It's Women's History Month, so we're showing some serious love from home to our favorite female artists. Pass the time at your casa, and share it with your cat, your plant and your friends on FaceTime.
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office spoke to Cuco on how he's avoided "staying in a box,” love songs, and broken limbs.
You’ve been DJing a lot lately… What’s up with that?
Yeah, I’ve been DJing a bunch and doing a lot of sets. I’ve always liked DJing. I’d never been, like, good at it, but I decided to get kind of decent at mixing and finding deep cuts of cumbia. Sometimes I like taking a break from singing and doing crazy stuff live, and just being able to play music that I think is really dope.
Do you approach these sets differently from other Cuco performances?
Yeah, ‘because I don’t have to do anything other than bring a USB stick. But it would be cool to start integrating visuals and all that kind of stuff, because I think it would make it more of a real experience.
I was a little surprised you didn’t have a different stage name…
I was going to, but then it just started being called ‘Cuco DJ sets’, so I just started going with it. But I think, eventually, I just might have to have a stage name.
There was an interview you did with KCRW last year, and the presenter asked you about the worst advice you’ve ever been given. You told him a music rep suggested “staying in a box.” It’s kind of funny how you’ve taken that to heart and done the complete opposite, not just with DJing but with your overall career, too.
Yeah, it’s always been kind of like that. I feel like people are more open now with being weird and making weird music, and so it’s really good. But I feel like [back then] there was this kind of hesitation where they were like, “We really don’t know what you’re doing, so just stick to doing one thing.” But I’ve always been really ambitious to do different things, whether it’s DJing, making different music, different genres, doing visuals, making art and stuff like that. It just keeps my mind running.
There was an interview you did with KCRW last year, and the presenter asked you about the worst advice you’ve ever been given. You told him a music rep suggested “staying in a box.” It’s kind of funny how you’ve taken that to heart and done the complete opposite, not just with DJing but with your overall career, too.
Yeah, it’s always been kind of like that. I feel like people are more open now with being weird and making weird music, and so it’s really good. But I feel like [back then] there was this kind of hesitation where they were like, “We really don’t know what you’re doing, so just stick to doing one thing.” But I’ve always been really ambitious to do different things, whether it’s DJing, making different music, different genres, doing visuals, making art and stuff like that. It just keeps my mind running.
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[Laughs]. I’m sorry – I don’t mean to laugh, but it’s a lot going on.
No, yeah, it’s crazy. I shouldn’t be getting injured that frequently. But I think just exercising, and I also drive a lot, I like to collect some of my cars, I like hiking, I like traveling, and just making art. I think being inspired by other things I create––like sometimes through a visual, I’ll think of something to make music-wise, or sometimes I’ll draw something, or shoot a photo on 35mm or 16mm.
Being from California has always played a big part in your music, just as any artist’s hometown does. Have you ever wondered what kind of artist you’d be if you weren’t from California?
That’s a crazy question. Being from California is kind of all I’ve ever known. I don’t even know what I’d be like, even if it was just LA. I don’t know what I’d be like if I was from a different part of California.
You performed at Flog Gnaw last November. How’d that go?
It was sick. It’s one of the coolest festivals in LA, just because it’s very curated to a lot of different artists. But it was great seeing my hometown receive me with a lot of love and seeing a crazy ocean of people being there, singing the songs, and my parents watching me. It was a perfect way to close out the year of touring.
You were growing up a few miles away around the same time Tyler started the festival. Did you go at all back then?
I went one year – I wanna say it was 2016? Yeah, it was ’16. Lil Wayne, Erkyah Badu, and Asap Rocky performed.
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Let’s talk about Hitchhiker. How do you come up with new ways to talk about love and, particularly, messing up?
Literally just living. Living and reflecting on what I could always do better, what’s been done to me, how I receive it and how people receive me, and how to grow from everything.
With this EP, do you still feel like you’re in the Fantasy Gateway world, albeit maybe now you’ve just gone to a new planet?
I think Fantasy Gateway was kind of the start of the Fantasy Gateway world. With Hitchhiker, in its own way, it’s in the world but at the same time, it’s also in a completely other realm, because of the production and how it’s dealing with existential dread, living, love, heartbreak, growth and letting things go. But it’s definitely the step after Fantasy Gateway,because shortly after, I started going through a bunch of different things, like injuries. I had to stay home and recover, so that made me write more music.
Right, I heard about that — something about how you broke your arm twice and then they gave you ketamine?
I dislocated it twice, and the second time they did a cross-sedation on me. They K-holed me. In my experience, it was not fun. That was in July of 2022, and I just started getting over the long-term effects a couple months ago.
Wow, that’s horrible.
Yeah, a lot of dissociative states almost a whole year after that.
What’re you influenced by outside of music? I know you rock climb.
Yeah, I haven’t climbed since my last injury. My shoulder dislocated, and I had to get arthroscopy, so I have hinges on my shoulder, but I broke my leg last June.
FULL LOOK by TANNER FLETCHER, SHOES by CAMPER, JEWELRY by MARTINE ALI, HAT by OPEN EDIT (left)
BLAZER by OFFICINE GENERALRE, SKIRT by TANNER FLETCHER, SHOES by CAMPER, HAT by GLITZ GALORE (right)
The relationship you have with your fans is interesting. When it was announced you were playing at Flog, people commented things like, “No one’s going!” and “I’m staying home!” Funny enough, these same people were your fans. Does it ever trip you up seeing these? Like, is it hard differentiating between who’s a fan and who’s not at all a fan?
I just think it’s funny. I don’t use TikTok that much, but there was a time when I did, and I saw there were comments like “And the crowd goes mild!” and they were [from] a fan. So, I just encouraged it. I don’t really trip out if it’s from people who aren’t fans. I don’t take an insult that seriously, so I just let it flow. But it’s really funny.
By the way, how did ‘Drink your Fuckn’ water’ start?
Oh, it was random. Honestly, I saw my nutritionist, and she was telling me, “Oh, you need to take more protein, you need to do this, take more of that, how’s your water intake? And I’ve always been good about my water. I’m pretty obsessive with how much I drink. So, one day I think I was just like, “Drink your fuckn’ water.” I got into a streak of posting it, and then one day I didn’t post, and people were like, “Yo? Where’s the reminder?” And I’ve just been on a streak ever since. I don’t know how long it’s gonna go [on] for, but I gotta keep it up.
I read recently that you don’t listen to your old music at all. Why?
Even new music, too, when it drops, I don’t like listening to it sometimes. I listen to all of my demos nonstop, and then when it comes out, it’s like, ‘onto the next.’ Not that I don’t like it, it’s just kind of weird to hear my own voice.
OVERCOAT and JEANS by MELITTA BAUMEISTER, TAN LEATHER COAT by CUCO, SHOES by CAMPER
Surely, you’ve been out somewhere and one of your songs came on…
Yeah, yeah. I have friends that know I don’t like listening to my own music, so they’ll go to the jukeboxes – the digital ones – and they’ll play my music, and they’ll stare at me the whole time. Just super awkward.
What’s it like performing old music then?
Performing it is great. But I hate rehearing some of the old music. When me and the band need to rehearse it, we’re just kind of dreading it, ‘cause it’s like, “This song is so easy. We know every part of it.” But when we do it live, it’s super different. The crowd’s singing it, too, and you can see how much love and how much impact a song has over people. That’s when it’s really worth it, and it made me fall in love with my music.
Yeah, it’s funny, because I saw you curated a playlist for HUF full of songs you were really enjoying. None of your songs were on there.
Oh yeah, nah, I’ll never put my own song on a playlist.
My last question: it’s a new year, new you. How’re you feeling about everything? More importantly, what’s 2024 gonna look like?
It’s busy. Just working on new music and hopefully – same as every other year – just trying to get people to see my growth and trying to motivate people. I think, last year, I saw a lot of people comment things like, “I’m so-and-so this many months sober because of you, I quit doing this because of you.” That’s been super sick, and I just wanna keep doing that for people and be able to express how much I appreciate them. But yeah, also just growing in my own life. Maybe get some more music gear. Maybe get another car – an old one that I can just keep building up.
Regardless of the genre, MICHELLE's lyrics hold true to the bedroom singer-songwriter attitude that makes us remember that these are just a bunch of groupchat members-turned-friends. The story of MICHELLE is one big coming of age-movie, soundtracked for and by six kids who grew up in the city who just happened to be making music at the same time. We sat down with each of the members of MICHELLE to see what they’ve grown up with and how they’re going about it now.
Where are you from?
I’m a lower Manhattan native. It took until I was in my early teens to realize most people didn’t live in and between skyscrapers.
Did you have a musical upbringing?
I’ve taken piano lessons since early elementary school, and started playing the drums in fourth grade. All of my piano teachers have always insisted piano wasn’t for me, and all my drum teachers wished I committed more to the drums.
What’s your role in the band?
In the live show, I play the drums and wear the wife pleasers. In the studio, I go between scowling and laughing until the song is as good as it can be.
First MICHELLE memory?
FaceTiming with Charlie in the spring of my freshman year of college, conceptualizing the album that would go on to become heatwave.
One genre you haven’t explored yet that you’d like to?
This isn’t necessarily a genre, but I would love to make music that is wet and reverberant. Our music is generally dry and in your face, recorded close up in dead rooms. I would love to make an album in a church and use lots of room mics to create a larger than life resonant reverberant sound.
What have you been listening to lately?
I heard a song called “Gecko (Overdrive)” by Oliver Heldens and Becky Hill while I was getting dinner near my studio and have been vibing to it all evening. Very cool housey poppy track.
Guilty pleasure?
Corn muffins from my local bodega for sure.
Pet peeve?
When people don't clean up after themselves in shared spaces. I’m not @ing anyone specific here it’s a recurrent pet peeve I have in my life.
Weirdest experience while filming in public?
Maybe not the weirdest, but the wettest I’ve ever been was at our pulse video shoot. It took me a solid hour under my blankets to finally feel a semblance of warmth again.
One word to describe MICHELLE’s music:
For this upcoming album? “True”
What’s your warm-up routine?
For the stage, I have found that physical warmups are more helpful than mental warmups. I used to practice mindfulness before going on, and found that I always started the show dissociated and confused. Nowadays I try to stretch for about 10 minutes before going on. There’s nothing better than feeling loosey goosey in front of a crowd.
How have you changed since starting MICHELLE?
Since the band started, I’ve acquired a bunch more synths, microphones, preamps, and drums. So now I’m a man who has a lot more synths, audio gear, and drums than the man I was before.
In an alternate universe, what are you doing right now?
I’m one of four singers in a boy band called Michael. I’m the one with short curly hair and the iconic falsetto. I also have a tattoo sleeve I think?
Where are you from?
I grew up in the East Village.
Did you have a musical upbringing?
There was always a lot of music and dancing in my home. I took piano lessons but stopped in third grade. I started singing with friends at lunch in high school and taught myself just enough guitar to write small songs.
What’s your role in the band?
Singer, songwriter, choreographer, eyes-on-the-art, and friend.
First MICHELLE memory?
Sitting in my college dorm facetiming Julian. It was the first time we’d ever spoken on the phone and he was explaining what writing and singing with other people might be like.
One genre you haven’t explored yet that you’d like to?
I’d like to listen to everything more. But to sing right now I’d say country. I heard Tammy Wynette’s “‘Til I Get it Right” and I was so taken by it. There is a simplicity and a clever clearness in the writing. I found it very moving and I’d like to try singing that song or writing in that way.
What have you been listening to lately?
Lana Del Rey. I was late to “NFR” and I really enjoy it. Also Democracy Now- I realized a couple months ago that the audio from their shows go up on Spotify so I listen there.
Guilty pleasure?
Selling Sunset.
Pet peeve?
Bitter, rude people. And I saw Julian’s answer, probably that too while we are here.
Weirdest experience while filming in public?
Maybe not weird but there were plenty of uncomfortable moments. I got my period while we were filming at the beach, I’ve been terribly cold and ridiculously hot during certain shoots.
One word to describe MICHELLE’s music:
“Ooaahtsssz”
What’s your warm-up routine?
Before a show, I enjoy the ritual of putting on makeup with the other vocalists. We are howling our “ooos,” climbing up and falling down in the scale, applying blush and crisp liner in between. MICHELLE drinks a lot of throat coat tea. We dance in the live show so I make sure to get in my body and stretch too.
How have you changed since starting MICHELLE?
I think I've gotten better at saying no or rather not saying yes to everything. I've grown my hair out long.
In an alternate universe, what are you doing right now?
My head is shaved and I'm feeding cows somewhere in Europe. It’s fresh and a little damp out, I’m in a big navy knit sweater.
If you could choose one musician to play a show with, who would it be?
Karen O
Where are you from?
I’m from Clinton Hill.
Did you have a musical upbringing?
Both of my parents are musicians so yes - music was imposed upon me. I grew up on a lot of reggae, Beatles, bachata, Aretha and jazz. It has definitely informed my sound and vocal stylization. I sang and sang and sang and then I was 24.
What’s your role in the band?
Singer, songwriter, performer.
First MICHELLE memory?
Sitting on Julian’s bedroom floor, getting ready to start writing on a HEATWAVE track. Emma opened up an email from her college and I realized that I was attending the same school in the fall.
One genre you haven’t explored yet that you’d like to?
Country blues/folk music. Something that exists in the Mississippi John Hurt/Elizabeth Cotten/Karen Dalton world.
What have you been listening to lately?
Tucker Zimmerman <3. Also ‘A Written Testimony’ by Jay Electroncia. And ‘Open the Door’ by Betty Carter on repeat, to release stuck emotions.
Guilty pleasure?
Shit TV.
Pet peeve?
Disrespect.
Weirdest experience while filming in public?
There have been multiple instances of us filming in public and dealing with strangers either filming us themselves or getting involved in some way. When we were filming our Agnostic socials campaign on the handball courts at Rockaway, some guy and his wife shouted at us from the boardwalk mid-shot. He told us to demonstrate the game of handball for his wife to watch because she “didn’t know what the game looked like.” We told him we weren’t actually playing the game and were shooting something, to which he insisted that we fulfill his request regardless (we did not).
One word to describe MICHELLE’s music:
Lofty.
What’s your warm-up routine?
Ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah.
How have you changed since starting MICHELLE?
Before MICHELLE I had aggressive stage fright. I was additionally incredibly socially anxious. Joining the band was my trial-by-fire, and I gradually outgrew my fear. Now I can get onstage and throw ass in front of strangers without ruminating on it for the following 3 days.
In an alternate universe, what are you doing right now?
I’m a quantum physicist who dabbles in contortion.
If you could choose one musician to play a show with, who would it be?
I can’t choose one, I’m sorry - Caroline Polachek, Moses Sumney, Jessica Pratt, Pussy Riot, Hozier, Willow, too many more man….
Where are you from?
I'm from New York City, born and raised babyyyy.
Did you have a musical upbringing?
I'd say I had a pretty musical upbringing. I sang in an all girls choir from ages 12 to 18, and I played bass in high school.
What’s your role in the band?
I'm singer, songwriter, and performer in MICHELLE.
First MICHELLE memory?
My first MICHELLE memory was writing "2.25" and "STUCK ON U" in the summer of 2018. Charlie, Julian, and I wrote and recorded the songs in a day and a half. We were just hanging out in Julian's old apartment and eating chicken nuggets while writing. It was super run and gun.
One genre you haven’t explored yet that you’d like to?
Maybe hyper pop or country?
What have you been listening to lately?
I've been listening to the new Kali Uchis album ORCHÍDEAS on repeat.
Guilty pleasure?
I love a shitty reality TV show. The shittier the better.
Pet peeve?
When I ask someone what kind of music they listen to and they respond with "everything." Like c'mon, I wanna know specifics! At the very least, tell me a couple of genres or artists you like.
Weirdest experience while filming in public?
We got a lot of confused stares in the supermarket while we were filming videos for THE PEACH.
One word to describe MICHELLE’s music:
Eclectic
What’s your warm-up routine?
For my body, I try to stretch every day. For my voice, I'll sing scales and vocal slides.
How have you changed since starting MICHELLE?
Prior to MICHELLE, I was very STEM focused, partially because I loved science and partially because it felt like a practical career path. I've always been musically inclined, but I treated music as just an outlet or a hobby before MICHELLE. Now, I'm definitely more tapped into my creative side and I've allowed myself to identify as an artist. It feels silly to admit now, but it was a big shift for me, especially since my Korean mother had always expected me to be a doctor.
In an alternate universe, what are you doing right now?
Living off the grid in a cabin in the woods. I’m the most centered and peaceful version of myself when I surround myself with beautiful nature.
If you could choose one musician to play a show with, who would it be?
Victoria Monet <3
Where are you from?
Born and raised in NYC! I grew up on the Upper East Side.
Did you have a musical upbringing?
My musical upbringing consisted of my parents always having music playing in the house, whether it was the radio or our favorite CD’s. Bee Gees, Queen, KISS, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Norah Jones, Wham!, and Yazoo were always on heavy rotation. I’ve always been obsessed with performing. I took piano, guitar, and singing lessons, and formed my first band when I was 14.
What’s your role in the band?
In MICHELLE, I am a vocalist and songwriter.
First MICHELLE memory?
In 2018, going to Julian’s apartment in an all-pink jumpsuit and my pink mustang guitar to work on some music that would become part of our first album HEATWAVE.
One genre you haven’t explored yet that you’d like to?
Chanting. Or IDM.
What have you been listening to lately?
I’m currently obsessed with the songs “God Sent Me Here to Rock You” by Naomi Elizabeth and “I Think I’m In Love With You” by Jessica Simpson. I’m also a devoted listener of the podcast How Long Gone.
Guilty pleasure?
A drunk cigarette after doing a DJ set.
Pet peeve?
I get sooooooo peeved when people hate on others for living their best life.
Weirdest experience while filming in public?
We tried filming some content near Coney Island and someone on the board walk starting photographing us and chatting with us as if they were our hired photographer. While flattering, it was interfering with getting the shot we needed.
One word to describe MICHELLE’s music:
Legitness.
What’s your warm-up routine?
For me, warming up is about getting connected with my body. So I do a lot of breathing and stretching to remember what it’s like to have a body. I do a lot of lip trills to get the phlegm out from my vocal folds, it also lets the air massage them. Sometimes some planks and mountain climbers to get the heart rate up and build some heat. Jumping jacks are fun too.
How have you changed since starting MICHELLE?
I’ve become a better listener to music, to others, and to my own body.
In an alternate universe, what are you doing right now?
I’m in grad school writing papers, reading primary sources, and serving academic cunt around campus.
If you could choose one musician to play a show with, who would it be?
The 1975
Where are you from?
Raised (not born - spent the first two shameful years of my life in San Francisco) in NYC!
Did you have a musical upbringing?
Very musical upbringing, both parents were musicians.My grandmother could play the piano with her toes.
What’s your role in the band?
Producer, songwriter, optimist. For the live shows, I play bass and make knowing eye contact with Julian whenever I fuck something up.
First MICHELLE memory?
Rambling, inebriated facetime sessions with Julian trying to think of all the good singers we knew.
One genre you haven’t explored yet that you’d like to?
Hardcore. I know it’ll never happen though - I simply can’t play that fast.
What have you been listening to lately? Labi Siffre, Floating Points, Louis Jordan, Brahms. Many of my friends are visual artists, and they always put me onto great shit because they can just listen to music in the background all day. Being a musician is terrible because you can’t listen to music while doing it.
Guilty pleasure?
Taking 45+ minute poops.
Pet peeve?
Being rushed. Needless anxiety. That type of thing.
Weirdest experience while filming in public?
I tend to zone out pretty hard between takes, so I miss a lot of the exciting stuff. That said, there’s an unreleased music video nobody will ever see for a song called LOVE UR NAME in which I get slapped in the face, and while filming, some stranger stopped by and taught us proper face-slapping technique.
One word to describe MICHELLE’s music:
Not sure I can do that. I can do six words, one word per member, maybe… MICHELLE‘s music feels too stuffed with information to fit into one word.
What’s your warm-up routine?
No such thing. I start every show ice cold and end every show red hot.
How have you changed since starting MICHELLE?
I’ve awakened to the joy in very mundane parts of life that I never imagined being enjoyable as a teen. Also, when we made HEATWAVE I would eat an entire Freshdirect frozen pizza for lunch at Julian’s house every day. If I tried that as a 25-year-old I would shit my pants and spontaneously combust.
In an alternate universe, what are you doing right now?
Being taller.
If you could choose one musician to play a show with, who would it be?
Alternate universe taller Charlie.
office caught up with Skillibeng ahead of the release of his newest single and his upcoming Mr. Universe album. Read our conversation below.
Hey Skillibeng! Where are you right now?
I’m at home in Jamaica!
How often are you at home these days?
It varies. I've been resting for most of last year, the year before it was a bunch of traveling. It was 50/50 with being home and traveling.
What’s your favorite place you’ve traveled to?
In the States — Miami, and New York. I love LA too. I love it.
How did music start for you? Was there a moment where you decided you wanted to be a musician?
It was in my latest days of high school. Actually the last year of high school, that's when I decided I wanted to become an artist.
Who were some of your early influences?
I looked up to everybody. I definitely have main influences, though. Vybz Kartel, Popcaan, Mavado, Aidonia. I listen to a lot of rap too. So I listen to Lil Wayne, Future, Young Thug.
You said in the past that you wanted to be a household name one day like those artists, and now you’re on your way. How does it feel watching your dream actually come true?
It's crazy, because everybody thinks it's something out of the norm that's happened. It's just like me doing what I do best, which is just creating music and watching everything else come to life.
Now that you have introduced a lot of people in the US and internationally to Dancehall, what would you say is like the heart of Dancehall? What do you think makes it a special genre?
It’s the language and it's the culture. How small the island [of Jamaica] is, but how relatable it is to the rest of the world. I want Dancehall to represent Jamaica and the culture, but also music overall because Dancehall is actually a genre that mixes with a lot of different genres. It is actually connected to a lot of different types of music in the world and it's also a Jamaican thing.
Tell me about the upcoming single and the album. What inspired this project?
The upcoming single — I was in England for Wireless [Festival] and I had a couple of meetups with some producers and P2J was one of those producers. That's how the upcoming track that we're about to release came about. And the album, the name is Mr. Universe, so it's just me showing the world that you know, I'm just a Jamaican kid who is very relatable through music internationally.
Speaking of Mr. Universe, you've collaborated recently with a handful of artists from other countries, including some American artists. How has it been to collaborate with artists from other genres, and is there anyone you haven’t collaborated with yet but want to?
The thing is, as music goes by, I don't really choose who I collaborate with. It's a natural thing, you know, if I like a person's sound or flow or something, and the label comes across to me and say, “hey, you could actually get a feature with this person,” I say okay. So it's really a natural thing. I don't really differentiate between artists, as long as they're actually good artists that take music seriously and sound really good.
But yeah, Lil Wayne or Future. Those are some of the artists that I haven't collaborated with yet internationally. As a kid, the only person that I really wanted to collaborate with was Vybz Kartel, and now I already have two Vybz Kartel collaborations. And I've already collaborated with the queen of rap Nicki Minaj. Twice.
How did those collabs with Nicki come about?
Oh, that song was just hot. That song “Crocodile Teeth” was literally just hot. I think Drake had told her, “you know that this kid is ripping the streets up, he’s going places, I think you should jump on that track.” And she actually did, and she put it on her mixtape.
You've accomplished so much already, but there's still such a long future ahead of you. Where do you hope to see your career in the future?
As we initially started, with the conversation about household artists — that's the main aim, you know, to be respected musically. For the people to know that music is just my thing, and accept me even 20 years after, for me to be able to still drop a track. It's like a supermarket. People gonna go to the supermarket that everybody trusts and they got the products they want.
So me as an artist, I’m trying to differentiate myself from other artists who might come up and fade away. That's not what I'm trying to pursue.
Thank you so much for making the time for this conversation. Congratulations on all your success and I look forward to seeing where you go.
Respect. It's already past the first month but happy new year, may it be a very prosperous one. Stay focused.
Thank you, you too.
