IRIS Covet Book | MARCUS MACKEY – SOMEONE ELSE’S LOVER

MARCUS MACKEY – SOMEONE ELSE’S LOVER

Lace Top by Alabama Blonde, Pant by Maison Audmi

Styling by: Adrian Joseph & Nathan Sweet

In the ever-evolving realm of music, where talent and authenticity are the currency, one artist is emerging as a captivating force to reckon with. From the City of Angels, where dreams are crafted and destinies sculpted, Marcus Mackey has boldly entered the scene, wielding a mesmerizing blend of beats and emotions.

His latest single, “S.E.L.” – a cryptic abbreviation for “someone else’s lover” – delves into the intricate tapestry of modern relationships and the labyrinthine dynamics of contemporary dating culture. With its irresistible dance groove and profound lyrical depth, this track stands as a testament to Marcus Mackey’s remarkable musical prowess.

But this isn’t just another entry into the annals of pop. It’s a profound exploration of the human heart and its yearning, painted with the strokes of a maestro who draws inspiration from the canvas of his own life. As Marcus himself puts it, “‘Someone Else’s Lover’ takes you on this rollercoaster through today’s dating scene – all those crazy layers and complications. I made ‘S.E.L.’ not to solve the problem, but to at least get you dancing through it.”

Jacket and Pants by Maison Audmi, Lace Shirt by Lamkoko.la

Behind the scenes, the genius of Marcus Mackey is enriched by the collaboration with renowned producer Luke Villemur, a name synonymous with Netflix, Apple TV+, Universal Music Production, and iconic commercials. Together, they’ve honed Mackey’s artistic vision to perfection, a symphony of experiences and influences that has been meticulously crafted to evoke emotions and ignite dance floors.

Born in Bakersfield, California, Mackey’s journey to the epicenter of music in Los Angeles has been nothing short of a destiny fulfilled. His early days were marked by harmonious performances alongside his twin brother, captivating hearts since the tender age of seven. But Marcus Mackey was destined for more than just melodies; he was destined for stardom.

In this exclusive Iris Covet Book feature, we delve into the mind of Marcus Mackey, the alt-pop virtuoso whose trajectory promises to leave an indelible mark on the global music canvas. “S.E.L.” is now unleashed upon the world, a beacon of rhythm and emotion inviting you to immerse yourself in Mackey’s magnetic sound. This is more than music; this is a journey through life’s trials and triumphs, all set to an irresistible beat. Get ready to be entranced by the world of Marcus Mackey, where each note tells a story, and each melody resonates with the soul.

Tank Top by lamkoko.la

Your journey started in Bakersfield, California. How did growing up there shape your musical aspirations and your desire to explore the world?

My hometown is very conservative, and I’m not. I never conformed and that made me stand out, which I honestly loved. I wanted to show everyone that I was going to make it out and become someone in spite of the things everyone was saying or thought about me. I knew I could sing and I knew I could command attention and that made everyone uncomfortable. I thrive off that feeling, I love making people face their darkest insecurities and fears. I knew I needed to make a difference and I knew music would give me the medium.

Tell us more about your bond with your twin brother, Anthony Mackey. How did your shared love for music influence your early years?

My bother and I have an extremely close bond. We discovered and explored music together. We would perform Christmas songs for extended family -on Christmas Eve. I would usually go off singing “Genie in a bottle” or something with a full choreographed dance. We wrote and recorded our first two songs when we were 7, and began making EDM / dubstep tracks on FL studio in 8th grade. We are on different musical paths now but I feel we’ll be working together again soon.

Shirt by Jean Paul, Pants stylists’ own

Five years in Germany must have been a transformative experience. How did immersing yourself in the language and culture there impact your musical style and perspective?

Living in Germany was an Extremely eye opening experience for me. Being abroad with no friends or family in a country where I didn’t speak the language was extremely isolating. I had two choices: sink or swim, and I wasn’t going to sink. I learned to be alone, I learned to be self sufficient, I learned to love life and not take anything for granted. I created experiences there that fueled me creatively, and took the time I had alone to really learn about myself. What came out was a more mature, cultured, and creative version of myself. Now I use those memories to write music.

Coming back to LA, you decided to pursue a music career. Tell us how it all started?

I never stopped writing and singing, but there was actually a moment when I moved back that I thought I wanted to go back to college. I ended a long term relationship and began exploring with sound and writing again and eventually wrote the song that snapped me into it- It showed me “oh, this is what I should be doing”.

Your collaboration with producer Luke Villemur seems to be a turning point. Can you share with us the magic behind your unmatched chemistry and how it led to the creation of your first single, “S.E.L.”?**

Really it was as easy as a meeting, a studio session, and we’ve been working since. S.E.L. was a song I wrote prior to meeting him. I sent him the demo and in a month the song was done. It’s not often that people hit it off right away but that’s really how it was for us.

How would you hope fans feel when playing Someone Else’s Lover for the first time?

I really just want people to sing and dance. The lyrics reflect the confused and complicated feeling you get dating these days where it seems like there are so many hands in the cookie jar. the feeling of not knowing if someone is being authentic or faithful. Everyone deals with this and life is too short not to dance and smile through the bullshit. Thats what this song is intended for.

You speak of your love of pop music and it shows! We’d love to know who are your musical inspirations?

I believe Pop music transcends time and defines culture. Pop music inspires and brings people together- a place for everyone. You think of timeless pop icons like Prince, Madonna, David Bowie, Michael Jackson. They did that. They inspired generations and they all inspire me.

Any dream collaborators you’d like to get work with?

Mark Ronson, if you’re reading this I will clean your bathroom for a month, let’s make a song.

As you continue your musical journey, what can your new found fans and the world expect from Marcus Mackey?

A shit ton of good music.

THE HOMECOMING OF JAKE WESLEY ROGERS

Dress – Shahar Avnet, Pants -Peter Do, Earrings – Christian Lacroix

Creative Direction – Stepp+Dreedn
Photography – Alicia Stepp @aliciastepptx
Motion – Kevin Shivers @dreedn.ig
Stylist – Edwin Ortega @edwin.j.ortega
Makeup+Hair – Bianca Rivas @biancalinettehmu
Photo Assist – Myckenzee Kunn @myckenzee._.ann
Video Assist – Norma Shivers
Retouch – Thiago Peraça @thiagoperaca

Shirt – Unisecon

The Homecoming of Jake Wesley Rogers

The queer pop musician talks tour, their new EP, and songwriting inspirations.

By: Hilton Dresden @hiltyhilthilt

You may know Jake Wesley Rogers best from TikTok, which spawned a viral moment for his song “My Mistake.” Or perhaps you’re a fan of 2021’s moody pop Pluto EP, the predecessor to their latest collection of work: the LOVE EP, out this fall, which includes the hits “Hindsight” and “Lavender Forever.” Alt-pop and rock influences combine to create a body of work about longing, identity, and the pains of love.

The unapologetically queer Missouri native is only 25, but has already established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. He’s been interviewed by Elton John, performed on Good Morning America, and, most recently, just finished a US tour opening for Ben Platt. Back in his hometown in Missouri, we caught up with the singer ahead of a special homecoming performance.

Candid and ever-honest about his emotions, the rising artist opened up to Iris Covet Book about LOVE, their forthcoming debut studio album, and a host of influences, from getting proposed to by the preacher’s son to quotes from Oscar Wilde.

Gucci

You just completed your first tour — how did it feel?

Oh, it was wonderful. It was really my first tour. And it exceeded every expectation. I was so excited. I love performing. There were a lot of variables that we have no control over, because we’re opening. And I’ve heard that opening can be pretty brutal, because it’s obviously not your audience, but I feel like we won, every night. I feel like what I came to do was transmitted, and it connected. That’s kind of all you can ask for.

Dress – Shahar Avnet, Pants -Peter Do, Earrings – Christian Lacroix

I want to start with the kernel of the idea for this new EP — from the beginning, the writing process and producing.

I think it’s important to say most of the songs are from about two years ago. Which, as you know, as a writer, that feels like 4000 years ago. How fast we move on. But I knew I needed to honor these songs as the true moments that they were. I released my first major label EP Pluto last year. I guess if this were a different decade, it probably would have been — this feels like Side B to Pluto. They feel like they’re in the same world and atmosphere. Because with Pluto, I feel like it was sort of asking the question: ‘What is love, and why is it making me feel so crazy?’ My grandpa was dying at the time. My grandma died, and he was heartbroken. I was looking at my parents’ love, like, ‘Is that what I want?’ Love is the most overused word probably. But it’s also essential. When I realized I needed to call it Love, I was reading a Maya Angelou quote, and she says she uses love, because it might be that which pushes the blood through the veins, or keeps the stars in their place. It’s a hefty force, for sure. When I listened to the project, it’s like, ‘Oh, these are just little questions of what is love for me.’ I don’t know the answer.

Thom Browne

So if Pluto was asking ‘What is love?’ What are the main questions you associate with this body of work?

I think it’s more like where’s it taking me, now. Obviously, love didn’t kill me. Even though I felt like it was a few times. Where is it leading me? I feel like this EP is a bridge for me, to where I am now. I’m working on my debut album. And I feel like these are the ideas and songs that took me to this place I am now, which is a much deeper, scarier, more confusing place, where I feel even freer to say everything I want to say. But I needed to write those songs to get here. Those are all true moments. And I love them.

Alexander McQueen

So you say it’s a bridge leading you to where you are now. Obviously you can’t share spoilers or anything, but with this debut album, what can you share about the headspace you’re in and the kind of things that are interesting you now?

I’m obsessed with Oscar Wilde, and I have been since I was, like, 19. He wrote this letter when he was in prison, for being gay, to his lover. And he was talking about being in the courtroom. They were reading all of the evidence against him — ‘You hired this rent boy!’

He calls it like a turning point, where he realized, it’s one thing to have someone else tell you what you’ve done wrong. But he’s like, ‘How amazing would it be if I stood up there? And I said every single sin or stain on my life, boldly. What would that look like?’ I was like, ‘Oh, that’s what this album [is]: What can I say that terrifies me?’ We wrote this song last week that affected me so much that I am going back to therapy. Which is the gift, because I don’t think that songs are healing. I think they’re cathartic. And I think they point you towards what is actually going on. A song doesn’t fix PTSD. Therapy is needed for those things, or whatever is needed, a song doesn’t do all the work, but it can point you to where you need to do the work. So that’s kind of what the songs have felt like. When I say ‘deeper,’ it’s not that the other songs are more surface level, I think it’s just [that] we’re getting closer to the points.

Alexander McQueen

You’re saying that the song you wrote last week prompted you back to therapy. I’m curious, what’s the song about?

It’s like a dark night of the soul song. I’m looking at this tarot card. I’m just going to use it to explain. I pulled it a lot on tours: the Ten of Cups. And traditionally, it’s like a happily ever after card because it looks like it’s this family, and there’s a rainbow. But I was reading this person’s interpretation, and she said ‘This is a stage card. If you notice, this family is on a stage. They’re performing happiness. They’re performing this kind of ideal that exists sometimes.’ Obviously, we are happy sometimes, but the point is, it’s a rainbow to show that to live a fulfilled life is experiencing many emotions. The rainbow is many things: it’s happiness, and despair and loneliness and joy, and probably within 20 minutes of themselves, sometimes. So the reason I pulled that card is because there’s always this sort of persona that we’re putting out. I’m on the stage performing a lot. But the song I wrote last week, I’m not performing for anyone right now, not even myself. So what do I need to say? And what I said was, basically, ‘I’m tired of living, but I don’t really want to die.’ That’s the gist of it.

Dries van Noten

Which songs on the Pluto EP are resonating with you the most these days, as you’re performing them?

It’s funny — the ones that are my favorites actually haven’t really [been] performed yet. “My Mistake” and “Call It Love” and “Dark Bird.” I don’t really perform those yet, just because the set was so short. Okay. Right. I’m going to say “My Mistake” is probably my favorite. And it’s really resonating, from what I can tell. It’s just me, at the piano, telling a story of dating the preacher’s son in high school. He proposed to me before I went to college. I said ‘Yes, question mark.’ I didn’t say no. But it was a capital T trauma moment for sure. So anything you say is not coherent. I put that song on Tiktok, like, two years ago, and it had a little moment. People do just want to hear the truth in the story. I think the more specific we are in telling our story, and the more explicit we are in telling our story, the more universal it is. It’s not really the other way around. I tried to do that on the song “Call It Love.” That’s an ode to Oscar Wilde. It starts with an Oscar Wilde quote, he said ‘The secret of life was in art.’ A lot of my music has coded terms. “Lavender Forever,” I mean, the last night of tour, my band was like, right before going onstage: ‘What the fuck is “Lavender Forever” about?’ I was like, ‘Gay sex what else?’

Corset – AREA, shirt – Y/PROJECT, skirt – SEYIT

You were talking about Oscar Wilde — I’m curious, are there other sources of inspiration that you are taking these codes from right now?

I don’t think I’ll ever shake the Bible metaphors. I don’t really know why. But they’re there. I just love telling the queer story through biblical metaphors. I feel like it’s happening, I see it everywhere now. It’s kind of in the zeitgeist. It’s a bit of a reclamation. But I do find most inspiration from authors, at least lyrically. And lately, a lot of Beethoven.

Gucci

So you’re home right now — do you like being home?

I do love going home actually. I think there’s part of me that will always probably feel most at home in Missouri. I don’t predict that’ll live there anytime soon again. Same as the Christ archetypes, I don’t know why I just can’t shake this. I’ve tried to shake it and it just kind of creeps back. I guess it’s accepting who you are and how you’re raised. You can let go of the things that don’t serve you. But if there’s parts of it that still do serve, you don’t want to let go of all of it. I do love going home.

Dress – Annakiki, Shirt – Unisecon

AUSTIN MAHONE BY MARCUS DERRICOTTÉ

Turtleneck. Dries Van Noten
Sweater. Kiko Kostadinov

Photographer: Marcus Derricotte @mderricotte
Stylist: Douglas VanLaningham @dvlstylist
Styling Asst: Jose Santiago
Hair: Stefani Annaliese @stefaniannaliese
Makeup: Paloma Alcantar @palomamua

Cardigan. Marni
Tank top. Dries Van Noten
Trousers. OAMC

Tank top. Dries Van Noten
Trousers. OAMC
Belt. Maison Margiela

Tank top(in hand). Dries Van Noten
Trousers. OAMC
Belt. Maison Margiela

Sweater. Maison Margiela
Jeans. Maison Margiela
Necklace. Vitaly

Sweater vest. Dries Van Noten
Trousers. Raf Simons

Blazer. Raf Simons
Shirt. Maison Margiela
Trouser. Maison Margiela

Shirt. Bottega Veneta
Trouser. Botter
Belt. Maison Margiela

Tshirt. Saint Laurent
Underwear. Calvin Klein
Jeans. Martine Rose

DIGITAL COVER: ARGENTINE RAPPER/SINGER NICKI NICOLE

Photographer: Brendan Wixted
Styling: Jacquie Trevizo
Creative Direction: Jacquie Trevizo x Marc Sifuentes
Styling Assistant: Tatiana Isshac
Hair and Makeup: Pablo Rivera
Production: Jacquie Trevizo x Jordan Frazes / Location: Vault Place Miami

Nicki Nicole is set to claim her spot as a wunderkind of the latin music scene. The Argentine rapper/singer’s career is a modern example of how social media has changed the music industry, with over 10 million followers on Instagram and a devoted fan base who in many cases push her Youtube video stream views over 30 million. In the span of two short years, the 21 year old Argentine artist has fine-tuned her musical aesthetic, blending traditional R&B with her trap music roots to create a trademark sound that is all her own. Nicole has already garnered the respect of veteran recording artists jockeying for their place to be a part of her next chart topping musical collaboration. Record industry establishments such as the Latin Grammy’s have honored Nicole with a nomination for Best New Artist and Billboard Magazine charted five of Nicole’s hits in their Hot 100 Chart. All this, in addition to her live performance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and her profile piece in American Vogue, help solidify Nicole’s path to her dream of making music from the heart.

For her exclusive Iris Covet Book Digital cover, Nicki chatted with singer-songwriter Tkay Maidza about the women that inspire her, why she took her time producing her upcoming sophomore album, “Parte De Mi” and her post lockdown tour plans.

Listen to the new album “Parte De Mí” from the Latin Grammy nominated artist when it goes live October 28th at 6pm ET on all music streaming platforms! Listen to the title-track and watch the video here.

Corset: Serpenti , Head Scarf: via The Confessional Showroom Miami, Necklace: Betsey Johnson , Earrings: via TATA PR , Jeans: MTSZ via PR Solo

Tkay Maidza: How did you first fall in love with American hip hop music?

Nicki Nicole: I have always listened to American Hip Hop, but I think that I fell in love with it when I was about 15, 16 years old. I saw it for the first time on MTV when I was super young, and since then I’ve always been very attracted to it. But yes, I think I fully became infatuated with it when I was a teenager.

TM: I read that you started rapping around age 15 or 16. Did you ever write or experiment with other types of music before you started rapping?

NN: When I started making music I tried out all types of different styles. But I think I realized that the one that best suited me to evolve in my music was hip hop and freestyle. I started at 15, 16, and I think that was the time where I evolved my style the most as an artist.

Top: Zadig & Voltaire , Pants: Louis Vuitton , Earrings: Tiffany & Co

TM: Do you remember any of your first bars from that age?

NN: It’s difficult to remember specific bars now, but my first song “Wapo Traketero” is part of that first phase in my career where I fell in love with hip hop. I think that song describes perfectly what that moment was.

TM: What made you pick up the pen and actually write your own lyrics for the first time?

NN: I think mainly it was the desire to say things in a different way. It happened to me often that I was very reserved with my inner circle, and when I started writing I became quite open. So I prefered to say things that way, and that eventually led me to make music and made me who I am today.

Pant Suit: ABODE via Brooklyn PR, Bra: Honey Birdette via BLK PR, Earrings: Alexis Bittar

TM: Was there a big life event that happened, which caused you to feel the need to express yourself in a new way or were you just inspired by all the music you were hearing at the time?

NN: At the beginning everything that came out was from different inspirations, because I was very young and had little life experience to talk about. But as I grew older and lived through many different things, I started to write more about my own life.

Bustier: Angelika Jozefczyk via PR Solo, Shorts: Louis Vuitton , Earrings: LILOU PARIS @bemylilou via Brooklyn PR

TM: Who are some of your favorite American acts that influenced you early on in your career? What drew you to their music, persona or both?

NN: The ones I always listen to and that are a constant inspiration to me are Amy Winehouse, Rihanna, and Lil Kim. Beyond their music, I admire how they are as people, how they carry themselves as women, the life they each led and lead currently, they each truly are an inspiration to me in their own way. As for male artists, I really like Drake, Giveon… but out of everyone my favorite is Amy.

TM: How would you compare Argentinian hip hop to American hip hop?

NN: I think it’s impossible to compare the two. They have separate styles, processes, and evolutions that are completely different. They each have their own style and flow. I wouldn’t compare them in any way. They each stand out in their own way.

Corset: Serpenti , Head Scarf: via The Confessional Showroom Miami , Sunglasses: Futuremood , Earrings: via TATA PR

TM: Are there certain styles or techniques that you pick up (or enjoy) more from one or the other?

NN: As for genres of music, I have to say I love R&B, Funk and Jazz. I really love listening and creating those styles of music as well.

TM: In one of your past interviews, you said something really interesting about how you’re “never 100% sure of the music [you] release”, and how you feel like you could keep perfecting as a songwriter, that’s something I really relate to. I also have people around me that I trust to tell me when a song is done. Do you have specific people that you trust to help make the decision to call a song “finished”? Or is it more, “the deadline is coming up, now it’s time to wrap this up.”

NN: Yes. I have many people beyond my work who know me very well and whom I trust deeply. I usually show them my songs because they can give me their honest opinion, and it always helps me move forward in the process. Because of how I am, I feel that I could spend my whole life working on the same song because I get too into the details, and I feel that it is never enough. Therefore, having people I truly trust tell me when to stop, is always very important and helpful to me.

Pant Suit: Jovana Louis via PR Solo, Bra: Honey Birdette via BLK PR, Earrings: via TATA PR

TM: I heard that you’re currently working on your second album. Can you tell us anything about that yet?

NN: The album is coming out this year. It’s quite personal. It’s an album that has many rhythms, and also many different collaborations and special guests. I can’t wait for it to come out, to be able to show all these different sides of me and my music, and how it’s evolved.

Blouse: Simonett Shorts: MTSZ via PR Solo, Shoes: Freelance Paris via Maison Privee PR, Earrings: Lara Heems via @yayapublicity, Socks: Wolford

TM: How are you treating this project differently than your last body of work? It’s been 2 years since your last album, I imagine a lot has changed in your life since then.

NN: The first and second albums are quite different. “Recuerdos” was when I was just starting out, and all I wanted to do was release all the music I was making, without really worrying about having a definite concept or thinking about what could happen next. I just wanted to get my music out so that I could continue making more. With this album that’s coming out now, I was able to work on it with a lot more time. I let each song breath, not listening to them nonstop and obsessing over the details like I usually do. I worked on it and took my time and it allowed me to truly polish it and make it perfect in its own way. I think that’s the biggest difference, and I honestly cannot wait for it to come out.

Bra Top: Anouki via TATA PR, Skirt: Annakiki, Jacket: Louis Vuitton, Socks: Wolford, Shoes: Nike

TM: Now that touring is back (finally!), what are your dream venues and cities that you want to perform in?

NN: Mainly I am super excited to perform in Argentina. It is something that we had to hold off on due to the pandemic, so now that touring is back on I really can’t wait to perform in many cities in my own country. After that I would love to play in Spain, Mexico, and hopefully the US soon as well. I really can’t wait to get back on that stage.

DAVID WILLS DISCUSSES HIS NEW BOOK – NAT KING COLE ‘STARDUST’

The definitive photo book on Nat King Cole—in honor of his extraordinary legacy as a singer, jazz musician, style icon, and civil rights advocate.

Foreword by Nat King Cole’s daughters:

Casey Cole and Timolin Cole
Introduction by Johnny Mathis

Additional contributors: Quincy Jones and Leslie Uggams.

Produced in a limited edition of 1000 copies, the volume is super luxurious and housed in a clamshell case with a soft cashmere lining. It comes with a limited edition 11×14 inch photographic print from the Capitol Records photo archive.

Congratulations on such a beautiful book, and congratulations on Nailor Wills Publishing. We are big fans of many of your previous books such as Veruschka, Ara Gallant, Hollywood in Kodachrome, and Seventies Glamour to name a few. What brought you to launch your new publishing company and to start it with a book on Nat King Cole?

Thank you for the kind words—that’s so nice. The main reason my partners and I started Nailor Wills Publishing was to produce books of exceptional quality. I have loved books since I was a kid, and even used to make my own books out of butcher’s paper when I was in primary school. For many years I had noticed that publishers were becoming increasingly more concerned with profit margins than they were with how well the books were made, particularly regarding materials, paper quality, etc. I completely understand this of course—as it’s a business—but when the day came that I found myself having to fight for a book to be shrink-wrapped, I knew it was time to leave and do my own thing. The opportunity to do a book on Nat King Cole actually fell into my lap, as around the time we were considering starting the company the representative for Nat King Cole’s family approached me about doing a book. I was so fortunate.

You collaborated with Nat King Cole’s daughters who were very young when he passed. What did they bring to your attention about Nat that you were personally unaware of?     

Casey and Timolin were only three years old when their father passed away. Therefore—their personal memories aside—they have primarily come to know him through family photos and stories told to them by their late mother, Maria. What they brought to my attention was the generosity and humility of their father, and the radiating effect that had—still has—on anyone whose lives he ever touched. Casey and Timolin have done an extraordinary job carrying on their father’s legacy with their non-profit foundation Nat King Cole Generation Hope, which provides access to music education for children with the greatest need.

How long did it take for you to put the book together?

Approximately two years. Johnny Mathis wrote a beautiful introduction for the book and Casey and Timolin provided a heartfelt foreword. As the book is extremely large in format—14×17.75 inches—it was very important that the images be of the most exceptional quality. For this reason, we went back to original negatives, transparencies and photographs. In some cases, images had to be scanned and laboriously cleaned and color corrected to restore them to their original vibrancy. Capitol Records was wonderful in their understanding of our need for first-generation source material, and the book contains many never-before-seen or published images from their archive. Also, Nat King Cole: Stardust includes rare personal letters and telegrams from President John F. Kennedy, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, President Lyndon B. Johnson, Jackie Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Where does the title Stardust come from?

“Stardust” is my favorite Nat King Cole song, and it just seemed an apt title for the book—a metaphor for the magic of his star presence and the soothing quality of his voice. The song has such a serene, dreamlike quality. Every time I hear it I feel like I’m being sprinkled with fairy dust and lullabied by a beautiful whisper. Cole’s producer, Lee Gillette, urged him to record the standard, composed by Hoagy Carmichael, in 1957. Cole initially resisted, even though he had been singing it on stage since 1954. He considered the number to have been covered, and well, by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and others. He did one take, and subsequently sang it on the October 1, 1957 episode of his TV show. The single went to #79 on the US pop chart, #24 in the UK, but grew in status over the years to become nearly everyone’s preferred version. The poignant strings introduce Cole’s mellow tones: “And now the purple dust of twilight time. …”

Nat started during the Big Band era; what set him apart in those days from other acts?

Having idolized jazz pianist Earl Hines as a teenager, Nat intended to follow his example. Just twenty in 1939, he formed the Swingsters, and played against the prevailing trend of Big Band swing with his three-man (piano, bass, and guitar) bebop. They had their first success in 1940, when Nat’s vocal track was included on their recording of “Sweet Lorraine.”

What was Nat’s first huge hit song? Did Nat write his own songs or was he performing hits of the times written by others?

For Decca’s “race records” label, Sepia, the group recorded Nat’s own compositions “Gone With the Draft” and “That Ain’t Right,” highlighting his exceptional jazz piano skills; the latter topped the R&B chart in 1942. They signed with new company Capitol Records that year, and as The King Cole Trio, scored with another Cole tune, “Straighten Up and Fly Right” in 1943, followed up with “(I Love You For) Sentimental Reasons” and “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66.” Encouraged by wife Maria, Cole evolved into a popular music vocalist, soon recording love songs—a notable first for a black male singer. An example would be “Mona Lisa,” arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle in 1950, which was a B-side that turned into a huge hit—five weeks at #1 on the Billboard singles chart—and won the Oscar for Best Song. This was after “The Christmas Song” and “Nature Boy.”

Did Nat experience much racism performing in clubs in America during those times? I read that he was attacked while on stage by a mob of white men; can you tell us a bit about this incident?

The King Cole Trio played mostly black clubs in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City, staying in separate but not equal accommodations. However, after one hotel refused Nat and Maria their reserved rooms, he sued and was awarded reparations and damages.

The crucial incident played out in Birmingham, Alabama on April 10, 1956, in front of a white audience, which was infiltrated by members of the KKK, seeking to harm, even kidnap, Cole. Mid-performance—Nat at the piano—several of these men rushed the stage, grabbing him, and injuring his head and back. Musicians were assaulted as well as Cole was hustled backstage, and the attackers escaped. Nat returned to address the audience, saying he would not continue the show, and how shocked he was since he simply wanted to entertain. The next night’s performance, for a black audience, was canceled, and Nat vowed to never return to The South.

Cole made incremental moves to confront discrimination in Las Vegas. Initially forced to room in the “negro neighborhood,” he later parked a trailer in the back parking lot of the hotel while playing its showroom. His white manager stayed in the hotel. Nat then used his leverage as a Vegas draw to secure rooms, though segregated, for him and his band, as long as they did not enter the casino, dine at the restaurants, or use the pool. Starring at the Sands Hotel, he was able to insist on full accommodations and access. There was also the controversy over his buying a house and moving into a “residential covenant” neighborhood in Los Angeles in 1948: a battle he and Maria won.

What do you feel was Nat King Cole’s most significant contribution to the civil rights movement?

He brought people together with his music. For millions of white Americans Nat King Cole was their first experience of a black person being part of their household, their daily soundtrack—whether it was watching him on TV or listening to his records. Also, just by being himself, he broke certain stereotypes unfairly placed on black people through decades of injustice. He was sophisticated, he was elegant, he was charming—he was extraordinarily talented. Some may have criticized him at the time for being a white person’s idealized version of what a black person should be. But I don’t agree. He was just himself—a beautiful and refined human being. One of the most profound statements Nat King Cole ever made was: “The important thing is for negroes and whites to communicate. Even if they sit on separate sides of the room, maybe at intermission a white fellow will ask a negro for a match or something, and maybe he will ask the other how he likes the show. That way, you have started them to communicating, and that’s the answer to the whole problem.”

Did Nat have a close relationship with Martin Luther King, and did he participate in helping Dr. King fight racism, and bring about justice and equality?

I don’t know if they were close, as they were both highly scheduled, in demand across the country. They of course knew and highly respected one another. Nat could provide entree to celebrity and Dr. King could count on his financial support as Nat was not comfortable making speeches or marching in the spotlight. He had faith in building connections and understanding between the races, and did state, in his offstage, soft-handed way, “Dr. King’s fight is my fight.” In addition, Nat had a genial rapport with Eisenhower; supported JFK, who thanked him publicly; and visited LBJ at the White House to offer advice during the controversies concerning the Voting Rights Act.

How did Nat King Cole go from his successful singing career to appearing in movies? How many movies did he make? Was he under contract as an actor at one of the big Hollywood studios?

In the ’40s and early ’50s, Cole starred in quite a few musical featurettes. As his fame grew, studios capitalized on his star power in small roles, essentially played himself—for example as a club pianist/singer, establishing the mood, in the LA noir The Blue Gardenia (1953). Cole’s career as an actor climaxed in 1957 with Sam Fuller’s China Gate, in which he convincingly played Goldie, a soldier of fortune, near the end of the French-Indochina War. His only lead role, as composer W.C. Handy in St. Louis Blues, co-starred Eartha Kitt, Cab Calloway, and Ella Fitzgerald, but made little impression on critics and audiences in 1958, and no studio contract was forthcoming. Nat played a singer in the suspense drama Istanbul (1957), and a club owner in the social/racial melodrama Night of the Quarter Moon (1959), which was never released in The South. His last movie role placed him in the Wild West with Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin for Cat Ballou, released after his death in 1965. As Sunrise Kid, a Greek-chorus-type troubadour, he “narrated” the film, singing verses of “The Ballad of Cat Ballou.” Several times Cole was called upon to lend his authority, tone, and bankability to the recording of movie theme songs—my personal favorite being the Joan Crawford melodrama Autumn Leaves (1955).

Nat was featured on TV, radio, and film. How was he able to break through and be successful and accepted in all of these medias?

Even as a praised jazz man in the late ’30s and early ’40s, Nat came across as more than a keyboard talent. When fervently urged to sing as well as play, that smoke-through-silk voice demanded attention, well before he was prepared to accept it. As a pioneering crossover artist and hit maker at Capitol Records, he was compared favorably to Frank Sinatra, his label mate. Nat’s TV show, the first for a black singer, familiarized the American public with a person of color, right in their living rooms, singing of love and romance. The program, though it lasted just over a year, gave many households their first weekly exposure to a black host. It was a uniting experience. Nat became a premiere attraction across the country—singing at the most posh venues—and an international star, touring the UK and Europe, meeting royals, traveling to Japan, Central and South America, Cuba, and Australia, where he was received with Sinatra or Elvis-like fandom.

Nat was said to be the Black Frank Sinatra. Did he have a good friendship with Frank?

Sinatra loved talent and deplored discrimination; Nat personified one, and was a target of the other. The two men were friendly rivals, but Nat was too much the polished yet shy gentleman, to be part of the raucous Rat Pack. Frank, who was always at the ready to step in, helped Nat make a safe exit out of Birmingham in 1956, swiftly arranging a charter flight.

Nat King Cole was always so beautifully dressed and had such extraordinary style. Do you see him as a contemporary style icon?

Absolutely. In fact, the term “natty dresser” was apparently coined in reference to Nat. His personal style, in particular—sleek polo shirts paired with super-slim trousers and dark suede shoes; luxe cardigan sweaters in neutral shades; precise blazers in blue, black, or gray—has had considerable influence. He’s now a sartorial role model: dapper, debonair, snappy in sportswear, elegant in black-tie. Always sharply tailored—usually by “tailor to the stars” Sy Devore—even in the studio, his tweed porkpie hat and black horn-rim shades are now considered the essence of ’60s cool.

What song do you think is the song that is most associated with that legacy?

Thanks to daughter Natalie’s 1990 tribute album, the song that has become most identified as his alone, is “Unforgettable.” The virtual video duet was, at the time a technological triumph, a Grammy winner, and a labor of love for Natalie. The 22-song CD engendered a new fan base for the classics of Mr. Cole, whose rich discography had fallen out of favor in the ’70s and early ’80s before being revived as background vocals in film and episodic TV.

So many people refer to him as a true gentleman, a trailblazer, and someone who commanded respect. What do you feel his ultimate legacy will be?

I think his daughter Timolin said it best: “Our father was a pioneer who transcended color and race.” There’s something about Cole’s voice that reaches into your heart and just stays there—it’s a warmth, a comfort. Being able to extract emotion through your art is an extraordinarily powerful gift. Music is healing, and Nat King Cole was—still is—one of the greatest healers of our time. Ultimately, at the core of his legacy was Mr. Cole’s hope to unite, to convey joy, to give pleasure—as he said, “to make people happy.”

About the author (2021)

David Wills is an author, publisher, and photographic preservationist. His books include Veruschka (Assouline); Ara Gallant (Damiani); Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis (HarperCollins); Audrey: The 60s (HarperCollins); Hollywood in Kodachrome (HarperCollins); Seventies Glamour (HarperCollins); Marilyn: In the Flash (Harper Collins); The Cinematic Legacy of Frank Sinatra (St. Martin’s Press); Switched On: Women Who Revolutionized Style in the ’60s (Weldon Owen); Vegas Gold (HarperCollins); and SHAG: Palm Springs (Nailor Wills). Wills has produced and curated a series of photography exhibitions including Warhology and Murder, Models, Madness: Photographs from the Motion Picture Blow-Up. His books and exhibitions have received major profiles in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, American Photo, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Interview, and Time. He has also written articles on photography and popular culture for publications including The Huffington Post, V Magazine, and Palm Springs Life.

TÉ TIME WITH ANDREKZA

Bow top by Morphine / Gloves via PR Solo

Photographer: Josef Jasso
Creative Director/Wardrobe Stylist/Interview – Adrian Joseph
Make up: April Nicole
Hair: Jefferson T
Assistant: Danny

Few creatives can simultaneously connect music, visual storytelling, and fashion together much like what is exemplified in ANDREKZA’s evolution. With her definitive style of music which combines the traditional dembow riddim and reggaeton, along with eclectic rhythms found in dancehall, ANDREKZA’S music represents harmonies that have stormed into the music scene with a ravenous and poetic sound.

On the edge of the release of her EP “Cassette: Lado A”, and inspired by the memories of her first cassette player, ANDREKZA unifies her creative experiences through her latest endeavor: “Everything was created through my imagination. From the topics I wanted to touch to the creative direction of the videos. I call this album a mixtape because of the variety of rhythms. I’m a mix of different things, which I wanted to embrace on the album. I don’t want to label myself as just reggaeton or Pop.”

Leading the project is “TÉ,” a playfully light track that showcases her stylistic transitions in melody and lyricism. It’s also the creation that solidified her essence: “It’s one of the songs that left an imprint in my life. When I wrote the song, everything made sense. It all came together; I finally found my style, my sound, and voice.”

As the first Latina signed to Steve Aoki’s new Latin imprint – Dim Mak en Fuego, ANDREKZA keeps one goal in mind. “I hope to encourage people to express themselves through various art forms.”

Dress by Jovana Louis SS21 / Ear Rings- Bitch Fist / Socks – Dolls Kill

Before you were writing songs, you were writing poetry at a very young age in Venezuela. When did you write your first poem, and do you know what inspired you to do so?

I think I was 10 when I wrote my first poem about the moon. I love the moon, I didn’t understand why we could only see it at night until I understood that it was only necessary to look up to the sky to find it, red, gray or gold.

What music was in your house growing up and what impact, if any, do you feel it had on your music today?

Each person in my house had a preferred musical style and genre, but when it came to sharing, we were all DJs for a bit. I think that when you connect with music, it automatically moves your feet, I go into the studio, close my eyes and let myself flow. I always have influences in my heart, but no idea or style that I cling to in particular.

Reggaetón, Salsa, Venezuelan Rap, Rock, Pop, Celia Cruz, Oscar de Leon, la Fania, on the Reggaetón side, Wisin y Yandel, Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderón, Tres Dueños, Apache, Residente, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Natalia Lafourcade, Jesse & Joy, there are so many.

Crystallized Jacket, ruffle pants by Morphine / Fashion Top – PR Solo / Earrings – Stylist Own

I know you graduated high school at age 15, who did you stan musically when you were a teenager? And are you still a fan of them?

Yes, definitely! When I was 15, I loved Natalia Lafourcade, La Mala Rodríguez and Residente and I still admire them a lot.

Your first EP Cassette – Lado A (Side A) just released with your catchy and infectious first date anthem “TÉ,” the song produced by Orlando Vitto. What makes a good first date for you?

Spontaneity, tea and a good sunset, the most beautiful show in the world and it’s free every day.

I know you probably get this a lot nowadays. What’s your favorite kind of tea?

It really depends on my mood. In the morning I love to have black tea, in the afternoon passion fruit tea, and in the evening green tea with lavender.

Cassette – Lado A features “Nerviosa” which is a track that showcases your versatility as a singer with trap rhymes and melodic verses. You accompanied the song with a video directed by you and Macksimo. What inspired you in the creation of the “Nerviosa” music video and story?

We always wait for a special moment to celebrate, but every day is special. Macksimo and I wanted to celebrate the feelings, the connection between two people, with a “happy non-birthday” party.

Bow skirt by Morphine Pink / Crystal hem jacket by Pink Crystal / Top by PR Solo / Boots by Current Mood Dolls Kill

What would you like people to take away from listening to Cassette – Lado A?

That fear of speaking only takes away the opportunity to know each other and live. Say what you feel and when you feel it. Let’s not have it be a taboo, let’s be emotionally free.

In your recent single “Tuve” ft. Gabriel Garzón-Montano your chemistry is unmatched, and you follow that by being featured in his “Mira my look” remix! How has it been collaborating with the fellow artist?

I’ve never admired an artist’s creative process as much as I do Gabriel’s, I feel very fortunate to be able to share art and love with him, we are working on a very cool project together, which we will soon be able to give more details about!

I know it’s a challenging time but what are you most looking forward to this year?

I’m looking forward to sharing my art, being able to hug each other again, and having people enjoy my full debut Album CASSETTE, which will be available in September!

Dress by Morphine Fashion (Harpers PR)/ Earrings by Bitchfist / Ring – PR Solo

SINGER SONGWRITER PETITE MELLER

Petite Meller is a French singer, songwriter and musician who is favored for the viral music videos that complement her songs. Typically sporting a high-energy brand of pop, artist Petite Meller recently released her new single, “Dying out of Love,” a song from her long awaited and forthcoming second album. This single is different from her usual work in that it’s melancholic and cathartic. A mirror to the tribulations of the year. Iris Covet Book recently had a virtual meet and greet with Petite who was eager to answer our questions.

Interview by Jacquie Trevizo

For those of us that may just have gotten to know you, how did you get started?

I released my first video “NYC Time” on YouTube and funny enough, a manager from the UK found me online while searching what the time was in NY. He then signed me to Island records. My first album, “Lil Empire”, was released with a #1 Radio hit in Europe called “Baby Love”. The video, shot in Kenya, was dedicated to the girls kidnapped by Boko Haraam. It was very much a girl power song with strong visual impact. After those releases, I made a few others including “The Flute,” shot in Mongolia and nominated for the EMA’s and “Barbaric,” shot in Miami. Such has been the impact that iconic artists like Lorde have tweeted about how they love my music. I’ve also received emails from Beyonce’s manager telling me how I’ve inspired her.

Your new music video, “Dying out of Love,” has moments in it that resonate like a performance art piece. What inspired the multiple resting women in your music video?

The video idea was inspired by my friends blog @Present_Passive, who documents what she sees as “Our Resting Era.” I had asked my friends to film themselves in their own room, in a passive posture somewhat like sleeping beauties, looking a little tired leaning against their laptops. It’s the way I feel about our generation right now. Once covid exploded, I started receiving videos with a bigger loneliness vibe. Like the heart quarantined, the longing for a loved one. Holding your hand, sheltering your eyes. I saw a lot of wet eyes on the screen in the editing room. Lior Susana directed me inside a pool as a womb of self birth. A safe place for unconditional love. The result ended up reminding everyone of Nirvana’s album cover “Nevermind,” which is an album I grew up listening to.

What inspirations will we pick up from your new album?

It took me time to experiment and find my new sound. I wanted to combine classical music like Vivaldi and Mahler with electronic Pop sounds. I recorded with The Moscow Royal Symphony to make it cinematic as a soundtrack of life.

I call it Ork-pop.

How is this new album different from your last, “Lil Empire?”

If in “Lil Empire” I was traveling to far away countries inspired by world music like the bongos of Africa and the Mongolian Flute, in this album I am traveling inside myself, writing to uplift my soul and through this hopefully others.

If Lil Empire was inspired by Paul Simon, inspiring this one is Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

Tell us a little about your new single, “Dying out of Love.” How did that come to be?

Swedish producer Andreas Söderlund wrote a string piece as a present to his wife for their wedding. He and Erik Arvinder tracked a 40 piece orchestra in the old EMI studio in Stockholm. They then reached out to me to see if it was something I’d be interested in working with. I fell in love with it. I remember my friend once citing for me some verses from the Bible…”Song of Solomon 8:6-7: 6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death…” These verses came up for me when I listened to Andreas’s song. The fiercity of love was already inside the notes and the lyrics spelled that out easily.

Tell me more about this dream you have of being a music conductor?

As a little girl I used to dream of conducting a symphony, going to concerts with my parents. I fell in love with the job of the conductor.

The way he moves, his body language, the drama in his hands , the fact that he controls the intensity of all those beautiful instruments playing together, the vibrations that he creates and transmits through his body into the crowd of listeners in the room, seemed to me magical and sublime.

You have an MA in Philosophy from the Sorbonne in Paris. Who is your favorite philosopher and why?

I think Emmanuel Kant is a very relevant philosopher for this time of COVID-19.

His notion of “The Sublime ” where a phenomenon happens in art or nature, and tackles the mind, breaking it in a way that helps it feel the existence of the transcendental sublime helped me. Go out and connect with nature, reflect in nature, in lakes, in desserts it made me and others look at the world in a new different perspective.

How would you describe your fashion style?

Minimalist, absurd, Cinematic. As is life. I live out of a suitcase, All I need is a hat, a book and some blush.

Tell us about the art forms that inspire your unique sense of style.

I’m mostly inspired by cinema, I watch a classical movie every day, my favorite is Antonioni, but I love Tarkovsky , Bergman Fellini , I love the extravagant woman on the screen, like Monica Vitti, a larger than life creature. Epic, strong and absurd.

Tell us about the recent Marie Antoinette look you debuted at Milan Fashion Week.

It was all a funny series of events. I was invited to the Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini fashion show. My friend Dana Winshman designed me this long hair down to the floor. When I tried on the Philosophy dress, my hair went up by mistake. When I took off the dress, suddenly the whole modern Marie Antoinette look came to life.

Rebecca Baglini dressed me, I took my mini Aristo book as an accessory and a mask designed by Betka. When I arrived in some odd way the whole scenery was a 19th century garden vibe, with Vivaldi playing as the soundtrack. I felt like reality adapted itself to my dream, it’s funny how this happens to me all the time.

Petite Meller from Jacqueline L Trevizo on Vimeo.

Photo & Video – Marina Moshkovich @moshkovich.marina

Makeup – Moran Eilat Yanko @moranko_makeup

Hair – Avishay Masty @avishay_masty

Styling: Jacquie Trevizo @jacquietrevizo

Editing – Valeria Zaitseva @yoma_film

DEATHBYROMY BY JOSEF JASSO

Dress by House of Mua Mua, Head-piece and crucifix by Mariana Harutunian

DeathByRomy

Photographer + Creative Direction Josef Jasso

Styling + Creative Direction Adrian Joseph

Style Assistant Carlos Posadas

Makeup director Nicky Andrea

Hair Stylist Ana Estela

Interview by Izabel Rose

Weird Brain Creation pvc plaid look, Boots by Dolls Kill

Singer, songwriter, and dark-pop provocateur DeathbyRomy pays attention to every last detail. She pours both pain and euphoria into her catchy but heavy music, pitting electronic melodies and propulsive beats against hypnotic vocals and deeply personal lyrics. Now 20 years old, the Los Angeles-born Romy Flores wrote her first song at age 5 and began releasing her music at 15, mining inspiration from the iconoclastic artists she was raised on (The Beatles, Björk, Kanye West, to name a few). With her 2018 debut album Monsters, she soon drew an avid following and found countless fans turning up to her shows adorned in her signature eye makeup. Her Capitol Records debut, 2019’s Love u — to Death EP, was short but sickly sweet, emphasizing her unique interweaving of rap boldness, electronic innovation, and raw rock ‘n’ roll passion. As Romy’s sound has taken shape, so has her DeathbyRomy persona: the Harajuku punk fashion, the corpse-like makeup, and her hard-earned, utterly badass confidence. Stay tuned for more new music coming soon.

How did you find out that you wanted to be an artist?

I was raised in a home covered in art, by two people who were not only artists themselves but who honored and valued art in all mediums. My mom would sing all the time to me when I was little, and museums were a regular outings during my childhood. I started writing at five, but it wasn’t until I had experienced what I knew was real pain, did I know that I wanted to console and touch others who had felt the same. My best means to do so was through my art.

Where do you pull your musical inspirations from?

My biggest inspirations are Bjork, Kanye West, Bring Me The Horizon, and Lady Gaga. But I pull my own inspirations to write from everything around me. From the void, to mania, to pain and love.

Describe the creative process behind your music?

It constantly varies and is not limited to one set formula. I write everywhere. My favorite place to write is on the plane.

How would you describe your fashion aesthetic?

hmmmm…bi-polar? Just kidding, Japanese Lolita meets goth hype beast and a sprinkle of Renaissance witch.

From the editorial shoot, which are your favorite designs?

I loved the Weird Brain Creations outfit best. I love her work.

Black Dress by Michael Costello, Glove by Mariana Harutunian, Earrings & Necklace by Coutorture

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

To never take anything personally. To not let compliments and high regards to be the only reason I am happy with myself or the only thing that makes me feel good about myself. And in hand, to not let negative energy or comments about me be the reason that changes how I see myself.

What song(s) would you most likely sing in the shower?

Anything that allows me to belt because you sound better with the bathroom acoustics. Maybe “Cry” By ashnikko.

What’s to come from DeathbyRomy?

More music, and infinitely more life.

Queen of hearts dress by Helen Anthony, Jewelry by Couturtore

COVER STORY: ORVILLE PECK

Photographer: Emma Craft @emmacraft
Stylist: Angel Emmanuel @angelemmanuel
Photo Assistant: Michael Decristofaro @m.decristo
Editor in Chief: Marc Sifuentes @marc.sifuentes
Creative Director: Louis Liu @herecomeslouis
Interview by: Dustin Mansyur @dmansyur

With his fringed masks, rhinestone suits, and shoegazing lyricism, Orville Peck is every bit the part of “lonesome outlaw”. Reimagining tropes of tradition, Peck’s take on country music reinvents the genre as a decorated landscape ready for queer expression.

Orville Peck is a nomad. Like a cowboy on a cattle drive, home is an elusive feeling; the masked musician who’s been described as every imaginable synonym for “enigma” feels happiest hanging his hat just off the highway in a roadside motel. The open road is a part of his DNA, having traversed and inhabited several continents, countries, and cities as a boy. His incessancy for wanderlust belies a romantic narrative spun in the stories of his songs, lulling his listeners on a quixotic journey through a memoryscape evocative of another time and place.

Releasing Pony in March earlier this year, Peck’s sincere approach to his storytelling and lyricism is reminiscent of Lucinda Williams or Patsy Cline, intimate and unadulterated. His vocals are as hypnotic and coaxing as a desert oasis on Route 190 through Death Valley. Somewhere between the inexplicable pain of loss resides the unparalleled elation of love and lust. It is the proverbial longhorn skull and rose motif. As a queer artist who croons about gay hustlers or doomed love affairs, his sincerity is the foundation for his music’s transcendency, appealing to longtime country music fans while attracting a younger, more diverse audience to the genre. In an era demanding the commodity of content, Peck deciphers himself apart from the formulaic clout of music industry contemporaries through his visceral ability to be truthful. It is this vulnerability that cannot be faked nor bought, and an even rarer quality for a performer as sensitive as Peck, fearlessly weaving the stories of his experiences and muses into the embroidery of his album; Pony is forthcoming and unapologetic. While the illusion of his shrouded pageantry may have him pegged as the “musical outlaw”, coupled with the intimacy of his music, it creates a contrasting dichotomy that is equal parts mystifying and infatuating.

Ready to saddle up and lead a cavalry of change in the country music industry, IRIS Covet Book shares a conversation with the artist just before he embarked on the European leg of his tour.

Jacket from Screaming Mimi’s Vintage, Hat: Stetson, Gloves: Maison Fabre, Necklace: His own

Listening to your album, really took me back to my experience as a gay person of color who grew up in the rural Midwest on country music, struggling to find acceptance in the 500-person town I was raised in. Because of your music’s authenticity, one might easily assume you had a similar experience. Where are you from and what was your experience like growing up?

I mean I grew up in a bunch of different places, by the time I was in my early twenties I reckon 5 different countries and many many cities. I’ve lived in Africa, in Canada, in the States, and in Europe—so I moved around a lot. My parents were both from kind of humble beginnings and whenever they did kind of have any money they would put the emphasis on traveling and getting to go and experience new places and cultures. So I think I grew up with a pretty diverse view of the world, in general, but especially in music and art. And I think country music always connected with me because, not only did I love the instrumentation and the themes, but I also related to the environment that it’s set in. I was born and grew up in a desert area, so there were obvious connections to it. As a young gay weirdo, I was really drawn towards the campness of it, the bold storytelling, the theatrical nature of it, which also ran kind of congruent with a lot of sincerity, heartbreak and loneliness which are all kinds of things that I felt and I still carry around with me now.

It’s funny because country music has this stigma surrounding it that it’s supposed to be for well-adjusted conservative, aggressive, white men. It’s sad because like you said yourself, a lot of queer people of color or marginalized people that grow up in small towns feel outside of country music. But the stories within country music—even going back to artists like Patsy Cline—I think those stories speak clearly to people like us. I think also that’s why it’s so obvious that someone like Dolly Parton is such an icon for gay people because she’s someone that had to blaze her own trail and really really convince people to listen to her by dressing provocatively and wearing crazy wigs and essentially being, you know, like a drag queen. But, she could also write some of the most heartbreaking gut wrenching songs of our whole civilization. I think country music has always been written by outsiders and it’s always been for outsiders. I hope to help to break that stigma down because it’s not supposed to be only for white men in trucks or whatever.

How did you break into the music industry; was it something you always imagined you’d be doing?

I was a performer since I was about 10 years old. I started with acting and I was a dancer for a long time and I’ve always been a singer. There were always instruments around my house, I never had formal lessons but I taught myself how to play guitar and piano. I think I just always knew that I was going to be a performer in some way. I’ve been in a bunch of different types of bands all through my twenties, but I knew that I always wanted to make country music and I always wanted to really sing and I never had the confidence to do it for a long time. Then I took a break from music for about 6 years at one point and then when I came back to it I knew I wanted to do country music because it had always been in the back of my mind.

You’ve toured extensively with punk rock bands. Do you find a correlation between the genres and your approach?

Definitely, there’s a similar rebellion, of course. I think there’s a similar aesthetic in some ways. The punk that I grew up loving was early seventies kind of punk. Those people all had pseudonyms; they all had costumes that they wore. You know they spent more time on hair and makeup than most musicians probably do now. So I think that there’s a lot of correlations between country music which is essentially pageantry and drama mixed with vulturous sincerity and heartbreak and I think that that’s kind of what punk is too.

Shirt and Jeans: R13, Vest and Chaps from Screaming Mimi’s Vintage, Hat: Stetson, Boots: Star Boots

Returning to country music, did it feel like you were returning to your roots in a way?

What I do now feels so easy in a way because as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that it’s the easiest thing to just be yourself. The best qualities about you are the most sincere ones. Of course, I still struggle with insecurities about it and I have self-doubts, but the older I’ve gotten, it’s become easier for me. Even though I’ve been a performer for so long and been doing it as a job for a long time, I think this time I can really sit back and enjoy it for the first time because it’s become fun and easy to be myself.

You’re about to embark on your European Tour for “Pony”. You’ve described yourself as a “born drifter”, which kind of furthers the romanticism of your musical canon and persona. What is it about the open road or a nomadic lifestyle that calls you?

I’ve just always felt anxious. As I’ve said, I moved around a lot when I was younger, so I think the idea of moving to new places and kind of making your home wherever you are—that’s always just been part of me I suppose. I find it very hard to put roots down. Oftentimes I’ve tried to stay in cities for long periods of time and I’ve always kind of gotten anxious and not really known where my place is. Part of what appeals to me now is that I’ve learned to really find the adventure in it and not look at it as a downside. When people ask me where I’m from and I say lots of places, it’s not to be obtuse or enigmatic, it’s just because I genuinely feel like I have left little pieces of myself in all these different places that I’ve lived. That to me is so special because I can go back to those cities and feel like I’m right back at home in a way that I’ve gotten to meet incredible friends and family all over the world. So I think those are things that appeal to me about it. I’m just someone that’s never been able to sit still.

Do you feel most at home when you’re on tour?

Yes, I do. I definitely feel most comfortable. When I’m stuck in one city and I have a lot to do like I am right now— I’m about to leave in two days again for tour—but I tend to have the most anxiety and stress when I’m stuck in one place. I do feel at home on tour; I just feel at home when I’m traveling.

Pants: Gucci, Hat: Stetson, Gloves: Wing + Weft Gloves, Belt: Diesel, Belt Buckle: Stylists Own, Boots: Frye, Necklace: His own

What is your song-writing process? How often do you write? Is it an ongoing discipline or something you do only when you apportion studio time for it?

I’m kind of writing all the time. It’s all different. Sometimes it’s an idea just based around a concept for a song. Sometimes it’s based around a melody that I have in my head. Other times it’s based around one lyric or a line that I want to try to incorporate. Oftentimes I start from more of a visual or kind of an emotive place where I know what kind of vibe I want the song to be or what emotion I want to evoke for the person listening to it. Then I go from there by making it personal to me and hopefully telling a good story at the same time.

Pony was released in March earlier this year and received with splashy critical praise as well as excitement from your fans who’ve been waiting for it since your single release of “Dead of Night” in 2017. What are you most proud of about the album, and can you share any personal anecdotes from the recording process?

What I’m most proud about and just generally about the past year is that I’ve been able to express myself as an artist. That includes collaborating with people, which is something I never used to be very good at doing. I’ve learned in the past year to really embrace that. And I find it really fun and exciting now being able to work with people on videos, visuals, aesthetics, stylists… as an artist I think it’s really important. Then in addition to that, getting to do what I’ve wanted to do since I was little, which is to be a singer and really sing, and sing about heartache and things that are important to me and things that are sometimes difficult for me to sing about. I think the bonus of that is everyone enjoying it; it’s more than you could ask for and I find it very fulfilling.

I’m curious if you ever struggled with proclaiming yourself as a gay artist right from the start or did you ever feel that you would embark on your career and let it come out naturally? How important is it to your brand?

I’ve never struggled with it. I think it’s important to me and it’s also not important at all in a way. As an artist, if I’m going to write songs with any kind of authenticity they’re going to have to be from my perspective and my experiences. And my perspective and my experiences happen to be of someone who has been with men. To me it’s kind of a non topic in a sense, but not because I’m dismissive of it, but because to me I’m just following in the footsteps of every other singer and songwriter who sang about the people they were with and sang about their problems. I just feel like I’m being genuine to myself so of course it’s going to be about men if that’s who I’ve been with. So I think on one hand it’s a huge part of who I am, what I do, and what I sing about. I’m completely proud and open about being gay and being part of that community, but I also think it could hold just as much weight if it wasn’t my background either.

What has been your greatest internal or professional challenge that you’ve had to overcome as an artist thus far?

My biggest challenge I guess has been trusting and really believing in myself I guess, which is something I learned through the help of other people a lot more in the past couple of years. I always was a creative child. I knew what I always wanted to do; I knew that I could write songs and I knew I could perform and make people smile and clap. But I think I still had a lot of barriers and defenses up,and in some ways I still do. I just never had much opportunity to really collaborate with people growing up, so that’s been a big learning curve for me. It’s interesting because I used to think that opening myself up to working with other people or even really opening myself up to sharing personal things about myself through my art would in some weird way dilute me as an artist. But it’s only just really enriched me as an artist and made it far more exciting. That’s been a struggle for me but it’s been a nice struggle in a way — It’s important to be far more open than I used to be.

Vintage Jean Paul Gaultier top from Screaming Mimi’s Vintage, Hat: Silverado Hats, Gloves: Perrin Paris

Was there a defining moment in your career that proved to be a turning point or breakout moment that propelled you to the next level?

I think a lot of artists and creative people struggle with the fact of embracing that they’re going to do this for real or whatever. Like of course you have to supplement art with an income and usually that means working some job you’re not really interested in and that’s kind of soul sucking. But it’s also about a state of mind, just fully deciding one day that you know you are going to do it for real and you are going to own it. Even though I was a performer since I was very young, I still had those fears. It wasn’t until maybe my mid-twenties that I decided that I’m only going to be an artist and everything else is purely to facilitate that. It’s just that mine is a change of mindframe and a “jumping-out-the-airplane” thing. You just have to do it.

Queer people working in media and entertainment have enriched the sector, and provided more representation for fans who identify with and relate to what you’re creating as an artist. When you were growing up, did you have any queer icons you looked up to?

Definitely, I was a fan of the obvious ones like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury. I grew up loving dance and theater so there was no shortage of queer icons in that world. But I also grew up with a lot of icons who weren’t queer, I never felt outside of those people being references or inspiration for what I do. I never let the fact that I was gay define anything about me as an artist. Of course it’s enriched me in lots of ways, but I never let it be a barrier.

Now that you have this platform and visibility, how do you hope you can influence a younger generation of LGBTQ fans through your music?

It’s really lovely when I hear from young queer or trans people that tell me I represent something for them in country music that they never thought was there, or that they never felt a part of. If I can be that for someone, then I feel completely honored and thrilled by that. I hope that people feel welcome to express themselves and be a part of anything that they feel they want to be a part of, and not feel like the color of their skin or their gender, sexual orientation, or anything else should limit them. I think as marginalized people we tend to have to stand on the sidelines and be a fan from a distance or feel like maybe we don’t belong. I hope it inspires people to take up more room and get on and be a part of it because it is part of them, it’s already part of them, and there’s no invitation needed.

You’ve mentioned in previous interviews the landscape of country music is diversifying to include many new types of sounds and voices. How important is it to you to expand the genre and/or to receive acceptance from the mainstream country music industry?

I think it’s important to me in the sense that country music has always been diverse and there’s always been people of color making country music, there’s always been gay people making country music. Unfortunately, those things haven’t been able to be very visible. So I think it’s been a long time coming now that those different perspectives in country music are visible. I think it’s happening quite quickly now, and those walls put up by industry people in mainstream country music are starting to crumble. We’re getting a lot of weird new voices in country music, some have always been there, but they’re starting to creep through the cracks now. I think that’s great because it’ll just start ending the stigma about who country music is for.

Shirt, Coat, Pants, Boxer Briefs: Versace, Hat: Stetson, Gloves: Lincoln, Boots: Star Boots

You’ve talked about your mask as having dual-purpose: an element of showmanship and a tool that allows you to be more raw / exposed as an artist. How did you arrive at the mask? Did you create the first one or did you work with a stylist or designer to engineer the look?

It’s all me and I make them. I think it was just my version of following in the footsteps of many country performers who had bold, camp, flamboyant visual imagery to their performance. There’s a huge lineage of that and a lot of them are very straight, conservative people in country music that would wear bedazzled rhinestone suits. Dolly Parton would wear 3-foot high wigs. It’s all in that sphere, so I’m definitely not the first person to do it. Maybe for newer country musicians it’s not as common, but that’s basically where I’m coming from.

Do you connect more with your audience because of the mask?

I think so. I think it eliminates a certain amount of pretense. I think it destroys the mask that people walk around wearing everyday, which you know, isn’t a real necessarily mask. I think it eliminates a lot of bullshit especially. It’s the same as when people feel so comfortable around a drag queen or someone like that. Something about it just puts people at ease and makes them feel like they can be comfortable and be themselves. That’s what I experience in my shows with people and they all look like they’re really connected to the performance because of it I think.

Jacket from Screaming Mimi’s Vintage, Pants: Gucci, Hat: Stetson, Gloves: Maison Fabre, Boots:Off-White, Necklace: His own

You’ve been described as a musical “outlaw” and the mask reinforces this idea. In a way it’s reminiscent of a bandana-wearing bandit hero, like Zorro or the Lone Ranger. Do you think your audience responds or relates to it because of this idea of a hero-like figure?

I think so. I think people project a lot of different interpretations of it. That’s what I love about it and that’s also why I hate to talk too much about it because I don’t want to put too much narrative on top of it. I actually like that people can have their own interpretation of it. Some people look at it and think of the Lone Ranger and then some people look at it and see an S&M mask and it’s like, well that tells me a lot about that person. That’s what I like about it—that it is open for interpretation. And it allows people to be involved in what I do. For a fan to feel involved in it and that they can get a piece of that too, then that is what you could only hope for as an artist. People not only enjoy what you do but they’re invested and they feel a part of it. Some of the musicians, visual artists, actors, filmmakers, and authors that I still respect to this day are people that made me feel like I had some ownership of what they did as well.

The dichotomy of being an openly queer artist while hiding your physical features is a striking juxtaposition. Do you think you’ll ever “out” yourself physically from under the mask?

I don’t know. To me I don’t feel like I’m hiding at all. I feel like I wear my heart on my sleeve in a lot of ways. We’ll see what that evolution is. At the moment I’m really happy just doing my thing as I’m doing it.

Your music explores the nostalgia of Americana and its sound. It’s a staple source of inspiration for many iconic popular country and folk-rock ballads. Having such a diverse international background, what inspires you most about Americana?

I think it’s the seemingly normality. I think Americana as we’ve been told to believe is apple pie. It’s very clean and neat with a picket fence. The reality of American culture is far weirder and darker than that at times. It involves a lot of trauma and craziness. I think that’s the part of Americana that I find far more fascinating. I think that is the real Americana. I always talk about how I love motels because the idea of this like chic version of a hotel that is on a highway and it’s very cheap, there’s no questions asked and sometimes people live in them for months at a time. That doesn’t even exist anywhere else in the world and that’s like a whole culture of America that is of its own. I find that really fascinating and I think the people and characters that inhabit those kind of worlds are really interesting.

Shirt from Screaming Mimi’s Vintage, Vest: Gucci, Jeans: R13, Hat: Stetson, Gloves: Agnelle, Belt: Kippys, Boots: Fyre

So many artists reinvent themselves over the course of their career. With your musical training, background, and musical influences being so diverse – Do you think you’ll stay exclusively a country music artist or begin to incorporate other sounds into your work?

I think I’ve always been kind of incorporating different sounds into it, but at heart I’m a country boy and I’ll continue to be a country musician. I think I’ll always try and push that to not leave it strictly in what other people’s idea of what country music is.

That darkness has, in recent times, become much more visible. Concentration camps have quickly become a new norm in America under the current administration. Trans rights have been challenged through rollbacks on protection for military service and healthcare provisions under the Affordable Care Act. Do you foresee this escalating its target on more LGBTQ+ people?

Unfortunately, I think I do. I think across the board not just with LGBTQ people, but also people of color, women, and marginalized people. In America we’ve been allowed to believe that things are changing but at the root of it nothing has been changing. Now that’s become more obvious to us and I think, strangely, not to sound flippant about it, but I believe that’s where this resurgence of cowboy aesthetic has actually come into play in our culture. To me being a cowboy has nothing to do with wearing a cowboy hat or being a rancher and roping cows or charging steers. I think being a cowboy is being someone who is intrinsically, innately on the outside of things and given a bad rap, maybe getting the short end of the straw, and forced to live on the outskirts of town. But instead of letting that be a negative, it’s about finding the power within that and the adventure and the freedom. The idea of getting on a horse and riding into the sunset, I think that sounds really beautiful for people like us right now where we can find our posse of rebels and cowboys, make our own rules and essentially live as outlaws. Those all sound like motifs and pastiche kind of ideas, but they do hold bearing. I think that is what being marginalized is about. It’s about not assimilating to the status quo, finding our community, our power, and charging ahead in the face of whatever. I think it’s a powerful thing, and I actually do believe that is why we’re seeing so much cowboy imagery in fashion and sub-culture and because there is something adventurous and powerful about that.

You alluded to this earlier in our conversation and in previous interviews drawn upon similarities between the Old West and the present state of affairs today saying, “We lived in a recent time when we hoped everything was going to be okay, that the powers that be were going to sort it out. But now everyone’s fending for themselves because they’re disappointed. Everyone’s on their own horse, doing their own thing.” So, if we’re all on our own horses, do you think we are equipped to become a calvary for change?

I think so. I do like to believe that. Listen, I have lived in countries other than America where I have seen, witnessed, had to live through massive social change on a really huge scale. I think it comes through perseverance and I think it comes to sticking to your guns and not swaying from who you are and what you believe in. I do believe that is powerful enough to make change because I’ve seen it happen. I think it’s time for all our posse, to find our community, and do exactly that—form a calvary and stick to who we are in the face of no matter what for change.

BOUND – MAJORLILKWEEN – EXCLUSIVE MUSIC VIDEO RELEASE

https://youtu.be/zOpROJyDECE

Director: Alexandra Elizabeth (@alexelizabethljadov) | Director of Photography: Samuel Levine (@sammy.august) | VHS: Silver (@silvernyc) | Producer: Julia Banas (@banasjulia) | Art Direction: Julia Banas & Alexandra Elizabeth | Editor: Alexandra Elizabeth & Andy Lincoln (@andyestonia) | Music: Majorlilkween (@majorlilkween) ft. Hadar Adora | Stylist: Liz Rundbaken (@iseelizrund) | Stylist Assistant: Drew Harris (@kingdrewharris) | Make Up: Ayaka Nihei using MAC Cosmetics, @ayaka_nihei | Hair: Takuya Yamaguchi (@tak8133)

Cast: Alexandra Elizabeth (@alexelizabethljadov), Alana Terumi (@meru_turao), Bridget Hearst (@bridgethearst), Danusia G (@beingsilver), Teresa J (@teresacarollynn)

Top, Hat, Skirt, and Shoes: Gucci | Gloves and Socks: Vex | Ring : Laruicci

Photographer: Enmi Yang (@__enmi) | Stylist: Liz Rundbaken (@iseelizrund) | Stylist Assistant: Drew Harris (@kingdrewharris) | Make Up: Ayaka Nihei using MAC Cosmetics, @ayaka_nihei | Hair: Takuya Yamaguchi (@tak8133)

Models: Alexandra Elizabeth (@alexelizabethljadov), Alana Terumi (@meru_turao), Bridget Hearst (@bridgethearst), Danusia G (@beingsilver), Teresa J (@teresacarollynn)

Jacket and Skirt: MSGM | Top: Alon Livné |Boots: Daniel Silverstain | Top necklace (choker): Laruicci | Bottom Necklace: Stylist’s own

Jacket and Skirt: MSGM | Top: Alon Livné | Boots: Daniel Silverstain | Top necklace (choker): Laruicci | Bottom Necklace: Stylist’s own

Dress: MSGM | Belt: Arthur Arbesser | Gloves: Alon Livné | Top and Socks: Vex | Shoes: Gucci

Sunglasses: Bonnie Clyde | Earrings: Laruicci |Top: Vex

Suit: Claudia Li | Earrings: Laruicci | Top: Vex | Shoes: HAVVA

Suit: MSGM | Leggings: Versus Versace | Necklace: Laruicci | Bodysuit: This Is a Love Song | Shoes: HAVVA

Bridget–Sunglasses: Westward Leaning | Turtleneck: Arthur Arbesser | Suit: Vintage YSL | Gloves: Alon Livné

Danusia–Hat and Top: Vex | Suit: Topshop | Earrings: Laruicci

Teresa – Jacket, Bralette, and Pants: Milly | Top: Alon Livné | Sunglasses: (no label) Slim Cat EyeRetro Women’s Sunglasses

Danusia – Hat and Bra: Vex | Suit: Topshop | Earrings: Laruicci

Terumi – Suit: Roberto Cavalli | Shirt: Vex | Earrings: Valen & Jette

Bridget – Suit: Topshop | Necklace: Laruicci | Top: Vex | Sunglasses: Bonnie Clyde “Layer Cake”

Terumi – Suit: MSGM | Necklace: Laruicci | Bodysuit: This Is a Love Song

Teresa – Jacket: MSGM | Top: Alon Livné | Skirt: MSGM | Top necklace (choker): Laruicci | Bottom Necklace: Stylist’s own

Teresa – Jacket, Bralette, and Pants: Milly | Top: Alon Livné | Sunglasses: (no label) Slim Cat EyeRetro Women’s Sunglasses

Danusia – Hat and Bra: Vex | Suit: Topshop | Earrings: Laruicci

Terumi – Suit: Roberto Cavalli | Shirt: Vex | Earrings: Valen & Jette

Bridget – Suit: Topshop | Necklace: Laruicci | Top: Vex | Sunglasses: Bonnie Clyde “Layer Cake”