Isaac Dunbar Takes Our Pop Quiz
office gave Isaac an impromptu pop quiz where there are no wrong answers... except, of course, the wrong ones.
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office gave Isaac an impromptu pop quiz where there are no wrong answers... except, of course, the wrong ones.
Kiana expresses that self-realization and self-love are not always things that have come easy for her. Beneath her dazzling harmonies and intoxicating production are lyrics that convey her most contemplative inner-thoughts. Each of the featured songs show a different facet of the songstress, but ultimately they all emphasize the message that with self-love comes clarity. Through Dazed, Kiana V has found her most authentic voice and she plans to continue to use it to advocate for Filipino musicians and amplify a message of self-acceptance.
I know that your father is a very prolific musician in the Philippines; when exactly did your personal music journey begin? Did growing up in a very musically driven household influence you?
Yeah, actually both of my parents are singers. My dad was the one who really pursued it; for 36 years he's been in the industry. My mom used to be in a band and my mom's entire family is so musical; it's actually kind of crazy because every single one of my cousins — and there are like 30 of us — can sing. That definitely influenced how I approach music and how much it's a part of who I am. I didn't really want to pursue it full-time, as a career, and I ran away from it for as long as I could remember. But in my early twenties, I realized, okay, well, if I'm writing songs and during my free time all I want to do is sing — that means something. I was essentially gravitating towards it. So yeah, that's when I decided I've got to put my heart into this if it's something that I'm clearly passionate about.
You are an incredibly talented singer, but also an emotionally succinct songwriter. Many of the songs on your EP are soft and introspective — is this the style of songwriting that feels most natural to you?
I never really had the confidence to share whatever it was that I was writing until a few years ago. The softer songs are definitely more natural to who I am. I tried to fight that for a really long time. With this project, I think it feels most aligned with who I am at this moment. In the past, I was trying too hard to just write something or release something that I knew people wanted to hear. And it's definitely freeing; it's a therapeutic experience to kind of shut everyone's opinions out and just do something for myself. And I think that's why producing this project was so much fun for me. I was in the studio with my friends and we didn't really know where it was going to go. We ended up with this EP and well, now here I am talking to you.
I have seen that you are not only an accomplished musician but you are also a gifted artist! Do you find that immersing yourself in other forms of self-expression also helps you with your music making process?
Oh yeah. One of the reasons why I got into songwriting and singing is because I'm not very good at conversation. I'm not always good at articulating what I want to say when I'm talking to someone. And so I usually have to sing it and even then, I'm not always able to put my feelings and my thoughts into words. That's actually the reason why I released the movement visual for Dazed. I just felt that as vulnerable and as raw as the song was, there was still so much that I wanted to say or express. And the only way to tell that story was through movement. When you're passionate about something like, you know, for you it's writing or with me, it's singing and songwriting — people say if you get a job that is connected to something that you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life. But, to me, that's also not true because when you throw something you love into your job, sometimes you lose that passion. So with drawing and painting, that kind of takes me out of that. It gives me something to do for fun, for myself. A lot of people actually wanted to start buying prints of my drawings, but I was like, 'I'm not going to put that pressure on myself right now.' Maybe someday, but for now it's just for fun. It's my way of getting out of my head and another way of putting my feelings on paper. I don't want to put a price tag on something that helps me escape. I already do that with my music.
During quarantine, you moved to the states for just under a year to further your music career. Did this down time provide any new musical insights for you or your upcoming work?
When I got here in February of last year I was initially supposed to do a bunch of shows. I think it was three weeks after I got here, every single day there was a new show that was canceled until we found out pretty much the whole world shut down. When you're in a situation like that...you just moved from home, you don't really have all your friends around you...I missed my family. I do have a support system here, but it just felt different. I was homesick and I felt like I was an isolated case. I felt like I was the only one going through this. I was so sad; it was kind of like a pity party until I pulled myself out of that and realized, hold on, everyone's going through something — what am I going to do with my time? I knew I couldn't just sulk. But I was going through writer’s block. I didn't know what I wanted to say. So I decided to go through my old notebooks just to kind of start journaling again or to remind myself of what I was going through a few years back. While I was going through those notebooks, I found these songs that I completely forgot about. And those are the songs on the EP now. So I tore all of those pages out; I burned some incense and I stuck the pages on the wall, and then eventually decided on these five songs. That really encouraged me knowing that my past self was somehow taking care of my present. That's when I learned how to track my own vocals. I had to record everything acapella from my bedroom. I'm so thankful that I got to do those things on my own because I learned more about what I'm willing to do for myself too. It was definitely a form of self-love and seeing it through all the way to this moment has taught me so much about perseverance and patience and gratefulness, for sure, for all the people that have been pushing me.
How has your Filipina identity shaped your music and the songwriting process?
I grew up with a lot of Filipino love songs constantly playing. Filipinos are always so passionate about whatever they fall in love with, whether that be food, sport, fashion, music — all of that. And obviously like, just love for other people in general. I think that that passion and just the strength of every emotion is something that I got from my culture. That's what drives a lot of what I do — it's just that love for love. And, on top of that, the singers that I grew up listening to from the Philippines, like Regine Velasquez and Sharon Cuneta — who is actually my aunt — and my dad, all these people shaped the way I view production and how I view performance. I'm always so grateful to have them in my life and being able to be in the background or backstage seeing these things happen in real life was such a blessing.
You have experienced large success in your home country of the Philippines and now your music is making its way all around the world. Is increasing AAPI representation within the music industry, especially in the United States, something that is important to you?
Absolutely. I've noticed in the Philippines that people tend to lean more towards the international music scene than the local music scene. I want to be able to prove to both the Filipinos and the rest of the world that we have what it takes, not just to make it in the international music scene, but that everything you listen to on the radio that isn't from where we're from, we can do as well. And I'm so proud of all the musicians that are hustling and trying to pave their own way because it's really not an easy task. On the note of Filipino representation, seeing H.E.R. and Saweetie, and people are now talking about how Olivia Rodrigo is one-fourth Filipino — Filipinos love that. They love being represented. So if I am able to do that for them, then that would be such an amazing win.
How has your sound evolved since your debut in 2016, with your single “Circles”, to now?
I think back then, like I said, I was really concerned about what other people would think about me. And because of that, I don't think the things I was saying or the way I was presenting myself were really authentic to who I am and what I want for myself. And it gets kind of hard when you are surrounded by people who think they know what you want and push you towards a path that you then think you want. Then you take a step back and you realize that you're so far off from where you initially started or what you wanted for yourself. It's funny because I think "Circles" was my most vulnerable and my truest self. And I kind of deviated from that with time. Now I'm finding my way back to that.
Your new 5-track EP, titled Dazed, was released July 30th. This may be a diffcult question, but what is your favorite song off of this project and why?
I know exactly which one it is. My favorite one is "How Do I," because that was the song that flowed so easily; I had it finished in a little over an hour. I think that that just goes to show how real that song is or was for me at that moment. I knew exactly what I was going through and exactly what I wanted to say. Having it produced in the exact way that I envisioned it to be was such an empowering moment for me — going from writing it, to recording it acapella, and then going into the studio, building the track with Jesse Barrera, and then hearing it come together. That's when I was like, 'Okay, I think I'm on the right path here.' That's why I love that song. I was in a very vulnerable state when I wrote that song and came together pretty well.
You have said that the EP is a “...soft exploration of how self-love affects the love we are able to give to others.” Do you have any advice for those who may be experiencing their own struggles with self-love?
It's not a pretty journey and it isn't linear either, because every day you have to fight for that self-love. You could wake up one morning and look in the mirror and just not know who you are, and the next morning you wake up and you're fully confident and just proud of who you are. But on the bad days, you have to fight for yourself because if you don't fight for yourself, then who else will? I also think it's important to note that learning how to accept love from others is such a huge part of the journey because people could be showering you with love, and if you have your guard up constantly, then you're not going to be able to appreciate that. Having a good support system is so important. I'm really happy that I have my dad's family out here and then I have all my family and friends in Manila. I'm so happy that the Filipino community embraces each other like family as well.
What do you think the future has in store for you and your musical endeavors?
There are a lot of artists that I really want to work with and get into the studio with. There's a lot more music that's about to come out. There's also a movement film that is being written currently. I think that the people that have been following and listening since day one are going to be pretty happy about where I'm taking this journey. It's kind of scary how things are working out because these are like little dreams or dreams that I thought were little that are now coming true. Sometimes I have to look at things from the outside — step back and realize, 'Oh, I'm actually doing it.' But yeah, more music, more amazing visuals, and collaborations that I did not think could happen.
“I’ve been conjuring this deep, deep joy that I honestly didn’t feel for most of my life,” Scott says. “I feel like a rock within myself. And I’ve started to feel that I have what it takes to help other people conjure their joy, too.”
“Thirstier” is now available to stream on all platforms. Check out our exclusive interview below.
Your music has country vibes, some grunge vibes — a little bit of everything. How did all these sounds come about? What influenced you growing up?
Country was a big one. I’m unironically bound to my country music roots. I’m from Macon, Georgia, and the pop-country 90s thing was kind of my whole — that and Britney Spears, who I love still to this day. And Backstreet Boys. There's that boy-band/pop-girl influence, plus that 90s country influence. Those are the two major touchstones of my childhood musical influences.
Taylor Swift comes to mind.
Yeah. I mean, I've always loved Taylor. I had her first album when it came out. I was, I don't know, 15 at the time. It rocked my world, it was so cool. I got that album and I was like, ‘Holy shit. This girl is just about a year older than me and she's writing these amazing songs and she's actually making it.’ She gave me hope that I could potentially write my own songs and do the same thing.
I also heard that a major influence behind your performances is Broadway theater. What's your favorite musical?
It’s gotta be ‘Phantom of the Opera’ still. It was the first one that I saw or heard. I was 13 or 14, and I'm still very much in love with that music.
With that being said, I feel like I have to ask this on behalf of me and all the theater kids in the world — don't be mad at me: Are you a gleek?
I know that was like a huge phenomenon. For one, I feel like I'm slightly older than you or a lot older. How old are you?
I’m 22.
22. There you go. I'm 30. So I was just a little too old, I think, for that phenomenon. And also, truthfully, I kind of have a hard time watching where it's supposed to be a show or a movie, and then people just break into song. I actually don't like that. Very rarely could you convince me to enjoy something like that. However, I love the stage. I love acting on the stage. I love singing on the stage, I mean, in a play context. I did theater in high school and locally and nearly went to school to go try and pursue a career in musical theater, but then kind of switched gears at the last minute.
You recorded this new album during COVID, how was that process different from your previous albums?
It was actually really nice to make it in this time. Like, in a way where I felt like for the first time I didn't have anything else pulling on me. ‘Cause when I've recorded in the past, I've been like, ‘All right. I don't know if I can block out a month or a month and a half out of my time to do this. ‘Cause, like, what if I miss out on things?’ I'm very much like that. And almost every time I've gone to record, it's been in England with my producer, Rob. It's a very isolated thing, so it requires blocking out that time and being away from everyone that I know. So this time around, I went to Devon in the UK to record, but I didn't have anything else to do. So it was actually really peaceful and I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. And it was also great to not be in America during the election.
So was that a turning point — ‘cause this new album has kind of happier themes. When did you start to realize that your music was becoming a little brighter in that sense?
When I started writing the album, I started it out with that intention. I'm not someone who writes bright songs or love songs. I mean, I do write love songs, but I'm naturally inclined to write about the pain of love. I had to really force myself to not think that way whenever I started writing it. I knew I had the vantage point of being in the middle of the pandemic with everyone and knowing that whenever the record was released, that people would definitely be ready for something brighter and wouldn't want to listen to a dark, heavy, depressing Torres album at that point. So I intentionally made a very bright-sounding record.
Right. And you previously named people like Kurt Cobain and Sylvia Plath as inspirations behind your lyrics. Did you find yourself straying away from that a little bit during this album?
I guess so, yeah. I drew from way different places, but a lot of it was just what I've been thinking about for the last couple years — which is, like, the Law of Attraction. I realized the Law of Attraction I should have known about a long time ago. But I never really thought about the fact that what you put out there is actually what you get back. I realized that's also karma and we have all of these other terms for it. But in practice, I had never considered actually how that could apply to me. Like, it's not just what you do that comes back to you, it's also the actual energy that you put out there is what comes back to you.
So I was just thinking along more esoteric lines in general and trying to think about what I've learned in my personal life and how to infuse the music with that. So, if enough people are listening to this album and putting it out there, like sitting in outer space, maybe something positive will happen, you know?
Did you watch ‘The Secret?’
*laughs* I have seen ‘The Secret,’ but I've also been doing a lot of other reading. I got this one book by this woman named Dolores Cannon and it's wild. You gotta look up Dolores Cannon. She's no longer with us on this plane, but yeah, there's a lot to it — like, just a lot about the past lives and also alien abduction. There's whole worlds to discover in that book. It's called ‘The Three Waves of Volunteers and the New Earth.’ It sounds super esoteric, but this is all actual stuff that I've applied to my own life when I started writing this album. I was pretty much on that path — just thinking about how a lot of the negativity that I've experienced in my life very well may have been something that I brought on myself, and how can we do the opposite now?
What albums have you been listening to other than your own? I know you say you don't listen to your albums after they release.
I don’t listen to my own albums after they release, I do before though. I've listened to the new St. Vincent, I just got that on vinyl. It's awesome. I've been listening to a lot of Cardi B actually and Dua Lipa. I've been in kind of, like, pop-world recently. I've been avoiding anything that could make me feel sad or aggressive. ‘Cause I'm naturally really sensitive to that kind of energy and it's part of my trying not to bring myself down.
It seems like it's working. I mean, you're engaged now and it seems like you're in a good place.
I am, I am. I'm just riding that wave trying to just enjoy it all. And yeah, just let it, you know, let it float.
And your fiance, Jenna, painted the cover for this album as well as your last album. Was she just as much of an inspiration in the music as she was visually?
Oh yeah, she's in most of these songs. She's the reason that I'm able to write happy love songs right now.
She was also in the music video for ‘Don’t Go Putting Wishes in My Head.’ What was it like filming that with her?
That was great. It actually made me more comfortable than I normally am making music videos. I feel like I have a hard time being in front of a camera. Actually — it's kind of a funny thing — I'm a real performer, but I really excel in the live sphere in front of an actual audience. But if you put a camera in front of me, I'm just super awkward. And Jenna is actually really great at being in front of a camera. So, I feel like she just helped me to be more comfortable and I think that contributed to the relaxed feel of that music video.
Yeah, it reminded me of this movie called ‘Codependent Lesbian Space Alien.’
Oh my God. Wait, let me write that down.
It's so hard to find, I’ll have to lend you my DVD. But yeah, especially when you were standing in front of the background of stars — what was like the actual thought process behind those visuals?
That was pretty literal. I just wanted to feel like I was floating through outer space. The feeling that I wanted to apart was joy and kind of like, you know, the eternity of the cosmos.
What else have you been doing for fun over the past year?
I got really into chess, actually. We got a chessboard and I also started playing online, but I had to stop playing people in my family because I get really angry. Like, if I lose, I am uncontrollable. I get so upset and I'm such a sore loser and I just can't take it because I feel like my intellect was challenged.
You describe the new album as kind of a ‘post-plague celebration.’ How are you planning on conceptualizing that for your upcoming tour?
Well, I'm going to do my best just to perform it really well and make people feel that way. But I might also bring some projected visuals and put them on the curtain behind me. We're gonna just going to try and make the live show really special so that it lives up to the massive sound of the recording.
Which song are you most excited to perform?
God, it's all going to be so fun. I'm really excited to play all of them, but probably the title track. I'm excited to see how that one lands live. I've been really manifesting playing that song on the stage of Madison Square Garden, which is a very lofty goal. But I just keep imagining myself playing it like a really huge arena hoping that I can make that happen eventually.
All of the singles so far have been really fun. Like, I've been blasting them in my car with the windows down and my hair blowing. What do you envision people doing when they listen to this album?
I mean, stuff like that. I feel like I've never made anything that feels like that — where people are having a good time or feeling it in the best way. I feel like my music has been pretty heavy up until this point, and this is heavy in a different way — like sonically heavy — but the mood is not heavy. So yeah, I'm excited to hear about people blasting in their cars with the windows down and, like, actually going on runs and listening to it. I think it's a really active album that people can, you know, exhaust their kinetic energy to. I hope people fuck to it!
“Feel It Now” features a baseline that is impossible to resist, and acts as the ideal backtrack for a euphoric dance party. While “Call Me Up”, inspired by classic early 2000s R&B hits, is the quintessential breakup song — made for late nights reflecting on love lost. The album presents an array of moods, but the one thing that remains true — from start to finish — is that Luna Luna’s evocative psychedelic sound and funky vibes will have you hooked instantly.
Check out our interview with Luna Luna’s four members, Kavvi, Danny, Kaylin, and Ryan (Gordo), below.
How did the band come together; did you all know each other before you started making music?
Kaylin: The band came together in stages. We were all relatively strangers when we joined! Kavvi was writing songs and needed a band, so he went out one night to an open mic and met Danny by chance! Ryan and I were a team and eventually left our local pop-punk band when Kavvi asked us to join. And the rest is history!
Although one commonality you all share is your cultural background, I’m sure it takes a lot of compromise to work functionally as a group with different interests and styles. How do you navigate melding together four different individual personalities into one uniform group?
Kaylin: There are always going to be compromises and challenges that come with being in a band. I think for us, it comes down to how much respect and love we have for one another. We’ve grown up together, in a way, and formed a bond that’s bigger than our differences.
Some of your songs feature Latin guitar riffs and rhythms, as well as Spanish lyrics. Is it important to the group to pay homage to your collective roots through your sound?
Kavvi: Yes! I grew up listening to a lot of Spanish music that my mom would show me. She showed me a lot of salsa, bachata, and vallenatos. I always felt a deep connection to that music and that’s what I feel influences me to make the music that we make. Our sound combines all of the English music we grew up on with the Latin.
Your retro, psychedelic synth pop sound, reminiscent of the 70s, is hard not to want to dance around to. Do you take inspiration from artists from past eras?
Gordo: There’s something timeless about the 70s and 80s that we still hear and feel to this day. Artists like The Bee Gees, The Isley Brothers, Michael Jackson, and Prince had such a huge impact on music all around that you can’t help but be inspired by them.
You started by performing locally, at universities and small gigs in your home base of Texas — how does it feel to know that you have now leveled up to performing at your own headline tour this November?
Gordo: It feels so crazy and unreal to think about how far we’ve come over the years. I think about touring everyday and can’t wait to perform again. Tour can’t come soon enough!
Your upcoming album, Flower Moon, was a project conceived during the pandemic. How did that turbulent time assist or stifle the creative process? What were the highs and lows of the project?
Kavvi: The lows were definitely at the beginning of the pandemic. I felt very detached and uninspired. It wasn’t till a couple months in that we started to work on music, but once we started we didn’t stop. I think being in quarantine helped us become more in touch with our emotions and were able to be more honest and open on these tracks because of it.
There are two features on the upcoming album, a collab with The Undercover Dream Lovers as well as one with Pretty Boy Aaron. Are there any artists you would like to work with on future projects?
Kavvi: Yes, there are so many. Personally I would love for us to work with Remi Wolf, Riovaz, Serena Isioma, Pink Pantheress, Kali Uchis, Pharrell, and Tyler. Each song on Flower Moon has a different vibe — some are brooding love ballads while others are upbeat celebrations of the present moment.
Although the songs all exude varied emotions, is there an overarching theme or message the group wanted to convey with this album?
Kavvi: The tracks on Flower Moon really just reflect our lives over the past year and a half which were full of ups and downs. I think that’s why there’s variety in the emotions of the songs. The theme is to just be in the present moment and to fully embrace it. Whether you’re having a great time or you’re feeling down, to know that it’s just a moment and that like the phases of the moon, a new one is bound to come.
Aside from touring, what other things are you all looking forward to in the future of your music career?
Kavvi: I really hope we start collabing and producing for other artists. I love being a part of the music community and I see a lot of talent everywhere. To be able to build something with other artists would be amazing.
Along with the album, the group will be releasing a music video to accompany the focus single, titled, “Feel It Now”. The director of the video, Ash Rosas, says he, “Wanted the video to show a group of friends that seem cool and fun — like you’d want to hang out with them. I wanted to create an inviting energy combined with 1970s vibes.” Flower Moon will be released August 13th on all music streaming platforms.