MUSIC
Music has always been a large and important part of my life. From Talking Heads to Missy Elliot to Red Hot Chili Peppers, I was exposed to a variety of sound from a young age. But in 2020, when I discovered Pearl Jam’s debut album “Ten”, my life was forever changed. This album opened my eyes to a sound I’d never heard before. At the time, I found myself resonating with the 90s grunge sound. Being in high school when the COVID pandemic struck, I deeply struggled with the loneliness of lockdown. But with my newfound love of the 90s Seattle grunge sound, I began to feel optimistic. Something about the fuzzy guitar sound combined with heavy bass lines and beautiful lyrics made me feel safe, secure, and understood. With my discovery of Pearl Jam, I was also exposed to Alice In Chains, Mother Love Bone, Temple Of The Dog, Rage Against The Machine, and The Smashing Pumpkins. The sound of these bands inspired me to pick up an instrument of my own. Playing the bass guitar has helped me to appreciate and understand the complexity of music and song creation, but most importantly, has become a source of joy and relaxation in my life. I draw my biggest inspiration from Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Tina’s unique playing style and sound encourages me to practice harder and think outside of the box, while Flea’s creativity and stage presence reminds me to have fun with whatever I’m playing.
My personal style is ever changing and evolving, but I will always appreciate and take inspiration from 90s fashion. When I first watched the television series “Friends”, Rachel and Monica’s style immediately caught my eye. Their outfits captivated the style of the 90s in New York with simple layering and accessorizing on top of black, white, and earth toned clothing.
Recently, I’ve been into men’s street style. I’m a strong believer in wearing whatever makes you feel comfortable and confident, and that you don’t have to stick to your gender expectations. I’ve been going for a more early 2000s look wearing Ed Hardy baggy jeans and Christina Aguilera-esque inspired hair and makeup. But I will always manage to pull a 90s element into my outfits. I think these two decades go hand in hand, and its exciting to experiment with both in the same look.
FASHION
Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is one of the first movies I can remember watching. I remember feeling so comforted by the aesthetic in his animations combined with the beautiful, calming soundtrack. This movie is what captured my interest in film. Then came “Stop Making Sense”, a Talking Heads concert film. But this wasn’t just any concert film. This film was very carefully crafted to be the most fascinating show you’d ever seen. Directed by Jonathan Demme and David Byrne, the film begins with Byrne alone on stage with an acoustic guitar and a boombox. The stage is compeltely bare. With each song comes an added member of the band and an addition to the stage. By the time hit “Burning Down the House” is performed, the full band is on stage with the entire set built. This movie blew my mind. I still watch it at least 3 times a year. Some of my other favorite movies include: “Scott Pilgrim vs The World”, “The Shining”, “High Fidelity”, “Us”, “School of Rock”, and “Dirty Dancing”. I also love any 80s John Cusack movie. Something about film from the 80s is so perfect to me. The soundtracks, the costume design, the beautiful actors and actresses. I often dream about living during this time, so movies help me to feel immersed in the decade.
FILM
