In Conversation with Slush Puppy

July 19, 2021

San Diego native, Sam Catalano, also known as Slush Puppy, started writing and producing music from his bedroom in high school. Now, just a few years down the line, he is navigating the music industry with ease — sheathed in a leather jacket, of course. Slush Puppy began by releasing mellow, alternative tracks at the age of seventeen, but he wants the world to know that he has transformed from his teenage self into a more dynamic, malleable artist who is capable of just about anything.

Slush Puppy’s most recent single, titled “Barbie Doll”, is a sincere reflection on overcompensation and insecurity conveyed through an upbeat, pop rhythm. Although the song plays upon the Barbie metaphor, Slush Puppy is anything but plastic. The burgeoning artist is the real deal, and if his clever and achingly relatable lyrics haven’t already caught your eye, then his personable humor and genuine sense of self surely will.

Text by Kayla Curtis-Evans
Photos by Chris Finn

Your first single, “Not Good at Being Bad” came out just two years ago. Now you are an established singer and songwriter — when did you decide you wanted to pursue music head on, instead of continuing with school?

Music was always just something I did for fun and as a hobby. And as I did it, even during high school, I always just put more effort into music and I was kind of slacking on the school, not even with the mindset of, 'Oh, I'm not going to go to school.' It was just because I enjoy doing music. I never really found a point in my life where it was like, 'This is what I want to do.' Since I did it, it just eventually started happening without me even realizing it. And all these opportunities started coming my way where, when I was in my first year of college, I was like, shit, I don't know if I have time for this anymore. So I got out of school and just kept going with music. It was probably in my first year of college when I realized, all right, music's working. So I'm just gonna stick to it.

Yeah. I think that is why you kind of effortlessly melded into the music industry, just because it was something that you already enjoyed. Does musical talent run in your family?

Yeah. I mean, that's how I got into playing instruments, like playing guitar, and my dad played guitar and we'd always just jam together. So that was that.

The best part of your music, to me, is that I have felt all of the exact emotions you sing about. Do you write with trying to relate to your listeners in mind?

My writing process is very different than other people. I make a beat and some cool melodies and I just try to make something fun. And I usually like to tie together the song title or the concept — it all always comes back together. It doesn't have to be the most deep song ever. A lot of my songs aren't really like that. I just like to have fun with it. People ask if some of my songs have so much meaning for me, and honestly, they have meaning because I just make songs that I enjoy. And then it's just, that's the memory there, you know?

You’ve been described as an indie artist, but your music is not restricted by any one genre or category. Is that fluidity between categories of music something we can expect to see more of in your upcoming work?

Yeah. I mean, for me, there's no genre. I guess I'd call indie pretty broad right now. People call me alternative, pop, rock — kind of a little bit of everything. I kind of do it all and there are no limits. I've evolved from my first song up till now so much. I'm always going to keep evolving and I never want to get to a place where I'm just finding one sound — my sound is just whatever I make. And I do like electronic, hyper pop music; there's some weirder stuff that I've been experimenting with. That's just what's fun about it.

It seems like it all comes really organically for you. Do you think that a lot of your music reflects how you're feeling at the time or what you're going through at a time?

Yeah. Totally. I mean, I'll sit and make a slow acoustic song, and then when I'm done I'll make some hard rock song or something else, something different. A rap even.

What is your vision for upcoming music — can you give me a few words that describe it?

It is definitely different than anything people expect. "EATSPIT" is my next song because it's having, like, a Tik Tok moment right now — and you've heard “EATSPIT”, right?

That's with Royal and The Serpent, right?

Yeah. So that's our next song, it comes out July 23rd.

And that's a totally different sound, at least from what people expect, I think.

Totally, a hundred thousand percent. But then again, like who the fuck cares? You know what I mean? If I just dropped the same music all the time, no one's going to be that excited about the new songs. You know, I want to bring something different to everyone and show people that, people don't even know the stuff I can do. I think people just think of me as just some alternative, indie artist that plays guitar and sings, but I want to show something different with my production.

Who are your main musical inspirations, and did any of those people influence your unreleased music?

To be honest, this is a weird question for me because the music I listen to and the people I'm inspired by have nothing to do with my projects. I don't even know if people would be able to see the relation between them, but my favorite artists are probably David Bowie, The Cure, and George Michael. I mean it, no one will see any correlation with any songs they hear of mine. Very, very little. I just think the way they tell stories, the way they portray themselves, the way they were different — out of the box...George Michael, I just think vocally is one of my favorite singers of all time. And the songs he writes make people feel. I never try to make songs like how he made a song. But when I make my own songs, I think, 'How can I get people to be connected?'. Even if the meaning isn't even that deep. How can I tell a movie or story within just two minutes of a song?

The storytelling process — that's something that's important to you in your music?

Totally. Storytelling, tying it all together. I like being very dramatic in my songs, being kind of funny, making it humorous, similar to when you watch a movie. When you watch a movie you've never seen, you're engaged. If you go to a concert of a band you've never seen, you could be so fucking bored, so you want to make it interesting. So I try to make all my songs like you're watching a little movie.

On that note, what's your favorite movie?

I like horror movies. I like Disney princess movies a lot. I like how movies can speak to an audience. I wrote my song “Juliette” based on the movie and story, “Romeo and Juliet”, but with a modern twist. It's a weird kid who is in love with this girl, but they'll never work because they're in different worlds. She's popular and he's a loser; it's the most simple little rom-com story.

“Juliette” was one of your most recent singles — it hit 1 million streams just shortly after its drop. How did it feel to know that it was received well?

I'm definitely very grateful and fortunate. I knew the song was so different than anything people have been hearing, especially because the alt-rock scene was coming back. I knew it was such a relatable story and I could tell people were gonna like it. I was honestly a little scared to put it out because it was so different than anything I've put out before. I was scared I was gonna throw people off or lose fans, but it honestly gained me more popularity than any other song I've ever dropped. New people started to become fans; a few people got tattoos of it. It's really crazy. Artists are never really fully satisfied with what they do. But right now I need to take a step back to realize how cool it actually is. It's unreal that I was just putting out music in high school for fun. And now my music is reaching millions of people.

It’s quite surreal.

I can't really explain how that feels. You think you'll feel so crazy, but you're just living your life. Nothing's really changed. It's all just electronic. I'm still sitting here doing the same shit I was in high school, you know. I think the crazy part is I get to make music for my life and that's my job. I don't have another job. It's just this. That's something I'm very grateful for whenever I get in my feels. I get to do what I love.

Ok so — after listening to Juliette, I think everyone has the same question: is there a real Juliette?

No, I think the song is a little deeper than 'Juliette' now. I think I wrote it in the way that Juliette is the best of somebody, the idealized version. But it doesn't even have to be someone; it can be just a goal in mind, or the idea of being rich or being famous. It's something that you don't even know. So why are you so obsessed with it? The chorus says, "She don't know my name, but I love her anyway." It's something so glamorized that you want it so bad. So I put it in the way that if I'm in high school and I'm a loser and there's a super popular girl, why do I want her so bad? Just because she's popular and cool doesn't mean she's right for me. It just shows in society now, that people get so caught up in the stupidest things and become so obsessed with how everything looks. And you can really lose yourself in that idea; I think a lot of people eventually will feel this once in their life.

Your style is just as alt-rockstar as your music — who are your fashion inspirations?

Oh gosh. I honestly know nothing about fashion. I just wear what I like. I like makeup. I like grungy makeup. I don't look at what people wear and think, 'Oh my God, I want to wear that.' It's always pretty simple for me. It's jeans, a shirt, and a jean jacket, or a leather jacket. Leather jackets are hard. I like the whole sixties, seventies, punk vibe. It's hard.

What’s next for Slush Puppy?

We're dropping "EATSPIT", which feels like an alter ego of Slush Puppy. I wanted to make something people can come mosh to, could scream to. I wanted to put out a whole new side of myself. I started rehearsing; I got a whole band together and we've been practicing and playing. I have a few shows coming up. I'm playing a small show on July 20th and then on August 5th, I'm playing Bar Lubitsch in Hollywood. I'm trying to put together some more shows and going to see how it goes. It's going to be my first time ever performing...ever — never performed in my life, which is exciting. I'm going to say I’m kind of nervous about that. We'll see how it sounds, but I'm not too worried about it. I think it will be fun as long as it's fun for the crowd.

Music

Jesse Jo Stark Is in a Genre of Her Own

April 19, 2024

In the midst of a total solar eclipse, I got the chance to talk about music and style with Jesse Jo Stark.

As I’m on the phone with her from New York, Stark is on a tour bus with The Veronicas, driving through the Colorado mountains to enjoy some time off in between shows. The Veronicas have just started their Gothic Summer North American Tour, and Stark is opening the show. What’s special about this tour for the lifelong music obsessive is the sense of powerful feminine energy encapsulating the tour. “We just started [tour], but it’s been really lovely. I’m obsessed with the fact that we’re all women — it feels like a very powerful crew. The Veronicas are lovely, the crowds have been so fun, and the venues are beautiful. It’s gonna be a good month.”

Photography Sophia-Liv Maguire
Styling Marc Eram
Interview Angelina Hazzouri
Talent Jesse Jo Stark
Hair Antoine Martinez with PARADIS using Roz Hair
Makeup Sydney Szramowski
Photo Assistants Mia O’Neal, Rashaun Richardson
BTS Ms Josephine
Creative Producer Olivia Roper-Caldbeck

This is Stark’s second time touring since the release of her full-length debut album DOOMED in late 2022, which was very well received and led to Stark’s first sold-out international headlining tour on behalf of the album. Previous to her solo tour, she’s opened for various notable acts, such as Guns N’ Roses and Jane’s Addiction. I asked Stark, who’s been writing and playing music since age 11, what it was like to prepare for her first sold-out headlining tour. Unsurprisingly, before any tour, Stark goes into what she describes as “bootcamp mode” — dancing every day, vocal training, rehearsing with her band, and of course, working on her outfits. “That’s the sort of homework I love,” she says, smiling. (Even though we’re on the phone, I can tell she’s smiling when she talks about the outfit part. I’d smile too if I had her tour closet.)

What’s unique about Stark as a musician is that she has ultimately created her own universe by embracing every aspect of her creative upbringing, her raw talent, her fascinating influences, and her unwavering beliefs in not needing to fit into a certain box when it comes to her art. She creative-directs and styles all her own looks, referencing an ever-evolving list of influences that range from Vegas showgirls to Halloween to old films to her parents in the 90s. “I think when I was younger, I had this rebellion against what I was made from,” she tells me, “but now it’s just my blood. I constantly reflect on my childhood and everything I was taught and everything I saw. My brother and sister and I are constantly pulling influences from our parents from the past. I think, more than ever, I’m heavily influenced by them.”

Stark, the daughter of founders and owners of the self-made American fashion brand Chrome Hearts, and now its creative director and designer, is someone who always knew what she liked, but as she describes it, had to ‘go through the motions’ that come with growing up and knowing one’s identity. Today, her self-efficacy is palpable — and it’s inspiring.

...when I was younger, I had this rebellion against what I was made from, but now it’s just my blood.

When she’s on tour, Stark is growing with herself and with her art — she’s not afraid to take life as it comes and learn through the process. With every show, regardless of whether it was on her DOOMED tour or this tour with The Veronicas, Stark understands the importance of human connection through music. Seeing faces of music lovers like herself, meeting those who have traveled to see her, and visiting familiar and unfamiliar cities has reminded her that she loves being on the road. “The growth that happens on tour is so important to me as an artist.” Sometimes we have to leave behind what’s familiar in order to rediscover what’s important, and Stark is a proponent of this growth mindset.

Growth doesn’t just happen on tour with Stark — this evolution of herself happens within genre as well, and for Stark there’s no such thing. Since her first release Driftwood in 2017, the artist’s sound has shifted year after year, but in a harmonious way that still feels central to her gothic Americana roots. When asked if she’ll experiment with genre in the future, Stark confidently answers, “I think I’ve only experimented with genre. I don’t think anyone knows what genre I am.” (She calls herself a “horrific hillbilly” — a perfect descriptor.) Steadfast in her belief that we as humans can constantly evolve in our work, Stark thinks it’s antiquated to fit yourself into a certain box and focus on one specific trade in order to succeed. “If you look at us as people, we’re seasoned. We change all the time. I want to experience different things.”

Since Driftwood, a two-song EP rooted in rock and country, Stark has experimented with more robust beats and 808s on DOOMED, and her most recent single “skeleton” features a softer, grungier punk sound. Without fitting into a specific genre, Stark’s music is undoubtedly and wholeheartedly her own, transcending the boundaries of what many artists struggle with when finding their sound. “I don’t think we should have to label ourselves in any way, shape, or form; so I’m not going to. I will continue to make all types of different music.” Fuck yeah.

If you look at us as people, we’re seasoned. We change all the time.

This goes beyond just music — in terms of her personal style, the same mentality applies. We discuss the idea that clothing and dressing is a sort of playground, and personal style comes from within. Stark isn’t about following trends, but rather, she thinks it’s important to tap into different stylistic elements that amplify who we are at our cores. On her DOOMED tour, Stark wore a lot of leather and stuck to a fairly dark color palette. Right now, she’s into more bourgeois satin and lace, experimenting with different textures and wearing things that feel slightly daintier and more delicate. On this current tour with the Veronicas, Stark is making it more of a point to take everything in — absorbing inspiration from every city, writing songs on the road, recording video on a friend’s super 8 camera, styling and wearing new outfits, learning and performing new covers — ultimately growing through the whole experience.

It’s endearing and inspiring how well Stark knows herself. A Los Angeles native, she proudly tells me that the tour finishes on May 5 in her hometown, a show that she’s especially excited for. While we can’t predict what thoughtfully-curated outfit she’ll wear or what songs will be performed, with new music already underway, one thing is clear: Jesse Jo Stark is just getting started.

Music

9lives' Latest Single Continues to Push Sigilkore

April 19, 2024

The versatile artist, producer, and pioneer of the sigilkore genre, 9lives, has recently unveiled his latest single "CANADA" featuring jnhygs. In less than two years since his emergence onto the music scene, 9lives has carved out an impressive niche for himself as a prominent figure within the digitally-driven sigilkore movement. "CANADA" sees him teaming up once again with experimental dance artist jnhygs, following their successful collaboration on "XTAYALIVE".

With aspirations to establish himself within the mainstream arena of experimental music production and artistry, 9lives is blending his distinct dark production style with collaborations with a diverse array of influential artists who trust him to create innovative sonic landscapes. "CANADA" marks his second release of 2024, as 9lives continues to champion the burgeoning sigilkore movement, pushing the boundaries of genre, evolving into a multifaceted artist, and solidifying his status as a rising star with an expanding audience.

Image by Connor Pritchard

Reflecting on their latest project, 9lives shares, “In early 2023 jnhygs found my music and we started chatting through TikTok, releasing our first song together called "XTAYALIVE"." He adds, We’ve been friends since this song had a viral moment, and fans have been heavily requesting for us to work together again all over our videos.” Describing their creative process, he explains, “I sent a bunch of new ideas to jnhygs via Discord and she sent back vocals to “CANADA”, which I then used to create melodic layers and extra percussion to complete the song.

Music

Eclipsed at Vampire Weekend

April 16, 2024

It had been about a week since the goosebump-inducing communal howls at the moon, as it covered the sun through a cloudy Austin, Texas sky, left me needing to take a seat—suspended in awe of the totality of the event and the synergistic break from routine. I overheard someone say, “I mean, it feels like we’re all going to die, but in a way that’s okay, you know?" under the shadow of the eclipse's peak, ceremoniously brought in as the band performed “Jonathan Low,” (in Vampire Weekend's familiar ironic hue) a track they wrote for the third movie in the Twilight series, Eclipse.

It had been five years since the band had released an album. In celebration of their latest album, "Only God Was Above Us," ticket holders wrapped the streets in blocks outside the venue for the band’s first Stateside show in about two years. Event managers searched to replenish the venue’s stock of eclipse glasses, while the band prepped a show reminiscent of 'getting the boys back together again'.

Words and photography by Rianne Akindele

In between newly released songs like “Classical” and “Capricorn”, the boys filled the almost two-hour-long show with old favorites like “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”, “Diane Young” and a genre evolved rendition of “Sunflower” as the crowd danced barefoot feeling the Earth’s energy intertwined with their own and the vibrations from the amps on stage. People stole glances at the imminently darkening sky, artists doodled, friends grabbed onto each other to scream the lyrics in each other’s faces, and onlookers from the highest level of the parking garage across the street cheered on in a symphony of nostalgia and anticipation.

Adding to the layers of the celestial afternoon, the band invited to the stage the likes of Thomas Mars from Phoenix, Dave 1 from Chromeo, and guitarist Brian Robert Jones, inducing further levels of indie revival euphoria.

As the show drew to its close, and the zydeco/country-rock “Cocaine Cowboys” medley fiddled through the air, a conversation could be picked up between two sisters in search of their Lyft driver through closed-off streets,

“I wish this happened more often.”
“Eclipses or shows like this?”
“Both.”

It’s moments like these that remind us of our shared humanity and the power of collective experiences; a gathering of souls under the same sky, sharing the joy of music and a wonder of the stars above. Perhaps it’s the rarity that allowed such transcendence, reverence, and gratitude to be felt. Either way, what a beautiful moment in time it was.

Here are a few shots from the Monday afternoon: