Surfbort, Cut Copy and Lizzie Armanto Talk Style Ahead Of Los Angeles Air + Style Festival This Weekend
Words by Heather Hawke
Air + Style isn’t your run of the line music festival, it sets itself apart by also including top competitors in snow and skateboard. What does that mean? It means you’ll get a chance to see athletes like Halldor Helgason, Ozzy Henning, Dylan Alito, Kyle Mack, Pedro Barros, CJ Collins and Cory Juneau doing various competitions (on a snow-covered urban street scene and a concrete skatepark) alongside stages where musicians such as Phoenix, ZEDD, Gucci Mane, BADBADNOTGOOD, Phantogram, DRAM, Tinashe, Mura Masa will be performing on. The fourth annual two-day music festival is taking place at Expo Park (700 Exposition Park Drive) in Los Angeles this Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4. For more details and to purchase tickets, head to https://airandstyle.com
Below we have chats with Dan Whitford (Cut Copy), Lizzie Armanto, and Dani Miller (Surfbort) plus 5 additional artists to watch out for this weekend.
Tinashe
Photo by Dennis Leupold
Not only is Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe a multi-platinum- certified R&B singer, writer, and dancer, but she also produces, mixes, engineers, creative directs, and edits. When she started making music – since she’s not one to wait for opportunities to come to her – she taught herself how to do everything. She wants to be a representation for female producers and engineers and show that women can in fact be a part of each step of the process. Her debut full length Aquarius was released in 2014 followed by an official mixtape Nightride in 2016. As someone who’s very hands on and who loves to create things out of nothing Tinashe loves the possibility of inspiring people through a live performance, a music video, or a song. She also loves that fashion is another form of creative expression and another way for her to tell her story. The fashion and beauty world have recognized her exceptional fashion sense and in turn she’s been in a high-profile Ralph Lauren campaign alongside Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin as well as partnerships that include Alexander Wang, Calvin Klein, and M.A.C. Cosmetics. Additionally, she was the face of Juicy Couture’s exclusive Urban Outfitters collaboration. Tinashe’s sophomore album Joyride is slated for release in 2018.
Cut Copy
Photo by Jimmy Fontaine
What initially started in 2001 as a home-recording project by Dan Whitford who wanted to mix his love of sampling and instrumental hip hop has now become the Australian electronic band Cut Copy. Dan has since recruited a posse of friends Tim Hoey, Mitchell Scott, Ben Browning and together they’ve made five studio albums; Bright Like Neon Love (2004), In Ghost Colours (2008), Zonoscope (2011), Free Your Mind (2013) and their newest “Haiku From Zero” was released last September.
Responses by Dan Whitford
How would you describe you fashion style evolution over your lifetime?
I think I slowly of graduated from being an indie thrift shop kind of guy into having my own more defined sense of style. I live in Scandinavia, where everyone has a pretty classic style, which I admire, but I also think it can be a little conservative. I think I’ve ended up inheriting some of that classic vibe, but always combined with something a little more humorous, colorful and unusual. What’s life without a little adventure?
Have you consciously had to think about it since becoming more in the public eye as a musician?
Yeah, I think anyone who goes on stage to perform in front of a crowd thinks about what they wear at some point, even if it’s a conscious decision not to make an effort. When you do photo shoots and that kind of thing it’s probably the main time it becomes a discussion point within our band.
How would you describe your current since of style?
These days when we perform I generally aim to wear things that are simple, clean and present well on stage. Not quite formal wear, but often shirt and trousers, maybe a pair of trainers. Outside of performing I just wear things I like, which more recently has been a bit more graphic, printed stuff. I’ve always enjoyed being in a creative line of work, because people almost expect you to wear things that are a bit out there. So, there’s no boundaries – you can really throw anything on.
Does it change when you go on tour?
Not really, except that my nice clothes probably don’t receive the loving care they deserve!
Washed Out
Photo by Alexandra Gavillet
The Georgia-based musician Ernest Weatherly Greene Jr. who releases music under the stage name Washed Out is known for the minimovement that has become known as chillwave (a label he doesn’t care to be associated by) with his first two EP releases Life of Leisure and High Times in 2009. Washed Out has also released three full length albums, Within and Without (2011), Paracosm (2013), and his most recent Mister Mello in June of 2017. On Mister Mellow, Ernest plays up to his stoner like reputation where people think all he does is sit around and smoke weed all day. When it’s in fact the opposite. A lot of the music he says is exaggerated and more silly than previous Washed Out stuff and the artwork (which feature a large Xanax pill) is supposed to be tongue in cheek. While working on this album he found himself to be stressed all the time with all the moving pieces, not to mention the responsibility of getting older, and the constant instantaneously of information via the internet. He took all of that into account, made a conscious effort to actively unplug from the internet from time to time, and made a record that had no limitations.
Mura Masa
Photo by Piczo
Alex Crossan, who goes by the stage name of Mura Masa is a Guernsey-born electronic music producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He says his upbringing of growing up on a tiny island that, although beautiful and serene, had a very small population and was culturally isolating had a lot to do with him being more reserved. Coming from a place so remote, he grew up observing the underground scene through film and the internet and found his way into the creative process from an outsider perspective. Alex is impacted by a wide array of genres that most would consider unusual for an electronic artist, including Caribbean and hip-hop influences. Mura Masa’s self titled debut album – that features some notable collabs like A$AP Rocky, Desiigner, and Charli XCX – was released in July of last year.
Lizzie Armanto
Photo by by Hannah Bailey
At only 24 years old, Lizzie Armanto has spent the last 7 years dominating the women’s skate scene. Lizzie is a 4x World Cup Skateboarding Champion and recent ESPN X Games Gold Medalist. After dominating women’s events for the past 7 years, Lizzie spent most of the last few years competing and qualifying for finals in Men’s Pro events around the world with a goal of being the first woman to finish top 3 in a Men’s Pro event.
From core skateboard publications around the world to features in mainstream fashion and lifestyle magazines, Lizzie is in a class of her own. With an equal amount of core media to her male counterparts, Lizzie’s advantage lies in her appeal to a broader mainstream audience allowing her to transcend her sport.
Respected by men and women alike, Lizzie is a true role model and in 2012 began working with Step Up and Skate, an organization that promotes skateboarding in developing countries. From Kuwait to Bahrain, Peru, Asia among others, Lizzie travels to and host clinics, workshops, and participates in demonstrations.
How would you describe your fashion style evolution over your lifetime?
My fashion style has always been what feels comfortable. I always try to maintain functionality. I tend to favor darker colors. When I started skating skinny jeans and a light tee became my go to. Good jeans make me feel safe.
Have you consciously had to think about it since becoming more in the public eye as a skateboarder?
Inadvertently yes. When I go to events or even out to shoot a photo I usually think about my outfit beforehand to fit the occasion or spice it up to what I feel like. I have always done that, I just do it more now that it is part of my job and I enjoy it. It is part of how I express myself.
How would you describe your current sense of style?
Lately I have been in to wearing chino pants and tying my shirt in a knot at the bottom. I have an array of long sleeve tees that I cut the sleeve and made in to crop tops too.
Does it change when you have to tour?
When I am on tour I definitely mix it up more. If it is a skate trip I bring more comfy/functional stuff but if it’s an event I will mix it up more.
Twin Peaks
Photo by Daniel Topete
Chicago indie-rock band Twin Peaks was formed in 2010 and consists of four friends (Cadien Lake James, Clay Frankel, Jack Dolan, and Connor Brodner) who had grown up with each other since elementary school. The formation of Twin Peaks happened towards the end of high school after Cadien’s former band he had with his brother Hal spilt up so Hal could join the Smith Westerns. Wanting to get out on the road the band had quickly and cheaply recorded an album in Cadien’s basement. The album, entitled Sunken, got the attention from Autumn Tone Records and the label issued it in the summer of 2013. After high school, the band had a stint at college, Cadien, Jack, and Connor went to Olympia to attend Evergreen College, but realizing it wasn’t for them headed back to their hometown. Following suit they began the process of creating their sophomore release with producers Andrew Humphrey and Colin Croom, this time putting more work into crafting their sound. What came out of that was Wild Onion – an album that didn’t lose sight of their wild live set – which was issued by Grand Jury in summer 2014. Colin Croom joined the lineup on keyboards in 2016 alongside the release of their third LP, Down in Heaven. Last year they released a double live album titled Urbs in Horto that was recorded over three nights at Chicago’s Metro and Thalia Hall in 2016.
Wet
Courtesy photo
Kelly Zutrau, the lead singer of indie pop trio Wet, grew up performing in musicals around the Boston area. Around the age of 16 she dropped out of high school as to just focus on creating art, she later studied art at Cooper Union and Rhode Island School of Design. She met the other band mate’s multi-instrumentalists Joe Valle and Marty Sulkow after moving to NYC and they bonded over their love of Cat Power and ’90s R&B. They released a self-titled EP in 2013 and their studio album Don’t You was released in January 2016.
Surfbort
Photo by by Jen Dessinger
Brooklyn punk band Surfbort who’s comprised of Dani Miller, David Head, Alex Kilgore, and Sean Powell was formed in early 2014 and is indeed named after the famed Beyoncé lyric. The band channels inspiration from the 80’s punk scene to produce stirring, turbulent music and an exhilarating animated live set. They’ve supported acts such as Thee Oh Sees, Fat White Family, White Fang, The Garden, Tijuana Panthers, The Mystery Lights, Sunflower Bean, DIIV, The Dune Rats, etc. They released a self-titled 7” in January of 2016 and last September released another 7” titled Bort to Death via Hozac Records.
Response by Dani Miller
How would you describe you fashion style evolution over your lifetime?
Mall goth, wearing mostly black, then when I met Sean our drummer he taught me how to dress freak clown, it’s pretty liberating.
Have you consciously had to think about it since becoming more in the public eye as a musician?
Yeah being in the public eye goes two ways with clothes either people sexualize me or get inspired my style I appreciate the latter more. On tour, it’s all about oversized sweaters in the van and bedazzled whatever feels good on stage!
How would you describe your current since of style? Does it change when you go on tour?
Right now it’s all about comfort first but I would say it’s 70s clown lifestyles whatever my mood is that day it shows through my clothes. Try not being afraid of wild colors and patterns together! I love layering lingerie tops, love jncos, jumpsuits, assless chaps, Mandy Moore butterfly tops, anything that makes me laugh and have a good day I’ll wear it!!
