Beatie Wolfe has beamed her music into space, been appointed a UN role model for innovation, and pioneered new formats for art that bridge the physical and digital. Wolfe’s latest projects include a visualization of 800,000 years worth of climate data, a collective postcard art demonstration with Mark Mothersbaugh and the world’s first bioplastic record with Michael Stipe and Brian Eno.
Micheal Two Bulls is an Oglala Lakota artist from South Dakota whose work spans an eclectic array of disciplines and mediums. Two Bulls weaves together elements of photography, drawing, painting, printmaking, songwriting, and other creative disciplines to create multi-layered compositions that invite his audiences to question and explore. At the heart of his creative process is a unyielding commitment to collaboration, community, and family. This commitment is reflected in the nature of this interview, which includes Douglas and Reed Two Bulls, family members who feature in many of his creative projects, including The Wake Singers band.
Angel Olsen’s music defies any single genre. Since her 2010 EP, the Asheville-based musician/songwriter has released multiple albums, including 2016’s acclaimed My Woman, and her most recent, Phases; each with its own distinct vision and sound. Here, Angel reflects on her past year of extensive touring and recording, the inherent politics of making music, the person vs. the performer, and what one stands to learn through the process of looking back.
Melbourne-based musicians Chloe Kaul and Simon Lam, AKA Kllo, grew up just five-minutes away from each other, but their musical beginnings were worlds apart. Here, the two cousins open up to us about merging their individual aesthetics in order to form a new and distinct sound; about improvisation, trusting the process, and learning to let go; and how their music is becoming more old school as they continue to evolve.
Folktronica singer/songwriter Sophie Payten, AKA Gordi, hails from rural Australia, where she grew up on a farm surrounded by wide-open landscapes, and a family with a deep appreciation of music. Here, she opens up about going away to boarding school at age 12, and her eventual path toward songwriting; about the Reservoir—the name of her new full-length album, and a metaphorical space that influences her work; about following the “green lights” toward what’s next; and how she manages to balance her creative life while finishing a degree in medicine.
From his humble Fort Worth, Texas, roots to stages around the world, Leon Bridges’ talent has catapulted him into the spotlight since his first album, Coming Home, debuted in June 2014. Compelled to make music before anyone knew his name, the rising star played open mic nights and performed in smoky bars, and he hasn’t forgotten his roots. Here, Leon offers an intimate glimpse into his early days, recalls how he discovered his voice through a connection to soul music, and imagines what the future holds as he makes a point to remember his past.
Interested in performing from childhood, Reggie Watts is known for his entirely improvised sets, but improvisation has played a role in his path, too. Here, the entertainer talks about how exploration and play have shaped his mostly unplanned career, his goal to create work that helps people recontextualize their experiences, the role of art and community in our current political landscape, and his new Netflix special, Spatial, out today.
LA-based rapper and alternative hip-hop artist, Open Mike Eagle, describes getting involved with the eminent hip-hop collective, Project Blowed, learning to hone his craft from his heroes, and defying genres with honesty and unconventionality.
Minneapolis-based rapper and writer, Dessa, describes how poetry led her into the world of hip-hop, how she faces the imaginary critics in her head, and the positive creative culture she found with the indie hip-hop group, Doomtree.
James Rhodes shares his unique path to pursuing his passion later in life, bringing joy to others through music, and offers astute advice for aspiring musicians.
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