Beautiful and Terrifying

hero 9:16 | Film: Lorde Sanctus

Quick disclaimer: I keep work and life in separate group chats, so I won't spell out my day job. It's public if you care to dig. The campaign put me in Manhattan for three nights with dozens of Gen Z influencers, and I came home with respect. They take content as seriously as I take music: dodging traffic for the shot, faking confidence on cue, creating on repeat. I own two phones, cameras and a drone and still can't stay consistent. Salute.

Three nights

Night one: Obvio NYC with Steve Madden. Dancing, libations, a whole vibe. Night two: karaoke at Petit Disco. Eh. I can't stand hearing a hit get butchered, mine included.

Night three was the main event: Gitano NYC on the water by the Brooklyn Bridge, Honey Bxby live and a DJ set from my favorite producer, WondaGurl.

1:1 | WondaGurl on the decks at Gitano NYC

The jump scare

Coming from a small town, NY hit like a horror movie. Ads on every surface. Money shifting block by block. Endless choices about where to eat, and no real choice about housing or healthcare. No wonder NY ran it up for Mamdani. Best moment: a bodega clerk hyping a stranger to become a YouTube clipper. Real community and peak dystopia in one breath, and that kind of community is rare back home in the 805. Beautiful and terrifying. Wouldn't trade it. Open the new issue.

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Endless choices about where to eat, and no real choice about housing or healthcare. | Lorde Sanctus