Written by: Holly Arend | October 6, 2022 Wargasm is a British electro-rock duo from London. Formed in 2018 by musician Sam Matlock and model Milkie Way, they have released 11 solo singles and four collab singles. Having earned praise from Alternative Press and NME they are a force to be reckoned with. Their debut full-length release, Explicit: The Mixxxtape, was released on September 9, 2022. Having the pleasure of sitting in on their 1824 conference I learned about their passion and the recent opening of the Limp Biscuit tour. Wargasm states they were born in the lockdown and grew up online. When they were asked what is more to come of the band, Way stated "More sex, more violence, good collaborations", which is exciting for Wargasm fans everywhere. When Wargasm talked about opening sets vs headline sets they spoke of their routines. Milky talked about yoga and not drinking for openers. While Sam gave insight on how they structure their sets: openings usually have all the fast stuff together while headliners are more for lulls and gaps of energy. Milky stated, "Openers are to sprints as headliners are to marathons". Wargasm's message while performing existing on stage can send a message to those who haven't seen representation before. As well as showing this diversity and representation on stage with their band. They are a " cathartic release for what people are seeing in the world". Check out Wargasm and their new mixtape : Explicit: The Mixxxtape. Also a Big thank you to Wargasm and 1824 for this opportunity.

Interview by: Jewel Fiorillo Photos provided by: Spotify and Blair's team Indie music scenes sweetest new voice, Blair Lee sat down for an interview to go over her current 2022 release, 'Hurdles', released September 9th 2022. We talk about influences, dream cities and her sisterly inspiration for music. You can listen to 'Hurdles' on all major platforms. When did you get introduced to music? Or when did you find a love for music? B: “Actually, when I was 10 years old I actually started playing the piano. And from that point forward I just always kept with it. I actually went to a school for music later in life as well.” Have you had any instructors, teachers or any major influences from a professional insight? B: “The school that I was at had a lot of the teachers that already in the industry or have been in the industry. Essentially I started reaching out to them after school was over, and I actually worked with a few of them. There are a lot of little things that happened along the way that are thanks to them for sure.” What are some of your favorite ways to get in the mindset to write your music and songs? Do you have any pre-writing session rituals? B: “I don’t know if I would say I have a pre-reading session ritual or anything to get warmed up for it. I typically just start with the music portion of it first. Especially if I’m making music with ModMaxx, he produces and I work with him often.” ModMaxx is also known for his work with artists like Drake, Roy Woods and Tinashe. B: “We usually start with developing the instrumental and beyond that I begin finding the lyrics because of the inspiration I find from that. The feelings, the emotions of the songs. I usually start to sing a little bit of gibberish or reference and then humming melodies. The lyrics comes shortly after. It’s a little chaotic.” *laughs* Do you have a specific emotion you like to drive from when you’re creating your music? B: “I feel like the first word that comes to mind may be a longing. I try to go for a transitional feeling with my music. It’s beginning in one place and wanting to end in a better and different place.” Do you have any musical inspirations? And what about personal inspirations. B: “I think I would have different answers for piano and for my niche in music. I was always really inspired by movie soundtracks with piano in it. Yamn Tiersem is one of my larger inspirations when it comes to piano. To the music and also how he played it. The way he move his hands around the piano was very interesting and intricate. I actually learned a few of his songs and learned his technique as well. For music, I would have to say I love The Nationals. They’re definitely one of my favorite bands. My music doesn’t sound like theirs at all but I’m very inspired by their lyrics. Specifically, how they’re kind of abstract. You feel like you’re drawing from deep inside of their head but some of them give this feeling that you can relate so strongly with. They hop around time within their music too and create this feeling of telling a story through music. Artists like, Taylor Swift, tell a story through time as well but they go through all the details so you can see exactly what happened in when it happened to her. However with The Nationals, you feel the struggles from the lyrics but you don’t know exactly when and what happened. I love the idea of being able to say some thing very vulnerable but not being an open book. So people can’t figure you out entirely.” B: “As far as personal, I’ve had amazing singers just around me all the time. My sister, my cousins, and my friends as well. So I’ve just been around all these musical inspirations for as long as I can remember. People who just sing casually. None of them record themselves but Being around them has just inspired me to make my music and record my music. Specifically, I would have to see my sister. We used to sing together a lot when we were younger. More-so in high school but we performed a couple talent shows together. She has definitely one of my favorite voices. We don’t thing as much as we used to anymore now, she has a job and her own life. But if she ever wanted to record a song together I know I would hop on that idea right away. It’s almost like a weird secret knowing someone has a secret special power and they keep it to themselves.” Let’s talk about your new single hurdles, recently released, it’s your first single released in a little over a year. B: “Yeah, I think the last one I released was last May. It’s hard to believe how fast it went. Even then, I wasn’t really releasing a lot before that. I was super excited to release Hurdles. I’ve honestly been really excited about this release because this is the first time I have a rollout of releases. I have planned out EP’s to release afterwards as well. One in the fall and then one next year. It feels good to have an actual plan and to have things to look forward to.” Is there a meaning/message behind the new release? B: “I would say this song is somewhat about my grandparents and my family, and how I do matter to them, but overall, I believe I would say it’s about this family and how you keep each other grounded. How they bring meaning into your life. And then from a personal musician aspect, I think it’s also really about making some thing of myself. Sometimes when you’re feeling so lost and in the dark and miss amazing moments because you’re just one artist trying to make it. Trying to focus so much on my own life and forget I have so much going on elsewhere around me. That I’m not doing this on my own.” If you could perform in any city where would it be and why? B: “Ohhhh, Any city? I would have to say London, is the first when it comes to mind. I think it also would be a great excuse to spend more time there. I’ve always wanted to be able to truly explore it.” Have you ever been to London? B: “I actually was there back in May. But I was there for five days and I just feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. I would really like to go back and explore more of it or dive deeper into what it has to offer. I also don’t know anybody there really, so I felt more or less like a tourist. So hopefully in the future I can do more than what the tourist do. I would like to experience the what locals like to do.” If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be and why? B: “Again, I would have to say my favorite band, The Nationals. I think it would have to be them. I don’t really have a reason other than that they are my favorite band and for what I listed earlier why I like them so much.” How has performing been this year? Any goals with performances? B: “I’ve only done a few performances. I recently did one called school night, in LA. I’m wanting to perform more and I’m hoping I can get to do that more within the next year. I’ve had a great experience while performing live so far. So it’s definitely in the plans. I would love to get the chance to perform at a festival too. It would be amazing.”

Interview by: Jewel Fiorillo Photos provided by Samuel Petra‘s team. Samuel Petra is a 20 year old from Alicante, Spain. He is entirely self sufficient in his producing, writing and recording with his instruments. A fresh new indie voice reaching over 13,000 monthly visitors on Spotify. Below is an exclusive interview learning about his journey into music and just a taste of what inspires his sound. You won't want to miss this fresh new voice. His sophomore EP was released a few weeks ago. 'MONOTONE' is out on major listening platforms now! https://sparta.ffm.to/monotone How did you find your passion in music? Sam: "Actually it was pretty spontaneous, I found a youtube video in 2013 of someone producing, tried it and a couple months passed I was hooked." What inspired your song and video “Can’t You See” ? S: "It was one of those songs I made without really thinking. The song is about getting out of your confines in order to achieve your goals, getting away from romantic distractions." What is the largest struggle you have with when creating your music? S: I’d say my limited tools. I work in a bedroom studio so I try to optimize everything as much I can. " What inspired your style in music? S: "Actually I find inspiration from a lot of different types. Electronic music from the 10s, R&B, Grunge, glitchy ambient and Raw samples…" What is your musical background, if you have any? S: "I started producing electronic music when I was 13. In my first 5 years I learned the basics of theory and producing but I realized I didn't want to be only a producer so I also started singing and playing piano and guitar at the same time -that's when I was introduced to pop, r&b and alternative music." If you didn’t become a musician what would you be doing right now? S: "have no idea. I do know that I was always interested in pathology. " Whats the best piece of advice you would give your younger self? S: "I think my younger self was fine but overall I'd say probably waste less time and try to experiment more." Whats a musician you would love to collaborate with? S: "I'd like to collaborate with either Dijon or Jean Dawson" Do you have any pre-show rituals? S: "Actually, I haven't started doing shows just yet!" If you could choose anywhere in the world to perform where would it be? And why? S: "Probably somewhere in Asia! I have always wanted to have a really good excuse to travel there." What has your musical journey looked like? Do you have any goals for the rest of the year? S: "It’s been pretty good so far. I got to meet a lot of important people and absolutely, I’m planning a writing trip to New York. It'll be my first time in the USA. I'm very excited." Who are your top three inspirations that you pull from? S: "It honestly always varies but right now I have to say Jai Paul, Dijon and Brent Faiyaz." Is there a message with your music that you’d want to provide? S: "I definitely want to make people feel more connected with themselves after hearing my music because that’s how my favorite music made me feel when growing up." What is music to you? S: "Well, for now I know now that It's pretty much the main pillar of my existence, I think I’d be so lost without it." Photos were provided of Samuel Petra for interview press and are not from Hazze media.

Photographer: Maegan Grendell September 17, 2022 | Usana Amphitheatre in Salt Lake City, Utah

Photos & Interview by: Creighton Stevenson September 20, 2022 | Brooklyn, New York Los Angeles based rock'n' roll band STARCRAWLER chats with HAZZE MEDIA before the Brooklyn show to talk about the new album She Said and touring so far. Go listen to their new album below! How does your new album compare to your previous projects?: It feels like the most mature version of our music. It’s our first album on a major label, so it’s most exciting. Favorite songs off the new album?: Collectively our favorite songs are She Said, Broken Angels, and Thursday. What was the most memorable show you’ve played?: Melbourne really blew our minds. It was packed and everyone was singing. You could hear everyone literally singing over us. Advice to up-and-coming artists/bands?: You have to love and want what you’re doing truly. Stop striving to be someone else and find who you want to be. Treat your dream as a full-time job and prioritize it over everything.

Photos by: Stephanie Siau (@stephaniesiau) & Orchee Sorker (@orchees_photos) Interview by: Orchee Sorker September 20, 2022 | Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, Tennessee With only about a week on the (Un)Commentary Fall Tour 2022, singer/songwriter Alec Benjamin chats and answers rapid-fire questions with HAZZE MEDIA before the Nashville show at the Ryman Auditorium. Check out behind-the-scenes soundcheck photos & his Nashville set photos below. What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve done on tour so far? We had a great dinner last night with the crew. We went to a barcade, and had a great time. It was something that we planned just like the day before, but I took like 20 people to dinner. It was awesome, and it made me happy. We had great food, and it was really spontaneous and fun. Earlier this year, you did an editorial feature with Hazze Media. Thank you so much for giving your time & being patient with the whole project! I am super grateful for you, Moya, Nathan & the entire team helping set it up. Was it your first editorial shoot or have you done more? What was your experience like? It was awesome and amazing! It was really great! They were super professional, and I had a lot of fun. It was very enjoyable. (Un)Commentary was released in April of this year. Since then, how has the audience reaction been so far? It's been pretty good! I think like now it takes like a long time for people to actually listen through a full record because there's so much music, content, and options people are presenting themselves every single day. I think the only way to gauge the reaction is over like a longer period of time. So, it's hard for me to say. Only now, I really can look back on like my first mixtape and be like, "oh, this is how I feel about the way it was received." So, I think it's hard for me to answer that question right now...but so far so good I suppose. You know, it's like a weird time now, especially coming out of the pandemic. Congrats on 50M streams on “Devil Doesn’t Bargain”! I know you have been promoting it on TikTok. How was it like watching fans’ videos and just the overall experience? The whims of TikTok, it's not necessarily my favorite part about what I do, but it is what it is. It's cool to see awesome people use my music for videos...but I prefer playing it in person. That's something that I enjoy more, but it's nice to see that people are finding like utility using the song, and finding it relevant to their lives...but my preference is always to see people in person. Since over half of this year is over, what is something you are grateful for that happened this year? I'm grateful that I'm still out here making music. I'm like still able to do my job, you know? That's nice. Yeah. I like that. Rapid Fire Q&A with Alec If you were in charge of a festival, who would headline it? The only thing that is coming in mind is Ratatouille. Coffee or Tea? Tea Early bird or night owl? Night Owl Go to fast food order? Milkshakes from In & Out Cats or Dogs? Dogs Songs you’ve had on repeat lately? I’ve been listening to Blue by Eiffel 65. TikTok or Instagram? Neither Have you ever forgotten lyrics on stage? Yes Who's your biggest role model? My parents Favorite TV show? Friends What’s your favorite city to perform in? Nashville Least favorite interview question? I’m going to say, I don’t have one. If you could collaborate with any artist? I think this collab we have going between us is pretty cool right now. You know what I mean? If there was a movie about your life what would it be called? I'm not sure...That's a good question…. Nathan: “It's All about the Benjamin” Or like "Have you seen my keys?" "Yeah, where's my phone." What is your favorite meme? I don't think I have one. Oh yeah…the one I sent you [Nathan], but I can't tell people about that. What is something you tell yourself everyday? Sometimes, I look at myself in the mirror and something I tell myself everyday... I love that Kanye West lyric, "Everything I'm not, makes me everything I am." That's such a good lyric. Yeah, I don't tell myself it every day, but when I feel bad, I think about that. BTS during Soundcheck Nashville Set A Small Fan Project by Orchee, Stephanie, & Tanishi

Photographer: Caitlin Woods September 18, 2022 | Ameris Bank Amphitheater in Atlanta, Georgia

Interview by: Ezzah Rafique Blair Walnuts talks to HAZZE MEDIA about how she utilizes TikTok and Youtube for fashion and comedic content, being transparent with fans, and how losing her hair made her launch her own business, Loveorie. Full interview on Youtube & Spotify Blair Walnuts rose to social media with her fashion, lifestyle, and comedic content. Using Youtube before TikTok, Blair was known for videos like 'got a job at CHUCK E CHEESE to see if SHANE DAWSON was right.' Some of her content includes "trying Kylie Jenner's sticky old used clothes from her closet... and see[ing] if [she] could get a deal" to "buying things off the Instagram shopping tab" that would be considered unconventional. By breaking the norms of most influencer content, Blair keeps her audience engaged while simultaneously addressing topics like mental health, body positivity, politics, and more. Moreover, Blair is outwardly one of the most transparent creators on social media as she always tells her audiences what she is editing and how so that they do not compare themselves. "Don't compare yourself to people that have professional trainers or chefs... remember to treat your body well" - Blair Walnuts While balancing social media, Blair is focusing on collaborations and businesses. One of her collaborations is with En Route to bring affordable - and uniquely named - jewelry that is also sustainable! Her die hard audience, the “Walnutters”, are always involved in her work. With the help of fans who helped picked the names, Blair Walnuts X En Route released a collection called "Trophy Wife" that includes pieces like "Sneaky Link" & "Trust Fund Baby." Focusing in on jewelry and hair products, Blair also launched her own hair care line, Loveorie. "Literally all my hair fell out, it looked like my hair went through a paper shredder machine [because] I bleached it too much," She recalled. Taking a disaster, she turned it into a company that launched a hair growing oil. The Hair Growth Oil fortifies damaged hair by strengthening, moisturizing, and promoting faster hair growth. "It's something that helps people, it gets [their] hair back... it's made me a more empathetic and kinder person by helping other people" Listen to the full podcast episode to hear Blair's full story

Photographer: Seth Brown @capturesbyseth

By: Camila C. Back with yet another summery alternative-pop hit, JAWNY’s new single and music video, “adios”, is out now! Don’t let the seemingly sweet and playful tune and cinematic, fast pace music video deceive you; this song holds immense sentiments of heartbreak, loss, and longing. Vulnerability with his audience is not something new to JAWNY. He previously shared with HAZZE MEDIA how he deliberately uses authenticity to allow his audience to experience his emotional journeys in “live time” with him. “adios” definitely highlights that. JAWNY’s intuitive nature when it comes to songwriting really shines through, as he turns his heartache into something tangibly beautiful in this bright music video and summer single, illuminating his optimistic, “go with the flow” nature. “I could sit here and give a really smart sounding press quote where I make up a story to make this song sound really serious and pretentious”. “But the truth of the matter is I wrote a song that I believe in. I made the best music video of all time for it and now it’s out in the world and it’s yours. go nuts with that.” Watch the official music video HERE. “adios” (Interscope Records) by JAWNY is available at all digital retailers HERE.

Interview by: Camila C. From sweet summer indie pop to fiery alternative, singer and songwriter, JAWNY has something for everyone. His authenticity and freeform nature radiates in all his songs despite how versatile they are, and this rings especially true for his new single “Strawberry Chainsaw”. This summer, JAWNY gave us a peak at what led him to this light- hearted and whimsical song, how he stays true to his sound, advice for aspiring artists, and more! Thank you so much for talking with me; so go ahead and introduce yourself. "My name is Jawny. I am an artist from Los Angeles, California." You’ve definitely had a super busy year so far. What was the process of working on your single "Take It Back" with your idol, Beck. "Oh man! The process was in November of last year, 2021. We were supposed to get in the studio and work at the end of November, but he was on a tour. And then I was on a tour, and I don't think our teams could line up or make anything work, and then usually from like december to like January 15th the music industry and everyone in it including, creators, all kind of go off of the map and that's when Mariah Carey kind of takes over and “All I want for Christmas” just becomes the biggest song in the world. And then when February came back around everyone was getting back to work and getting back in the studio and doing things, we were trying to link up again, but then again he got booked for some shows, and I got booked to do the French Music Awards, so it became this thing where every time our teams were gonna try to get us to work neither one of us was around, once I got off stage at the French music awards I think I was just riding the little high, having a good runner’s high from it all because that was kind of crazy. I just shot him a text from Paris. I was just like ‘hey, I know we keep trying to get in the studio and make something new, but I actually have this song that I have been touring around the world for the last year; it’s got a crazy reception, and it’s almost to the point where I feel like I need to kind of give it another little push and another little extra love, and re-inject it into the world one more time. And I feel like it might have slipped through the cracks.’ And by the time I woke up in the morning he was already texting me back, being like, ‘let's do it. I like this song, send me all the stuff’, and I mean, from there the rest is history. I got to work with my idol; we made a song that I really dig. I love all the stuff he added to it, and he got to sing on the chorus and sing on the pre-chorus. We added new guitars, new production elements, and it was just a really cool thing. And I even ended up getting to go on tour with him after that across Europe, and it was a wild, crazy, full circle life moment. And like you said it's been a whirlwind of a year so far, it's been a little crazy, but I'm holding on, and I'm ready to see where this rollercoaster goes." How was going on tour with Beck and how has any of your previous experiences prepared you for your upcoming tour with Oliver Tree. What are you anticipating to be different, and what are you wanting to change from your last experience for this tour? “Oh totally. The tour with Beck was awesome. Shows are amazing. There isn't much to say other than that… I was on stage opening up for someone I really look up to, and that just feels amazing and awesome. As far as what's going to be different about this next tour, I don’t really know. I feel like I have kind of given my all at the shows.” “I feel like if you would’ve maybe asked me that question a year and a half or two years ago, I’d have a lot more of not critiques, but a lot more adventurous thoughts of where I’d get my set, and how I’d like to get it to sound. As of right now, I’m feeling pretty good. I think I’m gonna go on the Olivet tree tour doing the same thing I’ve been doing and just kind of keep this train chugging along, and Oliver is a good buddy of mine so it's gonna be a good time. We’re gonna go play some shows across the United States and it’ll be a swell grand old time!” How does your new single "Strawberry Chainsaw" differ from anything you’ve ever released in the past? “I think it falls into the same guidelines as every song I release, which is that every song is pretty much different than anything I’ve ever done haha. It’s kind of like a weird habit of mine that I keep accidentally doing where like ‘Honey-Pie’ doesn't even sound like it could even be made by the same person that made 'Take It Back’, “Take It Back’ doesn’t sound the same as ‘Best Thing’ and so on so forth. I keep accidentally doing that, but I guess in the direction this one goes in, I feel like I’m finally making (with this song particularly) music that I wish I could’ve made when I was 16 and 17, but I didn’t have the capabilities or the resources… or even the skill at the time. I didn’t know how to produce or write that good; it took me years to figure out how to write a song. “Now with Strawberry Chainsaw, I feel like I’m making a song that I really wish that I had when I was like 17, because it's kind of like right in the vibe, that little indie pocket thing that I was into with influences of people that I used to relate with to when I was younger, and I’m feeling really good about it.” I heard you base a lot of your art strictly on intuition without looking too deep into how it might play out. You pretty much just go by the first thought you have; that’s how you go into it. How has that given you more liberty in your passion? “You are correct. I mean, it doesn’t become pretentious, you know what I mean? Like I don’t think too hard, not in like a simpleton way, it's just like…it’s music… you know, this isn’t ‘The 9 Inch Nail’ or a ‘Grave’. I’m not writing this deep freaking song. Like, when I’m writing a fun pop song I’m just having fun; I’m just getting on the mic and I'm singing whatever feels good off my chest. I can get to those darker moments, you know what I mean, but you know, ‘Hurt By The 9 Inch Nail’ is one of the best emotional written songs of all time. Like if I'm feeling really emotional then I might really start thinking about what I’m gonna say and how I’m going to say it, and what I’m trying to portray in this song. But for the most part, if I’m just trying to write like a fun upbeat song, then I just tend to really not think too hard about it . Same things that flow off of my mouth really easily and feel nice, and I don’t try to think too smart on if I sound smart or this line sounds like genius or something, because I don’t think people need that or really care about that. And I don’t think I really care about that. I think I just want to make something that feels really good to me that I like to listen to and that’s all I really care about it, like I don’t think anything else past that. If it feels good, and it gets me excited, that’s all I give a f*** about, and it’s helped me out throughout my passion for art. It helps you not feel like you have to pull teeth to write music. Sometimes, you know, like I said, if you want to channel something serious, there’s a time and a place to do that.” “Man, sometimes you just want to get in the room and just make something freeform that’s fun, and that’s what art is about sometimes. Sometimes it can be very serious, but in this case, this is a fun, uplifting, indie, summer song, and I love it. I had a good time. I didn’t think about it too hard. I wrote it really fast, and I hope that you and anyone else reading this likes it as well.” Let’s kind of jump back in time a little bit; what gave you the courage to leave nursing school and to continue pursuing music? What advice do you want to give your fans who may be struggling with starting fresh again in regards to a passion? ”Okay, so before I answer that, I need to be clear, so I’m not a fibber. Did I drop out of nursing school technically on paper? Did I ever even make it to the nursing program or take a single nursing class? No. I dropped out during the remedial classes. I dropped out during the math, and the science, and the credits you need to get before you even get to the nursing program.” “I didn’t make it 6 months into my first semester at all. I just kept making beats in the parking lot, pretending like I was going to class. But any advice I'd give anyone, whether it's college or life or anything, is just do what you love while you can, you know? It’s kind of what I told myself, even when I was working a day job or really struggling to make everything work. Me and my dad would butt heads a lot when we’d be on the phone. It's like, I don’t want to be 50 or 65 years old, just never say that I did try at least, you know what I mean? I’d rather try then fail and than go do something I don’t love to pay the bills, than be one of those old guys that is just bitter that he never at least tried to do the thing that he loved, and this doesn’t even just apply to music. This is like ‘go be a f******* astronaut’ or for whatever reason your dream is to be an accountant, which I think is the most boring job in the world, but if for some reason that’s your dream, like go f****** do it or try to do it, or else you’re going to be one of those people that’s just miserable and didn’t ever do anything that you really wanted to do and just lived life for other people, and do everything you can to make it work . You know I try to do music but my god there’s times where I had to work all these crazy odd end jobs where I would wake up at 5 in the morning and then work a whole shift, and then go into my studio and make music and then do it all again the next day for like six days straight, every week for months on end like…it’s not fun sometimes. It’s not always going to feel like your living the freaking dream, but man one day you’re going to look back on those years though, like even how I do now, and I’m like man those are some of the best times of my life. Even when my back was up against the wall and everything was crazy and stressful…I kind of love it weirdly. I don’t know. I'm not a good ‘Ted Talk’ guy. Just follow whatever you want to do; do it to the fullest, live life with no regrets. God bless; there you go. “ Your upcoming music is said to be much more emotionally provoking; what inspired you to become more vulnerable with your listeners? How has this approach changed your writing process? “I don’t think anything necessarily inspired it. As far as the genre, right, I don’t think I was like, ‘oh man, I am inspired to make mad music now’. Like I said with that last question, you know, from a couple of questions ago, sometimes you write and are like, ‘yeah I want to make up beat fire little bops, that’s really carefree and freeform; you don’t have to think super hard, but I'm a human, right? And life is a crazy, vicious cycle of love and heartbreak and disappointment, and there’s highs and there’s lows and there’s peaks and there’s valleys. And I’m a human at the end of the day that makes music and art as pretentious as it sounds, and I think there were times in my life like the human experience for the last couple years where things got really not super summery and bright outside. Like it didn’t feel that way to me with my perception of what was going on with my life and certain events. And because I’m an artist, and because I make music and that’s the thing I do everyday, I think some go those situations some of those memories or some of those things that were bothering me or something probably went into the art and the songs that came out happened to make that project; I liked it and that’s kind of the explanation why there’s some really serious songs and why there’s some emotional orchestral songs and moments . But yeah, in short, the human experience can be pretty wild sometimes. It's awesome. Sometimes it can be sad. I think my music reflects that and however I’m feeling. My music is like a mood ring that I have on my finger, and you kind of hear how I go through emotions in live time.” Your music is so multifaceted in regards to genre , so how do you stay true to your sound while working with such a variety of music types? “I think my true sound is shaping whatever gets me excited in my studio or in that room that day. It’s not so much as how I can fit my personality per se into a genre or song; if I’m already chasing that idea or writing that idea to begin with, no matter what the genre is, it's gonna sound like me because I only work on s*** that gets me excited and gets my gears going. I talk to my friends and say its like digging for dinosaur bones when you first start a song, no matter what the genre is, or the beat, or the melody, or the core progression, or the guitar, or the piano core progression you are starting with. I look at it as you’re just scraping through dirt, right. Or at least for me, I have that little brush, and I’m at the little site with all the other archeologists, and I’m just scraping the brush, and then when there’s like a core progression, or a beat, or something in a new genre that I write or do in the studio that gets me excited, it's like that’s where I see a little piece of a bone, and then I just keep digging and brushing and then I add this over there, and I keep digging and brushing and then I add these drums over here, and then I keep digging and brushing. And now I’m really excited because I’m about to uncover this thing, and then I start writing and I keep on uncovering this thing, and then eventually I take 10 steps back and it’s a whole f******* dinosaur or like a dinosaur leg, you know what I mean? And then that’s kind of what it's like for every song. Like, if it's released on my Spotify and made it past my crazy brain and made it onto my managers, and made it from managers to the label to be this song that I got super juiced about and finished.” “Like I got hyper obsessive almost until I finished it…so it’s less about how to spit me onto a track and more about if I’m already juiced about something and I’m going in that direction it’s gonna have all of my little personality to it already because I couldn’t even be making the song unless I was extremely inspired and juiced about whatever was going on in the room that day, which is probably why they are all super different and one song never sounds like the other one which some can say could be a fault, but I don’t think it’s a fault. I think it makes it fun and ever changing and never gets stale for me, and it makes me shows f****** awesome for me, because I get to do all these different dynamics and different and different moments and different emotions. And it’s a cool time. It makes it so when I go on stage at a show it’s almost like a therapy session, like I have all these peaks and valleys and I have all these happy moments and sad moments and they are all lyrics that I wrote and things that I’ve related to, and I get to kind of go through it in live time at the show every single time I play it. It's pretty sick.” A huge characteristic that makes you stand out as a musician is the whimsical nature of your sound. How have you connected to your inner child with your music? “I love that question…” “For the most part, when you’re a child, an infant, a baby, you don’t really know about the pain in the world yet, and you don’t really know how cruel life can be and how wild it can be sometimes. And I feel like, at least in my experience, if you ask about me and how I do as my inner child, I feel like if I look back at me being a kid, I just took on life as it was.” “I think when I’m in a studio it’s the closest form I can get back to that, as far as the thought process.” “I can just take on everything as it comes to me. “ Looking back at who you were writing your hit, "Honey Pie", what advice would you give that version of yourself? (The version of yourself writing that song before you knew anything that would happen or come of it) “There's one time in my whole life, or my whole career, or my whole anything that I didn’t do any of the stuff that I said…” “I chase what gets me excited; I’ve been harping on that, right? ‘Honey Pie’, I wrote in 20 minutes. I didn’t think too hard. I got excited. I made the song…wrote the song. I made it, didn’t think about it. Put it out, but I’m a human like I also said a couple questions ago and humans are complicated and wild individuals, and clearly I tried to be an artist for years and years and years and years and years and years with different aliases and different names and busted it out and tried for so long and I would get some success: a couple hundred thousand streams here, a couple hundreds thousand streams there. But when you put out a song and it gets viral, you have that thought of like, ‘well, clearly if I did X, Y, Z, this is the result, and when I do that, this is the result, so I just need to do this every time. That was where my brain went. I was like, ‘clearly this works so I have to do this again’, and I wrote and made the song ‘Anything You Want’, which it’s not like it’s not me or that I didn’t put myself into it, but it’s the only song I ever made or wrote that I can say that I think I made it for the wrong reasons, or that I was just trying to replicate a version of myself that was natural and connected with people, and I thought I had to do it twice, and this is all a long winded answer to say that I feel like if I could back in time to the moment right after I wrote that song, I would have this conversation with myself to say, ‘hey, this song you made is about to come out, and it’s gonna so wonderful, crazy, beautiful things for the next 3-4 years. And every time you think that moment is over, it’s gonna come back again and do something crazier than the first time. And then in 2021 when you really think it’s over, it’s going to do something even bigger than it ever did the first two times, and then this year in 2022 whenever you think it’s over, it’s gonna do something even crazier…” “Don't let that get in your head, this all happened, and this is all the end result of you just being excited in the room that day and chasing what gets you excited.” “Don’t overthink it; don’t make ‘Anything You Want’. Okay, goodbye. That’s what I would say.“ Talk to me about what else we should expect. Is there anything else you have coming up that you’d like to share with us? “I have a song called ‘Strawberry Chainsaw’, that’s at the time that we are talking, coming out in a week, I believe.” “I’m really stoked about it, and I’ve been sitting here kind of harping on how I kind of make things that I like and that people should just do what they wanna do, and what they like, and it’s a song that I just really love and I made it really fast, and it feels really good to me and I loved it for a lot of months before I submitted it for release and I’m really stoked that it’s about to come into the world and I hope that people enjoy it and can have a good time to it, and bop their little head around, and blast it in their cars or wherever they listen to music. And hopefully they like it, and if they don’t, that’s okay. I hope I have something else in my catalog that you might like, because like I said earlier, everything is a little different than the other one. And that’s all I got to say.”

Interview by: Ezzah Rafique Photographer: Dylan Lujano @dylanlujano Hair: Kyle Hennessy @kylehennessyhair Makeup: Anton Khachaturian @antonmakeup Stylist: Mariposa @mariposabih Thanks for doing this with us. Let’s start a bit on the basic side: introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you do? My name is Bailey Spinn and I’m a content creator as well as a musician! I grew up in Virginia with my family, and I was born on August 5th, 2002. I started making content in quarantine out of boredom, but soon it became my full-time job. I’ve always been in love with music, I played many instruments. I now play the electric guitar, and I love everything to do with music! Do you remember the moment when your first few videos started going viral? Yes! I remember one time specifically, I was hanging out with friends, and I said, “I don’t think these views are stopping.” I had seen large numbers before, but never so many in a row, and it was hard to believe. At that point, I was gaining 70k+ followers overnight, and I was blowing past my milestones. The growth didn’t stop, and I still find it hard to believe it really happened. It’s really nice to see creators using their platform to advocate against anti-bullying. What would you say has been the best part of creating a safe space online? I want to make people feel comfortable and confident in their own skin because it’s something I’ve always struggled with. I love that people tell me I’m their comfort creator, and they watch my videos when they need a little boost. I’ve impacted so many people just through a screen, which makes me so happy. I love when I meet fans and they tell me how much I mean to them. I’ve had people break down in tears from excitement, which makes me want to cry too. I adore making a positive impact on my fans! What about the challenges, what have you dealt on your platform that has been the hardest? I had a period of time where I felt stuck, I was out of ideas but hadn’t thought about trying to expand my content more. There have been points where I just wanted to give up because I couldn’t handle the pressure of getting a video out every single day. It’s hard to come up with new ideas every day, but I’ve learned to be more forgiving with myself. It’s okay to have off days; everyone does! I don’t usually get hate comments, but I have on specific videos, and those set me back too. I've been body-shamed online a lot, and it’s hard to deal with it when I’m not feeling the most confidence. Who are some creators on TikTok that inspire you? I am really inspired by Mikayla Nogueira and Kirsten Titus. I love how authentic they are to themselves, and they’re not afraid to be totally open with the audience. Showing your everyday life is so impressive to me; it’s not easy to vlog everything you’re doing. I’ve always admired how to open Mikayla has been with her fans about what’s happening in her life. Knowing that other creators struggle with mental health reassures me that I’m not alone. I love Kirsten's content because she’s hilarious and makes anything seem like a great time! What advice do you have for anyone who has a hard time opening up to people about struggles that they are going through? I would say to find small things you enjoy about your day and write them down. As simple as it sounds, looking forward to a few small things a day can make the bigger tasks less daunting. It could be something as small as having a cookie, but it really does help. Don’t try to force a conversation you aren’t comfortable with. If you aren’t ready to get help, it will be okay! You can also reach out to people who aren’t in your family, like mental health hotlines, because they are always there for you. Opening up can be difficult, but each day you work on yourself, it gets a little easier. How was this past Vidcon for you and what was your experience there like? VidCon this year was extremely fun! It was my first time going, so I didn’t know what to expect, but it was amazing. I got to meet so many amazing people and see other content creators I’ve always wanted to meet. It felt like a loving community of supporters, and everyone was so positive. There were so many activities and things for everyone to do, like a squishmallow claw machine! Lastly, what advice would you give your younger self? I would tell her to stop worrying so much about what other people think. I was always scared of being judged or disliked, but it’s really inevitable. Me not caring about judgment or hate has gotten me to the point where I am today! If I had given up when I started getting hate comments, I would not have the opportunities I have now. I would say to stay true to yourself and what you like because the right people will find it!

September 7 2022 | Bridgestone Arean, Nashville, TN | Photos by: Stephanie Siau Opening Act: Peter McPoland

Interview by: Ezzah Rafique | Photos by: Hunter Lyon 1. Thanks for doing this with us. Let’s start a bit on the basic side: introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you do? Thank you for having me, I'm honored! Hello, my name is Hailey Haus. I am a Pop artist, songwriter, and producer based in Dallas, Texas but from Oakland, California! I can describe my music as a melting pot of inspirations as well as a world of unique concepts and storytelling. 2. Congrats on the release of "Flavor of the Month"! What is the backstory to the song? I think this song has a meaning that tends to surprise people. At one point in my life I was getting to know multiple guys in the span of a year. In my case, I was just searching for that one guy who I would give my heart to and would be the perfect match. This one girl who I consider being an outsider formed the opinion that I had a “Flavor of The Month.” She went around telling people that about me, without considering that my intention was never to lead anyone on, but that I was just trying to find my husband. I remembered that she said this about me after years had passed and thought it would be the funniest song title! Later I wrote this song over Zoom with Natania Lalwani and Miranda Glory. We formed the concept into each month of the year being a theoretical guy. For me this is a song about taking the power back and also a reminder that sometimes it takes putting yourself out there and meeting different people in order to find the right one. You don’t have to settle – eventually you will find that special guy who checks off the most important boxes. 3. For "Flavor of the Month," what was the process like for you when it came to writing and creating the song? It was one of the easiest and most fun writing sessions ever! We wrote the song in about 10 minutes, there was just this “meant to be” feeling about it. I feel as if it’s one of those concepts that should have been written before, but somehow we caught it before anyone else. That makes it feel even more special. We did try to rewrite the chorus later on just to see if we could beat it but we ended up reverting back to the original, sometimes you can never beat the special magic from the first session. 5. You've worked with a lot of talented people, Gregg Wattenberg being one of them. Who are some artists, dead or alive, that inspire you? Or someone you dream to work with? Katy Perry has been a huge inspiration to me since I was a kid, I remember the first moment I ever saw her on tv and was so intrigued by her colorful hair and fashion sense. I just love her creativity and how she is unapologetically herself. I am always drawn to artists who create an immersive experience for their fans – that is something that I plan on doing. 6. How would you describe your music to someone who is listening to it for the first time or has never heard it before? I would say that my music is multidimensional. I got a little something for everyone. I have some bubblegum pop, rock, funk, hip-hop, jazz, intimate ballads, cinematic/theater… I love to lead with whatever is inspiring me, but the glue that keeps it cohesive is this “pop” umbrella. I think if you are a Disney lover, a pop music lover, one love the contrast of beautiful yet haunting things, then you will be a fan of my music. 7. Aside from music, what hobbies or interests do you have that keep your free time occupied? I grew up with my grandma, mom, and aunts being cosmetologists, so I also adopted a love for it! More specifically I love all things makeup! I love doing full glam looks and I’m not afraid of color. It’s definitely a passion I have on the side – I think if I didn’t do music I would have been a MUA / YouTube beauty guru! 8. Going back to music, you're very talented with writing your lyrics. What does your creative process look like? Everything for me begins with a concept or title. I need that clarity and structure, there is nothing more satisfying than having an out-of-the box concept. My concepts are usually birthed from my real life experiences, imagination, or even viewing real life through an imaginative lens. From there I start word vomiting everything I possibly can about this said topic into a Doc. I then record and create any melody or production ideas into Logic to start carving out the mood for the song. After that I bring that idea into a session and we flesh the song out together! I like going into each session with a plan and knowing what I want to say- I think it makes everyone's job a little easier and is a set up for a stronger outcome. 9. "Flavor of the Month" was the first song of yours to be on the radio, correct? Your reaction to listening to it was precious and so was your sister's! Did you preview the song to your family before the release and what was their reaction like? Yes! ‘Flavor’ was the first song to play on the radio! That was one of the best moments of my life. The first time I heard it playing I immediately felt the memories of all the years, hours of work, tears, and passion I put into my career to get to that point. It was extremely validating and encouraging, I’m so glad I didn’t give up! And yes, I did show my family the song before it was released. They are very, very supportive of my career and also get all of the demos. They are my other A&Rs, haha! Upon first listen they thought this song was super funny and they knew people were going to resonate with it. 10. Lastly, do you have any plans for releasing music later in the year? Is there anything you could tell us about possible collaborations or releases?" I can’t say much at the moment, but we have a lot of big future plans. I am very excited to show the world, my world! It’s going to be larger than life. For now stay tuned on social media as I will be teasing new music very soon!

August 30 2022 | Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH | Photos by: Annie Schutz