Australian model Amy-Jane Brand has already gained national and international attention with magazine covers and features that include MAXIM, Playboy, GQ, Esquire, and the best website ever — Galore.

And now, after releasing her debut mini mix of Heavy Bass, Trap, and Hip Hop titled “Bout That Bass” and signing to mega-agency New World Artists, the blonde bombshell is ready to take the music world by storm.

Amy-Jane is transitioning from being in front of a camera to performing in front of a music audience rather gracefully, keeping her army of 500k Instagram followers captivated by her voluminous hair, sexy selfies, seductive smile, and the best part — a Soundcloud account that will soon feature a ton of new mini mixes.

In the Q+A below, Amy-Jane Brand opens up about her brand new music career, who inspires her, and how fans are reacting to her very first mini mix.

Galore: When did you decide you wanted to take on music?

Amy-Jane Brand: Music has always been a huge part of my life, it’s been there for me when nothing else has. I really connected with it when I was 8 years old, whilst my father was sick. After he passed away, I knew music would end up being a significant part of my life and career.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

AJB: Skrillex, Flume, Lady GaGa, and the incredibly talented drummer — Matt McGuire.

What did you think about with this current project?

AJB: Originality and breaking the stereotype, definitely. Being a model for 5 years now, I know very well what I’m up against. It takes a lot of proving yourself when you’re a female coming into a male dominated industry, like music. But I’m not concerned about it that much — I like a challenge. It’s all about being real and staying true to yourself.

What music are you listening to right now?

AJB: Flosstradamus, Baauer, Spag Heddy, Jauz, Future, and Drake.

The perfect song to start a party?

AJB: Depends on the party [laughing]! I like it heavy, so I’d have to say “MFU” by Flosstradamus & Valentino Khan.

The perfect song to cry your eyes out?

AJB: Anything Adele.

The perfect song to drive with your girl friends?

AJB: Anything Drake.

What genre of music do you play?

AJB: I play heavy bass, dubstep, trap, and some hiphop. I’ve never personally been a fan of the commercial scene, so I decided to stick to what I love and that’s the heavy ish!

How does it feel to get such a positive reaction after releasing your first mix “Bout That Bass?”

AJB: The feedback and reactions from the public and industry have been insane. I’m now signed and working with the heavy weights at New World Artists touring agency, and I couldn’t be happier about it — 2016 is looking large!

What’s your go-to performance beauty look?

AJB: With makeup I like to keep it fresh and not too busy. Some bronzer, highlighter, and a rad lip color is my usual go-to look. As for hair and styling, expect the unexpected.

Who are your biggest style icons? Why?

AJB: Rihanna because she’s always switching it up, Azealia Banks for her rad performance outfits, and Cara Delevingne because of her effortless street style.

How do you keep your style fresh on the road?

AJB: Throughout my career I’ve always had control of creative direction and styling. I’ve never felt the need to hire a stylist because it’s always come to me naturally. I spend a lot of time and money on getting rad pieces from all over the world that are original. Everything is pre-planned prior to any shows, events, and photoshoots. It’s always been one of my favorite things to do — I take a lot of pride in it.

Listen to Amy-Jane Brand’s first mini mix on Soundcloud.

Photos by Elvis Di Fazio

This afternoon has been a struggle.

Ever since I realized that the Cannes Film Festival was starting today, I knew that in the name of capitalizing on maximum Internet traffic, I had to find something interesting about it to cover.

The only problem? With the exception of this one jumpsuit/bustier thing that Victoria Beckham wore, it was all so boring. 

I mean, are we really surprised that Susan Sarandon wore a tux? No. Just like we’re not surprised that Kirsten Dunst wore something delicate and floral and Bella Hadid wore something that made her look really hot.

So to put off my encroaching afternoon deadline, I absentmindedly started scrolling through my Instagram feed. Everything was boring there too.

Miley was blabbing about her bleached hair, my ex-roommate was chronicling her pit bull’s first bath, and a bunch of people I didn’t even like were clogging up my life with their OOTDs and selfies.

And then I got a message from my friend Ahmad asking me if I’d seen what all the drag queens had worn to the Season 8 Finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, one of our favorite TV shows.

Within 20 seconds of clicking on the link he sent me, I knew what my angle was for the Cannes story: fuck the Cannes red carpet because RuPaul’s red carpet was infinitely better. 

For instance, take this gown worn by Season 3 and All Stars competitor Manila Luzon.

How dazzling does she look in her pineapple pop star couture and Cruella De Vil skunk stripe wig?

Can’t you just imagine the how excited we would all be if one of Hollywood’s young hotties like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley or Selena Gomez wore this to Cannes?

Or how about Acid Betty, one of the many New York queens from Season 8 and her firebird realness?

Can’t take your eyes off her right?

And then there’s Season 7’s Violet Chahki, who was serving old Hollywood glamour that was part showgirl and part “I’m not coming out of this trailer until all the red M&Ms have been picked out of my candy dish” realness.

It’s also straight off the Moschino runway, so there’s that too.

And we can’t forget about risk-taker Naomi Smalls and her gorgeous green vinyl cold shoulder gown with two very on trend buns.

Hell, even the boys who aren’t wearing dresses look fun.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is this: superstars, it’s time you started taking lessons from what the finest drag queens in our country have to offer.

Red carpets aren’t just about looking beautiful or hot or classy as fuck. They’re a place to take a risks and try wearing something we haven’t already seen a hundred times from you. 

Fashion can be fun. It can be big and colorful and look like a beautiful dark twisted fantasy ripped from Lady Gaga’s head circa 2009. 

Just throwing it out there.  

Good news Paris Hilton fans, your girl is getting her very own documentary. 

The news of Paris’ as-yet-unnamed documentary was announced today at the Cannes Film Festival, which sounds like the last place you’d go to see a documentary about Paris Hilton, but hey, what do we know?

So far the film’s directors, Don Argott and Sheena Joyce, are being pretty mum as to what we can all expect, but we like what they’ve told The Hollywood Reporter about the project so far. 

“Paris Hilton is a modern day Marilyn Monroe — beautiful, iconized, world famous, shaped by mass media and misunderstood. We are thrilled to work with Paris to explore her complicated relationship with the public, the press, and the politics that shape our perception of a modern celebrity.”

Sounds super deep, right?

The directors have also promised that their “unflinching” doc will explore how Paris has successfully reinvented herself as a world-class DJ/businesswoman, and let’s be real, if we know Paris she’ll manage to throw some shade Kim Kardashian’s way.

Best frenemies forever. 

In the meantime, you can get your Paris Hilton fix by watching Paris’s other documentary, 2008’s Paris, Not France which chronicles the phase in her life directly after E! cancelled The Simple Life and Paris was forced to focus on making her career as a pop star take off. 

Or just binge watch The Simple Life. 

It’s a win win situation either way.

Yikes! Society’s increasing use of digital technology may be causing ADHD-like symptoms among the general population — that includes texting during sex.

A number of college students, 221 to be exact, who participated in a recent study held at the Human-Computer Interaction conference by scientists at the University of Virginia admitted to checking their phones during sex.

Surprise! Love-making in 2016 includes a brief scroll through Instagram. So, that’s incredibly alarming.

“Less than 10 years ago, Steve Jobs promised that smartphones ‘will change everything,'” Kostadin Kushlev, a psychology research scientist involved in the study, said when announcing the findings. “And with the Internet in their pockets, people today are bombarded with notifications—whether from email, text messaging, social media or news apps—anywhere they go. We are seeking to better understand how this constant inflow of notifications influences our minds.”

Unfortunately for us, the unknown effects of the constant inflow of notifications on our minds is making us do crazy things. Crazy, I tell you!

The study found that nearly 95% of smartphone users admitted to using their individual devices when attending social gatherings. And that’s not even the worst part. One in ten students who participated in the study admitted to checking their phones smack dab in the middle of sex, which is insane!

“The findings simply suggest that our constant digital stimulation may be contributing to an increasingly problematic deficit of attention in modern society,” Kushlev said.

Kushlev and his team of researchers and psychologists found evidence of “significantly higher levels” of hyperactivity and inattention in the 221 student participants who regularly check their phones. Even more surprising, the results suggested that ADHD-like symptoms could possibly develop in those who’ve never been formally diagnosed with the disorder.

Alright, how do us technology-obsessed millennials solve this problem? “Simply by keeping (our) phones on silent and out of easy reach whenever possible, thus keeping notifications at bay,” Kushlev said.

That’s cool and all, but here are a few of my (science-free) personal suggestions:

1. If you don’t want ADHD, throw your phone out the window.

2. If you want to have meaningful sex, throw your phone out the window.

3. If you want to turn into a robot, sleep with your phone under your pillow.

4. If you want to lose a guy in 10 days, like his best friend’s Instagram photos while he’s eating you out.

5. If you don’t want the government to read your text messages, throw your phone OUT THE WINDOW.

And there you have it.

A slightly terrifying but also interesting op-ed article, “What Teen Girls Really Want From Relationships (Hint: it’s Not Just Sex)” was published by Fox News yesterday, which claims that girls are all victims of feminism, but also nods to an emerging trend in the conversation regarding young women’s sexuality.

“For decades, feminists have conditioned young women to use their sexuality the way men use theirs,” writes author Suzanne Venker. “Yet a romp in the hay is not what girls want.What they want is to be loved. And at such a tender age, it is all too easy to conflate the two.”

This is an arguable statement, but either way, lots of other people are starting to feel similarly to Suzanne Venker. Friends on my Facebook feed have started posting about demisexuality, a type of sexual orientation that ties physical attraction to romance in a similar fashion. Bustle and Huffington Post have also recently written about what it means to identify as a demisexual.

Demisexuals, according to Demisexuality.org, are those who “can only experience sexual attraction after an emotional bond has been formed. The thing that makes them different from asexuals is that they are capable of feeling sexual attraction — it’s just that it only happens after they form a deep emotional bond with someone.”

Could this be you? Here’s a quiz to see if you should identify as a demisexual.

Millennials aren’t having that much sex, so Suzanne Venker could be onto something. “Females have always put love before sex—that’s what makes them special by nature,” she writes in her essay.Is demisexuality a new trend that we should all get on board with? Or is this just the kind of relationship we’ve wanted all along?

Happy Birthday Blac Chyna!

Though she’s making headlines these days for her engagement to Rob Kardashian, the ex-wife of Tyga and best friend of Amber Rose is celebrating her 28th birthday today, so we’re celebrating by watching these music videos that we totally forgot about, or didn’t even know that she was in. Check them out below:

1. “Monster” – Kanye West ft. Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj

She plays Nicki Minaj’s stunt double in the “Monster” video. See if you can spot her.

2. “Come on a Cone” – Nicki Minaj

Blac Chyna rolls with Nicki’s entourage in this video, and her and Nicki show off their matching hair. BTW, this song is awesome.

3. “Miss Me” – Drake

Blac isn’t actually in this song, but Drake’s mention of her is what put the “urban model” on the map back in 2011. “Call the King of Diamonds and tell Chyna it’d be worth the flight,” he raps. So let’s just assume they had sex, and visualize that while listening to the throwback Drake track.

4. “Rack City” – Tyga

Well, this is awkward. Here she is in the video for Tyga’s one hit song, “Rack City.” Word has leaked that the ex-couple made a sex tape together, but let’s hope this is their only duet video we ever have to be subjected to.

After less than a year of officially dating, did Kylie Jenner and Tyga break up for good?

According to what TMZ is saying, yes — and they’re never ever EVER getting back together. Sorry about it, Tyga.

Apparently Kylie and Tyga split up “days before the Met Ball” and it wasn’t a “we still love each other, so we’re still going to be best friends” kind of break up, which is good since now we know that the people who stay friends with their exes are probably sociopaths.

While a breakup would explain why Kylie and Tyga didn’t walk the red carpet together or pose for any joint pictures last Monday, we’re left with one burning question: why’d they call it quits?

Sadly, TMZ can’t help us there. 

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he’s about to be her brother-in-law-once-removed, or maybe it has something to do with one of the reasons why they’ve broken up before in the past.

Or maybe it has something to do with the model he brought with him to Mother’s Day lunch that TMZ clued us into. 

We don’t know.

But fingers crossed for our girl that this is real — we may not know what happened, but we do know Kylie deserves a lot better.

Stay strong bb.

[H/T TMZ]

Guys talk about dating apps in their group chats way more than women do, according to a research study done by Blend, a new dating app.

But don’t get too excited that your most recent Tinder match is telling his friends you’re the one via WhatsApp — in addition to guys talking about dating apps more, they also talk about sex way more.

The data showed that men are the ones talking about dating apps 79% of the time, whereas women are only talking about them 21% of the time, reports Maxim.

As much as dudes may want to act like they’ve got “swag” and bitches ain’t shit, we now know that they’re stressing (or celebrating) about their latest Tinder match just as much as the next person, if not more.

Because these are men that we’re talking about, we know that they’re probably not talking about their latest Bumble match who might be “the one.” More likely, they’re bragging to their group chat entitled “Deez Nuts” about the “10” that they just messaged on Tinder who actually agreed to send nudes this time.

In fact, 92% of the time that the word “bang” was used, it was by a dude. Bros took the cake as the ones saying “bone” 96% of the time, and “DTF” 88% of the time. Sick. Now every time you match with a guy on Hinge, instead of envisioning your romantic future together, you can fantasize about what juvenile language he’s using to describe your “fat ass” to his boys. If you’re special, he’ll probably screen shot a few pics to prove to his frat bros that he really matched with a hot girl this time.

Unfortunately, we all know that half the guys that you match with you don’t even end up messaging back after two days, so half of these guys who are “bragging” probably never get to seal the deal. Maybe next time they can come up with a better line than “send nudes?” Or, maybe the reason they’re texting about dating apps so much in their group chats is so they can get tips on how to actually get laid this time around?

Next time you meet a guy’s friend and are honored that they’ve “heard all about you,” just remember that all the things they’ve heard about you probably surrounded the words “bang” or “DTF.” Aren’t dating apps fun?

I don’t wanna make it weird and sound like your dad here, but I do wanna make a point that as women in this day and age, dating safety is of the utmost importance. And unfortunately, if you are a single lady, you’ve probably been forced to dabble in the often terrifying terrain of dating sites and apps.

As if attempting to learn how to properly decipher “dude-speak” wasn’t already hard enough, we’ve all had to make an attempt to look for the clues that decipher a creepy creeper from a normal dude. You or one of your friends, have maybe even had a close call with a dude who seemed off his rocker, or simple after a quick hookup.

Sadly, I’ve even joked with my mother while on my way to a date explaining what I’m wearing and reminding her of any birth marks or tattoos I have, in case she needs to identify the body (sad, but true, but this is the world we live in). Since I’ve been on a date or two (or fifty?) in my life, here are some tips to keep you safe (and alive?) in the crazy game of the manhunt:

1. Have a Timeline

I know it can be super exciting to find a guy on a dating site that seems like he just might be normal (‘cause let’s face it, it’s semi-rare and deserves to be celebrated), and you may wanna jump right in and meet up ASAP. But here’s a tip, have a timeline. If your prospect seems like he might be worth it, talk to him through the app (or dating site) for at least a week before giving him your cell phone number. Make sure to leave out any super important details, like your address, or any other important personal information. If he sticks around for a while without pressuring you for a hook up, ask for a phone call. (Yes, an actual phone call. Like, speaking and everything) If he passes the test after two weeks and doesn’t seem creepy, offer to meet him in person.

2. Meet at a Public Place

I know you’ve heard this one before, but it’s important. Under no circumstances invite him over to watch a movie on the first date, and under no circumstances should “Netflix and Chill” be mentioned – even if you might be joking, your dude may not (and probably isn’t!)

3. Have an Out

Plan to have someone call your phone about thirty minutes into your date. Before you head out to your meeting place, tell your caller the name of the place you are meeting the guy, and also his name. This can be anyone: your best friend, your sister, or even your mom. When they call, you can either a) excuse yourself from the table and explain that the guy seems normal enough for you to stick around, or b) If the guy seems like a creeper after just thirty minutes (we’ve all been there), return to the table while still on the phone, and claim that your sister/best friend/mother is having an emergency and that you’ll have to reschedule your date. Apologize politely, grab your purse, and leave!

4. Wear Red Lipstick

I know this one sounds a little weird but unless you really want a kiss from this dude, red lips are a sure fire way to keep him from pouncing on you right away. Dudes know that if they go in for a kiss with your fire-y red pout, they’ll have a red smeary joker face to walk around with the rest of the night (as will you). You could also wear glitter. Guys hate that shit, and they’ll stay far away from it. At the end of the night if/when you decide to let him kiss you, dab your lips before you leave (or swap out for some clear lip balm on a quick trip to the ladies room) and go for it. Also, here’s another tip – make sure to keep one hand on his chest between the two of you when you first kiss him, so you can push him away in case he gets too hands-y or aggressive. Your hand will keep YOU in control, and let him know if you want more, or less!

5. Do Not Get Sloshed

Try to take it easy on the wine. I like to kick a few back (er, a whole bottle), but you’ll need to pace yourself so you can stay aware. Alternate between your alcoholic beverage of choice with a glass of water, and don’t drink anymore than two glasses depending on what your fabulous body can handle. Lastly, if you need to head to the ladies room, try not to leave your drink unattended as much as possible. I try to go in between drink refills, so as to give your dude the least amount of chances to roofie your drink.

I don’t want to generalize and imply that every guy is out for one thing, or planning some sort of murderous demise for us – however, it seems that guys have just as hard of a time trying to decipher “Girl-speak” too, and can often get mixed up or misunderstand body language (especially if the interwebs are involved.) Don’t let your safety turn you into a paranoid little sheep, as you should still plan to have a good time and let your dude see your real personality.

Feature image via Tumblr

When you think of Gwyneth Paltrow, you probably don’t think of a middle-aged sex guru, but goddamn it, girl knows a thing or two about what to give a parched vagina that really hits the spot, okay?

Yesterday Gwyneth Paltrow was a guest on Chelsea Handler’s new Netflix talk show Chelsea, and she couldn’t stop raving about her hew new, nontoxic lube.

See, one day after a long day of binge watching another Netflix show that you may or may not watch, Grace and Frankie, Gwyneth got inspired.

On the show, Frankie, Lily Tomlin’s character, has been making her own lube out of yams for years because regular lube is filled with toxic chemicals.

That sounds gross right?

No, not the toxic chemicals part, the yams part.  

Like we all eat yams. Yams are delicious. Why would you want to ruin a good thing by smearing tenderly cooked yams all over your pussy, right? Like, how is that even sexy?

Apparently, Gwyneth didn’t see it that way. 

“We started thinking, is lube toxic? Why is she making homemade lube? And then we started reading [the ingredients]. We’re very conscious about nontoxic products at Goop. And we learned that lube is actually really toxic. It goes in very absorbent areas, as we know, so, yes, we found a nontoxic organic lube that we are now selling on Goop.com!”

And unlike that $15,000 gold dildo Gwyneth recently recommended that we all buy, this lube is actually affordable. Like, one bottle costs $13. 

“We set out to find a lube that comes close and meets the standards of the Goop clean beauty shop, and to the joy of parched vaginas everywhere, we did.”

So stop what you’re doing right now, lean over and whisper to your parched vagina that you’re getting her a very special present and then cover her eyes so she can’t see you logging on to Goop’s website to buy the lube, k? 

Of course, before you buy it you should probably know that this whole thing is the product of a Netflix partnership, but let’s be honest, if it’s good enough for Gwyneth’s vagina, then it’s more than good enough for you.

[H/T Us Weekly]

Ever notice how most of the emojis who actually do stuff are men?

In emoji-world, men are cops, detectives, construction workers, swimmers, surfers, cyclists, and Santa Claus.

The female emojis, meanwhile, are dancing and getting their hair and nails done. They’re also brides and princesses. And Google is having none of it.

Google has petitioned the Unicode Consortium — basically the emoji illuminati — to add 13 new emojis that depict women in “business and health care roles, in factories and on farms,” the New York Times reports. Sounds awesome, guys…

Joking aside, it would be great to see broader representation of what women do in the emoji world. As the New York Times previously pointed out in a column by Amy Butcher, “How was there space for both a bento box and a single fried coconut shrimp [in the latest emoji update], and yet women were restricted to a smattering of tired, beauty-centric roles?”

Either way, at least we have Kimojis, which have been all about women getting money from the jump.

Margie is definitely one to watch.

She was a stylist and plus-size blogger when she started collaborating musically with her Norwegian fiancé, Harald, two years ago. And now, she’s working with the same behind-the-scenes music industry powerhouses as Rihanna and Beyoncé to get her singing career off the ground.

Yes, you read that right — Margie’s new video, “So Bad,” shares a production team with Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.” And she’s got the same hairdresser as Rihanna. Loic Maes, who’s worked with Lady Gaga, Steven Klein and Steven Meisel, directed her latest video, which premieres exclusively below.

Get to know Margie, because she’s not going anywhere.

First thing’s first: how do you get Beyoncé’s team to even hear your song?

Margie: One of my best friends is Yusef Williams, Rihanna’s hairstylist. He’s done like, 25 Vogue covers or something insane. He and I met through a mutual friend a couple of years ago and he’s like “I fux with you. You’re my daughter. Bust through, I’m gonna mentor you and show you how to cause a scene in New York.”

I spent most of my life in Spokane, Washington which is a small fucking town. So because of my connections with Yusef I’ve been super lucky to meet Loic through him. They were in Ibiza listening to my songs and they were laying on the beach and he takes his shades off and goes, “I’m obsessed with her.” And Yusef’s like, “Call her. She doesn’t have the budget but if you wanna fux with her.” So he brought along his connections and team and that’s how I got hooked up there.

Also my hair and beauty, Bellair is Yusef’s assistant and he’s Rihannas other hairsylist. That’s who I have on my hair and why it’s over-the-top, crazy and avant-garde. When you have Rihanna and Beyoncé’s team and you’re a big bitch — I’m even shocked. 

Necklace & Earrings: ISLYNYC | Shoes: Betsey Johnson

How did you get your start back in Spokane? 

Margie: I’ve done music forever but not my own music. I was singing in school and in talent shows. It wasn’t until I met Harald a few years ago – we met on Tinder and we started hooking up, hanging out and he started playing a beat one day and I knew he was a music producer but he didn’t know I sang. He was like, “Yeah, totally, let’s make a song.” Our first song was “Make Me.” We turned it into a full album, Radio Ratchet. That was my summer of ratchetness.

Harald and I make all the music together. He puts down a beat, I do the melody, etc., independently. It’s been interesting because in college I was like music isn’t something I can pursue full time – it’s more fashion. I interned at Conde Nast, Vogue, and Betsey Johnson. I was like, this is gonna be the look. I started blogging and did all plus-size content for Lucky.

That’s why I did content at Lucky in the first place. Because it was like, Alexander Wang rather than Forever 21 plus -size content. You can be fashion forward no matter what size you are. [And the] body positive fashion movement I was bringing with blogging and writing, I can show that in music space.

I’m trying to defy boundaries here. You don’t see a big girl with eight video hoes who are guys, a big girl showing skin and even having that high caliber of work. In that plus size scene it’s not as high … At least with Forever 21, I will say we are getting mini skirts which is a [new] thing. It might not be greatest quality.

What was your upbringing like?

Margie: I was born in LA but raised my whole life in Spokane with a single mom. We were super poor, came from domestic violence, crazy shit.My mom was in school full time and then she did real estate and counseling psych. It’s the weirdest mix ever. She refers to herself as the mom bomb. She thinks she’s really cool.

My mom was a super-believer in education and she went back to school and urged me to go to school. I got my undergrad in apparel design at Washington State U and realized I loved styling. Then I started interning at Warner Brothers Records. I met a stylist named Love Bailey. He had me assist for the first time for Muse when they did a music video for Twilight. It was my first styling gig and I was like, this is everything, I love it. My mom was like, you need to go to grad school. I’m like, I have my own [styling] business, and she’s like, go learn how to run it.

So I got my MBA at Cal Lutheran. In grad school I was like, I really wanna try New York, and that’s when I got an internship at Conde Nast. I interned at Lucky, I interned at Vogue, after that I went to Betsey Johnson. After Betsey Johnson I started doing plus size content for Lucky. I started blogging and becoming a writer.

Visor: ISLYNYC | Necklace: Reshma B. Chains & Alibi | Swimsuit: Geoffrey Mac | Coat: Whatever 21 | Shoes: ASOS

Do you ever get annoyed we still put the plus-size label on things?

Margie: We’re not naïve, the plus size community, we’re not naive to the fact that it’s not happening over night and the big girl is still gonna be the sidekick. But then we have Melissa McCarthy who’s doing things and it’s showing me that we’re getting more and more okay with it. Who else is plus size and doing something? It’s not very many. It’s cool showing this whole music thing. We do really weird music. It’s like trap-pop.

It’s cool that were being able to do the things we like, dress the way we want and it’s not about size. That’s what the video’s about. It’s about us creating something really, really cool and pushing boundaries in fashion. It’s fun.

What’s your writing process?

Margie: The writing process is literally Harald and I decide to make a song, he goes and sits down at the beat and he builds it from scratch, and what fucks with me is within five minutes he can have the structure of a song and the main beat. As soon as he starts doing that I hear melodies in my head and start singing and I’m like, oh, keep this one and that one etc. We do that, then we make the melody and then we do our reference track. Once we have our reference track with melody and beat and it’s usually fucking crazy. And I’m like, this is gonna be a song about dancing. After we have a reference track and get a feel for the song, we let it speak to us [and come up with the lyrics].

Who do you look up to?

Margie: I was super inspired by Beth Ditto. I was from Spokane, Washington. That’s seven hours away from Portland and that’s where they were doing a lot of music. Through the music scene I heard about her before she even popped off. So in high school I had this badass girl who would get onstage, show her rolls, show her fat and it was like, this is me, here I am, don’t focus on the bullshit. That’s super inspiring.

Her being in a fashion space as well, and being with Karl Lagerfeld, thats huge. Sitting front row in Paris, walking Marc Jacobs. Doing crazy things you don’t see a plus size woman in music, or in fashion, or anywhere doing. Her music was cool as shit. Even though I’m doing trap music I like to keep her attitude. She started following me on Instagram and I died. She started commenting on our photos. I met her for the first time – I started previewing her new line. I got to meet her and it was like, she is the coolest bitch, ever. I felt this kinship with her because she had her shoes off, she was walking around, pouring people drinks. That’s so me and she showed me [that] you can be yourself. She’s definitely kind of been a lowkey mentor. 

She popped off a few years before body positivity was really a mainstream thing.

Margie: That’s what was so cool. She did a plus-size line with Evns which is a big UK retailer and had big “lip” prints. Oversize sweaters [and] super abstract things and it was in-your-face fashion. It was for plus size girls.

Harald: It’s not a focus on the negativity, it’s about the positive. It’s not a sad story about “overcoming” every time. It’s like, be happy and do you. 

Margie: It’s nice that now the plus size market is having access to wear cool things. What I want [for the] high-end fashion industry to realize is it should also be marketed to plus size women, as well. Even if they’re not doing it themselves I urge all the girls to post on Instagram and show yourself. Put yourself out there because you don’t know how many people you’re inspiring by doing that. In the video I’m in all VFiles and KTZ. You don’t see people wearing KTZ and people are like, wow, Margie can wear that? I thought that was only like, Rihanna and men. 

When I saw her I was like, thank you, you really paved the way. She really did. 

Crown: WXYZ | Dress: Mused | Belt: ISLYNYC | Shoes: Betsey Johnson

I can’t believe you two met on Tinder and now you’re engaged and making music together. What was your first date? 

Margie: We went to a gay bar that was next to my house called “Boots and Saddles” for karaoke and he performed Snoop Dogg, “La Di Da Di,” to me. He was like, I’m not doing this, and then a couple of Jell-O shots later, [he saw that Snoop Dogg was an option at karaoke and couldn’t believe it.] Apparently in Norway, karaoke does not have rapper options.

He was the white boy rapper in Norway. They called him Scheme. From there I was like, this kid got something about him, don’t he?

I’m not sick of him yet. Because he has fashion and he intrigues me because he’s so stylish. And to find someone who would love to go thrift shopping for hours and sit through me changing my outfit 50 times, wondering what I’m gonna wear. Fashion and music is very strong in our household.

What was it like working with Beyoncé’s production team?

Margie: It’s insane because you see how much of a production it is. They dont fuck around. And it’s cool to see how complicated it is to be Beyoncé and Rihanna and how heavily the makeup, hair and fashion those are the ones creating her look. Especially Rihanna, think about how many times she fucks with her look and that’s what she’s known for – recreating herself and showing [that] you can be anybody. She’ll have a bob one day and the next day a long braided wave. I’m really seing the behind-the-scenes and how much work goes into it. It’s really cool having them also help me, influence my style and my fashion and help me to find my voice

Harald: Our former video is homemade, lower budget and connections and so is this but it went from 5 to 10 people, to 50. Big ass production, people, next level. 

Margie: Because Yusef took me on, that;s how Rihanna knows me now and that’s how come Justin Bieber danced on me at Up & Down at Rihanna’s table. That’s the wild ride Yusef has taken me on because he’s like, “You’re my daughter, Rihanna’s my daughter, you’re gonna be gucci.”

Do you talk to Rihanna about your music?

Margie: It’s not like that. When you’re hanging with Ri, you’re just hanging. It’s more about like, you know, we’ll have these moments where we have the table at the club and she’ll look at me and look at my outfit and [nod]. It’s like, thanks, Ri. You look at Rihanna and think she’s the coolest bitch ever. Well, she is the coolest bitch ever. She has a natural swagger about her. She’s always on point and she always just have a good vibe about her…. It’s like because she’s cool to people that are her family. Yusef’s her family and because I’m his family, it’s like she’s cool with me. It’s more by association and you don’t have to prove yourself, it’s like you fuck with him? Okay, you’re here. 

For the “So Bad” video, what was it like working with people who are used to keeping things top secret with Beyoncé and Rihanna?

Margie: It was so hard. I wanted to put every motherfucking picture up ever.

I’d imagine since you guys are totally independent you’re not making much money yet even though you’re working with these huge people.

Harald: We’re spending more than we’re making right now.

Margie: It helps having people on my team that will work with me for free because they believe in me. My hair and makeup believe in me, they fuck with me. They know they’ll get the check when we get the check. But now more than ever it’s really starting to pop off which is cool. This video is the perfect launch to really be like, “This is who I am as an artist.” This is the stuff I do. This is the most official situation.

The internet has really opened things up for people to get popular without a record label financing them.

Margie: The internet is so huge but for us, it’s so important to be in New York. In no other place are you going to be paying so much rent and living off so little money and drinking a $10,000 bottle of champagne with Rihanna at Up & Down and then take the L train home.

Yeah, we don’t have a huge marketing budget but I’m at the right places seeing the right people.

Do you talk about body image politics in your music?

Margie: I talk about it a little bit. One new song coming up is called “Never Gonna Give Up” and it basically talks about that. One of the lyrics is, “these curves got you looking twice, plus size yeah they categorize, they generalize, I never give up.” [At the same time,] I want ppl to listen to my music and not see a size — just like it for what it is.

Harald: That’s the first song where we’ve addressed it.

Margie: A perfect world for me would be music and styling. And also plus-size modeling where I’m styling and I’m modeling things.

If you were going to the Met Gala, who would you wear?

Margie: If Discount Universe made me a Met Gala outfit, I would die. That’s so me. I’m so over the fucking top. Give me a sequin on sequin on sequin. I’ll go and have a huge KTZ kimono.

Harald: But you gotta show some skin.

Margie: What fiancé do you know that’s like, “Show more skin”?!?!

Your outfits kind of match, is that on purpose?

Margie: Oh, yeah. We share clothes. He loves it oversize, he gets an XXL jacket, and that’s what I wear anyway.

Harald: I used to be a big sneakerhead and sold everything to get here from Norway.

Margie: He showed me a pic of $10,000 worth of sneakers… It was like six pairs.

Harald: Every now and then we do a matching outfit. A Britney and Justin.

What do you hope people take away from the video and song?

Margie: So many things. I think I just hope that people take away from the song that there’s no perfect body type, love yourself, you can be a sexual being and be plus size and it’s okay.

Harald: Sexy comes from within.

Photos by Amber Asaly

Styled by Phil Gomez

Taylor Swift has a new look and in case you missed it, we’re not a fan.

But in the spirit of sisterhood, we’ve decided to put aside our misgivings and try to help Taylor pull off her Rock Star 101 phase by taking her shopping at the store every teenage girl turns to when she’s trying to be “edgy”: Hot Topic. 

Here are 14 things we really want to buy for Taylor to help her pull her new look off:

1.An ironic band t-shirt

Actually, this is just a shirt that Hot Topic still has around from when Panic! at the Disco was first popular in the 2000s. One of these days it’s finally going to sell out. Good thing the splatter paint look never goes out.

2. A fake septum piercing

Taylor doesn’t have any extraneous piercings, and honestly, most of the teenagers who shop at Hot Topic don’t either. Don’t worry bb, HT got you covered.

3. A set of pentagram bracelets

So hardcore.

4. Black lipstick

V. important

6. A coffin backpack

Being chill with death is like, so cool.

7. A sexy cat hoodie

Taylor Swift used to wear cat ears when she was 22, so why not just step it up and go full S&M cat woman? Now that’s a music video we want to see. C’mon Taylor, it’s on sale for $24.49.

8. Vampire fangs

Fierce.

9. A skeleton dress

Every mall goth has at least eight of these in her closet.

10. Back strap pants

An absolute must for every girl who thinks she’s emo.

11. This romantic, yet sexy Victorian outfit

Red carpet ready, hunty.

12. A vaguely gothic necklace/choker set

Taylor’s really into chokers, and what better way to say “I have a vague sense of the occult” than to wear jewelry with moons and fake crystals on it.

13. Edgy boots

Those Vetements boots are cute, but real punks know that if your shoes don’t have at least two buckles, you’re on some weak ass pussy bullshit, amirite?

14. A Nirvana Shirt

Taylor has a new favorite band, everybody.

15. Matching his/hers necklaces for her and Calvin

Nobody’s saying Taylor can’t be in love, but she’s gotta toughen up about it. These matching “bitch” and “jerk” necklaces should do just the trick.

Two days ago, Justin Bieber announced on Instagram that he was done letting fans take pictures of him since it makes him feel like a “zoo animal,” but apparently he is willing to make an exception — if you buy him a shot first.

According to TMZ, Bieber spent Wednesday night bar hopping in Boston, being totally chill about his new policy. 

When he wasn’t putting on his shoes to dance on top of the bar and take tequila shots, he was busy cheesing for fan pictures like it was the most normal thing in the world to do.

Although TBH, it’s a completely different thing to let a group of chill adults you’re partying with take a picture of you then to have random crazies with rabid looks on their faces swarm you out of nowhere to try and get a picture of you in your natural element.

No news yet on whether or not anybody got Bieber to take a selfie with them or not, but it’s still good to know that the Biebs is being a little more lax than his Instagram posts suggested.

[H/T TMZ]

New research conducted by a team of international Psychology scholars says that the way we feel about our bodies is intricately connected to the way we operate in romantic relationships.

The study, published online in the journal Body Image, gave 12,176 people between the ages of 18 and 65 an online survey, in which participants were asked about their body image, relationship styles, satisfaction with their lives, and overall mental well-being.

The results were shocking.

Only 20% of women and 24% of men felt satisfied with their bodies. And the 80% of women and 76% of men who reported dissatisfaction with their bodies were found to have higher levels of neuroticism – a trait characterized by “anxiety, fear, moodiness, worry, envy, frustration, jealousy, and loneliness” – in their personalities and more anxious relationship attachment styles, which according to the study of psychology, characterizes their interactions within relationships as “intrusive, insensitive, or emotionally unavailable.”

Because of that, participants who were unsatisfied with their bodies felt a lack of satisfaction within their romantic relationships and friendships:

“Body dissatisfaction and anxious attachment styles can lead to an out-of-control spiral and fuel each other,” David Frederick, PhD, the study’s lead author, said in a press release. “People who are less confident in their appearance become more fearful that their partner will leave, which further fuels their worries about their appearance.”

But in addition to how men and women’s feelings about their weight affect their ability to be emotionally available within a romantic relationship, negative feelings about weight also “play a major role in how satisfied they are with their lives overall,” Dr. Frederick explains.

Negative body image might hold an overwhelming amount of power us, but it doesn’t have to.

We recently published an article titled, “Stop Calling Yourself Fat and Start Having More Orgasms,” where Laurie Watson, a sex therapist and author who specializes in body image, explains the notion that, “the only way we can feel pleasure is if we’re actually living in the body.” And that’s a small step in the right direction to an overall satisfied life.

Read the article HERE for Laurie Watson’s tips on how to avoid the damaging effects of negative body image and find sexual enjoyment through tuning into your very own body.

Whether your experience of weddings includes real-life maid of honor duty or just hungover “Say Yes to the Dress” binges, one thing’s for sure: weddings tend to bring out everyone’s inner basic.

Maybe it’s the flowers. Maybe it’s having your family around. Maybe it’s the fact that since your parents and bae’s parents are paying for it, you have to pick whatever corny place settings they want you to pick.

But luckily Missguided is trying to save the day with a new line of bridal dresses that are way cooler than your average dress, plus they’re all under the $250 mark.

Missguided shared some pics with us of the dresses in action at Las Vegas’ Little White Chapel (R.I.P. Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian’s first marriages). Peep them below and you might actually start wanting to get married some day. Might.

Before we begin telling the story, a big congratulations is in order for Selena Gomez and Orlando Bloom.

Today they graduated from looking scandalous in photos to looking scandalous in videos.

Today TMZ released a video of Selena and Orlando leaving the club in Vegas where they were seen kissing, hugging and neck-nuzzling, a sexual act that remains a mystery to us. 

If we had to guess, we’d say the picture on the left depicts the notorious act of neck-nuzzling, but once again, who really knows?

Already “inside sources” are painting conflicting portraits of what this all means.

According to one of Us Weekly‘s sources, “Nothing happened. It was totally nothing and harmless with Selena. He [Orlando Bloom] was in town and came to say ‘Hi‘ to their manager. That night, they all left in the same car with their manager, ate hamburgers and then each went home separately.”

Meanwhile, another one of Us’s sources says that while they were at the club, “Orlando was all over her. He kept pulling her close to him,” which kind of contradicts the whole nothing happened and it was harmless narrative. 

For what it’s worth, TMZ’s source confirms the former of those statements, so all we can say for sure is that Selena and Orlando’s tradition of looking scandalous together in public is alive and well.

For more information on their very confusing and potentially sordid history, read this:
Selena Gomez and Orlando Bloom Continue Their Tradition of Looking Scandalous In Photos

[H/T TMZ]

We’ve all had one of those days when our hair tie breaks, our nail polish chips, or we wakeup with puffy eyes.

For more reasons than the world’s most annoying beauty fails, being a woman is really f*cking hard. And because we know you’re too busy running the world to spend anymore time on vanity than you’ve already scheduled, we’ve rounded up 7 of our go-to Galore Girl life hacks for when things with your manicure, makeup, and overall face go array. Check them out below.

1. Makeup Remover

Situation: Although you weren’t planning on it, you’ve decided to spend the night at a dude’s house after a successful first date. Only, you have a ton of eyeliner on and his pillowcases are white.

Life Hack: Take a moment in the restroom and search his cabinets for body lotion, then use it to remove your makeup. It works wonders on even the toughest eyeliner and mascara.

Source: Jezebel

2. Eyeliner

Situation: You’ve applied a mass amount of black eyeliner on your left eye, and then, because life isn’t fair, the moment you begin to apply eyeliner on your right eye, it begins to crumble.

Life Hack: Leaving it in the freezer for just 15 minutes will allow your liner to glide on seamlessly. Crumbles begone!

Source: You Beauty

3. Eyebrows

Situation: You’ve purchased 15 different eyebrow gel brands, and none of them seem to keep gravity from pulling your hairs towards the ground.

Life Hack: Spray a toothbrush or a clean mascara wand with hairspray, then brush your brow hair upwards and style them as you wish.

Source: Yahoo Shopping

4. Eyelash Curler

Situation: You’ve just pulled all of your eyelash extensions off of your eyelids, and now you look like a naked mole rat with sporadic newborn lashes.

Life Hack: To curl even the smallest baby lashes, try heating your lash curler with a hair dryer for five seconds before curling them.

Source: You Beauty

5. Manicure

Situation: You go to pay for the manicure you just received and when you open your wallet, you ruin everything.

Life Hack: Before heading to the nail salon, wipe your nails with an acetone-based cleanser. This will clean any excess dirt, oil or moisturizer from your nails, ensuring that the polish adheres correctly and lasts a few days longer.

Source: Redbook

6. Puffy Eyes

Situation: You were too lazy to turn off your blasting ceiling fan and now your eyes are puffier than a blow up bed.

Life Hack: Apply raw potato slices to soothe your eyes. Potatoes are an astringent, so they help decrease water retention and contain the enzyme catalase which lightens any under eye darkness. Cut two slices and sit with them on your eyes for 10 minutes. Maybe even mediate. Just remember to wash your eyes after the 10 minutes is up. You know, so they don’t burn.

Source: Reader’s Digest

7. Shaving Cream

Situation: You’re on vacation on a remote tropical island full of tan men with eight-packs and you forgot your shaving cream.

Life Hack: Just use conditioner, seriously. Conditioner softens the hair on your legs – a little better than shaving cream tbh – making your shaving experience easier than ever, all while leaving your skin unbelievably soft.

Source: You Beauty

How can you be sad in Cannes?! Ask Blake Lively.

The star of Woody Allen’s newest movie is pretty offended by a rape joke made by a comedian at a Cannes event. The French comic, Laurent Lafitte, was addressing Woody Allen when he said this:

 “It’s very nice that you’ve been shooting so many movies in Europe, even if you are not being convicted for rape in the U.S.”

This is not just a joke about Woody Allen, but also likely Roman Polanski, another director who was accused of improper behavior with an underage girl in 1977. Polanski pleaded guilty to one charge of unlawful sex with a minor in that California-based case, while Woody got off in his case. Polanski also fled to France before sentencing, so he’s now unable to enter the United States. Hence, he makes all his movies in Europe now.

Actually, this joke is more of a knock on Roman than Woody. But see the parallels? Two directors, both accused of creeping on underage girls, one in France, one in the U.S. Both make a lot of films in Europe — Woody because he likes shooting there, Polanski because he has to. This is why the joke works. It’s a good joke!

But Blake Lively didn’t think so:

“I think any jokes about rape, homophobia or Hitler is not a joke. I think that was a hard thing [to] swallow in 30 seconds. Film festivals are such beautiful, respectful festivals of film and artists and to have that, it felt like it wouldn’t have happened if it was in the 1940s. I can’t imagine Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby going out and doing that. It was more disappointing for the artists in the room that someone was going up there making jokes about something that wasn’t funny.”

LOLLLLLL BLAKE! You know what else happened in the 1940s? It was way easier to get away with raping and molesting people because no one would talk about it.

I’m sure it was chill to be a wealthy and beautiful movie star like Blake Lively in the 1940s, and that’s why she’s down to return to the cultural norms of that time. But if you were a woman in any other walk of life, the 1940s sucked prettttty bad.

Woody Allen, for his part, didn’t even care about the joke, telling Variety:

“I am completely in favor of comedians making any jokes they want. I am a non-judgmental or [non]-censorship person on jokes. I’m a comic myself and I feel they should be free to make whatever jokes they want … It would take a lot to defend me.”

Whether Woody Allen is guilty of the things he’s been accused of, we’ll never know. But we’ve at least gotten to a place where we can talk about these issues openly, and that’s major progress.

Valentina’s new music video for her single “Easy For U” video shows two beautiful people — the guy is her close friend, Jacob Bix — in the clutches of love, and evokes the feeling of helplessness that girls like us so often experience in romantic relationships. And that’s exactly the way she wants it.

The young musician had already established herself as a photographer and a model with a substantial social media following, and is now steadily building a name for herself as a singer in her own right.

“I don’t depend on other people for anything, especially until I know they’re truly good people,” she said. “And I’m not going to sign to anybody until I have my sound established. I love creating, and showing people what I love. That’s really important to me. 

Being from Los Angeles, and growing up around the music industry also helped her cultivate a thick skin. 

“LA is definitely a place where artists can thrive, but also get burnt out so quickly,” she told me, when I asked about the influence that her hometown has had on her. “I’ve learned to be a bit smarter about what I’m going to do.”

And whether that’s fashion — “I styled my video, and I’m influenced by clean aesthetics, angles, and the composition of designers like Prada and Celine,” — modeling, or music, Valentina’s ready to take her work to the next level.

“Who’s your dream duet with?” I asked.

“Diplo,” she giggled. “For sure.”

See her new video, “Easy For U,” below, and follow her on Instagram. Then you can say you found Valentina before Diplo did.