When Lizeth Selene made the move from her small beach town to Mexico City, it changed the trajectory of her life. The singer, actress and burgeoning fashion icon has become one of the country’s biggest “it girls,” nabbing a YSL Beauty campaign alongside the likes of Hailey Bieber, Bianca Jagger and Precious Lee.

Much of Selene’s creativity is tied to what she wants to represent in the world and across media. As a woman with dark hair, indigenous features and brown skin, she’s made it possible for more women to see themselves in beauty campaigns and television shows. “It’s because I have a face that represents us in Latin America,” she tells PAPER. “The skin color, the tattoos, an image we weren’t used to seeing in the media. It’s really beautiful that there’s representation that looks like you.”

Her role in the show Rebelde as a young queer woman was a turning point for her acting career. “I think what happened with the character of Andi was magical,” she says. “I had no acting experience, so I just tried to make her as true to myself as possible but with her own features. We had a lot in common — like being into girls, being rebellious, tough. A lot of women followed the character, and it’s really nice to see how she inspired them to be freer, to be themselves.”

Now, recording as Selene, she’s poised to connect globally as a songwriter. “The songs I write are like an open heart,” she says. “It’s like I’m giving you permission to enter my soul and see everything that’s going on inside me. But now that I’ve reconnected with that part of myself, I realize it still scares me, but maybe a lot of people will relate to it.”

Below, Lizeth Selene talks to PAPER about early crushes, being “shipped” with Billie Eilish, creating vulnerable art and what she wants to share with the world next.

How are you?

I’m good, calm.

Are you happy?

Yeah, mostly just peaceful. There are birds singing at my window.

For those who don’t know you, who is Selene?

I’d say Selene is the most vulnerable part of me. I always try to pour all my emotions into my projects, let myself get carried away by how I’m feeling, and it feels like my soul stays in it because I’m being completely open, sharing a piece of my heart. I think Selene really loves to connect, whether it’s through a character or a song. I want people to identify with it.

Right, you put yourself in a vulnerable spot, which must be tough, especially for someone like you who’s really sensitive.

Yeah, I’m like a channel for emotions. I think it’s fun. I love it when people feel what I’m feeling and react to it. With fashion, for example, I have so much fun. I like expressing myself through clothes. I dress depending on how I feel, what I want to say. Overall, I love expressing myself.

Yes, because you act, sing and started modeling in Mexico City. What’s been your favorite part of starting your career from scratch on your own?

The experiences, definitely. At the beginning, I had a tough time. It was hard, but I’m grateful for all the good and bad experiences because they gave me the perspective to find my place.

Would you say you’re someone who’s always searching for things, looking for opportunities?

Yeah, I think it’s about searching, not settling for the first opportunity that comes your way. It’s important to feel comfortable and confident with the decisions you make. I’m very much about feeling things out, so I just keep looking for opportunities until I find the one where I feel comfortable being Selene.

You’ve gained a lot of experience, both professionally and personally, thanks to that drive to find opportunities. You’ve carved your own path, and now you’re the face of YSL Beauty alongside big global pop culture icons like Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber.

I started modeling six years ago, and this moment didn’t happen by accident or by luck. It’s all been hard work and the universe rewards you for it. I’ve been working nonstop since I started, constantly searching for opportunities and for the right place where I can be Selene.

And how do you feel about that?

Honestly, I still can’t believe it. It feels like a dream.

Talking about searching for spaces and opportunities, has it ever scared you to say no to things?

Definitely, but I think knowing yourself helps you make those decisions. Sometimes, even if it hurts or doesn’t seem like the best move, I have to stay true to myself and say no. It’s happened in a lot of castings where I don’t feel connected to the character, or if the message isn’t right — even if they’re big productions — but I’d rather say no if I don’t think it represents who I am or what I stand for. Saying no is hard, but I know myself and I know what I want.

It takes guts to say no.

It takes a lot of guts.

At the end of the day, you’re very true to yourself and your style, which is why you’re considered one of Mexico’s it-girls. You really bring something unique to the scene.

I’ve felt lost at times too, but I think the key is always coming back to yourself. I give myself days to just be with me, to reconnect. This industry is dangerous and it’s easy to lose yourself. Growing up, I admired so many celebrities and I liked connecting with the real, human side of them, not just the image. Today, I really enjoy hearing from people who identify with me. I get messages saying, “Today someone told me I look like you.” It’s because I have a face that represents us in Latin America — the skin color, the tattoos, an image we weren’t used to seeing in the media. It’s really beautiful that there’s representation that looks like you.

Yeah, it’s so important for people to identify with you, to look at you and think, Wow, there’s someone like me there, I can do this too. That’s what happened with you in Rebelde. People in Latin America saw themselves in you, and with a platform that big, you really blew up.

Yeah, I think what happened with the character of Andi was magical. I had no acting experience, so I just tried to make her as true to myself as possible but with her own features. We had a lot in common — like being into girls, being rebellious, tough. A lot of women followed the character, and it’s really nice to see how she inspired them to be freer, to be themselves.

Do you feel like you’re a figure for the Lesbian community?

I don’t know if I’m a figure, but I feel like the character helped a lot of teens realize it’s okay to like women. And I, as Selene, really identified with that, and I keep sending the message that we’re all the same. We can be who we want to be, and love who we want to love.

How did you discover that about yourself?

Growing up, I would look at girls and think, She’s pretty, but I didn’t think much of it. As I got older and learned more, I decided at 16 to experiment, to see if what I felt was what I thought it was. I feel free, I don’t question things much, I just went for it. That’s when I realized I could love whoever I want. It’s so beautiful to know that and I’m happy.

That’s such a powerful message. It may sound selfish, but I think it’s so important to prioritize yourself.

Yeah, I don’t think it’s selfish. You have to prioritize yourself. When you’re ok with you, everything else falls into place.

Who was your celebrity crush growing up?

Justin Bieber.

And girls?

And as for girls, it was Danna [laughs]. But now we’re friends.

Online, the internet has “shipped” you with a few other girls, like Billie Eilish.

Yeah, the internet is fun. Fans love to create relationships between queer people or women they think have something in common. With Billie, it was a bit different. Fans saw us liking each other’s posts, and once she shared a video of me dancing to one of her songs and they ran with it. We’re actually internet friends. We don’t talk much, but she’s one of my favorite artists, and I admire and respect her a lot.

Back to finding yourself and expressing who you are, how did you find your voice in fashion?

I grew up seeing people who didn’t look like me on TV, in ads and in the media. Being part of that world was something I always wanted, so when I moved to Mexico City, I decided to take the leap. Around that time, there was a strong movement in the Mexican fashion industry that grew alongside BLM. In most productions, I was the only Brown-skinned model, surrounded by white models. There were 10 foreign models, and just me — but that didn’t matter. I was the change, I was the shift. And that’s how it went — claiming spaces and making your own place in the industry.

Yeah, thankfully, the industry has changed a lot in recent years.

It feels great to be representing Mexico abroad. Last year, I got to go to Milan for Ferragamo’s show as a guest, and in September, we were at NY Fashion Week. I attended a couple of shows from emerging designers, like Kim Shui, Bad Binch Tongtong and Willy Chavarria — ¡Viva Mexico!

You should definitely work with Willy.

I’d love to. I started as a model in the independent scene in Mexico, and emerging projects will always have a special place in my heart because I know what it’s like to come from zero. Plus, he’s a genius.

How’s music going for you?

I really love writing, and I’ve been doing it for a while now, but I used to be scared. Like I said, Selene is the most vulnerable side of me, and the songs I write are like an open heart. It’s like I’m giving you permission to enter my soul and see everything that’s going on inside me. But now that I’ve reconnected with that part of myself, I realize it still scares me, but maybe a lot of people will relate to it. I’ve been writing in my room, playing with sounds and rediscovering that connection. I’m hoping to drop some new music early next year.

I can see you’re excited.

Yeah, I’m super excited. I had a bit of a falling out with music, not with the music itself, but with the environment. But I realized I can make my own music and just put it out there for whoever is meant to hear it. I just want to express myself. For example, when I’m sad, I’ll play the exact song I know will make me feel exactly how I want to feel. Music helps you get even sadder or happier, depending on what you need. That’s what I love about it, pushing my emotions to the limit.

What would you say is the biggest difference between Selene five years ago and Selene today?

I think there’s been a lot of growth, not just professionally but personally too. I feel like before I was in a more vulnerable place in every sense — constantly searching for opportunities — and now, I’m way more confident in who I am, in my career, and I’ve got my feet firmly planted on the ground.

I think it’s the result of your adventurous spirit, even in love and just living through experiences.

Yeah, I throw myself into everything, experiment and even if I end up feeling sad in love, it’s okay. Sometimes we just go through short experiences, and that’s fine.

Photography: Joaquin Castillo
Styling: César Alvarez
Makeup: Christyna Kay
Hair: Sol Rodríguez
Nails: Viviane Lee Hsu
Retouching: Victor Trani
Styling assistant: Saint Varsity

More rumours have emerged about Nintendo’s next console, as an insider claims another Kirby game is heading to Switch next year.

Nintendo’s successor to the Switch is set to be announced before next April, but there’s still a wealth of speculation as to when it will actually launch.

The rollout of the original Switch saw it revealed in October 2016, before it launched in March the following year. Since it’s missed the chance to replicate that schedule, many now suspect that Nintendo’s next console won’t be out until some point in the second half of 2025.

However, several new rumours have suggested the console might be pushed out before or during the summer next year, in what feels like unusual timing for a game console launch.

The question of a summer launch was discussed on Nate The Hate’s podcast, where he suggested that he had heard of a similar release window, based on ‘industry chatter’.

‘What I can say on this topic is, as of late September, early October, there’s been a lot of industry chatter around the release window of the Switch 2,’ Nate said. ‘And that release window in this chatter has been late May to June.’

While he clarifies that this ‘is not gospel’, he claims it is the timeframe industry ‘partners and companies have as their internal expectations’.

Expanding on this report, Nate further claims an event for the Switch 2 is set to take place at some point in May next year. While he doesn’t have any details on the event specifically, he speculates it would be ‘similar’ to the press event for the original Switch, which took place in January 2017, two months before the console launched.

‘One piece of information I do have, that these reports do not, is that I’ve heard Nintendo is preparing and planning to host an event in May that will be focused on Switch 2,’ he added.

While this doesn’t entirely align with the previous two-month gap between the Switch media event and its launch in March, it’s certainly possible that Nintendo could have a shorter timeframe between these milestones for its next console.

The bigger question is why launch a console during the summer, which is traditionally the quietest period for video game sales and not a time of year when most people are thinking of buying new hardware.

There could be various reasons but the launch of GTA 6 in autumn is certain to take the air out of the room for anything else video game related, even including the Switch 2.

Elsewhere on the podcast, Nate, who has a fairly decent track record for gaming rumours, also claimed Kirby: Planet Robobot will be released on Switch in 2025. The platformer was originally released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2016, and as Nintendo has a habit of rolling out Kirby games at the end of a console’s lifecycle, it certainly sounds plausible.

While Nintendo has confirmed nothing about the Switch 2, except that it’s backwards compatible, leaks earlier this week appeared to show the new seemingly magnetic Joy-Con controllers with a back pedal.

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The studio behind It Takes Two and A Way Out looks set to announce its next game this month, and it might be out sooner than anticipated.

While Hazelight Studios saw some success with its first co-op game A Way Out, the studio’s big breakthrough hit was its successor It Takes Two.

The co-op platformer has sold over 20 million copies since it launched in March 2021, and picked up multiple Game Of The Year awards.

As such, expectation is now much higher for its next game, seemingly titled Split Fiction, and it looks like we’re mere days away from a reveal.

According to reliable leaker billbil-kun, a trailer for Split Fiction is set to be unveiled at some point this month – with the only logical conclusion being at The Game Awards on Friday, December 13.

This is particularly likely as both of Hazelight’s previous projects were revealed at the event, so it makes sense the third would follow suit.

Beyond the existence of a trailer, the leaker also claims Split Fiction will be announced with the release date of March 6, 2025.

While this might seem like a surprisingly quick turnaround, It Takes Two followed a similar rollout, where it was revealed at The Game Awards in 2020 and subsequently dropped on March 26, 2021.

It’s still unclear what Split Fiction actually is, but it’s highly likely it will be co-op orientated again. Hazelight founder Josef Fares previously teased it will ‘take everything to the next level’, so it’s no doubt attempting to build on what the studio has accomplished so far.

As we approach The Game Awards, several insiders have teased it could be a significant year in terms of reveals. VGC’s Andy Robinson has said to ‘fire up the hype train’ as he’s ‘expecting a VERY big Game Awards next week’.

He then clarified that this is ‘definitely not a guess’, when asked if it was a hint on X. This same post has been shared by The Verge’s Tom Warren, with the caption ‘same’.

Next week’s bash marks the 10th anniversary of The Game Awards, so there might be more big announcements than usual.

Last year, a trailer for GTA 6 was shown a few days prior to the event, but the much anticipated second trailer could also debut there. There’s a chance it could be a big showing from Xbox too, considering the Xbox Series X was revealed at the 2019 event.

It’s likely more leaks will emerge in the days leading up to the ceremony, with The Game Awards set to air on December 12 in the US and on Friday, December 13 in the UK from 1am.

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After a four-year hiatus from music, Joey LaBeija is back. The New York-based artist (and lowkey legend) returns today with “less than three,” his first release since 2020’s enemies of progress EP, which featured underground smashes like “unavailable” and “cuffin szn.” While his signature pitched-down vocals are out in full force again, LaBeija arrives this time with newfound confidence, now striving for real authenticity in all his work.

It’s fitting then that “less than three” is a breakup song, only LaBeija says he’s breaking up with the version of himself he no longer wants to be — not a significant other. “Purging is not a linear process,” he wrote on Instagram, announcing this comeback. “Why not find beauty in the pain of letting go of the person you were to become the person you’re destined to be?”

The Chandler Clemens-directed music video, premiering today on PAPER, brings this personal vision to life. “I don’t wanna be another one of your little hoes,” he sings, looking directly into the camera, as if talking to his reflection in the mirror. “But kiss me one more time, because we’re moving on.” A devilish extra is featured throughout the film, seducing and tempting LaBeija, who wrestles with the push-pull process of finally shedding what no longer serves him.

Below, PAPER catches up with Joey LaBeija to talk more about “less than three,” written, produced and performed entirely by himself. “I am no longer chasing perfection,” he says, teasing a 2025 full of new music.

You’ve taken some time away from releasing music. Why the pause and what have you been up to?

Truthfully, I thought I had gotten over the unfortunate experience of my record deal not working out in 2020, but I wasn’t. I grew callous and bitter. My relationship with my art was not in a good place and I knew in order to salvage it, I needed to step away. The longer I went without making music the more I felt incomplete, like there was a hole in my heart. I knew in order to move forward, I had to take my inventory, change my perspective on life and let go of my resentments. It’s something you must actively work towards every day. Healing is no one and done. Shadow work is real.

Over the course of these four years, it dawned on me that I’d actually never had a longterm vision for myself, artistically speaking, because it all happened so organically. I never intended to start making music, I’ve learned everything I know on my own. Making music just happened to be a natural progression from DJing, chasing the burning desire to express myself as one does in their twenties. One day while working in my studio, I decided to hop on the microphone that I used for recording my friends, showed them what I made and they all told me to lean into it.

Once I started putting music out, I had a vision of how I wanted to present myself, but I never thought about building a world for myself to exist in, nor did I have the means to bring what little vision I did have into fruition. Everything I released was based on pure emotion, and while that’s beautiful, it’s not sustainable for the long haul. These last four years have really pushed me to hone in on what exactly I want to present to the world, and at the end of the day, that’s authenticity.

What did you learn about yourself, and about music, during the time away?

I’ve learned to give myself grace and prioritize my feelings over everything. There is nothing more that I love than alone time in my studio, hiding away from the world. It’s become my safe space again. All the constructs I ever conjured up about my skills or taste have magically dissipated, and being in the studio is fun again.

How would you say you are approaching music now?

I’m no longer chasing perfection and enjoying being experimental. They say perfection is the killer of creativity and that’s pretty much my mantra these days. For a while I was chasing what I did on enemies of progress, especially “unavailable,” because I knew it resonated with a lot of people, but nothing I made felt genuine. My approach now comes from a place of curiosity and exploration. The best songs I’ve made, past or present, are all products of happy mistakes.

Lyrically, what’s the story behind “less than three”?

When I wrote this song, I was still in the very early stages of getting back into making music. Everything I made felt inauthentic, like trash, or like I was reaching for a sound that felt safe but no longer resonated with my desire to grow. My brain was a dangerous neighborhood and I would think the worst of what I was creating until one night I realized… If I heard someone talking about a loved one the way I was thinking about myself, I would beat the shit out of them. That moment changed everything almost instantly, my aha moment. It was a liberating conversation with myself and I thought it would be healing to make a breakup song to the person I no longer wanted to be. It most definitely was.

What was the thought going into the video, bringing this track to life? How’d you work collaboratively with the director, Chandler Clemens?

The video was originally meant to reference Nickleback’s “This Is How You Remind Me,” but it’s turned into a personal and beautiful story about growing pains, strength, vulnerability and the never-ending battle moving on from something toxic. On set, I could not stop crying once the room was cleared and the cameras were rolling because I genuinely never thought I would see the day where I’d be producing, directing and financially backing my own music video. Dreams are expensive and in that moment, every L that I took over the last four years felt like a fucking win.

Working with Chandler on this edit has been one of the most beautiful creative experiences I could ask for and I am so beyond thankful for the friendship we have built through this. He’s brought this video to a level that moves me to tears because it captures the essence of the chaos I’ve been through to get here today. May I just add, in a day and age where everything is made to be easily digestible content, deciding to present myself in such a vulnerable manner was not an easy decision, but I’m happy I followed my instinct because this story is something everyone can connect or relate to.

What do you see 2025 looking like for you?

Well, I’m happy to say that I have a ton of music coming out this coming year and it sounds nothing like anything I’ve ever made before. I hope you bitches are ready to dance. Chandler, Jordan and I are having so much fun creating a place for all of this music to exist in and we are already working on the next video, set to come out this February. This is the last sad song you’ll get out of me for a while so, consider this song an ode to my past and a warm embrace to my future.

My approach now comes from a place of curiosity and exploration. The best songs I’ve made, past or present, are all products of happy mistakes.

Photography: Eric Johnson

Styling: Jordan Figueroa

Makeup: Joshua Hilario

On their new collab, “I Want More Money,” actress Chloe Cherry raps over a slow beat as Blaketheman1000 (Blake Ortiz-Goldberg) harmonizes on backing vocals — earnestly singing, “You shouldn’t have to work at your stupid-ass job” and “I wanna pay your rent.” It’s cheeky and catchy, a fun track from the pair who met after Cherry covered Blake’s “Pixies” on TikTok, and found mutual connection hanging out, going to restaurants smoking weed and talking about pop culture. Making music felt like a natural next step.

“I Want More Money” marks the first musical release for the Euphoria actress and model, and is dropping via Mad Decent’s Pizzaslime Records imprint. Blaketheman1000, the infamous artist producer, and songwriter is currently working on his debut album, which is due out next year.

Bellow, the pair tell PAPER about the Sugar Daddy relationship that inspired the track, participating in “awesomeness” and why non-musicians sometimes make the best hits.

What was the inspiration behind the track?

Blaketheman1000: I wrote the chorus because I was seeing someone who had a sugar daddy, and it sucked whenever they’d leave me to go hang out with the sugar daddy.

Chloe Cherry: I really just love Blake’s music and wanted to participate in the awesomeness.

How do you hope fans feel when they hear it?

Blaketheman1000: I hope fans feel thankful for life and the people in their lives.

Chloe Cherry: I hope they feel joyous and kind to others because the song just makes them so happy.

Since you’re collaborating on this new music project, I’m curious Chloe what made you want to pursue this new creative outlet and what excited you about it Blake?

Blaketheman1000: I’ve always loved when “non-musicians” make music — some examples would be Paris Hilton, Adam Sandler or Shaq. I think making pop music is less about making music and more about performing personality. Chloe has so much personality and collaborating on a song felt like the best way for us to be creative together, in a way that is reminiscent of the many “non-musician” songs I grew up loving.

Chloe Cherry: I’m nervous about seeing how people will feel about it because I’m not a skilled musician — I’m just having fun. I think I’d like to make more songs if an idea strikes me.

What are you most excited to share next?

Blaketheman1000: We’re selling T-shirts that Chloe designed. Then I’m releasing my debut album via Pizzaslime Records and Mad Decent.

Chloe Cherry: I’m most excited for this song, my movies and everything I’ve ever done to be released to the world.

Photography: Pizzaslime

It’s early November in Los Angeles, and PAPER has plans to meet up with singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs at a local karaoke bar. The unconventional interview backdrop makes sense. The now LA-based vocalist got her start singing in karaoke bars in Japan as a kid, long before her massive hit “River” took over the airwaves, becoming a commercial success and taking the top 10 spot on multiple Billboard charts.

But — much like our plans that day — after achieving industry fame, Briggs’ trajectory shifted. Her first full-length album release in five years, Tell My Therapist I’m Fine, details those staggering changes, from the birth of her son to the tragic death of her sister, who was also her manager and best friend. The raw journey doesn’t wade in despair, however, but takes on the whole breadth of human emotion, from the glittery, pop song “Good For Me,” where she questions her longing for stardom, to “Mona Lisa On A Mattress” where she details the lethal impact of a situationship. There’s also “Isolated Love,” a track that features Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and slowly builds and crashes, an encapsulation of the music she shared with her sister as well as the heartbreak of losing her.

After listening to the album and scoping out its themes, it didn’t come as a surprise that Briggs would want to spend our interview doing something a bit more “healing” than karaoke. We planned to get foot massages instead, but when we walked into the parlor for our chat and the kind lady at the front gave us an upsell, we nodded in agreement, noting that it felt like the perfect way to work out the album and maybe a few knots.

So, ahead of her tour kicking off in March and following her live rendition of The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black” at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, PAPER got couples massages with Briggs at a tiny LA strip mall and talked about healing, battling depression and the cathartic process of creating Tell My Therapist I’m Fine.

What headspace were you in going into the studio for Tell My Therapist I’m Fine? Heading back in after five years would must’ve been a daunting task.

The first song was written before lockdown, and it was called “Isolated Love.” That’s the one with Travis Barker, which is insane. I remember leaving that session because it was so much fun to sing in that way, with a different vocal style and totally different instrumentation. I was like, “I’m so excited. This is gonna be for another artist!” It was just unlike anything I’d ever done before. Right at that time, my sister had been diagnosed [with ovarian cancer], so I got to play it for her and see her reaction. Consciously or subconsciously, I was chasing that the rest of the time I was making the album. You know? Like, “How does this compare to the music she showed me?” That was really the beginning. But also, the joy and beauty of creating is that you don’t realize you’re making a body of work until it starts coming.

Was there an “aha” moment in the studio where you could feel that it was going to be a cohesive collection and a theme and not just one-off songs?

There’s a song on the album called “I’m Not A Machine.” I wrote that after watching the Barbie movie. I know it’s classified as a comedy but it felt very real and was more of a horror film in some ways for me. That was the main theme that I realized, “Okay, I want to have an album, have a body of work that really talks about girlhood and all that comes with it.” There can be a lightness to that, but there’s also so much heaviness. I feel like when I’m talking to women, we all carry these similar stories. Then it became this goal of making sure I write more about those themes. Like in the song, “Shut It Off,” where I was talking about the men in the music industry and trying to just talk to my 22-year-old self.

Speaking of “Shut It Off,” what was the experience you were sharing? What was it like for you as a young woman trying to navigate the music industry?

I realized what I was experiencing wasn’t okay and it wasn’t normal, and so I shifted everyone I was working with that wasn’t a feminist. When you’re in that situation, when you are constantly told that you have no power, and then you realize that you have the ability to fire people … it’s important. What I inevitably realized was, “You’re just promoting those people to young artists that potentially like your music.” It made a huge difference.

The process of making this album, did it feel cathartic? Did it feel challenging? What was the overall energy of pulling this together?

Cathartic is a good word to describe it. I was writing all these sad songs and I was like, “Where is my sister? These represent her and I don’t feel any closer to her.” I felt farther away. So then once I found this sort of itch that I needed to scratch, I felt like I got to connect with her again. That felt really healing and it was in the way that she existed in the world. She was a huge music lover. We were kind of raised as twins hence the closeness.

If you’re comfortable talking about her I’d love to know more about those formative experiences.

She set up my first YouTube account and was the first person to ever encourage me to pursue music. I would come to visit her in LA and we would drive through Mulholland Drive and she would play me Portugal The Man or Local Natives. She just was a connoisseur of all things music. When we were much younger, any sort of memory of those bands like Good Charlotte and Panic at the Disco were really encapsulated with all the posters on her walls and crazily, I’ve been managed by Good Charlotte’s same management company. And as you can imagine, we just freaked out. Something I’m noticing with artist friends of mine is that they’re doing things for your younger self. In a lot of ways you’re trying to heal those parts of your younger self that maybe have not yet healed, and there could be so much joy in that, which is why I love being a mom too, because I feel like I get to redo things in a different way than what my parents did.

How has becoming a mom transformed your life and what you’re creating? Also, how you navigate and exist in the world?

It’s the biggest gift. I didn’t really see a future for myself after my sister passed away. I had a lot of work to do on myself before entertaining the idea of having a baby. Not everything stuck. I did EDMR, equestrian therapy and art therapy, but the biggest thing that changed my life was self-care and [medication]. I wasn’t on a high dose but even just the placebo effect — I was choosing to live. We don’t get a choice in that ultimately, with health and everything, but I was actively trying to. Because I really had the dream of being a mom one day. I dreamt of that with my sister, that we would raise our kids together. It was hard to have that dream again, but that made the biggest shift.

I’ve since come off the antidepressant. But someone once described it to me as a leg injury. You’re wearing a cast, and you can practice the movement of what it would be like to build up that muscle and sometimes you have the ability to take the cast off but that’s not the same for everyone. It’s literally a deficiency in your brain at that time. That’s what depression is. That’s what anxiety is. It shows up on a brain scan. That’s why these things exist.

You’ve clearly made this album for yourself but also for your those close to you. For fans, though, what do you hope they hear when they listen to Tell My Therapist I’m Fine? What message do you want to leave them with?

For people to feel less alone by hearing the music. That’s what music has been for me. When I felt the most alone, I heard Adele singing about heartache and I’m like, “Oh, she’s going through this too. It’s not just me.” I think it’s really common when you are going through any sort of difficult time, whether big or small, it feels as though the world is collapsing in on you and you’re completely alone in it. So I think the biggest takeaway that I want people to have is to feel empowered to use their voice and to know that they’re not they’re not alone in it.

Photography: Nick Walker

Getting into a party is not unlike making it big in Hollywood. Either you prove your worth, know someone who knows someone, or be so ubiquitous that queues and lists don’t apply to you. Once inside, the next opportunity presents itself: working a room full of Los Angeles’ unruly cast of characters, from reality stars to viral sensations and industry leaders, pop artists to drag queens and… that person you see at every event, but don’t entirely understand what they do. (Hugs and air kisses, regardless!) Any given crowd in Tinsel Town can have millions of followers combined, with celebrities that all arrived believing in themselves — sometimes delusionally — before the rest of the world finally took notice.

For PAPER People LA, which follows our 40th Anniversary New York City cover series, we wanted to end the year with some famous friends keeping the West Coast interesting. On any given day in sunny LA, you could rub shoulders with Lisa Rinna (in this case, dressed like a gothic Balenciaga alien) or swap gossip with Tana Mongeau while sucking back a vape. You might find yourself waiting for an Uber XL on Sunset Boulevard alongside Rebecca Black or get caught in the crossfire of The Cobrasnake snapping shots of the Queen of Melrose (in this case, dressed like a vampy sequined villain). And even though clubs close at 2 AM, there’s always an after party somewhere in the Hills (as Channel Tres sings, “We ain’t leavin’/ ‘Til six in the morning”).

It’s all nonstop chaos and magic. Few can handle it, but everyone wishes they could — and PAPER has been on the frontlines to document and celebrate it all since first launching in 1984. Below, learn a bit more about PAPER people we love, in a special dinner party shoot inspired by our own archives. We cast each cover group to be as random and dizzying as any night out in LA — so if you’re wondering why? That’s exactly correct.

— Justin Moran, Editor-in-Chief

Cover one is a collaboration between H&M and PAPER.

What’s your craziest LA memory?

Rickey Thompson: I’ve had so many crazy memories. I would have to say when me and my friends went to Disneyland for the first time. We packed an Uber XL. It was like 10 of us, girl. It was crazy, but it was fun.

Mette: I just make people come over and I DJ for them. My house has turned into the greatest house party in the world.

Rebecca Black: My craziest LA memories probably happened when I was too drunk to remember them.

What makes LA special?

Rickey Thompson: All my family’s here, my friends are here, I love the sun. I’ve been here for 10 years, I made this city mine. It was always my dream, so I’m glad I’m here.

Mette: I’ve lived here in so many iterations of my life. I moved here fresh from college and I was a dancer for years, lived in the Valley. I ran around with everything from jazz shoes to high tops and skis — anything I needed to audition for a role was in the back of my car. I came back here this year to make music after a stint away for five and a half years. Obviously, I’ve grown up and I started making music, so coming back here as a musician with a different discipline that I’m trying to cultivate has been crazy. LA has always been here to propel me to the next chapter in my life.

Rebecca Black: I’ve lived in LA for — I’m coming up on my 10th year. It is a place that I was so close to growing up, but really knew nothing about until I graduated high school and came out here. It is what has bred my individuality, funny enough, which I feel like it doesn’t have a reputation for.

Where do you go in LA to escape?

Rickey Thompson: I love going to Soho in Malibu.

Mette: Pilates, as we all do, to become one with my breath and my body, and get out of my head. I root myself in Pilates and form, and that always makes me feel peaceful.

Rebecca Black: I go to Orange County or Joshua Tree, two very different vibes. That’s what’s so amazing about LA and growing up in California. You’re so close to so many different types of environments to find exactly what you want.

What’s your craziest LA memory?

Shamu Azizam: Doing landscape photoshoots, there’s been so many instances where we pick a location and pull some stunts, and a lot of them involve heavy costuming. I had this full metal, medieval armored suit in the middle of August. It’s scorching heat. We tried to start early, but it didn’t matter. I’m wearing this huge Tin Man outfit, and it’s like 70 pounds and I’m climbing on these rocks and doing all these poses. I’m super dehydrated and sweaty, and it’s such a full-body experience. Then I get home and the day after my butt is covered in poison ivy. I’m stuck with poison ivy for a month, but we have these really great photos. That’s LA to me, sacrificing a lot to make something beautiful.

Spice: The craziest moments are when I’m in full drag and I’m going to the Spirit Halloween or Home Depot. Those are fun because you take our art and throw yourself to the wolves, the locals. I like shaking them up.

Sugar: Going to the local Trader Joes in drag, because that’s when I leave the house.

Terri Joe: Everything is crazy about it. Every time I come here, I feel like I gotta drown myself in light before I leave. There are so many negative spirits around, I gotta keep the Christian about me intact.

Bonnie McKee: I threw a Halloween party and it was completely out of control. This was in like 2012 and my house was suddenly full of celebrities. Pete Wentz was there, Shaun White was dressed as Pretty Woman, and Diplo showed up and started DJing. My neighbors were so mad, I had to write apology letters. I went to my neighbor’s house, and they were like, “Do you know what I found in my yard? A wine bottle and a pair of pants.” I was trying not to laugh because that means someone left without their pants.

Rio Uribe: I grew up here, so I have a lot of them. I remember being seven or eight years old, growing up in Koreatown and hearing a bunch of Asian people speaking Spanish. That was one of my very formative memories of, “Oh, you can be multicultural.”

Stevie Mackey: I remember my parents taking me to the beach in the morning and then camping in the mountains at night. Going from the beach to snow in one day didn’t take long. That shows you just the craziness that happens here. That’s when I said to myself, “I must live in a movie set. This is really weird.”

What makes LA special?

Shamu Azizam: LA is like nowhere else, especially if you’re living in America. Everybody’s here and everybody around the world is coming here, but it’s not like New York where everybody’s closed in on each other. There’s some space to actually go to a house party and meet people. It feels like a place where you can really lean on the weird and be yourself, figure yourself out. I feel like LA holds that space.

Spice: I wouldn’t be able to make it in New York because a hoe does get cold. We need to be able to wear our little tube tops and not be freezing. So if you see a vampire twink with an umbrella on the street just know, that’s probably Sugar or Spice.

Sugar: Well girl, I’m the tan twink. That’s the thing with being a New Yorker in LA. We stick out like sore thumbs because we’re walkers here and no one walks.

Terri Joe: Absolutely nothing about LA is special because it’s full of demons and devils and homosexuals. So there’s nothing special about it. Actually, it’s kind of trash.

Bonnie McKee: LA is a city of dreamers. You can be as wacky as you want and no one’s gonna judge you. You can say, “I have to charge my crystals,” and everyone’s like, “Of course,” no question. So I like that it’s a free-thinking city.

Rio Uribe: The people make it really special because everyone who is here grew up around Hollywood, celebrity, music, culture. But then also everyone who moves here has big dreams, so it’s constantly reinventing itself. And people are, for the most part, pretty excited and optimistic to be here. So you get to that jaded point, but the new implants and people that come to LA with dreams keep it very happy and fresh and exciting.

Stevie Mackey: LA is one of the only places in the world where you will not be judged for anything. You can say, “I’m gonna go ride a pink elephant around town,” and people say, “Great, that’s awesome.” It’s full of individuals. It’s so individualistic that we don’t even like mass transport. We like to be late in our own car.

Where do you go in LA to escape?

Shamu Azizam: That’s easy to do because 45 minutes anywhere outside of LA is gorgeous nature. I’m a big nature boy. That’s my art, nature photography and landscapes. There’s nothing like a west coast sunset. You can get on the 10, go to Santa Monica, go to the pier or go to the Angeles Forest. That’s why I live here, because of the options of. I can escape all the crazy traffic, and go out and not see anyone for miles.

Spice: Definitely walking in the Hills.

Sugar: I love walking through the Hills in Los Feliz, by Runyon Canyon. I think it’s a creative person, an artist person thing, where you need your downtime to recharge and supercharge your creative spirit. If you’re constantly around others, there’s so much noise. Isolating yourself on a walk does the trick.

Terri Joe: I like to go to church to, you know, spread the word of Jesus. But I would say back home to Louisiana, it’s where I feel most at home.

Bonnie McKee: I also love cemeteries, I love Hollywood Forever. That’s my favorite place to go to an event and it’s funny that everybody hangs out in cemeteries here. That’s something that I thought was so strange when I came to LA.

Rio Uribe: I either go to my mom’s house to eat some really yummy, home-cooked Mexican food, or I like to go up to the views where people go to park and make out. But I’m usually alone in my car listening to music.

Stevie Mackey: Number one, Malibu beach — I know it sounds generic, but I love going to Soho House in Malibu. I love going to Sunset Restaurant in Zuma [Beach]. I’ve been going since I was a kid. Also, I love the Arboretum in Arcadia. They have gardens that represent plants from all over the world. I love to go there and walk around and clear my mind.

What’s your craziest LA memory?

Isaac Dunbar: Oh god, definitely parties that I should’ve signed NDAs for. And that’s that.

Marsha Molinari: Oh, there’s so many. But it’s kind of magical that you can bump into Lana Del Rey at, like, a coffee shop, or Lisa Rinna at a photoshoot. I’m just constantly gagged.

Symone: When I first got here — I call this the boom boom gun — I lost my shoe and I left my phone in the Uber. That’s all I remember. I woke up and I had one shoe on and not a phone call to make. So fill in the blanks!

Lisa Rinna: The riots, ‘93. I was living on Orange, in Wilshire, and the riots were happening literally right outside my apartment. I don’t think I’ve ever come that close to that kind of violence. It was pretty frightening.

Channel Tres: Watching the “California Love” music video with Tupac and Dr. Dre, and seeing them do some shots around the corner from my house, and waking up and walking to school and thinking, Oh, this is where they shot the music video, oh snap!

What makes LA special?

Isaac Dunbar: People’s ambition and drive. It’s unlike any place I’ve seen. I’m inspired to be the best version of myself at all times, which ultimately gets me to where I want to be. Like sitting here.

Marsha Molinari: Growing up somewhere like central California, I dreamed of the movie magic and all the glam girls, and growing up queer myself, it just seemed like the place to be. When I had the chance I packed my bags and drove right here.

Symone: Well, it ain’t the food, we’ll start there. Let’s see, it’s the people, I think. Everyone that comes here has a dream or something they want to do. It’s its own little world.

Lisa Rinna: I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, really. It’s the whole vibe, the sun, the palm trees, the laidback-ness of it, the authenticity of what it is to itself. LA stays true to itself.

Channel Tres: It’s where I grew up, so it’s special for that. I grew up in a very rich musical culture, from the jazz musicians I know, the hip-hop legends, the foundations of west coast music. And the comedy is very rich out here. And being able to drive to the beach, all the scenery out here. And you can’t beat the weather. I’m lucky to be from here.

Where do you go in LA to escape?

Isaac Dunbar: I go to my home girl’s house. It’s so simple. I love a house, that’s my escape. Most people retreat to nature, I prefer the comfort of a home.

Marsha Molinari: I like to be out in nature, there’s lots of beautiful places to hike. Or I find escape through music. I have a DJ duo with my boyfriend, we like to lose ourselves in music.

Symone: I go home, either in Atlanta or to my studio in Koreatown.

Lisa Rinna: The beach. The water.

Channel Tres: I like going to Manhattan Beach. Or Bigsby Nose in Long Beach, you can go all the way to the park. I used to go there a lot when I was younger, and just think and dream.

What’s your craziest LA memory?

Tana Mongeau: For an entire year and a half I was living in a house in the Hollywood Hills, and the people who lived there before me were Justin Bieber and Juice WRLD and FaZe Clan. My neighbors were the Hype House and all the TikTokers like Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae, and next door was Post Malone and all his friends. We had an open door policy, so I would see everything in the world in my living room, whether it was a rap concert or chefs making us food with weed. I have so many stories from that time that I’m saving for a book.

Bonavega: I went to a gloryhole once.

Christina Milian: Basically all of my thirties. I partied my ass off. I feel like when I ended, so did the scene.

Carter Gregory: I love Beyoncé, and I got to go to her birthday show in LA for Renaissance and I actually met her that night on her birthday. It was a surreal, full-circle moment for me.

Heidi Montag: Well, today is a really fun one. And another recent one was performing at Subculture, that was incredible and really out of the norm of my daily mom life. But there’s also nothing that beats the 2007, 2008 clubbing era, height of the paparazzi. The world was just so different then.

What makes LA special?

Tana Mongeau: The people. Even if everyone has nothing in common, we moved here with a delusional belief in ourselves — the transplants, that is. When that’s great, it’s really great. My favorite thing about LA is how accepting it is. And LA can be so anonymous, you can be hiding in plain sight and be completely yourself.

Bonavega: The collective, highest form of any given art form and then the bottom-of-the-barrel punk vibe — LA does a good job of meshing those two things together. There’s really good DIY mixed with really high-end stuff.

Christina Milian: The weather is number one. I mean, it’s the definition of forever young. Something about the essence of the weather, staying warmer, that vitamin D, really kicks in and keeps you younger. And you can have a balance of work-life, though sometimes we do work a little too hard. And the beach, of course.

Carter Gregory: It’s a land of opportunity, a place where anyone can be whatever they want to be and pursue your dreams. There’s so much room for growth. Once you find the people you really care about here, they’ll be your rocks.

Heidi Montag: It’s the dream to be on the beach year-round. And it’s the place where you can make all your dreams come true.

Where do you go in LA to escape?

Tana Mongeau: I don’t think there’s such a thing as escaping LA, even when I’m in Malibu or somewhere that feels more remote, you still see the craziest shit happen. When I want to run away, I get the fuck out of LA.

Bonavega: The Self-Realization Center in Mount Washington. Or Las Vegas.

Christina Milian: Definitely Runyon Canyon. I love it there. Just at peace with nature, hustling up some damn hills — there’s some clarity. And the beach, too.

Carter Gregory: My bedroom. And I love driving, it’s the best time when I get to listen to music and unwind, windows down, listening to new artists. I love to drive to some beach area with a friend and chill out somewhere. And the dog park with my dog, Froggy.

Heidi Montag: My house.

What makes LA special?

Queen of Melrose: I’m not gonna lie, girl. I just came back from New York City and New York City has a vibe again. But I do love LA.

The Cobrasnake: LA created me. The Cobrasnake was born in LA, I grew up here. I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if I wasn’t from this place. Everything points at Hollywood, music, television. That was my big inspiration.

Mayah Hatcher: LA normalizes a lot of all these things that seem unattainable — these celebrities, you get exposed to so many kinds of people and existences. It’s special that you can come here feeling regular and be surrounded by people you might consider extraordinary, and it just feels regular. There’s a lot of inspiration that comes from being here.

Zana Bayne: The space. Walking around with my arms stretched out and not touching anyone or anything else. And being able to get to the beach in 20 minutes is incredible.

Mel 4Ever: It’s the most psychotic place on Earth, I swear to god, and I lived in New York for eight years. LA gives people so much room to be such fucking freaks, and everyone takes the opportunity, it seems.

Princess Gollum: It’s special to me personally because it’s where I was born, it’s given me so many things. We got the best Korean food, I have to say. And the pace is special, it’s always moving, but everyone’s a bit slower. Once you get used to the pace, it really unlocks things.

What’s your craziest LA memory?

Queen of Melrose: I don’t know if I can really say it right now. It’s not very G-rated. I did share it on a podcast… let’s do another one. Deontay Wilder, the heavyweight champion, I made all his outfits, his ring walk outfits. He goes, “I want something so intimidating.” Long story short, I go sit in the front row, watch the fight and he just gets demolished like a fucking rag doll. I was devastated, he was supposed to win in this fabulous outfit, right? But it was voted the best ring-walking outfit in boxing history. So I get a phone call from some magazine and they say, “Deontay says he lost because the outfit was too heavy.” So I was like, “I gotta talk to Deontay,” but he was in the hospital, because he was so fucked up. So I call him and he says, “No, that was my coach, I would never say that, I was just having an off day.”

The Cobrasnake: In high school I would go to AM/PM, they had a deal where you could get two hot dogs and a large soda for like $2. I’d be walking home from school eating these hot dogs and something disagreed with me. It all ended up on the sidewalk.

Mayah Hatcher: I recently booked Doechii just after she released her latest project — she came to us actually — and we held her release party. Also, I did this Calvin Klein campaign a few years ago and got to model with Solange, which was just like, Girl, what?

Zana Bayne: The first time I ever came to visit, I ended up taking samples to a Dita Von Tease shoot, but she was on jury duty. So I had all these samples in my trunk and went to Chateau [Marmont], and John Waters was there with an actress on his lap and an editor who was just doing blow off the table in the midst of dinner and bolognese. So I was like, “Oh, this is LA, I love this.”

Mel 4Ever: I went on a date with the kid from Modern Family, and he made me cum twice.

Princess Gollum: There’s so many, I’ve been here so long. When I was like eight months old, the big earthquake happened and I didn’t even cry. Then when I was four years old, we had a crazy amount of monarch butterflies come through, just swarms going through the city. Imagine the crustiest area of K-town with millions of butterflies going where they needed to. It was so romantic.

Where do you go in LA to escape?

Queen of Melrose: I go to my backyard. I walk my huskies. I live in a beautiful area, I wake up and there’s people riding horses. I had to do that for my brain when I got sober. I used to live on Melrose, and I have my shops on Melrose and I felt like I was never getting away from Melrose. After the pandemic, it started getting on the queen’s nerves. It’s more tranquil.

The Cobrasnake: The top of many mountains. I love hiking. You can catch me at Runyon or on top of the Hollywood sign. It’s something that grounds me

Mayah Hatcher: Honestly, I love my home, I love my apartment. I love my neighbors, we cook for each other, we check on each other. When I want to get away from LA, I probably go to New York.

Zana Bayne: I want to say the Cabazon outlets.

Mel 4Ever: I go to, like Malibu. I don’t know, I go to the beach and freeze my tits off. Also, my patio. I dance and perform under the moon, that’s where I go to hide.

Princess Gollum: The beach, definitely. It’s the only place you can find without a human being in sight.

See on Instagram

PAPER People: NYC Icons, Freaks and Legends

Photography and direction: Julian Buchan

Styling: Marta Del Rio

Hair: Gregg Lennon Jr, using Unite Hair and T3 for The Only Agency

Makeup: Nick Lennon, using Pat McGrath Labs for The Only Agency

Nails: Michelle Tran

Set design: Stefania Lucchesi

Styling (Lisa Rinna): Danyul Brown

Editor-in-chief: Justin Moran

Managing editor: Matt Wille

Production: Sammy Case

Publisher: Brian Calle

Interviews: Reanna Cruz

Cover type: Jewel Baek

Studio: Moonlight Studio + Rentals

Lighting direction: Dannel Escallon

Digitech and grip: Lindsey Kusterman

Styling assistants: Grace Taylor, Niki Ravari, Gaia Khatchadourian, Arturo Delgadillo

Hair assistant: Stefanie Hernandez, Gina Garcia, Kyle Heinen

Makeup assistants: Luna Vela, Nikole Vega, Chloe Goddard

Nail assistant: Cameron Fukuwa, Alyssa Cardiel, Alexander Tran

Set design assistant: Josefina Valadez

Production assistants: Jesse Zapatero, Lena Elgab, Gregory Shark

Gaffer: Albert Gonzalez

Grip: Kevin Aguilar

Miya Folick was spent after her last album, 2023’s ROACH. The album mined the depths of the LA-based artist’s psyche amidst a sea of synths and guitar, each song landing with the weight of a film’s climactic resolution. “Exhaustion,” after such output, was inevitable, so Folick hibernated and recharged her creative energies. But then, “at some point, the ideas just started coming,” Folick tells PAPER.

The result of that ideation is Erotica Veronica (out February 28th via Nettwerk), Folick’s third full-length album and yet another expansive exploration of what makes her tick. On Erotica Veronica, her primary focus is desire and embodiment. The album, which plays out like a psychosexual epic, is sonically rich, overflowing with orchestral flourishes, spiraling song structures and lived-in acoustic textures that render Folick’s clear-eyed lyricism in vivid detail.

In addition to her album announcement, Folick is sharing a new single, “Erotica,” alongside a video directed by Antonio Marziale. It’s a salacious taste of what’s to come on the full project.

“‘Erotica’ is a song about fantasy and pleasure — It’s not just about sex, it’s about a richness of experience, a playfulness, a connection, an open approach to each day,” Folick says. The song moves with a quick pulse and a nervy sense of urgency. It’s ultimately a shirking off of expectations and conventional norms, a move towards a true expression of desire. “I think that we’re fed rules about what an appropriate fantasy looks like, especially when you’re coupled. Our culture is so puritanical in that way. But I think that it’s important for me to retain my autonomy of thought and truthfully sharing my fantasies is an act of tenderness and intimacy,” she says.

In the video, Folick and Marziale unpack these ideas through a surrealist sequence that shows the singer doubled, with one version of her strapped in for medical experimentation and another version observing from behind a one-way mirror. As the video churns on, the cold clinicism of the environment gives way to something more feral and dirty.

PAPER spoke with Folick about her forthcoming album, her dream-like new video and her hopes for this next chapter of her artistry.

I first found your work through your last record, ROACH, which really stunned me. What was your mindset like coming off that record and into Erotica Veronica?

At first my mindset was pretty bleak. I didn’t think I had an album in me. I was just spiritually and physically exhausted, as I think a lot of people were coming out of the pandemic and re-entering the “normal” speed of things. I was searching for that hook, the germ of an idea that would catalyze the rest of my writing process. For a couple of months I just moped around, a bit unmoored and unsure of what I was even interested in. I had the instinct to fuel up, so I ate a lot and slept a lot. And then at some point, the ideas just started coming.

The video for “Erotica” is so cinematic. Tell me about how you came up with the concept and what shooting it was like.

There were so many ideas that were thrown around before we landed on this one. I reached out to Antonio because I’d seen his short film Starfuckers on Mubi and was really blown away. It’s dark and strange and moving and funny all at once. I sent him a quick sketch of an idea, and he sent me back some ideas of his. And then we met up and decided to go in a different direction, one that was a sort of convergence of the ideas that had come before it. But the final form of the video emerged when Antonio and the producer Eli scouted the location. That’s when Antonio pitched me the idea of double.

The parameters that we were working within were fun and absurd, but not carefree. The fun is earned, deliberate, and contains struggle. My character’s awakening does not just “happen” to her. She is the engineer of her own awakening. Sexy, but not necessarily about sex. It’s about eroticism as one’s sensual relationship to the world.

I’m really taken by the orchestral scope of “Erotica”’s production, which mirrors the grand style of the whole record. How did you hone the sound of Erotica Veronica?

A lot of these songs started on acoustic guitar, and I knew that I wanted to retain the raw energy of their gestation in the final production. But I’m also drawn to songs that feel expansive and “cinematic” — by which I mean they contain a sense of drama — so I wanted to have strings and woodwinds and piano across the album. I worked with my co-producer Sam KS to really nail the band performances of all the songs live in the studio, and then we spent a bunch of time just fucking around with the files at home.

Originally, “Erotica” just started at the first verse where the vocal comes in, but I spent four days banging my head against a wall, knowing that it needed something more … almost like a dream sequence reveal to let you know it’s a fantasy. Eventually, that piano part came out of me. I wasn’t technically able to play it very well, so I brought in my friend Jacob Ungerleider to do it justice. I still think that the strings would have maybe sounded a bit better if I was able to afford a string section, but I’m hoping my midi violin has a sort of je ne sais quoi.

For fans who have followed you for a few records now, what do you hope they take away from this next chapter in your artistry?

Oof. That’s a big question. My hope is that they feel about this record the same way I feel about my favorite records — that it’s transportive and challenging. That they can put it on and go for a walk, and the world might feel a little more magical. But also that it brings them closer to truth.

Photography: Jonny Marlow

The internet’s favorite funny guy Jake Shane has officially entered the world of music. His new album, Puss & Poems, is out everywhere and mixes the 24-year-old TikTok sensation’s comedy with a bit of pop, courtesy of frequent collaborator Alexander 23.

“You know how I always want to be a pop star?” he tells friend (and noted pop star) Tate McRae over-the-phone on the album’s intro. “Well, I’m gonna do it… be a pop star.” But he didn’t do it alone: The project features everyone from Joe Jonas to Jersey Shore’s Snooki and Jack Schlossberg over 12 tracks, spanning topics like Sugarfish, Postmates and JetBlue.

At the end of November, Shane brought the live version of his podcast, Therapuss, to Los Angeles at The Wiltern. Names like Reneé Rapp came out to support the rising star, who was joined onstage by Alexander 23 to perform Puss & Poems songs for a sold out crowd. “What a way to end tour,” he wrote on Instagram, and gave PAPER an exclusive look inside the special experience, below.

Boarding my flight from SF to LA. Nerves are setting in and my anxiety was palpable.

Home for a few hours. Scrolled on my laptop, ordered Erewhon and paced around the house. My friends told me I was being “manic,” but I called it “pre-show prep.”

Made it to the venue and checked on streams for [my album] Puss & Poems… I was very excited.

Changed into Puss & Poems merch after the VIP meet-and-greet and began to go through the “Tell Me What’s Wrongs” for the show.

Alexander [23] got there to rehearse and gifted me the guitar we wrote Puss & Poems on. I would’ve cried, but I’m on meds.

Reneé Rapp was special guest and this was my first time seeing her in so long. She instantly made me feel so much better and I was ready to perform.

One last pre-show chant before I hit the stage with Matt and Louise.

performing “JetBlue” with Alexander [23] for the first time on stage to end the tour.

Running to my friend’s arms as I finish the show.

Alice telling me she was crying laughing during the show. Which is all I needed to hear, really and truly.

Sofia [Richie] and I.

Photography: Nat Goldie

Adéla is bored of the “perfectly cut, not at all ‘rough around the edges’ pop star.” That’s why she’s doing it differently this time.

The pop star aspirant returns today with “SUPERSCAR,” a follow-up to debut single “HOMEWRECKED” earlier this year. Like her previous outing, the song and accompanying video are a bit “brutal,” in Adéla’s own words. “I, in no way, shape, or form, think I’m like, the Aristotle of pop or anything. But I do think I try to always bring in a bigger picture message and a bit of room to think.” She hopes to “provoke” her audience, explaining that this latest single run is “uncomfortable and very over-the-top, literal.”

The once-prospective member of KATSEYE went solo after a run on Netflix’s Pop Star Academy, immediately breaking free from the image conscious girl group mold she’d been trained in alongside her fellow competitors. Despite not making the group, it’s clear her time in HYBE’s intense, often harrowing training camp paid off in dividends. Like “HOMEWRECKED,” which she also wrote, “SUPERSCAR” is a totally surprising indie-pop package: raw vocals, clever storytelling and magnetic choreography. What more can we ask for?

As for what these singles might be building towards, Adéla says, “The idea is to create a story through an EP for this character that goes through these over-the-top experiences described in ‘HOMEWRECKED’ and ‘SUPERSCAR’ — an exaggerated reality of my life.”

Ahead of the video’s exclusive PAPER premiere, we chatted with Adéla about stunt choreography, vocal production, Britney Spears’ continued impact and divas, below.

This is your followup single to “HOMEWRECKED,” and like your debut, it really breaks the mold of the image-conscious girl group hopeful fans were introduced to you as. How did this song come to be?

That makes me weirdly happy. “SUPERSCAR,” similarly to “HOMEWRECKED,” is based on real experiences. I grew up in the entertainment industry, starting ballet in Moscow at the age of three and then getting into the music industry so publicly. This song is a culmination of lived experiences with imbalanced power dynamics and dreams being so precious to young talent, but not being precious at all to those in power. It’s about people-pleasing, about being aware of the abuse that’s happening to you, about just wanting to do what you love and about rising above it all in the end. You didn’t make me a superstar, but you gave me this superscar, and in a twisted way, that makes me want to keep going even further.

There’s a video of you building the vocal stack for “HOMEWRECKED” on TikTok that people quickly became obsessed with, a song you also wrote. Were you similarly involved in the making of “SUPERSCAR”?

Oh yes, I write all of my stuff alongside my amazing co-creators. These songs, these experiences are me through and through. I’m very opinionated and nuanced in everything I do. I honestly can’t imagine receiving a pre-written song and feeling completely satisfied with it. It’s just not how my brain functions.

Have you always been interested in production and songwriting, alongside singing and dance?

Honestly, my first obsession was mastering vocals. As a kid I became enamored by the divas: Whitney, Céline, Patti, Aretha, Mariah. I wanted to study them and be able to belt “I Have Nothing” one day. Then came my obsession with harmonies and vocal production, that’s my favorite part of the process now. Being raised by queens of harmonies like Beyoncé and Ariana as well as Imogen Heap, I became obsessed. I’d find and illegally (don’t clock me) download the vocal stems of their songs and listen to that non-stop as a kid. It was mind-altering. I think songwriting came later in life to help in times when my feelings became too complicated to talk about. Around 14 is when I started writing songs on my piano in my room.

What also stood out in that aforementioned video, at the time, was the sticker of Britney’s “…Baby One More Time” album on your laptop. Is she a primary inspiration for you, in pop music?

Britney is a primary inspiration to anyone making pop music, whether they know it or not. I think that specific era of pop stardom was so incredibly shaping and revolutionary. I cannot help myself, but give her all the flowers, as the pioneering figure of that period. I also just think she’s an incredibly strong woman, which is always a big topic on my brain.

Speaking of imagery, the video plays on the idea of a younger you watching yourself, a pop star, on TV. Does that mirror your own life and journey at all now, as your pop career takes off?

Yes, that’s what the idea is about. As a kid, you idolize certain things, career paths, people and when you arrive at those places that you didn’t think you actually could, the reality is a lot less polished and perfect, than what it seemed like as a kid. The story is pretty simple at its core. Doesn’t make it much less heartbreaking when it’s your reality though

There’s also a fantastic sequence with water, towards the back half of the video. How fun was it to try out new things, like water stunts, and what was it like to pull that off on set?

The water scene was my favorite, it was such a gag. I was living my pop girl fantasy in my latex bodysuit and rain and crazy choreo. It was a fire, 10/10 experience. Would and will be doing it again. Everybody on set was so supportive and fun to work with, and that scene was actually one of the easiest ones to shoot, which is kind of iconic.

There were also KATSEYE members at your recent 21st birthday. How does it feel to have found so many friends and collaborators who can share this new solo journey with you?

The relationships I have made through art and these crazy ass experiences that I’ve gone through, are for life. I truly value the people I’ve come across. I feel so very understood and so supported by them. They’re my biggest hype women and I am theirs. It’s super satisfying being surrounded by confident, talented, hard-working, successful people. It makes me feel like I’m doing something right.

Photos courtesy of Savanna Ruedy