"In His Own Words: Balancing Love, Loss, and Creative Fire" by Felton Edward Kizer delves into the heart and soul of artist Apache Grosse. The interview explores his latest project, "Life After Her," a profound reflection on personal evolution and artistic rebirth. Apache discusses the intricate balance between love and art, the sacrifices demanded by creativity, and his relentless pursuit of artistic expression.

You might be tempted to expect a rebirth if you were mesmerized by his 'Slow Devotion' era—replete with ethereal soundscapes. But Drew isn't trying to reinvent himself; he's coming home to his authentic self in all its imperfect glory. Drew Elliott is back, bringing the wisdom and soulfulness accumulated during his time away. There's no script, no preconceived persona, just a man and his music. He’s simply returning to himself, but this time, he doesn’t have to change any parts of himself to fit in. 

Mia Rodriguez has been on a bit of a hot streak in the last year. After seeing several recognitions and awards from publications and cultural mainstays like Triple J in the past year, her TikTok passing 2 million followers. And a handful of singles that have each kept her a name in the underground pop scene; it’s safe to say that Rodriguez is a name to watch. Like many, I’d become aware of her through TikTok, where I’d heard her single “Psycho” several times.

There’s a new class of musicians leading the charts, social media, and shifting how we consume music. They’re emotionally intelligent, outspoken, queer, and doing whatever they want. I had the pleasure of speaking with one of them, corook. I didn’t know much about corook when I watched her video for ‘bad friend,’ but after experiencing that, I wanted to consume everything. I was immediately captivated by her emotional intelligence, her willingness to problem solve, and at the same time, her desire to have fun. As a twenty-something adult, looking inward isn't always the most pleasurable, but highly recommended.

Reno Cruz is an artist circling the Chicago scene for quite some time. He tours as a guitarist for Lala Lala and has played or toured with Sen Morimoto, Wyatt Waddell, Waltzer, and more, but his talents as a songwriter cannot be ignored. A native of California, Cruz went through a myriad of past lives before arriving at his current profession of musician, as previous jobs included actor, salesman, cheesemonger, and banjo player at one point. His move to Chicago in 2017 signaled a significant shift as he began working as a backing musician for Chi mainstays like the aforementioned bands and artists.