Photo by: Kyle Ambroise Ryan Halsa talks with HAZZE MEDIA about his career goals with social media, dealing with bullying, and combating cyberbullying. Read Below... Q: Introduce yourself! Who are you and what is your purpose as someone with a social media presence? My name is Ryan Halsa some know me as the prince of Instagram reels, the new Charli Damelio, the biggest influencer on Instagram reels. My purpose on social media is to be the biggest influencer ever, I am on the path to being as big as Charli D'amelio in next two months as I am averaging over 1 million views per video and just hitting 1mil followers. I want to be the prince of Instagram and be one of the most followed on the platform. I am going to end cyberbullying and bring awareness to suicide prevention. Q: What inspired you to start using your platform to combat cyberbullying? We live in a world where bullying is the center and the creator of suicidal thoughts, suicide is one of the leading causes of death among kids, and some people do not make it out. I was bullied for making videos in high school which led to a very dark lonely point in my life where I got very low, I made it through, and I feel like I owe it to the kids that aren't here to make a difference and take a stand to this epidemic. After 7 years of failing on social media I finally made it and I want to help the kids that dm me they are suicidal, or the kids that are depressed, or the kids that are just getting bullied, I get over 100k DMS per day and some are very sad and hurt my heart to hear. Stories of kids that stopped hurting themselves because of my videos, or texts of people that are getting bullied... I hope I can help save people from the hurt and pain I went through as a kid. Q: What is your favorite part about having the platform you have? Being able to show kids that you can really do anything, we live in a world where everyone tells you nothing is impossible. But [a lot of people] believe not everything is probable. I am a beacon to show kids do whatever they love Q: What projects do you have coming up that you want to share with us today? The future of social media is on the rise, I am history in the making and I am so blessed to have this opportunity. I do not think people understand how big this rocket is about to enter Hollywood and enter the industry. Q: If you could change anything about the experience you’ve had as someone with an online platform, what would it be? I don't think I would change anything, as harsh as this industry is, and how much hurt it can bring a person it also has taught and made me learn many valuable lessons that I use day to day and I am much stronger because of it. Q: What do you have to say to someone who has projects like yours in mind but doesn’t know how to get started? Take it day by day and just focus on that next small thing or next small step and keep your head down and focused. If you do that I guarantee next time you lift your head up and look at what you have been doing you will realize you created something larger than you would know, also stay polite, and do not let people mistake your politeness for weakness. Q: What is the hardest part about raising awareness of cyberbullying? Getting influencers, not social media influencers but the real influencers. I am talking about teachers, parents, school counselors, and principals to put their egos down and listen because you cannot tell a kid his mental health isn't just as important as your physical health, especially the older adults that come from different time that didn’t believe in mental health. That it is real and your kids need to feel like they are in a safe environment to open up. Q: What is your ultimate goal as an influencer? To be the next best of the best, be a visionary. To live a life bigger than me, where my work and actions will live longer than me. If you want to break through and raise the bar when you get to the top you have to keep on climbing.

Photos & Review by Orchee Sorker (@orchees_photos) from Hazze Media | Gulf Shores, Alabama | June 6, 2022 Back for the first time since the pandemic, Hangout Music Festival returns in the sandy shores in Gulf Shores, Alabama on May 20-22, 2022. With over seventy artists, this year's lineup had music for every type of audience from country to pop to rap. The first day began with a slight delay due to the stormy weather which occurred in the afternoon. Fortunately, the Hangout team managed to keep the schedule on check after the rain had passed. Friday afternoon performances began with artists like Remi Wolf, Dayglow, Surfaces, and Oliver Tree; then, ended with headliners like Kane Brown, Zedd, Maren Morris, Fall Out Boy, and Post Malone. Saturday followed with an incredible lineup with artists like Rolemodel, Still Woozy, Chelsea Culter, Flo Milli, Lil Yachty, and the Band Camino. Headliners included Leon Bridges, Illenium, and Halsey. Fans awaited for Doja Cat, but unfortunately she had to drop festival appearances and her summer tour with The Weeknd due to health and recovery from surgery. In place, Griz was scheduled to perform. Sunday began again with a delayed start due to the rainy weather. It did not stop fans from coming. Fans managed to catch performances by Fletcher, Louis the Child, Phoebe Bridgers, Jack Harlow, Megan Thee Stallion, and Tame Impala. During Jack Harlow and Megan Thee Stallion's performance, the rain poured as the heavy winds approached, but the vibes from the audience were immaculate. Thousands of people waited to see these artists. Hangout is more than a music festival. It is an experience everyone should choose to attend. The festival offers activities like volleyball, slip 'n' slides, kickball, Roller Disco skating, and the Ferris wheel. Attendees can choose to go surfing in the waters, tanning on the beach, or cooling off by dipping in the ocean. Various shops and food areas are located throughout. The seating areas and mist stations were much needed while out in the heat. This was just a recap of this year. Come experience it yourself next year. Stay tuned for next year's lineup. Check out the full gallery! Scroll below to read artist Q&As from JVNA, Zach Hood, 347AIDEN, renforshort, and Surf Mesa as they spoke with Orchee Sorker (Hazze Media Team Photographer & Director of Press). Artist Q&As at Hangout Music Festival JVNA Los Angeles based, dance/electronic artist JVNA sits down with Hazze Media to talk about life of a multi-instrumentalist and her past struggles which led to debut album Hope In Chaos. Zach Hood Los Angeles based, Alabama born, Zach Hood sits down with Hazze Media to talk about performing live at his hometown. After beginning to gain the attention of 3M people after posting a snippet of "Flashbacks", Hood started sharing his songs regularly. Hood has accumulated over 1.2M followers on TikTok, and chats about how TikTok is changing the music industry. Surf Mesa Originally from Seattle, Los Angeles based Surf Mesa sits down with Hazze Media to chat about the origin of his stage name, collaboration with Nitti Gritti on "Marching Band", success on "ily baby", and how TikTok is changing the aspects of the musical process. renforshort Originally from Toronto, renforshort is a pop-indie vibe artist. At the Hangout Music Festival, she sits down to talk to Hazze Media about her songwriting process and collaboration with Travis Barker on latest single "We'll Make It Ok". She released her debut EP Teenage Angst in March 2020. 347aidan Alternative/indie rap Canadian artist, 347aidan sits down with Hazze Media to talk about the meaning behind his name, his writing style, and viral song "Dancing in My Room". "We've been married for 52 years & never missed a single Hangout Music Festival!"

Interview & Photos by: Orchee Sorker | July 4, 2022 How are you doing? Is this your first time at Bonnaroo? It is my very first time. I'm so excited to be here. I've only heard good things. How did you get started with music? I just started working in GarageBand when I was like 10 years old. I just got obsessed with it. Ever since then, I've just been making music every day. So the exact same process I did then, I just make music in my bedroom. Congrats on the viral song “Can I Call You Tonight?”! What was the story & creative process behind the song? What was your initial reaction when the song was blowing up? Were there certain aspects to promote the song on TikTok or was it purely a surprise? It's been a long time and the song continues to grow, which is so cool. I don't know. I didn't have anybody pushing it…like a label or something. I was literally just alone in my bedroom. I made the song completely by myself and it was really encouraging to watch something like that gain traction. It gave me the confidence to keep doing what I want to do. I was 17 and I didn't really know anything about the music industry. Thankfully because sometimes it's good to not know how things work. Then, you find a new way to make something work. I made a stupid music video with a friend using a green screen and that helped the song. Yeah, but I don't know. It's been a crazy trip. What are you planning on releasing next? When can fans expect new music? Right now, I'm working on releasing an album called People In Motion. That'll be out this year. The first song “Then It All Goes Away” came out June 22. 'm really excited about it. It's like a brand new chapter for me. I'm really excited to share this music. It’s fresh and really fun. I think it's good timing all around. So, I'm excited!

Interview & Photos by: Orchee Sorker | July 4, 2022 What made you want to get into music coming from a film background? I started playing classical piano when I was four. I don't really remember a time where I wasn't really playing. From the beginning I took it very seriously, my teacher was amazing. She really guided, mentored, and helped me take it seriously. She really made me feel like this is something that I could do…that I could be a musician and showed me that it's like a real option. My parents because my dad is in film and my mom dances…I think the arts were definitely very supported in my household. They were able to kinda appreciate it and accept it and support me in that. Your new single “Seance” was recently released. What was the creative process behind the song & the message you wanted to convey to your audience? This song is really about me feeling disconnected from my culture and my roots. Coming from an immigrant family, it's something that I continue to navigate. I have had ups and downs through my life. As a kid, I grew up in a predominantly white school and environment. I felt very insecure about being too Indian or something like that. There were often times where I would kind of suppress aspects of myself to try and fit in. Even quirky things would be considered nerdy. I was really rejecting myself then. Now as an adult, I'm feeling different about that. Especially as an artist, the things that are unique and different are the things that make you be able to create, value, and add things to the world. If you're just trying to fit in, then you won't have anything to add. I'm struggling to come out of that now. It's definitely a pattern that I set for myself. As an adult, I'm trying to navigate those things and reconnect with my history and culture now because I never really appreciated it before. You know, I never tried to understand the traditions. I just accepted it. I'm trying to actively talk to my grandparents, learn about them, hear their stories, and just absorb it. I just wanna take it in and recognize it's a part of me. That song is really about that kind of bringing my true self back. Congrats on going on tour with Giveon! What is one thing you look forward to on tour? It is my first full tour. I've opened for people on the pieces of their tour before but not a full tour. I'm very nervous and very excited. Giveon is my dream artist to open for. I literally had a list of dream artists to open for and he was there with like stars next to his name. I love his music and think he's an incredible vocalist. I'm just excited to be part of that show, to learn from him, and meet new people. It's gonna be a huge learning experience for me. What is it like being an Indian American female in this industry? Do you think representation matters? Do you think your dad [M. Night Shyamalan] helped the way you see/value diversity in the entertainment industry? Has he helped the way I see and value diversity? Oh, definitely. I would say it's all very connected. My dad being a filmmaker…he kind of roped the representational stereotypes that we have here and was one of the first people. His parents obviously grew up in India and being a filmmaker was just not on their radar…they were like be a doctor or an engineer…anything outside of that, it's the unknown. They found value in that. Because of my dad’s history, my generation felt inspired by that from my cousins to myself. We knew we could do that too. Whether it was acting, singing, performing, writing, whatever it might be, we can follow these artistic careers. It's a real thing to be able to see yourself in that form. That's why representation matters. It's such a weird thing because like when you don't have representation you're not even conscious of it. I didn't even realize how much representation mattered until I started seeing Indians in TV shows and seeing them on screen in music. Then, I would suddenly feel so connected and be like, oh, they're telling my story. There's something I can relate to. This is a family like mine. I realized that I had never felt like that before. I'm realizing how important it is, and I'm lucky to come from a family that I have a great representation. There's a lot of growth that needs to happen, especially in the music industry for South Asian women but it’s starting. I get so excited every time I see another South Asian artist. It's coming and I'm happy about that. Do you have any advice for any POC females wanting to get into the industry? In terms of the family aspects, even my parents who are doing amazing things and crazy things, they felt hesitant. There was a transitional period when I stopped playing classical piano, and started singing and performing on stage. Their fear and their kind of resistance to it always came from just wanting to protect you and make sure that your child is safe. If you're going into a field that they know nothing about, it's unknown. They're scared for you and worry about you. Sometimes it doesn't come out in the right ways and may seem like trying to hold you back, but the intention is always protection and love. I try to remember that like with my parents I feel very lucky that I've been supported, but I see that my friends and my cousins are struggling with that with their parents. Then I would just say, there's gonna be a lot of extreme imposter syndrome. I don't know if that comes from being Indian in an industry that there's not been too many Indians or women. I'm in mostly male dominated spaces. I feel a lot of imposter syndrome, but I'm trying to work through it. I haven't gone to the point where I would like to give advice to people cause I'm still struggling with it. When I first started writing songs, I was 16 and would be in these studios with like all these huge producers. I would never know how to assert myself. I never knew how to communicate. After studying my craft and feeling very confident in my work, I know that I can communicate with people and that I'm a valuable asset in those situations where I'm feeling diminished. I'm learning how to communicate.

How did you get into music and what has the journey been like through that? “I got into music when I was seven. I started playing the piano And that led to playing songs when I was about 12 years old. I made my first album when I was about to turn 21 years old. I’m actually about to release my fifth album. It’s definitely been a long journey. But you know I love it just as much as I did when I was seven years old.” What are some of your major inspirations that you take in for your own music? Musical or personal. “You know I actually don’t know. I really like to write it based on my personal experiences. I love writing music off of all the things that I've observed in my life. I’m interested in what it means to be human. What it feels like through all the good and the bad. I also like to write on what people do and feel when dealing with joy and suffering.” “I feel like with any form of art whether it be music, literal or film communication is a beautiful thing to do to really connect with the audience or anyone. When you can feel like you can connect with someone through your art or feel a place of comfort even in sadness, that's when it feels more genuine to me. I love being able to do that to really connect with people.” What are some of your aspirations when creating music? Do you have any long-term goals you have in mind or are you reaching any of them currently? “I don’t tend to think of things so much like that. I try to live in the present the best I can. I tried to put a great presence into what I’m doing currently so that I can make it the best I can. Like the songs I am making, the performances I am giving and trying to not think about what might come from it rather than focus on making it the best I could. I know I want to continue to make music long term but I have no expectations except for continuing to do this.” I love that you want to live in the moment and write this music for not only people to connect with but for yourself to express these emotions whether it be hurt or love. “Yes we live in highly consumerist times, capitalism and surrounded by so much money. What we should really care for is art and how it makes us feel. I wish we could all listen to music for what it is as an art. I want to do that and not chase a mirage for success and fame. The whole thing for music, in my opinion, is having a shared moment and having it transcend time. Forget all the advertising. The real joy is people coming together, forgetting their troubles and sharing a moment with each other. It’s beautiful when we do that ”

You guys just recently released new songs called Sunburn and Sun Keeps On Shining. What were some of the inspirations behind the music and the lyrics? Luke: “Well, Sunburn is really cool because we reversed-engineered it. We started with the title and tried to imagine what Sunburn would sound like. It kind of just went from there. It turned out pretty cool, it's always fun to switch up the process when making music. Seeing different styles of what works and what we can do to change up the sounds.” Dawson: “With Sun Keeps On Shining, we wanted to write a song in a humorous way. The verses are really bad situations to be dealing with but the chorus is a happy alternative way to kind of bring a jokingly light to them. Basically as much as life gets you down there’s still always a positive or hopeful way you can take going forward.” You guys just filmed a music video in Australia? How was it and it wasn’t your first time going there? Cole: “Australia was amazing. It was Dawson and I’s first time in Australia. Luke has actually been there once before that. We were in Sydney for a week And then we traveled up to the Sunshine Coast. It was great and there were just amazing beaches up there. We are all from San Diego and it’s known as a beach town area so it was great to be near some other beautiful beaches. Ironically, we didn’t have a lot of sun while we were out there. We had to cram a lot of our filming into about two full days. We got to drive around to a lot of cool different locations. And just really see a lot of amazing scenery. We also got to do some really fun things out there as well and checked out the zoo.” You guys have been traveling all over. Going to Australia and on your tour. How was your first international tour? Dawson: “Honestly this has been amazing. Everyone has just been so happy to be there and the crowd has been absolutely amazing. It was a really cool experience and hopefully we can go and do that again.” What is your pre-show routine? Luke: “Oh, I usually try to distract myself. I like to go talk to people about random things. I also really like to shake my arms out and get moving a lot. Sometimes we get into a huddle and just kind of talk about everything. I really like to have it out of sight out of mind so that I don’t get too nervous.” Cole: “You know right before a big show, I tend to get super anxious. And when I get anxious I get really tired. So I try to distract myself from yawning and getting tired. I really don’t know why and it’s kind of the exact opposite energy I need before I go and perform.” What are some dream collaborations that you guys have? Cole: “We haven’t done any collaborations with other artists yet. We’ve had people remix our songs but nothing made with someone else. It would be really cool to make music with someone now. We’ve been getting into artists so I think Empire The Sun would be a big one for sure.” Dawson: “ Personally, I would like to collaborate with Shaq. We are currently listening to him as we are interviewing. And I’m truly just inspired. He’s really impressing us with him throwing down. I can see it now “Almost Monday x DJ Diesel”. I don’t know if anyone wants that but I want that. I see it now, Shaq with some surfer rock indie kids from California.” Luke: “I definitely agree with Cole. Parcels would be cool and Empire The Sun too. I really like them and it would be cool.” Do you guys have any new releases that you’re working on or an album in the works? Luke: “We’re definitely working on a ton of singles right now. We are shooting the visuals for them currently. There will be more songs to come forsure.” You guys are going on a summer tour with Clubhouse. Do you guys wanna talk about it a little bit? Dawson: “Yeah we’re all super excited for it. It’s gonna be a really great time because you know everyone’s there just to support you. When you are playing as an opener you get this underdog feeling where you really need to win the crowd over to get them all hyped up for the headliner. But, there’s something beautiful when people are just there when they like you. For me it makes it so much easier to perform when I know people there like you. You feed off of energy. We’re really honored to have the Clubhouse boys with us. It's gonna be a great time.” Do you guys have any specific cities on the tour that you’re excited to visit? Cole: “We’ve actually been playing in all of the cities that we’re going to. All of them are great places. I think one of my favorites has to be Chicago. We played there about five times and it’s always been amazing.” I have some individual questions for you all now, Dawson, what is your pre-show pump up song? Dawson: “Personally, I listen to Jai Wolf’s Indian Summer song. Then I just go on stage and let it happen. I kind of just let loose. We all saw him live together and I saw that song and I just connected so spiritually. I try to harness the energy from the first time I saw it, to every time I listen to it before I go on stage. We were playing at Summerfest and he was going on that night. It was like the loudest show I have ever been to. I remember the bass being so strong it felt like it could rip your clothes off. I don’t know how to explain it so I bring Jai with me everywhere I go. Thank you Jai.” Now Cole, What is your favorite song to skate to? Cole: “Favorite song is skate to? Hm. I actually don’t really skate to music but if I had to pick a song it would have to be anything by The Strokes. I don’t really wear headphones or anything while skating. But definitely something by them.” Now Luke, what is your favorite Taylor Swift song? Luke: “We did some shows earlier in the year and after the show we went to a Taylor Swift after party. I like Taylor Swift. I don't listen to her a lot but I did listen to her with my sisters. We all shared an iCloud growing up so I would have their music downloaded and I think I would have to say “Our Song”. I remember that song would make it into my playlist as a 14-year-old.”

Is this your first time playing at Governors Ball in New York City? And what are you all most excited about? Jasper: “Yes this is our first time in New York City performing at Governors Ball!” Isaac: “We are all super excited to be playing at Gov Ball, and personally I’m super excited because I get to be able to see Shaquille play as DJ Diesel.” Do you guys have any new releases coming out? Tarrek: “Yes we have new releases coming out. Our newest single coming out is called “Let You Go” releasing on June 24th. We are actually performing it live today at Gov Ball for the second time ever. We are super excited to release new music out.” Do you guys have anymore plans for festival season? And tell me more about your tour! Joseph: “Yeah, we have a ton of festivals coming up this summer in Europe. I’m actually wearing the shirt for our tour merch right now. We have two in France, one in Finland, Sweden, Belgium, and really all over Europe basically.” Jorge: “It’s going to be our first time touring in Europe and we’re all super excited. It’ll really be almost all of our first times in Europe and leaving the country. It’s definitely going to be an experience. We are all excited to meet everyone over there, play shows and have a great time.” What is something that you guys have all learned while performing at festivals or concerts that you using your shows ? Issac: “I think something that we have learned while performing live in front of people is that we should focus on the people that love our music and also focus on the people who don’t know who we are but are at our set. We want to show them a reason that we are worthy for their listens. We want to make sure the crowd has an amazing time whether they know who we are or that is the first time they see us and hear our music.” “Another thing I wanna add that you have to let go and not care what you look like up on stage. Because when you let go and don’t care that’s when your truly rock.” *Group begins to laugh and agree” How did you guys all meet? There’s a lot of you so I’m curious if there was any connection when you guys were younger. Tarrek: “We actually Met in high school. Ya know when we all had crushes on eachother.” *group laughs* “Then finally I decided that I would go and talk to one of these guys. The first one I actually met with Dom. And then came Joe.” Issac: “I actually saw all of them hang out on social media. And I was just like I want to hang out with them. It looked fun and I was like I wanna be there! But I was at home chilling because I didn’t have friends yet. *laughing* I slowly but surely Infiltrated into the group. Then I found Jorge on the Internet and he fit in perfectly. The rest is history.” What inspired the name peach tree Rascals? Jorge: “We came up with the name like two weeks before our first single came out. We were all camping together and just throwing ideas out. I came up with Peach Tree Village but the guys hated village. They decided to beat me up. *group laughs* I’m just kidding, so I came up with Rascals instead. We slowly grew into the name. We weren’t like super crazy about it but overtime we started to really feel like it was us. What are some of your guys largest inspirations when creating music? Dominic: “We really pull inspiration from any music that’s good music. We have so many but I would have to say Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Stevie Wonder and so much more.” Joseph: “We all have such different taste in music so I think it brings a lot to our music that we can incorporate different genres and styles to make it our own. It’s a huge melting pot and we bring to the table what we think would be a good flavor and taste. When people ask us what kind of music we make we always respond with genre fluid. Because we’re not one specific genre and we like that about our music.” Stream Let You Go on all major streaming platforms!

June 21, 2022 Model/Singer Alec Benjamin (@alecbenjamin) Director of Photography Stephanie Siau (@stephaniehsiau) BTS Videographer/Photographer/Journalist Maegan Grendell (@maegangrendellphoto) Groomer Colleen Dominique @colleendominique for Exclusive Artists (@exclusiveartists) using Ilia Beauty / Stmnt Grooming Lead Wardrobe Stylist Naomi Zinns (@naomizinns) Wardrobe Stylist Pariya Rahni (@pariyarahni) using Vintage One of One Wardrobe Stylist Cameron Hunter (@camcamhunter) using Lonely Ghost Editor-in-Chief Ezzah Rafique (@ezzahazka) Design Director Mohja Filfil (@mxhja) Press Director/Creative Coordinator Orchee Sorker (@orchees_photos) Website Director Camila Camacho MG: How are you? How was the photoshoot? AB: I’m great, it was awesome. I’m having a lot of fun! You guys are great. MG: How would you describe your music to those who haven't heard it yet? AB: I think there are a lot of different layers to it. I would say that it is good for casual listeners but also if there’s somebody that, you know, wants to get a little more out of it and dig a little bit deeper… I would describe my music as pretty introspective. I put a lot of emphasis and a lot of effort into my lyrics, so, I would describe it as very lyrical. But also, it doesn't have to be. If you just want to sort of listening to it more peripherally and sort of just have it on. I think the music itself without the lyrics is strong enough. But for me, I think what I try to focus the most on is the meaning. So, I would say my music is meaningful. That’s how I would describe it. It’s hard to describe music. MG: Was there ever a moment in your career where you realized… this is it, this is going to be your job? AB: Well there was a moment where I realized this is what I was going to pursue because I didn’t really want to do anything else. And that was sort of when, you know as any high schooler does, you come to that threshold in your life where you’re like “okay, well, I have to make a decision… am I going to go to college and pursue a degree that has a path towards a graduate degree or…”. But, I don’t like school so I decided by process of elimination that music would be the thing that I would pursue professionally because it requires the least amount of school, if I’m being honest. MG: Is there any advice that you would give to somebody who is in that same position? Someone who is in school and not really loving it? AB: I don't necessarily feel like I’m in a position to really give anybody advice, especially because the landscape of music is changing so quickly that the variables change so fast, it’s hard for me to say with any degree of certainty what somebody else should do. It’s hard for me to be aware of the intricacies of anybody's individual situation. But, my advice, or at least one thing I would say, is that it’s going to be a lot harder than you think it’s going to be. So, if you really want to do it then you really have to commit, and you have to want it more than the person next to you because if you don’t, it’s not going to work. And I feel like I learn that every single day. You have to really want it. MG: Let’s talk about the tour! How are you feeling about the European leg coming up? AB: I feel great about it! I’m ready. I’m ready to get out and tour the album because I know what it’s like to put out a record and not be able to tour it. And I feel like the most crucial part of the record promotion process for me has been getting out and actually playing it for people. I feel like a lot of the relationships I have formed with my favorite songs records, a really crucial part of that bond that I form between those records and myself is the live experience. The first time I heard it and then what was going on in my life at the time and how I related to it and then also where I was at that specific point in my life when I was able to experience it live… I feel like it completes that feedback loop. For me at least as an artist too, making music is a means to an end. That’s my favorite part. I’m excited. And I haven't been to Europe in two and a half or three years. My music got popular in Europe first, before it started anywhere else. So, I think it’s going to be pretty awesome. I think people are going to be stoked. And they haven't had concerts in a long time, they're just opening up now. MG: Do you think COVID-19 has grown your appreciation for touring? AB: It’s definitely grown my appreciation for everything in my life. Well, not for everything. There are certain things about my daily life that I didn't miss during the pandemic. But, most things I have learned to appreciate more. I’m very grateful for the perspective the pandemic has given me, not grateful for the pandemic itself. I learned a lot from it. MG: What’s something you wish you knew when you started touring? AB: Do you want a funny answer or a real answer? This is not funny. What I was gonna say is bring underwear. You laugh, but I brought no underwear on my last tour. Like I literally wore the same two pairs of underwear inside out every day. For two weeks then I did, then I did [buy some]. The other answer is that not everything is gonna be perfect and you're gonna have to learn as you go and you can't take everything so seriously, because if you do, ultimately you're gonna burn out… the only way that you can avoid making mistakes is if you know somebody who's made those mistakes and they can enlighten you or you make the mistakes yourself and you learn from them and you don't make them the second time around. And every time I entered into something or like touring, there's so many different moving pieces that I was so worried about everything. I didn't actually get to enjoy the show. I wish I would've let go of a lot of those little things. Because at the end of the day, I'm able to adjust and move forward. And I have to enjoy the present moment. There's a lot of touring advice. There's not enough advice in the world that could prepare somebody for a tour...especially a van tour. MG: How does this tour differ from previous ones? And is that something you expected going into this after COVID-19? AB: The way that it differs is that it's following a pandemic. It differs from every tour everybody's ever done, unless you toured after the Spanish flu in 1918, you know, I don't think that anybody is alive that did that. So it's different because, well, because I have a whole new album. I have a whole new body of work that I'm excited to play for people. And it's different because my show's way better because I had two years to work on it. And I'm grateful for that time and that I didn't waste it because I think our show is the best that it's ever been. MG: You just spent your birthday in Korea, right? Happy late birthday. How was that? AB: Well for me spending my birthday in Korea was awesome because Korea is actually probably my favorite place to play. I just love it so much. I love Asia. Culturally it's awesome, the food is amazing, and the crowd is awesome. And it was my first time out of the United States since the pandemic. So, what a way to [celebrate]... I get to go to Korea, that's amazing. It was awesome. MG: How have you noticed that tour and your career, in general, have affected your personal life? AB: Well, honestly, it's hard for me to remember because I've been touring for a long time now, even if it wasn't my own tours. Since I was 20, I was playing in people's living rooms or trying to follow other people's tours around or whatever. So honestly the pandemic impacted my personal life more than touring does. I'm used to spending days on the road. I like it that way. Yeah, I prefer it. MG: How do you keep a good balance between work and then also your personal life? Or do you find that they're just the same? AB: I don't have a balance, but I've never had balance in my life. I don't want anything different. I feel like if I want to make the music that I want to make, then I have to give a hundred and if I want to play the shows that I want to play, I have to live my life in such a way. I never planned for moderation. It takes a lot of work. MG: What's your dream collaboration? AB: My dream collaboration…a lot of the collaborations that I do that have been the most fulfilling for me have been the ones that were unexpected. Like getting to collaborate with you guys and [Hazze] and the people who are doing the styling and all that stuff is really cool for me. So getting to explore more stuff like doing more collaborations in the visual realm is something I'm excited about. And then for some reason, the only name that's coming into my mind is, uh, Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer. Nathan (Alec’s Manager): What happened to Elon? AB: What happened to Elon Musk? Yeah, controversy. MG: Was that on the list before? AB: Yeah, it was number one. He's in some hot water… next question. MG: Truthfully… Do you listen to your own music? I listen to my own music, not for pleasure, but because for me, I like to listen to my songs and imagine myself playing them in an arena or stadium or something. You gotta do the visualization. Or when my song is doing well, when good things are happening to it, I'll turn it on and be like, “yeah, that's a good one”. But I'm never like, “oh man, I could really go for some of my own music right now”. But I know people who do that really. We’ll be in the car and they'll put their own song on. I wouldn't do it for that purpose. But when I'm just imagining, when I'm really excited about where my career is taking me and stuff, sometimes I'll listen to my music and think about the person I was when I wrote the song and the things I was going through and be like, ‘thanks for doing that'. I remember when I wrote, “Let Me Down Slowly”, which is the first song that I had that really sort of gave me the opportunity to go around the world… I didn't even want to go to that session, but I forced myself to go to the session because I was like, “okay, I'm gonna appreciate this later”. And then I listened to it the other day, I hadn't listened to it in a while, when I was playing in Korea and there were people in Korea who were singing that song and I was like, “good shit, bro. Good for you for going for that session”. But I'm not like, ‘man, I could just really go for a little bit of “Let Me Down Slowly” right now. That's weird to me'. MG: How does it make you feel knowing people are singing back your songs that you wrote about yourself? AB: That's the coolest part. It's awesome. It's the best part. I'm from Arizona, and I said this on stage, I had a cactus in my yard when I was growing up, that's where I'm from. You know, I didn't imagine that I would end up on the other side of the world. I mean…, I did, I dreamt of it. And when you were actually there, you're like, “shit, like I'm here”. And one of the artists that made me want to sing was Jason Moaz and he did a performance in Korea that was super inspiring to me. And then I was like, I want to follow in the footsteps of him and John Mayer and Paul Simon and all these guys. And then I'm like, “oh, I'm doing it”. Sometimes it's hard to believe. So it's cool. Listen to Un(Commentary) album out now

Interview by: Orchee Sorker | Photos by: Chad Griffith | June 7, 2022 How are you doing? How did you get started in music? How did you come up with “A STARR”? Hi, I’m doing good! I'm A STARR. I'm from New Jersey and Miami. I love making music. I've been doing it since I was a toddler. I cling on to music…to be myself and to embrace who I am. That's when I'm most able to express myself. Why I am called A STARR is because of my dog. Starr has been with me for a long time. She’s a teacup Pomeranian. She has a special meaning in my heart, so I always wanted her with me. I wanted to keep ”A” because my name is Alex. How would you describe your music? I would say pop, pop, alternative, and hip hop. What was the creative process behind your recent single “No Filter”? It actually took about a day to write. We recorded it in a day. We went back in the studio and we went over things too…maybe a second day and checked over things…made sure everything was good. It came out just perfectly. It was really fun to make because it’s about being yourself and being authentic. The message is to stop being something that you’re not, and the real people will accept you for who you are. I want to be able to give that to others and people to lean on to as the shoulder of support. Do you create the melody or lyrics first? It all depends on what circumstance you're in. If you have the beats done already, and then you start listening to the melody and writing. You could also have it written before you even have beats. Then, you go and record it pretty much. I just sat down and wanted to write about the world, how it is today, and just wanted to make a difference. Everyone can relate to it, but it's something I can relate to myself as well. I'm unapologetic, but I'm going to tell you the truth and I'm going to have some respect for it. There's a fine line and a place for everything. I really liked the song. What are your upcoming goals for this year? Are you hoping to release more music this year? I want to release more music. There's a lot more coming soon, and I'm excited to share it with everyone. The little things that matter about all of it. I love to do more interviews. I love talking to people and meeting people. I want to travel the world. That's something I want to do. I think that's a beautiful thing to see all the different traits and cultures.

The Depot Photo & Review: Maegan Grendell Role Model (Tucker Pillsbury) at just 25 recently began his world tour for his debut album, Rx. The tour spans from April to September, and is not one you want to miss. After waiting in line for up to 10 hours, fans were giddy to be in the same room as Role Model as he performed his new album live. And he did not let them down. Tucker starts and ends his shows with nothing but energy, which is reciprocated by the audience. It was apparent that he appreciated his fans, loved performing live music, and was excited to be on tour. Tucker performed fan favorites "neverletyougo", "Blind", and ended his sold out Salt Lake City show with "forever&more". To prepare the crowd for the show to follow, Role Model brought artist THE BLSSM on tour with him. THE BLSSM's, a non-binary artist based in Los Angeles, music could be described as a unique take on indie and alternative pop. Between these two growing artists, this is a concert you will not regret going to, granted you can find tickets.

Interview by: Jewel Fiorillo How did the two of you meet? “We both moved to Los Angeles about eight years ago and we were both kind of just playing at local open mics at the time. He didn’t know anybody and I didn’t really know anybody either. We were playing the same open mic event night one day and had a mutual friend who was actually running the event. She had introduced us that night but we were both a little stand-offish at first and wanted to act cooler than we both were. But we very quickly became friends. We started hanging out and making music.” - Maxwell “In LA everyone tries to act cooler than they really are. They don’t want to be a certain way or act a certain way. So we both kind of just chilled and read the room with each other before realizing we make a pretty good team and friend. It’s kind of funny now looking back at it how ridiculous it was”- Connor “Connor had just pitched the idea of starting something together and we started writing music while we were hanging out and it just kind of took off from there.” - M When did Music become a part of your life? “Honestly I’ve been doing music since I was in the sixth grade and it’s been the only thing in my life that felt right. I felt like myself and I was good at it. I just stuck with it and then eventually it became a great way to express my emotions and any anxiety or depression I was dealing with. I feel like I speak for the both of us that music has helped us get out of dark places in our lives. We both have struggled with anxiety and depression, music is definitely an outlet for us to express those struggles.” - M “I was a choir boy and with that being said I was the only guy in the choir. It made me feel special, like I had something different to offer. Eventually when I got older I got picked up as a songwriter in Los Angeles and that’s really where music became a bigger part of my life. Music was always super important to me and my cousin was a great part of that. My cousin and I always talked about starting a band when we were younger. He knew how to play instruments and it always was something I wanted to do. We still talk every now and then to make music.” - C How was your experience performing at the Forecastle festival this weekend? In terms of performing or personal experience. “It was honestly a great experience performing on the stage here. We flew in last night and we already have to leave pretty soon so we don’t get to experience much of the festival but I wish we could stay for longer because it looks amazing. At the end of the day it’s an amazing experience to be able to meet artists that you’ve already listened to and now you get to play at the same festival as them.” - M “I second everything Maxwell mentioned, It’s surreal being a part of a line up with artists like Oliver Tree and DayGlow. Like one moment you are listening to their music and feeling so inspired by them. Next thing you know we are friends with them. I love the way festivals and live music bring artists together that way.” - C What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about being in the industry ? “Being an artist is a cool gateway to realizing that everyone is the same. Everyone is normal regular people, just some have a larger platform than you might have. I think while we have been growing in the industry I personally have noticed that which makes it less nerve racking to be me.” - C

What introduced you to the EDM community? “I found out about it kind of through my sister. During her MySpace days she listened to a lot of electronic music that was posted on there. From there I found a blog that played mashup electronic music. It was something that I listened to mostly alone at first. It was only until college that I realized other people also enjoy that music and I was able to find a community in EDM. The rest is really history!” Let’s talk about your new rumored drum and Bass song, Tell me a little bit about it. “Over the pandemic in 2020 I got really into drum and Bass. I started streaming about twice a week on twitch at home and my viewers seemed to like the times I played drum and bass songs. Drum and Bass was always something that I listened to alone like I said again I didn’t know many people that were into it. I converted one of the streaming days I did a week into an only drum and bass day. I just really fell in love and found a new part of EDM that I’m passionate about. It helped me get through a lot of stuff through the pandemic and take my mind off of all the craziness. More recently I decided I wanted to try and make more drum and bass songs. At first it just started as a fun little side project aside from work but now I wanna make it part of my work.” Can you tell me more about your new single Tremors? “My new single Tremors is supposed to be a lighthearted and fun little summer bop! It’s about having that hot girl summer and your little crushes you're nervous about and falling for. It's just a moment where I am vibing and the lyrics are coming to me.” How was it performing at EDC last weekend? “It was insane. One of the things about opening a festival is you would think it wouldn’t be the most fun but it really is great. You see people running to your set and it's just the best feeling in the world. It was definitely a crazy experience. Starting with having no one at my set to having a fully packed crowd was the most insane experience.” What is your goal with your music this year? “I really want to take what I learned from the drum and bass world and incorporate it into the bass house more. I want to make it more emotional and moving. I love festival culture and I love when people sing-along in the crowd to songs. And ultimately that’s my goal to be able to make music that people can do that too.”

Interview & Photos by: Orchee Sorker | June 6, 2022 Originally from Seattle, Los Angeles based Surf Mesa sits down with Hazze Media to chat about the origin of his stage name, collaboration with Nitti Gritti on "Marching Band", success on "ily baby", and how TikTok is changing the aspects of the musical process. Why did you choose your stage name Surf Mesa? S: “Surf Mesa” comes from the video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. In high school, I would play it all the time. Surf Mesa is a map in Counter-Strike that you can play on. I didn't have a stage name before. I would just release music on SoundCloud as Powell Aguirre, which is my name. It was interesting. Back then, I thought of having a stage name because I didn't want my friends in high school to think I was taking it seriously because it's like you can get a little insecure when you're releasing music. It's kind of a statement when you're saying, “Oh, go stream” when you have like 300 followers who are just like your hometown friends. “Surf Mesa” was kind of like still a gimmick while also pursuing it. It definitely grew on me, and now I like how it keeps a foundation of where I came from..like from the gaming world. I think it's here to stay. Your latest single “Marching Band” with Nitti Gritti. I love the soft trumpet in it. What was the creative process behind that song and really any of your other songs? Do you usually begin with the rhythm and then work on the lyrics? S: So, the writing process gets formed in all ways. My friends from Loud Luxury (Joe and Andrew) say it all the time about how it's like a Frankenstein process. You can have a beat first or vocal first. You can form a song around that thing. Traditionally, if I'm the studio, I have a lot of chord progressions that I saved, like mini packs. I just kind of get like a good group. I'm thankful enough to be in the room with really talented writers who have written some of the best dance songs. That's like something I don't take for granted. When it came to “Marching Band”, this writer, Lowell, sent me this crazy horn sample. Then, it had a vocal around it saying, “your love is like a marching band”. I just started to produce this chorus around it and then. They wanted it to be a DJ collab. I made a version with Medicine. I made a version with Jaws, and then I made a version with Integrity. So, Nitti and I have been DM-ing for a little bit. He was in town from Miami to LA, and then we got in the studio and that was one of the first ideas that I opened up. We made something of it. He and I are very proud of how it's been digested…the live reaction and what it sounds like today. Congrats on all the success on “ily”! How do you think TikTok is changing the industry? Were there any things you did to push that song out on the platform? S: Yeah, definitely. TikTok really changes the direction of music. Obviously, there's so many songs released every week. The objective of these songs usually involves an audio piece of this track that you can create like a video too…like a transitional moment, or some sort of gimmick that can go along with a piece of content. It definitely changes the climate too. I mean if you listen to a lot of songs nowadays, you can tell. Remember, Drake's Tootsie Slide where it's literally a dance as the chorus. I believe that if Tik TOK wasn't around, there'd be less gimmicky noises and moments in songs. It's really interesting to kind of see how that takes over. I think the attention span is just so short nowadays with people just scrolling, scrolling, scrolling. Then, your goal is to keep the audio on a video to enjoy whatever song is playing in the background. That definitely gets affected when it comes to writing the song in the studio. People just want that moment and they want that to stick.

Interview & Photos by: Orchee Sorker | June 6, 2022 347aidan sits down with Hazze Media to talk about the meaning behind his name, his writing style, and viral song "Dancing in My Room". Why did you choose your stage name 347aidan? I chose my station 347aidan because my name is Aiden and 347 is an angel number. It means “peace that comes with time” and I really loved that meaning. I love your style in all your songs. For your songs, do you purposely have the same vibes or unconsciously have similar style? I think that I just make whatever I'm feeling at the moment. I make a lot of music. Some songs that I make are made like a couple of days apart and you know, so they're very similar. Then, some songs I have are very different from the rest. Congrats on your viral song “Dancing in My Room”! Were you dancing in your room when it started blowing up? What was it like for you? How did you feel? Haha, I wasn't actually dancing in my room, but I'm not sure what it was like. I was kind of expecting it to happen. So I didn't really feel any way about it.

Covered by Team Photographers Jewel Fiorillo & Kayla Saliman / June 5, 2022 Waterfront Park | Louisville, LA | May 27-29, 2022 Mob Rich by Kayla Saliman