The Bitch Is an Icon: A Conversation with Leo Paparella of Iconique

Originally appeared on Grimy Goods.  Queer culture has its own vocabulary. In the ballroom scene, the term “legendary” is not meant as an exaggeration—it is reserved for veterans who dominate the runway every time they grace it. RuPaul has taught straight, white audiences terms like “read” and “shade.” Then there are celebrities who earn their own qualifier: it takes a certain personality and stage presence … Continue reading The Bitch Is an Icon: A Conversation with Leo Paparella of Iconique

Hēran Soun Is a Traveling Bard Just Now Finding His Voice

Originally appeared on the 405; view archived article here.  When you listen to the latest single from Jamie Turner, aka Hēran Soun (say: hee-ran soon), the first thing to strike you is its myriad delicate sounds. Nuance is in surplus on both of his current tracks, “I Offer” and the debut “Barricade,” both of which feature on his just-released debut EP, Cambridge. For a classically … Continue reading Hēran Soun Is a Traveling Bard Just Now Finding His Voice

Death, Rebirth, and Russia: A Conversation with Samuel Proffitt

Originally appeared on the 405; view archived article here.  Samuel Proffitt’s new EP, Good Death, is the embodiment of introspection. The musician is currently working on a PhD at Brown University for Slavic Studies, and, as he describes in the interview below, he actively incorporates his research into his music. It may sound dense, but in reality, Good Death flutters weightlessly. Every moment is filled … Continue reading Death, Rebirth, and Russia: A Conversation with Samuel Proffitt

The Future Is Bright: KERA’s Queer Journey and an Optimistic New Song

Photo Credit: Michael Tyrone Delaney II Originally appeared on Ones to Watch.  Kera Armendariz is aggressively human. Watch them onstage, and you may feel the freedom that reaches beyond their extremities or giggle at the many expressions that flash across their face. Speaking one-on-one, you’ll notice their boundless charm. … Before they had the vocabulary for it, Armendariz has always centered their art on identity. They … Continue reading The Future Is Bright: KERA’s Queer Journey and an Optimistic New Song

TheKhue and the Experiments of a Working Stiff

Photo courtesy of the artist Originally appeared on Irvine Weekly.  The daytime hustle of an artist does not define them. Ask them what they do and their secondary answer may include terms like “day job” or “paycheck,” but rarely “career.” It carries too much weight. It suggests that so-called work life is fulfilling and secure. It pretends that there is only one path in a … Continue reading TheKhue and the Experiments of a Working Stiff

Alex Lilly Confronts Ambivalence on 2% Milk

Photo Credit: David Black Originally appeared on Irvine Weekly.  Alex Lilly’s new album is called 2% Milk, but she would never touch the stuff. “I’m trying to drink less [of it]…But when I do have milk I definitely have whole milk.” Two percent is just watered down anyway. It reflects a part of society that bothers her; throughout our conversation on a frigid afternoon at … Continue reading Alex Lilly Confronts Ambivalence on 2% Milk

Royal Teeth Prove Themselves With New Single “Show You What I Can Do” 

Originally appeared on the 405, with the title The 405 Meets Royal Teeth; view archived article here. We all have something to prove, whether just to ourselves or to society in general. On that note, Louisiana-based Royal Teeth have a lot to say with their new single, “Show You What I Can Do.” It features a fiery verse from the force that is Tunde Olaniran, … Continue reading Royal Teeth Prove Themselves With New Single “Show You What I Can Do” 

Pander Sera Wants to Rattle Your Sternum

Originally appeared on Grimy Goods.  Sean Draper is a clever experimenter. The first thing you notice about her, especially if her forthcoming record is your introduction to the project, is the wordplay in her album title and moniker. Then you will be hit by the technicolor waves of fuzz and noise. Bothy is Pander Sera’s debut LP due out next week. In honor of the … Continue reading Pander Sera Wants to Rattle Your Sternum

A Fragile Tomorrow Wonder How to Dance in Crisis

Originally appeared as ‘The 405 meets A Fragile Tomorrow’ on the 405.  For the Kelly brothers, the title of their band’s new record, Generation Loss, works twofold: as a commentary on how contemporary politics are eroding our nation’s youth and also as a reference to the loss of their mother. Sean, Dom, and Brendan Kelly are joined by Shaun Rhoades and Josh Kean to form A … Continue reading A Fragile Tomorrow Wonder How to Dance in Crisis

Cub Sport, d’aprés Cub Sport

Originally appeared as ‘The 405 meets Cub Sport’ on the 405; view archived article here.  The road to Cub Sport’s self-titled record has been anything but smooth. The band went through a moniker change, split from their label, and weathered personal revelations as they penned and released two EPs and two full-lengths too. Now LP3 is upon us, and represents a fuller, more introspective group of … Continue reading Cub Sport, d’aprés Cub Sport