BELLO mag #89

BELLO n o i s s e s b O e u s Is

Music

The

Soundtrack Of Your Life

5 NEW Musical

Landscapes

In Europe

#89

OCTOBER 2015

Starring Fifth Harmony’s

NORMANI KORDEI PHOTOGRAPHY WILLIAM CALLAN

SOBELLO

FREAKY FALL

FESTIVALS

Letter from the Editor Melodies and songs have always been some of my obsessions and this Music Issue reflects exactly that! We have the stunning and talented Normani Kordei from Fifth Harmony gracing our cover.

This beauty is not just a powerful singer and vocalist. She is a gifted and passionate dancer, as we could see in her solo performances for Future’s “Commas” and Teyana Taylor’s “Do Not Disturb” music videos.

We have decided to take a lyrical trip around the world and highlight some of the newest musical destinations in Europe, the spookiest fall festivals in the U.S. and the coolest tech gadgets for all our audio slaves!

We are getting personal and sharing our most intimate reflections on tunes that have impacted and influenced us. We are also featuring painter Michelle Blade and welder/artist Meyghan from (wh)ORE HAüS Studios on our column Raw Art By JSquared.

Join us in celebrating the gift of love and light that music brings into our lives!

Don’t forget to get social with us at @BELLOMag #BELLOMag Rock on, Dee Trillo Senior Lifestyle and Travel Editor Connect with moi at @HauteFrugalista or Dee@ BelloMag.com

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CONTENTS 89 Letter from the Editor Contents Intro Masthead

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POP OF COLOR

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RAW ART

BY JSQUARED

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NORMANI KORDEI

6 32 Why Does Music Makes Us Feel?

5 New Musical Landscapes in Europe 20 33 Tech & Tunes Curatorial Competence: How the Internet 47 The Soundtrack Of Your Life is Changing the World of Fine Art 30 50 So Bello: Freaky Fall Festivals The Ever-Changing Face Of Music

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Photographer M​ARIUSZ JEGLINSKI Stylist JENNIFER INGRAM Make­up​ JOANNA KLEIN Hair M​ATILDE CAMPOS Model LAURA HAND

INTRO Only a few times each year will we add one of our “special” themed issues. This month, we present to you our Music Issue covered by none other than the talented Normani Kordei from Fifth Harmony. Shot in downtown Los Angeles by photographer, William Callan, Kordei gives us a serious sense of fashion forward-ness and edge that only she can pull off.

Also, we would like to shift focus and turn your attention to one of our amazing editors, Dee Trillo (Senior Lifestyle Editor) as she takes over this issue as Guest Music Editor. Find about everything from new musical landscapes in Europe written by our European Editor, Jon Norris to Why Music Makes Us Feel, written by Mark Norris, European Editor.

Always let music move you and let our pages inspire...

Sincerely, Leslie Alejandro, Executive Director

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PUBLISHER IMAGE NATION STUDIO L.L.C. California, USA editorial@bellomag.com

ADVERTISING advertising@bellomag.com

Aleksandar Tomovic (editor in chief) alek@bellomag.com

Stephane Marquet (creative director) steph@bellomag.com Leslie Alejandro (executive director) leslie@bellomag.com Dee Trillo (senior lifestyle editor/guest music editor) dee@bellomag.com Annie Y. Miller (art and content director) annie@bellomag.com Warren Alfie Baker (fashion director) warren@bellomag.com Fabio Fernandez (fashion news director) fabio@bellomag.com Kimmy Erin Kertes (fashion editor) kimmy@bellomag.com Nicole Walmsley (beauty editor) nicole@bellomag.com Hiko Mitsuzuka (entertainment editor-at-large) hiko@bellomag.com Brad Liberti (entertainment editor) brad@bellomag.com Dio Anthony (young hollywood editor) dio@bellomag.com Michelle Ganney (contributing editor) michelle@bellomag.com Morgan Stewart (lifestyle editor at large) boobsandloubs@bellomag.com Steven Carver (international editor) steven@bellomag.com Brent Lambert (design and technology editor) brent@bellomag.com Jon Norris (european editor) jon@bellomag.com Mark Norris (european editor) mark@bellomag.com Amanda Peixoto-Elkins (creative director, latin america) amanda@bellomag.com

INTERNS PAULO ACUÑA (editorial assistant) paulo@bellomag.com CELESTE PIRAINO (social media and communications assistant) celeste@bellomag.com

LAYOUT NEBOJSA DOLOVACKI

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MICHELLE GANNEY (cover) DEE TRILLO (Lifestyle) MARK NORRIS (Entertainment) JON NORRIS (Entertainment)

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS WILLIAM CALLAN (Los Angeles) JSQUARED PHOTOGRAPHY (Los Angeles) M​ARIUSZ JEGLINSKI (Los Angeles)

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MUSIC

The Ever-Changing

Face of Music WRITTEN BY MARK NORRIS IG: @mrmarknorris Twitter: @thenorristwins

THE WORLD OF MUSIC OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS CHANGED QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY, FROM VINYL, TO 8-TRACK, TO CASSETTE, TO CD, AND NOW TO DIGITAL, IT SEEMS LIKE AN EVER-CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT. ARE WE ALL KEEPING UP? AND HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE AS WE MOVE BEYOND THE CONCEPT OF JUST SELLING A SONG AT FACE VALUE.

One Direction in 2014 MUSIC issue - BELLOmag.com

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The Beatles on Abbey Road in London 1969 Even the way in which music is managed has changed radically, from several major record labels, including Universal, Sony, RCA, MCA, and Warner Bros, to an environment of just a couple of major labels and a host of independent counter parts. The major labels used to control how music was delivered to listeners; for the most part we bought records at stores, and called the local radios station if we wanted a certain track on the radio.

Record labels spent millions on the promotion of videos on cable television, whereas now, budgets for such things have reduced to a fraction of what they were, and like scripted television, audiences are much more sparse. Independents vie for the right to promote at the trendiest venues, utilizing creative methods of bringing their acts to market, amongst the big budgets of Sony and Warner Bros. The impact of social media has also changed the face of music. One tweet from a celebrity promoting a favourite 7

One tweet from a celebrity promoting a favourite track, can instantly gain a fan base for that artist. track, can instantly gain a fan base for that artist. Its now a numbers game with popularity often based on endorsements of some kind.

Though places such as Barnes & Noble still exist, gone are the days of the record store, these reserved for the old-fashioned vinyl enthusiast in the edgier parts of East London.

The pressing question for most of us is; how do record labels survive amongst the free music platforms on offer to listeners today?

It all comes down to financial backing.

Major labels have the money to get their acts to the marketplace, no matter what the cost. Independent labels rely on word-of-mouth, and social media

posts, and of course, creativity in their marketing approach.

But where will the industry go to in the future? Free platforms continue to challenge the industry, talent shows for entertainment are changing how we discover artists, and creating a divide between commercialism and the integrity of natural-born artists, and the changing landscape of the entertainment industry as a whole, including television advertising and promotion, is forcing labels to be creative, and pull the consumer towards them, as opposed to pushing videos and promotional editorial through cable television.

But hey, change is good, right?

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MUSIC

Pop of

Color MUSIC issue - BELLOmag.com

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TOP​ H&M SHORTS H&M BANDEAU, EARRINGS, BRACELET, CLUTCH STYLIST’S OWN SHOES J​EFFREY CAMPBELL NECKLACE H&M RING H&M SHADES ​CHARLOTTE RUSSE

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TOP​ H&M SHORTS H&M BANDEAU, EARRINGS, BRACELET, CLUTCH STYLIST’S OWN SHOES J​EFFREY CAMPBELL NECKLACE H&M RING H&M SHADES ​CHARLOTTE RUSSE

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TOP​ H&M PANTS ​H&M NECKLACE​CHARLOTTE RUSSE BRACELETS​STYLIST’S OWN EARRINGS​STYLIST’S OWN SHOES & OTHER STORIES

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TOP​ H&M SHORTS H&M BANDEAU, EARRINGS, BRACELET STYLIST’S OWN SHOES J​EFFREY CAMPBELL NECKLACE​ H&M RING​ H&M SHADES ​CHARLOTTE RUSSE

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TOP​ H&M PANTS ​H&M NECKLACE​CHARLOTTE RUSSE BRACELETS​STYLIST’S OWN EARRINGS​STYLIST’S OWN

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DRESS ​H&M BOOTS​ S​TUART WEITZMAN BAG ​H&M EARRINGS, RING, BRACELET, HEADBAND, HEADBAND​STYLIST’S OWN

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TOP​ H&M NECKLACE​CHARLOTTE RUSSE BRACELETS​STYLIST’S OWN EARRINGS​STYLIST’S OWN

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Photographer M​ARIUSZ JEGLINSKI G ​@mariuszjeglinski Stylist JENNIFER INGRAM Make­up​ JOANNA KLEIN IG​@mrsjoannak Hair M​ATILDE CAMPOS IG ​@tildebymatilde Model​ LAURA HAND IG ​@lauralizhand QModelManagement 19

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MUSIC

5 New Musical Landscapes in Europe WRITTEN BY JON NORRIS

MANDREA MUSIC FESTIVAL, Italy The Dolomite foothills play host to this dub and reggae feast, which Mad Professor and Max Romero headlined this summer.

The setting provides the perfect atmosphere for a chilled and relaxed festival get away that provides you with just as much enjoyment as the music itself – hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing all at your finger tips. The festival offers plenty of entertainment with a cinema, mini skate park and performance workshops (mandreafestival.com).

TRÆNA FESTIVAL, Norway Fancy being surrounded my sparkling ocean, and swooping sea eagles?

Træna is the smallest town in Norway, and plays host to the Træna Festival annually with all 500 citizens participating in the event from melodic electro-pop from Emilie Nicolas to rowdy beats from KUUK. The festival also offers a great excuse to explore one of the most beautiful wild environments on the planet, right on the edge of the Arctic Circle (trena.net).

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SÓNAR INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, Spain Three days celebrating music, technology and creativity in Barcelona that tours other parts of the world too. Totally unique, its first class reputation is put down to the curation of new talent, trends in dance and electronic music and experimentation. Sónar’s founding values have defined the festival since its inception: the link between creativity and technology, its commitment to being a global event and a meeting point for creative people from different disciplines and communities.

All that and the vibrant Spanish city of Barcelona to explore and enjoy makes for a special festival weekend getaway (Sonar.es).

MS DOCKVILLE, Germany Indie party kids worldwide, listen up! This music and arts party set on the river of Wilhelmsburg in Hamburg offers a unique offering of colorful installations and artworks, as well as lineups that this year included Django Django, Caribou, Four Tet and Little Dragon, it is a festival not to be overlooked for the bigger German festivals such as Fusion and Hurricane – and a chance to explore one of Germany’s most prized cities (msdockville.de).

INTO THE VALLEY, Sweden As dramatic a venue as you could possibly get, set in a natural, former quarry with a bright blue pool at the bottom – this festival provides people with a setting that transforms into an open air club and a two day celebration of cutting edge electronic music.

2015 was the debut for the festival with headliners such as Carl Craig, Ben Klock, and John Talabot (intothevalley.se).

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MUSIC

RAW ART By

Jsquared CONTINUING TO EXHIBIT THE CREATIVE AND SPECIAL EYE OF THE TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHY DUO THAT WE KNOW AS JSQUARED PHOTOGRAPHY, HERE IS A LOOK AT MORE REAL ARTISTS BEHIND THE MAKINGS OF GUITARS, WOODWORK, MOTORCYCLES, AND POTTERY. WELCOME TO THIS MONTH’S SEGMENT OF RAW ART BY JSQUARED. MUSIC issue - BELLOmag.com

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With Michelle Blade, Painter/Artist MICHELLE BLADE HAS BEEN AN ARTIST FOR MOST OF HER LIFE IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER. WHEN WE FOUND HER LISTED ON THE TOP 10 FEMALE ARTISTS TO FOLLOW IN INSTAGRAM, WE KNEW HAD TO CHECK HER OUT.

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Bello: Where did you grow up and was art always a part of your life?

Michelle Blade: I grew up in Los Angeles and found art at a young age as children do. That curiosity and drive toward making it never slowed, it’s turned into a life of loving compulsion.

I sincerely think that art will somehow unveil the mysteries of being alive.

B: What first drew you towards painting as a medium? Is it the only medium you work in?

MB: I work in many mediums but painting is by far the one I enjoy most. After years of using more static kinds of paint, the unexpectedness of using water-based paints drew me in sometime in my early 20s.

B: Why do you mostly work in acrylic ink? Can you tell us a little bit about your process when approaching a painting?

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MB: When I work, I dip into a meditative space. The paint moves quickly and is unforgiving so you have to react with intuition and patience. It’s a cyclical process of action and reaction. The paint has a personality completely its own so it is more reminiscent of collaborating or dancing than something controlled and singular.

MB: Work comes in a variety of ways but it is always relates to my practice, meaning it is always the work I want to be making. I work with galleries, curators, collectors, publishers and companies that commission work and organize exhibitions. Individuals can also subscribe to my painting subscription series through my website.

B: How did you learn your craft?

B: Who or what do you draw inspiration from?

MB: I’ve been lucky to have had some amazing teachers and mentors as a child and throughout my adulthood that I am very thankful for. Aside from their words of wisdom, spending hours alone in the studio making mistakes and witnessing successes has taught me most. Time is the most influential teacher of any craft.

B: How does your work find you?

Commissions or do you just paint what inspires you?

MB: I’ve become a junkie for the art of good storytelling. It’s incredibly inspiring in so many ways to hear a story full of revelation told well.

B: You seem to paint on a variety of different size canvases. How do you decide how large to make a particular piece?

MB: Scale can cast spells. When you want something to have more power and impact, the larger the better. If

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you want intimacy, a smaller size is the answer. It will pull people into it.

B: What do you do to keep yourself inspired?

MB: I try to keep a balanced life with equal parts of working, looking, exercise, reading and listening. There is inspiration chalk full in each of those so if I am ever feeling blocked, one of them will always hold the key.

B: Do you have any words of wisdom for someone who may want to peruse a career in art?

M:B Be passionate. Don’t be an echo.

To check out Michelle’s work check out her website, www.michelleblade. com and her keep up with her in Instagram @michelle_blade.

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With Meyghan at (wh)ORE HAüS STUDIOS, Welder/Artist WHEN WE SAW THE NAME (WH)ORE HAÜS, IT GOT OUR ATTENTION. WHEN WE SAW WHAT WAS PRODUCED THERE, WE HAD TO LEARN MORE. THIS MODEL-TURNED-WELDER CREATES BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE FROM RAW METAL ALL WITH HER OWN TWO HANDS.

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BELLO Magazine: Where did you grow up and was art always a part of your life?

drawn to it as a material. Also, think there is no better smell than WD-40 and cut steel.

M: I grew up in the Midwest and art was definitely not a part of my life. I got out of there as soon as I could.

B: How did you learn your craft?

BM: What first drew you towards working with metal and welding?

M: I was angry. My tag line is, “(wh) ORE HAüS studios was founded by a model who empowered herself after a breakup by picking up a welding torch”. I’m still welding years later so clearly, there is more to it than the initial inspiration. Metal was empowering to me in a way that other materials were not. With wood, you can create a beautiful object that is comprised of smaller pieces connected to one another. However, from two pieces of metal welded together, you literally have formed a new object. I love that and was surprised by how feminine an approach that really is. Metal is like most women I know, strong and fluid at the same time. Maybe that’s why I was

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M: A push-up bra and a lot of sweat equity. I did some research as to where the industrial areas of Los Angeles were and found a concentrated area of welders and auto mechanics in the Valley and I went down there and twirled my hair a bit. I’ll admit, I was in a slightly reckless state of mind and was definitely looking for the non-litigious crash course into the craft. I found a home with about a half dozen guys who quickly became mentors and didn’t give a shit at my attempts to charm. In fact, they thought I was lying to them when they would asked me what I used to do with my time. When you are a tall, scrawny redhead, telling a bunch of men that you used to be a model, they look at the shop calendar featuring a voluptuous Latina woman holding a Corona in an ‘80s high waisted thong bikini and then laugh in your face and go back to work.

B: How did you come up with the name (wh)ORE HAüS? M: That is probably the question I get asked most frequently. It is a play on the word “ore” whose definition is “a source from which valuable matter (as metal) is extracted”. The more I sat with it and defended it, that just felt right to me. In the beginning, I extracted value from the fuck-up my life had become. I was finding value in materials that were meant to be discarded, and most rewardingly, adding the “wh” to the word “ORE” gave value to a word meant to devalue. Now, amongst my customers, the word “(wh)ORE” has begun to shift semantically from a sexually derogative implication to an empowering, bad-ass connotation.

B: How does your business work? Do customers come to you with specific requests or do you just come up with a design and then put it out for the world?

M: Yes, to both of those. At this point in my business, the specific requests

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I get tend to be geared towards my sensibility, which is great. I love when a designer asks for the “(wh)ORE HAüS take” on something. There’s nothing better than finishing a piece entirely of my own design to have it immediately snatched up by someone who is going to love it.

B: Who or what do you draw inspiration from?

M: In general, fashion and photography.

My brand really came together when I found the connection between my background and welding and for the (wh)ORE HAüS today, that means a tongue-in-cheek marketing approach and frequently finding myself in some form of undress atop one of my tables. I photograph all my own images and promotional material, often turning these sessions into impromptu selfportraits that juxtapose the female form in an industrialized medium.

B: What is behind the idea of not showing your face?

M: I spent years lending my face to sell other people’s products. Now I use my hands to make my own.

B: Do you work in other mediums other than metal?

M: Yes. In my work I use a lot of stone, glass and leather.

B: Do you have any words of wisdom for someone (possibly another female) thinking about taking your lead and working with metal?

M: Wear red nail polish. It hides the dirt.

Follow Meyghan on Instagram @ whorehausstudios to see what she is up to. To check out what she makes and how you can get a hold of it go to www.whorehausstudios. com.

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MUSIC

Curatorial Competence:

How the Internet is changing the world of Fine Art WRITTEN BY MARK NORRIS IG @mrmarknorris @the_norris_twins Twitter @thenorristwins

ON JUNE 8TH, 2007, JEN BEKMAN FOUNDED THE WEBSITE 20X200 BELIEVING THAT COLLECTING ART SHOULD BE SOMETHING EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO. WITHOUT IT BEING THE LARGEST (ART. COM HAS BEEN PEDDLING PRINTS FOR OVER A DECADE), IT REPRESENTS AN EVER-CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF ONLINE ART RETAILERS PROVIDING AUDIENCES WITH AN ECLECTIC MIX OF FINE ART, SOME AT AFFORDABLE PRICES AND OTHERS AT NOT SO AFFORDABLE. THESE PRACTICES HAVE BEEN CHANGING THE WAY FINE ART IS BOUGHT AND SOLD OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, A DOMAIN THAT BEKMAN SAYS HAS BEEN LAGGING BEHIND IN ITS ADOPTION OF ONLINE RETAILING. 20x200 is not alone. Art shopping websites have sprung up on almost every e-corner that you visit, from traditional galleries to websites designed for other purposes, like Etsy, Behance and of course, Kickstarter.

There is a difference amongst online retailers, too. For example, art on Etsy isn’t curated. Artists sell their own art with little interference from, and little commission taken by, the site itself.

With this free-market approach, art is even more accessible.

If we look into other industries, there has also been major disruption. Music and publishing have gone through wholesale changes that have revamped the way consumers interact with, and buy in to, their favourite artists and magazines. If we forecast the next segments for overhaul, perhaps we could also include the literary world, the education industry, and the realm of art.

Artists are building their brands and flexing their business savvy to get ahead in this ever-changing world. Matt MUSIC issue - BELLOmag.com

Geary Street in the morning by Jeremy Mann 30

A collection of art available on 20x200

Swept Vines

by Ann Rea Stinchcomb, now executive director at Etsy, once said: “It’s less about brand names, and more about personal style.”

20x200 differs from other online auctioneers because it is still connected to Bekman’s physical gallery in New York City. It is still very important to retain this real-life community amongst artists and their audiences, where collectors can meet artists and see pieces in person. There is a relationship element to buying art, a facet that remains at the heart of many loyalists in the business. As an artist, it is about letting people into your world, having conversations about your inspirations, providing the client with a backstory to fill the piece with subtext that can provide more of a context than simply a painting on a wall. It was put rather nicely by artist Ann Rea when she said: “I want to help people have a deeper appreciation for life, to savour the colours of the moment”. This human connection will never be lost, but rather integrated, into a diversified platform of buying and selling art.

There is still no discussion about the influence of social and digital media in the art world, but that would take up some more pages.

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MUSIC

Why does music make us

Feel?

WRITTEN BY MARK NORRIS IG: @mrmarknorris Twitter: @thenorristwins

HAVE YOU EVER HAD GOOSEBUMPS OR EUPHORIC CHILLS WHILST LISTENING TO A SONG? WE’VE ALL GOT THOSE TRACKS, OR PLAYLISTS, THAT EVOKE SUCH STRONG EMOTIONAL FEELINGS AND MEMORIES INSIDE OF US. IT’S AN AMAZING FEELING, AND SOMETHING THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR MOOD INSTANTANEOUSLY. A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. What do we have to thank for these feelings of eurphoria? Dopamine. It’s a chemical that is released during musical chills, it is also one that is acted on by things like cocaine, and amphetamine, or other intensely pleasurable experiences.

bonds. Music helps us move together, be together, and love, together. People pay hundreds of pounds to go to festivals and dance together, to one track at a time. It’s a positive experience. It grows our hearts. Lengthens the connection we have with each other.

Anyone who has had this experience with music, will instantly recognise what I am talking about. These feelings are among the most instantaneously exciting sensations you can experience in life, they remind you to think of important people or events in your life, they capture moments of europhia, make everything about those people or events seem so deep and attractive.

Your consciousness wanders from reality.

Anyway, enough with reading this, go ahead and get back to that playlist, take yourself back to that happy place.

Enjoy it.

Its why most of us put our headphones on. We are in a bad mood and we want to transfer into a more positive state.

Or we are about to exercise, so we need to heighten motivation levels, or we are MUSIC issue - BELLOmag.com

in a specific mood and want to increase this feeling even deeper.

We are all looking for that little mood aid during our (sometimes) mundane realities. Music helps us form social 32

MUSIC

Splurge or Steal:

Tech & Tunes

BY DEE TRILLO Senior Lifestyle and Travel Editor| Dee@BelloMag.com| @HauteFrugalista

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC STARTS WITH THE WAY WE ARE ABLE TO LISTEN, CAPTURE, CREATE AND SHARE IT. I HAVE BEEN OBSESSED WITH MUSIC SINCE I WAS A CHILD AND, AS A GOOD 90S KID, IT ALL BEGAN WITH A BLANK CASSETTE. I would sit next to the stereo and try to record songs that played on the radio because- still debating if- sadly there was no other way to save it.

We had no USBs or phones to transfer our favorite songs or download albums.

We had to rely on good ol’ timing and fast fingers to click play and pause in a microsecond. Then, just like magic,

Limewire and Napster appeared into my life, and it was time to finally put a song on repeat as many times as I wished. Regardless if I had to wait three hours for one song to download, it was all worth it.

smartphone, share your favorite tracks with anyone, and even learn the lyrics without having to copy and paste from the web. Not to mention, produce and record a song straight from your phone for the whole world to see and hear.

Kids nowadays have it so easy! You can get a song in less than 10 seconds, save as many as you want on your tablet or

So here are three must-have gadgets sure to make your day a little more harmonious:

A-AUDIO ICON WIRELESS HEADPHONES:

If the sick liquid chrome did not capture your heart right away, then the cool features will. It goes beyond your average Bluetooth 4.0 to bring you the best in sound quality. Their 3-stage technology allows you to go from Bass Enhancer to Audio Modes with a simple click.

I found the design to be chic, practical and comfortable, with foldable leather cups and a padded overhead. I loved that it works for over 10 hours which for me means hopping from airport to airport without having to recharge. $190 www.A-Audio.com

ELECTROHOME RETRO ALARM CLOCK:

You cannot resist choosing this super cute and elegant alarm. Do not be fooled by its size, this radio alarm is packed with powerful features. Forget about waking up to an annoying beep, here you can set up as many as 20 FM/AM stations and wake up to the sound of your favorite songs.

If you are not a fan of early mornings, like moi, then you are going to love its gradual lighting system and motion activated sensors. No more bright lights at night or pressing the wrong snooze button! $35 www.Electrohome.com

SECUR SOLAR MEDIA PLAYER:

I am a huge conservationist and recycling supporter, so I love that this portable speaker can be charged with the power of the sun. I have to confess that I’m constantly on the go and that only means I carry more gadgets that I need to, but this product is saving me time and energy.

It is incredibly functional and versatile.

It can be used as a waterproof case or moonlight as a power bank. That means I get to scratch three items out of my packing list! $50 www.SecurProducts.com

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TOP DORA ABODI PANTS DESIGNERS REMIX

BY CHARLOTTE ESKILDSEN SHOES JEROME C. ROUSSEAU RING CRISTINA SABATINI

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COVER STORY

SWAG,

SASS

& SOUL. She’s definitely worth it.

WORDS BY MICHELLE GANNEY PHOTOS BY WILLIAM CALLAN

WITH SO MANY GIFTED ARTISTS THRIVING IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS, IT IS HARD FOR ANY TALENT TO BREAK THE MOLD--UNLESS YOU’RE FIFTH HARMONY OF COURSE. NORMANI MAKES UP ONE-FIFTH OF THIS GIRL BAND PHENOMENA, PUT TOGETHER BY NONE OTHER THAN MUSIC MOGUL SIMON COWELL. THIS SASSY STARLET HAS STRUTTED HER STUFF ON STAGE TO AN ARENA FULL OF DEDICATED HARMONIZERS SINCE 2012 AND, DESPITE HER UNRIVALLED COMMITMENT TO FIFTH HARMONY, THERE ARE MANY MORE TALENTS THIS BEAUTY HAS UP HER SLEEVE. FROM HER CLOSE BOND WITH ONE DIRECTION TO HER DREAM COLLABORATOR, NICKI MINAJ, IT SEEMS THERE ARE NO LIMITS FOR THIS AMBITIOUS FIRECRACKER. 35

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TOP ALEXANDER WANG PANTS SASS & BIDE EARRINGS SETHI COUTURE

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I never wanted anything more but to be in a girl group. My parents must have heard it about a hundred thousand times.

BELLO mag: What was your BELLO mag photo shoot like?

BM: What was the highlight of your experience on The X Factor?

Normani Kordei: I had the most amazing time shooting with BELLO. I love to surround myself with positivity and talented people, which is just what I got on that day. I'm appreciative that they were able to capture moments that represented who I am. I believe that style is a form of expression and a voice for many. I am often told that I am a chameleon due to me being adventurous and never limiting myself from all fashion.

NK: I feel that the show prepared us to some extent for the real world of the music industry. I learned more and more each day. I also found myself within this journey and realized that I was stronger than I had thought or even given myself credit for which I find very rewarding.

BM: Obviously Fifth harmony was formed on The X Factor USA. Did you ever think about being in a girl band before that?

NK: I remember dreaming of being in a girl group for as long as I can remember. I was influenced musically by nothing but girl groups growing up.

I loved Destiny's Child, En Vogue, SWV, Xscape, TLC, Spice Girls, Danity Kane, the Pussycat Dolls and of course, the Cheetah Girls. I really thank these women for opening the doors for the future for me and my bandmates. I noticed that this industry was typically male-dominated but women are taking lead in such a powerful way. It fills my heart seeing successful females.

I specifically remember being in my grandmother’s living room with my three best friends at the age of six learning the "Cater 2 You" routine

by Destiny's Child. I never wanted anything more but to be in a girl group.

My parents must have heard it about a hundred thousand times.

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BM: What was Simon Cowell like as your mentor?

NK: I'm beyond grateful that we were able to have Simon as our mentor. I love who he is and his passion for people and their well-being. He really encouraged us to take charge in our projects. He loves to hear our input and honest thoughts. It amazes me that he is so receptive and open-minded for such a prestigious man that is successful at all he does. We are constantly reminded of how proud he is and his belief in us. I am thankful to him for creating Fifth Harmony.

BM: Your new single ‘Worth It’ has been on the Billboard’s Top 100 chart for 26 weeks! Did you know it would be this popular and garner this much attention?

NK: I had no idea that "Worth It" would be our most successful single and hit to date. I remember the first time jamming out to it in the studio with the producer Stargate but little did we know how high it would soar. The concept was originally created for a male but we lyrically made changes and

placed it into a female’s perspective.

I really believe that the song captured a much wider demographic outside of our core fan base. It is always a good feeling when the music you've worked so hard on is received positively. I love performing this song live.

BM: It must have been such an honor when Zayn retweeted that ‘Worth It’ was the best single on Twitter.

What’s your relationship like with One Direction?

NK: I was stoked when I witnessed the retweet. It's the most amazing feeling knowing that your peers like your music. We have a fantastic relationship with the guys especially with us having the common thread of The X Factor. I remember while being on the show them coming to visit and giving us words of wisdom. Harry told us to always put one another first and protect each other. I find that a lot of people in the music industry only tell you whatever it is they think you want to hear and aren't necessarily looking out for your best interest. Whatever hurdle may come our way we are suppose to proceed as one unit and overcome it.

I'm a supporter of One Direction and of them each individually as people. They are a phenomenon and their music will live on forever. I was in the UK for my birthday and we all got to hangout that night. I had the best time.

BM: You’ve mentioned in the past that Beyoncé is an inspiration of yours.

What other artists do you look up to?

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I have much respect for the other four girls that helped me get to the place that I am in now. I’m grateful and will continue to let everyone know how grateful I am.

NK: I also look up to Jhené Aiko. I love the vibe of her music and lyrical content.

I feel every word she sings. I think that music with a message is always most important . Chris Brown has been a huge influence to me as an artist. I look back at myself being nine years old watching his music videos on YouTube over and over again. I was captivated by his talent and work ethic. I love that he is able to wear many different hats.

He is a vocalist, dancer, actor, video director, writer and entrepreneur all in one. He's in control of his career and that's why everything comes across to be very authentic. I adore him. I always call these next three my queens that continuously slay my entire existence.

Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. I can't explain how much of an impact they have had on me as a human and musically. I am inspired everyday and learn so much from these women. I am blessed to be able to see three women of color dominate at the same time and support one another. I reflect on their careers in hopes to be just as successful.

I love them to no end and anytime anyone says something negative about them I get super defensive. I adore Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Jennifer Lopez. I'm a huge fan of the 90s and always say that I wish I was old enough during that time to fully appreciate the music then.

A few of favourite artists were at their 39

prime around that time. I'm inspired

by Aaliyah, Monica, Brandy, TLC, Toni Braxton and Tamia. I couldn't just choose a couple because I'm constantly inspired and motivated by many each and everyday.

BM: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with in the future?

NK: I'm going to choose one of many.

At this moment in my career I think that collaborating with Nicki Minaj is 1,000 percent necessary. I guarantee we would create magic. I'm all about women being empowered in doing something greater than them. I believe that she is the person to do just that.

She often talks about equality and equal rights, which is extremely important to me. I find it admirable seeing a successful woman using her platform with intentions of helping many people, bringing awareness and acting upon them. I love her to pieces. I had a mini heart attack when she followed me on Twitter. I don't know, maybe I'll slide into her DMs and present the idea of a collaboration with Fifth Harmony.

BM: You’ve also said that acting is a passion of yours. When do you think you’ll explore that option more?

NK: I think that Fifth Harmony is slowly approaching a place in our careers to have a bit more freedom individually to explore our other interest and

passions. I have every intention of making a crossover into the acting world just as I have established myself in the music industry. I just want to be able to purchase a movie ticket, get my popcorn, walk in and hear a Fifth Harmony hit play throughout the previews and next thing you know I'm watching myself on the big screen beside my costar Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games. I definitely just took the opportunity that I had in the last sentence to make it known that I would love to be in that film (laughs).

I have much respect for the other four girls that helped me get to the place that I am in now. I'm grateful and will continue to let everyone know how grateful I am. I have aspirations outside of the group but Fifth Harmony is my number one priority.

BM: Which female actors do you aspire to be?

NK: Zoe Saldana, Angelina Jolie, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep, Gabrielle Union, Angela Bassett, Emma Stone, Emma Watson, Taraji P. Henson, Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston, Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong'o, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Lawrence and Kerry Washington. These are all inspiring women and have been the leading ladies in many fantastic films which is what I dream of accomplishing one day doing.

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TOP DORA ABODI PANTS DESIGNERS REMIX

BY CHARLOTTE ESKILDSEN SHOES JEROME C. ROUSSEAU RING CRISTINA SABATINI

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TOP ALEXANDER WANG PANTS SASS & BIDE EARRINGS SETHI COUTURE

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TOP PARKER SKIRT SASS & BIDE HEADPIECE DANIEL VI LE

Photography WILLIAM CALLAN www.williamcallan.com • Stylist KYLE KAGAMIDA www.kagamidastyling.com Makeup BRANDY ALLEN FOR M.A.C. COSMETICS/EPIPHANY ARTIST GROUP, INC. Hair TIFFANY DAUGHERTY FOR EPIPHANY ARTIST GROUP, INC. Manicurist ALLISON BURNS at CROSBY CARTER MANAGEMENT • Video ARNO DIEM www.arnodiem.com Creative director WARREN ALFIE BAKER www.warrenalfiebaker.com Special thatnks to CHAD SCHOLLMEYER and HQ AVALON STUDIOS www.hqavalonstudios.com 45

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MUSIC

The

Soundtrack

O f Your Li fe

BY DEE TRILLO Senior Lifestyle and Travel Editor| Dee@BelloMag.com| @HauteFrugalista

MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO MAKE US REMEMBER A HAPPY TIME IN OUR LIVES, FEEL IN A RELAXED MOOD AND CREATE WONDERFUL MEMORIES. IT IS ONE OF THOSE LIFE GIFTS THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE US TO AN UNEXPECTED PLACE AND LETS US EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST EMOTIONS.

Music has always played a key role in my life. If I could choose how to describe myself and my personal journey, nothing would be easier for me than to do it through some tunes.

For every significant point in my life, there is a song engraved in my mind and heart. One with words so relatable they can make you feel as the muse, and sounds so deep that could make the ocean jealous. Music that can touch

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To Millions”. Then I moved on from CDs to my- now defunct- iPod Nano and life became an acoustic playlist. It is that passion for music what has taken me to experience some incredible concerts and meet amazing musicians like Steven Tyler and Chris Martin.

I could not imagine movies like Romeo & Juliet without that infamous Garbage song “#1 Crush” or James Bond’s films minus Adele’s “Skyfall” or Madonna’s “Die Another Day”. Who could ever forget Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” for the movie Armageddon? I mean, who hasn’t heard a mellow song after a breakup and felt as if the singer understands our pain.

your soul and transport you to another time with a single beat.

I grew up watching MTV Unplugged and unknowingly becoming part of the evolution of music was meant to be.

Nirvana’s rendition of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” and Alanis Morissette’s “Uninvited” will forever be in my heart. I still remember, like it was yesterday, the first time I heard the concert of Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony on the radio.

Feel someone’s agony like we can through Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” or longing like on Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why”? I know Selena Gomez’s heartfelt performance of “The Heart Wants What It Wants” resonated even with an older audience. For myself, Coldplay’s “Trouble”, U2’s “One”, and Enya’s “Only Time” are some of the I knew from that moment on that my life would forever be changed. Mesmerized by the orchestra perfectly merging with the powerful vocals, I fell in love with rock and alternative. The dance between classical music and metal showed me that I made no mistake when I asked for CDs- back in the dayas birthday and Christmas gifts.

When other girls were asking for shoes, I was wishing for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Californication” and Oasis’ “Familiar

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be filled with dance hits, or rhythmic drums or maybe intricate guitar riffs?

songs that have grown with me, and accompanied me through the saddest moods.

I remember being pregnant with my little girl and tearing up the first time I heard “Daughter” from the Knocked Up soundtrack. It filled my heart with hope, dreams and goals of what it would mean to be a parent. It made me feel excited and optimistic for that unknown journey I had embarked on.

I can tell you this: Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”, Foo Fighter’s “Everlong”, Dido’s “Hunter”, and Jay-Z’s “Tom Ford” would definitely make my list. Even sprinkled with a little bit of Colombian cumbia! Very eclectic, I know, but that’s me and just like I am full of contradictions and paradoxes, nothing could be closer to who I am than the melodies that have accompanied me through ups, downs and everything in between.

Music is truly a universal language and it can be our best friend even during the darkest times. It can be cathartic,

rebellious, gloomy, mournful, thrilling, passionate, nurturing and so much more. Above all, it can help us go through life feeling a little less lonely.

All sorts of feelings can be explored with music. It has taught me that it is perfectly fine to be melancholic at times, to be in touch with our softer side and look back on sadder times. It helps to learn lessons, to heal, to let go, to feel for ourselves, and be empathetic to others’ pain. That is what makes us humans and music keeps that part of ourselves alive.

So, I ask you: If you could take someone through a lyrical voyage of your life, which songs would be playing in the background? Would it be a soft harmonious sound? Perhaps it would

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October is here and with that one of my favorite holidays--Halloween! This season we are going beyond the spooky costumes and black dĂŠcor to highlight the creepiest and coolest music festivals in the U.S. From dance and hip-hop to rock, there is something for everyone.

So pack your bags, get ready to trick or treat and embark on a road trip through haunted lyrics and ghostly scenarios where your most beloved tunes will be the main characters.