Artist to Watch: BabyJake

May 26, 2020

BabyJake, real name Jake Herring, is an artist whose music is a mix of R&B, hip-hop, rap, and soft rock. From Fort Myers, Florida, he calls his style “urban pop,” first gaining notice in 2016 with his single “Little Mess.” His music was originally inspired by a range of artists from Tom Petty and Crosby, Stills, & Nash to Lil Wayne. This 6’6’’ musician has begun his rise to fame in the past few years now working with Republic Records and most recently releasing “Confidant” which (plug) everyone should check out!

Currently his most popular song on Spotify, Cigarettes on Patios, is one of my personal favorites, and, after some exploring, my friend discovered that BabyJake puts his phone number in his Spotify bio for any of his fans to text him. I was able to (and still am) get to know him over text and interview him about his music career.

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I'm a normal guy, love working out, nature, big outdoors guy. And I just happened to fall in love with music at a young age and it panned out!

Why is your name BabyJake?

It started as a joke and then just stuck. I’m 6’6’’ and a grown man so it was funny!

What got you started in the music industry?

I released music under a different alias and got a little traction and then started learning about the music industry and really diving into the details.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I gather inspiration from people and experiences. I'm always on the go so I experience a lot of different things pretty regularly.

What other hobbies do you have?

Workouts at the gym, basketball, fish, shop, and creative design

What's your favorite of your songs or collaborations you've worked on?

My favorite song thus far is “Confidant.” It’s most true sounding to the sound I’m going for.

Who are some of your favorite artists? Maybe any up and coming artists to look out for?

Lookout for Nate Traveller, Last Minute Consumer, Bredan Bennett, ripmattblack, Justlo, Sham etc. Anyone from Florida really. That's my spot. I'm from fort myers florida so I really try to support the roots there. I think if we all try we can really grow a community out there for the long haul.

As far as favorite artists/songs I’m a big oldies guy so right now I'm listening to Silver Seas- Get yer own train, The Cars -Just what I needed, some old reggae classics etc. Always listening to old live music, house, or salsa, or reggae!

What are you up to during quarantine?

WORKING. Staying busy. Cleaning up my diet and getting my body right. Trying to take full advantage of this time to better myself. The grind doesn't stop baby!!!

What are you looking to do next or excited about for the future whether music or non music related?

I'm excited for this EP to come out. I'm excited to be able to tour (hopefully soon we’ll see with corona). I'm excited for people to actually say that they are a BabyJake fan, not one of my songs but actually my entire artist project. I feel like that doesn't happen till you drop a project.

Any advice for college students in general or college artists?

Keep going. I was there once, and I'm not better than any of you. Stay patient, develop a consistent workflow and shoot for the stars.

Check out BabyJake on Republic Records, Spotify, Soundcloud, Twitter, and Facebook!

Featured Image via

Quarantine Skillshare: Charlie Kolodziej’s Fantastical Embroidery

May 15, 2020

Charlie Kolodziej is a second year student in the College considering a major in either sociology or psychology with a minor in creative writing, urban studies, or computer science. Outside of the classroom, they write for The Maroon, play the drums in the Percussion Ensemble, and work for the Neighborhood Schools Program. You can find more embroidery on Charlie’s Instagram: @charlie_stitched!

The first time I met Charlie, they were wearing their signature bag with the UChicago phoenix embroidered on it, in eye-catching shades and textures of reds. I knew that it was born out of love and many (many) hours of careful and tedious stitching. Since then, Charlie has been cemented as “That Embroidery Kid”, and that’s a hand-stitched patch they wear with style.

I have been very closely following the recent resurgence of textile art, especially as “Circular Fashion” has become a more prevalent consideration of the average consumer. I have noticed more people knitting hats, crocheting two-piece sets, and learning to sew clothes and, more recently, masks. Embroidery has also emerged as a way to rescue clothes or fabrics that have become lifeless with new designs and as a rising de-stress practice for many.

Through this conversation with Charlie, we discuss their particular work, the embroidery community at large, the gendered history inherent to embroidery, and how anyone interested can begin to engage with the medium.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

When and why did you start embroidering?

I started embroidering at the beginning of my senior year of highschool following a breakup. Partially to distract myself. Partially because I saw my friend embroidering in the school’s art room and I was like “Oh, that’s really fucking cool”; over a break I bought the stuff and taught myself how to do it. I had a lot of anxiety. Embroidery definitely helps with that. I usually compare it to meditation because doing an action over and over again makes me zone out and breathe, which is really nice.

Is that repetitive action part of what inspires you to embroider?

Yeah, sometimes I embroider just for the sole action of embroidering and I don’t have any vision of what I am creating. I post a lot of the things I make on my Instagram, but 99% of what I make I don’t because I’ve just decided to stitch a cool pattern. There’s nothing really to these pieces, just the motion, and I find that relaxing.

Image of “Pandemic” (2020) via Instagram

I saw your most recent project “Pandemic” on your Instagram (pictured) and it struck a chord for me. Can you tell me more about it

My other “Art Love” is graphic novels. I’ve made and written a number of comics and short stories in the past. The use of panels really appeals to me because they are nice and ordered. So that’s the inspiration behind that piece. It is part of a series that I’ve been working on. But, with that specific piece, I went back and forth on whether to name it “Pandemic”, because I did not want to make light of a serious situation. I intended to just reference the anxiousness that everyone is feeling right now, and the general zeitgeist, so I ended up seeing that theme in the piece.

Why not show off the incredible detail of the work, by wearing it as a brooch or patch?

I do wish more people could see the intricate nature of the pieces because it is hard to discern through photographs, and a lot of time goes into each of them. In terms of wearables, I’ve been incorporating more beads into my stitching projects, instead of one or the other. I find this really hard to do without it appearing too kitschy or crafty-looking, not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.

Image of “String Theory” (2020) via Instagram

Is there a specific style that you tend to gravitate towards?

I think when I started I was very into hyperrealism and artists who make thread-based pieces look like paintings. Now, I’m totally the opposite. That style is still incredibly impressive, but, to me, it seems to take away the fun of embroidering. It is not painting. It does not need to imitate other opposing art forms. Why not create something new that is specific to this medium? Now, I use larger gestural stitches with chunky thread in combination with beading. It’s a little more camp… and there’s something inherently queer about camp.

Why do you think the embroidery community is expanding? Why are people gravitating towards this medium?

Obviously social media is playing a part in the distribution of embroidery work. There’s also been a resurgence in non-traditional ways of consuming and producing garments. Upcycling and thrifting have become more popular because of their lower toll on environmental waste. The Romanticist in me, however, would argue that because we are so tied to our devices, and embroidery is just the complete opposite of that, that maybe we are trying to escape and unplug. It is also just a really accessible art medium because it accepts all skill levels and requires very few materials.

Featured work from artists (from left to right): Jessica Gritton, Charlie_Stitched, Fistashka.Art, TheNudeNeedle, and Archcurate.

To follow up, in terms of the gendered history of embroidery work, which can be viewed as a functional technique of mending clothing and as embellishment, do you think those expectations of the medium have impacted your own work?

In short, yes. I think, partially because I see myself as more genderqueer, I do put a lot of thought [to how I situate myself in that discussion]. But, I do kind of like that it has this feminine side. In terms of the Instagram community, I am one of two or three other people I can think of who were assigned male at birth, which isn’t to say there aren’t a lot out of others out there, those are just the ones I know. It does feel like we are received differently although I can’t exactly pin down in what way. But, there is a community of queer and trans embroidery artists, who are producing valuable work about gender and [exploring themes and techniques that are unexpected for the medium]. For example, Jessica Gritton is an embroidery artist and a trans-woman who is processing her transition through embroidering and she is amazing.

How has embroidering your own clothing impacted the way you view your style?

Whenever I see someone who has hand-embroidered on their clothes — and you can tell it is hand-embroidered rather than machine-embroidered because there is more love in the stitches — I get super excited. I actually don’t have that many embroidered pieces that I wear regularly. My hat, bag, and jackets are all exceptions. I think at first this was because embroidery felt feminized, but since coming to college, I have felt more comfortable displaying my own femininity.

Image of Jacket and Bag via @charlie_stitched

What is your opinion on upcycling clothing from thrift stores to embroider on?

I come at this discussion in two veins. On one hand, I admire that people are manipulating old things in new ways and reinterpreting their clothes. This is both stylistically forward and environmentally conscious. But the other side of me remembers “thrifting” because I needed clothes, and not because it was trendy. However, embroidery feels more benign [than upcycling clothes with just a “Vintage” tag and a higher price] because it is more about making something new and feels less problematic.

How has quarantine affected your embroidery?

I definitely have more time! I’ve been producing a lot more stuff. My sources of inspiration have changed because I can’t really go outside and see something that inspires me. This series of works based on comic books came from being inside and reading graphic novels and being bored. Looking around my tiny apartment, rather than out in the world. I never really buy new fabrics, instead I recycle fabric from garments. So, the materials I gravitate towards have changed slightly.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to give embroidery a go during quarantine?

Start. When I first started, I literally Googled “basic embroidery techniques” and then just used an old t-shirt as a canvas. You don’t need any fancy types of thread or needles—DMC thread and needles are the really nice stuff, but that doesn’t have to be the starting place for beginners. Don’t be afraid to fuck up.

Featured photo via @charlie_stitched

Album Review: Three. Two. One. by Lennon Stella

May 8, 2020

Three. Two. One.

The wait for Lennon Stella’s debut album has finally come to an end after long anticipation. Lennon Stella’s early career was built through her appearances on “Nashville” and her collaborations on chart toppers such as “Polaroid” by Jonas Blue with Liam Payne and “Takeaway” by the Chainsmokers with ILLENIUM. Three. Two. One. is an announcement and a celebration of Lennon finally embarking on her solo career.

In this album, Lennon includes lyrics that are all too relatable for listeners like the unexpectedness and confusion of finally being in a healthy relationship in “Golf on TV” or the moment you finally realize a relationship is over in ‘Kissing Other People.”

Immediately after hearing Lennon as a featured artist, I was drawn to her full-bodied and expressive vocals. Her acoustic covers on youtube show that she is an extraordinarily gifted singer in her own right. Three. Two. One. is a masterful compilation of songs that brings out Stella’s powerful vocals in slower, acoustic pieces while also using music production to experiment with sound. This blend of music creates an auditory experience for listeners to replay over and over again.

While in home quarantine, Lennon filmed the music video for “Fear of Being Alone” which speaks to her ability as an artist to adapt and to create, even in challenging circumstances. The “Fear of Being Alone” speaks to a truth that many of us struggle with: we can find ourselves in a broken relationship but can’t find comfort in our own solitude and company. The lyrics: “It’s not love that keeps us holding on … it’s the fear of being alone” hits this truth.

Acoustic pieces featuring a piano accompaniment like “Older than I Am” showcase Stella’s voice and ability to convey raw emotion as she wishes for the bliss and carefreeness of childhood but is instead confronted with the responsibilities that inevitably come with growing older.

“Weakness (Huey Lewis),” on the other hand, is quite sonically experimental and varied. It begins with noises from a home audio clip: hushed conversations, laughter, and instrumental noises (from a radio?). Then it transitions into a melody ushered in by a series of guitar progressions. The beginning features solos by Lennon and her younger sister, Maisy, which leads into a harmonic duet. Their voices compliment one another and add depth to the tonality of the piece. After this duet, there is a break, where a repeating bass line and percussion introduce a new type of sound. It is definitely more layered with music production and keyboard. In the span of one song, Lennon manages to incorporate both the acoustic and the synthetic elements of electronic music to craft a piece that is both interesting and pleasing for the ear.

Lennon Stella’s explosive debut album is catchy but not monotonic as some pop albums fall victim to. Lennon is definitely a rising artist to keep on your radar for the coming years.

featured image via

Artists to Watch: Trove

February 12, 2020

Made in Australia but quickly catching on all over the world, International Pop Singer, Songwriter and Producer Trove is Music’s next big star. Noted for his mix of organic and electronic beats, Trove brings the worlds of live instrumentation and digital exploration together to produce music that is powerful, emotional and unmistakably individual. I was lucky enough to chat with him about his new song, ‘Cyclone’ and his Selftitled EP ‘Trove’ and the artist himself gave us a look into his creative process, his aspirations and what it means to be a music producer in the new decade.

Hi Trove, nice to chat with you! Congratulations on your new song ‘Cyclone’ and your new EP ‘Trove’; we’re absolutely loving it here at MODA Blog. For our readers who aren’t quite as familiar with you, why don’t you go ahead and let us know a little bit about yourself? How you got into the industry, where you began to discover music and producing, and a quick summary of your journey?

Thanks so much! Glad you like the new song. I started out playing drums and guitar as a kid and shortly went to piano and singing as a teenager. I had played in a band back home in Australia and ended up touring the country and releasing multiple records across a period of 8 years. The band broke up and I decided to move to LA to pursue my own solo endeavours. I had been producing for a few years prior, learning from other producers that my band had worked with and also doing a million different online courses/messing around with things. Once I moved to LA, I signed a publishing deal and a record deal, said yes to absolutely every writing session I could and slowly built a really good group of friends and collaborators around me. Fast forward two years later and I have just put out my debut EP, played a couple festivals including SXSW and Sundance and have had my songs featured in a handful of different TV shows and commercials.

As I said earlier, MODA Blog absolutely loves ‘Cyclone’, I’m curious about how it got put together; let’s start with what the inspiration for the song was?

This is actually one of those songs that didn't come together quite so easily. I wrote it two years ago ( the month I moved to LA actually) and it was originally for a DJ collaboration. When that collaboration didn't work out, I still really wanted to use the song as I genuinely really liked what I wrote. I then produced 5 different version over the next year and a half, none of which quite fit with the vocals so I left it alone for 6 months knowing that it was going to be the final song on the EP. When it was time for the release to be planned, I sat down and revisited it and it all came together in a matter of days. The final version that you hear, is the final version from my computer.

Generally do you find that themes or elements that influenced ‘Cyclone’ also influenced some of your other works? And in that same vein, is there something consistent that you’ve found in the kind of music you make?

I think all of my songs have a certain lyrical aspect in them that I would say represents me and how I like to express my stories and feelings. In terms of the concept of Cyclone, there have definitely been other songs written based around the same influences. In a weird way, it set the tone for the first kind of music I wrote when I moved here and then was the very last song that came together for the EP so I think there were definitely some moments of trying to pull from that.

Do you have any artistic influences for your work? Artists, sounds, experiences?

I love so many different kinds of music it's hard to pin it down to a single genre or artist. I feel most inspired when I hear someone say something in a unique way or a production sound I think is really cool. Experiences are probably the biggest influence for my music. I would have nothing to write about if I didn't go out and live my life and I have really made a point of doing that the past 12 months and I have the stories to prove it!

We know that you have quite an impressive musical background from learning classical instruments like piano, guitar and drums while also training yourself vocally and now incorporating digital sounds, I’m interested to hear about your process. When you write a song, where do the sounds and rhythms come from?

For the most part, I write to a guitar/piano chord progression that I come up with. I start with the bare minimum and if I think it holds it own for my own personal taste, I will then build a drum beat and start putting the building blocks together. One of the things I am most thankful for is that drums was my main instruments for so many years and also the first that I learned, so it has really helped me understand rhythm and the backbone of any song.

I love to work collaboratively, but Cyclone was completely independent and I really notice a difference between the two. I don't think either is better or worse, I do think that there is a time and place for both. Sometimes collaborators can pull ideas out of you that you never knew you had and vice versa. However, some songs need to be kept for yourself and I've really worked on my production skills to a point where I feel comfortable doing it all myself if I feel the desire!

Do you think about expressing a certain emotion, narrative or experience to a listener and what effect do you want your music to have on them?

I just want people to hear my music and relate to it in some way. I think we all go through very similar things in life and the emotion or situation I am dealing with in my current life is definitely something somebody else is going through in their own way. If my music can help people realize they're not alone in it, then I feel like I have succeeded in the reason I create music in the first place.

And moving on, I’ve heard you’re doing quite a bit of travelling recently, any interesting stories to share?

I visited 13 countries in 2019 and really took some time to see new parts of the world. A couple standouts:

• I got horrific food poisoning in Morocco and had to go to hospital, where I burst two veins in my nose from the fever, spilling blood everywhere.

• I drove through a blizzard from Nashville to LA and almost slid off the road, cracked my windshield and genuinely feared for my life

• I didn't pay for a train ticket in Berlin and got pulled off the train by two inspectors twice my size where they walked me to an ATM and charged me 60 Euros

• I went to a cafe with my label manager in Amsterdam where we smoked a joint and I got so high, I had to get him to call me an uber where I then made the driver drive around my block half a dozen times because I had no idea where I was until he eventually kicked me out and I had to find my way home for the next 45 minutes

Hello from a rooftop very far away from home. Had a couple thoughts about this year and whilst musically it was great, I've felt more impacted by the other things that are so easy to avoid. I cut my social media usage in half, I read multiple books, saw 13 different countries, cut back significantly on meat consumption, started physical and mental therapy and taught myself a couple new tricks in between. Really looking forward to continued learning and new music in 2020 starting with my first EP coming out Jan 3 coupled with a single called 'Cyclone'. ⛈ Merry Christmas ps today's lesson is not to put unsealed packets of cheese in your pocket lmao 🙂

310 Likes, 16 Comments - TROVE (@listentotrove) on Instagram: "Hello from a rooftop very far away from home. Had a couple thoughts about this year and whilst..."

Come have a drink with me and @jasonfrizzell this thanksgiving

203 Likes, 6 Comments - TROVE (@listentotrove) on Instagram: "Come have a drink with me and @jasonfrizzell this thanksgiving"

And now that you’ve entered 2020, dropped an EP of four songs, what else are youplanning for the new decade?

I'm currently in the middle of putting a collaborative EP with my very talented friend James Droll. We just dropped the first single and the second one comes out on Valentine's Day and it's called 'Nothing Matters Then We Die' :) The second Trove EP will be out later this year too!

“Sometimes things don’t work out the way you plan, but as long as you love the work and love creating, you’ll always be happy. ”

If you could give advice to your younger self or perhaps to any of our readers who are
considering a career in music, what would you say?

To my younger self: be kind to yourself, your inner critic has nothing to do with who you are

To others: Write, write, write. Continuously develop your skills and find a love for learning. Move to bigger cities where collaboration is more present and also be kind to yourself. Never give up! I've been doing this for 10 years now and I just put out my debut EP lol. Sometimes things don't work out the way you plan, but as long as you love the work and love creating, you'll always be happy.

You can check out Trove’s work on his Site, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Featured Image via.