Kendra: When did your interest in music start? Were you always the kid that was going around singing? 

Taija New: When I was very young, I had to be about 3 or 4. It all stemmed from just listening to the music my parents would play; anything from the Commodores to Toni Braxton was part of their collections. I was absolutely the kid that went around singing, me and my big sister actually had a group Called Cantaigous, a blend between our names. I usually sang backup but there was this one day around about age 7 or 8 when I recorded myself singing and I didn’t pick up a mic for years after that. And even then I began rapping. I basically did everything with music except for singing from that point on like dancing or creating little music videos. I slowly but surely began singing again.

Kendra: As far as releasing music, you’ve been at it for some time now, so when you listen back to releases from several years ago like ‘Color Me Complex,’ how do you feel you’ve grown as an overall artist? 

Taija New: I am a completely different artist than who I was when I began. I rarely listen back to my previous albums, I just can’t. I cringe when I hear all the mistakes! It’s like I want to fix them but those albums are time-stamped in history, so I appreciate them for the growth they represent. 

However, I’m more of a forward facer who just wants to do better with whatever the next project is. I can say I’m way riskier now and more focused on growth over the fear of failure than I was with my earlier albums. For instance, if I feel a rock vibe coming on then I express myself without caring about how people feel I’m supposed to sound. That’s the beauty of music, right? 

The universal aspect means it belongs to everyone and if that’s the case then anyone can express themselves in any way that moves them. I certainly do now! 

Kendra: Along the way from then to now, you’ve cemented yourself as the Newbian King and even have a song entitled that. You noted that it was a way to defy the gender binary. Have you always been against the boxes society has placed on us when it comes to gender?

Taija New: I’ve always stood for owning who you are even if that is outside of the confines of a binary. When I made “Newbian King” society was not as knowledgeable as they are now. I would get into many debates on social media about deeming myself a King. People really just did not get it at the time but of course, here we are years later and there’s a lot more visibility as well as general growth in our society. I’m happy to live in a time where I got to witness that evolution. 

Kendra: That’s a song from a while back, but more recently you’ve dropped some other great tracks like my personal favorite, “So Long” and your most recent, “IDKNO.” Both told me right away that you’re someone who knows how to make a song that captures the exact level of energy. Every song feels right. Did you grow up admiring any particular hip-hop producers?

Taija New: Oh wow, thank you so much for saying so. I always say every song should make you feel something, if it doesn’t I want nothing to do with it. There are so many producers, I’m afraid I’ll miss some. Let’s see…Timbaland, Swiss Beats, Dr. Dre, Jermaine Dupri, and P. Diddy are some of the names that come to mind right away. If we get into R&B then that list goes on and on. 

Kendra: And where did you draw inspiration from when it came to “IDKNO?”

Taija New: Producer-wise, “IDKNO” definitely was more inspired by Timbaland records. Songs that are created to cut through the noise and provide a different flavor to the industry. The lyrical inspiration came from a bunch of places. The first would be my friends. I have the most uplifting group of girlfriends, it’s insane. We push one another to be our best selves and genuinely celebrate each other’s achievements. There’s no jealousy, animosity, or drama. So I wanted to write a song that championed the choice to surround yourself with positive energy.

Also inspiring “IDKNO” were the DMs that I received over the years from females about the men they were dating. They really accused me of wanting their man! It’s absurd and I don’t get it at all because I’m the last person they should be worried about. But it made me appreciate my group of friends so much more because we would NEVER. 

Lastly, was the verse I wrote about men who would lie and say they were intimate with me for clout. The crazy thing is that these incidents were completely separate situations from the girls in my DM accusing me of their man so you can imagine my frustration. With that being said I decided to put it all in a song because I don’t want that energy around me. Positive vibes only! 

Kendra: Now it’s time for a side note – with it being May, I always think of the end of the school year and all those memories of field trips, parties, and yearbooks. With that, I’d love to know what your fondest end-of-the-school-year memory was? 

Taija New: My junior year of high school was really cool. I finished all my finals early so I was able to just hang out with my friends (after getting permission from my parents to leave early of course!). Just being able to “be” before anything got too serious was an incredible feeling. Loved every moment. 

Kendra: Lastly, with “IDKNO” out now, what else can fans expect as we continue towards summer? 

Taija New: I have so much in store for the summer. I’m literally so excited, I cannot wait to share. Keep an eye out on any of my social media @TaijaNew to be the first to see what’s in store!

The post The Contagious Ways of Taija New appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: It’s been said forever that all comedians want to be rockstars and all rockstars want to be comedians. When did you three decide that you were going to be like Hannah Montana and have the best of both worlds and fuse the two?

John: For me, I’d been doing comedy raps since high school. I enjoyed the music side a little bit I guess, but mostly just enjoyed writing comedy. Even when I was in a hardcore metal band in high school, I didn’t really write lyrics, I would just say “blah blah blah blah.” But I enjoyed performing and would try and do jokes in between. Then the FUSING you mention happened when I came to Zack with an idea for a rap, and he instead said we should write it on the guitar as a folk-type song. That song is Open Mic Night at the Chuckle Barn. We did a couple shows, closing with songs and once COVID hit we just dropped all the other stuff and focused on writing comedy songs. Hannah Montana is a dream feature, BTW.

Zack: Music has always had a special place in my life. I did musical theatre throughout middle and highschool and my family has a whole mess of instruments specifically for when we have campfires. We hand out instruments to everyone that comes over and just make up silly songs all night. Being able to combine that part of my life with my love for comedy has been the absolute best, and it’s clear with all three of our musical backgrounds that it was inevitable.

Alex: I studied Music Industry at Northeastern University intending to graduate as a rock star. In my Sophomore year I discovered the comedy theater where I would eventually meet John and Zack and I went ahead and put all my eggs in that basket. I learned that the music and comedy industries are structurally very similar so I focused on comedy. The music never left me I guess, cause here we are!

Kendra: Your latest album, ‘19 Total Feet,’ is out now. So if you had to compare the music to one place and the humor to another, what spots in LA would you compare those two aspects to and why?

Tall Boy Special: What a fantastic question! The music is like Del Taco. It’s good, simple, kind of flies under the radar. It’s very accessible. There’s a little bit of something for everyone. The comedy is like the LA River. You’re like, “What is this? What purpose does it serve? They said it’s a river but there’s, like, no water or anything. People sometimes FISH in this?!” But it’s also comforting in its juxtaposition and it’ll be around long after we all die.

Kendra: Before the album dropped you had some very viral moments. I’ve only had a tweet get a good amount of likes a few times but nothing like your videos. When you go viral, do you take notes on what you did for future reference?

John: I have no idea what’s going on in that area. My favorite viral moment however was when Cedric said “Don’t quit your day job, fellas.” Like…that’s one of my comedy heroes giving me the business.

Zack: We probably should have taken notes!

Alex: I didn’t take notes.

Kendra: What do you think TikTok has done in terms of elevating comedy?

John: See the beginning of the above answer.

Zack: I think much like every social media it’s created a platform for people to just throw their wildest, silliest shit at the wall and see what sticks. I also think like every social media platform, it’s a nightmare.

Alex: TikTok has exposed very creative people to the masses, HOWEVER it does very little in terms of intellectual property protection. So you might be really digging someone else’s idea in another person’s TikTok.

Kendra: I do have to ask, how do you feel the comedy scenes in Boston compare to LA?

John: Oh man, I wish I had a better answer. We moved to LA and then the pandemic happened so we didn’t get to see many shows. And I moved back to Boston to have a baby and haven’t been back. If I had to GUESS the difference I’d say that the LA comedy scene has far less performers and audience members in Red Sox hats.

Zack: Less jokes about Revere Beach out here.

Alex: LA is far more performative. Every comedian (improv/stand-up/etc) is also an actor/model/musician. That really shows in performances. In Boston you get more self-deprecating “normal people” who stumbled into comedy and use it as therapy. I think both scenes are very charming!

Kendra: Time for a side note…With the holidays coming up, I want to know what classic holiday song would you like to give a makeover in your style?

John: Another great question! We have a song about a snowman on the new album. We want that made into a holiday movie. But as far as classics go, I’d love to do that Mariah Carey song. You know the one. That one. Let’s do that one. Or “Jingle Bell Rock!” That guitar intro is pretty cool. I wonder if Kagy can play it.

Zack: What’s fun about Christmas songs is a lot of them are kind of like Tall Boy songs. “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer?” “Dominic the Donkey?” “Frosty the Snowman???” Man…maybe we should pivot to Christmas Music. We do have a Halloween album called ‘Monster Music!’

Alex: “Holiday Road” – Lindsey Buckingham

Kendra: Okay, back to the music – with 2021 almost being over, what can people be on the lookout from you as we head into the start of 2022?

John: Hopefully we will get our TV show made, and start doing live shows again so people can see the full concept of what Tall Boy Special is.

Zack: Everything John said, also children’s books. I think all our songs would make great children’s books that are fun for adults to read!

Alex: Music videos!

The post Tall Boy Special: Best of Both Worlds appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: You two have been friends just as long as me and my best friend. With that, we have developed this sort of mumbled language that seriously freaks people out. With that, when it comes to creating music, do you share some next-level communication that others just do not get?

Matt Hock: Well, there’s not much mumbling in conversation, but we have developed a language of our own over the years. I wouldn’t call it next-level, though. If anything, it’s a total devolution of the English language. Mumbling plays a role in the writing process for me. If I have a melody for a song, I will record a mumbly vocal just to get it down and see where it takes me. Sometimes those mumbles help create a starting point for lyrics.

Kendra: With each of you having made music your life for so long now, are there any mistakes you made early in your careers that you feel you’ve learned from and made you better today when it comes to writing, recording, and executing an album?

Matt Hock: I think we’ve learned to embrace self-editing a lot more. When we recorded ‘Lion On A Leash,’ almost everything was ready to go before we went into the studio. We did a lot of remote pre-production with Pete Steinkopf, which made things way more efficient. Songs can and should change once you start recording, but it helps to hone the vision of an album beforehand. I don’t know that we focused on that as much in the past and think it makes a huge difference.

Kendra: You have to be making all the right moves because ‘Lion On A Leash’ has not only you two killing it, but features the likes of Brian Baker, Matt Olsson, and many other talented musicians. Were these people you wanted to work with before the record was even recorded, or did they come to mind as the songs started to take shape?

Matt Hock: Thanks for saying that. The band is just the two of us, so we knew from the very beginning that we’d need a rhythm section to sit in. Mike Sneeringer and Matt Olsson immediately came to mind and they were both happy to do it. Start Running Away, which is the song Brian Baker appears on, was the last song written for the album so that came to mind later in the process. He’s a monster player and once the song was a song, we thought he’d be perfect for it. Chris Gonzalez and Scott Engel both make appearances on the record, as well. Huge thanks to all those guys for helping us out – it’s great to have so many talented friends on the record (and in life).

Kendra: So your video for “Bad Luck” made me a little sad because, like many who love music, I miss concerts so much. Like, I found myself missing the summer heat of a festival the other day. Was this concept inspired by your feelings towards missing the live music experience?

Matt Hock: We don’t want to make you sad! We miss live music, for sure, but the video isn’t necessarily about that. My wife, Joanna Bovay, made the video and she wanted it to feel like you found a VHS tape and that’s what happened to be on it. So, there is a deeper concept, but we just wanted it to be fun.

Kendra: With live music on hold in many parts of the world, do you feel like the lack of concerts will drive fans to start to purchase music again instead of simply streaming?

Matt Hock: That’s a great question. I imagine there are a lot of people who got into vinyl when the world shut down and there was nothing to do, so maybe? We, of course, want people to buy the LP on vinyl, but what matters most to us is people listening at all. The album is on red transparent vinyl and looks super cool, though. Probably best to get the vinyl and stream the songs.

Kendra: It’s hard to have a definite answer when it comes to future plans given the current state of everything, but as far as what you can control when it comes to your career and creativity – what do you have planned in the coming months for yourself?

Matt Hock: Yeah, it’s really hard to plan right now and that can start to feel overwhelming sometimes. I think the best way to approach it is to work on the things we can control, like writing and making some more videos. We have a third single coming out before the album releases, so we’re making a video for that. We’re also writing a lot and getting our hands on more pedals – one of our favorite things. We’re trying to make the best of it and hoping that things will be back to normal soon.

The post Space Cadet: Unleashed appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: Usually, people from small towns yearn for a way to express themselves, but you were lucky enough that you grew up in a place that had a local singing troupe. Were the Showstoppers your goal for a long time before you joined when you were 12?:

Hunter Moreau: I remember seeing the Showstoppers perform when I was very young, probably 7 or 8, and thinking how amazing they were. It was so inspiring to see so many kids around my age brave enough to showcase their talent. From that point on it was always a huge goal of mine to join them, and be able to share what I loved with others.

Kendra: What I like about you is that you seem to be someone who is always looking for an opportunity to grow and learn. Some people decide to sing and that’s it. They never work on it. How do you feel working with a vocal coach in recent months has helped tune your already natural instrument?

Hunter Moreau: Over the last few months, working with my vocal coach has helped me tremendously. I have been able to reach new parts of my voice, exploring different ways of singing that I never knew were possible for me. Not only that, but I have become more confident and self-assured in who I am and who I want to be as an artist. I’m so excited to continue growing through these lessons both vocally and artistically.

Kendra: Whatever you are doing – keep it up because “Hazy” is it. It gave me real California Cool vibes which you are not from there, but I felt like this could be on a playlist with the likes of Selena Gomez’s recent releases, as well as Olivia Rodrigo. When you create music, do you have a mental vision board in mind of how you want the audible aesthetic to be when the final version is done?

Hunter Moreau: That means so much to me! I am a very visual person. As I create music, I have a movie that begins to play in my mind. Sometimes it directly relates to the lyrics I’m singing, other times it depicts just how the song makes me feel. It might be a certain time of year it connects to, or a color, or a place, or a person. I try to focus on those raw emotions that I first felt when creating the song, and let that guide me to capturing visuals that will convey exactly what it means to me, to others.

Kendra: You’ve noted that you wish more guys your age would not only listen to your music but also learn from it. I think every man on earth would benefit from taking the words of women to heart, but with that – what would be the biggest takeaway you’d hope your male peers would take from the music you have going on right now?

Hunter Moreau: The biggest takeaway I’d hope boys my age would take from my music, is that it is okay to be vulnerable. Vulnerability and letting yourself express your emotions are so important in your relationships with not only others but also with yourself. I think young boys often struggle with expressing exactly how they feel, in fear of being seen as “weak” or “less than”. I hope that my music would help them realize that vulnerability is a show of immense strength, and can help you unlock so many parts of yourself.

Kendra: Speaking of takeaways and lessons, being 18 right now amidst the sort of whirlwind chaos that is America – how have you been approaching sort of coming of age, getting your career going, in all of this?

Hunter Moreau: Honestly, I think the chaos of this year helped me realize how many different turns life can take, and just how quickly it can happen. I started to understand that there is not just one set way that my life can go, and I have the power to control it. There’s no reason I should be forced into a certain career path or way of life because that’s what seems like “the right thing to do”. There is no telling what life has in store for me, but all I can do is chase what feeds my soul, not what seems comfortable.

Kendra: Let’s step away from the chaos for a second and play a game I like to call – Cover, Duet, Tour With. When it comes to Stevie Nicks, Harry Styles, and Frank Ocean, which would you simply just cover, who would you like to duet in the studio with, and which would you like to open for on the road?

Hunter Moreau: Ooh this is a tough one. I would have to say cover Stevie Nicks, I have so much fun singing along to her music and it would be an honor to do my rendition. I would tour with Harry Styles, I think aesthetically we would work well together, and it would be an awesome experience. I would love to duet with Frank Ocean, seeing how he works in the studio would be amazing, I would be so thrilled to see his process and learn from him.

Kendra: Lastly, it’s hard to have a definite answer when it comes to future plans given the current state of everything, but as far as what you can control when it comes to your career and creativity – what do you have planned in the coming months for yourself?

Hunter Moreau: I have a couple of other songs that I’m working on and excited about, with plans to release them after “Hazy,” so I’ll be busy over the next several months shooting more videos, creating more art, and writing more songs, of course!

The post Clearing the Haze with Hunter Moreau appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: Being about an hour out from Boston, is that where you’ve focused on building a name for yourselves, playing and whatnot since coming together? 

Luke: We found a great sense of community and solidarity in Providence, RI and Narragansett, RI since we started performing as a band while most of us were attending URI. After the last of us had graduated, we moved to Lowell to run our DIY venue as a way to pay it forward to the grand, overarching entity known as “the scene”. While we’ve got great friends in Boston, we’ve made lil’ homes for ourselves on the outskirts of bigger metropolitan areas.

Kendra: While every city is going to have to go about it their own way, how do you feel your local scene will rebuild once we’re over this pandemic, and live music is officially back to normal?

Luke: Honestly, we don’t think live music will ever return to normal. It’s just so easy to consume media through the comfort of your own space, we think concerts are initially gonna gain some hype; some traction for a little bit once restrictions start decreasing, and then just fall off in terms of popularity. And the shows that do exist, the performers that do continue performing are going to be hard pressed to deliver a show that is worth an audience’s time and money. We think the bar has been raised by COVID-19. Our scene has been picking up the pieces by hosting livestreams (check out Death to the Scene Network, ONCE Somerville) and by sharing other community members’ music.

Kendra: Now let’s talk about the album. ‘Sprezzatura’ follows 2018’s ‘Homework,’ and was inspired by something you don’t hear every day; Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors and OCD. What drove this album in that direction?

Luke: This question…So I haven’t been very vocal about it with anyone except a few different doctors and therapists – in fact, the fact that I haven’t spoken about it or made it very apparent makes the word “sprezzatura” resonate with me – but I’ve suffered from managing conditions called Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors; specifically dermatillomania and trichotillomania for about five years. 

These conditions are grouped in with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders. They’re extreme levels of picking one’s skin off or pulling one’s hair out to the point where injuries can be observed and identities can be mistaken. They’re an indicator of faulty grooming tendencies in the ancient brain and faulty Serotonin uptake and dopamine releases. The reading on it is quite fascinating. 

They have been super debilitating for those who suffer from them. There’s no scarcity of accounts from people that’ve simply spent countless hours in front of a mirror or somewhere just pulling at their hair or eyelashes or eyebrows or any other hair until they have huge patches missing or go bald, or picking off skin until they’ve got a bunch of visible sores and are bleeding. Nails ruined from use; time lost, identities shattered from the drastic change in their physical appearance. 

I know because I’m one of those people. For me, these tendencies were amplified by stress from a multitude of factors: drug withdrawals, a living arrangement I had, sins I believed I had committed. I was never able to rectify them, the time I spent dealing with them, or the use of picking my skin and plucking my hair out as a coping mechanism to deal with the immense amount of stress I was facing. And even as those stresses faded away or fizzled out, the BFRBs stayed as a sick, stimulating addiction. Now the only remedy for BFRBs at this time is called “cognitive-behavioral therapy,” which essentially means “suck it up and just do it.”

Could you imagine telling someone that needs help to simply do it themselves out of sheer willpower? Don’t you think that person wants to quit whatever they’re ailing from, but lacks the willpower to do it? I’ve tried to push all of these things out of my life with all types of…”healing.” Medication, meditation, dietary changes, even ritual magick. None of them stuck, but some made things worse. I started having auditory hallucinations from self-induced insomnia – I started seeing things manifest in real life from nightmares I had. I tapped into spiritual networks that I wasn’t supposed to be in. I poisoned relationships and friendships I had, even with my bandmates. I ruined my own identity. 

To me, ‘Sprezzatura’ is the sonic embodiment of all this. This record captures all those manic feelings; all those things that haunt me, all the pleasure I found even in pain; the intensity, the pensivity, the shame, all through music and lyrics. Everyone involved in this project cooperatively delivered the power and the poison that was coursing through my veins and controlling my thoughts when these songs started being imagined. Once we all started giving these songs life, I refused to let myself take away from driving the record down this road. 

Kendra: While the album has this focused theme, one has to wonder what it means to each of you. So based on a particular interest you each have, I’d like you to compare ‘Sprezzatura’ to the following: Luke (a beloved sound), Mike (movie soundtrack – past or present), Nick (a coffee drink), and Dan (a pint of beer). So each of you pick your chosen thing and let us know which you’d compare your September release to and why. 

Mike: Quentin Tarantino’s ‘From Dusk ’til Dawn’ because it’s evil, it’s about vampires and succubus’ and it’s complete orderly Chaos. 

Nick: Yeah, I’d have to say espresso, because it starts with this petite lil’ beginning – a tiny cup of espresso compared to ‘Sprezzatura’s’ first song, “Tucson, but once it hits, maaaaan does it hit you. By like 10-15 minutes in you’re right in the middle of teeth-gnashing, hard-hitting, unforgiving mayhem (“The Posthumous Order & Vestige of Mother DeReckshin”). Then if you can hold on long enough, the record starts to even itself out and develop into this manageable groove that’s just super infectious and catchy. 

Dan: I think ‘Sprez’ is like Carlsberg beer. For me at least, I didn’t like it at first; I thought it was all hype and kinda convoluted – I know what I like and I’m open to most things but I just wasn’t interested. Over time I kinda gave it a space to exist and each time listening to it and playing it with the band though, I could see it grow; feel it grow and grow with it.

Kendra: With all that’s going on, how do you feel 2020 has shaped your creativity and drive moving forward? 

Luke: I think 2020 and all its chaos has allowed me a fresh perspective and, in some ways, a fresh start to being creative. It has forced me to put all the work I’ve done in terms of live music into perspective, and made me compartmentalize it and seek out other ways of contributing to the world that aren’t left up to chance. Needless to say, playing live music is difficult at the moment, so 2020 has pushed me to wonder how else I can color my life and the world around me.

Kendra: Usually, this is where I ask people what they have planned in the coming months but with the world in a strange place right now, plans aren’t as concrete as they typically are. You can go ahead and let us know what you have tentatively planned but can you also share a song that never fails to get you through when the world around you feels like a mess? 

Luke: Plans….yeeeeeeah, I’m operating on more of a “play-it-by-ear” basis. But since it’s come out, one song that’s sure to change my mood back to what I consider “normal” is “Anywhere” by Anderson .Paak. 

Dan: Anything by George Benson really, or Gershwin. 

Nick: Have you ever heard of this band Closure in Moscow? Okay what about Carly Rae Jepsen before she turned out to be a total douche. 

Mike: Honestly, I don’t know why but Cardi B’s “WAP” gets me hyped every time I hear it.

The post Wax On: Looking Ahead appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: You’ve said you’ve been a creative person since you were little, but did that always translate into what you were doing for a living as an adult or did starting Strange Kind of Grown Up, in turn, allow you to live more like a well, strange kind of grown up with more creative freedom?

Katy Maher: My day job is working in higher education administration, which I’ve been doing for about eight years, and I originally picked that path because of the creative opportunities I saw with it. I started out working in the residence halls as my first job where I got to do a lot of event planning, designing educational materials, creating resources for students, etc. While it was fun at first, over time I realized that being creative wasn’t celebrated at all – if I spent a lot of time making handouts look clean, they probably still had over a 50% chance of ending up in the trash. And, to be frank, it wasn’t an important enough part of my job to result in any kind of benefit to me (as in, I could have made terrible flyers and been paid the same amount of money at the end of the day).

There were a lot of things that stifled creativity too – strict rules and protocols, long hours especially being on call for emergencies, and it just became something that burned me out rather than lit me up. Now I work for an academic department managing finance and HR, which I like a lot despite not being much of a creative outlet (except sometimes I’m allowed to design business cards and once I got to make programs for a graduation event). But, I can still use my design eye and problem-solving skills to be good at my job, while also reserving more of my creative energy to do my own thing after 5:00 pm.

I started a shop on Etsy (which has now become Strange Kind of Grown Up) around the time when I started my first job – partially to have an opportunity to create things, and also partially to have an outlet that was uniquely mine to create and experiment with, rather than playing by someone else’s rules all the time. It has been nice to have a space where I can make the decisions and try something new since universities aren’t exactly known for being highly flexible and creative environments.

Kendra: When one is coming up with what their brand is going to be about, they can go in so many different directions. How did you land on feminism and equality as being the basis for your overall aesthetic?

Katy Maher: Honestly, it has been a journey coming up with what I wanted my business to be about – though it has always been the same general style of drawing. I started just drawing random things that I thought were cute or funny or relevant, and I did that for years before I started incorporating any kind of equality-related message.

It wasn’t until Trump was running for president that it clicked for me that I could use drawing both as a personal outlet and a way to connect with people. My first “political” design was a simple floral that said, “resist.” I doodled around a bit but kept coming back to that design as something that represented what I wanted to do with a business – be both a little playful and a little political.

Over time my shop kind of evolved into something political because that’s what was resonating with me, and it also was attracting people to my business who I identified with, so I have been going in that direction ever since. I have the nicest and coolest people stop by my shop and send me kind messages. I’ve interacted with people who work on political campaigns, or are studying different areas of policy or law, or are buying a shirt to meet a particular political candidate, and I’m very lucky that people share their stories with me on social media and through Etsy.

Kendra: While you cater to grown ups, you also have so much apparel for kids and let’s be honest, your designs are a long way away from those “Ladies Man” tees we often see on little boys and whatever crazy ones they aim at girls. How important do you feel it is to teach kids about feminism, human rights, and so forth and so on? Because if I’m being honest I don’t think I heard the word feminist until either high school or…maybe even college.

Katy Maher: Actually, I became “Strange Kind of Grown Up” with the idea that my focus would be creating cute stationery that was also a little sarcastic or mean, and I didn’t intend to be political at first.

The name is a very obscure Friends reference – it’s from an episode where Joey can’t figure out where Monica and Chandler are moving to because they tell him the house is in escrow, so he’s looking for Escrow on a map. Mike then tells him that he’s a strange kind of grown up, which resonated with me in that you don’t have to have all of your shit together in the traditional sense to be thriving and happy.

As I became more engaged politically and actively seeking out ways to do good with my business, it naturally came out more in the drawings that I wanted to do for my shop, more so than the snarky humor (or perhaps in tandem with snarky humor) – so while I didn’t intend for my shop to be equality-focused, it’s something I care about and have become really excited about creating, so I just sort of ran with it.

I didn’t add apparel to my collection until about a year ago. A previous customer sent me a message on Facebook asking about my t-shirts and the sizing – and I said “what t-shirts?” because at the time I only did stickers and cards. She sent me a link and to my surprise, a company had photoshopped some of my sticker faces onto a t-shirt that said something about little girls with dreams becoming women with visions (I remember it distinctly because it sounded like they were saying that the girls were having hallucinations, and not like a vision for the world, which is what they meant). When I told her that it was a rip off she said, “Well I’m definitely not buying it then, and let me know when you start carrying t-shirts.”

I immediately started doing research about how to get t-shirts printed and getting samples of the different printing styles and weights – and about two weeks later I launched a t-shirt line for both adults and kids. That said, I think I’ve made “Strange kind of Grown Up” sort of a misnomer for myself – since I don’t cater to only grown ups, and I don’t think being a feminist is particularly strange. I have been thinking about a name change a lot recently but I haven’t committed yet.

I’m ultimately super happy that I got ripped off because it gave me the opportunity to sell t-shirts and they did my market research for me (there were thousands of likes on the Facebook post of their crappy photoshop job). Being able to offer my artwork on something specifically meant for kids means so much to me and has really shaped my brand even further into being equality and education focused, because I now know that I’m reaching a lot of kids and families and have the opportunity to spread a message in an approachable and cute way, and create meaningful alternatives to those “Ladies Man” and other weirdly gender-stereotyped shirts you mentioned.

Not to mention, kids are way more aware of the world than I was at that age (and like you said, probably even more than college-aged me). One mom sent me a message saying that her son is the self-proclaimed President of the Elizabeth Warren fan club at his elementary school, so she was buying him my Plans t-shirt, and another bought matching Supremes shirts for her four kids for their holiday card. In some ways, I think it is less about educating as I had originally thought, and more about providing opportunities to celebrate and affirm things that kids and adults are already.

Kendra: With us being in the midst of an election year, do you feel increased pressure to come up with designs?

Katy Maher: I do feel some pressure to come up with more and more designs as the election approaches but fortunately I also feel very inspired by the amount of political activism and the platforms of the Democratic candidates who are running. It’s kind of equal parts obligation of making election-themed things because of the basis of my shop, and excitement about the opportunity to create more things that resonate with people because there’s a lot to talk about right now.

Kendra: What people may not know right away is that Strange Kind of Grown Up is very charitable. You donate to various causes but have been donating part of your proceeds to ACLU since the start. Is that something that you wanted to do even before you began this venture? Give back, especially to ACLU?

Katy Maher: Even before my focus was on drawing feminist and equality-related designs, I was donating a portion of proceeds to the ACLU. I didn’t advertise this at first, but especially now that the designs that I make are equality-focused I think it’s important that I also make a monetary contribution on top of raising awareness. I think it is something that customers appreciate too, knowing that they are not only supporting social change internally but also tangibly at the same time.

I send everyone a message following their purchase to let them know about the financial support they are providing and get lots of appreciative responses. One of my favorites ever reviews said something like, “I’m glad that a portion is going to the ACLU because otherwise, I would just be contributing meaninglessly to capitalism.” I also donate to a variety of other organizations and try to cycle through depending on time of year as well as what is most pressing in the world at the time, and eventually I’d like to create a rotating monthly or bi-monthly schedule of organizations that we are supporting so that I can also take the time to highlight the good that those organizations are doing and create some awareness in my audience, since I also see it as an opportunity to introduce people who have purchased from me to other groups that do good in the world.

Kendra: Stepping away from the business for a second (kind of), let’s talk about Maggie your feline assistant. If she were to design your next product, what do you think she’d come up with?

Katy Maher: First of all please always ask me about my cat, forever. And actually, she doesn’t know this yet but she’s about to be the recipient of my first sample of a pet t-shirt with one of my holiday designs on it – and if I like it hopefully I’ll be able to offer pet shirts in the coming weeks.

But she definitely wouldn’t be designing any pet apparel since she, like most cats, hates to be dressed – she does it to appease me on special occasions because she is very generous. She’ll always pose for a holiday photo, and she was just Bob Ross for Halloween. She didn’t mind the button down but she really didn’t like the beard.

She does like to do exactly what I’m doing, so perhaps she would introduce a pet bowl that matches whatever mug I’m using so that we could enjoy a beverage together. I think she’s definitely an Elizabeth Warren supporter (a democrat, even) so she’d come up with something in that realm as well. She’s a little mean too so I think her aesthetic would be a little less playful and a little more punchy.

Kendra: As the year goes on and we head into 2020, what can we expect from Strange Kind of Grown Up?

Katy Maher: Honestly it’s tough to tell – I never expected to be in the apparel business in 2019, so I’m excited to see what possibilities arise in 2020. And as the election season evolves, that will have a big impact on my focus. One idea I’ve been working on is creating a line of fabrics with political figures as well as other diverse characters (sort of like my diverse mermaids design) to support other makers who create clothing, bows, and other items, especially for kids, and may have a hard time finding cute patterns that are also representative. So that’s something I’m looking forward to in 2020, as well as seeing what other ideas come across my plate.

The post Strange Kind of Grown Up: Invigorating Looks appeared first on ZO Magazine.

While her boyfriend at the time wasn’t supportive in the least, at 18 she’s found Joel Cedeno, a guy who knows her worth and drives her forward. So with a support system in place and a camera in hand, thanks to her parents, she has gone from doing senior portraits around town to capturing everything from weddings to newborns.

Kendra: You deal with a lot of various types of photography from weddings to boudoir. Where did you start and do you see yourself branching out even more as time passes by? Is there one over the other that you feel lets your creativity shine brighter than others?

Grace Mackenzie: I love all types of photography, but I have to say my favorite is family and baby sessions. I love the connection and love I see with each image, and I love to see that in photographs. I practice on my three-year-old niece. I also love weddings because it’s that same love and new beginnings. I don’t get along that well with people my age so I noticed when I work with older people and families I am happier with my work and feelings after the session.

Kendra: New England isn’t somewhere I’ve gotten to see just yet, but from movies and TV – it looks as picturesque as can be. Where would you say is the best place to snap a selfie in Massachusetts, and where is the best place to have someone snap the picture for you?

Grace Mackenzie: I’m in western Massachusetts which is about two hours from Boston. I love fall time here. It’s my favorite, but I do love the eastern part because the ocean calls to me. I love taking photos with nature involved. The trees and grass anywhere can make a photo so beautiful.

I use nature and natural light to guide me in my photoshoot process. In a field with a nice golden hour sun is where I like my photos taken best.

Kendra: On top of photography, you also have a design business. What’s that all about and do the two worlds ever come together?

Grace Mackenzie: Yes! I also dabble in abstract art! I love fluid art and being creative with paint. I used to pressure myself to sell my work but now I just go work the flow (literally). I also make jewelry and body scrubs too with all-natural ingredients.

Kendra: You’re also a Body-Posi activist. Have you ever done or thought about doing a photo series depicting various types of beauty?

Grace Mackenzie: I’ve done a lot of body-positive self-portraits where I talk about how important self-love is. I put myself out there which can cause people to be mean but I would rather be myself than be boring. I also have dyed my armpit hair pink for the hell of it! But as for a session all about body positivity, I have a plan for that in 2020.

Kendra: Lastly, what’s going on with you and all that you do come 2020?

Grace Mackenzie: I’m a senior in high school! I’ve gotten bullied a lot in school so I’m very happy I’ve done all my credits and I’m able to graduate in January and go to HCC for photography to learn more business side of things. It’s always important to learn more about your passion!

The post Grace Mackenzie Photography: Pushing Forward appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Throughout the year we’ve taken more than one look at photographers who shoot everything from birthdays to weddings. This is the first time we’re featuring a photographer whose job is to capture the most possibly beloved member of all families; dogs. I don’t know about you, but I love my family dog more than well, more than most of the people who can actually talk back to me. That’s why it made me tear up to look through all the shots Ashley Timms has taken of dogs both big and small. We talked about those feels, as well as if cats will ever be in the picture.

Kendra: Have to ask the age-old question. What came first, the love of photography or dogs and when did the two come together?

Ashley Timms: Photography, funnily enough! My dad was an artist and photographer and I think that piqued my interest early on. I worked for a headshot photographer years ago and, naturally, started doing headshots myself. When I was getting started I didn’t have any models so I used my dog and friends’ dogs. That’s when I realized they have just as much personality to capture!

Kendra: Looking through your photos and seeing perhaps what are the older dogs hit me right in the feels. Our family dog is up there in age (15 years!). Do you ever get emotional working with people and their fur-mily, especially when they have more years on them?

Ashley Timms: Oh my gosh, yes. The only downside of this job is knowing my furry clients don’t live forever. I’ve done a few Celebration Sessions that capture the dog with their family in their final days, weeks, or months. They’re always difficult for everyone involved, but I’m so grateful that we capture those memories for them to keep forever. Knowing we outlive them, I always make it “mandatory” for my clients to get in at least some photos with their dog, no matter how old they are. When the time comes, those photos will be all that’s left.

Photo Credit: @ashleyasker

Kendra: Every day we see articles about millennials and how they’re “killing the world” by not having kids or waiting on them, often opting for pets instead. Do you feel that more of your clients fall into that generation because while they don’t have kids they have a creature they love just as much as a parent loves a child?

Ashley Timms: I think the expectation that people must have kids is a bit outdated and many in my generation may think similarly. While having kids is great for some, for others, a pet is all they’ll ever need to be fulfilled. My clients; whether they’re kid-free, an empty-nester, or simply not ready for kids yet; certainly give their everything to their dogs and it really shows.

Kendra: Often times you hear that actors prefer not to work with animals or kids. Working with animals seems a lot harder at times, to me. How long does it usually take for a new client to get used to the idea of being a model for the day? And do you have any sure-fire tricks that never fail to get the perfect shot?

Ashley Timms: The only way to have a successful session with great photos is to make sure the dog is as happy as possible at all times. I spend the first few minutes of every session getting the dog used to me and my gear and vice versa. Some dogs take a while to warm up, which means I’ll use a longer lens until they’re okay with me getting closer. My top tip is positive reinforcement! Be armed and ready with treats or a ball or anything else the dog loves. As soon as the camera clicks, we reward. It’s like the ultimate clicker training!

Photo Credit: @ashleyasker

Kendra: Do you ever think you’ll open things up and incorporate cats, or other pets, into the mix?

Ashley Timms: I’m totally open to other pets. I grew up with a cat I absolutely adored. Iguanas, horses, cats, snakes, hamsters, — I’ll take ’em all!

Kendra: You’ve noted you have a handful of locations but clients can choose where to go. How do you find and decide on locales?

Ashley Timms: It’s a lot of hard work. I’ll spend hours on Google Maps, scouring the page for what appears to be prime locations. Then I’ll grab my gear, pack my dog in the car, put it in my GPS, and head out to make sure it works. I let my clients choose from the list of my favorites but it also depends on the time of year. If the client has a special place in mind, we can do that, too.

Kendra: With the summer in full swing, are you busier than ever?

Ashley Timms: Yes! Summer is when people are the most active with their dogs, so that tends to be when people reach out, but I offer sessions year round.

The post Ashley Timms Shoots (P)Awesomeness appeared first on ZO Magazine.