Naomi Scott is Back

July 08, 2025

Naomi Scott has just announced her return to music and we are just as excited as you are. Although widely known for her work in film, music and songwriting have always been central to Scott's identity. "I’m so excited to be sharing music that I’ve been crafting for such a long time and having full control of the end product is such a blessing,” Scott says. “With music there is such proximity to you, it's so personal, that’s the beauty of the exchange.”

Heavily inspired by gospel, 80s pop, and the alt-pop heroes of her youth, the result of her music is artistic and considered. Having experimented with collaborators from both the UK and US, these sessions inspired Scott to bring the process back to herself and really discover her sound.

Rhythm ft. Johnny Yukon is the first in a series of songs to release this year. Bringing her new music to her debut festival performance at Lollapalooza on August 2nd.

Producer Lido
Director Katharina Korbjuhn
Videography Dev Hynes
BTS footage Katharina Korbjuhn

Rhythm explores a double meaning, digging into autonomy and what it is that truly controls our desires. Part of this exploration and confusion comes from the online nature of a modern existence: “Do I even know my own tastes, or am I getting eaten up by my own echo chamber?” Meanwhile, she explains, “The mirror image interpretation of that is a real-life encounter with a stranger where you're questioning if it's just the moment, just the lights, just the night."

From singing at her parents' East London church, to performing at Lollapalooza later this year, Scott has returned to her musical roots and cemented her vision. All we have to do now is watch this space.

Music

The Past, Present, and Future of Sophia Stel

July 02, 2025

Before Sophia Stel ever imagined a career as a musician, she was already becoming one. As a kid growing up in western Canada she was already making up melodies, a kind of melodic daydreaming that can still be found in her music today. But in her youth it wasn’t about becoming a star (yet) it was just instinct.

“It's introspective and instinctual.” That's how Stel describes the strange, beautiful space where her music lives. Songs that are somewhere between reverie and reality, between what’s fleeting and what stays with us. Her sound is shaped in a liminal blur and the soft edge of memory, emotion, and imagination. Translating the internal into sound and capturing life as it’s happening: raw, unpolished, in motion.

With every release, Stel continues to find meaning in small details, subliming the mundane, threading intimacy through minimal arrangements, and turning quiet thoughts into shared experience. Her work is private but generous, meant to be listened to alone, and yet somehow still connecting across distance. She’s not just writing songs; she’s tracing feelings in the dark and inviting you to follow.

Talent Sophia Stel
Photography & Styling By Nina Cheb-Terrab
Words By Ashantéa Austin
Photo Assistant Scarlet Ross

LONGSLEEVE by HOOD BY AIR, PANTS by PRADA, SNEAKERS by JEREMY SCOTT x ADIDAS; LUKE WEARS DOUBLE-LAYERED SHIRT by MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA, PANTS and SHOES his own

With a new single released and a new creative chapter unfolding, Sophia sat down to reflect on her journey...past, present, and future.

How has being Canadian shaped your path as an artist?

In Vancouver, the scene is pretty small and there are very few female producers. I didn’t really understand how the music industry worked when I first started out. At times it felt isolating. But now, I feel really proud to be from here. Canadian artists are so creative and hardworking, and I think that kind of underdog energy makes you push even harder to be seen internationally.

Were you always artistic and drawn to music?

I used to walk around and sing and make up songs. That’s what my mom always said. I took some music lessons and started writing songs, and honestly, once I started, I found it pretty hard to stop.

Were you doing covers back then or writing your own songs?

I was in a couple of cover bands in high school, and I did some folk covers with my older brother. But I’ve always been pretty bad at learning other people’s songs... I have a terrible memory. I’m much better at remembering my own lyrics, so I just started writing my own songs early on.

Once I started writing songs, I found it pretty hard to stop.

JEANS by DIESEL, TANK TOP by MARTINE SITBON, BRACELET by TIFFANY, WRAP CUFF by BALENCIAGA, NECKLACES by DAVID YURMAN, CHROME HEARTS, and BRUEN DESIGNS

Who influenced your soundback then?

At first, it was folk. I was really into Sufjan Stevens. Later, I got obsessed with Young Thug. I’ve always been drawn to artists who write unforgettable hooks and songs that give you that gut-level reaction.

Are you the type to replay a song over-and-over again?

Definitely. If I really love a song, I’ll have it on repeat for a while. And then I’ll go explore everything else that artist has done.

What did you use when you first started making music?

I bought a 2013 MacBook when I was young, and honestly, I used that until last year. I’ve always worked with pretty minimal gear: a $300 mic, a $100 interface, and before that, just a USB mic and GarageBand. My guitar was a gift from a friend. It’s not fancy, but it works. I’ve always believed if you want to make something, you’ll find a way.

Have you found your sound as an artist or is it still evolving?

It’s definitely still evolving. I was saying before, hookiness or a catchyness is really important to me when I am making music. But it's more than that, it's a certain feeling and it's hard to explain–more of an emotional connection to what I'm making. I’m always chasing a feeling, something emotional, honest, intimate. I’ve never had a moment where I’ve gone, “This is it, this is my sound forever.”

I’ve always believed if you want to make something, you’ll find a way.

SHIRT by PROTOTYPES.CH, SUNGLASSES by PORSCHE, NECKLACES by DAVID YURMAN, CHROME HEARTS, and BRUEN DESIGNS

Do you consider your music to fit within a genre?

Not necessarily. I think in general my music tends to be soundtrack-like. To me it's meant to be listened to on your walk home with headphones in, it's quite private.

Tell me about your latest single, Everyone Falls Asleep In Their Own Time.

I wrote it exactly one year ago. It came together really fast too. It’s a love song, but it’s about acceptance knowing you're growing apart and realizing some things are inevitable.

Does this new music represent a new chapter?

Yeah, definitely. The last project covered the past three years of my life. This new music feels like the next version of me.

Outside of making music, what are your passions?

I’ve really gotten into videography, just random moments mostly, anything that catches my eye. It feels like this natural extension of making music, like I’m building little visual worlds. Also, I have always loved to skateboard.

What’s next for you?

I want to score a film. I want to produce for other artists. And honestly, I want to make the best album of all time.

I want to make the best album of all time.

HOODIE by GALLIANO, T-SHIRT by JUNYA WATANABE, JEANS by DIESEL, WEDGE SNEAKERS by ISABEL MARANT, NECKLACES by DAVID YURMAN, CHROME HEARTS, and BRUEN DESIGNS

CARDIGAN by R13, LONGSLEEVE by RICK OWENS, SHORTS by VAQUERA NYC, BRACELETS (LEFT TO RIGHT) by BALENCIAGA, TIFFANY, and LANVIN

JACKET (VINTAGE MILITARY), T-SHIRT by CARON CALLAHAN, JEANS by DIESEL

JACKET by ATTACHMENT, T-SHIRT by UNDERCOVER, NECKLACES by DAVID YURMAN, CHROME HEARTS, and BRUEN DESIGNS

Music

I DIED AND WENT TO ISABELLA LOVESTORY HEAVEN

July 01, 2025

Welcome to a world of gorgeous, gorgeous girls and bootleg princesas. Isabella Lovestory is the puppet master of her Eurotrash fairy tale and is taking her loyal subjects along for the ride. With the recent drop of her newest album Vanity this week, Lovestory is digging her heels into her popstar territory.

The Honduras-born artist is endlessly fun to talk to and I got to get to know her more shooting a zoom call over from Italy. She took me deeper into her vision and made it known that it should come as no surprise to attend one of her shows and encounter something like a DJ Prince Charming in a Freddy Krueger mask (with unicorns twerking in the back, of course).

Photography by Joaquin Castillo
Styling by Cassie Jekanoski
Interview + Production by Abby Dillingham
Talent Isabella Lovestory ℅ Orienteer
Makeup by Sophie Hartnett
Hair by Takayuki Umeda
Nails by Alexander Bondoc
Photography Assistant Javier Padilla Gonzalez
Production Assistants Olivia Cooper & Rea Brayshaw

ISABELLA wears BRA + HEELS by WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSUEM, PANTS from STYLIST'S ARCHIVE, JEWELRY by MARTINE ALI

In a media landscape crowded with copy-paste industry plants, this self-proclaimed DIY popstar is a breath of fresh air. She's not afraid to surprise us and in doing so, leaves the door open for another Cinderella story to happen... but this time it’s absurdly sexy.

Read the full interview below where we discuss everything from Tumblr Academy to Eurotrash summers.

ISABELLA wears BRA + HEELS by WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSUEM, PANTS from STYLIST'S ARCHIVE, JEWELRY by MARTINE ALI

Hey Isabella, nice to meet you.

Ooh, ciao Bella. I'm in Montreal and this is my dog.

What's their name?

His name is Flaco which means skinny. But he's not skinny, he's chubby. That's the irony of life.

I heard that the vibes on set were amazing. I was so sad that I couldn't be there.

It was so fun. It was crazy vibes. I've always wanted to shoot with Joaquin because I've known him forever. I met him like five years ago in Mexico and yeah… he tore that. We didn't want to leave, we just wanted to keep going.

Were you feeling gorgeous on set?

Gorgeous as always. It was a whirlwind. I've been nonstop for three months. Well, this whole year. I'm not complaining at all, I'm so happy. But sometimes I'm like, “Where the fuck am I?” Like, I don't know where I am. I just go and do this thing and then I go to sleep. I think I was feeling tired but excited. I always put my Lady Gaga mode on.

ISABELLA wears FULL LOOK by BALENCIAGA.

There were a lot of Tumblr vibes happening, were you a Tumblr girl?

Yessss back in the day I grew up with Tumblr Academy. That’s what we call it…for students. I think I went on Tumblr when I was 13 and I met so many of my best friends on it. And now I see so many creative people killing it. Like, Hari Nef was on it and Dara from Interview Magazine. So many random successful creative people were on Tumblr Academy. It was amazing because I was always an outsider in my schools and everything. I was such a freakazoid and I went online and I met all my freakazoid friends.

I feel like that style is kind of coming back a little. Is that an aesthetic or are there any aesthetics that you didn't think you'd be down for and now you're experimenting with?

Yeah, totally. I think people are feeling nostalgic. Honestly, I was always super inspired by the 90s Japanese fashion vibe and 80s fashion as well. But now it's called Indie Sleaze…and I'm like, well… I hate when things get a name and they categorize things. I’m just super anti and I always want to be against the grain, which I guess can be very annoying and pretentious. I hate to say that I’m a gatekeeper but I totally am.

Sometimes you have to be.

That’s something I love about K-POP, they really exploit the trends so much and I try to be like that too and have that troll-y mentality of I'm just going to wear one super, super trendy outfit to troll.

So kind of making fun of it, but also you still get to wear the cute outfit?

Yeah, exactly. It's all performance art.

ISABELLA wears DRESS by WIEDERHOEFT, JEWELRY by MARTINE ALI.

The last time that you spoke with office was in 2020 which is crazy!

That's when I started my career. It was with Ivan. Wait. Oh, my God. I think you guys did my first article! I had no Botox in my face. Nothing. Just pure youth. Oh, this is so cute.

You had just started collaborating with Chicken that year. I see you guys are still going strong in your creative partnership. Does it mean a lot to still be working together now that there's been so much growth?

Yes, we've really been through the trenches with our creativity and what we can do. He's a Scorpio, so he's very deep, very intense. I'm very deep and intense as well so I think we appreciate that about each other, that we can just go really deep and raw in our creative process. We have very similar tastes and we really went deep with this album. We could do a lot of experimenting because we both come from a very experimental punk mentality of what music can be because we both didn't study music at all. We come from a fine arts school background…Well, I'm a dropout. He's not. He's smart.

We really have fun with not having a structure or a rule book when we make music. We come from a very open mind so I think that's what we love about each other.

So you guys can be really free and do random stuff together?

Yeah, exactly. Like, we never think, oh, we can't sample this or we can't mix this cumbia beat with this 80s new wave sound. We have a very open mind and free playground to do whatever we want. We're also super down, now that we’ve figured out what we like to do in music, to work with other people. I'm super excited to explore new grounds and see what I can do for sure.

Are there any people that you've been looking at maybe collaborating with that you haven't yet?

I'm always working with people but it always has to feel really organic. I'm working with my friend Mechatok a lot and we have a song coming out and I also just met with Zach Hill from Death Grips which was epic. And who else? Let me think. Right now I'm working with Mechatok, Kamixlo, and friends. I'm always going to gravitate towards friends because I can have my opinion on the production more as well.

TOP LEFT + BOTTOM RIGHT: ISABELLA wears DRESS by DENIZ BLUMENSTEIN, HEELS by DSQUARED2, NECKLACE + EARRINGS by MARTINE ALI, BRACELET by ALEXIS BITTAR.

BOTTOM LEFT: ISABELLA wears FULL LOOK by BALENCIAGA.

I was watching your music video for Telenovela. So much happened all at the same time. Tell me more about what the process was like for making that.

I always want to exaggerate everything and with my themes, I take it to an absurd, surreal level. So I think with Telenovela, I had so much to play with, and I was inspired by tv and technology (super David Cronenberg vibe). I made a moodboard and sent it to Charlotte Rutherford, who's a genius, and we just kept talking about ideas texting non-stop manically about what we could do. She's crazy and she’s done a lot of K-Pop videos with crazy CGI. She just wants to take it to another level. We both have satirical brains so we just clicked really well and had so much fun. We just always want to take it to the next level, like I got pregnant with the tv at the end it was perfect. We're crazy, it was a perfect match.

The baby at the end was the cherry on top.

I miss him. I don't know where he is right now. Did he have a name? Barbarella (tv baby’s name).

Did you watch telenovelas growing up?

Yeah I watched so many because I grew up there [Honduras]. My favorite was this one called Floricienta which is an Argentinian modern day take on Cinderella. Her fashion is just amazing. She was my fashion icon because she had this scrappy y2k fashion Cinderella vibe so it looked like she made her outfits herself.

Were there any plot lines that stuck with you?

This one. At the moment I’m obsessed with Cinderella. I'm obsessed with modernizing fairy tales and making them more realistic or darker somehow. [She sends me a pic of the girl from Floricienta] She's cute right? I love the way she dresses and her storyline. I love a Cinderella story because I feel like I'm Cinderella.

LEFT: ISABELLA wears DRESS by DENIZ BLUMENSTEIN, HEELS by DSQUARED2, NECKLACE + EARRINGS by MARTINE ALI, BRACELET by ALEXIS BITTAR.

RIGHT: ISABELLA wears BRA + HEELS by WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM, PANTS from STYLIST’S ARCHIVE, EARRINGS + BELLY BUTTON RING by MARTINE ALI.

Why do you feel like you're Cinderella?

Because I’ve always done things myself. I'm a self-proclaimed DIY pop star which is a conundrum. Pop stars are supposed to be some sort of product or machine-made, impossibly beautiful object but I kind of just did it all myself which is crazy. It's kind of part of the joke… the concept is a conundrum to me. It's like Frankenstein or something. I crafted this janky persona but that's part of the charm.

Do you feel like you would have an alter ego version?

You could never have enough alter egos. To be honest, I don't think Isabella Lovestory is an alter ego, it's more just an exaggeration of who I am inside and I’m putting it out. But…I do want to become a spy. I want to have a spy alter ego, after this crazy, psychedelic, and colorful era I’m gonna go back to being like Irma Vep. I always want to do something completely different from what I did before.

I mean if you do become a spy no one will ever know because you won't be able to tell us.

Exactly, I just love how spies have different looks and different wigs. I already feel like I'm a spy because I have so many different places where I live. Like when I go to LA, I'm the bimbo, health guru, yoga girl. And then when I go to London [she says, in a British accent] I'm a rock star. And then in New York I’m a [lets out a pretty sigh] party girl. I love having different personalities.

Do you have any Eurotrash on the schedule this summer?

Yes I was actually just doing my little Eurotrash moment in Paris and Spain. I performed at Primavera and We Love Green and did a trashy fairy tale performance with little unicorns dancing and twerking in the back…my DJ was my Prince Charming but with like… a Freddy Krueger mask and I was the trashy little Cinderella girl. Well, in Paris I was a French maid and in Spain I was a princess so I went from the maid to the princess.

Keep them guessing.

Exactly! This summer I’m gonna practice for my tour that's coming up in the fall and finish two music videos that are almost done. I'm just super down to have fun this summer because I've been working so hard on this album. I just want to go to the beach.

LEFT: ISABELLA wears BOW by BALENCIAGA.

RIGHT: ISABELLA wears DRESS by WIEDERHOEFT, JEWELRY by MARTINE ALI.

So you said you're working on two new music videos right now… can we know anything about that or is it a secret?

Well one is the Eurotrash one that I shot with this girl named Victoria Davidoff. She's in LA and she's amazing. We shot it in LA a month and a half ago and it's me in a carriage with two Eurotrash girls (hotties) with lots of green screens. The other one is for Vanity, the main track of the album, which I shot in Paris. That one is really crazy and epic. It’s shot with film and it's kind of an Alice in Wonderland vibe… but like in an office it's kind of weird. I love making videos, that's my favorite part.

What are the ingredients for a good Eurotrash summer?

Lots of plastic wigs. Lots of plastic everything. Lots of plastic rhinestones. Fake bootleg handbags… the more bootleg the better. Just become the most bootleg princess that you can be.

Is there anything you're doing after this?

Releasing more music! After this album comes out, I’m putting out a deluxe or remix. And then after that, more music and then after more music and more music. I really want to release two more projects this year because I feel like I've been working on making it all last year and the year before so I just want to release release release release so be on the lookout for my next music videos.

Okay I'm so excited. Ciao bella.

Ciao, have fun in Italy. I love Monica Bellucci.

TOP RIGHT + BOTTOM LEFT: ISABELLA wears TIARA by UNTITLED & CO, SKIRT by DENIZ BLUMENSTEIN, HEELS by CALVIN KLEIN ℅ GRAILED, BELLY BUTTON RING by MARTINE ALI.

TOP LEFT + BOTTOM RIGHT: ISABELLA wears BRA + HEELS by WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM, PANTS from STYLIST’S ARCHIVE, EARRINGS + BELLY BUTTON RING by MARTINE ALI.

Listen to Vanity here.

Music

Beyond Time: Adriatic Sound Festival's Debut Summer

June 26, 2025

This month I got to witness the birth of one of the most exciting parties in Italy. Located in a small town right off the coast called Fano, The Adriatic Sound Festival brought some huge performances perfectly clouded with cigarette smoke. ASF kicked off its debut strong, boasting an impressive list of artists considering this was its first year. Rüfüs Du Sol, Green Velvet, Sven Väth, and Richie Hawtin were just a few names who graced the old airport which had been transformed into an architectural feat with two stages. The ground-breaking 360 stage design slowly spun the DJ around all night, giving the crowd ample space to run free.

I couldn’t get over how different it felt to other music festivals I’ve been to. Everyone seemed to be there for the music and at no point was I suffocating trying to get a glimpse of the DJ. Apparently, this was all by design according to Luca Lewis, an ex-Pro football player turned music festival founder. Lewis grew up in Pesaro, a nearby town after moving from New York. The area is home to his mother’s entire side of the family and with the introduction of the festival, it is getting the most tourism it’s ever seen. Over the course of one year, what started as a crazy idea quickly became the real deal as a stunning team was brought together to deliver a great show.

Words by Abby Dillingham
Photos Courtesy of STUFISH

Following the festival, I was able to meet with Luca Lewis over Zoom to get to know more about how all of this came to be in such a short period of time. Only getting into the music scene once he moved to New York to play for the New York Red Bulls after COVID, Lewis is brand new to this world. He moved to Pesaro in 2001, spending nine years growing up there before moving back to New York. Read below for the full interview where we talk through everything from the architectural inspirations to his family members surpisingly raving all night long.

Did you get to enjoy the festival or were you running around the whole time?

I walked fifty-six kilometers on day one. It was good, hopefully from the outside it was all smooth.

Have you done any other music festivals before?

No, actually I've never worked in music or done any events in my life in any way. I was born in New York and my mom is from Pesaro, Italy which is next to Fano. I had this crazy idea but we had no idea how to start. I was driving with one of my friends from Fano named Nicolo, and we passed the airport and I thought it could be a really great place for a music festival. It's perfectly gated, right off the highway, right on the beach, right off the main train tracks…everything. Then he said, “Well, there's a new mayor coming into town so let's just make something up.” So I made a deck, almost as a joke. This was a year ago in July. That's the crazy part.

What were you inspired by when coming up with this one?

We created this theme of Ancient Romans being beyond their time which led to our slogan “Beyond Time.” Fano has a very close connection to Ancient Rome which inspired us to create the temples and arches. During the Roman Empire, Fano was the capital of the Adriatic Sea so this was a very important part of their history. Julius Caesar and Augustus marched from Rome to Fano to conquer the Adriatic then went into Croatia and all the neighboring countries. So I was able to convince them in July, came back to Italy to go to preseason, and then decided to stop playing and started focusing on the festival 100%. The city actually announced the festival. I saw it on the news and that’s how I knew we were 100% doing it. At the end of November, we met STUFISH who designed the stages but nobody really wanted to sign up as it was a year one festival nobody wanted to take the risk.

How did you change their minds?

I feel like we created a very strong brand and the stage design especially is what got the attention of the artists but at first it was extremely difficult. I just really stayed on top of them. Then once one big artist signed up it triggered everything. Rufus [Du Sol] took quite a bit of time to convince. It all happened super super super fast and became bigger than what we expected.

Was it important to you to do the festival in Fano? Was your connection to the community something that mattered to you?

Yeah 100% it’s where I grew up. My whole family on my mom's side is from here and no one thought it could actually be done (laughs). Bringing a festival to Fano… I mean nobody knows Fano. When you see the dates of the artists you see Ibiza, Madrid, and then you see Fano.

Did the people from Fano want to get involved with the festival?

A lot of people wanted to get involved and we had a lot of volunteers. Towns can be a little strange sometimes because they can be a little negative and hesitant so there was a lot of chit-chat. But yesterday we had a press conference and it was very positive because all the hotels in Fano were one hundred percent booked and everything was sold out. We brought a lot of tourism to the city. It was actually the most tourism that they've ever gotten so that was a big achievement. Even going forward, we’ll have a lot more support from the city because we’re bringing a lot of money to the city between the hotels and the restaurants and all that. That part meant a lot, especially because I did it with one of my best friends who was born in Fano.

Did your family come to the festival?

Yes, my dad was very supportive of this. He really liked the idea and helped me navigate all of the contracts with the agents because he's a lawyer. He was very involved in it. All of my family came. They all thought it was going to be a big rave. That was the word around town.. Everyone kept calling it a rave. Actually my mom stayed for ten hours with her friend and had so much fun. My Uncle who usually goes to bed at 9PM came and he was hanging on the techno stage smoking a cigarette. It was hilarious. To see that was amazing.

Did you help at all with the design or architecture for the stages?

Actually, I really don’t like festivals. I think they're very boring and all the same with a square stage and big LED screen. I just get bored. I get suffocated. So I wanted the stage to be in the middle. It creates this kind of flow where it could be empty in some areas, but that's the beauty of it because you can still see the DJ and dance but you're not stuck being too close to someone else. When I met with STUFISH I had drawn this really funny sketch on my iPad. At first, I showed him an image that I made with AI and they weren’t into it and then I showed them this stupid sketch and they loved it.

They had always wanted to do 360 design but no one wanted to do it. So we sat down and studied Roman architecture. It was inspired by the Arch of Augustus, which is located in Fano. So from my sketch, Zarya and Ric from STUFISH created that monster [The Temple]. It was risky to do 360 design. People in industry were completely against it.

Why is it risky?

Because it had never been done so nobody knew how it would go but I think it worked out and next year it'll be even bigger and much more full. I think we needed a strong brand to tap into the festival market, it couldn't just be another copy paste. Our marketing team did a really exceptional job with the storytelling.

Thanks for sharing all of this with me.

Thanks for coming, are you going to come back next year? It’s going to be even bigger.