People will do some sus things in attempts to get more Instagram likes and followers these days.
But why spend money buying more engagement when you could get it for free?
According to many Instagram celebs, tagging your post in Singapore will make your likes go through the roof.
Mic researched this phenomenon, and while none of the Instagrammers they spoke to seemed to have a clue why this works, they swore that it boosts their engagement. And considering Mic caught big ‘grammers like Dan Bilzerian, Sommer Ray, and King Bach using the Singapore trick, we’d assume it’s legit.
“You keep Singapore up for 12 hours, then you change it,” said one verified Instagram user. “It’s fully ridiculous and dumb, but it works. I’m not sure why or if it’s just because it’s become a meme, but the ‘Singapore, Singapore’ posts do way better. It 100% works.”
But Instagram users are savvy, and they’ve caught on quickly to L.A.-based celebs who randomly tag Singapore when they in fact haven’t left the west coast.
But shit, confusing your followers and/or embarrassing yourself for a day or so is worth getting a shitload of likes, right? Who doesn’t want to be popular on insta these days?
So for obvious reasons/investigative journalism, I decided to try it myself. Sure, the one Instagrammer did tell Mic that it works better for memes, but I figured I’d give one of my own photos a shot, because why not?
Unfortunately, I’m no Instagram star, and the trick didn’t work.
This morning I posted a pic of myself to the gram, and in a little over an hour, I had 178 likes. Sure, it could definitely have been worse, especially since I was worried that half of my followers weren’t yet awake, but the amount of likes I received in an hour wasn’t actually that much greater than my normal engagement rate.
Unless I suddenly accumulate a shitload of likes later today (which I’ll definitely keep you posted on), it seems like my post was kind of a flop in the whole scheme of things. Besides, most of my likes were garnered from people who actually follow me, not randos from Singapore who happened to stumble upon my page.
It could be that maybe the Singapore trick only works for memes, or maybe it only works for people who already have a shitload of followers. I also did explain in my caption that I wasn’t actually in Singapore, but who reads the captions anyways? Especially when there are boobs involved?
Either way, I guess I have no reason to lie about my location anymore, and I don’t foresee a future as an Instagram star anytime soon. Oh well, worth a shot!
Obviously, we want to get her a gift, but what do you get for the millionaire superstar who could probably ask for your ass on a silver platter and get it before you had time to say, “who are these strange men breaking into my apartment and kidnapping me?”
After hours of deliberation and group brainstorming, we’re pleased to say we figured out the perfect gift options.
But through all of that, Taylor did have one PR move that went her way: that lawsuit she filed against the DJ who groped her at a Meet and Greet.
Was it violating? Sure.
Should any woman have to go through something like this? Naw.
But did it get her some good press? Hell yeah, dog.
So why not get her an even bigger lawsuit for her birthday this year?
You know, one that people actually care about. Like one against Kanye. That would be nice, right?
Don’t worry T, I’ll have my people call your people.
2. A Huge Think Piece in Vogue About Her Donation to the Oakland Fire Victims
If you think that celebrities donate to charities and causes out of the goodness of your heart, bless you.
The only reason a celeb parts with their own money without turning it into a mansion or a designer dress is to have the press write about how selfless they are.
Taylor’s donation to the Oakland fire victims got a little attention, but not enough.
Actually, screw a think piece about her donation to one cause, Vogue should write a glowing feature about Taylor’s history of charitable donations and how her birth was one of the best things to happen to philanthropy since, I don’t know, I’m bored just thinking about it, let’s move on.
3. A Time Machine
Taylor’s a bigger star than ever, but back in 2010 she was still a universally loved dorky outsider who wrote nuanced country-pop ballads about heartache and her celebrity beaus.
It’d be nice if she could go back to that for a hot sec.
4. Kendall Jenner to Fall Down a Well
Kendall Jenner and T Swift run opposing squads with a substantial amount of overlap.
Let’s just say that if Kendall went missing tomorrow, T Swift wouldn’t be shedding any teardrops on her guitar about it.
5. A Basket of Her Own Merchandise
It’s a little known fact that Taylor likes to send her own merch to other celebrities as a way to remind everybody who the real star in the relationship is, and if it’s good enough for Taylor’s besties, it’s definitely good enough for Tay Tay.
6. An “I Would Very Much Like to Be Excluded From this Narrative” T-Shirt
We all know Beyoncé and Jay Z as the ultimate power couple and the queen and king of music in this era. Considering all the drama and music surrounding them both this year, you’d think they were at least the most-streamed couple on Spotify, right?
Well, according to Spotify data, there were actually a few music couples that were streamed more often than Jay and Bey.
The full list of the top music baes on Spotify is below, are you surprised?
A photo posted by Drake and Rihanna ❤ (@drake_and_rihanna) on
Sure, they might not be a couple anymore. I mean, maybe they never were? But either way, Drake and Rih released some major bangers together this year. Even if you don’t stan them as a couple, you definitely twerked to “Werk” at some point in 2016.
A photo posted by BEYONCÉ AND JAY Z FANPAGE (@beyonce_jayz_carter) on
Okay, number three isn’t bad, I guess. But considering the shitstorm that “Lemonade” was, we’re still shocked. Still, it was exclusive on Tidal for, like, ever, and Jay barely released music this year. Guess if they want that Tidal shmoney, Jay and Beyoncé are going to have to deal with coming in third on other platforms.
Real talk, why did we not know about this couple when they were dating? They’re broken up now, but Dougie claims that he still loves her, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed.
We’ve all seen the paparazzi photos, and we all know her famous family members and former flings — but how many of us have really heard Sofia Richie speak for herself?
During our interview with the budding model and it girl, we kept the cameras on to capture aspects of Sofia’s personality that you can really only pick up by meeting her, or on vintage, Andy Warhol-approved Super 8 film :).
Sofia is rough around the edges, super confident, 100% herself — and honestly pretty irresistible. You’re gonna be wishing this modern-day Mae West was your bestie.
Watch below and revisit our shoot and cover interview with Sofia here.
In more great news for women, Ariana Grande’s boyfriend Mac Miller wrote a “love song” about how women with insecurity issues are the hottest and I’m loving it… not.
While melodically pleasant, “My Favorite Part” is lyrically gag-worthy.
“You just don’t know how beautiful you are / and baby that’s my favorite part,” are literally the first words out of Mac Miller’s mouth.
Honestly, it’s 2016, is nobody else sick and tired of this trope?
One Direction did it, Maroon 5 did it, and pretty much any band of fuckboys united by their shared love of tight pants and making females swoon has been there done that.
Why?
Because it’s a genius marketing move.
These songs are marketed toward insecure pre-teen and teenage girls who’ve never had a boyfriend and genuinely wonder whether anybody who doesn’t go by the name of Mom or Dad will ever look at them and see somebody worth loving like that.
They don’t think they’re beautiful. And maybe that’s a problem, but it’s not something that should be solved by some guy thinking they’re beautiful.
By exploiting the deepest insecurities of their fans, these songs, and the boys who sing them, win the adoration of their young fans who in turn buy literally everything those fuckboys put their name on.
See? It’s genius.
But also gross, especially when you stop to remind yourself that not only are these songs exploitative as fuck, they also send a dangerous message: don’t develop self-confidence because it’s not attractive and it won’t get you a boyfriend.
But while bands like One Direction might not have much creative control over the song lyrics that they sing or the subliminal messages they’re forced to disseminate, Mac Miller does.
He’s not a teenager and he’s not making music that’s supposed to appeal to a young audience. At least, I didn’t think he is.
The last I checked Mac Miller was a recovered lean addict and while that shouldn’t stand in his way of having a career, it does pretty much eliminate him from the teen heartthrob category.
All of this is just a long-winded way of saying that songs like “My Favorite Part” are only helping to fuck up the females they’re being marketed toward. It’s disappointing that in 2016 not only are they still being made, but also otherwise feminist female artists are actually putting their names on them.
Ari, I know you’re in love, but next time think before you co-sign.
Despite the legality of abortion, we’re seeing one batshit crazy anti-abortion stunt after another.
This time, Oklahoma is trying to force hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, and public schools to post anti-abortion posters in the women’s bathrooms, according to the Associated Press.
Oklahoma passed their Humanity of the Unborn Child Act back in June, according to NY Mag, and the signage mandate is included in the law, saying that the propaganda needs to be up by January 2018.
While the signage won’t feature dead fetuses, the message is still biased.
According to the Oklahoma Health Department’s website, the signs would read:
“There are many public and private agencies willing and able to help you carry your child to term and assist you and your child after your child is born, whether you choose to keep your child or to place him or her for adoption. The State of Oklahoma strongly urges you to contact them if you are pregnant.”
And guess what? The only reason that the Board of Health is reconsidering the mandate is that the state legislature did not approve funding. That means if the law is upheld, the huge cost of the signs, which is an estimated $2.3 million, would fall to business owners, school districts, and the like.
The president of the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, Jim Hooper, told the AP, “We don’t have any concern about the information they’re trying to get out to women about their babies and their pregnancy…It’s just another mandate on small businesses.”
But the real question we have through all of this is: why aren’t men getting any “special” signs in their bathrooms? You know, signs that could maybe tell them to wear condoms? Or at least signs to teach them how to pull out properly? Or fuck, if we’re really going to get crazy, maybe signs telling them to stop getting women pregnant if they don’t plan on supporting the baby?
Just a thought, you know? Because abortions wouldn’t need to happen if people were properly educated on how to have safe sex? Wouldn’t that be a more important thing to post in bathroom stalls, if you really feel the need to force propaganda down people’s throats while they pee?
Oklahoma’s Board of Health was supposedly meeting today to discuss the bill. No details have since been released about their decision.
If you work a 9-5 job, you’ve probably quickly realized that it’s more like a 24/7, or at least a 7-11.
Technology, Wifi, and smartphones have made it way too easy for employees to be expected to be available all the damn time, and unfortunately you’re probably not compensated for all of the extra hours that you’re plugged in.
So how do you find a job that allows you to clock out and actually enjoy yourself rather than checking your work emails at the bar? You could ask your next interviewer about the work-life balance at the company, or you can start training for one of these jobs, which made the top 10 in Glassdoor’s ranking of the top jobs with work-life balance.
In terms of ratings, the average work-life balance rating on Glassdoor is 3.2, which has been steady for the last four years, but on the decline as a whole unsurprisingly. The work balance was 3.5 in 2009. The higher the work-balance rating, the better for the employee.
1. Corporate Recruiter
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.1
Median Salary: $65,000 (probably with even more $$ for commissions)
Basically, you have to talk to a lot of people, so I hope you’re not an introvert. A corporate recruiter is basically a head hunter, which is what Mila Kunis does in that tragic rom-com Friends With Benefits. So why can’t you?!
2. UX Designer
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.1
Median Salary: $95,000
The UX stands for “user experience.” Basically, taking customer feedback and granting their wishes to make the business, website, or building, run better. This is usually a tech job.
3. Data Scientist
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
Median Salary: $112,000
Shockingly, this position involved analyzing data. You have to be good at math too. Another tech job.
4. Strategy Manager
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
Median Salary: $110,487
Being a strategy manager is kind of like being a coach of an entire company. You figure out which employees are their “star players,” make sure your resources are being used correctly, set goals for the team, and more. Not sure how you can acquire the proper experience for this job, but good luck.
5. UI Designer
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
Median Salary: $84,500
The UI stands for user interface, as people with this position design user interfaces for software and machines like computers. Sounds lit. Another tech job.
6. Recruiting Coordinator
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
Median Salary: $48,000
This seems to be very similar to the first job on this list in terms of job description, but according to this article, coordinators are more about scheduling interviews whereas recruiters do it all, which is probably why coordinators make less money.
7. Technical Account Manager
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
Median Salary: $75,000
Basically these people do everything tech related for a company, they’re the head honchos. Clearly, a tech job.
8. Mobile Developer
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
Median Salary: $101,318
You create apps, sounds fun and also horrifying! And tech!
9. Devops Engineer
Work-Life Balance Rating: 4.0
Median Salary: $110,000
If you’re a devops engineer, you need to know coding and process re-engineering, but also know how to communicate with coworkers, because you kind of bridge the gap between the software developers and the IT team. Tech, tech, tech — sensing a pattern?
10. Research Engineer
Work-Life Balance Rating: 3.9
Median Salary: $103,029
You know a lot of shit, and you use that knowledge to make sure the company you work for is doing projects in the most cost-efficient and competent way.
Oh, the holidays. While getting in the spirit and giving and receiving can be so much fun, it’s hard to enjoy the seven secret Santa’s you’ve been included in when you’re broke.
But have no fear, because there is a way to do it without breaking the bank. Here are 10 gifts under $10 that look like they could be much more expensive.
1. Lush Bath Bomb, $4.95-$7.95
Not only are you giving your friend a fucking awesome bath bomb, you’re also giving them material for their aesthetically pleasing Instagram. You’re knocking out two birds with one bath bomb.
This looks like something Kim K would wear, and you should literally find a really nice jewelry bag or box to wrap it in to make it really look expensive.
Another gift that could not only benefit the person your giving it to, but their Instagram feed too. These are really cheap, but so cute and they last a long time with relatively little water.
Everyone needs condoms, and you’re basically saving your friends from the social anxiety and pain of having to embarrassingly ask the bodega man for the condoms behind the counter. Could also be a gag gift for your lesbian friends, or a serious one for your straight-as-a-board friends.
For the art hoe in your life: American Gothic is a classic. And now, they can take it with them to every artsy hole-in-the-wall cafe they frequent so even the baristas know they’re into art and really sophisticated.
A sloth tea diffused? For under $10? Look at it’s little hands that cup the edge of your mug, how freaking cute! And it’s smiling! Your animal-loving friends will adore this for sure.
This is the perfect gift for anyone really, but even better for the friend who is always complaining about running out of battery. Or if you have a friend who frequents concerts or music festivals, this could really be a life saver.
For the friend that’s always bragging about being on the latest diet. One pound of pure sugar, carbs and chocolate. Every dieters nightmare, but you can cheat around the holidays, right?
I wish I had this honestly, and it’s really cheap. Especially with avocado toast being such a trendy thing to eat, and to post on Instagram. Do you see a trend here?
This is the only item on this list that I think looks cheap, but it was too funny not to include. It’s definitely a gag gift for your single girlfriends or gay friends. The Grow-a-Boyf is the only man who really does grow six times his size!
Most of us have experienced “ugly duckling” syndrome in one form or another. After all, who looks good in seventh grade?
Unfortunately, for many of us who would be considered “late bloomers,” our personalities still haven’t managed to catch up with our faces and bodies. This leaves us in the harsh position of looking like someone who should be much more together than we actually are. For all of those Transformation Tuesday girls, here are a few things that I think you could probably relate to.
1. You Get Surprised When Someone Pays You A Compliment
“Wow you’re so pretty!” **Surprised Eyes Emoji** “Who me? Not some girl behind me? Where are the cameras, am I being Punk’d? Ashton this hasn’t been funny since 2002!”
2. Other People Get Surprised At Your Dorky Habits
If you were a lonely kid growing up, you are going to end up with some embarrassing habits that you still have to this day. For some reason it catches certain people by surprise to learn that a girl can be hot and still have a horror movie obsession and and a manga collection.
3. You Are Basically Incapable Of Flirting
Because there was a time when you didn’t believe you would ever be attractive to someone else, you never spent any time honing your skills and learning how to be sexy, leaving you with moves such as stuttering when you ask someone’s name and struggling to maintain eye contact.
4. Your Beauty Regimen Needs Work
Why have a beauty regimen if you don’t think you are one of the beautiful people? Listen, I think that Kylie Jenner has some sort of magic power and there is no way I will ever learn to contour when I just learned how to apply highlighter correctly.
5. You Still Have Social Anxiety
Again, the curse of being a lonely kid. Now that people actually want to talk to you and hangout with you, every day can feel like the New York Marathon. But, don’t worry, like anything this is a skill that comes with practice.
6. You’ve Become Obsessed With Selfies
If you got it, flaunt it. And if you only recently got it, flaunt it twice as hard toggling between Snapchat and Instagram. If you don’t want to see my face everyday, you best unfollow me now.
7. You Are Clumsy
This mostly has to do with a growth spirt and unfortunately, some of us didn’t go though that at the age of 13 like we were supposed to. Instead we are now cursed to be an uncommonly clumsy 23-year-old. But that’s okay, just try not to wear high heels too often.
8. Manic Pixie Dream Syndrome
When a girl is “quirky,” “interesting” or somewhat awkward as well as beautiful for some reason they are always categorized in this way. Which sucks because we are fully dimensional people with our own dreams and goals and obviously were not put on this earth to fulfill some weird fetish fantasy. Grow up, I’m busy over here trying to learn how to contour.
DJ Honey is only 22 and she’s already opened up for A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A-Trak, Virgil Abloh, Skrillex and Theophilus London. She’s Lebanese-American but grew up in Dubai and has been living in LA for the last four years.
DJ Honey is one to watch because she’s about to hit Bali to play a festival with Diplo. If you can’t make it to Bali, no worries — she throws a weekly Wednesday party called Cyber Ceremony in LA.
Galore walked around Silverlake with Honey and took some cute pics. Don’t miss them and her playlist below.
Drake ft 21 Savage – Sneakin Ashanti – Foolish Travis Scott – Lose Destinys Child – Bootylicious Kanye West ft Twista – Slow Jamz Giggs – Lock Doh No Doubt – Hey Baby Young Thug – Future Swag MIA – Bad Girls Sean Paul – Like Glue
If you can’t get enough of DJ Honey, check out her website.
As if Rob & Chyna hadn’t found enough ways to be sad on their own, the “happy” couple just moved into one of Kylie’s empty mansions, and Kylie’s making them pay for it — literally.
A source confirmed the move to TMZ, saying Rob & Chyna just wanted to be closer to Kris and Kim and have more space for little baby Dream.
Rob is apparently still working out the leasing terms with Kylie, but the mere fact that she’s not letting them stay for free indefinitely speaks savage volumes.
Guess there’s only room for one broke man in her life.
As if a Trump presidency wasn’t enough of a shakeup, now comes the fun part where Trump gets to name of all his cabinet members.
Every new president-elect gets to build their own cabinet from the ground up. The cabinet is comprised of the heads of the fifteen executive departments, and they function as the president’s advisory board. It’s also a chain of succession in case something happens to the president and vice president and they’re no longer able to perform their duties.
When Obama was elected in 2008, he shook up all of these departments, but regardless of the influx of liberal powers, Obama was still unable to change many of the programs left behind by previous president George W. BushBush.
The same might be true of Trump’s presidency, and even though the majority of the new cabinet members are conservatives for life, here’s to hoping that they don’t take away everyone’s rights. Also, they aren’t officially appointed unless the Senate approves, so any number of this nominations could be blocked. Don’t hold your breath on that happening, though.
There are a few positions Trump has yet to fill, but here’s the list of his official picks so far and a little info about them.
Vice President: Mike Pence
Pence has been the governor of Indiana since 2012, and during his time in office, he has championed the pro-life movement. If you want to read more for some reason, here are some more facts on the soon-to-be Vice President.
Secretary of State: Rex Tillerson
Tillerson is the chief executive of Exxon Mobil. He also has very close ties with Russia, which is concerning considering the alleged influence Russian hacking had on the election, and about 9,000 other reasons. He’s so close with Russia in fact that in 2013, President of Russia Vladimir Putin gave Tillerson one of the highest honors a civilian can receive: an Order of Friendship. Tillerson is also of concern to environmental activists who fear his close relationship with the fossil fuel-dependent oil industry.
Treasury Secretary: Steven Mnuchin
A former Wall Street banker who worked for Goldman Sachs for 17 years, Mnuchin is now spending his time producing Hollywood films. As Secretary, he will also overhaul the tax system. Like Trump, he has never held a public office.
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Defense Secretary: James Mattis
A retired Marine Corps General, “Mad Dog” Mattis has a lot of battlefield experience from the times he served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s also known to be distrusting of Iran, which makes a lot of conservatives and isolationists happy.
Attorney General: Jeff Sessions
Before being nominated for Secretary of the Justice Department, Sessions was the attorney general of Alabama and served as a senator from that state. Sessions is known to be anti-immigration. Even on his homepage he has listed the amount of supposed illegal immigrants that are currently in the United States.
Secretary of Interior: Cathy McMorris Rodgers
A known climate-change skeptic, Washington Representative McMorris Rodgers is also one of the most senior members in the House of Representatives. According to the LA Times, she’s also a “strident advocate for increased oil and gas drilling on federal lands.”
Secretary of Commerce: Wilbur Ross
Wilbur Ross is a billionaire who basically made all of his money buying companies that had gone bankrupt, then flipping them. He even bailed Trump out in the early ’90s when his Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City went bankrupt.
Secretary of Labor: Andrew Puzder
The CEO of CKE Restaurant Holdings, Puzder will likely be appointed to Secretary of Labor. The Labor department is in charge of fining companies that don’t follow labor laws, and that’s interesting because in 2013, CKE was sued for safety violations in one of its restaurants after an employee suffered burns from scalding hot water.
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Tom Price
Price was originally a representative for the state of Georgia, and during that time he, was a huge adovcate for doctors’ rights. In fact, he even cosponsored a bill in 2011 that would limit hospitals from using background checks before hiring doctors. He then went on to serve four terms in the Senate. If confirmed, he’ll probably take a scalpel to Obamacare.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Ben Carson
You might remember him as the guy who forgot to go out onstage during a debate when he ran for the Republican presidential nomination. He’s a retired neurosurgeon who, like Trump, has never held a political office. He also never lived in public housing, although many outlets reported that he did after he was connected to the HUD position.
Transportation Secretary: Elaine Chao
She was the Secretary of Labor during the Bush administration from 2001-2009. She’s also an immigrant, which is fucking awesome, and she will be key to Trump in accomplishing a large part of his first 100 days goal of overhauling our infrastruture.
Energy Secretary: Rick Perry
Trump’s decision to name Former Governor of Texas Rick Perry as head of the Department of Energy is really hilarious because back when Perry ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2011, he said during a debate that he’d like to eliminate the department, but couldn’t remember the name of it. LOL.
Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos
Another billionaire on this list, DeVos, who has never had a job in public schooling, is currently Chairman of the American Federation for Children. The federation spends millions of dollars giving taxpayer-funded vouchers to families who are sending their children to private and religious schools.
Secretary of Homeland Security: John Kelly
Another retired Marine Corps General, Gen. Kelly is also one of the highest ranking officers to lose a child in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan, which makes him an interesting pick for Trump, who openly insulted a Gold Star Family, saying that his sacrifices as a businessman were equal to those made by the family.
If you remember a few months ago, we did a pretty dope Q&A with pop grunge singer Alana and got to peep her video for “Black Magic.”
Wellm good news my little black-hearted gothic pop girls, the video for her next single, “Venomous” is a sequel to “Black Magic”… and if you can recall from our previous discussion, Alana is heavily inspired by the 90’s and the cult classic film “The Craft,” which basically means her vids are like a mini series with epic soundtracks heavily influenced by the film.
“It left off with me feeling completely insane and under a spell by a guy who was choosing to appear and reappear whenever he pleased,” Alana said of Black Magic, “and I would fall for it. Venomous takes back that control and power.”
To which we say, Hell Yas! Snatch back that power, girl!
“Venomous is a character that I made up,” she adds. “[The guys] can’t escape Venomous because they are addicted to the poisonous love she’s giving. Venomous is full of confidence and with that she can take out ANY guy that she wants to strike back at.”
Though we don’t always promote vengeance, sometimes people need a taste of their own medicine.
“I really hope that fans can channel their inner ‘Venomous’ when they are feeling pushed around,” Alana tells Galore. “Find your confidence and let that inner deviant shine through!!”
So serve up that venom babe, and watch the video below!
The news comes at you fast these days, thanks to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. But do you know what would make news items more fun? Great graphics.
A London-based artist known as “The Poop Culture” makes online artwork based around the day’s news and pop culture, starting each morning with a healthy viewing of “The Wendy Williams Show.”
We sat down with the artist, Ozlem, 25, to talk about how she got involved in illustrating the news, the first celeb she drew, and what’s next for her.
Where are you from? How has that influenced your artwork?
I’m from London. Growing up in such a colorful, vibrant metropolitan city really has really influenced my style. I love people watching, it’s so inspiring.
How did you get involved with doing graphics?
I did textiles and surface design at university and it’s all stemmed from there really. In my third year I designed fashion and hip hop wallpaper and loved the reaction it got. I just really like making people laugh, so that’s what I try to achieve with my illustrations.
What is your primary medium and method?
I watch “The Wendy Williams Show” every morning with a latte. That is my ritual. Then I scour the internet for topical news stories and make a list of all the illustrations I’m going to do. I use Adobe Photoshop mostly and Illustrator occasionally. Pop culture news stories tend to move pretty fast and I need a medium that allows me to work fast and stay on trend with all the breaking stories. I also love making gifs.
Who was the first celeb you drew? Why did you choose them?
The first celeb I ever drew was British Fashion Designer Zandra Rhodes. I was invited to her studio in Bermondsey after I wrote to her and she sat for me as I drew her and she told me wonderful stories about her life and amazing career. She even invited me to a fancy party at her gallery the next evening.
If any celeb could be your BFF, who would it be?
At the moment I’d have to say Ariana Grande, I’ve been playing her album non-stop whilst working and she’s been inspiring me. Also loving Keke Palmer and Bella Hadid at the moment — wouldn’t mind hanging out with any of them.
If you were one of Kylie Jenner’s many hair colors, which would you be and why?
I was a big fan of her hair when it was candyfloss pink, that needs to happen again.
What was the craziest pop culture moment of 2016 in your opinion? Why?
Donald Trump winning the US presidential election, I remember hearing the news… still in shock to this day.
What is your ultimate dream job?
My dream job is ultimately what I’m doing now on a larger scale. I want to continue illustrating for different publications, start working on magazine covers, have my own app, and a range of products that are sold worldwide. And be an influential social commentator who travels worldwide.
So do you make enough money doing graphics to support yourself? Or do you work somewhere else also?
Not yet, but I’m getting there. I work part time at a bar in a restaurant. So cliche, I know, but I make money freelancing and I have a few ideas for the new year, so watch this space.
Have celebs ever commented on your work?
No celebs have commented on my work, but I live in hope.
What makes you different from other internet-style artists?
I don’t know, I guess its the fact that I’m not only an internet artist… I’m becoming a brand.
Remember the ridiculous Ohio bill that set to make abortions illegal after a fetal heartbeat was detected, a.k.a. around six weeks? Governor John Kasich just vetoed it, according to CNN.
Kasich as well as other critics of the bill believed that it was unconstitutional and would probably lead to costly legal battles for Ohio in court. Not to mention the fact that it would outlaw abortions before many women would even know that they were pregnant.
But in the same day that Kasich vetoed the so called “heartbeat” bill, he approved a law that outlaws abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. This is definitely a bummer for abortion rights activists, but it’s not anywhere near as ridiculous as the heartbeat bill.
Besides, it’s generally not advised to get a surgical abortion after 20 weeks into pregnancy, with 99% of abortions taking place before 21 weeks, according to Planned Parenthood.
Still, a post 20-week abortion is necessary in certain instances, and the Ohio law does not allow pregnancies to be terminated even if there are serious medical complications, including grave danger for the mother or the baby. Moreover, it puts doctors in uncomfortable situations. If they make the choice to help a patient in a dire situation, they could face jail time.
Even worse? Congress is considering a bill that would take the 20-week ban nationwide (it’s already in place in 14 states). That’s despite everyone, even Republicans, understanding spending so much time in congress arguing over abortion rights is a waste of time, according to Planned Parenthood.
Can our government start focusing on, I don’t know, serious issues? Rather than continuing to try to police women’s bodies? Thanks!
And now, to wrap up the year, Lauren has been cited for allegedly smuggling weed through an airport. While original reports said she was arrested, Fifth Harmony’s lawyer, Dina LaPolt, issued a statement saying Lauren was “simply given a citation for possession of marijuana and released on her own recognizance.”
Fifth Harmony performed at Hot 99.5’s Jingle Ball in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 12, and were scheduled to perform tonight in Brazil. While boarding a plane last night at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, Lauren was stopped and searched, and a baggie of pot was found in her carry-on.
I’m torn between feeling like a proud mom whose daughter has just won the spelling bee, and feeling disappointed.
Like, c’mon Lauren! I would think Brazil probably has much better weed than wherever you got the stuff you had, right? And although recreational weed is legal in DC proper for everyone over 21, Lauren was in Virginia. Weed is still illegal in Virginia.
But also, we’ve known about Lauren’s love affair with Mary Jane all along. And, as everyone knows, I’m a huge proponent of all things weed and I love people who feel the same way. So, no judgement here for sure.
While there are advantages to being single, like being able to catch a fresh D whenever you want and being able to binge watch without waiting for somebody to come home from work, it can also suck.
But don’t worry, you’re not alone (and a single Christmas can be fun). These celebrities spent the whole year single too, just like you.
A photo posted by Hailey Baldwin (@haileybaldwin) on
Sure she made out with Justin on New Years and he was so into it he posted a picture of it on Instagram, but they were never official, and before you know it, things between them were over.
Everybody loves “Stranger Things,” or at least Barb, and now we all have another reason to be counting down the days until season 2 premieres: the cast is going to have horrible 80s haircuts.
“This year it is very different,” Sarah Hindsgaul, the lead hairstylist for the show told to Refinery29.
She continued:
“We start stepping more into the ‘80s, which is kind of amazing, visually. Last year was ’83 and this year is ’84, and they’re still in Hawkins, Indiana — but people are starting to realize there are perms and mullets, so we’re using a lot of wigs this year, because no one wants perms and mullets.”
RT, Sarah.
RT.
Unless you’re Zendaya. Then you’re into it for some strange reason,
I’m a big fan of parting my hair down the middle to make me more attractive, like a Kardashian.
The problem: a while ago I started to get gray/silver strands of hair popping up in the middle of my head. These gray hairs would stand out when I parted my hair and there was no way of hiding them.
Tracy Keen, a trichologist who studies disorders of the hair and scalp, answered some questions about getting gray hairs in your 20s. And remember, whether you go full-gray like an influencer, keep your mini-streaks intact, or banish them with dye, always rock your look like the future MILF, cougar, or silver fox-catcher you are.
Why do people get gray hair?
Mostly it is in their Genes. Melanocytes present in the hair bulb at the apex of the dermal papilla. This produces two types of melanin pigment eumelanin, which is responsible for black and brown, and pheomelanin produces auburn and blonde. These two colors are controlled by your DNA type and gene type.
What’s the best solution to dealing with grey hairs in your 20s? Should you pluck them?
Do not pluck out graying/white hair, as you will induce the growth of a new one. Coloring is the best solution.
There are many products out there that can cover up grey spots without having to re-dye your whole head. Look out for the cover grey sticks you can find in drug stores. These have a wand that can quickly go over the areas in your hair which will save you so much more money compared to going to a salon.
Does stress cause you to have more grey hairs?
No. Overnight grey is normally induced by an auto-immune disorder, which is the body’s immune system attacking a healthy cell. So don’t worry. Stressing out that you have grey hairs will not lead to you getting any more.
Does the way you take care of your health and body affect whether you get them?
Eating well will always be good for your health, but I have not seen any evidence of gray hair due to poor health. Hair thinning or hair loss can be [the result of] a poor diet.
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