including Glastonbury and Electric Picnic, and touring with artists like DIIV, JPEGMAFIA, and Still Woozy, she understands the challenge of winning over an audience. “For festivals, most people won’t know who you are, so
BY AMANDA LA
BY LYDIA ROBINSON
PHOTOGRAPHY
you have to win the crowd over,” she says. “It’s kind of similar [to] being an opening act. But then it kind of differentiates because some artists have a younger audience that would be more like my audience. So when I toured with Still Woozy, [it] was really fun [because] the crowd just got it instantly.” No matter how many times she’s performed, stage fright can still slither in right before a show. Right before stepping out, she starts questioning herself, asking “Why did I sign up to do this? Why did I do this to myself?” she admits. But once she’s on the stage, and synergizes with the crowd, the answer becomes clear: “In the moment, it’s like the best thing ever! When everyone is on the same energy and having fun, it’s the best.” During one of her headline shows, the crowd had sung back the words to her. “I was crying,” she recalls. “I couldn’t believe people were singing. And I was like, ‘Guys, sing for me.’” Eventually, she hopes to see herself performing around the world at notable venues like the 3Arena in Dublin, the O2 in London, and New York’s Madison Square Garden. “It sounds crazy,” she says. “But we’ll make it work.”
Beyond the music, EFÉ has a deep appreciation for storytelling through visuals. We chatted a bit about Clairo’s “Terrapin” video, directed by Ayo Eidebri, before moving on to have a more in-depth
conversation about this topic. Her own music videos, which she often co-directs, feel intentionally nostalgic—grainy, camcorder-style shots that are hallmark features of family home videos. She confesses that sometimes the process of making the videos can be difficult. When working with others, she can get anxious about whether or not they’ll be able to fully recreate the creative visions that she’s envisioned. Therefore, she felt that “it was really important for me to find the right people to allow for the vision to be executed.” But once the end product arrives? “It’s so wild,” she gushes. “Because you’ll have this idea in your head and then maybe in a month or two, or however long it takes, it’s there. It’s like you manifested this into real life and it’s insane.”
This attentive attitude and care she has towards crafting the visual aesthetics of her music video was what earned her a screening at the Dublin Film Festival. A moment that she describes as “very, very special.” To have her “2000SEVEN” music video share a space alongside the works of renowned filmmakers “was an honor.” An accolade that made her feel like she was being told, “Your works are just as good,” to be part of and be given the accolades of “oh your works are just as good.” The recognition was especially meaningful, given how important the visual world is to
THREE SONGS THAT ENCAPSULATE GIRLHOOD ACCORDING TO EFÉ —
JUST A GIRL - NO DOUBT
LOVING GIRL - EFÉ
GIRL, SO CONFUSING FEATURING LORDE - CHARLI XCX, LORDE
her. “The reason I started making music was so I could have my own music videos,” she says. “It’s a huge part of who I am as an artist.” She is someone who is able to find inspiration in everything. From 90s and early 2000s music videos—particularly No Doubt’s—to Japanese pop culture, with Tommy february6 as a major influence, she also credits boredom as a driving force behind her creativity. More recently, she’s bought a notebook to capture her stream of consciousness, ensuring that the constant influx of ideas she gets won’t slip away. “It comes more naturally than the music,” she muses. “Maybe it's because there’s more pressure to do the music part, so then sometimes, the visual is an escape.”
As a performer, she has created an exhaustive experience for her audience, allowing them to engage deeply with the product of her self-expression. She recounts the story of being stopped while doing karaoke with friends by a fan who told her he’d replayed her song “Truth ☆Truth” at least five times because he related to it so much. With a steadily growing fanbase, working with Umbro for their Saint Patrick’s Day campaign, and past brand collaborations with Gucci, Chanel and more, she’s certainly making her mark. So don’t expect to count her out of discussions about the next artists who will be making it big — she’s earned her place in that conversation.
Seagirl
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESRYN D'SOUZA
LIGHTING — GABRIEL BANGAR
WARDROBE & STYLING — EUNICK MOIRA
MODEL JERIEL LIM
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, love her writing style!
I love listening to NTS radio! Big fan of their Breakfast Shows and Heavy Love Affair w/ Emel. The Clairo episodes are the best :)
Long walks, discovering new neighborhoods, doing a bit of shopping and picking up a sweet treat from a bakery or cafe.
Producer at Feather Creative & Film Photographer Hannah Sacca she/her Brooklyn, NY
@hannahbanana_
N/A
Ramen at Ichiran
Iced Honey Oat Latte
Sunny morning walk, iced latte and sweet treat from a local cafe, music on, chilling at home with my cat. :)
Picnic at McCarren Park. Vintage & book shopping. Onigiri and a strawberry matcha from Kijitora!
Dinner at a new spot (working through my must-try list!), movie at the Metrograph, then unwind with Yogi Honey Chai tea, stretching and my Kindle.
BEHIND THE COVER
I just believe in myself to figure things out as things go along
