Nao Yoshioka collaborates with Grammy-nominated Blue Lab Beats for single ‘Stuck Wit U’

Jun 16, 2023 | New Release, Music

Nao Yoshioka, who in 2022 celebrated her 10th anniversary since her debut, has continued to expand her global activities from her base in Tokyo. She has released a collaboration single, ‘Stuck Wit U’, with Blue Lab Beats, the London-based Grammy-nominated duo. 

Nao Yoshioka first met Blue Lab Beats in 2017 when she was invited as a guest artist for a Mamas Gun concert at Jazz Cafe in London and deepened her friendship with them through Ruby Francis, also her label mate. Afterward, in 2020 Blue Lab Beats released a remix of Nao Yoshioka’s representative song “Loyalty,” titled “Loyalty (Blue Lab Beats Remix).” 

In 2022 when Nao visited London on her European tour, she had a session at Blue Lab Beats’ studio, and at Blue Note Place’s performance in Japan, she performed as a guest on stage with them. Thus, the supportive relationship between the two has continued uninterrupted since 2017. 

Finally, the long-awaited collaboration single “Stuck Wit U” by the two was completed. It is a chill medium tune that combines Blue Lab Beats’ modern and sophisticated beats, floating electric piano, and Nao Yoshioka’s expressive vocals.

Stream ‘Stuck Wit U’ HERE

Press release courtesy of Only Good Stuff

‘Will Fashion Finally Solve Its Waste Problem?’ as the EU bans the destruction of unsold textiles and bio-material innovations accelerate in 2023

Jun 15, 2023 | Lifestyle, Fashion

It can be hard to remember that the cloth and thread that drape our bodies are the result of nature’s most remarkable work (the lifecycle of cotton is from the soil to our skin) or science’s feats (petroleum becoming nylon on clothing racks) and these ingenuities have fostered fashion and design in ways that could never have been imagined, even a hundred years ago. Instead of catapulting us further in advancements; we stand to lose everything we have evolved to become, and all we have built. Not least because fashion has a massive waste problem.

Annually, the industry generates around 92 million tonnes of textile waste, with landfills around the world brimming in materials that will take hundreds of years to decompose; and materials like nylon which are petroleum based are unlikely to ever actually break down. Most often, textile waste is set alight and burned, emitting hazardous greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Surplus textiles and garments are built into the fashion system with supply chains designed to generate obscene quantities to stay ahead of the trend cycle and strenuous competition. These issues are difficult to comprehend and hard to digest against the backdrop of climate change’s prevailing presence in day to day life – but, I’m here to assure you that we seem to finally be at the precipice of urgent change.

DTS, Sustainability, Mackenzie Freemire.

Sustainable problem-solving and design-led thinking has disrupted the industry for some years now with brands, academics and experts seeding innumerable ways in which the issue of over-production and waste can be addressed. The problem is that it’s not really incentivised for large companies to change, nor are corporate conglomerates generally famed for their ability to restructure based on conscience. In a politically divisive world, news of actual policy changes that address supply chain hindrances to sustainability are rare. Just recently, governments of the European Union have proposed a ban on the destruction of unsold textiles with immediate effect, as Reuters reports “The EU governments have agreed that a destruction ban on unsold clothing should apply immediately, rather than waiting for the EU executive to carry out an assessment that could have lasted three years. Medium-sized companies, with fewer than 250 workers, would have a transition period of four years, while the smallest companies, with fewer than 50, would be exempt.”

In addition, the new law would initiate a requirement for ‘digital product passport’ issued with purchases which would detail the sustainability (or lack thereof) so that consumers are prompted to make informed decisions. The potential of laws like this could have stunning systemic effects and come as a promise of a new dawn should more countries around the world follow suit. The fashion industry’s global supply chains are complex and often lack transparency, making it challenging to trace the origins of materials and track the environmental and social impacts associated with production. Ensuring transparency throughout the supply chain, from sourcing raw materials to manufacturing and distribution, is essential for identifying and mitigating sustainability issues such as unethical labour practices, excessive resource consumption, and pollution – so this historic ban by the EU could be one of the first we see to enact true and regenerative change within fashion. 

The convergence between design and science continues to prosper with the field of biotechnology asserting itself as a space that could potentially reshape our sartorial futures. In a recent episode of WGSN’s podcast ‘Create Tomorrow’ was in conversation with Jen Keane of biotechnology company, Modern Synthesis, and she was quoted as saying something so poetic about biomaterials, “I am weaving the warp, while the bacteria grows the weft’, pointing to this delightfully symbiotic relationship within biomaterials between human and microbe. Together, the warp and weft threads form the interlaced structure of a woven fabric. The warp provides the fabric’s lengthwise strength and stability, while the weft contributes to its widthwise characteristics and visual design. Can we imagine a world in which each of us can become reconnected to the dynamic relationship intended for us and nature? Jen describes the inception of their ‘nanocellulose’ fabric for Dezeen, saying “we take waste feedstocks, so sugars from a variety of sources – this could be fruit waste or other agricultural waste – and the bacteria grow on that sugar and naturally produce nanocellulose. They’re really strong fibres and they’re so small that when they stick to themselves, because of their structure, they create these strong bonds. So, you get a really strong, lightweight material.”

DTS, Sustainability, Mackenzie Freemire.

Jen’s company and ones like hers focus on the development of biologically-based fibres derived from renewable resources such as plants, algae, or bacteria, and these fibres can replace traditional synthetic fibres, reducing reliance on petroleum-based materials and lowering environmental impact. A fibre like cotton, while naturally occurring, requires intensive resources including water, land, soil and the uncertainty of seasonal climates. Our microbial wunderkinds signal a return to nature’s ingenuity as a compass for our own problem solving. When one thinks that mycelium, the root structure of fungi, has been used to create a sustainable alternative to animal leather – in controlled environments using agricultural waste as a substrate – it becomes easier to imagine that the visions of our technology-led and nature-infused utopic dreams could come to pass. Biomaterials inherently require circular-thinking, in which the lifecycle of materials and productions are non-linear and can either biodegrade or have multiple life cycles through efficient recycling and upcycling systems.

While biomaterials have been researched in a speculative way as proposed solutions, the issue of scalability and efficiency remains to be seen. Scaling biomaterials often involves investing in research, development, and infrastructure to optimise production processes. Initially, biomaterials can be more expensive compared to conventional materials due to factors like limited availability, specialised production techniques, or higher production costs. In addition, biomaterials may require a different supply chain and infrastructure compared to traditional materials. Establishing reliable and sustainable sources of biomaterial feedstocks, such as plant-based fibres or microbial cultures, can be complex and may face challenges related to sourcing, processing, and transportation.

Microscopic Art by Daria Fedorova @dashaplesen

With a ban on textile destruction by the EU, I predict the increasing presence of upcycling in the fashion industry. Textiles will have to be diverted and we can expect spaces like recent LVMH winner Julie Pelipas’ ‘Bettter’ as a vision of the future, or South Africa’s Alexa Schempers and her brand Rethread. On the surface, ‘Bettter’ reads like every slouchy-minimalist fashion girls dreams; a subversion of men’s suits are the brand’s signature, with Julie one of Eastern Europe’s fashion darlings – the suits are deadstock fabrics, and Pelipas intends to harness the brand as an ‘scaleable upcycling system’ to integrate the practice of reworking deadstock garments into the garment construction process. In my conversation with Alexa Schempers, her strategy for solving fashion’s waste problem consists of three categories, which she described, “I think because we have three different categories – upcycling, ready-to-wear and vintage – it’s kind of like running three, micro-systems under one business. As a small business, figuring one thing out is difficult enough, so the variety is quite challenging. Zooming into each process offers its whole host of challenges, but I think upcycling is perhaps the most unique frontier to face in terms of production. We use vintage garments, taking them apart and re-designing them, and being able to offer this as a product hinges entirely on the availability of supply. There are not many people willing to work in that method because it’s non-traditional, and you’re required to almost think backwards. Then, being able to scale upcycled concepts and designs so that we can offer varying sizes, and not just make once off pieces.” This kind of market-analysis and understanding that educating consumers is vital renders Alexa as a leader in instituting upcycling as a normalised (and chic) practice. 

Collective change is a difficult road to embark on when our individualism is fostered under the current political and economic systems that we inhabit. There is brilliance and foresight occurring, and I do believe that the telling signs of climate change (heatwaves, wildfires and so on) are going to prompt even more drastic action by governments around the world. Whether it’s too late, as I sometimes nihilistically assume, is really not the point – our human drive to problem solve and to design will hopefully avail. Fashion has to look at its waste problem with even more microscopic concern than bacteria growing in petri dishes; collaboration with other industries, policy-makers, researchers, marketers and consumers will be the only way to imagine fashion lasting into any kind of new century for humanity. I think we can do it – I really, really do.

Microscopic Art by Daria Fedorova @dashaplesen

With a ban on textile destruction by the EU, I predict the increasing presence of upcycling in the fashion industry. Textiles will have to be diverted and we can expect spaces like recent LVMH winner Julie Pelipas’ ‘Bettter’ as a vision of the future, or South Africa’s Alexa Schempers and her brand Rethread. On the surface, ‘Bettter’ reads like every slouchy-minimalist fashion girls dreams; a subversion of men’s suits are the brand’s signature, with Julie one of Eastern Europe’s fashion darlings – the suits are deadstock fabrics, and Pelipas intends to harness the brand as an ‘scaleable upcycling system’ to integrate the practice of reworking deadstock garments into the garment construction process. In my conversation with Alexa Schempers, her strategy for solving fashion’s waste problem consists of three categories, which she described, “I think because we have three different categories – upcycling, ready-to-wear and vintage – it’s kind of like running three, micro-systems under one business. As a small business, figuring one thing out is difficult enough, so the variety is quite challenging. Zooming into each process offers its whole host of challenges, but I think upcycling is perhaps the most unique frontier to face in terms of production. We use vintage garments, taking them apart and re-designing them, and being able to offer this as a product hinges entirely on the availability of supply. There are not many people willing to work in that method because it’s non-traditional, and you’re required to almost think backwards. Then, being able to scale upcycled concepts and designs so that we can offer varying sizes, and not just make once off pieces.” This kind of market-analysis and understanding that educating consumers is vital renders Alexa as a leader in instituting upcycling as a normalised (and chic) practice. 

Collective change is a difficult road to embark on when our individualism is fostered under the current political and economic systems that we inhabit. There is brilliance and foresight occurring, and I do believe that the telling signs of climate change (heatwaves, wildfires and so on) are going to prompt even more drastic action by governments around the world. Whether it’s too late, as I sometimes nihilistically assume, is really not the point – our human drive to problem solve and to design will hopefully avail. Fashion has to look at its waste problem with even more microscopic concern than bacteria growing in petri dishes; collaboration with other industries, policy-makers, researchers, marketers and consumers will be the only way to imagine fashion lasting into any kind of new century for humanity. I think we can do it – I really, really do.

Written by: Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

It’s time to be ‘boring’ – why a life not plastered all over social media is becoming more appealing

Jun 14, 2023 | Navigating Reality, Lifestyle

Let’s not beat around the bush. Social media is draining. In a world where we are getting ever more symbiotic with our devices, the lines between URL and IRL are becoming increasingly blurred. The sheer amount of screentime fuels an ever-growing pandemic of dissonance and dissociation which then begs the question, is it time to unplug and frankly, can we afford to?

I have my gripes with the four horsemen of the apocalypse: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok. If it’s not their unethical business practices and data farming, it’s their ever more dystopian mission to keep us all glued to their platforms as long as possible. The longer we are glued to our apps and devices, the more time companies have to promote their services and products they sell. Have you ever found yourself doom-scrolling or picking up your phone because you thought you heard a notification? Well, this is all by design. There have been full documentaries such as The Social Dilemma in which a multitude of industry experts that worked for the major tech conglomerates, outright tell us that how they design apps and devices is not with ease of use in mind; these platforms are specifically designed to keep us on their platform for as long as possible. In a Vox video, former Google design ethicist Tristan Harris (also of Social Dilemma fame) explains that there are many different manners in which companies and apps draw us to them or keep us on them. Whether it’s the unpredictability of the information provided in your push notifications or simply the fact that these apps have access to constantly pine for your attention, embedded within these apps is a constant attempt to draw you away from what you were doing. Then there is how the presented content is laid out, encouraging you to stick on the platform for far longer than you probably should; bright, vibrant colours, motion, and sound are all there to absolutely peak that dopamine. God, even the manner in which we refresh feeds (by pulling down) is there to simulate that pulling motion of slot machines, and what is our prize? Even more content and ads to waste away the day with. That’s if we even have the choice to refresh the page with TikTok’s infinite scrolling layout proving alarmingly effective.

DTS, Nick Fancher.

So what are we to do in a world that, by the day, is becoming eerily more similar to a Black Mirror episode? Where billion-dollar corps are constantly fighting to get our attention while we are desperately clinging to some semblance of sanity via nihilist memes and the relatability of our awkward philosopher king Slavoj Žižek. Well, many boomers will simply say put down those phones, but that is a bit harder than it may sound. Simply put, we spend an average of 395 minutes (six hours and 35 minutes) daily online, just doom scrolling away. A lot of jobs are linked to devices and technology of some sort, and the Covid-19 pandemic rapidly accelerated our occupation’s integration of tech. Whether it’s a marketing tool or the platform you produce content for and gain inspiration from. I often say that I haven’t enjoyed using social media platforms since starting my career as a writer in 2018.

My experience of opening Instagram has felt like nothing more than work for many years. Is this a trend I should keep an eye on? Is this an artist I want to check out for a potential feature? Is this an angle or a point of interest I can touch on for the column? This widespread experience by creatives, that social media serves as a tool for our careers, is actually a disruptive response to the intended experience of the online escapism heralded by most tech companies. In this slight disdain for the machinations of Silicon Valley, I think many of us, from Zoomer to not-quite boomer, find a semblance of commonality because we find creative inspiration to be productive and carve our careers, online. I think this community and commonality is one of the positives.  

Gone are the days of online escapism of coming home after school and playing online games on a capped 3G internet dongle. Long gone are the days of silly little selfies and the innocence of filters on Instagram; that frankly was nothing short of a travesty. Social media platforms are basically no longer as much about the social aspect as they are a tool for self-marketing and business opportunities. We no longer find an escape in the online sphere as the online sphere is such an integrated part of our IRL lives. I can’t escape online because the very thing I am looking so desperately to escape from is also found online. Death to Stock Photo is a stock content and trend analysis agency that spoke on this very subject. They argue that all the time we spend engaging in the online spheres, “expanded reality has us longing to go back to the concrete. In our increasingly hyper-connected world, unplugging has become an act of rebellion”. They argue that this has led to an anti-trend emerging where while social media companies aim to build a world in which we could be trapped for so much longer (metaverse and the likes), where some of us as consumers have simply had enough.

DTS, Nick Fancher.

Enter good old-fashioned IRL (in-real-life) escapism, and God, does it feel good. At some point, we all have taken some form of digital detox. A break away from the social media platforms that have their claws so deeply entrenched in us, or maybe it’s a break from all the dating apps where we delete all traces of us on Tinder, Bumble and Hinge (just to redownload them out of boredom). Now take that intentionality and take it a step further. Take that break from social media and use it to reconnect with nature, people, communities, hobbies, and, well, probably most importantly, yourself. As much as an older generation may loathe to admit it, the youth is actively changing their mentality and engaging in activities that bring them joy. Think of the sheer amount of running, cold water swimming, hiking, climbing, biking, potter- and almost anything you can think of that the youth not only actively participates in but often has a significant influence in as organisers and leaders. Even though I got involved rather ashamedly, turning into a boulder bro that can’t wait to head to the climbing gym and take a physically taxing 3-hour break from anything online has been amazing; picture me throwing my body around and mostly failing to climb anything just to be covered in a ridiculous amount of chalk. 

Maybe there was some form of pandemic-related online burnout, or perhaps it was the fact that 2022 saturated our social media feeds with the endless Primavera/Euro holiday post that made it seem like all of Cape Town and half of Jozi had fucked off to skip the winter that left a sour taste in my mouth, but it feels like we have all had the slight realisation that we really can’t depend on other peoples curated online life as a measure of the quality of our own lives. Remember that stat about us having six hours and 35 minutes of average screen time a day? That is actually slightly down (by 2 minutes), and many studies and stats show that particularly Gen Z is trying to be far more conscious about their online engagements. It shows that old social media bastions such as Facebook and Twitter are quite unpopular with Zoomers and that even with their favourite platforms, Instagram and TikTok, they are acutely aware of the impact these platforms are having on their mental health. According to reports by Voxburner, a youth marketing agency, “54% of 16-24s worry about how much time they spend on social media, 37% have taken a break from using social media for 24 hours or more, and 35% have disabled or deleted a social media account because they wanted a break.” These are not statistics you would associate with a generation which is often lambasted and critiqued for their need to be online constantly.

DTS, Warp, Nick Fancher.

However, I wouldn’t count it as a victory against our tech overlords just yet. Remember I said that Death to Stock referred to this IRL escapism as an Anti-Trend. Well, just like trends Anti-Trends are cyclical. I am not the first person to preach a return back to nature and simplicity in a symbiotically connected world, and I will not be the last. The publication i-D reported on something very similar in 2015 just for that line of thought to be swept to the side, waiting to be uncovered and prodded at a later stage, but for an extremely widespread societal shift, I am less hopeful. I think there is simply too much monetary incentive for these tech juggernauts to stop trying. As long as they can rake in billions, tech companies will continue to evolve, expand, and find new ways to keep us locked to screens. To them it’s as simple as finding a way to keep their attention or die and get replaced by an app or device that can. It’s up to us to be responsible for our ‘digital hygiene’ and for the balance so deeply required of us. We have to stay in touch with the reality around us that we can experience with our senses; the world that we can touch, hear, taste and smell in real time. We owe it to ourselves to live with these accelerating technologies with awareness. 

I hope this article can serve as a lovely reminder that not all time is spent equally. Doom scroll to your heart’s desire but remember to invest in making time to nurture the things and relationships you cherish and love. Time is fleeting, so don’t let some tech overlord steal it from you. You owe it to yourself.

Written by: Casey Delport

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

The Kaleidoscopic World of DJ Doowap

Jun 13, 2023 | Interviews, Music

Do you remember being a kid and peering through those kaleidoscope toys for the first time? Those fractal patterns mapped out across our eyes – the excitement of seeing reality slightly differently, more enhanced – and more wondrous. Those toys are generally a child’s first taste beyond the senses. This is the feeling that DJ Doowap emanates in South Africa and across the whole planet. Whether it’s the colours that DJ Doowap AKA Khetsiwe Morgan has decided to be adorned in for the day (in our conversation, Khetsiwe is head-to-toe in royal purple, with braids to match) or the enigmatic presence of her performances, DJ Doowap has taken the role of disc-jockeying and turned into an artform – and she’s doused it in the kind of vibe that only creatives in the country can communicate. Khetsiwe is a veteran of the music industry with nine years and counting across DJing, music production, radio-hosting and performance; Doowap has worked with some of the biggest brands, features alongside some of the biggest names and continues to travel back and forth to some of the coolest places in the world. Yet, her eyes glisten throughout our conversation, seemingly amazed at her own path in life – and I get the sense that really, for DJ Doowap, it’s only just begun.

Image by Mulalo Siphoro (DR3DVL).

Images by Mulalo Siphoro (DR3DVL).

“I studied sound engineering in London, this was around 2010, but it was really difficult to study and work. I decided to move back to South Africa and finish my studies in 2012, and stayed with my parents. They were adamant that if I wanted to have a social life, I had to pay for it myself. I did a short DJ course with Ian Credible, and my first show after learning was at Roxy’s in Melville. The next day, I got this call from someone at YFM and they couldn’t believe I was splaying all this stuff from London – like Garage, Drum and Bass. They offered me a show on YFM, literally after my first gig.” Khetsiwe says, noting that the universe had big plans for her from day one. This alignment would see her play on cult-status youth station YFM; with 99.2 being her first testing ground for the development of ‘DJ Doowap’. Having grown up in the beating heart of Joburg’s creative scene in the 2000s, she says “I had grown up around Riky Rick and Da L.E.S in the north. When Riky heard that I was DJing, he asked me if I could be his DJ – so we started touring with our crew BOYZ N BUCK$. That really opened up the world for me, and when I decided I wanted to go it alone and not only be known for being Riky’s DJ, he supported that fully.” For Khetsiwe, her international and local vision started early; one of the first steps she took was to ensure that she could go overseas during our winters, and create a career that would see her transcend notions of being bound by borders. 

Fundamental to Doowap’s repertoire is her notably ‘genre-bending’ style. To be in the presence of her sonic formulas is to run through a multitude of styles in one set; for Khetsiwe, it’s never made much sense to restrict herself or her listeners. There is just too much happening, and too much to appreciate musically “I was really inspired by Soulection and their multi-genre approach. For me, it’s about good music, and when I started I could see that the future of music was never going to be about one genre. I think before, genres had a lot more time as a single sound for a generation or an era, but the internet has changed that and how we access music is so much more hyper-connected. We can see that now with Amapiano and Afro Beat, it’s not just one genre on its own that’s dominating, they’re coming together and they can be interchangeable.” Boxing oneself in can be a difficult chamber to break out of, and Khetsiwe self-professes that her inclination to get bored meant that she had to infuse her DJ and production style with her own personality, “I literally get bored of one genre after two hours, so there’s no way I could have my whole career centred around one single genre. I always have South African influences in my sets – obviously Amapiano is having its time in the sun which is amazing, and then something like Gqom does super well overseas.”

Les Amis.

DJ Doowap is a progenitor of the performance influence that we see today in DJ sets. Historically, DJs were muted and mysterious figures; subtle shamans of the deck, weaving sonic overlays across crowds with a somewhat incognito energy. Today, DJing has become one of the most democratising creative disciplines – with craft being adaptable as both a hobby or additional creative skill for designers, art directors, actors, artists and so on. Artistically, Khetsiwe explains her vision, “I’ve always wanted my sets to be a show. So I always incorporate dancers and choreography, crazy visuals, really dope outfits; I want to bring people into this world where DJ Doowap resides and can give them an experience. I start off slow and then elevate the set and build the energy to a point of release. I feel like this has been picked up by a lot of DJs here – people aren’t just standing and DJing anymore, I think the potential of what a set can be as a creative outlet is being realised. I think this is what’s setting us apart internationally; people know when they’re booking South African DJs, they’re going to get a whole vibe along with it.” Khetsiwe also works collaboratively in whichever city she goes to; finding local dancers leading up to her arrival, and hiring them to accompany her performances, “I have dancers in Paris, dancers in London. When I was in Jakarta recently, I found two Indonesian dancers and sent them choreography to learn. When I got there, we had two days to clean it and make it look really dope – and then when we performed, I think people were shocked, someone even asked if I bought these dancers from South Africa!”

Image by Young Stilo.

DJ Doowap is the Queen of Colour; always expressing the multitude of hues and styles that she’s into at any given moment. There’s a new era of Doowap all the time, and I ask about how she’s come to understand her style, “my parents owned nightclubs in the 90s and 2000s, so I’ve always been around artists and creatives. I think that’s why I have a lot of nostalgia for the 90s style. I always think of Brenda Fassie and how she’d always incorporate African beads into her aesthetics. I also love the TLC vibe, with the high-waisted and crop tops; I’m a mash-up of 90s vibes with a dabble of African influences. Colour is also really important to me and I find myself going through moods with different colours.” Khetsiwe is always pushing the parts of herself that she can express, and in reflection – this kind of drive towards elevation is what has set her apart and also shown South Africans the levels that can be strived for “I swear, South Africans need you to go overseas for them to really respect you. The more I travel overseas, the more love I get at home. Right now, people are worshipping us as South Africans. In the last two years, I’ve worked more overseas than in my whole career; I was in Jakarta and then this past week I was in Germany. I think South Africans are still music snobs and maybe that’s part of our magic, but I really make sure that my sets are designed to educate people on new music.”  

Doowap’s favourite career moments are too many to tell, and when asked – she is quick to relay a mixture of local and international moments. South Africa is described as the ‘root chakra’ of the world; with energy emanating outwards to the rest of the planet. I think this symbolism (and for those of us, the reality) of the root here in South Africa perfectly characterised DJ Doowap’s path – her root is here, but her reach is far. Ending off with her highlights, she says, “when Afropunk came here in 2017, I knew that I could make it work by being here in South Africa. Then playing at Afropunk in New York after playing it in Joburg was a really full circle experience. I love all the festivals I’ve done here; we have a really special festival scene and a lot of people dedicated to its progress. Playing a Soulection party in New York was insane, because they’re such a big influence on me. Then, opening up for M.I.A when she came to South Africa was wild. Then last year, I was in the same lineup as Diplo for Paris Fashion Week. I played straight after him, and he was like ‘Doowap, you’re up next!’ and that was so, so surreal.”

Images by Oblaque.

With so much still to come, Khetsiwe tells us that her focus is to expand into Asia, with her performances in Indonesia recently and for the rest of 2023 as her entry points. Doowap admits that she was only ever going to play for fun and as a way to earn a few extra bucks; but from day one, the universe had other plans. Enigmatic and an icon – DJ Woowap changed the game, and she has many more moves to play on the board.

Feature image by Andrew Berry.

Written by: Holly Beaton

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Another statement has been released by experts warning that Artificial Intelligence poses a threat to humanity

Jun 12, 2023 | News, Community

For the public, AI has been an all-consuming topic around the dinner table among friends, family, colleagues and strangers. We tend to be at the mercy of experts or industry players; technology has been drip-fed to us as commercially viable products or enhancements to our life. Since ChatGPT, an AI model by OpenAI, was launched into the public domain; frenzy has arisen across the entire ideological and philosophical spectrum concerning AI’s rapid acceleration, and its fast-tracking ability for learning; with some stating that advancement is about twenty years earlier than expected. This comes with rapid shifts in the service offerings of digital tools; Adobe launched a generative AI tool for Photoshop; coming at a time when many industries have seen massive lay-offs, indicating a general tightening of the job-market,  Buzzfeed ‘quietly’ releasing full AI-created articles, and reports that around 4000 people last month alone lost their job to ‘new technologies’. 

While fear-mongering is seemingly the status-quo in our society, it would be remiss of us to not err on the side of caution and posit both the negative and positive outcomes of Artificial Intelligence. It is here to stay, it is with us – and there’s that line that says “AI won’t take over the world, but people who know how to use it will.” What happens, though, when the very creators of the technology start to come forward with concerns?

On May 30th 2023, the Centre for AI Safety released an ominous statement, signed by a myriad of experts. The statement simply reads:

“Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”

With signatures including that of Geoffrey Hinton, the ‘Godfather of Deep Learning’ and a prominent figure in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and Sam Altman – CEO of OpenAI, the developers of the varying ChatGPT models. Hinton recently resigned from Google so that he could speak openly about the risks of AI’s accelerated advancements, stating “I’m just a scientist who suddenly realized that these things are getting smarter than us.”

DTS, The Internet, Fanette Guilloud

DTS, MISC 3, Madeline Spanier

This comes after an open-letter that was released in March 2023, also by a host of experts, urging there to be at least a six month pause in the industry so that policy-making and safety precautions can be initiated. As the letter says, “Contemporary AI systems are now becoming human-competitive at general tasks, and we must ask ourselves: Should we let machines flood our information channels with propaganda and untruth? Should we automate away all the jobs, including the fulfilling ones? Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us? Should we risk loss of control of our civilization? Such decisions must not be delegated to unelected tech leaders. Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable. This confidence must be well justified and increase with the magnitude of a system’s potential effects.”

There are generally three areas into which these concerns fall. The ethical and social implications could be that AI systems have the potential to reinforce existing biases, infringe upon privacy rights, and impact the job market by automating certain tasks, potentially leading to unemployment or inequality if not managed carefully. In an already unequal world, with this already happening as is widely reported on ‘algorithm bias’, AI could be utilized to further oppress marginalized people in society. Then, the development of autonomous weapons powered by AI raises concerns about the potential for these systems to be used for unethical purposes, leading to a destabilization of global security and an escalation of armed conflicts; we are already facing the biggest nuclear-war threat since the 1980s due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Imagine an AI-initiated nuke being launched without any human consent? This is compounded with the risks of ‘superintelligence’ – the literal superseding of an intelligence beyond our own – and if they are not aligned with human values or if their decision-making processes become difficult to understand or control, potentially leading to unintended consequences and full-scale control by AI overlords. 

We are firmly living the future, folks. Our sci-fi dream or nightmare is here, and as the public, we have a responsibility too. A number of things that we can do to advocate for responsible AI implementation is to stay informed, engage in education on these tools (their positive and negative influences), sign the open statement and ones like it, engage in discourse with our peers, and support ethical AI initiatives like Future of Life Institute and Centre for AI Safety. Like when the first Nokia 3310 hit the shelves, only this time with sentience, we have to embrace adaptability and not let our futures be solely directed by corporate, Cartesian interests.

Feature Image by DTS, Joyce Miu, Vermillion

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Midnight Club Presents Queens Of The Stone Age Listening Session In Woodstock, Cape Town

Jun 12, 2023 | News, Music

The Queens of the Stone Age have always been the voice of the misfits, the rebels, and the outcasts. Their music resonates with those who crave something different, something edgier. With each album, the Queens of the Stone Age have solidified their place in the pantheon of rock royalty. Their boundary-pushing sound and fearless approach to music have captivated fans worldwide.

M-Pire Music is collaborating with Matador Records and many other record stores across the globe on a record listening session that transcends the ordinary. Dive deep into the world of vinyl, where music is experienced, cherished, and celebrated. As dedicated collectors, M-Pire Music take pride in sourcing rare finds and limited-edition releases that are sure to excite even the most seasoned vinyl enthusiasts.

Step into the realm of sonic bliss as M-Pire record store invites you to a unique and immersive record listening session. Get ready to surrender to the irresistible allure of their new album and witness the reign of the Queens of the Stone Age. “In the age of digital streaming, we believe in the power and intimacy of vinyl records. Our record listening sessions offer a break from the distractions of everyday life, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the music. Settle into our cozy listening area, surrounded by walls adorned with album artwork, band merchandise and vintage memorabilia”

The event will be held at M-PIRE MUSIC, 299 Albert Road , Woodstock on the 15th of June.

Doors open at 8pm and the vinyl listening session is to take place at 11pm.

Fore more information and to reserve your seat, head over to m-piremusic.com

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Zanele Muholi’s Self-Titled Exhibition Is Announced by Southern Guild

Jun 12, 2023 | News, Art

“The uterus is the rite of passage that is common to all of us regardless of race, class, gender. It is a common space, it is like water – water is water, blood is blood, the womb is the womb, birth is birth. You are born from someone, you come from that passage.” – Zanele Muholi 

Southern Guild is pleased to present visual activist Zanele Muholi’s self-titled, autobiographical exhibition from 15 June to 17 August. Occupying the entire gallery, ZANELE MUHOLI features several monumental bronze sculptures – the artist’s largest presentation of new sculpture to date – and introduces new photography in the Somnyama Ngonyama (Hail the Dark Lioness) series. The exhibition also features select pieces from Muholi’s oeuvre of renowned imagery and video work, retrospectively tracing the evolution of the artist’s personal landscape in relation to the newer body of work. 

Over the past few years, Muholi’s media-focus has broadened to reclaim ownership of their story beyond their prize-winning photography. With self-portraiture as its predominant mode, ZANELE MUHOLI presents a personal reckoning with themes including sexual pleasure and freedom, inherited taboos around female genitalia and biological processes, gender-based violence and the resultant trauma, pain and loss, sexual rights and biomedical education.

Zanele Muholi, Bambatha I, Oceanview Strandloper, Paternoster 2023.

Zanele Muholi, Bukhosi II, Parktown 2016.

Zanele Muholi, Baveziwe I, Umhlanga, Durban 2021.

Muholi calls for new rites of self-expression, sexuality, mothering and healing that usher in kinder modes of survival in our contemporary world. The exhibition is in part a response to South Africa’s ongoing femicide, the stigmatisation of LGBTQI+ communities and the proliferation of gender-based violence, especially the ‘curative’ or ‘corrective’ rape of Black lesbians. Muholi’s own struggle with uterine fibroids and reckoning with their Catholic upbringing also deeply inform the exhibition’s emotive symbology.  

A recurrent theme in the artist’s work, the gaze is interrogated in a lightbox installation of photographs from an early series, Being (T)here, Amsterdam, displayed in the public-facing windows of the gallery. These images document an intervention that Muholi undertook in Amsterdam’s Red Light District during their Thami Mnyele Foundation Residency in 2009 and depict the artist as a sex worker wearing ‘umutsha’ (an isiZulu beaded waistbelt) and a black satin corset, posing in a window. The photographs capture spectators as they approach the red glow that frames a young, feminised Muholi. Although their poses are powerful and alluring, there is a point at which they break away from the voyeur’s gaze and slump back into a seat in their cubicle – not out of leisure, but exhaustion from this performed exoticism.     

 “All that is seen as ‘performance’ in the art world is something that we ourselves grew up with,” Muholi has stated. Somnyama Ngonyama, the ongoing self-portraiture series the artist began in 2012, refuses the exoticising gaze. Whether using toothpaste mixed with Vaseline as lipstick or an assembly line of clothing pegs to form a headpiece, Somnyama Ngonyama utilises elements of performance with the immediacy of both political protest and African informal trade and craft markets.  

The guerrilla nature with which these images are composed reveals the urgency to document the self: “Portraiture is my daily prayer,” Muholi says. Their hairstyles, costumes and sets are entirely self-realised, photographed with only natural light. Nomadic and impromptu, these shoots often take place alone. This ‘African ingenuity’ so adored by the West without understanding, is rooted in necessity. Muholi’s need is their manifesto for visibility: “This is no longer about me; it is about every female body that ever existed in my family. That never imagined that these dreams were possible.”

Zanele Muholi, Isiqhaza II, Philadelphia 2018.

Zanele Muholi Bester, New York 2019.

Muholi’s three-dimensional expansion into bronze honours this familial origin, along with commemorating Black women and LGBTQI+ individuals’ contributions to art, politics, medical sciences, and culture. One sculpture depicts Muholi as a mythical being emerging from a body of water carrying a vessel embellished with breasts upon their head. Another depicts a large-scale uterus, which the artist describes as a “self-portrait of being”. Muholi invites the viewer to reconsider the womb as a symbol of honour, protection, growth and non-prescriptive femininity: “The uterus is my signature, it is my DNA, where I come from,” referring to a tattoo of the uterus on their upper arm, imprinted in 2008. To raise the uterus as a deified form is to give honour where shame, violence, and misinformation has plagued the organ for centuries.

Speaking about the exhibition, curatorial advisor Beathur Mgoza Baker notes that it “interrogates social, political and biomedical practices and conditioning that has placed women, girls, and non-binary female bodies in conflict with their physical bodies. Central to their exploration is re-focussing women and audiences generally around the importance of their reproductive and sexual rights and autonomy.” 

 A two-metre high sculpture depicts Muholi sheathed in robes, their hands clasped in prayer, a restaged Virgin Mary. The work connects to the sorrows of Mary as mother and protector, who endured suffering by way of earthly sins. The work confronts the failure of law, religion, and politics to adequately address gender injustice, directly referencing the artist’s Roman Catholic upbringing. In prayer, Muholi calls for communal healing, remembrance and the resurrection of empathic conscience and consciousness.  

Confronting Muholi’s Black Madonna is a monumental bronze sculpture depicting the clitoris’ full anatomy – the glans, body, crura, bulbs and root. Unlike the penis, which is sprawled on public property from a young boy’s adolescence, the clitoris has been sanctioned as a taboo subject despite being understood by women and female bodies as the centre of sensuality and sexual climax for centuries.

Zanele Muholi Thathu II, The Sails, Durban 2019.

Zanele Muholi, Gqamile, Durban 2019.

Zanele Muholi, MaZiqubu, ISGM, Boston 2019.

This transcension from pain into pleasure and from taboo to deity is Muholi’s creative mode of survival – a revolutionary act explored in a large-scale bronze depicting the artist as a monk-like figure. Wearing a trailing vestment and seated with their legs splayed and head tilted backwards in ecstasy, this monastic figure performs the act of self-pleasure.  

This euphoric release is further reflected in Muholi’s whimsical Amanzi (Water) photographic series, which documents the artist submerging in a tidal pool. What begins in contemplative stillness, ends in energetic dynamism as the waves combust around the dancing figure.  

The freedom implicit in the Amanzi series is jolting at odds with another large-scale bronze sculpture that depicts a monstrous engulfment of the artist’s body, or rather their biologically determined “box” – a term the artist uses to refer to the space encompassing their breasts and vagina. In this queer avatar, Muholi’s figure appears trapped by malignant tubing that forms a strange, amorphous mass around them – a reference both to the artist’s struggle with fibroids and gender dysphoria. The piece is a poignant reminder of the somatic unease, anxiety and depression which results from incongruence with one’s body. 

ZANELE MUHOLI portrays the agony and ecstasy of existing in a Black, queer female body, and the powerful nature of Muholi’s traversal through the world as both an artist and visual activist.  

Text by Lindsey Raymond

ABOUT SOUTHERN GUILD 

Founded in 2008, Southern Guild showcases contemporary artist practices from the African continent and diaspora. The gallery’s rigorous curatorial programme pivots on unprecedented modes of making, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and the ingenuity of the human hand. Southern Guild represents artists from South Africa, Benin, Congo, Iran, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe amongst others, working closely with artists to articulate their voices authentically to an international audience. Having pioneered the functional art and collectible design category on the African continent, Southern Guild is uniquely positioned to articulate the socially embedded role of African art throughout history and the marriage of personal narrative with Africa’s current geo-political, economic, cultural and ecological context. https://southernguild.co.za/

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Crystal Birch Launches ‘The Evolution Collection’ merging millinery with technology

Jun 9, 2023 | News, Fashion

Crystal Birch is back with their latest collection of hats – titled, ‘The Evolution Collection’. 

We are always seeking ways to re-invent the art of hat-wearing. 

More and more, this age-old craft has been relegated to a portion of nostalgia; whether it was ouma’s hats to complement her Sunday’s best at church or the sun-hats that we wore kids on the beach – hats have always been essential to our experiences. We want hats to be more than just a memory. As a brand, Crystal Birch is our way of committing to millinery and its incredible ability to translate into new and contemporary contexts.

The question we most often get asked is ‘where do I wear my hat?’. We are here to share our vision or hat-wearing in our latest trans-seasonal collection as a guide to situate you, your hats and experiences in real time – but, as always, we are doing it with a twist. 

So, we introduce you to…our Evolution!

Hats are perceived as vintage and an analogue technique for dressing, but we know the advanced ways in which designing and creating our hats is always a push between the boundaries of the tension between hand-crafting and machinery. To propel us into a new age, we knew we had to seek a new avenue of exploration. In collaboration with digital developer Mbangiso “Baso” Mabaso, we are bringing forth our Evolution collection using virtual and augmented reality, fusing our vintage world firmly into the future. Through an experiential medium, we will be showcasing Evolution through a QR-led portal that transports viewers into a gallery space to experience the collection, surrounded by a variety of occasions in which to wear our hats; think a wedding, safari and more. The Evolution Collection will show you the many places that hats are perfect for. 

Evolution is our introduction into new technologies for our brand and our founder Crystal’s vision to bring millinery into modernity through education.

As we say, there’s a hat for occasion; you just have to know which ones.

Visit The Hat Factory to view ‘The Evolution Collection’ as a QR Experience 

Visit Crystal Birch’s website HERE

Tel:
+27 21 465 4505

Email:
[email protected]
[email protected] 

Address: 
1st Floor, 42 Newmarket street, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001
Opening Hours:

Mon-Thurs: 8:00 – 16:00 
Fri: 8:00-15:00

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Join Jack Black & Sentinel Ocean Alliance For The World Oceans Day Clean Up

Jun 9, 2023 | News, Community

In celebration of World Oceans Day, Jack Black Beer has partnered with Sentinel Ocean Alliance to host a collaborative beach clean up taking place on Saturday, 10 June. 

It takes collaboration to fight for the future health of our oceans and we would love to have you there with us.

Please use the link to pre-register for the clean up. Plus, stand a chance to win prizes from Jack Black, Gone Outdoor and Sentinel Ocean Alliance on the day!

DATE: Saturday, 10 June 2023
TIME: From 10h00

Press release courtesy of The Bread

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Brandon Markell Holmes & Toribio release collaboration ‘Go Ahead’

Jun 9, 2023 | New Release, Music

Released on artist-owned Brooklyn imprint Toucan Sounds, rising vocal talent Brandon Markell Holmes joins forces with producer Toribio, and rapper Fat Tony for Afro-tinged electronic soul cut ‘Go Ahead’, presented with a remix by Byron The Aquarius, and bonus track ‘Losing Side’, produced by Pink Flamingo Rhythm Revue. 

Described by Rolling Stone as a “slow-burning vocal-house juggernaut” and appearing on the GRAMMY-nominated Gorillaz album ‘Humanz’, Brandon Markell Holmes has swiftly become a go-to collaborator for some of the hottest producers in Brooklyn and beyond, since relocating from Chicago where he was born and raised. 

Produced by burning-hot BK producer Toribio, founder of critically acclaimed band Conclave and resident DJ at Brooklyn’s Black Flamingo where his BDA (Bring Dat Ass) parties have become the stuff of legend, title track ‘Go Ahead’ combines languid broken beats and lo-fi Latin-influenced polyrhythmic percussion with Markell Holmes’ smooth and assured multi-layered soul vocals. The track features a guest appearance from Houston-born rapper Fat Tony, who lifts ‘Go Ahead’ to higher heights with an agile, vintage verse. 

Perhaps best known for his collaboration with Purple Disco Machine, Pink Flamingo Rhythm Revue is the solo project from Eric “Doc” Mendelsohn. His 80’s-tinged boogie production on ‘Losing Side’ provides the perfect foil for Brandon Markell Holmes’ powerful, poignant performance, framing his flawless phrasing and rich tones to chilled perfection. 

Releasing on Wild Oats, Eglo and BBE as well as Theo Parrish’s Sound Signature imprint, Byron The Aquarius has become a household name for lovers of jazz-tinged, melodic House music the world over. His remix of ‘Go Ahead’ is typically hypnotic, spiritual and percussive. Subtly looping Markell Holmes’ vocals, he adds timeless House bass and lush Rhodes chords, masterful in their clarity and simplicity. 

Just this week finding itself nominated in DJ Mag North America’s ‘Breakthrough Label’ category for 2023, Toucan Sounds will be launching the release at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn on May 25th, with live performances from both Brandon Markell Holmes and Byron The Aquarius. The show on May 25th is one of four they are presenting on The Sultan Room’s rooftop this month.  

Stream ‘Go Ahead’ HERE

Go Ahead