Jeff Brennan’s career as a comic book, storyboard and 3D artist has landed him in situations that he had only dreamed of. He got his start working as a background inker for DC Comics before moving into animation, notably working on Courage the Cowardly Dog and Dragon Tales. Though his resume is impressive, his ability to find himself in unique situations with legendary creatives is just as noteworthy.

The first time he was able to meet an important figure in his life was at a comic convention. Spanish-Mexican-American cartoonist and writer Sergio Aragonés has provided new material for Mad magazine since 1967 and created Groo the Wanderer in 1970, among many accomplishments. Brennan admired his work, and immediately recognized him thanks to his appearances on television. He was so starstruck that he had no idea what to say to Aragonés, and went with a simple, drawn out “heyyyyy!” Aragonés repeated it back in the same cadence, and they both went on with their day.

After his success with Dragon Tales, he found himself as a featured extra on a television pilot that never made it to air. He was sitting at a table near craft services when he heard someone ask if they could join him. He looked up to see one of the lead actors, Betty White. He was more than happy to share the space with her, talking about her experiences as an actor and what he wanted to do next in his own career. At the end of the day, he had to provide personal information that he thought surely meant he was being removed from the set. When he got the courage to ask what was happening, he was informed that one of the actors requested he become a series regular if the show was picked up by a network. He was never able to prove it was White who requested it, but he was pretty sure that was her.

When he was living in Los Angeles, his frequent trips to a local comic book store paid off in a big way when Mark Hamill was browsing the same day as him and a friend. For a few moments, they geeked out from afar before Brennan’s friend decided to approach him. Brennan tried to play it cool, eventually joining them and getting to spend their lunch break discussing their careers and how Hamill’s son was interested in animation. As they drove home, they realized that was their opportunity to assist in Hamill’s son’s career and completely blew it.

As much as he loves telling stories of his most memorable moments, he equally loves hearing stories from admirers of his work. When he spends weekends at comic conventions, he finds it unbelievable that people will still approach him and share versions of how impactful his work has become.

He also loves the moments where fans give off the same energy that he did when meeting Aragonés. He has a specific memory of one New York Comic Con where a woman needed to stop by the ATM before purchasing his artwork, and decided to leave her daughter at Brennan’s table, “so you know I’m coming back.” She walked away before he had the opportunity to protest, returning minutes later. That moment still makes him laugh, and he hopes that mother and daughter also find the humor in it.

From his impressive resume to his impressive storytelling, Jeff Brennan is a table worth finding at a comic convention’s Artist Alley. Watch him sketch a new piece of art, take home a completed version, and be sure to ask him about a memorable moment in his career; there will definitely be a story to tell.

Graphic created by Guy Gilchrist

Throughout the weekend at FAN EXPO Chicago, a table tucked into the heart of Artist Alley saw generations of people come together for a shared love of The Muppets. Guy Gilchrist is no stranger to the convention circuit, and his table is a cheerful display of beloved childhood characters.

A father and his two children approached the table Sunday afternoon. His bashful, younger daughter was half hidden behind her father’s legs, half intrigued by the green puppet casually sitting in a chair. Gilchrist asked, “Would you like to meet him?” Kermit the Frog came to life right before her eyes, which sparkled as bright as her smile.

For over 50 years, Gilchrist has been a part of keeping Jim Henson’s creativity alive. It was initially an intimidating role; knowing that millions of people would be seeing his artwork was unfathomable. A few of many pinch-me moments happened in the early 1980s when then-President Ronald Reagan shared with Henson that the Muppets comic strip was his favorite. Reagan initially invited Henson to the White House, and Henson told him that Gilchrist was the one who deserved the recognition. In 1984, he was the guest of honor at their Easter celebration. Not even two weeks later, Reagan’s wife Nancy informed him that his artwork was going to be permanently enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution.

“I called Mom for that one,” he said.

When Gilchrist had the opportunity to create the art for a Muppet Babies lunchbox, it felt like a childhood dream come true. He still has a vivid memory of the yellow Mickey Mouse metal lunchbox shaped like a school bus, the one that all the elementary-aged children seemed to have except for him. He wanted his to be just as memorable, and ended up asking Thermos if he could have an extension in order to make the entire design himself. The bright blue metal lunchbox featured the Muppets Babies playing as Star Wars, fairy tale, Superman, King Kong and Raiders of the Lost Ark characters. His first plastic lunchbox design featured the characters from his My Tiny Dinos book series, bright purple with yellow detailing.

“Those were special,” he said. “That was cool for me.”

There are moments where he is reminded of how much his work still means to people. During his weekend at FAN EXPO Chicago, a woman brought her beloved copy of Just Imagine: A Book of Fairyland Rhymes. The 1990 Little Golden Book has been out of print for more than 20 years, and seeing it decades later was a heartwarming moment. He also recently received a letter from a fan inquiring about another of his children’s books, Strummer, the One-of-a-Kind Duck. They were looking for another copy that was around $4 in the 1980s and currently going for over $1,000 on eBay.

“I know you love me, but nobody loves me that much,” he joked. “That’s mind blowing to me that my stuff is around that long and that people still care about it and it means something to them.”

In the midst of these pinch-me moments, Gilchrist’s children were born. They also grew up with Muppet Babies and Fraggle Rock, seeing their father’s designs on lunchboxes, board games and toy guitars. They became part of a multi-generational love for the creations of Jim Henson.

“I would work for them, and then it would be for the whole world.”

Wynne Bennett remembers hearing the early rumblings of Electroclash, a late 1990s/early 2000s music and art movement that fused new wave and synth pop with techno and electronic dance music. She was immediately drawn to the mixture of raw synths, lo-fi drums sounds, and at times, extremely fast tempos and punk elements. Decades later, her love for the subgenre became the inspiration for her latest body of work, the soundtrack for the Apple Original series, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.

She bonded over this love with creator/producer David Rosen, who met with her to discuss composing the show. They wanted to create an exciting score that felt distinct from the typical sounds associated with thrillers and comedies. Their early conversations on their mutual love of electroclash really resonated with her, and they made sure to incorporate it into the final score.

“I loved the dance culture and excitement of a new subgenre of music unfolding,” Bennett said. “Sometimes theatrical, provocative, absurd or simply just an undeniably fun track, those formative years in NYC listening and dancing to this wave of music was crucial to my musical and artistic development.”

That mutual love became the starting point for a sound that she said naturally evolved into the original soundtrack. Bennett and Rosen excitedly mused on a score that juxtaposed that tightly wound energy with the expansive sound of the original score to the 1996 Cohen brothers film, Fargo. Their initial approach would mutate over time as Bennett collaborated directly with Rosen and the series editors from early on in the production process.

“Collaborating with the editing team pushed me to keep crafting from the emotional perspectives of the characters in a supported, playful space, all while building off of each other's work,” Bennett said. “We were passionate and aligned in making the music shine for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, so I often challenged my previous work and always explored new ideas.”

The comedy thriller crime television series follows newly divorced mother Paula Saunders as she falls down a dangerous rabbit hole of blackmail, murder and youth soccer. Amidst her legal troubles, she pays for the online services of a webcam model, Trevor, and vents to him about her personal life. One night, Trevor is beaten and kidnapped on-camera and soon after, Paula starts receiving calls for ransom money. The police are convinced it is just an internet scam, but then Trevor is found dead. Paula becomes entwined with the mystery of Trevor's death as secrets from her past come to light.

The first episode was the one Bennett was most looking forward to people seeing and hearing for the first time. When Paula is painfully sitting in traffic on her way to Trevor’s house, audiences hear a synth called the Mochika. Bennett wanted to create a sequence that played on the patiently waiting and mounting anxiety feeling of being in a traffic jam. The pressure and sound builds before breaking right as Paula peels out of traffic.

“I had so much fun composing the music for her maniacally driving scene,” she said. “Remnants of hyper pop and over-the-top sounds accompany her trip on the highway.”

In the last scene, as Paula snoops around Trevor’s house, moments of silence are interrupted with eerie sounds, ultimately leading to a dramatic climax. It was another moment that Bennett hoped the audience would enjoy seeing and hearing as much as she enjoyed creating.

Leading with instinct is always Wynne Bennett’s method of creating music, and this project was no exception. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed had its bar set high with the expertly crafted story, and she got to challenge herself in the best way possible. She got to explore fresh takes on extremely intense moments and depict vulnerability with unique sounds. Turns out her instinct was right: electroclash works perfectly with comedy thrillers.

Mr. T made his first-ever convention appearance at FAN EXPO Dallas in 2025, but was quite familiar with the pressures and expectations that come with meeting fans. During his years as a professional wrestler, he said he added several skills to his repertoire: signing autographs, kissing babies, hugging grandmas and taking pictures. It became incredibly important to him that every single person who was a fan of his knew they were welcome in his circle.

When he first spoke to the people coordinating his appearance at FAN EXPO, he made it abundantly clear that he was not the type of guest who would keep his head down and sign as many autographs as possible. Having genuine, heartfelt interactions with 20 people in one hour was worth more to him than signing thousands of autographs in a weekend and collecting a paycheck.

“I want everybody that comes to see me to be satisfied,” he said. “I don’t want to treat them like just money. I want them to feel complete. I want them to feel love. For me, to just do autographs and not look at them, that’s insensitive. That’s insulting to me; that’s not my character.”

He understands how long people have waited to meet him. He recognizes the strength it takes to tell him how impactful he was to their own upbringing. He also understands humility. He isn’t afraid of feeding someone else’s ego to give them an interaction they won’t forget.

“I just try to be me,” he said. “That’s who I am. I was raised that way. I want them to know what goes on in my heart.”

The first thing he does when he approaches his table for an autograph session is explain to the crowd how his lines work. His mode of operation isn’t speed, it’s to “make love to the fans verbally”. Greeting a fan is thanking them for coming to the show and waiting to see him. It’s holding their hands and honoring requests to pray for them.

If they thank him for being there, he makes sure to reiterate that he is thankful for their support and patience. He loves hearing stories about them watching him wrestle on TV as a child or remembering the anti-drug public service announcements that altered their way of thinking.

“In the eyes of a Christian, next to God, where would I be without my fans?” he said. “If I were just signing autographs, I’d miss that moment.”

“The emotions get me sometimes,” he continued. “I’ll say, ‘give me time before I start back up again.’ I want the fans to feel the sincerity. I want them to feel good, and I need it as much as they do. I need their love.”

He is mindful of his legacy and the stories he leaves behind. He is sure to tell his fans that he isn’t perfect, but he’ll do his very best to never let them down. What he means is that when they leave that day with a photo or an autograph of him, a story of how nice he was or how he listened to them, he doesn’t want them to read a story the next week about something he did wrong.

He keeps in mind something his mother told him: there is an anointing on him, and because he is anointed, he has to guard it. He uses his platform to remind people that a good name is worth more than silver and gold.

“When they say, ‘Mr. T is a tough guy but he’s a good guy’, that means the world to me,” he said. “Sure, it’s a hard walk, but as long as I stay with God, it’s not a hard walk.”

The key takeaway is that an interaction with Mr. T does not and should not disappoint. He finds so much joy in walking around that table and pulling someone into a hug, or being shown a photograph of a child glued to the television screen showing his face. He may be a tough guy, but his heart is in all the right places.

The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art was founded in the 1970s by the comic book artist best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman. Kubert and his wife, Muriel, made sure the art school taught the principles of sequential art and the craft of comic illustrations by way of professional writers, artists, colorists and letterers working in the industry. The school’s alumni work in a variety of jobs in the fields of animation, comic books, commercial art and illustration, including artist Amanda Conner.

She recalled that it was during her time as a student when she first attended a comic convention. Her memory of the day spent with friends and fellow students may have faded but she could still feel the excitement about being in a room full of future peers. When she was first invited to attend a convention as a guest, it made the moment all the more special.

“I felt like I made it,” she said.

Conner’s career began in the late 1980s working for both Archie and Marvel Comics, and her impressive bibliography includes the character development of Vampirella, Harley Quinn, Elvira, Barbie, She-Hulk and more. Her art has appeared on Nightline and in The New York Times, and her commercial art work has been seen with Playskool, Nickelodeon and Nike.

There are two projects in particular that stand out as more ‘I made it’ moments. Her custom artwork, alongside colorist Paul Mounts, was featured inside Stuart Bloom’s comic shop of The Big Bang Theory. She also created the artwork for The Frightened Little Astronaut, a fictional book in the show.

“I was so thankful that I got to do those,” she said. “I was really amazed that they had asked me.”

It is both humbling and surprising when fans of her art line up around her booth at conventions, but she understands the importance of these memorable moments. She has had a few of her own throughout her career, including one year at San Diego Comic Con where she met one of her biggest influences, Frank Miller. She has respected his pacing and ability to create tension in his art, and getting to be in the same room with him was a bucket list item she happily checked off.

“I couldn’t contain myself,” she said. “I geeked out a lot.”

A few years ago she was able to meet another one of her heroes, Jaime Hernández. She once again had a moment to geek out about how much she admires his ability to bring human expressions and attitudes to two dimensional art.

“He has one of those talents where he can just draw real people so beautifully,” she said. “He just does it so well.”

The legacy of Joe Kubert involves his Distinguished Storyteller Award, meant to recognize comic book creators who exemplify both artistic talent and the commitment to nurturing the comic book community. In a full circle moment, Amanda Conner was presented the award in 2019. During her speech, she shared an important lesson he taught her all those years ago: the most important art in a comic book tells the reader everything they need to know, even without words on the page. She never forgot how important art is to storytelling.

Photo courtesy of Dictionary Photography

Ever since I was growing up, I’ve always loved music.

While I am a fourth-generation musician, the familial instinct never kicked in until I was about 12. I had taken voice lessons with my mom since about the age of 5, but it was always just something I did for fun. That was until my mom did a group trip with her music school to Nashville, where she brought down 50 people and had multiple performance opportunities for the students, including myself.

Those opportunities were great, but what lit a fire under me was being brought up to sing at Tootsie's by one of their afternoon bands. I sang “Independence Day” by Martina McBride, and after that I was set on being on stage for the rest of my life.

​Little did I know that this new dream I had would be both transformative and soul-crushing, yet also addictive because of how rewarding it is when it goes well.

I started playing my own gigs and going to industry events. Luckily, I had taken a year of guitar lessons when I was 8 - which I hated and stopped because it hurt my hands - but I still remembered what I had learned relatively well, and made the effort to improve, so I could keep playing live.

Today, I am 22 years old and 10 years into this dream.

I’ve worked with some incredible people, released eight singles, won an industry award, shared my music on the radio and grown into an unabashed entertainer because I love the energy of performing.

Along the way, I’ve been criticized, rejected and beaten down so many times that I’ve lost count.

And I’m okay with that.

Why? Because I’ve learned to be my own cowboy.

You see, every time this happens, I emerge even more determined to reach my goals.

First, I’m usually sad and angry for a couple of days, which are natural feelings when your art is being told that it's not good enough. Art is essentially an extension of the artist, so intense emotional waves are normal when we put our hearts, lives and money on the line.

Then, after my usual post-rejection necessary cry fest, something switches in my brain and I carry on.

I have gotten so used to taking detours in my career and trying different strategies that following a normal single rollout plan would feel uncomfortable for me, and that is the beauty of the music industry. Discomfort has helped me grow in my career and personal life.

The power of storytelling was such an important piece of Lindsey Stirling’s upbringing that it is the main reason why her latest tour, Duality Untamed, has classic storybook elements laced into the performance.

At a recent tour stop in Rosemont, Ill., Stirling addressed the audience mid-set to tell them about the best storyteller she ever knew - her late father. Some of her earliest memories are bedtime stories, sharing that his greatest asset as a storyteller was knowing when to pause. He added pauses so well into stories it made them all the more enticing. She called the pause the sacred space in life; the moment where it seems like nothing is happening but, in actuality, everything is happening.

“What makes those moments mean anything is the pause,” she said.

Throughout the night, the hero’s journey was told through music, spoken word and dance. “Run through the forest, don’t pause to hide, don’t look behind to the left nor the right” was part of a chant before Stirling emerged in a red rhinestoned cape alongside her dancers-turned-wolves. She climbed her own beanstalk and seemingly floated through the air on green aerial silks. She twirled across the stage brandishing her violin that doubled as a crossbow.

Visually, the screened backdrop displayed cathedral-style windows showcasing stained glass art, a stormy sky behind a castle, trees swaying in a nighttime breeze and a winter snow storm. It was both incredibly detailed and incredibly subtle; a way to add to the story without taking the spotlight away from the performers.

The most spectacular of them all was during the mashup of “Sleepwalking” and “Kintsugi”, where she began with another aerial silk performance while a story about a caterpillar who dreamed more than anything to become a butterfly was told. The white fabric aided her narration about the caterpillar who was trapped inside its own chrysalis, its struggle purposeful. Moments later, she rose into the air draped in white silks, violin in hand, and shed the fabric as butterfly wings spread out behind her.

Graceful is the only way to describe Stirling’s performance. The way she carried herself across the stage all night seemed effortless. There wasn’t a moment, even as she was upside down several feet in the air, where there wasn’t a smile on her face. It wasn’t that she made it look easy, she made it look fun.

At the end of the night, she explained to the audience that they weren’t just the heroes of their own stories; they were the authors. She hoped they left feeling powerful and strong. She reminded them that the reason they have dreams is because they are meant to have them. She thanked them for being there for all her stories, closing the night out with one last chance to spread her wings.

Graphic created by Hard Pass Creative

For so many metal artists in western Massachusetts, the 13th Floor Music Lounge was where they got to watch a dream turn into a reality.

Brian Westbrook, member of Lich King and owner of PDP Productions, had booked multiple shows at the Florence venue thanks to Promotorhead Entertainment’s John Gulow. They watched other mainstays shutter their doors, leaving a big enough space for them to grow their own ideas. The more Westbrook and Gulow got to know each other, the more they discussed just how doable their own festival could be.

“I had the sound, he had the booking,” Westbrook said. “All we needed was the space to do it.”

That space ended up being the backyard of Westbrook’s parents. Westbrook’s father had always supported his interest in music, whether it was driving the van to early gigs or bankrolling the first PA system. His mother was equally supportive, but father and son thought there was no way she would be willing to turn part of her property into a weekend of frivolous entertainment. Turns out, she was the one who suggested it.

This year, RPM Fest celebrates its 10th festival.

Getting the metal music community into the idea of what would ultimately become RPM Fest was the easiest part. One minute they were being pitched the idea, the next they were clearing out brush and making space for pitching tents. Goblet and Western Massacre, who both played the inaugural year, recall those days fondly.

“There was a lot of grassroots work to get the festival and the grounds for Brian Westbrook's backyard,” Goblet guitarist Nick Saldarini said. “We had to clear land, build stages… we got in on the ground floor. We kept showing up to help, and eventually they just asked us if we wanted to play, which is what our hope was.”

“Everybody that we knew and worked with already were now focused on this new thing that sounded awesome,” Western Massacre drummer Jeff Greene said. “We got involved in work days and volunteer shifts; I’m pretty sure everybody in the band at some point was there the first year clearing the grounds. We were very ingrained in this scene and all the people that were involved were some of our favorite people in our area, so naturally we have to do whatever we can do.”

Goblet was supporting their debut EP, Spring Thaw, the first year of the festival. Lead vocalist Jesse Pause recalls being incredibly nervous as it was his first time singing in a band. The metal community, however, was more supportive than he had anticipated.

Since then, the thrash metal band has been one of the most anticipated acts to play RPM Fest as they have played every single year. Their onstage antics have included Pause performing a burnout on his Harley, popping out of a coffin in the middle of the pit, launching t-shirts out of a hairspray-fueled cannon and making a sandwich mid-performance. It has turned into a running joke of whether or not the next year’s antics will be the one that gets them banned from the festival.

Greene and Western Massacre guitarist Kyle Leary love sharing the sandwich story, calling it diabolical. Never in all their years of seeing live music had they seen a fully grown man demonstrate the task of building a bologna sandwich mid-song. Each time Pause lifted up an ingredient, the crowd got louder. At the end of the song, an audience member grabbed it and took a bite. They had everyone in the palm of their hands.

Leary will also never forget opening for King Parrot during the first year of the festival. After their set, lead vocalist Matthew Young grabbed him as they were packing up their gear and ran right off the stage with him. He swears he was coughing up woodchips for days.

For the first few years of RPM Fest, they tried to fly under the radar. There was only so much they could do in the Westbrook’s backyard, and by the third year, they had clearly outgrown the space. The more their friend group grew, and the more word-of-mouth took over, the more people expressed interest in attending.

To this day, word-of-mouth is the premier way they promote the show. They have put some stock into advertising and an online presence, but physical flyering by way of street teams has been their biggest asset.

After using Kickstarter to fund the first year of RPM Fest, they discussed what they wanted affordability to look like moving forward. As creatives who have been on both sides of the scene, it was of utmost importance that anyone attending the festival did not feel like they were being overcharged. Adding a variety of side entertainment was one of the ways they wanted to give back to ticketholders.

What might come as a surprise is the amount of labor done voluntarily. While artists such as Goblet or Western Massacre offered their hands in exchange for a spot on the lineup the first year, others have offered their services in hospitality or marketing in exchange for vendor or sponsorship opportunities.

“We’re lucky to have a lot of people that care enough about the fest and want it to grow and thrive that are willing to help us out on that end,” Westbrook said. It’s really cool to see.”

Venue and crowd size aren’t the only changes over the last 10 festivals. Some changes were gradual, like the number of portable restrooms or the level of production. Some changes were sharper, such as booking High on Fire for this year’s music lineup. For Westbrook, every year feels a bit more like a real festival.

It doesn’t hit until just before festival weekend. As they’re starting to put up tents, that’s when he starts to realize that it’s finally coming together once again. Once everyone shows up, hundreds of tents among the trees full of people he loves and cares about, that’s when he feels the most proud.

Being one of the spearheads behind the festival, Westbrook has learned so much about where his limits lay and how important it is to know when to ask for help. He looks back on the first year of the festival, wondering how on Earth he was able to run audio for the main stage on top of everything else on his plate. Production and management has become his focus, leaving aspects such as press and sponsorship opportunities to their own department coordinators. By learning his personal limits and giving himself permission to ask for help, he has watched others thrive in their roles and make RPM Fest the best version of itself.

Westbrook and Gulow have certainly left their mark on the festival and all that gather for it. Goblet and Western Massacre discussed in depth just how much they are continually impressed by everything RPM Fest has accomplished. Because they were able to watch this festival be built from the ground up, they have an unbelievable amount of respect for everyone involved.

“Whether we're playing or not, which I hope we get to play every year going forward for the rest of eternity, I will be there,” Saldarini said. “It's come such a long way, and they've done such a good job with it, so we're very pleased that we were able to get in on the ground floor and see it come to be what it is today.”

Western Massacre credits Westbrook for their second album, The Fractured Atlas, as he saved it from ending up on a hard drive in the trash. He gave them the motivation to reassess their unfinished demos and help bring to life an album that they are still supremely proud of.

“We have endless amounts of love and respect for everything they’ve done for and achieved at RPM Fest,” Greene said. “[Westbrook and Gulow] are two of the most capable dudes I’ve ever known. They plan and execute on a level that doesn’t even make sense to my brain.”

The current iteration of the festival is straight off a page of Mad Libs. Throughout the weekend festival goers can watch a metal performance, root for a professional wrestler, perform karaoke, attend metal yoga, play drag bingo or go trick-or-treating. Local vendors sell artwork, custom leather or instruments. Fire breathers, face painters, welders… Creatives of all types gather for this weekend. There is something for everybody, and Greene suggested planning in advance to make sure you get the most out of the weekend.

“If you're a first-timer there, maybe that can be a little intimidating, but we're open arms to everybody who could possibly show up to RPM Fest,” Saldarini said.

Both bands also mentioned just how much the festival feels like a family reunion. The last time Western Massacre played, it was still in the Westbrook’s backyard. They have attended every festival since then, but this year they get to reunite with artists they haven’t shared the stage with in years, including their friends in Goblet.

Something that everyone interviewed for this piece can agree on: even if you hate camping, learn to pitch a tent and come to RPM Fest. They cannot recommend enough how valuable it is to experience the festival in its entirety. Check out as many bands as possible, lounge in the ultraviolet tent, support local artists, admire the scenery and make new friends.

Also, don’t forget to shower. Goblet helped build those showers, and they want you to think of them while you’re in there.

Tickets for RPM Fest are available here.

Photo courtesy of Bella Treadwell

Lauren Juzang and her friends have an annual tradition of attending Highlands Music Festival to enjoy a weekend reminiscent of adolescence. The all-inclusive getaway brings memories of childhood summer camps to life with rustic cabins and camp activities alongside lakeside stages. Part of the friends tradition includes the classic pastime of developing a camp crush.

There is one specific person for Juzang. It feels like every year the friend group asks one another, “Does he like me?” Despite nothing ever coming to fruition, it is the ‘what if’ that gives their weekend the full nostalgic camp aesthetic.

After their weekend in the Haliburton Highlands last year, Juzang returned to find a new track created by her friends and longtime collaborators, Jason Vance Harris and Aidan Spiro. She was immediately impressed with the piano and drum components, and found herself adding lyrics inspired by her camp crush. She sent it back to the duo, who spent hours not replying and giving Juzang just enough time to second guess every single line. Just as she had replied that she didn’t like it after all, they came back with a resounding ‘yes’. She was on the right track after all.

“Smooth talker” is a carefree, entertaining three minutes of attraction at its most fleeting; when someone can feel completely familiar and entirely unknowable at the same time. After the initial creation, the trio was back in the studio this past February to flesh it out. On the last day, Juzang and Spiro recorded vocals for hours before finding how exactly they wanted to lift the chorus. It was such a rewarding experience because for just a moment it felt like too much; too loud, too difficult. But then they found the key change for the last chorus. They quieted some of the gang vocals. They heard what was definitely the final draft.

The friendship between Juzang and Harris traces back to middle school, and after meeting Spiro a handful of years ago, there was always an interest in making music together. A few songs had been written here and there, but once this song came together, there was no doubt they were on to something.

“I think ‘Smooth talker’ was the glue of the three of us working together,” Juzang said. “It was the first thing that we had all come up with from scratch together. A lot of the rest of the album is either I wrote something myself or I started something with Aidan or I started with Jason and we all collaborated on it, so ‘Smooth talker’ was the first thing that was ours as a collective.”

Adding, “They’re both incredible players. They make choices that I’m just so in awe of. I’m so grateful for both of them.”

“Smooth talker” is not only the first single of the upcoming album, but the first time Juzang created a visual to accompany it. The music video was filmed over the course of six hours inside a bookshop and was truthfully just an afternoon spent with friends. Director Nick Van Horn assisted in bringing a playful introduction to the rest of the album while showcasing Juzang’s creative community.

Her forthcoming debut album, SUPERSTAR, only started to come together a few months ago while writing the title track. It was the first moment that they realized the direction they were going in was much more than a few songs.

Many of the lyrics seem to have a central theme that stems from the idea that she really thought she would have figured out life by now. Whether it was about success or love or financial stability, she found herself having conversations with so many people that had the same result: life looks a lot different than it was made out to be. Most importantly, she was not the only one feeling this way.

“There’s not any shame in admitting that I’m not where I thought I’d be,” she said. “I find a lot of comfort in that everyone is chasing their dream and whatever that looks like. That’s going to be the album: chasing a dream, figuring it out and making friends along the way.”