“I know that the hellish first year of all-nighters, zero-social life, 8AM classes and simultaneous due dates will ALL be worth it. Yes, the fashion industry is glamorous, but no one ever said getting there would be pretty!”

Poster caught up with Raez, who’s recently moved back for the summer, to find out what she’s been up to.

What the heck is in the water in Toronto? (We’re talking about your hair)

Nothing much more than what’s in Winnipeg’s water I’m sure! My hair just grows insanely fast, about an inch per month–eek! Pampering it with coconut oil every once in a while doesn’t hurt though.

How would you compare style in Toronto as to Winnipeg?

Sooooo much more black! Everywhere I walk downtown is a sea of chic black, everyone here looks so polished. Now that it’s spring, it’s sea of beige. And more black. I’ve also noticed that everyone here owns Hunter rain boots, ha!

Any amazing Canadian designers you’ve been introduced to that we should be paying attention to?

Sid Neigum, Chloe comme Parris and Jeremy Laing all the way.

Tell us about your gig for Kay-Tran

Last May, Kathy Tran contacted me about trying out a pair of KayTran sunnies for my blog. Her namesake brand was also featured in the same issue of Flare that I was featured in and I guess she read about me and thought Cheap Thrills and KayTran would be a good fit! Fast forward to December and she contacted me again asking if I’d style and model for a Spring relaunch campaign, and of course, I was more than happy to oblige.

What’s your favourite item to wear right now?

Right now it would be my vintage leather biker jacket which I found in vintage store on Queen St. West. It’s perfectly soft, cropped just right and was an amazing find for $65!

- Suzy

Remember when Sean Paul’s “Get Busy” came out? And we all gyrated in our living rooms when our dads weren’t watching? No, I guess that was probably just me. And still is. It’s the weekend, baby, and I feel like getting my slow grind on. And my fast grind. So here’s this dancehall-inspired playlist to get those hips moving. I don’t care if you’re getting to “the club” tonight or staying home to finish Mockingjay. I want you to put your lipstick on, throw on a crop top, put one hand in the air, and start winding your hips. That’s a Friday night done right.

1. Robyn – “Dancehall Queen”
2. Sean Paul – “Get Busy”
3. Diplo – “Diplo Rhythm”
4. M.I.A. – “Galang”
5. Sean Kingston – “Letting Go” feat. Nicki Minaj
6. Beanie Man – “King of the Dancehall”
7. Missy Elliot – “Pass That Dutch”
8. Maluca – “El Tigeraso”
9. Timbaland – “Break Ya Back” feat. Dev
10. Santigold – “Shuv It”

Hips Real Slow from Poster on 8tracks Radio.

- Braden

You might say that I like to have my cake and eat it too. I prefer to say I like duality, a sense of balance. A house in the city, a cabin in the woods. Late nights with wine, early mornings with coffee. Whirlwind adventures and a quiet summer at home. I’ve even sought this out in my friends – two of whom I refer to as light and shadow.

Actually, it was shadow who told me May would be a romantic month. And I feel it already. But I’m of two minds: part of me wants to jump right into a spring fling and the other says I should avoid the whole mess and pine away in my room. So this week we put together two separate playlists, one for each frame of mind. Who says we have to choose? Life will probably do that for us anyway.

1. Churchill – “Change”
2. Janelle Monae – “Q.U.E.E.N.” feat. Erykah Badu
3. Demi Lovato – “Without The Love”
4. Marina and the Diamonds & Charli XCX – “Just Desserts”
5. Leona Naess – “Leave Your Boyfriends Behind”
6. Keaton Henson – “Lying To You”
7. Say Lou Lou – “Fool Of Me” feat. Chet Faker
8. Phosphorescent – “Song For Zula”
9. Claire Morrison – “Don’t Make Me Go”

Write Me Out Of It from Poster on 8tracks Radio.

1. Ruth Moody – “Dancing in the Dark”
2. Jessie Ware – “Love Thy Will Be Done”
3. Mariah Carey – “#Beautiful” feat. Miguel
4. Charles Bradley – “Lovin’ You, Baby”
5. Stevie Wonder – “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”
6. Empire of the Sun – “Alive”
7. Betty Who – “You’re In Love”
8. Diana Vickers – “Cinderella”
9. Little Boots – “Cescendo”

This Gun’s For Hire from Poster on 8tracks Radio.

- Braden

“The thing about my brother is that he has this incredible eye for style.  Not only did he renovate the space from top to bottom and create a crisp atmosphere, but he has filled it with everything fresh.  TUB has the finest gear for sneaker geeks, street artists, fashionistas and stoners.

But the The Bakery is more than the sum of it’s parts. It is a magnet for creative minds and it has consistently cooked some seriously dope culture in the city.  It is a hub for Winnipeg’s finest DJs, B-boys & B-girls, and Graffiti Artists.  It has turned out so many fabulous parties with both local and international DJs that Kev opened up a venue just to keep it real. The Green Room in Osborne has been wildly successful as a result,” says Niki.

The shoot was a collaborative effort between Niki and the fabulous Becky DeJesus from The Urban Bakery (aka TUB), who has been travelling internationally for TUB, doing their buying.

If there’s one thing Poster loves, it’s amazing collabos (not sure if that’s a real word but I’m going for it). Put a crew like this together and you’re pretty much asking for practical magic.

“Becky mentioned she needed to get the word out and my first response was ‘photo shoot!! Becky’s sweet taste has brought an ultra feminine touch to the store. The clothing is retro chic and the photo shoot was begging for curlers and jade eye shadow.  We immediately summoned the master minds at Berns & Black to do the hair and makeup. The final idea to style drunk and stoned housewives in a back lane crawled out of both of our brains.  Needless to say the shoot was good times and  giggles,” Niki tells us.

“The models were genius. Anna is such a delicate beauty and yet has this super raw and empowered way about her.  She has both a depth and a beautiful levity to her being.  She can trek through the amazon like a warrior and she makes one of the best coffees in town.  Go find her at Cafe Postal, but don’t mix her up with her equally hot twin Adrienne.

Oliva has a sweet school girl aura that is slightly shadowed by a sexy punk rock spirit.  She doesn’t claim to be a DJ and yet she can get a party started with Glam Rock, Pop, 70s punk and some Rockabilly.  She may be young but she’s schooled enough to know that vinyl is the only way to spin.”

“It’s been pretty awesome watching my little brother kick some serious ass in this city.   His success has been based on  his clever marketing, his meticulous style and his incredible generosity. Kev works hard, but has a soft spot for people in need. He is an amazing human being and a clever entreprenuer. Everything he touches turns to gold just like his heart.”

Amazing. Isn’t Winnipeg lucky?

- Suzy

I first heard this woman’s voice on a sunny deck when I was traveling through the Netherlands. (Mutual friend and Poster boy Grant Calder introduced me to her MySpace page.) She was singing “If Only,”  a song from her former band Fire & Smoke. I was moved. I was an instant fan. And I’ve been following her career ever since. I actually have a hard time remembering how old she is. She’s 21, with a voice that sounds like it’s lived through ages.

We had Claire sing for us the other week at Thom Bargen. Now, we talk to the talented beauty about her new EP, the launch party (tonight!), and where her musical career is headed.

ON HER BIG DEBUT

“This EP is a series of farewells. Friends I’ve lost, people I’ve loved who I don’t spend time with anymore. And that’s what prompted the title, Here’s to You, Here’s to Me - it’s got a finality to it in my mind. It’s acknowledging the best in another person, and the best in yourself, and knowing all the same when it’s time to move on. These songs are final salutes as you make your exit. But they’re mementos, too.

“A notable exception is the fictional tale told on ‘Lucy’ – when you spend so much time writing about your life, it’s a welcome change to step outside of your experience and play make-believe for a little while.”

ON LEAVING FIRE & SMOKE

“I am grateful for all the experience I gained with that project, and the skills I’ve learned over the past two and half years will hold me in good stead. I’m coming into my own vastly more prepared than if I had started pursuing a solo career at 18, and the timing couldn’t be better.”

ON THE SUPPORT FROM HER WINNIPEG FANS

“Preparing for this release has reminded me what a gift this community is. So many people have reached out to spread the word, help out at the concert, give positive feedback, and add to the general excitement of this solo debut.”

(Oh, just the incredible duo behind Wookey Films, doing what they do.)

ON TONIGHT’S SHOW 

“It’s going to play a lot with juxtaposition – it’s going to be rich and spare, it’s going to ebb and flow, it will be hushed and unbridled, depending on where we are in the set. I will have a whole host of musicians with me, including banjo, strings, and organ, and we’ll be playing in one of the most elegant spaces in Winnipeg. Attendees will get a rare live performance of what many of these new songs sound like on the EP – I can’t take six musicians with me everywhere I go!”

(PS. The show’s at The Ballroom at 218 Roslyn Rd tonight and it’s going to be amazing.)

ON HER DREAM COLLABORATIONS

“Cat Power, Rufus Wainwright (swoon), Sia Furler, Kathleen Edwards. To name a few. Also, Steve Marriott, the lead singer of Humble Pie, if he was still alive. For those of you who don’t know, see Humble Pie’s performance of “Black Coffee” on the Old Grey Whistle Test.”

ON HER DREAM CAREER

“I have a lot of admiration for Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes – he is my favourite songwriter. He is witty, eloquent, balances light and dark in the same way that I try to – what a wordsmith. And he tried out a lot of cool stuff, like doing a double album release on the same day in 2005 – “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning”, an acoustic, folk-y album, and “Digital Ash in a Digital Urn”, a glitched-out album bordering in some spots on electronica. He seems to do what he wants as much as possible in an industry where everyone’s got advice on how you should run your career, whether you ask for it or not.”

ON HER NEXT STEPS

“After the release on Friday, this new EP goes out into the world and I get to see what happens. I’ll be heading to Montreal to spend some time there starting in June, where many people I’m eager to collaborate with are currently living. I’ve got lots of ideas and lots of bits and pieces of songs that I can start to develop now that this EP is written, arranged, and recorded. And as always, I’ll be doing my best not to limit myself – recent projects have included scoring for theatre and dance pieces at this year’s Sondheim Fest, and making my debut as a contemporary music composer with the premier of “Distillation: 5″ at Cluster Festival, which was performed by Ensemble Paramirabo of Montreal. I am delighted and overwhelmed by the breadth and variety of choices I’ve got.”

- Braden

Grab a copy of the very amazing EP on Bandcamp, and stay tuned for it on iTunes soon. Or, do yourself a gigantic favour and catch the show tonight, pick up a physical copy, and say hello the gorgeous redhead in person. So worth it. 

Photos by Lisa Varga
Styled by Bronwyn Seier

I’m only in Winnipeg, about half way, and so far it’s been a Canadiana-filled dream.

I’m with two fantastic girls from my program and together we’re giving Canada some love on our way out east. As you might have guessed, it hasn’t been hard. There’s a hell of a lot to love in this beautiful place we call home.

Full disclosure: I’m one of those people who tears up when I sing the national anthem. I’m deeply patriotic and almost ridiculously proud to come from a country where gay marriage is legal, health care is free for everyone, and wild beauty still abounds. So I’m a little biased when I say: Canada is fucking amazing.

We’ve only been through four provinces and already we’ve been stunned at the wildlife we’ve seen.

We’ve stayed with good friends, eaten good food, and spent our days with our mouths wide open, gazing in awe at the vast and brilliant beauty of the west.

And now I’ve got just a few days to soak up some love from all the beautiful people in Winnipeg before we venture into Ontario, Blue Rodeo and Joni Mitchell singing our way.

But it’s a local boy’s words that rang in my ear as I drove into the city, full moon rising over town. As beautiful as BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan are, Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” still plays in my head when I come home. Because, Winnipeg, no matter what great beauty I see in the world, I’m still in love with you.

- Braden

I almost can’t believe it, but it’s time for me to say goodbye to Vancouver. On Sunday morning I willfully leave paradise and drive across this beautiful country to my new home in Toronto. I probably shouldn’t talk about the goodbye part any more or I might start sobbing (again). So let’s focus on the good part: the glorious cross-Canada road trip, and all the music I’ll be belting out along the way.

This playlist comes from Brett Owen, who – as a rural gay – has some experience with driving music. Eighteen songs to make for a fantastic road trip (when I’m not honouring Canada with Joni, Neil, and Leonard). Eighteen songs to distract me from the pain of leaving behind my West Coast life. Eighteen songs to lead me into the unknown. For there are still adventures to be had.

1. Dragonette – “Run Run Run”
2. A Silent Film – “Driven By Their Beating Hearts”
3. Bell XI – “Flame” (Chicken Lips Version)
4. Betty Who – “High Society”
5. The Knocks – “Modern Hearts” (feat. St. Lucia)
6. Little Boots – “Motorway”
7. Urban Cone – “We Should Go To France”
8. Tove Lo – “Paradise”
9. Donkeyboy – “Drive”
10. Best Coast – “The Only Place”
11. Kisses – “Huddle”
12. Divine Fits – “Flaggin’ A Ride”
13. Cat Power – “Manhattan”
14. Bright Light Bright Light – “Moves”
15. Daft Punk – “Get Lucky” (feat. Pharrell & Nile Rodgers)
16. BOY – “Drive Darling”
17. Electric Guest – “Holiday”
18. Goldfrapp – “Rocket”

Chasing Those Traces from Poster on 8tracks Radio.

- Braden

]]> http://www.thisisposter.com/2013/04/19/weekend-survival-playlist-18-songs-for-a-road-trip/feed/ 0 http://www.thisisposter.com/2013/04/18/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighbourhood/ http://www.thisisposter.com/2013/04/18/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighbourhood/#comments Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:59:27 +0000 Suzy http://www.thisisposter.com/?p=3998
A month or so ago I was contacted by a local photographer by the name of Meg Kroeker. The North End resident was eager to share some shots she took of her neighbourhood, and we’re eager to share them with you. This idea of exploring and capturing our neighbourhoods allows us the chance to step back and appreciate the beauty in the familiar places we call home. Today, we adventure through North Point Douglas.

Rock and roll.

When did you move to North Point Douglas?

January 2012. My sister helped me move; bless her soul – on the coldest day that winter!

Why did you move to the neighbourhood?

After a two-year stint in Montreal, I decided to move back to Winnipeg. My Friend Jillian offered me a room in his second floor apartment. Rent was more than affordable and I also had an in-house studio at my disposal. To be frank, I needed a change of scenary from the hip hop happenin’ part of town I was living in in Montreal. A good dose of reality/wake-up call.

What are your favourite spots to eat/hang out/do stuff?

I like to chat with the Polish gals over the counter at Metro Meats. There is one Chinese man at Kung Po who knows my number! The best vantage point in this hood is from the river bank, twelve o’clock from the Annabella Street South dead end. Anabella, home to the most beautiful of homes! Disraeli Street clover leafs into Point Douglas making for an interesting run. Neechi Commons just opened down Euclid at Main. Exciting times! Yum.

What do you enjoy most about living in NPD?

This place has character. That, I like. It feels really good to live in a part of town that keeps me sharp. It is terribly exciting to feel potential being realized within and to see the neighbourhood evolve. Montreal was exciting, but there’s something pretty neat about Winnipeg, Manitoba! I am happy to be here. Lucky enough for me there is a muse down the street. The longer I dwell here, the more it grows in me. Photography is everywhere – everything is a picture.

- Suzy

All photos by Meg Kroeker

PS – If you like this kinda neighbourhood stuff, especially the North End, check out this book and this short film by John Paskievich.

But before we set out to get drenched, we had a bowl of chili together in my apartment and she played me a few songs from her upcoming debut album, called Here’s To You, Here’s To Me. As expected, they were amazing. Like, shockingly good. Her voice never fails to make my breath catch in my throat. (Free download alert.)

It’s her first time breaking out on her own after spending the last few years as one half of Fire & Smoke. We’ll get into the full story next week (with more photos by our fav gal Lisa Varga, styled by ingenue Bronwyn Seier).

For now, all you need to know is:

• Claire is amazing. 
• So is her haircut.
• Her debut EP is out next Friday.
• She’s launching it with a show at The Ballroom that same day (218 Roslyn Road).

Check out this heartbreaking video, made by Wookey Films. (Oh, you know, that brother-sister duo responsible for amazing video works of art, including the last one for Poster). The crew got together at Thom Bargen cafe to make some magic happen. The result? Well, see for yourself.

Claire Morrison @ Thom Bargen for Poster from This Is Poster on Vimeo.

- Braden

I’m instagramming roses blooming over here in Vancouver, while Winnipeg woke up to yet another snow storm. Sorry, suckers. (We like Niki Trosky’s response to the Prairie’s extended winter.) To help with the spring spirit, Aussie photographer Jake Weisz sent us over his gorgeous shoot with model Elisa Colla. And we’re feeling warmer already.

I met Jake when I was in NYC this past summer, where he recently moved to pursue fashion photography. His photos are always romantic, sun-drenched productions, and I’ve been bugging him since we met to let me share his stuff.

On the inspiration for the shoot:

“We wanted to introduce new spring styles with a sense of whimsy. The natural light in the studio created a peaceful atmosphere to shoot in.”

On moving to NYC:

“I made the move to New York because I wanted to experience everything this city has to offer. I got the opportunity to get a one year work visa and immediately took the chance to fly over and explore the big city.”

On his photographic influences:

“I’m most influenced by Eugenio Recuenco, Tim Walker, Charles Ebbets, Rodney Smith and Annie Leibowitz.”

On the hardest part:

“The hardest part is the people you leave behind. My family and closest friends are the reason I am the confident, strong person I am today. Not having them around me all the time makes living here so hard. But I know they’re still there supporting me, and it means so much.

On the best part:

“The best part of living in NY is the ability to wander around the city and be completely immersed in inspiration. The personalities, the fashion, buildings and beauty. The city that never gets boring.”

- Braden

Photos by Jake Weisz
Styled by Andrew Reynolds
Hair by Kelsy Sjothun
Makeup by Rosemary Mendez
Model: Elisa Colla