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.”

 
Falling in love with pop-punk was easy for Jacob Collins. Taking that love and turning it into his own debut album would take some time.

Releasing music under the moniker Chapter 33 has been years in the making. Blending pop-punk urgency, alternative rock grit and classic melodic influences into 12 songs exploring relationships, accountability, purpose and bettering one’s self was something he took seriously. What started as a collection of demos became a journey of personal growth.

The youthful energy of pop-punk mainstays such as Green Day and Blink-182 was something Collins was determined to capture. He idolized the way they could balance an album with humor, such as “Platypus (I Hate You)” or “Family Reunion”, and sentiment, such as “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” or “Adam’s Song”. The contrast made each emotion even more powerful.

He also wanted to capture the attention to detail and willingness to experiment that he admired from The Beatles. They showed him that he could be meticulous with the creative process while writing songs that felt effortless and enjoyable.

“That intersection between playful, carefree pop-punk and carefully crafted songwriting is really what I was chasing throughout this album,” he said.

Recording over several years gave him the room to grow as a lyricist. He found that most of his lyrics came from observing people in his life: acquaintances, friends, loved ones. He would pay attention to the choices they made, the way they treated others or the obstacles they faced. Those observations made for a kind of storytelling that could be applicable to a broader audience.

“Even when a song isn’t directly about me, there’s usually a real experience or person behind it,” Collins said. “I like writing in a way that lets listeners relate the lyrics to their own lives rather than spelling everything out. I think that’s what makes music so powerful - everyone can hear the same song and take away something different from it.”

By taking the time to perfect this album, he recognized the importance of keeping a fresh perspective. It was important to him that each track had its own identity. Whether that be the melody, chord progression, energy or overall feel, he spent the creation process making sure no two songs sounded the same. He did not want the album to become predictable.

He also wasn’t afraid to step back from a song and return to it later with fresh ears. Taking a break gave him the opportunity to notice things he may have missed had he pushed himself to keep going in that moment. Giving himself - and the song - a moment to breathe made all the difference.

“At the end of the day, my goal was to make an album that kept listeners engaged from beginning to end, where every song brought something new while still feeling like it belonged on the same record,” he said.

Alongside producer Mitchi Dimitriadis, they built each song layer by layer. They almost didn’t know how to stop adding layers, but discovered that trusting their instincts usually led to a finished product that they were both proud of. Holding the first physical copy of the album was a surreal experience.

He has learned an unbelievable amount while creating this album. For starters, he learned just how capable he was. If anyone had told him a few years ago that he would be writing and recording a full-length album, as well as performing those songs on stage, he wouldn’t have been able to even imagine it.

“Making this album taught me that if I truly set my mind, heart and soul to something and stay consistent, I can achieve things that once felt impossible,” he said. “The whole experience gave me a lot more confidence in myself and reminded me that growth comes from taking that first step, even when you’re full of doubt.”

He also learned that vulnerability was one of the most powerful tools a songwriter could have. He wanted to write lyrics that were honest and personal enough for listeners to see parts of themselves in them. Walking away from this album feeling understood or inspired was the ultimate goal.

“I hope this album encourages others to believe in themselves the same way this journey taught me to believe in myself,” he said. “I’ve always believed that music can tell the truth in a way that everyday conversation sometimes can’t.”

Photo courtesy of Elora Marketing

Annika Catharina may love a good heartbreak song, but she wanted her rock and roll roots to shine in her latest EP, Up All Night.

AC/DC and Heart were prevalent in her household, and when she found artists such as Evanescence in her teenage years, it was game over. Rock is the genre she gravitates towards as a listener, and she knew that she wanted to incorporate those sounds into more than just a cover song here and there on stage.

“I love songs that make me sit there and reflect,” she said. “After doing an EP where there’s a lot of emotions and heartache with more pop-country vibes, I wanted to dig into ‘What does Annika love to do?’ and I love to listen to and play rock music. There’s something about rock music that gets me all fired up.”

She strives for authenticity in her music, and because she writes with the storytelling aspect of country music in mind, she knew she needed the right people in her corner to bring out her inner rock goddess. With producers The Renaissance, they were able to blend her two loves into a cohesive, edgier body of work.

“Under Covers” was the first release and was the first time she really experimented in the studio with a different sound. The second single, “Better Hands”, leaned more towards the pop-country genre but sprinkled in some rock influence. It brought Catharina into a headspace of wanting to write confident music.

“Just because I was heartbroken doesn’t mean everything is over,” she said. “I’m ready to grow and I’m ready to move on; I’m ready to learn from my mistakes. When I was writing everything that I was writing, I wanted it to breathe confidence.”

“Dancing With The Devil” was her nod to Amy Lee; an intensely slower track meant to showcase the music that first inspired her. “Old Habit” was the perfect follow up and the perfect lead-in to “Won’t Be You Tonight”; the female empowerment summer anthem she had in her arsenal for almost a year, and once she added that to the track listing, she knew she had a batch of songs that fit into a central theme.

Up All Night was never meant to just be about the physicality of being up all night and having fun with friends. It was the ideas, the stories, the songs; the deep thoughts that tumbled around long after the sun set. “Cartwheels” is the ballad that encompasses all those thoughts.

She refers to it as one of the most special songs she’s ever written. She was in a certain headspace as she wrote it, channeling a specific memory that still makes her emotional when she performs it. Production-wise, there are so many little additions that made “Cartwheels” the song they spent the longest creating. Coming in at just under five minutes, she went back and forth on if it would make it to the final track listing.

“When we were recording it, it was such a beautiful experience,” she said. “It’s at the point where, no matter what happens, if people like the ballad or not, that whole experience was really awesome to me and I’m really really glad that I recorded it.”

Listening to Up All Night from top to bottom is a journey through emotions that rise and fall with each track. It is the EP where Annika Catharina continued to practice her craft and challenge herself in a way that led to a more confident version of her.

Graphic created by Hard Pass Creative

When Featurette was gearing up to release their first album a decade ago, the identity of Featurette Girl was formed. With 10 years to ruminate on the logic behind creating a character, Lexie Jay finds herself looking back at someone who experienced too much trauma to understand her own identity.

With the release of CRAVE, it was not yet clear that Jay had trouble being herself. Creating an alter ego of sorts let her dissociate away from herself enough so that she didn’t have to be anyone other than Featurette Girl.

“It’s quite obvious to me now I had a lot of trouble with gender in general,” she said. “I had trouble taking compliments. I had trouble being in my own skin.”

A year after their debut album, they released “Bang” and “Upside Down”. While neither song was her favorite piece of art, it was the continuation of the story of Featurette Girl. Jay and Jon Fedorsen introduced that era to an online publication that not only wanted to share their story, but would continue to do so.

Hi, it’s me.

The more that Jay created music, the more she found a way back to herself. The more she poured her personal tales into lyrics, the more Featurette Girl started to fade away.

Although Marc Koecher was always a part of Featurette’s creative process, once he officially became a member of the band was when the character disappeared. Turning the duo into a trio was a relief for Jay as it was no longer just her ideas and her vision. It was all of them having a voice.

In the song “EXIT” from their latest release, MULTISTATE, as Koecher and Fedorsen play “the angriest shit they’ve ever played” and Jay is about to scream the final bridge, the idea of Featurette girl is gone completely. Despite the heavy personal ties Jay has to the lyrics, she knows it is not just her song. It is her voice on the behalf of something bigger than her.

“It’s not me, it’s us,” she said. “We’re this three-headed monster and it’s not even about me.”

She understands that she is the face of the band. Although that is a completely separate tangent about a need for a new Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, she is just beginning to understand where and how the story began. She is more comfortable with her femininity than she has ever been, and has realized that even the music that wasn’t her favorite was her way of taking a left turn to know she was right.

“The problem I had with ‘girl’ is that I was just trying to get away from that idea,” she said. “Now I’m actively transcending that in a way where I don’t even need her anymore. I’m doing ‘us’ and ‘us’ is other people who are on my wavelength. I can reclaim myself because I wasn’t safe, but now I’m not only safe because I have ammo but also I’m powerful and I did that.”

Five interviews and two guest blogs later, the partnership between Featurette and Black is the New AP Style is much more than an impersonal email interview from 2017. We can agree that the thing about people like us is we can’t be stopped. Not in a way where we want to be stopped, but we don’t know how to stop, so we continue writing songs and articles and spending more than an hour on the phone because we are far beyond Featurette Girl.

Jay is no longer the freshly-graduated-from-opera-school young adult that had no idea how to sing into a microphone. She is no longer confused about what a band can or cannot look like. Between her and Fedorsen and Koecher, they feel unstoppable. Triangles are the strongest shape, after all.