Shining Light on Sega Bodega

Trickling into the mainstream in 2020 with his debut album “Salvador,” Bodega put pen to paper for the first time and unleashed an iteration of himself trapped in time, and the recesses of his mind that he felt needed to be expunged. And “Salvador” was born, an angsty, unruly examination of a dark time in Bodega’s past, ruminating on stories of toxic relationships, the suicide of a close friend, and Bodega’s struggle to come to terms with the tribulations of a moment in time.

In conversation with the version of himself first introduced to the world in “Salvador,” Bodega opens a window to a more recent self in “Romeo,” drawing the curtain on darkness, bringing with him, the light. “Romeo,” announced today for a November 12 drop-date alongside the release of its second single, “Angel on My Shoulder” is a re-introduction to Bodega (and a few quasi-alter-egos), as a sinner with the sentiment of a saint.

Check out our interview with the bringer of light below.

You’ve been on the music scene for a while. What were some of your early influences?

I’ve been making music as this name for like ten years now. Which is kind of nuts but I don't really feel like my career started until like 2016. I think my generation of people who are 29 now, we grew up on a lot of like Slipknot, Korn. A lot of heavier kinds of music and like trance. I can really see so much music now that’s influenced by both at the same time. I love that you’ll hear an edit and it’s like Tiësto mixed with Korn. It’s like okay, yeah, we’re the same person. I know exactly who you grew up on because I did too.

And I think it's really nice to see so much music starting to still get big because of TikTok. People are using these really old songs that I didn't know would have a resurgence. I mean even like garage and drum and bass it’s just like, awesome, are really popular again. And that's kind of nuts. Because it wasn't mainstream at the time. Well, garage was, but like, not really drum and bass. And now all of a sudden, it’s making its way into pop music. That's just super, super weird. I really, I really love that. That kind of gives me hope that in 20 years’ time, something I make today might have the chance to have new life.

To give new life to something from your past, I want to talk a bit about SS2015 which draws from iconic movies like Fallen Angels and Gummo. Is it a hope of yours to score a movie one day?

Yeah, that’s the goal, my goal. I really want to do a really good science fiction film. That would be fun.

What’s your favorite science fiction movie?

The Cell. Have you seen it?

I have not.

I don’t even remember the soundtrack. But it’s just such an underrated film. Not a lot of people have seen it. You’ll love it. I think everyone will love it.

So...Romeo. It feels like the album is quite romantic, does your romantic life feel like a tragedy or comedy?

It’s neither. Because I think if it was a tragedy that’s terrible. If it was a comedy, that would simultaneously be terrible, like look at my romantic life, it’s a joke that I need to get together. It’s supposed to be a romantic album, but it’s nothing to do with Shakespeare, the name is just so synonymous with romance now and is the only thing I think I could’ve called it. I also love having a name for an album.

Are the names personas in any way?

Well, the first one was me. The second one was kind of me. I guess they are personas of very boring aspects of me, so yeah.

How did your approach to Romeo differ from Salvador?

Yeah, so the first one was like the first time I'd ever written about myself and all this stuff that it's about happened to me maybe 2015, 2014 when I used to drink a lot. The moment I started to write about myself, there was this backed-up stuff from the past that kind of just happened to come up like, you know, friends killing themselves. All that really dark stuff that happened in my early 20s that wasn't really reflective of anything that has happened in the last five years. So, it became like an introduction to who I am, but it's also got a five-year delay to it. And I didn't really, I mean, I don't care honestly, ultimately, but sometimes I'd DMs from strangers like, “you’re just so toxic, I love it” which was way off the vibe of what I was trying to do.

And then this one was just completely trying to be like, romantic and healthy and really like, how I felt about my friends and family and loved ones for the last five years.

Tell me a bit about Luci, who you “introduced” on Instagram.

When the idea of Luci came about it really was not supposed to be an album thing. It was just that I had this idea for a photoshoot that I wanted to do of me with this woman made of light, and then I’ve spoken about this woman called Luci in two different songs [2 Strong and Mimi] over the last four years. It was always a reference to Lucifer. And I was talking about this shoot with Caroline [Polacheck] and she was like, oh you should call it Luci. And I was like...why did you say that? Because she probably did not listen to those specific songs and clock that, and she said that Lucifer is the bringer of light. And it was like well...that’s just perfect.

There are so many different names and representations of Lucifer in history. This one feels more like the Bringer of Light than it does the Devil or the Biblical idea of the devil. There’s no negativity in this. It’s Lucifer but it’s not like some toxic relationship, she’s very much, just light.

The lead singles off the album are “Only Seeing God When I Come” and “Angel on My Shoulder” is there a religious significance to the album for you?

That wasn’t intentional. I realized that throughout the whole album there are a good deal of references to angels and heaven I did not plan that...There's a lot coincidentally that lined up as sounding like my writing style a lot with Heaven and Hell. Yeah, they do definitely speak to each other, but I don't have any opinion on Heaven or Hell. I just think I love the word heaven, I don't know I just like it, and I really like those like Sodom and Gomorrah style paintings of like Hieronymus Bosch, is that how you say his name? Have you seen his paintings like the Garden of Earthly Delights?

I have, but I don’t know how to say his name.

I really just, I just love them. So I guess I draw from that style more than I do like any religious aspect.

Let’s talk about your Instagram...or rather, your meme account. How’d you start that?

Oh god. I’m just looking at it now. I can remember when I made that page because I was so excited about it. Because I made that at the beginning of the first lockdown. For the first two weeks, I was just researching⁠— well not researching but just looking at other memes. I don’t know what to say about that page, it’s just been pretty fun. How’d you find that?

I do my research. I saw you repost something from it, and thought it was probably you behind the page.

I don’t know if people realize it’s me actually. Which is like, I don’t even care, like⁠—

Do you want them to think it’s not you?

No, I do want them to think it’s me because I want the credit for being funny.

[Laughs]

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: