The Fears and Futures of Snow Strippers' Hardcore (And Hardly-Of-Age) Fanbase
We didn’t expect our questions to be answered by a demographic made up of a majority of 16-21 year olds. But the post-covid generation had a lot to share on the serious topics – and it seems to be all about escape. Dancing to escape a future in a world they are disillusioned by, against the political state and cuts to arts funding - and they haven’t even left school yet. We met a community bizarrely made up of Aries and Pisces zodiac signs, looking for a release in the electronic chaos of the dancefloor - soundtracked by Snow Strippers.
We came to find out what brought them here. Is it really that deep or just a bit of fun? People are coming out, and we want to know how they’re feeling, and where Snow Strippers’ emerging popularity fits into all of this. Are Snow Strippers an anchor to reality or an outlet to escape?
Mazzy, 21, Portland, Oregon
What brought you to London?
Dude I don’t even know - I’m supposed to go on this study abroad program. My options were either Milan or Australia but I don’t fuck with the bugs out there. And I don’t speak Italian so like… it’s London.
What’s your zodiac sign?
My zodiac sign? Crazy ask! Virgo.
What do you do for work?
I was in an internship last semester, train design. I would design trains in Antwerp and the Netherlands
What do you do for fun?
Girl! Girl I don’t know… I scroll on Instagram. I watch YouTube videos. That’s kind of it.
Who’s gonna save the world?
…Me!?
Y2K or 2010s?
2010s
Red Pill or Blue Pill?
Blue pill
Tati or Graham?
Tati.
Thoughts on AI?
Errrr no. Not yet, no.
Do you dance to escape?
Yes
What do you listen to before bed?
3 hour reddit stories (laughing)
Movie of the year?
Anora. It’s amazing
Grace, 16, Cambridge, Aries
Gaby, 17, Cambridge, Sagittarius
Summer, 18
Rosie, 18, Hertfordshire
(l-r)
What brought you here tonight?
Summer beckons to Grace - It was her. Literally her!
Grace - So I said to Summer, please will you come with me to see Snow Strippers
Summer - *beckons to Gaby and Rosie* And these are our plus ones
When did you guys get into Snow Strippers?
Summer - Mine’s only been a few months to be fair, maybe like 6 months
Grace - Probably like 8, 9 months
Kim, 19, Aries, London
Juliana, 17, Cancer, London
(l-r)
What do you do for work?
Juliana - She goes to college, and I just work. I work as an admin in an office.
What do you do for fun?
Juliana - I go to concerts, I like raving.
Would you say you dance to escape or to be a part of something?
Juliana - I don’t know, I just enjoy it. But sometimes I do it to escape work, boring stuff.
What other events do you go to, like raves?
Juliana - I haven’t been to much because I’m still young and I don't really have friends in the rave scene, so I go to venues like E1. But I usually go to metal gigs. I go to more of that.
Sahana, 17, East London, Guidford, Pisces “can you tell?”
Yasmin, 16, London
(l-r)
What brought you here?
Yasmin - Snowstrippers. I love their music.
Tati or Graham?
Yasmin - Tati
Y2K or 2010s?
Yasmin - It depends if we’re talking about the early 2010s or the late 2010s. I’m thinking 2014 like …. Like that’s… the skinny jeans with the boots over (references her outfit)
Do you dance to escape?
Sahana - I guess I’d say that.
What do you listen to before bed?
Sahana - Fake Mink. I actually do. I love Fake Mink.
Y2K or 2010s?
Sahana - 2010s. I like the 2010s.
What part of the 2010s?
Sahana - 2014, 2015.
What brought you here tonight?
Sahana - Fake Mink and Snow Strippers. I love their songs.
What’s your favorite brand?
Sahana - Racer Worldwide.
Yasmin - I don’t really have a favorite brand. I'm not that into shopping.
How do you style yourselves?
Sahana - Brick lane, DEPOP
Yasmin - I like vintage, car boots a lot. Do you know the one in Dalston? I go every weekend! I got this top from there, these jeans, these boots. Literally everything is from there. So cheap as well.
Reuben, 16, London
Tati or Graham?
Can’t lie, Graham. I know that Graham’s behind the production of all the songs and I’m more into the production of the music. And I like Tati’s vocals but I’m more into the beats and shit.
Do you dance to escape or are you dancing for the music itself?
I used to do breakdancing. And I just dance to feel like myself. I feel like moving around and getting the [rhythm] is some way of just expressing yourself and letting yourself be free. I think a lot of people here come to these concerts to enjoy themselves. I’d say there’s a social setting as well. You can see everyone dressing the same and it’s just good… it's like community.
Like a uniform. It’s a separation from the rest of the world.
Sahana - Yes. Some aren’t just coming for the actual artist, they’re coming just to socialize.
Reuben - It’s like [Snow Strippers] know the demographic they attract.
Frida, 18, England
Alex, 17, Greece
Alice, 19, Brazil
(l-r)
Would you travel to space if somebody asked you?
All - Yes.
Are you afraid of AI or do you support it?
Alice - I’m kind of afraid
Alex - I support it because I love Chat GPT
Alice - Yeah, I do all my fucking uni work on Chat GPT
Alex - But my professor doesn’t even care. He loves it [because I do psychology].
Who’s gonna save the world?
Alice - maybe Kamala Harris
Frida - Aliens
Alex - Yes, aliens. I agree with that.
Frida - I think they’d come and just put things right
One last question, would you say you dance to escape or be involved in something?
Alice - I dance for both.
Alex - I just dance for the vibe. You guys are both… your vibe is just UGH.
Colin, 19, Florida
Berkeley, 18, Florida
(l-r)
Does AI scare you?
Colin - OH SHIT
Berkeley - I’d say to a certain extent as far as creativity
The Lolas, 18, Twickenham,
Virgo (left) / Aries (right)
What are your names?
Both - Lola. We’re Lola. We’re both Lola.
What is your zodiac sign?
LV - Virgo.
LA - Aries.
(To Mathilde) Let’s get a photo of them together
LV - Yeah, because it’s the Lolas. Do you know what I mean?
LA - We are the Lola’s.
Space travel: yes or no?
LV - Yes.
LA - It’s just too much. Too much.
Does AI scare you?
Both - Yeees! Yes.
LV - I hate robots.
LA - Especially for artists. We both do art. AI is gonna ruin the industry.
LV - Even when I was looking at unis I was looking at Plymouth. And basically, they said that they’re taking AI as art. Like, degree-level pieces.
LA - Yeah Yeah! They’re accepting it as final pieces.
Do you think the current technological state is affecting art and media?
LV - Yes 100%. It’s changing every day. All of it’s advancements, I don’t think it’s a good thing. I think everyone should stay organic to just what we can create as humans.
LA - I think it’s good in essays, and in medical care. I’m glad we’ve got those advancements.
LV - I think in the art industry it doesn’t help.
LA - I wanna work in the film industry and that’s like, I’m against that. I would never watch an AI movie.
Do you dance to escape?
Both - Yeahhhhhh!
LV - It’s an escape from reality
LA - I love a dance.
What was the most recent nightmare you had?
LV - Oo I feel like we can find a conjoined… (looking at each other like they’re telepathically attempting to recall a shared dream)
LA - My aunt beat me up (giggling). That was my nightmare.
LV - A real-life nightmare! I don't know… last night I had a dream that I was throwing up and then I actually felt like I was gonna throw up, so that was a pretty recent nightmare.
LA - It was like a manifestation.
LV - I was just a bit hungover really.
Vicky, 20, Poland, Taurus
Cindy, 21, Korea, Libra
(l-r)
What brought you here tonight?
Both - Snow Strippers!
Cindy - We just met!
How long have you two been fans?
Vicky - I’d say 2 years. A while.
Cindy - I think similar.
Vicky - I’m really glad I got a ticket because they sold out really fast. Luckily a friend of mine couldn’t make it and then I met Cindy in the queue, and she knows my friend. They were gonna go together and we just bumped into each other.
How has the recession hindered your creativity?
Vicky - I mean it probably has helped in a way, because I feel very distressed. I can’t afford anything, I can't afford to sew and I can’t afford materials to do the things I want to do but at the same time that kind of fuels you wanting to do it more because there are so many barriers stopping me. It feels like there are a lot of people in the creative industry who have nepotism and a lot of financial help from their family and [I] feel a little bit of jealousy with this. Like you can’t do it because you don’t have the facilities that they do.
Do you dance to escape?
Cindy - Oh yeah, actually I do.
What do you escape?
Cindy - I’m an overthinker so I tend to worry about a lot of different things. I feel like when you’re dancing and just dancing to music that you really love, you can kind of forget about the reality sometimes. I sometimes use it as a factor to just run away from something that worries me. And I think it also links to my creativity…
(an ambulance rolls past us so we have to pause the interview)
Ellie,17, Stratford
Joyce, 17, Stratford
(l-r)
What’s your zodiac sign?
Joyce - Ah I don’t even know.
When’s your birthday?
Joyce - June 28th
You’re a cancer, just like me!
Joyce - Aahhh!
Who’s going to save the world?
Joyce - Jesus, God.
Does AI scare you?
Joyce - Actually, it does. I feel like it does.
What do you do?
Joyce - I am a student. Film and TV.
What’s your zodiac sign?
Ellie - I don't do zodiac signs.
At this point, someone from the crowd interrupts Ellie:
Guy - ‘Yo I know you from the Lola’s. Do you know the Lola’s? I know you from the Lola’s… I just spotted you from over there ... You coming to her birthday party?
Ellie - Yeah, are you? *turns back to me* Sorry.
Who’s going to save the world?
Ellie - Jesus
I think we should just end it on that
Ellie and Joyce high five
Nat, 22, Wales, Libra
What brought you here?
Loving their music for so long and loving them honestly
Tati or Graham?
Tati because she’s one of the girls. Goes without saying.
*taking photos* Glasses? No glasses?
Whatever you prefer.
Starts posing, showing us how her outfit matches the baby pink look , holding up the pink glasses…
All of the pink matches. It all matches so it just had to be done!
What’s your zodiac?
I’m a libra… *posing* make sure to get the back
Y2Ks or 2010s?
Oh my god. The hardest question you could have probably ever asked me. But I would have to say 2000s.
Who’s gonna save the world?
Charli XCX.
What do you listen to before bed?
Lana or Frank Ocean
What do you listen to when you wake up?
Snowstrippeeeers!
Movie of the year?
The Substance. Absolutely The Substance.
Are you team Elizabeth or Sue?
I think we're all Sue. No, we’re all Sue but we also have an Elizabeth. You know?
Safe, 17, London, Gemini
Amber, 16, London
Daphne, 17, London
(l-r)
What brought you here?
Safe - Snowstrippers, bro… I love it
Tean Tati or Graham?
Safe - I don’t really have a favorite… *a beat*…Tati
Joanna, 21, Bournemouth, Pisces
Sophia, 22, London, Aries
(l-r)
