August 23, 2022 | KEMBA Live! Columbus, OH | Photos by: Annie Schutz

July 26, 2022 | The Soundwell, Salt Lake City, UT | Photos by: Maegan Grendell Opening Artist: Carol Ades

Interview by: Lauren Sanchez | August 20,2022 L: What inspired you to get into music and songwriting? Olivia: So, growing up music was always in my house and my dad would always have like concert DVDs playing back when that was a thing, and CDs playing when we were making brunch, driving me to school. So, I was really immersed in music and he also played guitar. So when I was about 12 years old, I asked him to teach me some chords on guitar. And I basically just wrote so many songs with those same three chords. And as I got into high school, I started, you know, playing talent shows and then playing at some coffee shops. And I just fell in love with music beyond listening to it. I thought the creation of it was really cool. And as I went to more and more concerts, I was just really inspired. And, you know, seeing that it can be a career path was really cool to me. So I just kept playing shows and slowly started to put music on SoundCloud and just released kind of some demos, that weren't very good, out into the world. And eventually, by the time I was about 18, some songs that I put out were noticed by a Canadian TV show called "The Launch" and they reached out and scouted me for the show. So, that kind of took my life in a cool direction. And I went on the show and actually won the show, which was crazy and incredible and amazing. And, through that, I got a song on Canadian radio, Top 40, and I got to open for Lionel Richie and just do some really incredible career things. Then, last year I put out my debut album and now we're here! So, you know, it's been a journey, but it's been really fun and cool so far. L: That's really cool. You mentioned a few of your inspirations as you were saying that, so who do you think are your biggest inspirations when it comes to this sort of artistry? Like you can even talk about like just musicians in general or even songwriters. Olivia: So growing up, I definitely listened to lots of Coldplay, Fleetwood Mac, Norah Jones. And that was my kind of first inspiration when it came to writing. And as I got older, I definitely just started to listen to so many different kinds of music, whether that's EDM or hip hop or country or classical. And I think just listening to so many different types of music and listening to different writers write different genres of music, definitely inspires an eclectic inspiration for me when I sit down to write. L: Yeah, exactly. Because like, as you said, it's important to be well-rounded in like different styles. And especially because you can take so many like different parts [of them] and mash it all together into like some really cool songs, you know? So, how would you describe your sound to people who may not be familiar with your music? Olivia: Because I did start writing when I was really young and, you know, my roots are kind of more folk singer-songwriter that still is a throughline in my music, but now it has more of a modern pop flare. So if you take kind of the singer-songwriter of Ed Sheeran, but then you can add some more Ariana Grande production. A fusion of those two. L: That's a good combination though. Because they're both like really talented singer-songwriters, you know, and speaking of your writing, in your artistry, bio, it talks a lot about your love and passion for writing. Is there a specific lyric or lyrics that you have written that have been your absolute favorite? Olivia: Oh, good question. So there's actually this one song that I wrote, it's quite a sad song, but those are always the best. And the opening line is, "Cigarette inside your hand. Wish you would hold me like that,” And I'm really proud of that lyric because it felt so natural. Like I kind of just sat down with the guitar and I played it and it came out and I was like, 'I really like this.' And I thought it just perfectly embodied what I was feeling in that moment because I couldn't describe it, but then the lyric came out and described it. So, it was a really cool kind of thing that happened. L: No, that's a really good lyric. That's like, ugh, that hurts. Where do you find a lot of your inspiration to write songs? Cause from that lyric alone, it's a lot to do with heartbreak, you know? Olivia: So it's been interesting. I feel like historically I've drawn from lots of heartbreak and relationships or situation shifts but as I matured and over the past few years I've been happily single and, you know, going in on this self-love journey. And I don't have tons of chaos in my life in regards to relationships. So it's been interesting to navigate because at first I had writer's block and I was like, ‘What can I write if I'm happy?’ you know? But I think the beauty of music is I'm learning you don't have to be sad to write a sad song. You don't have to be happy to write a happy song. You can put yourself in any headspace and write from any perspective. So yeah, definitely things in my life inspire me, but also just the environment I'm in, you know, in LA and it's daytime and we're writing in natural light, then maybe a happy song will come out. Or a huge studio and it's really dark, maybe like a moody kind of like song will come out. But that's I think the beauty of my writing process is it's ever-changing. It's not always positive or negative. It's kind of just, the art comes as it comes. L: That's a good answer, especially because like this whole interview is all about your song with Bhad Bhabie, "VIBE CHECK", and from listening to it, it's very summery. It's giving like windows down, but at night, roaming through the streets of LA. And so speaking about the single "VIBE CHECK," how did the collab come to be and what was the creative process like? Olivia: So I wrote "VIBE CHECK" with my longtime collaborator and producer AJ Healey and we, as we usually do, we sat down to write in a session and we had a beat loop that was really interesting and I started voice memoing some really cool memos. And then we actually took a break and got totally sidetracked and started googling Gen Z slang. So we were googling it and the term "VIBE CHECK" popped up and we kind of looked at each other and we're like, " This is cool. This is a very interesting concept and theme and word, let's use it in our song." So when we came back to the song, it kind of naturally fit into the chorus and that's how that song was written. Very quickly, very effortlessly. And then after we had written it, so I've never actually collaborated on one of my own songs with another artist. And we felt that this song could really benefit from a feature because of the really kind of fun, energetic vibe. So we wanted a female on it too, because it gives off a really strong kind of feminine energy, and confidence. And I was scrolling a TikTok and I've always been familiar with Bhad Bhabie and love her music. And she popped up and I was kind of reintroduced to her and we reached out and she hopped on the song. So that's how that happened. L: That's crazy. So what was it like to work with her? Did you gain anything new in terms of like learning how to write songs or find your own sound or just collab with people in general? Olivia: Yeah, I think the beauty of collaboration is you really just get to see people do their own thing. And sometimes it's really similar to yours or other times, I'm not a rapper and I don't like that kind of thing, but to see their take on your song is really cool to see and to see what lyrics they write. It was just really cool to see what she came up with and the lyrics fit perfectly song. So I was really happy that she was able to be on it. L: No, I definitely agree. So, how has “VIBE CHECK” been different from other songs you have worked on? Olivia: I think sonically definitely, probably sounds a little different than other stuff I've been working on. And that's just because AJ and I have really been experimenting with different things and I've been listening to a bit more R&B lately. So, I think subconsciously maybe there's a bit of that kind of zest or flare in that song and lyrically, I think it's definitely just fun and upbeat and positive. And as I mentioned before in the past, I've written lots of heartbreak songs. So this song, it's just a bit of a new era for, I guess, Olivia Lenny, and it's about being confident and knowing what you want and getting it and just having fun. So hopefully people, you know, can have fun and make memories to the song. L: I love hearing confident and female empowering songs, you know, in the media. Because a lot of the time, you don't hear that and that's totally great. I really like that! So how do you think you have grown as an artist from your debut album that came out last year to who you are as an artist right now? Olivia: Yeah, I think, you know, it's crazy to think that was already a year ago. I feel time was truly going by so quickly. It's actually like freaking me out a bit, but I just think me growing personally has really affected me on my artist journey. You know, when I've been really prioritizing myself, and my health and my wellness and my mental health. And I'm just in a really good state right now. You know, the confidence that I've gained just within myself has really been amplified in my artist journey and it's been really cool to see that come out, even in the music that I've been making. So hopefully, you know, I can just keep blossoming, and make more music. L: Yeah especially, I know you just released a single and I can't imagine how excited you are that it's finally out and you collaborated with such a big well-known artist, you know, but are there any new and upcoming projects that you are excited for or things you are in the works of creating as of right now? Olivia: Yes, of course. So I'm definitely always writing, but AJ and I in January and February of this year, 2022, we got together for probably nine days and just wrote so many songs and we've still been having sessions and writing songs. So, now it's just a matter of narrowing down which ones we wanna release, and hopefully, in the fall, we'll be a bit of an EP. L: Yay! Oh my God. Congratulations. That's so cool! Olivia: Yeah. I'm excited to share this kind of new, the new vibe. No pun intended. L: Oh yeah. That's what I was going to say. Like, what do you think the vibes are for the new EP are gonna sound like, feel like, what do you want your listeners to get out of it? Olivia: Yeah for sure. Lots of, you know, upbeat, really fun songs with some really cool production, but there will still be, you know, a few of those ballads for people who have liked those in the past. And those are always, you know when you strip it all back, that's kind of me in my truest form and then all the extra production and the pop songs are just that elevated version, I guess, of me as an artist. L: Well, that's so exciting. I can't wait to listen to it in the fall. My final question, this one's just for fun, What is your favorite song to sing in the shower? Like you’re giving like a concert. You have the opener, the main act, and your encore. What songs are you gonna choose? Olivia: That is so hard. I do find myself singing dreams by Fleetwood math way too often. But also...I think, Someone You Loved By Lewis Capaldi. That's a good, you know, belting song in the shower if no one's home and it's just me and myself and I L: Those are two really good ones because I've been definitely like on the Fleetwood Mac vibe, this whole summer. So like, yeah I totally understand. I get it. Olivia: Can't go wrong with “Rumors”. I feel like that album doesn't age, you know, it's always relevant. It's always just so good. So, that's the goal to just make music that can live on forever.

Interview by: Jenny Salazar | August 22, 2022 J: When did you discover your love for singing? Jiah: I first discovered my love for singing as a child. I was always around the house learning Beyoncé songs and dances to perform or just trying to learn how to play another song on the piano. My sister was a producer and piano player, so I got a lot of inspiration from her growing up; she even let me record my first song when I was 9. J: What was the first concert you attended? Jiah: The first concert that I attended was The Cheetah Girls. I remember it like it was yesterday, and of course, my mom had me in front row seats because she knew how much I loved The Cheetah Girls at the time. J: How do you balance college and your singing career? And what are you majoring in college? Jiah: Balancing music in college is definitely not easy, but I'm [currently maintaining] my major in the college music industry so everything goes hand-in-hand with what I'm doing in my music career. I'm thankful to be in college and able to major in something I'm passionate about, and I feel like I'm perfecting my craft every day. J: What advice would you give other college students pursuing their dreams? Jiah: I say don't waste your time doing things that you don't love and waste more time doing things that you do love. I wish I had the balls to major in what I wanted earlier in my college career instead of listening to other voices. [Still], we only get one life, so do what you want; nothing is impossible, and consistency is a big W. J: What's your favorite track off your newest album, Wait, Let Me Be Honest? And why is it your favorite track? Jiah: My favorite track off of "Wait, Let Me Be Honest" is probably "Outsider". Only because I freestyled that one by myself while at college, so It really means a lot to me, and it's also my most streamed song in such little time, so it feels like I have really accomplished something when it comes to my sound with that song, the world seems to love it. J: What's Cloud 9 (your latest single) about, and is it about a specific person? If it is about a particular person, do you think they've listened to it and know it's about them? Jiah: I never like to say my music is about specific people but more [about] self-specific experiences that I go through in life, and yes, it does have to do with an experience that I just recently went through. I think they do know the song is about them, but I also think that they support me enough on the level so that it doesn't bother them, which are my favorite type of people. J: If you could have a feature on any artist's track, who would it be? Jiah: Drake hands-down or Lil Wayne. J: Where do you go to find inspiration? Jiah: Being in college makes it really easy to find inspiration, especially when you're at the best HBCU in the nation; shout out to FAMU. But I think also getting out and doing [fun things] gives good inspiration and being around people [who] make you happy. J: What do you enjoy doing when you're not performing or studying? Jiah: I like listening [to] and making music, of course. But when I'm not doing that, I like to go to Pinterest and make mood boards getting inspiration for my brand. J: How is your hair brand Dream Curls doing, and what inspired you to create it? Jiah: My brand is doing great. I just started it, so slowly but surely will get it to where I want it to be. I fell in love with my natural hair and just recently dyed it about a year ago, so I really wanted something that I could show for with my hair growth. I didn't think reaching my dream curl pattern was possible, but I'm currently doing it, so I want everyone else to be able to do the same!

Interview by: Orchee Sorker | August 20, 2022 With 3M followers and over 38.3M views on TikTok, artist Ethan Bortnick sits down to talk to HAZZE MEDIA about his story, transitioning out of the classical world, ways of audience interaction through TikTok, and vision behind new "engravings" music video. You started piano when you were really young. What is one thing you used to or still do before a live performance to get ready? Absolutely nothing. I love to perform so much! Literally, I can be in the middle of a video game two minutes before I'm supposed to be on stage because as soon as I get up there I'm ready. I'm so pumped, excited, and ready to talk to the audience, you know? Performing is my bread and butter. That's why I've found such a beautiful home on TikTok as a platform because it's very visual and allows me to be in my comfort zone…which is performing. I'm probably the most excited to actually do it in person again. Well, TikTok is amazing…but there's truly nothing that excites me more than really being in person and performing. I have no routine. Like…I don't do yoga. I probably should and would be more flexible, but yeah that's really it. I love it too much to overthink. There’s a lot of stuff on the internet about your early career. Being labeled as a child prodigy, were there certain expectations growing up? Or just like what were your experiences growing up like the upsides and downsides of your gift? I'm very lucky because I've had very supportive parents. I am so grateful for that because I started in a very classical world. I grew up seeing very much the opposite of that. There was a certain point where I just did not want to be a part of that scene anymore. Not because I didn't like music. It was a very harsh environment, and something that wasn't truly in my experience about the art itself. Then, I eventually moved on to jazz which I enjoyed as well. I started to progress musically. I began to have a wide range of tastes and work with other musicians. But I didn't have pressure. As a “kid”, every decision in the past, my parents made sure I had the final say. If there was something that I didn't feel like doing or something that didn't feel right…they would put it off no matter how big of an opportunity it was. I just had fun making music. Eventually, I said to myself, the whole PBS touring thing with songs that aren't really songs that I've written is not really what I want to do anymore. Sure enough, I stopped it and decided to pick up production, songwriting and, and tap into what excited me about music as a teenager. Thankfully, there was no pressure. What is the creative process behind “engravings”? The creative process started with a horrible relationship, which honestly it didn't take much to get “engravings” out there. The lyrics came within a day. The music came within that same day. It was very quick writing with my collaborator, Dylan Edmonds. As harsh as the song is, producing that one was really fun because I tried to find creative ways to paint that picture…not only lyrically of what that relationship was like, but also musically, the composition of it. The production really captures those highs and lows of a very toxic relationship, which is why I think part of the song sounds so mean and cold. The choruses sound pretty mellow, soft, and almost very intimate. I wanted to make sure we captured that. That's essentially it. The piano tempo matches with the intensity of your verses, is that something you have to think about or does it come naturally…do you visualize scenarios when composing music? The main thing I never want to clash is my voice or the piano. A lot of my music is very call and answer because this is my original voice. I have a harmonious dance. I sing then the piano sings, then I sing then the piano sings. It comes very naturally. I wanted to make sure I save some of that crazy piano playing for the live show because for an actual record I don't want to overbear people with that. For the live show, I think that allows me to kind of really go ham on the piano. We need more music videos for your songs because they seem so visual. Are you planning on having a music video for “engravings”? What is your vision? Yes, very much. I'm a very visual person. Prior to signing with Columbia, I never really wanted to do any music videos because I never felt like I could fully execute them the right way. From the moment that I write, I know what the visual is gonna look like for it. For “engravings”, the idea is I'm pretty much going to be wrapped up, tied, and almost strangled with the piano in a bunch of yarn…which is a very common theme in a lot of my visual art. I'm basically going to be tied to the piano. As the piano is slowly pulling and dragging me, I’m gonna be hitting it to get away. That's just a small part of the concept. How do you think TikTok has helped you promote your music? I'm honestly shocked at how far I think I've evolved since pre-quarantine because I was one of those people that was like TikTok isn't for real artists. It's just a dancing app and all that…but something clicked. Around summer of 2020, where I had found a lot of really incredible musicians and artists promoting their stuff on TikTok. It wasn't even people that necessarily were blowing up or at the time at least. I just saw potential for myself on the app, especially since I felt like I had a path that was something new to the table. Having teased music is not only to promote my stuff but also to connect with the audience. I previously did not have it so incredible. I am so grateful to not only have that platform but also to gauge what the audience wants to hear and what the audience is excited about. I can tease a song and they can be like, nah, not this one. Or I can tease a song and they're like, yes, please, I need this tomorrow. I'm very grateful. It's allowed me to take the thing that quarantine took away from me and kind of adapt to it on TikTok. Do you feel like it's tiring to make so much content in a short amount of time or do you have a balance? I think I do have a balance. I strive to work as hard as I possibly can to push out content and stuff that I'm really excited about. But I know when to take a pause and not only rethink what I want to put out there or think about something else that may distract me. Because at the end of the day, the most important thing that I can really focus on is the actual art itself. You like to share snippets, or tease your song a few weeks before it’s out. How efficient is that method? Do you think more of your audience is engaged that way? I think so. I learned a lot from “cut my fingers off” because that was really the first one that did anything for me. I tried to put it out as quickly as humanly possible. I finished the song with Dylan in about 48 hours. With future songs, I really wanted to take my time and make the song itself. I know a lot of people on TikTok were begging, screaming, and crying. They were willing to give me thousands of their dollars for the song, but thankfully everybody was patient.I'm, I'm very happy with the end result. I know some musicians have different opinions about this…but would you like for one of your songs to become a TikTok trend? It's interesting. I welcome it. However, I'm not sitting here being like if I don't have a TikTok trend, that's it. What ends up happening is if an artist is underdeveloped or very new, a lot of times that song will swallow them whole. I admire artists like Doja Cat. She had a brilliant career prior to 2020. As a result of her album’s release, it blew up on TikTok, and that was really her first hit. I think that’s the reason why she became such a household name. She had an established vision, artistry, audience, and presence in the music industry. I welcome a TikTok trend with open arms because at the end of the day, my music is out there for people to listen to and to resonate with and whatever happens I'm all ears open to it. I definitely would never push it because I wanna see people using the music organically and it for the right reasons. If you could say one thing to your fans what would it be? What would it be? I wanna see them mosh, and I wanna mosh with them. I can't wait to meet people cause I think about it prior to quarantine my audience was the average age was about 60. I don't know what the audience is going to be like apart from social media. I'm just very excited to see people in person and to give them really big hugs, to mosh with them, and probably cry. Cause I'm a pretty sensitive guy. I'm so stoked to meet them. Last question, you have perfect pitch. What pitch do I speak in? So, you just hit a B flat. Then, you kind of went down to an A, A flat, and then a G. That it was that kind of cadence! Thank you so much for giving me your time! I’ll definitely keep supporting you! Hope to see you on tour one day! Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! This is awesome! Bye!

August 10, 2022 | Columbus, OH | Photos by: Ava Lamb Just two months shy of a year since their sophomore studio album Girlfriend, alt-pop band THE DRIVER ERA announces their third album, Summer Mixtape, out everywhere on September 16th. Featuring 11 brand new tracks - including the Rolling Stone-approved dance track "Keep Moving Forward" (feat. Nikka Costa) and the nostalgic summer single "Malibu," Summer Mixtape is currently available for pre-order on limited edition white vinyl, cassette, and CD formats. To pre-order, please visit www.thedriverera.com. To celebrate their milestone, The Driver Era have also released the "Malibu" official music video, shot and edited by director Tate Warner. The video follows Ross and Rocky on the California coast reminiscing about summer love. " 'Malibu' is about reminiscing on experiences in the best locations," the band stated. "It's about getting away. It's the spontaneous trip you take with someone -- maybe you knew them before, or maybe you're meeting them for the first time." Watch the "Malibu" Official Video HERE In just over 4 years since their debut single "Preacher Man," the band has reached over 300 million streams and 29 million combined social media followers. For tickets and VIP packages for their tour, please visit www.thedriverera.com.

By: Ezzah Rafique | Photography: Emily Steffen Thanks for doing this with us. Let’s start a bit on the basic side. who you are and how long you’ve been in music? Thanks for having me! Who I am? An ever-changing neuroplastic being with no proper center in my sense of self. Hah. Who I am is a difficult question as I change more than I stay the same. But my background, put simply, is that I’m a Finnish-Canadian 23-year old female, born and raised in Finland. I currently live in Helsinki but prior to that I have lived all over the world primarily for music. Music entered my life at an incredibly young age, though I can’t put an exact number on it. My mother was particularly adamant about having it in our lives, one way or another. The house was never quiet due to my parents’ CD collection or the radio on high volume. Mostly old jazz and rock. Around the age of 5 or so I would put on a lot of shows at home that involved singing. I took up piano quite soon after. It didn’t take long before I started fooling around with my own compositions. It started getting quite constant around the age of 10 when I started using songwriting as a pacifier for dealing with hurtful kids at school. When did you know to pursue music as a career? I never knew to pursue it as a career as I truly accidentally fell into the industry. At 13 I volunteered to work at a recording label as a part of a “worklife introduction” program since I didn’t feel like spending my time at a department store. They didn’t quite know what to do with me but one of the producers ended up asking if I was making music. I played him a song I’d recently written, he recorded a demo of it and I got signed to the label two weeks after. I still had school that was taking up most of my time so it took quite a few years for me to decide what I wanted to pursue, but I also genuinely didn’t think about it too much. I love your new debut EP 'Who?' what was the process like for you when creating it? Thank you ever so. It was essentially almost a 13-year-long process since it’s the first body of work I’ve put out for myself, about myself. The EP represents change and growth in identity and contains bits and pieces of tracks that I wrote as a child. The pre-chorus of “A Little More” is a song I wrote at 10 but later finished when in Berlin at around 19 years old. I wrote “All In My Head” at 18, “End of the Day'' at 20, and “Souvenir” around 18 or 19. Each song in its original form sounded so unbelievably different as I was working with so many different producers, in different cities, with a different headspace and lifestyle. It was a very nerve-racking process because I knew what I wanted it to sound like and I just couldn’t find the right person who understood my explanation until I landed in the wonderful, perfect hands of Minna Koivisto. She was the missing piece and without her, I wouldn’t be doing this today. She reproduced each song (except “A Little More”) to fit into the perfect bundle. The process was a blessing with Minna completing it. Was there ever a moment in making the EP where you got stuck or got into a slump, if so how did you overcome that? I never set out to make an EP, I wrote songs for the sake of expressing myself and my thoughts. After having a solid collection of over 100-200 songs [over] the course of the last 10 years, it made it easier to pick and choose which songs were significant markers of a different identity that I had. I never had any urgency to put music out, for I had started my journey as a writer, not as an artist. Only after I got sick of making music and resonated with the fact that I would have to give away, did I really stop and look back at songs I’d made that I wanted to keep and use as a representation of who I was. What is your favorite song off of the EP? “End of the Day” is my favorite when it comes to the message, lyrics, and feeling the song provokes in the listener. It has the most meaning for me as it also represented a very sore time in my life. “Souvenir” is my favorite song when it comes to production. I originally wrote it on a ukulele and Minna turned it inside out and flipped it upside down. What inspires your projects/fuels your creativity? Is there a pre-work ritual you have? Freeflow, essentially just seeing what happens. Your mind and creative muscle can do unbelievable things when you’re not trying too hard, hah. That’s why there’s the common saying that the stuff you create as a joke tends to be your best and most successful work. There isn’t any pre-work ritual other than taking my free-flow writing notebook with me to the studio if I feel like pulling some stuff into the lyrics that I’ve written prior. Most of the time my favorite thing to do is see what kind of sounds the producer is playing with and go off of those into a state of “trance writing.” You emphasize a lot having freedom in expressing one's identity. What influences you to follow a path of individuality? It took a long time for me to stop feeling pressured by those around me in the industry to do exactly what they were doing. It’s hard not to when you have no rule books for the right and wrong ways of being creative yet making a living for yourself. Interestingly as a kid I was much [freer] to be myself and didn’t care much at all about what others were doing - on top of that mentality, every time I dared to do what I wanted I was without fail rewarded by positive reactions. I guess along the rocky path of growing up I lost that for a while. It wasn’t until maybe three years ago when I moved back to Helsinki that I found that freedom again, and funnily enough when I fell into it I was met with the same positive reaction reward that I had as a kid. I think the influence of the people I met when I returned, who were expressing themselves so beautifully and in such different eccentric ways, was the reason I too found my individuality again. There is no better tool in this world than another human brain. Is there a song, out of all of the music you have released, that you would love or currently love to perform? I have a knack for wanting to make people emotionally let go and cry through music and so far “End of the Day” has managed to do that the most. Minna and I created a bit more of a dramatic version using a modular synth that we have performed and it has been lovely. To wrap up, what setting would you describe, to new listeners, be the best to listen to 'Who?' in? Wonderful question. Laying on the floor is ideal, bed or couch is acceptable too. I’ll also accept walking or driving home if it’s late at night. Definitely alone. This is a “me myself and I” type of EP. Eyes closed.

By: Ezzah Rafique | Photography: Chirag Bachani Photography: Chirag Bachani (@chiragbphoto) The Weeknd shut down the Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Sunday, August 15th, for his sold-out show on the After Hours Til Dawn Tour. Abel Tesfaye- better known as The Weeknd- released his fourth album, After Hours, in early 2020. Fast-forward in our new post-pandemic era, he released his most recent & fifth album Dawn FM. The After Hours Til Dawn tour is the seventh concert tour in Tesfaye's career. Walking into the arena, each attendee was given a flashy wristband that created the effect of a blinking flashlight. As the lights in the arena dimmed and the blue fog began to cover the city skyline set, the melody of "Alone Again" filled the stadium as Tesfaye rose to the stage. After performing "Gasoline," Tesfaye unveiled himself by lifting a mask off of his face, smiling from ear to ear. His smile instantly set the mood for the entire performance. There was not one person in the stadium who didn’t feel the joy radiating from his energy on stage. Photography: Chirag Bachani (@chiragbphoto) One of the most jaw-dropping moments occurred when 24 of his performers came out covered head-to-toe in red fabric in the beginning of “Sacrifice.” The sheer veils covering the performers are just one aspect of the thrilling theatrics The Weeknd puts on. From the bold colors in the set, to the fire along the stage, to the structure of the set itself, to his boisterous angel-like vocals, The Weeknd went above and beyond to exceed the expectations that fans have had waiting for this tour. Asides from performing hits from Dawn FM, Tesfaye did not disappoint the crowd when the sounds of his other hits like "Can't Feel My Face" & "Hurricane" filled the air. Fans went from jumping up-and-down to almost moshing to "The Hills" as flames of fire spewed down the runway. While singing along to "Heartless," the Dallas crowd proved that only "[they] can pull off" singing along to the song according to The Weeknd himself. Not only did the crowd bring their full energy to the concert, but also love. Two proposals occurred during "Die For You" & "I Feel It Coming" at which fans whipped out their phones to capture the ecstatic moment. With the energy in his show, anyone could tell Tesfaye truly enjoys the thrill of putting on a show-stopping performance. "Save Your Tears" set the tone for the grand finale of the night with "Blinding Lights" while the crowd ramped up their energy. The atmosphere of the arena proved to move Tesfaye emotionally as he paused to thank his fans and speak to the crowd. At his biggest party in Texas, he vowed to fans: “We’re gonna do AT&T two nights in a row, I promise you.” Following the Dallas show, the After Hours Til Dawn Tour takes on Dever, CO on August 18th. More dates include: Las Vegas, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Photography: Chirag Bachani (@chiragbphoto) Set list: 1. “Alone Again” 2. “Gasoline” 3. “Sacrifice” (Remix) 4. “How Do I Make You Love Me?” 5. “Can’t Feel My Face” 6. “Take My Breath” 7. “Hurricane” 8. “The Hills” 9. “Often 10. “Crew Love” 11. “Starboy” 12. “Heartless” 13. “Low Life” 14. “Or Nah” 15. “Kiss Land” 16. “Party Monster” 17. “Faith” 18. “After Hours” 19. “Out of Time” 20. “I Feel It Coming” 21. “Die for You” 22. “Is There Someone Else?” 23. “I Was Never There” 24. “Wicked Games” 25. “Call Out My Name” 26. “The Morning” 27. “Save Your Tears” 28. “Less Than Zero” 29. “Blinding Lights”

Photography: Samantha Monendo | Aug. 13, 2020 | United Center in Chicago

June 25, 2022 | Bottom Lounge in Chicago, IL | Photos by: Chirag Bachani

Written & Interview by: Ezzah Rafique | Photos by Joseph Ford @shotbygiftedmindset Starring as Angelina Young in the new action-thriller, Bullet Train, Adams works alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest stars like Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Bad Bunny, Joey King, & more. The highly-anticipated film intertwines action with comedy as an assassin collides with his adversaries in his latest mission on the world’s fastest train. With the release of her biggest film yet, Adams talks with Hazze Media about the exact moment she found out she got the role, auditioning for the part, and the family atmosphere on set. On top of acting, Emelina Adams has a historic pageant career as she hold the title for Miss Nevada USA 2016. Modeling has been second nature to Adams. Her most recent global campaign includes Marciano by GUESS. To hear all the exclusives Adams had to share, listen to ‘HAZZE’ on Spotify now (linked below)!

Interview by: Lauren Sanchez | Photographer: Andrew Ho | Stylist: Luke Meakins | HMUA: Nadia Duca | August 2, 2022 Actress Allegra Teo sits down with Hazze Media to talk about the making of her US Debut & "The Curious Case of the Dolphin Bay" On Disney Channel. For those who might be unfamiliar with you and your work, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how the arts inspired you to pursue a career in acting? I am a 17-year-old girl who is still at school, living in Australia. I have always loved acting and I have always been drawn to exploring different characters and how they all think and act differently. One of my greatest inspirations is Myles Pollard. I attended many workshops and classes that he taught, and I learned so much. I would always bring a notebook to class, and I would come home after with pages of notes from all the advice he gave us. He always said to me to keep acting because someday I would achieve my dreams, this helped motivate me and helped me to believe in myself, I am very grateful to have learned from him. Congratulations on landing a role in “The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay, that has definitely got to be exciting, especially since it’s on Disney Channel! What is the audition process like? Were you nervous, excited, or prepared? I was able to send a self-tape as my audition, so I had the luxury of going to Ali Roberts Studio to film my audition. Before I did my self-tape, I did a lot of character research and made sure I understood Jennifer. I was very excited to audition for Jennifer as I was immediately connected to the character as soon as I read my audition scenes. The audition process was quite long as I was on a stronghold for about 2 months for Jennifer and Daniela. What was going through your mind after finding out you got the role? When I got the call saying I had booked the role of Jennifer, it all felt like a dream, of course, I was incredibly excited to be able to bring Jacob Stock’s script to life. The first time I read the script I knew that I was going to have the time of my life filming it. If you were to describe the film in five words or less, what words would you choose and why? I would choose mysterious, as there are lots of mysterious events that occur and mysteries that need unraveling. Funny because Teddy, played by Jayden McGinlay, is such an animated, hilarious character. Educational because of the underlying theme of marine biology, there are many scenes in a science lab with Charlie, played by Rowan Chapman, teaching the four interns about marine biology. Everything he says is actually very interesting and I hope that the audience can learn something about the marine life and how important it is to sustain it. What was your favorite moment being on set? It’s very hard to pinpoint an exact moment that was my favourite because every day was honestly equally as fun. I found that I was my happiest whenever I was on set, just being able to hang out and work with such amazing, like-minded people was incredible. Even on days when I wasn’t needed on set, I wished I could have been there. Every weekend, the cast and I would meet up, we went on a hike, went out for meals together, and my favourite, games night. What was it like to play your character Jennifer? Do you see any similarities between yourself and the character you portrayed? I think Jennifer and I have a lot of similarities as we are both quite bubbly and empathetic. Weirdly, I find playing characters that are very similar to me more challenging than characters who are completely different from me. I think this is because I try and disassociate myself from the characters I play as soon as action is called so that I can fully immerse myself into a different world where “Allegra Teo” doesn’t exist and it’s just the character who I’m playing. I think having key differences with characters really helps with this. Have you learned anything about acting and/or yourself through being a part of this production? How has this role been different from other roles you’ve played? I think the deeper I get into this industry, the more I love it, so being on set for three weeks made me fall in love with acting even more. I definitely learned a lot, from learning to believe in myself, to learning about the camera and the different filters used. I found that every day I would learn something else about my character Jennifer. Jennifer was the complete opposite of a character I had played a couple of months prior in a film called Pieces. Pieces is a film that was funded by “Helping Minds”, a mental health organization, to create a story about the different experiences surrounding mental illnesses and the people who live with it and in their carers. I played a character called Violet, she is a very confused and hurt character who finds it difficult to cope with her pain. I found it very interesting playing a dark character to then playing a lighter character and how my character research varied for both of them. Speaking of other roles, are there any new/exciting upcoming projects you can’t wait to be a part of? I have another project coming up which I am very excited about being a part of, though I can’t say too much about it. In the future, I hope to work with director Greta Gerwig, because I feel like she creates such a creative and free space on set and I would love to work with another female director.

July 12, 2022 | House of Blues in Chicago, IL | Photos by: Chirag Bachani

Interview by: Orchee Sorker | August 2, 2022 With over 1M followers and 63.7M views on TikTok, content creator Sri (recognized as SimplyySri) sits down to talk to HAZZE MEDIA about her experiences as a South Asian creator, inspirations, representation on screen, and advice to young brown creators. To anyone who may not know you, how would you introduce yourself? I'm a brown girl with very big dreams who tends to overshare on the internet, but with the intention of having other women like me feel seen and heard. I do comedy. I do rants. I do story time skits with the intent of making people's experiences like mine feel seen and validated…cause sometimes we don't see that stuff on the screen. What made you start creating content? Why were you driven to TikTok specifically? How did you get so good at comedy? Any inspirations? Growing up, I always felt like a content creator. I grew up watching Lilly Singh and Liza Koshy when I was in middle school. So, I would pull out my iPod touch and pretend I was like a YouTuber or something. I always felt like an artist. I'm a dancer as well. I've been dancing for over a decade. Emotions and feelings are how I express myself. I started creating because it was the pandemic. It was 2020. I went to community college, so I was already home and I'm like, ‘I have all this free time on my hands and TikTok is booming.’ When I looked at the platform, I saw people like Charli D'amelio and Addison Rae. I was like these white girls are just dancing, and they have millions of followers. Let me do that. So, I started off by dancing and I was like this is not my crap. The people do not enjoy this at all. Then, I started taking a look at the brown community and seeing what was there and what was missing. I just started creating based on that…based on what I wanted to see, what felt like home to me, & what made me happy. Then, I was able to build traction and start seeing when I shared stories about my culture or like growing up with brown girl struggles. That's when I started to see my page grow. I realized there is a community for this. This community needs to see stuff like this to know they're not alone. That's what really pushed me into content creation. Now that I can do it kind of like a part-time job, it's a thing that I'm so grateful for because it didn't start out that way. I'm super lucky to have that. I take a lot of inspiration from other artists. Something artists struggle with is not comparing themselves to another artist or creator, but to see what they are doing and ‘why is it good or why do you enjoy it?’ Like I said, I grew up watching a lot of Lilly Singh and Liza Koshy so 100% they were my inspirations, and the way they portray comedy. I also take inspiration from my personal life. I see a lot of dumb s*** my parents and family do. I'm like, ‘how can I mix that with comedy to make all our brown trauma filled kids feel better?’ I take a lot of the personal experiences and mix that with comedy so that we can laugh at it and feel better about it. How do you maintain consistency and balance between social media and life? Do you have a set schedule for creating content, filming, posting, etc? Barely, it's very difficult. I'm a student by day and also a content creator by day because I hate staying up at night. It's this balance game of how much do I kind of fulfill my academic goals, but also my personal goals. So, I guess one thing I had to learn throughout my two years of content creation is there is a time and place for creating content and there's a time for enjoying your life. Enjoyable moments in your life do not need to be documented and boring moments in your life can be documented. Some of my greatest ideas come from really bad moments. It's just like finding this balance game of ‘When is it appropriate to film? When is it appropriate to create? When is it also appropriate to just let yourself breathe and be a human being?’ Because not everything needs to be shared on social media. In the beginning of my life content creation, two years ago, I made a rule for myself to post a video every day that really helped with my artistry because these are TikTok videos. They are 15 to 60 seconds long. It's not too much work sometimes. Just to have that goal of a video a day, like helped me develop my artistry. About a year ago, I realized that just wasn't sustainable because I had too much going on in my life in other arenas, and I wanted to make quality over quantity. I reduced it to three to four times a week. I try to allow my intuition and artistry to lead me. I feel like good videos root out in moments of impulse or in the intuition of an artist. I wanna allow myself to have those feelings, but I also like to have discipline. So I make sure I'm actually creating content for my viewers. Usually when everyone talks about representation on screen, it is referring to the Hollywood industry. However, most of the content people consume today is on social media. Do you think diversity and representation in these platforms matter? What is it like being a POC in the social media industry? Going off of that, do you think the South Asian community needs to change the way it views creative careers? It's important because I think it allows you to dream, you know? Growing up, seeing Lilly Singh and Liza Koshy and those creators, I was like, “oh my gosh, I can be in a position like that.” Social media's not my end all be all. I wanna go beyond that. I wanna develop my artist. I wanna enter the entertainment business, but social media allows it to be a stepping stone so that I could achieve those dreams. Representation is important in this because you wanna see people like you who are either telling stories you've also experienced or just doing general things to relate. When you're a brown girl & see another brown girl, you feel something…you're like, “that's me.” Yeah, I do think the South Asian community needs to change its views. I faced a lot of backlash from my family or not even my immediate family, but family friends about creative careers, cause it's considered unstable right. Being an artist is very vulnerable. You're talking about a lot of personal experiences. It's definitely seen in a negative light in comparison to STEM based jobs or careers. Artists have a lot to give our community. They give us a voice that allows us to feel things in a different light. I think we're getting there, but I think we still have a long way to go. Personally, for example, I also work as an intern as a product designer. I remember when family friends were advising me, “You have a social media presence. No one would wanna hire you because you share so much on the internet.” They definitely box you if you're creative or an artist vs. if you're someone who's logical and strategic and you're picking a job “that's good”. What are your upcoming goals for yourself and your brand? Would you ever like to have a talk show of your own? Being an artist is not always stable. I definitely would love to go full time with this or full time with my art. Until then, I'm kind of playing this balancing game of my skill sets in academia that are valued in the market and my passions that are kind of valued in the market. If I could sustain a living based on just my art, I would do it. I want to continue creating content. Someone told me this. “If you look back at a content you made like a year ago or six months ago or three months ago, and you're cringing, that's a good thing because that means you've grown.” So I still look at content I made like a while back even like a month ago and I'll be like, “Ew, what was I thinking?” That's a good thing because my artistry continues to develop. For my brand goals, it would be just to continue creating content that is valuable to the viewer so they feel more seen, heard, or give them even 30 seconds of joy. I wanna move on to YouTube, but YouTube is like a different ball game. It's so hard with school because it requires a lot more time than TikTok blatantly said. It's a very ferocious game for sure. I go to acting classes on the weekend in the city because I really wanna get into acting and the entertainment business. That's definitely another stepping stone for me to develop writing, acting, because I wanna enter the entertainment business as more than just a content creator. A talk show would be such an honor. That would be so cool. Yes, like that's been my entire goal. I wanna extend beyond just making videos that make me happy, but can actually impact people. To do something like a talk show or anything beyond my account would be such an immense pleasure. What is one advice you'd like to give to South Asians, especially POC women in this industry? Take inspiration from others. Allow yourself to feel the energy of other artists, but never compare yourself because the skill sets you bring to the table and the person you will be is so unique and powerful to the person next to you. Comparing yourself and comparing your videos, your photos, or whatever is gonna do an immense disservice to your creativity. Be inspired by everything around you, but create what feels natural and beautiful to you because ultimately that is what will get you to where you need to be in the long run.

You are absolutely wild on that stage. The energy that you just harness and release to the crowd is just incredible. How was your experience performing at Gov Ball at the Bud Light stage and one of the main stages today? D: “Honestly I’m still processing it all. It was an incredible experience and I just had the greatest time on that stage. It was really good. And I loved the crowd's energy. The Bud Light stage was really great but I just felt like a warm up compared to the main stage performance. I’m really grateful to have had both experiences because they were both great. I thought it was a great thing to do to work with a brand. Especially because you’re bringing energy to that area and really enhancing the area getting people to be at that stage. I’m really grateful that Bud Light let me onto that experience. I’m also really happy to have had the chance to perform not once but twice for the festival. Even though it was way earlier than the Bud Light stage, people came ready to rave at 12:10 PM on a Sunday.” You just released a new song in collaboration with Grandson. How was that working alongside him? D: “We are actually really great music friends. Actually we’ve known each other since we were kids. Known each other for about seven years now. We were 19 going out to LA and trying to make it in the music field. I’m gonna be honest when he got on the mic my life flashed. It really processed for me at that moment but I was really about to make a song with him. We’ve worked together but it’s never been a collaboration together on a song. When you get on the mic and he did the melody I was just like wow. Then I got on and immediately did the good mood hook. It was a really great experience for me. To be real with you I am super grateful for it. That’s my boy. I really love that man.” What are your inspirations for music? What inspired the genre that you chose to be. D: “At the moment The Ramones, The Strokes, Green Day and not to sound conceited but I have been finding a lot of inspiration through myself. I mean that to be very humble. I also love Kenny Hoopla. I feel like I wanted to do this and connect with the Rock genre because it was created by Black performers. I want to really be a part of that music. I really found that I wanted to do this also because of studying. I’ve been doing a lot of research on rock music and with that being said, also creating really bad songs to learn from. *Laughs* Before I could get to the good ones. One of my managers showed me some music while I was making my earlier music, and it really just opened a new door for me to start making Rock music. It feels right to me and I love it.” You’re currently on a tour right now. Your own tour. Is this your first headlining tour? How has it been? D: “It has been really really good. I was telling My friends that I get emotional every time that I think about it. Because, it feels so special to go around the world doing what I love. Especially having people come out to actually see me because they resonate with my music and like what I do. We do VIPs at about every show, and I always end up crying to these people coming to see me like “Thank you all for supporting me and my music”. That’s what it's been. It feels like a great step in the right direction for my career but the emotional side is what I treasure.” What are some of your favorite cities that you’ve visited on tour so far or in general? D: “I mean of course New York. I’ve only been here for two days and it’s just been amazing. Chicago, Columbus, Detroit and Philly. I hope one day to be able to play in Las Vegas. That's on the look out for me to be able to.” And if you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? Whether it be for performing or for your own personal reason? D: “I really want to go to Africa before I turn 30. Nowhere in specific, but I was talking to my dad but I really want to do that. It’s always been something I’ve wanted to do in my lifetime. I just told him that we should go there in the next four years so I hope that we can make that happen.”