Our third annual Girlhood issue is finally here! Every year, I feel like the meaning of girlhood continues to grow and we are so grateful to receive so many incredible submissions from all the world. Our Summer 2026 cover star, Karlee Girl was such a dream talent to feature in our magazine (read more on page 72). I remember when I came across Karlee Girl’s “R.I.P. the idea of you” music video– absolutely fell in love with her vocals and the cinematography is so stunning. The issue is filled with curated stories featuring Daisy Grenade, Kelz, Mercer Henderson, Niko Rubio, Tianyun Lan and Yves. This particular issue hits home to me as girlhood isn’t just a phase, it’s a part of the journey as we enter every new season. I hope you enjoy this read and summer days ahead!
Cathrine Khom
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEATHER DEVINE & HILLARY KIM
ISSUE 75 — KARLEE GIRL
SUMMER 2026
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, Ang Cruz, Jessica Spiers, Mara Go, Sravya Balasa, Uma Snow
Atlantic Records, Bayonet Records, C3 Management, Daisy Grenade, Lily Stevens, Kelz, Mercer Henderson, Nadia Ali PR, Niko Rubio, No Worries PR, Rivision Media, Tessa Young, Tianyun Lan, Yves
FEATURING
KARLEE GIRL
THEME
Girlhood
COVER PHOTO
Sammi Smith
COVER DESIGN
Lisa Lok
LOGO
Lisa Lok, Fiona Yeung
CONTACT
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Press: press@localwolves.com
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Get Involved: community@localwolves.com
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ON THE COVER KARLEE GIRL
CONTINUED ON PG 72
PHOTOGRAPHER & CREATIVE DIRECTION:
STYLIST:
SET
LIGHTING:
BTS & ONSITE ASSISTANT:
BTS:
COVER KARLEE GIRL
STORY Ashley Bulayo
Sammi Smith
HAIR: Kim Dow
MAKEUP: Ashley Simmons
Branden Ruiz
DESIGN: Jenn Scott
Morganne Boulden
Hillary Kim
Heather Devine
SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
This fall, my mom and I took a mother-daughter trip to the Scottish Highlands for a week. We stayed on a small farm just outside Inverness, surrounded by rolling hills, crisp air, and the kind of quiet that feels alive. Each morning, the fog lingered over the fields and the sheep moved like soft clouds against the green as we walked the dogs and drank our black tea. It was slow, grounding, and completely magical.
We explored the Black Isle, where winding roads led us to beaches and cafés tucked between farmland and sea. The drive to Ullapool was one of those moments where you realize photos could never capture what it feels like to actually be there. The town itself felt cozy and creative, with colorful harbor views and the friendliest locals.
Further north, Lochinver stole our hearts. It's a small fishing town surrounded by some of the most surreal coastal scenery I’ve ever
seen. On our way there, we stopped at Ardvreck Castle, a hauntingly beautiful ruin beside Loch Assynt. It was misting rain, the kind that soaks you without you realizing, but it made the experience even better.
We ended each day with a sense of awe that never really wore off. If you ever find yourself heading north, I’d recommend driving without too much of a plan because every turn feels like a discovery. Stop at the roadside cafés, talk to the locals, and give yourself time to slow down.
Our trip reminded me that the best parts of travel aren’t always the destinations themselves, but the spaces in between with the winding drives, the shared laughter, and the quiet moments where you feel small in the best possible way.
WOLFIE SUBMISSIONS
GIRLHOOD
Girlhood stems from everywhere you go, from the moments of interaction with your closest friends to the strangers you come across at the right moment. There’s an immediate bond of discovering who you are and navigating your version of girlhood in everyday moments of your life. Share your perspective on how girlhood has shaped your life— from setting boundaries, creating new memories and learning how to heal at your own pace.
NIKKA BACALZO BROOMFIELD, CO, USA
Kitchen Floor
It’s sitting on the kitchen floor, barefoot and topless, both shirt and shoes abandoned in the drama of it all. It’s tears spilling down blusher-stained cheeks and big, guttural sobs, the kind you can’t let out in front of anybody other than your dog. It’s grasping for your phone and opening the group chat. The same one you’ve had since you were sixteen, filled with the same girls who’ve picked you out of gutters and come along to every poetry reading - no matter how shite.
It’s knowing that it’s 2am and they might be asleep and you could be wasting your time, but it’s starting a group call anyway. It’s catching your reflection in the door of the oven, all stomach rolls and tangled hair, and thinking you’ve simply had enough. You can’t cope anymore.
But then the monotonous bleep of the call is cut off with a click and a ‘Babe, you okay?’ and then another and then a request to change to a video call because it’s 2am and they’re worried.
It’s letting them see your face’s watery redness, your quivering lips and dripping nose and it’s them listening when you say she came over again. It’s the nods of empathy from your girls in their beds across the country: Becky in the back of her van in Scotland, Rachel still with her parents in your hometown, Alice in the city wearing earphones so she doesn’t wake her boyfriend. Because they were asleep, or scrolling, or doing who knows what else, but now they’re listening to your cries and the same rants they’ve heard sixty times.
It’s a complete lack of ‘I told you so’ and a huge heap of ‘You deserve better’ and ‘She’s not worth it.’ It’s Becky offering to start a seven and a half hour drive so she can be there to hug you. It’s Alice saying her mum will come pick you up now so you’re not alone. It’s Rachel reminding you of all the other times you thought you couldn’t survive and all the times you lived.
It’s them staying on the phone with you until you’ve replaced the kitchen floor with your bed, empty now, full of just you. It’s the gentle promise that tomorrow will be better and they’re not going anywhere. It’s the group call that lasts until only one of you is still awake and shuts it down, ready for next time.
Those friends, those calls, those moments. Girlhood is that.
ELEANOR CULLEN, UNITED KINGDOM
Sharing’s Caring: Girlhood and Knickknacks
I wasn’t very good at sharing when I was a little girl, with a mop of curly hair like I’d stuck my hand in a socket and a cheeky, milk-toothed grin that never faded. I liked to stick a raspberry on each finger and then eat them one by one before doing the same again, and again, until the packet was barren save for a squishy, dire-looking raspberry that nobody – not even me – wanted to pop into their mouth. The runt of the raspberry litter. This was the same for strawberries, blueberries, brambles, little chocolates, bigger chocolates, and sweeties; I liked to indulge in them and often forgot to extend the offer of a delectable treat to others before it was far too late and my belly was far too full. Now that I’m a little older and my milk teeth have all fallen out, I’m somewhat better at sharing, though you’ll still need to be quick if you place a packet of berries down before me. Tipsy from cheap tinnies, to a background of Madonna, my friends and I will share sequined halterneck tops and berry-red lippies. We’ll share scooshes of floral, throat-catching perfume and share a taxi, then, in the morning, mascara-smeared and hungover, we’ll share TMI-approved stories and laugh until our bellies hurt. I was never the best at sharing, but now I’m nineteen and ridiculously sentimental, all of my closest friendships have involved sharing in one way or another, now that I think about it. We share our favourite books, tops, desserts, songs, stories, and so much more. Girls pass life between each other like an umbilical cord through beloved bits and bobs that seem surface-level but are really a testament to friendship and trust. Girlhood is truly a shared experience.
“I crack open a book, and I don’t have a crush and I am like: ‘this is awesome.’ Then I crack open a book, and I do have a crush and I’m like: ‘he should see me reading.’ And it’s just the worst feeling to me and I ended up putting it to music.”
Singer Audrey Hobert was 25 when this life altering crush to an emotionally unavailable man inspired the song “Thirst Trap.” Like Audrey, I (also named Audrey) have had this exact moment where I was sitting outside reading when my crush walked by. I felt awesome. Now, I cringe at my pride in simple literacy skills.
This nostalgic embarrassment leads me to ask an alarming amount of Carrie Bradshaw-style questions– minus the slow burn of a cigarette. Why do I have this belief that in order to be valued or “feel cool” it needs to be recognized and acknowledged? Who let them have this power over us and why is it so tiring?
As I write this, I am single– wanting THE perfect relationship but lacking the capacity to hunt for it. But the funny thing is, I do have those perfect relationships, I am spoiled with them. I feel hypocritical when I say: “dating is easy.” Believe me as I have been around enough incompatible relationships. But best, true, authentic friends? Yeah no, that's a rare gem.
My friend Ada told me that we are at a time of our lives where we need to embrace our solitude. “We will one day look back and wish we had this time. We can do whatever we want, be whoever we want,” she states. And she is right. I love being alone. And this is OUR time.
And just as I reach this internal peace, the devil on my shoulder speaks up. I see my friends in healthy relationships, though few, and hope for a similar future. I want to live a life full of experience.. And when I say experience, I mean wearing different hats, pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone, and learning things about myself.
But then the angel chimes in, reminding me of a necessary truth. I think of my dear friend Ella who writes beautiful songs about the complicated emotions we face during this coming-of-age. Ella and I have had this conversation time and again, hence the title. As we move through our lives we make a pact to ourselves, filtering out anything, or anyone, that does not fulfill us. All this rejection we experience, whether it be internal, external, negative, or positive, is good. So, I am in no rush to fill a void with a random guy who can't make me laugh, not when I have friends like Ella and Ada raising the bar for anyone else who enters my life.
I take a deep breath and shake off the thoughts bickering on my shoulders. I have to remind myself that I am so young and deeply inexperienced. I don’t even know who or what is going to come into my life. But I’m fine if no one does because I feel as though I hit the jackpot with my incredible friendships. And Audrey Hobert.
But who knows, I will probably feel completely opposite tomorrow.
AUDREY MILLER, ROSELLE PARK, NJ, USA
wear the capris
When I was seven years old, I owned a tall stack of capri pants in different fabrics, colors, and patterns. I thought they were the best pants, and my logic behind it made complete sense.
They paired perfectly with my polka dot rain boots, unlike my bootcut jeans, which I had to pull up my legs and fold before putting on my beloved shoes. And, my polka dot rain boots were essential to all of the adventures a seven-year-old ought to be on, making the capris all the more important.
I would trek into the woods across the street from my childhood home in my meticulously planned outfit to the “swamp,” as I liked to call it, picking up trash and wading through the water, noting what animals I came across.
As I grew older, the capris inevitably became too small, sending them into a trash bag that eventually made its way to our local Goodwill. And with the capris, and the passing of time, went my swamp adventures.
Flash forward to my college year spring break– my friends and I decided to make our vacation a cabin trip to save money, which left me with some extra time on my hands. When I have spare time, I often like to go thrifting, so on one of my school-free days, I naturally ended up at a Goodwill near our college home.
In this thrift trip, I felt like I kept striking gold upon gold. First came a pair of flip flops with cherry red polka dots. Next was a vintage Bebe sequin tank, and finally, a pair of white capris with four perfectly placed pockets on both the hips and lower thigh.
I immediately imagined my elementary self in my beautiful boots and thought of what I would have put in those pockets–rocks, flowers, shells, and more. It was like seven-year-old me had taken over my body for a moment, and before I knew it, the capris were in the cart.
Now, my newly-purchased capris aren’t paired with my polka dot boots (mainly because they don’t fit) but a pair of white kitten heels.
These pants still spark joy but in a new way although they may not be viewed as “trendy” by all. They remind me of the girl I once was and how she still lives inside me in a plethora of ways.
She lives on through the capris, the trees she still climbs at the ripe age of 22, her excitement of reading just “one more page” way later than she should be, and so much more.
So if capris, or your personal equivalent, spark joy or restorative nostalgia, wear them— unless your capris are the kneelength plaid shorts (those still haunt me).
CECILIA WALLACE, ST. PAUL, MN, USA
How to Eat a Woman
First the fruit, then the girl Cherries have been seen as a symbol of femininity since the 16th century. Since then, fruit, so often ripe, round and sweet, has been used to describe the intangible: innocence, desire, obedience, softness, sweetness. People love comparing women to fruit, to scents, to colours. And why wouldn’t they? It’s an easy way to blur the lines between the reality of a woman and the idea of one.
Consider how often media and art portray women as one with the fun, almost lore-like items that lack autonomy or humanity. Woman becomes a peach in a poem, a cherry on a tongue. As much as “soft as a peach” or “sweet like cherries” make for captivating similes describing women in poetry and writing, once these qualities become expectations rather than appreciation for some of the ways femininity and womanhood might manifest, that’s where the personhood and individuality start to get erased. When softness becomes duty, and sweetness becomes currency, womanhood stops being a presence and a natural way of being and instead, becomes a performance.
Recently, pomegranates have surged in popularity as another fruit being attributed to women. Historically, pomegranates have always been a symbol of fertility, abundance, rebirth and female sexuality, having roots all the way to Greek mythology and specifically, the myth of Hades and Persephone. But now, we see them used to capture the messier, stickier aspects of femininity. A symbol for a woman’s love, mostly because of how meticulous, messy and draining the process of deseeding a pomegranate is. The imagery of a woman in a stained white shirt in front of a bowl of pomegranate seeds, having just finished red-fingered work, has started to be used more and more often in poetry written by young women. Mainly to symbolize how willing they are to do anything for their lovers. It shows how much they think they are expected to sacrifice to love someone and how conditioned they are to accept that.
We have also seen clementines and oranges take a role for symbolizing a woman’s love and care, primarily because of the sudden rise of popularity of the children’s poem “Oranges” by Jean Little. This poem has made peeling citrus for someone a quiet metaphor for care: something inconvenient, done anyway—a small sacrifice in the name of love. Again, just like the others, this metaphor is also used mainly for women. Like the pomegranates, it symbolizes explicitly how they are willing to inconvenience themselves in the name of love, which is beautiful when it is done out of love and appreciated, but very demanding and dehumanizing when it is seen as the only proper way to be a woman.
Fruit, in all its symbolism, may nourish. But when womanhood is constantly served up this way: ripe and ready, soft and giving, it becomes harder to see the woman at all. We see the cherry, the pomegranate, the orange. We forget the girl.
BIGÉ GÜÇER, VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA
applegirl
ANNABELLA TARTARIA, BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
Girlhood Untouched
KENDALL BROCK, SPRINGFIELD, OH, USA
transitions
LUZ RICO, NEW ROCHELLE, NY, USA
The Girls We Keep
TRINI DILLON, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Photographer: Caroline Tiffany
Creative Direction: Trini Dillon
Photo Assistant: Camille Aguilar
Models: Frances McDonald, Lily Morse, Luna Juliana, Jaycelyn R. & Trini Dillon
The Friendship I Thought Only Existed in Movies I have always envied a specific scene in films. Not the grand romance or dramatic plot twists, but the goodbye scene. The one where friends hug each other tightly, promise to stay in touch, and say, “See you soon?” before someone drives away and the credits roll.
Maybe I loved those scenes because, growing up, friendship felt more fictional than real.
As a child, I was shy and afraid of reaching out to people. I spent most of my time alone and disappeared into maladaptive daydreams. I told myself I was content, but that did not stop me from hoping for the kind of friendships I saw in My Little Pony, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and countless Barbie movies.
When I entered high school, I made it my mission to find it. During my first year, I befriended everyone I could. Accepted every invitation, and became more outgoing than I had ever been. But eventually, I realized something: I knew everyone, yet nobody really knew me. I started accepting that perhaps movie friendships were unrealistic. Maybe I would always be a side character in someone else’s friend group rather than someone’s closest friend.
Then, during class, I was paired with a girl I barely knew.
At first, she seemed intimidating, so I kept my distance. We talked only about our project until, somehow, the conversation drifted to our favorite singers. The more we talked, the more similarities we discovered. I never expected much from it. I thought I was bad at friendship, so why get my hopes up?
Then one afternoon, over iced coffee and matcha, we began talking about heartbreak, disappointments, and old wounds. It
Girlship
As a child, I felt the weight of the world drain the life out of me. I felt scared, confused, and lonely in a way I couldn’t understand. Hell, I can barely understand it now. Until the best thing ever happened to me, I made friends. My girls. They breathed life back into me and filled a hole I didn’t understand was empty. I used to hate when school ended each day. The mere thought of not being near them scared me because it meant that I would be alone again. I would have to deal with the world on my own, and I would count the seconds until I see them again. Then the second best thing happened: FaceTime arrived, and this might be a hot take, but it is genuinely among the top 5 greatest inventions. And at first, just like everyone else, I assumed you would just use it for quick video calls with people. Turns out that wasn’t true. I didn’t realize until I was older the importance of having each other’s company. The importance of having my girls with me during the mundane moments of life. Those moments taught me how to share joy and sorrow. These moments taught me how to live.
From gossiping while cleaning our houses.
was not exactly a cheerful café conversation, yet I found myself speaking with a level of honesty I had never shared before. I cried a little. We laughed a lot. Somehow, being vulnerable felt easy with her.
After that, everything changed. We could spend hours talking, jumping from lip products to politics to relationships we still had not gotten over.
“How did our conversation end up here?” one of us would always ask before we burst out laughing.
I spent my teenage years with her. We wandered through malls, watched movies, studied together, and slept over. Somewhere along the way, she became my closest friend. She became Glinda to my Elphaba and Monica to my Rachel.
As graduation approached, I became afraid. What if time took this away? What if college turned us into strangers?
Still, I hope that years from now we will meet again. It will not be two seventeen-year-old girls talking between classes, but two adults with successful careers, catching up over drinks in a dimly lit café, or perhaps a bar somewhere in New York City, continuing our conversation as if no time has passed at all.
Toni Morrison once wrote, “It is sheer good fortune to miss somebody long before they leave you.”
And to my Monica, whom I already miss even though she has not left yet.
RUTH CHIARA, DEPOK, WEST JAVA, INDONESIA
Reading a book while she’s at the grocery store.
Facetiming each other to show what we got at the store.
One of us is taking a nap while the other is watching TV.
Being able to witness a tough situation that the other is going through.
Celebrating that one of us got her period.
Being there while one of us gets ready for a date.
Or one of us is cooking while the other is writing.
And my personal favorite is watching TV/movies together.
Through these moments with my girls, I learned I am never truly alone. That I am loved. And lastly the importance of friendship.
MONICA
GAMBLE, ST. LOUIS, MO, USA
The Garden Within CIARA NICDAO, SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ, USA
Photographer & Production Design: Ciara Nicdao
Creative Direction: Ciara Nicdao & Caylen Cara
Production Assistants: Isabell dela Rosa & Luis Coreas
Hair Concept & Sculpture (Resilient Flower): Caylen Cara
Makeup: Emily Cohen
Designer/Styling: Griselly Goris
Styling: Mekalyn Peterson
Model: Jenilee Medina
The Garden Within explores femininity, reincarnation, and the idea that what we see as flaws can actually be where we bloom. This piece uses moss, water, flowers, and photography to think about change and the beauty in the parts of ourselves we often hide. Like a garden, we keep growing, letting go of who we were and beginning again.
The Girls We Were
We grew with ribbons tangled in our hair, trading secrets beneath afternoon skies. We measured time in laughter and bruises, in dreams too big for our small hands.
Some girls outgrew playgrounds, some outgrew themselves, yet pieces of us linger in those days. We carry every version of who we were, the fearless, the broken, the hopeful alike. For girlhood does not vanish as we age, the little girl in us never truly leaves.
SOPHIA MARGARET SALIBIO
CALOOCAN CITY, METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES
GIRL CLAW
RILEY KLEIN, DETROIT, MI, USA
Handwoven Tapestry by Riley Klein
The Etiquette of Refusal
It was the beginning of summer, the beginning of new possibilities. Mother hands me a stack of dresses at the department store, and says, “Susie, try these on.” She and Grandmother both came into the dressing room to accompany me.
I follow my mother’s command, along with the heavy click of the door knob and the buzz of fluorescent lights shining in our direction and reflecting us through the mirror. I step into the first dress. It feels stiff, a bit too mature, and entirely wrong to wear. As I face the tri-fold mirror, Mother starts adjusting the fabric, tugging at the hemlines, and smoothing wrinkles. Through the mirror, I see the face of disappointment. The face of Mother’s past insecurities signifies my doom. Though nothing is verbally said, I can feel the weight of Mother’s hands and eyes; it’s truly a burden to carry. Unexpectedly, Grandmother stepped in and told me, “Bodies are just houses we live in, don’t let her map out your flaws.”
I look into the mirror once again, this time, my reflection changes. I’m not seeing a flawed outfit anymore, I’m seeing a line of women. Mother returns with a new dress; the visible red on my skin from the zippers disappear. At the sound of hangers, I was the first to step outside the dressing room, carrying myself differently under the harsh lights.
JESSICA DANH, GARLAND, TX, USA
I love My girls. Footsteps appear, ‘I love your top’ ‘Your hair is beautiful’ ‘Thank you’ ‘You’re welcome’ I love women.
When I hear other women say ‘I love my girls.’
I think of the girls they share their stain ribbons tied neatly into bows, I think of the girls who aren't afraid to compliment one another, I think of the girls who know that their whimsy is a part of their innate strength, something cultivated when they see ‘Their girls.’
When I talk of my girls, I share the same stories, how we spent last night grooving to music, how we danced and laughed. I speak of the upcoming week, those ‘Coffee dates’ with my girls. As we sit down and gather, I watch and listen as these moments turn sun kissed– too burnt as we overstay our time spent yapping in parks. But when I say, ‘I love my Girls.’ I am talking of the girls who paraded down the park in March of 1971. The same park we come to gather, only though to share stories and motivation through those last few kilometres. ‘10k, we are done!’
I speak about the girls who are not yet in a country that allows them to wear a smile on their face, without having to defend why, and reply when her smile is assumed to be for somebody, other than herself.
I speak about the girls, who are no longer walking these paths, but who have paved the way.
I speak about the girls who have made us feel safe, seen, and heard.
I speak about the girls who learnt to use their ‘No.’
I speak about the girls who have written about their way, a new way, a life of equity and equality.
Where the wage gap ceases to exist, where a woman's smile isn’t mistaken for a ‘Yes.’
I speak to the women of my past who have given me life, not just to exist but to thrive and fight. These are my girls. The ones I gush about on our early morning walks.
These are my girls, the ones who may not have known me, but felt our might, that upcoming generations knew how to fight.
The girls who knew not of us, but who they were themselves, their inner light- that strength, that gave us life.
These are my girls, the girls that gave us rights.
SKYE AHLUWALIA, LONDON, ENGLAND
Girlhood Rivalry?
Concerts are a popular place to make friends. As for me, it’s my favorite place for that. I used to be anxious about going alone, but once I knew my standard venue well enough, I decided to only go alone from then on. Sometimes I met people I had already known there, but more often than not, I engaged in a conversation with a complete stranger, the only thing we initially had in common being the interest for the music we came to experience live.
I also used to think that if I went to a concert with another girl who liked the same band and we both had the intention to chat with the musicians afterwards, there would be some kind of competition.
With Dani and me, that was not the case at all. We immediately bonded over music and some past concert experiences. She showed me clips of her playing the guitar on stage with one of her favorite bands and I told her about some crazy nights with musicians I hadn’t seen again since then.
When the time came to meet the band outside the club, there was none of the infamous rivalry between wannabe groupies. Us having a slightly different taste in men might have been an advantage, but sometimes it even felt like I was more excited to be spending the night partying with her than I was excited to hang out with the band I had originally come to see.
It has been a while since the last time we had seen each other, but we are still in contact and the memories we shared are unforgettable. While she is now traveling the world with her boyfriend whom she had met while giving him guitar lessons, I am still spending summer nights at the bar where we had first met, hanging out with musicians from other countries. Our lives are different but still very much the same in a way. Deep inside, I yearn for what she already has, though not with a single ounce of envy. It is closer to inspiration.
I made the right choice pushing to the front row by myself that night and choosing to start a conversation with her out of hundreds of people present.
Her Oasis
AURIONNA ALEXANDER, BAY AREA, CA, USA
Photographer: Aurionna Alexander
Model: Janiyah Pollard
MELISSA FISCHER, COBURG, BAVARIA, GERMANY
The Girls We Continue to Be
At twelve, I sat with my knees folded beneath me in classroom chairs, ankles tucked small, as if taking up less space might somehow make me easier to love. In photographs, I turned one shoulder inward. Knew answers before raising my hand. Laughed softly. Said sorry too quickly.
I remember sticky lip gloss that smelled like vanilla and plastic, camisoles borrowed from friends with straps that slid off one shoulder, fluorescent middle school hallways where somebody always seemed prettier or louder or less embarrassed by having a body. My mother stood outside after dinner smoking in slippers, one heel hanging off, staring into the yard long after the mosquitoes came out.
I watched women closely. How lipstick got reapplied in rearview mirrors. How voices changed depending on who had entered the room. How anger arrived quiet, set down beside the sink like another thing that needed tending.
Years later, in trauma rooms, older men called me sweetheart while I stood at the head of stretchers, blood drying on my gloves, saying the same things twice until they sounded heavier coming from me. I learned that calm traveled farther than sharpness.
Now there are daughters moving through the house at full volume. Ponytail holders scattered across bathroom counters. Damp towels abandoned in impossible places. One storms out of the kitchen furious over something that will not matter next week, door announcing her feelings before she can. Another sings while cutting strawberries, every word loud enough to echo down the hallway.
At the grocery store, someone brushes past my cart and sorry slips out before I can stop it.
At home, sneakers gather beside volleyball knee pads and forgotten sweatshirts. A slammed bedroom door opens again ten minutes later. Someone laughs so hard water comes out of her nose. Someone cries because middle school still knows exactly where to press.
Before sunrise, I lift heavy things in the basement while the house sleeps overhead. Upstairs, hair ties wait beside sinks and on nightstands, small black circles no one remembers leaving behind. Sometimes I hear laughter upstairs and realize it is mine, louder than I once believed I was allowed to be.
VERONICA TUCKER, GILFORD, NH, USA
Wings & Shells
LILI BARKER, LEEDS, WEST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND
Girlhood into Womanhood
The herstory of a girl with dreams. Late at night, circling around her bed knowing she couldn’t condemn the silence, and wanted to break out. Crying on her front lawn trying to figure out who she is supposed to be, if one more hurdle she tries to step on, she would break down and cause a tornado to create a sphere around. She got up from the bed, tried to fix her mess. Though the more that she fixes, the more she breaks. Shattered wine glass on the floor with the pieces of tangerine laying on the ground waiting to be picked up. When it rains, she's sober. The story is over, and so is this show that can’t be led any longer. In the morning when the flowers bloom it clicks her, what she’s missing out to be; It’s the girl who she is supposed to be.
It’s normalized for a girl to be broken, to be torn into million little pieces, because it’s always acclaimed that they know how to hold themselves. What if this time they are unaware and just want to be heard? What if this is the time where we let the past burn? So if the wishes are granted then we must let the rage take the best of us. Smash the walls that once couldn’t let out the tiniest bit of a sound. She’s willing to be the girl who's strong, and never accepts goodies to be served with justice that doesn’t last for even a week. She must go and understand that no one’s here to be trusted, but to twist words filled with lust and crush the whole person. I’ve come to a conclusion that the world can only survive if a girl takes the lead; because she knows who she is supposed to be. Someone bold, fearless, and strong enough to be the girl of her dreams. Block out the pessimistic crowd. They’ve only ever known how to let a girl down. Every girl here has once ever heard something that pulls out the crown. You know you can’t let the noises win over the warmth of a heart, a spirit that shines brighter in the dark.
The fire sits to rest, and the rain stops to let your coffee stimulate you well. You’re always scared to say something stupid, but you say it anyway. You try to fix all the wounds and let a local bandaid mend it for you, while it creates a bruise, and an unwanted desire to fake a smile without trying. The blinds are now closed, but you’re still hoping to run things smoother. This time you can’t even if you tried. While things come and go, and you feel like you’re done for, just take a breath to feel something so deep. You’ll remain the girl you’re supposed to be. You’re still the person everyone yearns to be. Indeed your smile sparks like the sky on the fourth of July. When you’re out people look up to you and think, after all what she fought with, she still got it all to stand tall; firm to the ground. When you smile, you shut the blabber mouths of these people who got nothing better to do. You’re the girl writing your herstory of your dreams. I know it hurts to feel free. You’re the girl who you’re supposed to be.
FARASHAH SHAMS, KARACHI, SINDH, PAKISTAN
Can I Borrow a Tampon?
“Can I borrow a tampon?” I asked the girl who once laughed at the joke that was my body. I almost didn’t ask. But when she subtly slid it into my hand, she was not my tormentor. She was just a girl who bled the same way I did. And a few days later, when I left my ibuprofen at home, she pressed the two tablets into my palm without question.
Years later, in high school, the pain had grown fierce enough to pull me from a math test. As tears blurred the numbers on the page, my teacher placed a hand on my shoulder and sent me home with the promise of a make-up exam. I spent the rest of the day submerged in the hottest water the tap could give. Not long after, I drew a similar bath for my cousin as she clutched her belly, doubled over in pain.
The girls knew.
Long before the pain that stole parties, date nights, and sleepovers from me had a name.
Long before the doctors believed me.
In college, my roommate and I used horror movie marathons to endure the pain, taking breaks only to change tampons in the tiny dorm room bathroom. And when we moved off campus together, we made sure we had everything we needed to survive. Deluxe boxes of pads and tampons, heating pads, ibuprofen, and enough potato chips to last for weeks.
By the time I became a nurse, the pain had developed a mind of its own. I spent my shifts moving between labor rooms and the nurses’ station, where I could chart with a heating pad plugged in beneath the desk. When I needed to be in a patient’s room, I relied on my micro-TENS unit and powered through. And when my coworkers saw my survival hacks, their confessions filled the space between us. Shared pain, shared strategies.
The women knew.
Long before I understood how deep the roots had grown. When the pain ripped through me, its claws scratching at my belly, I went to the emergency room. Hours passed before I was offered analgesics. Tests and scans were done, but they revealed nothing. No answers came.
And when I spoke out, shared my story, more women came. Coworkers. Friends. The stranger beside me in the grocery store.
Then, I had my surgery and the beast was named.
Endometriosis.
And I was no longer alone.
The girls had known.
Back when we hid tampons in our sweatshirt sleeves and passed ibuprofen between classes.
The women had known.
In dorm rooms, nurses’ stations, and break rooms where their own stories echoed.
Long before the scans that showed nothing.
Long before the surgery that gave it a name.
Long before I understood the power of being seen.
ALEXANDRA LOW, FELTON, CA, USA
Hábitat natural SOFÍA VALLADARES PINELO GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
For me, bliss is found in a crowded beer garden. Spritz in hand, messy hair, sweat soaked skin.
There’s salt in the air and laughter in our voices as we trade secrets and share stories.
The picture is similar to childhood sleepovers.
The characters a little taller, the setting a little louder; but the principle is the same.
This is where I belong.
Surrounded by my friends and swapping tales from our lives.
My cheeks ache from smiling so much and my chest is warm with affection.
For me, bliss is my friendships. These confidants I chose for my found family that I love so dearly and I would never dream of being apart from.
CARRICE HODGKINS CLACTON, ESSEX, ENGLAND
In the Cupboard is a Box with a Map
My girlhood sits in a cardboard box, high up in a cupboard in my grown-up home. Once a year I take the box out from its neatly arranged shelf and bring it downstairs. I open the folded lid and ceremoniously unpack the pieces of my childhood. I hold the colourful trinkets like relics, like treasures. I turn them over in my hands with tenderness, the way elephants hold the bones of their kin. The scraggly Powerpuff Girls doll that anyone else would throw away, a broken watch, tapes I don’t have a player for anymore. The things that mean little to anyone else, but symbolise a time capsule of my youth, of this young girl who felt so much older than she was.
I flick through the pages of my diaries, cringing with embarrassment and affection for the blush-stained girlhood she wrote about. I can remember her so clearly, sitting cross legged on wax-stained carpet, playing burnt CD’s and scribbling through dozens of notebooks, trying to make sense of a never-ending cocktail of emotions. She kept folded up notes from her high school besties, newspaper clippings and birthday cards, sure that one day her older self would care about the innocuous goings-on of the time.
I pull out every item in the cardboard box. The box itself is decorated with clippings from early 2000’s magazines, crisp and protected under the adhesive plastic film applied by my 11-year-old hands. The pieces of paper, plastic, wool, cardboard and photopaper create a mosaic around me, a map torn into a hundred pieces. My hands dance over the items, curious and tentative, wondering if this will be the year I inspect every page within those journals. I usually start with the notes, the ‘warm fuzzies’ from camp that are full of sweet words, the lyrics written on post it notes that were stuck to the back of my bedroom door. Then I open the journals from the safe years, where I lamented over lost netball games and recapped how many doughnuts I ate at a birthday sleepover. As my hands drift over to the journals spanning the dark years, I pause. Girlhood in all its sweetness must contain some sour, but I wonder to myself if this is the year I go back to taste both. I check the time, and I remember that I’ve got somewhere to be. I pack up the box and return it to the cupboard. That night I go to bed, holding the scattered pieces of myself close and wondering if next year will be the one that I put the map back together.
KIRSTY WILDE, PERTH, AUSTRALIA
Photographer & Writer: Kirsty Wilde
SHANNON COX, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Photographer & Creative Direction: Shannon Cox
BTS/Onsite Assistant: Catherine Cox
Models: Charlotte Cox & Juliana Allard
Halcyon Years
SHIN, TEHRAN, IRAN
The Link
My mom has a huge blue trunk in her living room. Its contents were always a mystery to me, until one day, when I was a teenager, she finally opened it. It turned out to be full of old merch from her favorite 80’s bands. As she handed the physical remnants of her girlhood over to me, I could feel the shape of my mom shifting and expanding in my mind as my understanding of her morphed into an entirely new image.
I already knew my mom loved 80’s New Wave, but she explained to me as she pulled out artifact after artifact, that Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, and INXS were the first bands she ever found for herself. Her bedroom walls were covered in posters of these bands and others that saw her through the tumultuous stretch of adolescence and into adulthood. She used to sleep outside venues for the chance to buy concert tickets and in possibly the best moment of her life, she saw Depeche Mode and INXS perform live in London in her early 20’s. She named my brother Andrew after Andy Fletcher, Andrew Farriss, and Andy Taylor.
I thought back on my mom taking me to my first concert as a fiveyear-old, to dialing the radio station’s number on her cellphone for her as she drove me to elementary school so she could try to win concert tickets, and the incredulous number of times that her, her best friend, and I have seen Train together and realized something. My mom is a certified fangirl.
So, I come by it honestly.
After that first show, I became my mom’s concert buddy. We worked ourselves up to an average of 6 shows a year for all of my high school career. In college, my friends and I fought together in the Ticketmaster wars to spend our measly work study paychecks on Hozier tickets. Now as an adult, I build my life around when my next concert will be and who is coming with me.
This passion, which at first glance can seem so silly, is an ever-present link that connects me to my mom. A wink. A shared secret. A soft middle ground between us. An understanding.
It’s in the way I always send her a selfie of me and my friends before each show, just like how she and I have always done. And in our plans to see Train for the umpteenth time in August with her best friend, like always. It’s in the way I felt at 24 watching Niall Horan perform – the exact same way my mom felt at that concert in London. Like the 14-year-old girl inside her heart had come alive again. And my god is she beautiful and carefree, having the time of her life.
I never really stood a chance, I realized as my mom carefully packed the relics of her girlhood back into their trunk for safe keeping. I was genetically predisposed to live this life. Thank god.
KATHERINE FOGG, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA
Lipstick
Philia in a Bar Bathroom
The bathroom of a bar is a space sacred to all women. From secrets spilled to strangers about your most intimate moments, or getting compliments on an outfit you threw together, these are the memories you’ll remember not just the next morning but in years to come.
I could remember the night I got all dressed up to go out to a Greek Life mixer. I was scantily clad in a bikini top with fishnet to cover, and donned parachute pants.
Never had I been this exposed before in public, especially not in front of men. Anxiety was coursing my body from the tips of my toes to the racing thoughts in my mind. Why their opinion was the one that mattered most, I couldn’t remember. Being 19 and freshly broken up with for the first time, can have you acting a little boy and alcohol crazy.
If you’re a neurodivergent woman you’ve probably come to realize that drinking lowers the anxiety of socializing. So I became a very loud hype-woman to multiple of my old sorority sisters when taking their photos on the digital camera.
I couldn’t tell if the flashing of the camera or the different alcohols sloshing around were catching up to me, as my stomach began to twist with nausea and spit.
My girl friends rallied around me and one ran to get the car. We sped to our favorite Mexican place and ordered chips with queso. Not even three minutes into scarfing down our food, I bolted to the bathroom with my friend hot on my trail.
Regurgitating everything I had ingested, my friend rubbed my back. “You’re handling the breakup so well, you’re gonna laugh about this in a year,” she said.
I tried falling asleep on that floor several times which she did not allow. “You looked supper baddie tonight, but a true baddie would get off the floor and lock in,” she said and I stood up real quick.
Exiting the bathroom, I walked out of the restaurant with my head held high as families watched.
My facade broke, and the emotions surrounding my first breakup that I covered up with alcohol spilled out the second I entered my room. I begged for my friends to call my ex for me, as I clearly couldn’t use my phone properly.
“You can call your ex when you’re sober, that’s not a decision I’m letting you make while drunk,” she stated. “If you want to call someone else, I can do that.”
I had her dial my mom that night. After my mom confirmed with my friends I didn’t have alcohol poisoning she told them they could leave.
Upon arising, I had no hangover surprisingly, but what I did have was the utmost love for my friends. I don’t talk to those girls anymore, but I will always be thankful for the spirit of girlhood they shared for me in that bar bathroom all the way to my room.
CAITLYN SOYA, KENT, OH, USA
Going Home
ISABELLA ANDRONOS, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Seasons change, but not Us
Photographer & Creative Direction:
KARLY VALENCIA, PLACERVILLE, CA, USA
Karly Valencia
Models: Isabel & Mary
the messy becoming Growing up, making female friends was tricky. I grew up with two brothers, and most of my friends were boys. None seemed to stick. It took me a long time to feel comfortable enough to be able to relish in the truth of femme friendship.
It took time and patience, mostly with myself, to find people who understood. To me, girlhood is vulnerability wrapped in strength and sharp wit. It is watching my friends move away to begin wonderful bold lives, with whimsy in their back pockets and an unbridled knowing of who they are. It isn’t always pretty, but it can be made beautiful by those you let in along your journey of discovering what girlhood means for you.
For me, it is holding my friends to the same standards to which I hold myself. It is knowing that ‘can you help me pick a nail colour?’ is just as important as meeting a baby for the first time - human or fur. It is flowers with wine and a card outside your bedroom door that reads ‘we’ll be here when you’re ready’ from your male housemates after a traumatic breakup. The knowing that texting your three-person group chat is just as important as calling your mum every week. It is discovering that you can share the ugliest parts of yourself without feeling like you have to apologise afterwards.
Within these moments, you have found people who reflect the best parts of you, as well as those who will speak truth through hard conversations. Girlhood is allowing yourself to fuck it up, be messy, apologise and then start again. It isn’t sunshine, rainbows and lucky clovers, but it is finding them through the junkyard. Girlhood taught me to sometimes allow my mess to speak first and my soft heart to linger long after I’ve left the room. It has given me best friends, long-lasting platonic relationships and chosen families across the world. It has given me hope, deepened smile lines and tears of both joy and heartache.
I have been shaped by experience, by love and of course by bitter goodbyes. It has taught me to continue to believe in goodness, my intuition and allowing the quiet to settle in. It comes along slowly, with intention and care and continues to hold me like that no matter where I am in the world.
Girlhood is staring at yourself in the mirror, noticing your intricate features - the way your chin sits, where your freckles kiss your face and how you carry the nose of generations before you. Girlhood is witnessing yourself through the eyes of those who love you. It is rising against oppression and vile behaviour with strong hearts and tight hands next to you.
Drowning out the dark thoughts of the world that were never your hexes to endure.
Girlhood is something we can all learn from and cherish, in whatever form it comes to us.
It is an eternal messy becoming, a process, and the discovery of your ever-changing self.
Isn’t that just the most magical thing about it?
DOMINIK SHIELDS, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Abigail on 120mm
EMILY DOYLE, VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA
Photographer: Emily Doyle
Creative Direction: Abigail Doyle & Emily Doyle
Model: Abigail Doyle
These Caves are Home to Mermaids
My nieces stack bracelets halfway up their arms and take their time collecting shells in the sand. They excitedly show me the “wild woods” in their backyard. The caves we visited together last fall are home to mermaids.
They ask to use my lip gloss, get excited about new dresses, and then wear them while riding their bikes down the street. The oldest, turning seven soon, has an enthusiasm that can’t be contained when she talks about her favourite colours, the idea of cake for breakfast, or how many blades of grass exist in the world.
They love what they love. When they don’t like something, they say so. When they do, they don’t feel the need to explain why.
Watching them makes me think about my own relationship with the world. How I show up now, as a woman, and what versions of my younger self still hang around.
There’s a version of myself who wore a skirt as a top simply because she wanted to. A version who asked people questions without a filter because she was curious. A version who looked at trees and imagined stories inside them: pirates along the river, secret worlds in ordinary places.
At some point, I think around 12, curiosity started to be replaced by self-consciousness and small choices meant to avoid attention.
I stopped asking myself what I liked and started wondering how I would be seen. I don’t know if I stopped liking “girly things,” or if I was just afraid to be a girl moving through the world.
There’s an ease to some women around me that I’ve often envied. Their ability to express excitement without self-consciousness, to experiment with colour, accessories, and the things that bring them joy.
My own style became more tactical over the years: practical boots and shades of grey. Ready for anything, then playing it safe. Somewhere along the way, self-expression started to feel less important than blending in.
Watching my nieces reminds me of when life could be that way for me too. When enthusiasm was stronger than fear. When I wasn’t afraid to experiment. When a backyard wasn’t just a backyard, but a backdrop for adventures and imagination, full of secrets and possibilities.
When mermaids lived in caves.
I’m still trying to find my place as a woman, even after more than a decade of being one. I’m slowly finding my way back through small things: adding more colour to my style, spending more time with women who make me feel like myself, noticing the beauty in the everyday.
Maybe that’s what being a woman is. Not becoming some perfect, certain version of yourself, but making room for all the ones that came before.
“Woman” still feels like a word I’m growing into. But the girl I was feels closer than she has in years, and maybe for now that’s enough.
VALERIE BOUCHER, OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA
Girlhood
MEGAN LOUISE, ESSEX, ENGLAND
Photographer: Megan Louise
HEARTBREAK TO HOOKS: MERCER HENDERSON’S POP TAKEOVER
BY SRAVYA BALASA
No one does poignant, gutwrenching lyrics about your last love set to a catchy beat that makes you stop in your tracks quite like MERCER HENDERSON . From stepping onto the musical theater stage at six years old to hearing crowds sing her lyrics back to her today, Mercer Henderson has always known music was her calling. Through candid songwriting, she transforms her own experiences about feelings like love into music we can all relate to. Drawing inspiration from both New York City’s energy and Los Angeles’s creative calm, Mercer has developed a distinctive pop sound rooted in personal storytelling, earning a growing fanbase and carving out her place as one of pop’s exciting emerging voices.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST REALIZE MUSIC WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
At age six, I stepped on stage for the first time as Madeline in Madeline and the Gypsies with a San Francisco local theater company. There was something about being on stage and performing during musical theater that just clicked. Along with that I went to lots of concerts grow -
ing up, so once I realized I could write my own music and perform songs about my life, I was completely sold. From there, my ultimate goal became hearing people sing my lyrics back to me, and it’s pretty surreal that I’ve already gotten to experience that.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE GOING TO SCHOOL TO STUDY MUSIC? HOW DID NYU'S PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY SHAPE YOU?
I really enjoyed my time at NYU, primarily for the collaborations, including co-writing, which I had previously done very little of, and the chance to live in New York City. During my freshman and sophomore years, I spent almost every day in the studio with my classmates, learning how to collaborate and promote my music. I also learned so much about the music business from my professors which was a great help when I started touring.
I think there’s no better time to pursue your passion than during college. Once you get there, take full advantage of every class, every professor, and everything your program has to offer.
HOW HAS LIVING ON BOTH THE WEST AND EAST COASTS SHAPED YOUR MUSIC?
I take a lot of inspiration from my surroundings, and I like to joke that I stay in NYC to live and gather content for my songs, then go to LA to write them. New York is such a creative, vibrant, fast-paced city, making it a great place for inspiration, while LA is where I slow down enough to process it all and turn it into songs.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE OPENING FOR ARTISTS YOU ADMIRE? TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES TOURING WITH THEM.
My most recent support tour was with Ruel, and it was such a full-circle moment. He’s someone I genuinely admire and have listened to since high school.
There’s something extremely special about watching how an established artist commands a stage every night. It can be challenging performing to a room full of people who have no idea who you are, but honestly, winning over a new crowd has become one of my favorite challenges. It’s pushed me to be a better, more captivating performer.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE BALANCING SCHOOL AND A MUSIC CAREER?
I like to call it my Hannah Montana era. It was absolute chaos, but the most fun. I would be finishing assignments during the headliner’s set on tour, Zooming into classes from the road and taking exams in hotel rooms. I even took a red-eye from Seattle back to New York just to make a class. I finished my last college assignment in Montreal while on tour with Isabel LaRosa. I’m very grateful to my professors for their flexibility throughout that time.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS A TURNING POINT IN YOUR MUSICAL CAREER?
The one that stands out most is my first headline show in January 2025 in London. Prior to that, I had only done support slots. As amazing as those are, it’s a very different experience performing to a room full of people who don’t know your music yet.
I remember stepping out on that stage and singing the opening line of “Dangerous,” “I’m searching for somebody more dangerous,” and the crowd was singing so loudly I couldn’t hear myself or the band. I had to immediately crank up my in-ear pack.
It was the most insane feeling, and I will never get over it. I’m in awe of the fact that I get to do this forever.
WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND YOUR LATEST EP, IS IT FUN OR IS IT OVER?
IS IT FUN OR IS IT OVER? came from the title track. One day, I was in a session with my collaborators Gabe Reili, Savannah Sanabia, and Travis Heidelman, describing the relationship I was in at the time. The very first hook we wrote was the title of the song, which, funnily enough, you don’t actually hear until the end of the outro. Every piece of the song is intentional and I knew it had to be the name of the EP. I took a lot of time to create something cohesive with this project after that because I wanted it to be an authentic time capsule of a real era of my life.
HOW DID YOU LAND ON THE GENRE OF MUSIC YOU MAKE TODAY? WHERE DO YOU PLAN TO TAKE IT NEXT?
I started out more in the Lizzy McAlpine-style singer-songwriter world, but at the same time I was listening to so much pop music like Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa, and Lady Gaga. I’ve also been really into Devon Again lately, and I’m so excited to see her open for Olivia Rodrigo. Eventually, I blended the genres into the honest sound I make today.
For the next era, I want to stay in the pop space but make it messier, with more production experimentation, more synths, and maybe even some vocal effects. I’m excited to push things a little further.
WHAT HAS BEEN A MEMORABLE INTERACTION WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?
Fans have worn clip-on bangs to my shows, made mini Mercer dolls, and even had custom shirts made for my entire family and me. But honestly, what means the most to me is when people reach out to share their stories, how my music helped them through a breakup, a confusing relationship, or helped them understand themselves on a deeper level. That’s why I do this.
HOW DOES A SONG COME TO LIFE FOR YOU? WHAT IS YOUR SONGWRITING PROCESS?
I use songwriting almost like therapy, and I can’t thank my collaborators enough for helping me bring my situationships to life. I try to be as specific and descriptive as possible when I write, and sometimes I’m so specific that the people I wrote the song about definitely know.
In the studio, someone will pull the “so… what’s going on in your life?” card, and then I just rant about all the complexities of my love life and the things I can’t stop thinking about. Sometimes we’ll take note of specific phrases that stand out, and from there I’ll start writing on acoustic guitar and then build up the production later. I usually go back after the session and make small tweaks once I’ve had a little distance from it.
IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE GOAL FOR THIS YEAR WITH YOUR MUSIC CAREER, AND ONE NON-MUSIC RELATED, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
I feel like I’ve already achieved so much this year, which is wild. Career-wise, I’d love to do a songwriting trip outside of the United States and write in a completely new environment. I want to challenge myself to write somewhere that shifts my perspective.
For a non-music goal, I want to slow down and be present. I spend so much time running between cities and always chasing the next thing. I’d love to take a trip somewhere with no agenda, just fully exploring.
BY AMANDA LA
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY AIRIS ENCARNACION
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT – DESMOND CHUA
HAIR — KRIS AGBAYANI
MAKEUP — ESTEPHANIE BARRERA
STYLING — JENNY NAYOUNG KIM
Inside Kelz's Most Personal Era Yet
When Kelz's music plays, you can't help but move with it. Whether it's a subtle nod or your whole body swaying to the beat, she has a way of pulling you into her world. Ahead of her sophomore album, A Sweet Passerby, KELZ opens up about girlhood, self-acceptance, and finding peace.
I LISTENED TO THE ALBUM, AND IT FEELS REALLY DEEPLY CONNECTED TO MEMORY AND YOUNGER VERSIONS OF YOURSELF. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GIRLHOOD NOW, WHAT EMOTIONS COME UP FIRST?
For this album, definitely vulnerability. Growing up, I wasn't as open, but these past few years, especially while writing this, I feel like I've been starting to explore and embrace that part of myself.
I've always been used to being behind the screens or keeping a mask on. I've always been a tomboy growing up, so for me, that was part of my girlhood. But it wasn’t until these past few years, while we've been exploring the visuals [for the album], I feel like I'm finally starting to, like, you know, embrace and explore being more femme as well.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU MENTIONED BEING A TOMBOY GROWING UP. DO YOU THINK BECAUSE YOU WERE LABELED AS A TOMBOY THAT YOU FELT YOU HAD TO STAY THAT WAY?
Totally. I remember in high school, I would see all these other girls and my friends start to dress up more and learn how to do their makeup. And honestly, I was so curious too, I
really wanted to learn. It sounds so silly now, but at the moment I was like, ‘well, if suddenly one day I went to school and had makeup on, what if people thought I was weird?’ I think for me, girlhood was also during that weird time where I was still battling my inner thoughts about that as well, thinking about how people would perceive me.
I'm starting to learn and push through that now. If I could talk to my younger self, I would be way kinder about all those things.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN REALLY RESONATE WITH THAT. THERE'S CERTAIN PARTS OF US THAT WE ASSOCIATE WITH GIRLHOOD SOMETIMES. DO YOU THINK WE REALLY EVER GROW OUT OF GIRLHOOD? OR DO WE RESORT BACK TO THOSE FEELINGS THAT BELONG TO THE LITTLE GIRL INSIDE OF US EVEN AS ADULTS?
At the core of it though, I think it’s going back to a safe space inside of myself. Growing up, part of the little things that I love so much was playing on my Nintendo DS Lite, and just playing those games inside a fort that I made or being cozy in my bed, in my room full of all my posters. So for me, it's going back to that part of my childhood.
THERE’S A GENTLENESS WHEN YOU SPEAK ABOUT YOUR MEMORIES AND THAT SORT OF SELF-KINDNESS CAN ALSO BE HEARD IN YOUR MUSIC. DO YOU THINK THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAD TO LEARN CONSCIOUSLY OR IS IT SOMETHING MORE NATURAL?
I think consciously over time, or like a mix of both, at least for this upcoming album. Honestly, I wasn't in the best place at times. There was a period where my grandma and my dog passed back to back, and it was just a lot emotionally. That sent me in a deeper course of spiraling that I wanted to get out of.
For a long time, I thought that by finishing this piece of an album, maybe there's that one final song that's gonna fix it all. But that wasn't really the case. I ended with this last song called “I'm Sorry,” which for me is more vulnerable than what I'm used to. I think honestly it's a plea, needing to call for help, but then also not wanting to say to my friends or family, "Hey, I think I need help here." That was my way of yelling out and crying out. For the longest time, I always hoped that the final song would be my final message for the whole piece, but honestly, that wasn't the case for this album.
For that song and for the album overall, I hope it's a good journey from start to end [for listeners]. With my music, it's a self-reflection in the moment of where I'm at. For example, “Just Us 2” is a very simple song that could be disguised as a love song about your favorite person or whomever. But alternatively, I also view it as a song of finally embracing my own independence and choosing myself. We shot a music video for this when I was in New York, and it is just focused on me inside of this homemade fort that we would make growing up as kids. I really wanted to tie back to that nostalgia and self-love that I honestly never think I really gave myself when I was a kid.
THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC AND REALLY RESONATE WITH WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANY MUSIC THAT YOU
REALLY CONNECTED WITH OR WHETHER IT'S TAUGHT YOU HOW EXPANSIVE THE WORLD REALLY IS?
Honestly, growing up as a kid, I listened to oldies a lot. So I love the Beatles, but the first person that comes to mind is Lorde.
I loved her so much, the way she writes and expresses herself, starting from the Pure Heroine days. I thought it was so badass of how she was just putting herself out there and unfortunately, people were criticizing her at times, but in the end, it didn't seem like she gave a fuck. And tracking her progression from then till now and how she's just expanded, I really look up to her a lot.
SPEAKING OF GROWTH, THIS ALBUM HAS BEEN FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING. FOUR YEARS IS A REALLY LONG TIME FOR PEOPLE TO CHANGE AS A PERSON AND WHAT THEY LIKE AS WELL. WHAT’S CHANGED FOR YOU FROM WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED WORKING ON THE ALBUM TO NOW? AND AFTER IT RELEASES, WITH THE PROMOTION PERIOD AND EVERYTHING, DO YOU EXPECT EVEN MORE CHANGES TO HAPPEN?
When I first wrote this, I was very insecure. I'm honestly happy to say I definitely feel more self-confident since then. I thought I was doing the wrong things compared to others, especially since I mostly did everything in my bedroom compared to other peers who go into the studio.
Over the years, me and my friends have been building the visuals of this world, and about a month ago, we just shot my first music video for “Sweet Escape” and that was done in my hometown. That was my first time really being on camera and it's just so weird for me. I think there's always that anxiety with being filmed by others because you can't control everything anymore. At times, my face was so stoic and reserved. It wasn't because of the music or anything. I was in my head about how my friends were gonna see me acting this out. But after filming it, I was really happy with how it turned out. I think it's been a very healing and new process for me.
I SAW THAT YOU FILMED THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR “SWEET ESCAPE” IN LITTLE SAIGON. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO FEATURE YOUR CULTURE IN YOUR MUSIC/ARTIST JOURNEY?
It’s super important. I think growing up in Orange County, in a Vietnamese bubble, I didn't appreciate it honestly. A lot of people in my area back in high school would always want to flee and go to LA or something. I have moved to LA since then too, but I definitely appreciate home more, and I appreciate the locals here. Everyone's very kind. People were just more curious too.
When we filmed the “Sweet Escape” video, we were nervous about security because we didn’t have permits. We were just doing it whenever we could. But a lot of the older locals would just watch us as we do it. Some of them were in the back of the scene just doing their thing.
YOU MENTIONED RECORDING AND MAKING THE ALBUM IN YOUR ROOM. WHAT ROLE DOES INTUITION PLAY IN YOUR PROCESS OF CREATING MUSIC VERSUS FORMAL MUSICAL DECISION-MAKING?
Because I don't tend to work in a proper studio space right now, I think it's so important for me to just capture the idea in the moment.
TEE: DANBI X BADFORM
JACKET: DANBI
SKIRT: COYSEIO
BALLET FLATS: SANDY LIANG
TRACK
SNEAKERS:
BUTTON-UP: KKCO
PANTS: KKCO
NICOLE SALDANA
When I'm making music in my bedroom, especially for this upcoming album, everything was really on instinct. I just really try to capture the spark or the energy right when I can. I always loved the takes where I recorded raw in the moment, and it occurred a lot for this album. I would attempt to redo it later on, but the energy wasn't there anymore.
ALONG THOSE LINES, WERE THERE ANY SONGS ON THIS ALBUM THAT REALLY TRANSFORMED COMPLETELY FROM THEIR ORIGINAL DEMOS TO ITS FINAL PRODUCT?
Maybe the first one I could think of would be “Sweet Escape.” Not drastically, but I think there was a change where I wanted it to be even dancier. It was very steady throughout. But in the final form, there’s a tiny switch up in the middle just to give it more dynamic. For another one, “I'm Sorry” was originally envisioned to be way shorter. But I think I just wanted to keep it going and just keep that cathartic feeling going, so I dragged it out a little bit longer.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SAME QUESTION, HAVE YOU STARTED TO INTERPRET ANY OF THE SONGS DIFFERENTLY FROM WHEN YOU FIRST WROTE IT?
Yeah, I think for some of those really early songs, I was initially inspired by talking about someone else. But flash forward to now,
when I think of those songs, I don't really think about anyone specifically anymore. I think of this whole album as a self-dialogue with myself. I always felt that my relationships or experiences with others were more distractions from me figuring out what I want to change for myself, my life, and my reality. I think that was a big thing that really shaped how I view this album now.
WERE THERE ANY SOUNDS OR INFLUENCES THAT YOU EXPLORED WITH THIS UPCOMING PROJECT?
I’ve always loved dance music, but coming from an indie/bedroom pop background, I didn't necessarily know how to create that as a producer yet. So this album is me fusing my knowledge of that and my later knowledge of electronic music more. I was also inspired by corny dance songs too. There was one song that was used for Six Flags, and just the way it was arranged was so fun. I wanted to use those sounds of fun and dance as a distraction from the deeper and darker messages of some of my lyrics.
In the end, even if people don't want to necessarily think deeply about my songs, at least they could have a fun time and vibe. Kind of dance out. I think that's one of my goals with this piece.
Petal field
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY SRAVYA BALASA
STYLING — ISABELLA MELO & SRAVYA BALASA
MODEL — ISABELLA MELO
Daisy Grenade on the Dichotomy of Girlhood
BY JESSICA SPIERS
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY OLIVE JOLLEY
DAISY GRENADE , the alt-pop duo of Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker, knows they’re lucky, even when they don’t always feel it. Their newest single, “Girls Are So Lucky,” off their latest EP is a very tongue-in-cheek picture of what it’s like to be a woman in music, especially in the alternative scene. The track pokes fun at the experiences the women have like being mistaken for the girlfriends of the band instead of being in the band themselves and the experiences of touring where, to an outsider, it sounds glamorous, but they’re still sleeping on people’s floors and scrounging up money for food on the road. “It’s this constant give and take of feeling like I’m gonna pull my hair out and then feeling like how is this my life? I feel so lucky. And that feels like girlhood to me. Every day I'm pulling my hair out because I’m a woman but I’m also like damn, this rocks,” Nigro said.
Daisy Grenade’s newest EP, So Much To Say, starts with the loud, distinct Daisy Grenade sound, beginning with “Girls Are So Lucky.” As the project progresses into the second half, the songs get softer in sound and emotions. The duo takes their outer shell and trades it for something more vulnerable, putting together songs that are old and new to focus on a spiraling feeling, when you’re stuck in your own mind in a million different ways. “Something I’ve been thinking about a lot is having that hard shell and how it’s such a unique experience to women. We experience this dichotomy of wanting to be vulnerable but feeling like that gives something away and it takes a toll on you in a way. I think the strength that comes from being vulnerable and being soft is something that we are exploring on this record and personally,” Whittaker said. “We sort of worked backwards where we put the EP together and had a long conversation about why
we put these songs together because genre wise they’re all over the board, which is not something we’ve been afraid to do but we felt like there’s something about them where the narrative throughline of them felt like you’re stuck in this thought pattern and loop that you can’t get out of. We didn’t write them all about one thing yet the through line feels similar.” Even the name Daisy Grenade holds this dichotomy, trying to find the perfect balance between soft and hard, emotional and bold. But the duo says that it holds the perfect polarity of what it feels like to be a woman. In “It Must Be Me” on the second half of the EP, the duo sings ‘you hold me like a gun / you’re not sure if it’s loaded / but target practice sounds like fun.’ “That dichotomy is so interesting to me where it’s like this thing that is so aggressive and it’s this thing that we associate with death but you would hold it with extreme caution and care. This sentiment is how we feel on this record and how we feel in our lives,” said Whittaker.
The band also recorded a few of the songs on So Much To Say straight to tape in a church in New York City, trying to create this specific moment in time that can’t be replicated, honing in on the vulnerable theme of the record. “We’ve tried a lot of different things, gone a lot of different routes. We like to do a lot of different stuff, we don’t like to box ourselves in. This EP felt like we locked onto something that spoke to both Keaton and I that felt authentic and vulnerable but powerful. Something that felt human in a time where everything is digitally manipulated. It felt important in a lot of different facets to release this EP and this group of songs now,” Nigro said.
Nigro and Whittaker both have a background in musical theatre which continues to influence their lives and their music career. Whittaker performed in her first regional theatre at age nine and her Broadway musical at age 12; Nigro performed in her middle school musicals and regional theatre before they both decided to take a step back from the stage. They first met each other working on an ill-fated production of American Idiot , the musical based on Green Day’s album of the same name. COVID shut down the production and affected both of their theatre careers greatly. Soon after, they started brainstorming about another way they could perform together. Both women mention that theatre can sometimes take away one’s sense of individuality and they bonded over the dread they experience from stepping into an audition room so they pivoted and decided to discuss their music tastes and thought about what it would be like to perform together as a band, even though making this career jump
was never something they planned on doing. “I think that musical theatre is something that gets really deep into you really fast and it will always be with me as an inspiration and something I still do occasionally. I think both of us have found so much more self expression in music and this sense of individuality is sort of celebrated instead of crushed. It’s been a weird journey getting out of that and into this.”
Daisy Grenade is soon embarking on their first headlining tour with an already lengthy resume of opening for other artists on tours such as State Champs and Pierce The Veil and playing many festivals including Vans Warped Tour and When We Were Young. Advocacy is important to the band, with $1 from every ticket going towards Let’s Give A Damn Foundation and in the past they’ve held fundraisers for organizations such as Center for Reproductive Rights and New York Immigration Coalition. Their live performances are influenced by their theatre background, while during our interview, all three of us agree that everything is theatre. The duo hopes that their shows can give a bit of respite for people, to feel like someone else is finally going through what they’re doing through and they can relate to the dichotomy of Daisy Grenade. “I hope people can walk away from the show being like, ‘I feel better.’ Maybe you screamed, maybe you danced, maybe you released something. I hope people can come in with whatever it is that they’re carrying that day and leave a little lighter,” said Nigro.
What
Is It There?
When the fact that Korea is already tomorrow pierces the stillness of an LA afternoon, unforgettable memories surface from that dislocation of time. In Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-liang's 2001 masterpiece, What Time Is It There?, a watch salesman in Taipei is obsessed with a woman who has left for Paris and ends up turning the hands of every watch he encounters into her time zone. It's a reckless and beautiful gesture to break down geographic distance through the synchronization of cogs and clock hands.
As an independent film director working in LA, my life is often measured by the 14-hour time difference between the rented room in the United States and my family’s house in South Korea. It was for the same reason that the title of the photo book made of family photos taken while visiting Korea in October 2025, the first visit in three years, was taken from the title of Tsai Ming-liang's film.
In my short doc, After the Storm , I explore the intersection of past trauma and physical distance between me and my mom, who had to quit drinking. One of the hardest parts of recording family trauma is the desire to hide the 'shameful' aspects. For a long time, I didn't even admit that my mom was an alcoholic. I covered my childhood wounds, hoping that this distance and time difference would erase my trauma. But like the characters in the world of Tsai Ming-liang, I found that distance is a valuable condition that allows us to face each other without turning away from each other.
In the morning after binge drinking, my mom said in a blurry voice, "I'm trying to give you the inspiration for your movie..." She used to say it, but I knew that she said it because she felt guilty and embarrassed. In fact, it was a difficult sentence for a girl who was dreaming of being a movie director at the time to accept. For years, I couldn't understand this irony. However, in the process of making After the Storm, I had to move away from the role of a wounded girl to the position of a "reflexive" observer.
In the doc, I captured what I think is both the most vulnerable moment in my daily life and a meditative time. California's waterfall-like golden sunlight coming into a small window is a metaphor for healing and hope. On the screen of my laptop, my mom’s face is floating on the other side of the world, connected through a video call. Instead of capturing the screen, I set up a chair in a local park and a laptop on top of that chair.
This is in line with the aesthetics of "Slow Cinema," where nothing seems to be happening, but everything is changing. I filmed ordinary daily lives in the States, such as taking a shower or walking on the beach. This is the rhythm of life after a "storm." By contrasting the still moments in life in the United States with the heavy conversations on the laptop screen, I wanted to show that healing is not a singular but a continuation of daily routine.
By the end of the call, my mom asked me if I had eaten well, no matter how heavy the topic of conversation was. This is the warmest yet most common question in Korean society to ask how the other person is doing. This is a confirmation that acknowledges that despite trauma, alcoholism, and a three-year hiatus, our relationship is "still ongoing."
Sitting in the middle of a dark theater as an audience member and watching my most vulnerable moments together with hundreds of strangers somehow created a sense of fear. When After the Storm began to be screened at NFFTY (National Film Festival for Youth 2025), the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), and the San Diego Asian Film Festival, I felt like a person standing alone naked in a crowded room rather than a director.
During a Q&A session, a programmer asked this question: "Where did you get the courage to reveal your traumatic past?" I didn't have an answer at the moment. I just knew that editing out the embarrassing pain would mean editing out the truth of my relationship with my mom. Tsai Ming-liang’s film does not avoid awkward, silent, sometimes painful moments in which people struggle to connect with each other. I also realized that vulnerability is not a weakness. It is the most active form of courage and a powerful weapon an artist can have.
After making that doc, I visited Korea in October 2025, which was my first visit in three years. During that time, our family had moved from an apartment into a house, and in that new home, there was no room for me. Ever since my mom had recovered from a brain stroke, she could no longer live in a high-rise building due to per-
sistent dizziness. Having spent my days in LA merely struggling to survive and make ends meet, returning home finally offered me a moment to breathe and the space to take photographs of my family. My younger brother, who had been just an elementary school student when I left, was now a middle schooler who had already grown taller than me. My mom seemed to have shrunk even smaller, while the weight on my dad’s shoulders appeared heavier than ever. Even as I took close-up photos of my mom, dad, and brother, I knew it was impossible to fully grasp everything that had transpired during those three years I was absent. After wrapping up my brief trip, I looked through the family photos I had captured on the Fujifilm camera, and a whirlwind of complex emotions washed over me all at once. When did my mom and dad grow so old? Why were their faces suddenly etched with so many wrinkles? Why had my brother shot up in height so dramatically in the time we were apart? And what exactly had “I” been doing in the U.S. while my family was enduring such difficult times? Yet, amidst all these thoughts, I also felt a profound sense of relief that, at least, I had been able to see them this time around.
My short documentary After the Storm and the photobook What Time Is It There? are the works that enabled me to accept the anxious and wounded child within me, exactly as I was.
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY SAMMI SMITH
HAIR — KIM DOW
MAKEUP — ASHLEY SIMMONS
STYLING — BRANDEN RUIZ
LIGHTING — MORGANNE BOULDEN
SET DESIGN — JENN SCOTT
BTS & ONSITE ASSISTANT — HILLARY KIM
BTS — HEATHER DEVINE
DRESS: LE THANH HOA
For some time, KARLEE GIRL felt like she was floating. After Dream Academy, she found herself suspended in space, not knowing what was next for her. For anyone, that uncertainty would be outright terrifying. KARLEE GIRL found beauty in it.
Although her love for space started at a young age, it wasn’t until she got cut from Dream Academy that she took the idea of space literally: “[After Dream Academy, I] felt like I was floating. I’m trying to explain, as the best way possible, floating in an empty space and looking at everything around me; everything is beautiful, but I don’t know where the fuck I’m going. I don’t have any control over where I’m going. But I’m liking it. I’m fine. I’m okay. It’s unknown, and it’s uncontrollable, but it’s so beautiful.”
Enter: Interstellar. Watching the film for the first time unlocked something. The inspiration poured through her. For three hours, long after the movie ended, KARLEE GIRL spilled all her ideas into a notebook. “All the barriers that I held back of ‘What if this is a stupid idea?’ or ‘What if this isn’t right?’ kind of vanished because I was so inspired by Christopher Nolan’s artistry in this movie. [...] That was kind of the second biggest turning point for me.”
GROWING UP AS KARLEE GIRL
Before stepping into her solo career, KARLEE GIRL spent years growing up in front of audiences on reality competitions (see Netflix’s Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE ) and in the public eye. When asked what surprised her growing up in front of so many people, she mentions having to learn things her own way, such as “you can be powerful, confident, and strong and still be a kind, soft, and loving person at the core. Because I’ve always seen myself as a kind, loving, wearing my heart on my sleeve, empathetic girl, and I hated that even though that’s really who I am. I always try to be the Maddy Perez and the strong woman who does not give two fucks,” says KARLEE GIRL.
“I slowly found that you can have both. It’s hard, and you need to be willing to put in the work to find that balance, but as you grow up and discover who you are at your core, you can always embrace that and still embody what you aspire to be. That realization has changed my viewpoint that I can still carry myself, and I don’t have to pretend to be someone else. [...] I would always pretend to be the strongest girl in the room, but that’s not who I am. But I also don’t want people to step over me, especially because I’m an Asian American girl in this industry, and I will be underestimated. I will need to stand up for myself.”
If Karlee from Dream Academy back then were to meet KARLEE GIRL today, what would she tell herself? “That I’m a solo artist trying to sign with labels. I’d be like, ‘Is she okay? Does she know what she’s doing?’ I would be very surprised.”
LEADING WITH HEART
Shifting topics, we focus on the theme of this issue: Girlhood and what it means to KARLEE GIRL. “Learning in this world means to live with your heart, but also have your guard up. Another big part is falling flat on your face and finding out that other girls are going through really similar experiences that feel really personal and niche to you, but are very universal to all girls.”
KARLEE GIRL's definition of girlhood isn't rooted in softness alone. It's about learning when to lead with your heart and when to protect it.
“All girls have so much love in them and so much caring, kindness, and I’m sure we’d love to live that way, but there is so much about this world, unfortunately, being a woman, men in this world, power, everything that makes you need to learn how to operate in this world with both your heart and your head.”
Since entering the industry, her idea of girlhood has changed slightly. “Some made me think I needed to be [like a] Mariah Carey at all times to keep myself safe, but then finding out that everyone else in this music industry is human, sometimes not everyone acts like humans, but the people you want to work with are human. So, to some extent, there will be a soft, loving side of this industry, and a hard, don’t fuck with me side. It really is okay to have both because there are a lot of people in this industry who have both, and those tend to be the ones you connect with the most because they can be with you and protect you.”
RIGHT BACK WHERE SHE BEGAN
With these new discoveries and ideas laid out on paper, she eventually found the direction her project was taking, while at the very back of her mind, she was still figuring herself out as an artist. This eye-opening moment also allowed her to look back to her roots. “First and foremost, I’m a child of Ariana. I know everyone knows, but I really did grow up on Ms. Grande. I’m very inspired by her.”
For those familiar with her work, it’s easy to hear Ariana Grande’s influence in KARLEE GIRL’s melodies, but the artists who shaped her stretch far beyond pop.
From Ariana Grande to Earth, Wind & Fire (thanks to her dad), to Girls' Generation (thanks to her mom), to Skrillex (thanks to her brother), she’s had a mix of genres that show through in her music, with a stronger R&B/pop lean.
KARLEE GIRL has recently received comments about the similarities between her and Doja Cat circa 2020 TikTok, and while she loves that, since she was also a huge inspiration, she’s working hard to ensure she’s making a name for herself.
WHAT NOW?
KARLEE GIRL’s latest release, “What Now?” is her latest single released in 2026. Rather than speculate about the meaning behind “What Now?,” we asked KARLEE GIRL directly. For reference, look up KARLEE GIRL’s video explaining “Right Back” on TikTok.
After playing a round of We're Not Really Strangers with a group of friends, someone got the question, “What is your biggest anxiety right now?” The answer one of her friends gave was a true testament to the game: “He was like, ‘Honestly, I just decided I don’t want to do directing anymore, which I thought I was going to do my whole life. Since I decided to do that, I’m kind of like, what now?’ and the whole room fell silent.”
KARLEE GIRL was so inspired by those two words that she wrote her new song soon after. “That’s the most human anxiety-inducing thing. Humans crave directions and goals so much, especially in this society, that when we don’t have them, we just freak the fuck out.”
Looking back at her life, KARLEE GIRL lists off her series of “What Now?” moments.
“Getting into Berklee College of Music. Is this what I really want? I thought this was what I wanted. What now? ”
“Got cut from Pop Star Academy ? What now? ”
“Even did Building the Band. Got cut from that. What now?”
“Right Back blocking the fuck up. What now?” (ICYDK, the song popped off while Karlee was at her first Coachella with Yoon Chae)
“I even had a moment when I wasn't sure if this music thing was for me, years ago. Fuck, what now?”
So what now for KARLEE GIRL as we wrap up our Zoom chat? More music. And possibly an album?
“I know that a lot of artists do the EP and then the album, but I feel very strongly about the project. I would love to release an album in the near future. I think they’re gonna find a lot more fun sounds being introduced.”
With more trust in her writing skills and melody choices, it seems like the girl who once felt lost in space now sounds right at home. And if “What Now?” is any indication, she’s no longer afraid of not knowing what’s next.
LONG HAIR OR BOB?
Bob.
CHOREOGRAPHY OR FREESTYLE?
Oh, if you asked me last year, choreography. But, freestyle now.
PRACTICING UP UNTIL 2 A.M. OR WAKING UP AT 5 A.M.?
Practicing until 2 a.m. That's what I do. That’s literally my life right now.
READING THE COMMENTS SECTION OR AVOIDING IT COMPLETELY?
Read the comment section, honestly. Because I think avoiding it completely is very hard. I think it's good to just get an idea. And if I'm gonna be on my social media, I have to see the comments anyway. I might as well learn how to handle it.
STUDIO SESSIONS OR LIVE PERFORMANCES?
I haven't done enough live performances. Studio sessions.
IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO GIVE A NAME TO A PLANET, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
Planet Her in honor of Doja Cat.
TOP 5 SONGS YOU'RE PUTTING ON REPEAT THIS SUMMER? Kickin' Incredibly Dope Shit (Intro) - Mac Miller BOSS COFFEE Remix (feat. Lord Sko & LIFEOFTHOM) - Yoshi T Ladies Room - Olivia Dean SHE DID IT AGAIN (feat. Zara Larsson) - Tyla Let’s Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire
YOUR IDEAL SUMMER DAY?
At the “Right Back” pool! I’m an island girl at heart. Going to the beach, lying on the sand with my girls. A sunny day. Eating my meals on time. And, going to sleep by 10 p.m. That is not very summer, but that would be an ideal summer day.
A SPECIAL MESSAGE THAT YOU LOVE TO SEND TO YOUR FANS?
I hope you're eating your meals on time and staying hydrated. Thank you. So many of them are day ones. So many of them have been there from the beginning, which is so incredible to me. I always say this, but if I saw myself in Dream Academy, I wouldn't be a fan. I don't know why. I don't think I would be a fan of myself. Shout-out to all the people who have been there from the beginning, and to all the people I'm enjoying now, but so many of them really have been there from the get-go, which is so incredible. Thank you for sticking with me.
I hope my music heals you or gives you confidence in some form, and I hope you guys can always look deeper into my artistry and who I am as a person, because each song is trying to tell you something, and I hope that message translates.
Girlhood on Display
BY AMANDA LA
Laughing with friends, dressing up and putting on makeup for the first time, and daydreaming about schoolgirl crushes are what we often associate with girlhood. But what about the uglier parts of it? The first friendship breakup we encounter, feeling insecure about our changing bodies, and the embarrassing interactions that keep us up at night…those are also undeniably quintessential girlhood experiences. Do we ever really outgrow those? When we feel those awkward moments as adults, it often feels like we’re reverting back to our younger selves. It reminds us that girlhood is not all sunshine and rainbows, sometimes it’s a state of mind that we can’t escape, but here are some media pieces to help us reconcile with that.
Derry Girls
From the TikTok clips I had seen of the show, I was expecting it to be a lighthearted Irish comedy, but the series proved to be more than that. We meet the characters when they’re just 15 and the series ends when they’re 18, the show captures the moments of obnoxiousness and brazen audacity all teenagers seem to have while also highlighting friendship, family, and continuing to live life even amongst hard times. It reminds you of the humiliation ritual of being young and dumb: the desperation to be popular, the deep desire to impress your crush even at the cost of your dignity, and participating in schemes that you end up getting in trouble for. But beneath all their antics is a quieter truth that’s hard to acknowledge sometimes: of wanting to stay a girl, just a little bit longer, especially as you can feel the world around you change as your childhood slips away.
DERRY GIRLS, NETFLIX
“Girl,
So
Confusing” (ft. Lorde) — Charli XCX
Part of girlhood is trying to figure out the unwarranted and at times, irrational jealousy that you have towards other girls. You’re not proud of it, but you can’t stop it from happening either. And sometimes all you can do? Be aware of it and act accordingly. If you ever decide to clear the air, this is the anthem for you. It shows that everyone has their own insecurities, and if you tell the other person, your friendship might come out stronger.
“Brand New City” — Mitski
A big part of girlhood is reinvention. You’re constantly reshaping yourself into who you think others want you to be, and with that is a sense of deep insecurity of whether you will ever be enough as you are. One line in particular stands out as a requirement of being a girl, “But if I gave up on being pretty / I wouldn't know how to be alive.” It speaks to the pressure to be desirable, and the way beauty can start to feel less like a choice and more like a requirement for existence. The song’s intensity with its heavy guitar and anguish delivery of the lyrics mirror the feeling of being trapped in your own expectations, while allowing for a cathartic release for emotions that you’re expected to deal with yourself.
MITSKI, SPOTIFY
LORDE X CHARLI XCX, SPOTIFY
The bubbling rush of emotions that can whiplash from one extreme to another is one that we’ve all experienced and feel (maybe) embarrassed about. Inside Out helps to better understand the complexity of the emotional landscape that can seem more like a war zone. It also tackles the expectations that many girls seem to face when growing up: having to perform happiness and needing to shelve back the negative emotions even when facing external pressures that can make your emotions go haywire.
If Derry Girls captures the absurdity of youth, then Skam embodies the mess that comes at the breaking point in girlhood, where every emotion is amplified and it feels like the world is closing in on you. Centered around a core group of girlfriends and their extended friends, the characters go through friendship betrayals, first heartbreaks, having to come out to friends and family, dealing with mental illness and eating disorders, and trying to balance religious values with the modern world. While it’s been adapted and re-made numerous times to fit different cultures, the core points have always been the same. There’s a beauty in seeing how despite how different everyone’s lives can be, there’s a universality in how overwhelming it can feel to exist at that age, when you’re just trying to survive another day.
INSIDE OUT, DISNEY/PIXAR
Skam
SKAM, NRK
Inside Out (2015) dir. Pete Docter
Aftersun (2022) dir. Charlotte Wells
Something we might not think about is how girlhood is when we start seeing our parents in a different light. They’re no longer the impenetrable heroes we had once platformed them to be, but instead, they’re humans who are often exhausted, tense, and worried. But while we can observe these details, we still lack the ability to fully comprehend it. Aftersun captures that uneasy space between noticing and understanding. But more than anything, it's a reflection on the memories we have with our parents and how, years later, we revisit them with a different understanding of the people we thought we knew.
“I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” — Britney Spears
And maybe that’s the thing — being a girl isn’t something you can ever fully leave behind. It’s something that we will inevitably return to at different stages in our lives. We’re at our most vulnerable when we experience girlhood. And even as we grow older, there are moments that pull us back into that version of ourselves we thought we had outgrown. We’ll forever live in this state of limbo that Britney Spears describes as being not a girl, but not yet a woman either.
AFTERSUN, TK
BRITNEY SPEARS, SPOTIFY
yves on sincerity and sensation
BY UMA SNOW
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY
LIANA GLENNON HAIR – JESSIE LEE, M HAIR & BEAUTY SALON
STYLING – JIEUN KIM & TEAM IBAEKILHO
STYLING ASSISTANTS – JAESOON KIM & JUNHA KIM
South Korean singer-songwriter YVES may have risen to prominence as a member of the K-Pop girl group LOONA, but it is her present career as a soloist that sets her apart as a versatile, boundary-pushing artist. Just earlier this year, Yves dropped NAIL , a fivetrack EP that shifts and flows through genres and targets the physical sensations. Following her successful tour of North and Latin America, Local Wolves had the pleasure to connect with her to discuss her recent music and endeavors.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO FINDING YOUR OWN UNIQUE STYLE AND SOUND AS A SOLO ARTIST. HAS IT BEEN DIFFICULT OR DOES IT COME TO YOU EASILY? WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN CREATING AN IDENTITY AS A SOLOIST?
I don’t think it was especially difficult for me. I’ve always been the kind of person who has a lot of things I want to try, and even when I was doing group activities, I would already think, “One day I really want to try something like this.” So now it feels like I’m finally getting to realize those ideas one by one.
It doesn’t feel like I’m forcing myself into a certain image. I’m naturally choosing the things I genuinely want to wear and express. And I think that’s the most important thing for me as a solo artist— naturalness. If something feels even a little forced, then it doesn’t feel real to me. I always want it to feel like something that’s actually coming from me.
NAIL MOVES THROUGH DIFFERENT GENRES, BUT STILL FEELS VERY COHESIVE. WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS, MUSICALLY, FOR THIS ALBUM? HOW DID YOU APPROACH DEVELOPING ITS SOUND?
Rather than thinking, “I want to show this side of myself,” I think this album came together more naturally than that. I just tried to be honest with each track and tell my story in the most sincere way I could, and because of that, the album ended up feeling very connected as a whole. A lot of the ideas came from things that feel close to everyday life, so I think that also helped make the album feel organic.
IOAH worked on the sound itself. For me, the biggest part was thinking about how to bring my voice and my own color into each song. With “It,” I wanted to hold onto something very emotional and honest. With “birth,” because it’s a song about being born, I wanted it to feel a little more hopeful.
SONGS LIKE “IT” AND “HALO” FEEL VERY ATMOSPHERIC. YOU’VE MENTIONED WANTING TO FOCUS ON PHYSICAL SENSATIONS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? WHAT EXPERIENCE DID YOU WANT YOUR LISTENERS TO HAVE?
Emotions can be really different from person to person. Even if people watch the same movie, someone might feel happy and someone else might feel sad because of their own memories or experiences.
But physical sensation feels more instinctive to me. If something pricks you, everyone understands that sharp feeling right away. That kind of reaction feels more immediate and universal.
So, with my music, of course I wanted people to feel different emotions in their own way. But at the same time, I wanted their bodies to react first. Maybe they dance without thinking, or maybe their body naturally softens when they hear something emotional. I liked the idea of music reaching you in that instinctive way first.
I AM INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT YOUR SONGWRITING PROGRESS. HOW DOES A SONG GO FROM IDEA TO FINAL TRACK?
Usually, I start by talking to IOAH about the kind of mood or genre I want. Then we build the track together from there, and while that’s happening, I start trying melodies on top of it right away. So it becomes fuller little by little in a very natural way.
When it comes to lyrics, I think I focus better when I’m alone, so I usually take a little time and come back to it later. I keep listening to the track and follow whatever emotions or thoughts come up. It’s almost like I’m writing a story, or just writing down my feelings very honestly. After that, I go back and shape the words so they fit the syllables and rhythm better. I think that’s just become my own way of working.
DO YOU HAVE A CURRENT FAVORITE SONG OFF OF NAIL?
Right now, I would say “birth.” Today is actually my birthday, and I performed “birth” in Chicago, so singing a song about being born on the day I was born made it feel even more sincere to me.
More than feeling like I was being celebrated, I felt really grateful. All of those people were born into their own lives, lived through their own stories, and somehow ended up there to meet me. That felt really special to me. After Chicago, “birth” started to feel even more precious, and it also made me think that I want to make more songs with that kind of heart.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR YEAR?
When I look back on this past year, of course the time I spent with my fans is something I can never leave out. Those moments are always so important to me.
But personally, one moment that really stays with me is a latenight conversation I had with my sister. There was a time when I was really hurt by other people’s words and started doubting myself a lot. And during that time, she told me, “You’re doing so well, and you’re definitely going to do well.” She also told me, “Like every hard time before, this will pass too.”
That conversation gave me so much comfort. So when I think about the highlight of my year, that moment comes to mind first.
YOU MENTIONED HAVING A FEW SCARY DREAMS WHILE WORKING ON THE ALBUM, AND THAT YOU WERE A BIT NERVOUS ABOUT HOW IT WOULD BE RECEIVED BY FANS. HOW DOES IT FEEL NOW, SEEING ALL OF THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM YOUR FANS AND GETTING TO PERFORM NEW SONGS IN FRONT OF THEM?
Honestly, I think I worry like that with every album. It wasn’t just this one. But I also think that kind of fear is just part of the creative process. Before, I think it was more just fear, but now there’s also excitement inside it.
Of course, I always hope my fans will love what I make, but I’m also the type of person who reads a lot of comments because I want honest reactions. Sometimes I do come across things that hurt a little. Before, I would have been much more shaken by that, but now I think I’ve learned to turn that feeling into motivation. It makes me want to make something better, something stronger.
And honestly, just being on tour right now and getting to sing songs that hold my real feelings means a lot to me. When fans sing along to new songs, that makes me really happy.
WHAT ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING AND MOST REWARDING PARTS OF TOURING?
The hardest part is probably…waking up in the morning. I really love sleeping, so that part is always hard for me. But once I get to the venue, it’s strange—I come back to life.
Before rehearsal, my energy can be kind of low, but once the music starts playing and I begin talking with the directors, I suddenly feel myself waking up. And then on stage, getting to really connect with the fans in that moment—I think that’s probably the most beautiful and rewarding part of touring.
IF YOU COULD GIVE ADVICE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
When I think about myself as a child, I remember doing all these silly things—like hiding under the bed or behind the curtains—because I wanted more love from my mom. And now, when I look at my life and see that I’m receiving love from so many fans around the world, I think I would want to tell my younger self this:
“You’re going to be loved so much. Not only by your mom, but by so many people whose names you don’t even know yet.”
NUNS, FINDING YOURSELF, AND CALIFORNIA COASTLINES:
NIKO RUBIO IS DYING TO BE YOUR SUNDAY GIRL
BY ANG CRUZ
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY EMMA FISCHER
HAIR & MAKEUP — NIKO RUBIO
WARDROBE — CONTESSA MILLS & THE VINTAGE TWIN
NIKO RUBIO isn’t just a songwriter, she creates worlds. With multiple EPs under her belt, her music transports you into whatever universe she’s creating while always consistently containing her indistinguishable charm. Rubio’s fans can easily recognize her witty yet vulnerable lyricism and the audio fusion of her Mexican-Salvadoran upbringing and Los Angeles-based childhood.
With her latest release, Sunday Girl, Rubio treats the songs like a confession—telling the story of heartbreak and desire from the point-of-view of a nun moonlighting as a lounge singer. Now finished with her first headline tour, Local Wolves chatted with Rubio about her inspirations, process, and what’s to come for this rising star.
YOUR EP, SUNDAY GIRL , FEELS VERY PERSONAL. WHAT DOES SUNDAY GIRL MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT PARTS OF YOURSELF DOES THIS PROJECT HOLD?
For this project specifically, I really want it to be about feeling liberated within sex and love. It represents a free girl—a bad girl—that's her whole thing. The storyline I tell at the shows is that she’s a bad girl nun who sneaks out of the church at night and sings at a lounge, and that's what the performance is. It's a reference to feeling like I've never been able to open up about sex and heartbreak in that way until this project.
WHAT PARTS OF YOUR SALVADORAN AND MEXICAN BACKGROUND NATURALLY FIND THEIR WAY INTO YOUR WORK?
I think that all the music that I grew up listening to gradually ends up in my work in some way, shape or form. I don't hold myself to any genre. I use music as a platform for my art to test myself and to test my creativity. So, if that means that there are projects where my Mexican and Salvadoran heritage are really prominent like Mar y Tierra and Ring Ring . Those are both very inspired by songs that I grew up listening to at grandma and grandpa's house on both sides of my family—which is why it's super Latin but also indie rock driven.
AS A LATINA ARTIST CREATING TODAY, WHAT FEELS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REPRESENT NOT JUST IN YOUR MUSIC BUT ALSO IN THE SPACE YOU OCCUPY?
I think as a Latina today, it's really important to believe in yourself, even when it stops being the popular thing. I think for me, making sure to always be true to my roots and to what I love and to why I love it. To represent the Latina that I truly am is really important and to not get caught in trends. To represent freedom, represent the ability to try and be a part of a million genres—I think is really important because that's my goal. I think being a representation of just a girl that just wants to make art is something that a lot of women of color don't get to do and now they're getting to do.
We also do fundraising for nonprofits at my shows, and are trying our hardest to help the community as much as possible. It’s a reminder to never stop caring about what’s happening in our country right now.
YOU MENTIONED LOVING MULTIPLE GENRES AND WANTING TO MAKE AS MUCH MUSIC AS POSSIBLE, DID YOU EVER RECEIVE ANY PUSHBACK FOR WANTING TO BE SO LIKE WANTING TO EXPLORE SO MUCH?
I’m so lucky to have a team that lets me do what I’ve wanted because they're like, 'Why wouldn't we let you do that?” I don't ever want to put limits on myself. There will be a point where I have to push back on myself. For sure, like for whatever the first album is. But I'm excited to put limitations on it because that'll be the test.
GOING BACK TO OUR THEME, WHAT DID GIRLHOOD LOOK LIKE FOR YOU GROWING UP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA?
It was the best. It makes me want to cry because I can just think about all my friends and like how awesome it was to just be at the beach. My grandpa had horses growing up, and all the girls would come over to my house because grandpa wouldn’t let me sleep over at anyone else’s house. Then we would all drive to the beach, get $5 spam musubi, then go hang out until the sun went down. We smoked bad girl cigarettes and it was so silly and fun. I don't want anything else ever in my life.
YOU'VE COLLABORATED WITH A LOT OF SOCAL ARTISTS LIKE CUCO AND THE TWO LIPS. IN WHAT WAYS HAS THE SOCAL MUSIC SCENE INSPIRED YOU IN YOUR MUSIC AND YOUR ARTISTRY?
The SoCal music scene is everything to my artistry. It's everything. It's, you know, it's the reason why I'm here. It's the reason why I make music. Gwen Stefani, Mazzy Star, Sublime, and all these artists came out of Southern California. And I fully feel like they represent me.
Seeing artists like The Two Lips, who I have super similar backgrounds with and love, take music in different directions than me is really cool. You can see how different artists can be inspired by the same thing and take it in totally different ways. And Cuco is just the coolest— like he’s just such a sick guy. We’re all Latinos, and it’s cool to see there’s a space for us and that people get it, understand it, and feel represented by it.
GOING BACK TO SUNDAY GIRL. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF WHEN YOU WERE FIRST STARTING OUT?
If there was any advice I would give myself prior to making this EP, it would maybe just to have patience. I feel really good and very lucky that I'm trusting all of my decisions right now. I'm in a good place of trusting.
WERE THERE ANY SPECIFIC MOVIES OR SONGS THAT INSPIRED SUNDAY GIRL?
It's kind of based more on musicians, photographers, and books. So Eve Babitz was a really important part of this project. I don't know if you've read any of Eve Babitz’s books, but she's amazing—the queen of LA. There were little things in her world of LA that I was very inspired by. Also, David Lynch, obviously—specifically Mulholland Drive. There's like Lynchian aspects to the color and emotion that I take from. Also Lily Allen's music videos and songwriting style are really important to me. So musically my inspirations were like Eve Babitz, old Gwen Stefani, Lily Allen, Sade, Erykah Badu. There's like a bunch of women who inspired me.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?
I would love to be on tour, so hopefully, doing another tour. And making another project and just growing the world and continuing building what has been built. I think it's time to make an album, to be honest with you. The time has come. We have tested enough. We now know what we love. We now know what we want to do. It’ll be really fun to play with the world that I'm trying to play with for the album. I have a pretty clear vision of what I want it to be, and it's kind of like a culmination of everything. I think it will be very fun and challenging for me and I'm really excited.
PRECISION UNDER PRESSURE
BY MARA GO
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY SRAVYA BALASA HAIR & MAKEUP — CHLOE YANG
She knows. Amid the ever-manic fashion industry calendar, wardrobe stylist, designer, and multimedia artist TIANYUN LAN knows what many try to grasp early in their career. No. Scratch that. She just doesn’t know. She understands. Wholly. Clearly. Completely. The process is just as important as the outcome.
“Process shapes meaning just as much, just as much as the final result. The way an idea is developed often determines the depth and the integrity of the work,” she tells Local Wolves when asked about the best lesson she learned from working in the industry.
These days, when Lan encounters a beautiful piece of work, her curiosity extends beyond what is visible. She finds herself wondering about the journey behind it—the hours, decisions, revisions, and dedication that brought it to life. “When I see a beautiful work, I will question myself. I will ponder or even ask the creator, like how much work or how much time you took to create this, instead of just focusing on the work. Because I think, yeah, again, like the process is just important. So I cherish it as much as seeing the result.”
There is no posturing here. Lan thinks out loud yet speaks with absolute composure on what she learned, lived, and loved. What I am getting here is that fashion became her language while creating became second nature.
This course is natural for someone who calls art as a part of her childhood. “I've always been very interested and evolved in arts, like fine arts, fine arts to be specific,” she tells Local Wolves . “I wasn't really like the stereotypical, you know, born to be designer type of kid, like, you know, those kids who grew up playing Barbie and all that. But for me, I've always been in art classes, like, I think, since elementary school. It's just, it's always been part of my daily life.”
Art was never a phase or a passing interest. It was a constant presence. Yet it was Los Angeles that introduced a new reality.
“Being in a big city like Los Angeles made me realize I have to somehow like to commercialize, or to be able to sell my art to make a living,” she says. It was a difficult realization to confront at a young age, but one that ultimately redirected rather than diminished her creativity. Fashion soon emerged as a compelling middle ground between artistic expression and commercial viability.
“I have learned that fashion is a great balance between commercial and artistic expression. In the same season, I also began to get into fashion and started noticing how people dress, which later inspired me to get an internship in fashion. I scored my first internship when I was a junior in high school.”
That first opportunity came through Select Designer Boutique in Beverly Hills. “That was my start,” Lan recalls. “Since then, I just got more and more involved in the fashion world. I started doing many other internships, from fashion design to technical roles for brands.”
Her curiosity only expanded as she progressed through her journey in Fashion Design and Fashion Business at Parsons School of
Design. “When I was studying fashion, I did more PR, casting, and internships. I wanted to try everything in the industry, even if it wasn’t directly related to making clothes.”
While Lan often says she entered fashion without a clear roadmap, her trajectory reveals something else entirely: an instinct to explore. Rather than confining herself to a single discipline, she immersed herself in every corner of the industry, gathering experiences that would later shape her perspective as a stylist. In doing so, she came to understand fashion as both artistic expression and applied craft, a duality that continues to define her work today.
In this exclusive interview, Tianyun Lan reflects on creative growth, artistic integrity, and why meaning is often found in the making just as much as in the finished work.
WHAT’S YOUR HOTTEST TAKE IN FASHION RIGHT NOW?
My approach to design and fashion is closely connected to this idea, and I've even created a collection inspired by it. For me, fashion loses its intrigue when the clothes are perfect. The fashion industry often prioritizes a pristine presentation, emphasizing that clothing should remain in the same condition as when it was purchased. However, that's not reality. Our clothes naturally evolve as we wear them, whether through changes in color, signs of wear, or fraying threads. These alterations are all part of the clothing's journey, and I believe they add character. When clothes are in perfect condition, they become less interesting. That's my perspective.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE COLLECTION. YOU RECENTLY MADE A RUNWAY SHOWCASE AT BUFFALO FASHION WEEK. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH YOUR COLLECTION?
The collection that I showcased is called Impermanence. I reimagined clothes as evolving narratives rather than fixed forms, blending these influences into my work to create designs that challenge conventions and reflect my distinctive vision, which is that clothing should never remain perfect. By doing so, by creating this collection, I actually, for myself, think I created a living archive that reveals that clothing should never be confined to the pristine perfection of a product photo on a retailer's website. Garment does not end when it's purchased, and it is only beginning.
The theme of impermanence in my work reflects my general approach to creativity. I believe that nothing remains fixed for long; ideas, images, and even garments evolve through use, context, and repetition. I have learned to embrace this fluidity rather than resist it, applying this mindset to all aspects of my life. Now, as I look back at my first collection compared to my recent one, I can see how this concept has influenced my journey.
WHAT DOES THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF CREATING THIS COLLECTION LOOK LIKE? CAN YOU SHARE WITH US THE TRUTH OF WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES?
Creating this collection took an incredible amount of time. Many people tend to underestimate the time involved in the process. It's often about the outcome versus the journey taken to get there. This collection features five looks, which amounts to ten pieces in total. While five looks may seem small, it's important to note that larger brands typically present 10 to 20 looks at their runway
shows. Nowadays, audiences are so accustomed to seeing a wide range of products that they may not realize how much effort goes into developing a collection, even one with only five looks. In my case, the entire process was solely my responsibility.
I've had help from here and there, including some help with selling, but I essentially created everything from scratch. This included printing and dyeing the fabric, as well as sourcing it from the garment district in New York. Overall, I believe this collection took nearly a year to complete, starting from research and gathering references to organizing photo shoots and writing poetry that complements the collection.
HOW DOES YOUR PROCESS DIFFER BETWEEN BEING A STYLIST AND BEING A DESIGNER?
Looking back, I realize that there is a significant difference between designing and styling. Designers invest a lot of time and effort into long-term projects. During the time I was creating, I found myself constantly pondering my next steps and how I could delve deeper into the topic. Ideas were always on my mind, and the creative process felt continuous. In contrast, styling tends to be more short-term. While it can be stressful to prepare and execute projects in just a few days, I appreciate that the pressure doesn't last long. On the other hand, design requires a long-term commitment—once you are committed, it can take several weeks or even months, depending on the size of the collection.
FASHION WEARS GLAMOR AS AN ILLUSION. BUT WHAT MANY DON'T KNOW IS THAT IT REQUIRES WORK! WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACED, AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?
I think the biggest one in styling is definitely the pace of growth. I think when people first start out doing styling in a big city, there's a lot of competition. And there are a lot of people who wanted to be, also wanted to be where you want to be. And there are just so many stylists out there. Not gonna lie, like in New York City, like anyone could be a stylist. So naturally, I think growth comes very slowly. When I first started, I think for a year or for two years, or even more, I mean, it's expected, but I was doing a lot of unpaid work.
A lot of collaborations that some, you know, led to very good works, and some even led to nothing, because you never know. A lot of times you don't know what you're going to get when, you know, heading into a collaboration. Many times, maybe the work will come out, but it will not be able to fit in with your current portfolio. And many other times, maybe the collaborators are just not aligned with you in terms of direction. And so, I think in the first few years when I started, growth was really slow. And it took me a long time to get actual paying clients. And I think that, especially in the early stages, it's so easy to say, "Oh, like, this is not going to work,” or "Oh, this is taking forever. And I don't know when I could actually start getting paid jobs.” I had a lot of questions like that. But eventually, I think that as long as you keep going, you know, what's meant for you will come for you.
I was just having a lot of patience, which really helped me get through that period of time. A lot of self-affirmation, and also just talking to people, other creatives in the industry, to see how their experiences were. Yeah, those things were really helpful for me.
WHAT DOES “PRECISION UNDER PRESSURE” MEAN TO YOU AND HOW DOES IT CHALLENGE YOU TO GROW AS A CREATIVE?
In my design work, I wanted to embrace the marks and damage that time inflicts on apparel and garments. This approach becomes a central theme in my collection. For example, I would dye the fabric four or five times to achieve a deliberately aged look. This is something that I wanted to look intentional and I want that to be emphasised among the collection.
In styling, I often think about how to add my personal touch. Even if a director or client has a specific vision for how they want the clothes to look, I like to "mess up" certain elements when it's appropriate, making it uniquely mine. Additionally, for editorial projects, I strive to source pieces that align with my values and perspective on fashion.
LOOKING BACK AND NOW, WHAT HAS CHANGED IN YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
I created my first collection in 2019 or 2020, during my high school graduation. Unfortunately, I don't think I can show it because it was so long ago, and I don't even have it anymore. It's not featured on my website or anywhere else. Looking back, the concept behind that collection was quite different from what I create now. Back then, I focused mainly on what was around me and what I was noticing in the world. In contrast, I've become more introspective and observant of myself in my current work.
Over time, I've developed my skills and gained professional knowledge from my education at fashion school. This has allowed me to work more efficiently, managing multiple projects simultaneously. In the past, it was challenging for me to find balance or know how to move forward when I felt stuck. I believe that these skills come with experience.
Now, my styling has improved significantly. The final photos of my new collection look better because I have a clearer understanding of which pieces complement each other. It is easier for me to create a collection that appears balanced, and the color palettes I choose work together more harmoniously. In the beginning, my work was primarily an expression of my emotions and thoughts, without much attention to balance or cohesion.
WORKING AS A WARDROBE STYLIST, DESIGNER, AND MULTIMEDIA ARTIST IS A PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY DEMANDING JOB. HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF?
Honestly, I don't have a good answer to this! I think I'm still figuring out how to take care of myself while I'm on four projects. That's literally right now. I'm between four projects, actually maybe five right now. I don't think there's a best way to take care of myself. I'm still learning that. I think the first step is to recognize that hustle culture is not healthy.
Being in a big city like New York, we can easily confuse exhaustion with progress. Being constantly busy doesn't necessarily mean the work is becoming more meaningful. I've learned to prioritize clarity and direction over constant output. I think that's just something that everyone figures out with time and experience. Oftentimes, when we get stressed, we just forget that there are priorities. There's many different things happening.
For me, I just have to find something that's a priority and maybe do that first. Once that's done, you can tell yourself to relax a bit and get to the rest. You just have to start somewhere. I don't know. It's hard to take care of yourself when you're doing this. In this kind of environment, it's hard. I also like that we started with awareness. Do not mistake exhaustion with progress.
HOW DO YOU WISH FOR YOUR WORK TO CREATE AN IMPACT IN THE INDUSTRY?
I still feel like I'm so early on in my career that I'm afraid to dream
too big. I feel like I'm still very young and I'm still independent. Going back to my fashion collection, also with the artwork that I created, I just want to inspire people to think about things differently. Maybe that imperfections are natural. I didn't know that a skirt could be styled like this. Maybe there isn't anything wrong with the way I wear my t-shirt. I just want people to think differently rather than just seeing how clothes are perfectly styled on a mannequin or on a 6-foot model. I want to create something that's not conventional to disrupt how fashion is currently being perceived.
WHAT’S YOUR BEST ADVICE TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WORK IN FASHION?
Try different things. The fashion industry is so big and there are so many lines of work that you can try out. I didn't know what I wanted to do until I was three or four years into trying out different things in the industry. Then I learned what I currently do. It's different for everyone. It could take a few months or a few years for someone to figure out what they really want to do. I think it's better that way
because once people know what they want to do, they get stuck in a very narrow pathway and they think that's what they want to do. Maybe as time goes on, they realize that maybe they don't really get any joy from it. Then they have to start looking at some other jobs.
When you're young and you have the privilege of time and curiosity, it's a good time to try out different things, even if you think you might not like it. But as long as it's connected to what you think you want to do, I would still say to give it a try. You might meet people that will really help you in the future or you might gain skills that you may later on need in life. There's no wrong step to take. Anything you do will later become an important lesson. That would be my advice to people who want to start in the industry, just to try out different things.
STYLING – KENZIE GOLEY, WARDROBE — FOR LOVE & LEMONS, WITH JEAN
VENUE — MCFARLIN MANSION
KENZIE GOLEY is a photographer, artist, and visual director whose work explores emotion, memory, womanhood, and the quiet beauty woven throughout everyday life. Deeply inspired by film, nostalgia, and human connection, her imagery is rooted in atmosphere, texture, and emotion. After years of refining her eye within the creative industry, Kenzie found herself craving a more visceral and honest approach to storytelling, one rooted less in fleeting trends and more in cinematic imagery, raw emotion, and lived experience.
This evolution led to the founding of The House of Goldie, a creative studio envisioned as a sanctuary for her multidisciplinary work. Within the House, Kenzie has returned to art in all its forms, creating from intuition rather than perfectionism and allowing authenticity to guide the process. Blending film-inspired visuals with deeply personal storytelling, her work creates worlds that feel nostalgic, emotionally immersive, and intimately lived in.
Her latest project, Love Letters from Within, marks the beginning of this new chapter. What began as a private collection of photographs, journal entries, and late-night reflections slowly evolved into a larger body of work centered around identity, grief, healing, creativity, and the journey back to self. The project is currently being curated into her debut art book, documenting the tender and nonlinear process of returning home to who we truly are.
From Within
And one day, it just clicked that my life was never a series of coincidences or mistakes, but small clues scattered through every season, each one pulling me closer to the red string I was always meant to follow.
Not to just go through the motions, but to fully experience every raw emotion this human experience has to offer.
To have disheveled hair and hands stained with pencil marks on my canvas late at night, because inspiration struck at midnight.
Returning to the little girl inside of me who was created to create, before perfectionism came in and clouded her vision.
To wrap my hands around a warm cup of coffee, reheated two or three times, beside me as I became lost in the art of creation.
To laugh until my stomach hurts with my best friend over an inside joke we’ve carried for years. A friendship passed down to us by our parents, a love that was gifted to us before we were even born.
To be held by a love that brought me into this world, the love of my parents. One, my biggest encourager and anchor. My earth angel.
The other, a photo in my heart-shaped locket. Texting a number that once appeared blue, but now turns green, a number no longer in service. My guardian angel.
To feel misunderstood and disconnected, searching until I found the souls walking the same path, the ones who sat with me in the shadows until I found my voice again. And I, for them.
To try to mold myself into something I wasn’t, bleached hair, unaware that I was hiding behind a mask, performing a version of myself I thought others wanted to see. Only to realize the reflection in the mirror was the only validation I ever needed.
The girl with the dark hair.
To read books I find myself in, meeting all the versions of the girl I have been and could still become within the dog-eared pages.
To wake up at 2 a.m. from a vivid dream and suddenly understand what I’m meant to create next, after a year of stagnation, of banging on closed doors, thinking my greatest days were behind me. A whisper from the heavens reminding me I always had the key. Divine timing simply decided when to use it.
To learn that creating from truth rather than trend is the only thing calling my soul back to itself. Not force. Not hustle. Not performance. But surrender, moving in the flow of authenticity.
To notice the way the light moves, how it filters and shapes itself around everything I’m capturing. A quiet fascination with that light, because I have always been Divinely held by it.
To become a storyteller, creating art that feels lived in, where people can see their own soul mirrored back within my words and photographs.
To lose myself so deeply I no longer recognize myself in the mirror or within my art anymore, only to realize I’m returning. The woman I was always meant to be.
Even in the grief, even in the fog, the light within never left. It was expanding, evolving beneath the survival, making space for the fullest expression of who I have always been at my core.
I see it clearly now, that red string threaded between every version of myself. None of them were separate. None of them were wasted. None of them were unworthy.
My past self leading me to where I am, and my future self tugging on that string, guiding me back home to myself.
A love letter to the girl I was, and the woman I am still becoming.
Welcome home
A PLACE
BY ALYSSA TRANBARGER
SET ASSISTANT & LIGHTING – LEXI SANCHEZ
HAIR, MAKEUP & GROOMING – VANSHIKA VERMA
STYLING – LUCKY RAINE VINTAGE MODEL – MAYA KOCH
TO BELONG
BEHIND THE COVER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEATHER DEVINE & HILLARY KIM
Learning in this world means to live with your heart, but also have your guard up.
