If you didn’t know already, Tom Ford has a Men’s Grooming Private Suite downstairs in the Covent Garden store and you can experience a range of services from a Beard Trim to a Luxury Facial – all at fairly reasonable prices, considering it is Tom Ford! You can head to www.tomfordbeauty.co.uk for bookings.

The series was shot all over the space, providing a futuristic backdrop for the images – of course. We also brought my Flying V guitar down, which fitted in seamlessly with the shiny black surfaces in the Tom Ford space.

Here’s a full transcript of the interview:

NEO 10Y talks music, cannabis and being gender non-binary

The fashion-designer-turned musician has rediscovered his voice 

Musician, visual artist, fashion designer, yogi and cannabis advocate are just a few of the ways Nik Thakkar describes himself, but he’d probably rather you call him by his stage name: NEO 10Y.

Thakkar’s cerebral approach to his science-inspired moniker sets the tone for the artist’s musical repertoire, which he explains is full of “self realisation” and a mission to understand “the bigger picture of our existence” – all accompanied by high concept visuals and Thakkar’s dreamlike vocals.

The past few years appear to have been full of self-discovery for Thakkar, who after nearly a decade has returned to music. With an aesthetic honed by his previous life as a fashion designer for Ada + Nik, his non-binary identity and his conscious approach to politics, life and everything in between, Thakkar’s work challenges the norm with explicit lyrics and controversial visual imagery – some of which has resulted in death threats.

With fans like Tom Ford and more falling under NEO 10Y’s spell, we spoke to Thakkar about what it means to be non-binary, Internet trolls and worshipping the “divine female.”

Your stage name NEO 10Y is inspired by a phrase in biological science, can you explain why you chose it?

“When I started making songs as NEO 10Y, I was inspired by a vigilante super hero version of myself and because I had done a lot of work under my birth name, I felt like I wanted an evolution. I found the word neoteny in biology which means the retention of childhood characteristics in adulthood, which when you translate it to a spiritual sense, it’s the idea of leading with your heart open and the lack of judgement and systemic oppression you have when you are a kid. 

It’s also really cool that it has N.T. within it, and is digitized to the number 10 which, if you think about the universe in 1s and 0s, represents the a sense of completeness in binary code.” 

You gave up on music for nearly a decade, what led you to go back?

“I actually lost out on a music scholarship at school, and it definitely left me stunted. Also at that time there was never a place for an artist like me. I’m really grateful of the digital evolution of music and the democratisation of creative license in the space, because that’s how I can still be in charge off my own voice, aesthetic, vision and message. 

When I learnt piano as a kid, I was taught to essentially do piano recitals, but it felt too robotic to me and I didn’t identify with that part of the process. I went on to teach myself the guitar, which I played open mic nights on and off for a while but it wasn’t until three years ago that I felt I was in a place where I had a voice and valid message to share real songs with.”

Your concept film The Kid That Killed Trump drew a lot of ire when it dropped and resulted in death threats. Did you know when you were creating it that it would court controversy?

“I knew what I was doing… to an extent. I did it anonymously because I was legitimately scared of potential political repercussions because no one had expressed this visually yet – and it was before he was even president. Kathy Griffin and Snoop Dogg and countless others came afterwards, which only proves group consciousness and the public sentiment.

The death threats are just social media having a field day and you have to kind of laugh it off. Internet trolls are part and parcel of this entertainment reality… the anti vegan comments I get are worse half the time!”

There’s been a lot of discussion about what it means to be non-binary, especially following Sam Smith’s announcement earlier this year. As a non-binary individual yourself, are there any common misconceptions you’ve come across? 

“For me, non binary is a very spiritual and innate sense of understanding that we are all comprised of male and female energies. For me personally, I worship the divine female as much as I possibly can in the physical world that we live in, but I am not trans as I do not have gender dysphoria. 

Even though I am in a male body, my spirit does not subscribe to gender norms and I think that if everyone acknowledged their non binary nature, we would generate a lot more peace and equality in the world. 

A common misconception about non binary individuals is that some type of wardrobe or physical world change is required.  It is simply a spiritual state of understanding the fluidity of gender within yourself.

We will not see a reduction in toxic masculinity if cis het males think that being non binary and accepting their female energy means that they need to change their physical appearance. Gen Z are all woke, queer, non binary, pansexuals in the making, so there’s hope yet!”

Beyond music, you’ve worked in the fashion industry for brands including Louis Vuitton and Jean Paul Gautier and had your own fashion brand Ada + Nik – does fashion still play a big role in your creative life?

“Personal style definitely does! I love expression through uniqueness and iconography, and if anything, designing my own wardrobe with Ada + Nik for four years definitely helped elevate that for me. I am so grateful to have such amazing creative friends around me. Ada is slaying with Ada Zanditon Couture, she dressed Ariana [Grande] for the God Is A Woman video and we still collaborate on shoots.

Personally, I am at a stage where I am really happy creating ethereal constructs through songs, visuals and live shows. I think a lot about our impact on the planet and so I’m not currently putting anything physical out there at this stage, but who knows. I still work with brands that I respect. I love Tom Ford [the accompanying shoot was groomed by Tom Ford Beauty at their concept store in Covent Garden] and he’s vegan now too, which really sets the bar for the future of the industry, a really exciting time.”

What’s next?

“I am in the studio at the moment working on some new tracks for later this year. I just filmed a mini documentary with BBC Ideas, and I am doing more consciousness work – ‘vodcasts’, talks and guest lectures. I am also working with the healing power of plants, particularly cannabis, which is finally becoming more available in the UK.”

So weed and music for the rest of 2019 – iconic!’ 

The post ES Insider, with Tom Ford Beauty appeared first on KIMU.

I wrote Reality Check on the electric guitar about ten months ago and built it in the studio with Selah / SBO. The song starts as a conversion with the universe and evolves into a trip riot anti patriarchy, pay me, daddy issues anthem. I hope you love it as much as I do.

The single art was made with Diangular. The video was made with Rob Ulitski and Alex Lord and was edited by Rob, who did a genius job, let’s be real. I worked on the After Effects with Sai and this is the result!

Here are a couple of photos featured in Paper Magazine’s interview with me, shot by Patrick Hope.

Single artwork with Diangular
Video with Rob Ulitski and Alex Lord, edited by Rob Ulitski
Editorial images by Patrick Hope
Designs featured by Ada + Nik, Ted Lyd, Dhenze

The post NEO 10Y: Oh Daddy please cash me, a-a Reality Check appeared first on KIMU.

Two years ago, when I was at a creative crossroads in my life, I started a music project in secret, NEO 10Y. I didn’t have any expectations, it literally started with one song and has rippled from there. Today, I have an audio-visual double release for Dopamine (the single) and Poems To Fuck To – a more personal track which you could call a b-side to some extent, I just wanted to release it in an old school fashion.

I’ve evolved so much as a humxn and artist through living this hyper-reality, refining my craft, movement, voice, guitar, piano and performing live (I played a show in LA last month). I’ve broken 1 million streams and created global social impact because of my unapologetic and political stance through my visuals and writing, which is really all that I could ask for.

This is the first time that I have ever felt like I have real purpose on this planet. I have made Dopamine for everyone, and its meaning is rooted in the idea of finding yourself so that we can collectively, through group consciousness, find world peace. ALSO IT SLAPS. Poems To Fuck To is a more personal track because I wanted to show a more raw side of my artistry but both are interconnected lyrically and spiritually. Will make sure to share the press where I talk about this in detail.

A massive thank you to everyone who has supported me with this movement, you know who you are, I know you believe in me because you believe in yourself. Enjoy the videos and make sure to stream the songs and add them to your Spotify and Apple playlists.

Thank you to Ava Fersi for shooting the artwork, I am honoured to work with you and to Achraf Amiri for the design and illustration bringing to life the idea of the three graces, and “now there’s three of us” lyric from Poems To Fuck To and the construct of the id, ego and superego. I love you both.

Thank you to Alex Lord, my brother Oz Thakkar and Dan Ellyot aka Diangular for your cinematography skills on the videos and bae Josh Haigh for playing my body double in the middle of the night in Greenwich tunnel. I love you all so much.

Finally, Sebastian Bartz for making Dopamine sound like the most expensive track in the history of humanity and for tirelessly mixing it until it ended up at Grammy award winning mix levels, and to Selah Blessed One for his skills on Poems To Fuck To. You’re both incredible talents and I am honoured to work with you.

The post NEO 10Y: Dopamine // Poems To Fuck To appeared first on KIMU.

So, this is an evolution from the original Noir and then Noir Extreme, but in a similar scale to Oud Minerale, it has taken a more subversive journey to reach its destination.

Noir Anthracite “reflects the light in the dark” which comes through in the design of the bottle which holds a magnetic can metal reflective surface. The scent itself features a deep bergamot with spice against a rich black cedar wood, Macassar and santal Sri Lanka – which really elevates the heritage of the brand against a Middle Earth backdrop.

Overall it is equally enticing as its predecessors but with a nuanced subtlety that says modesty for a transient social climate. It’s really well thought out. Thank you, Tom Ford.

Here is a mini-editorial to showcase the fragrance that I shot with Phellipe Souza featuring Noir Anthracite. Hands and script by me, knit by Ada + Nik.

The post Discover: Noir Anthracite appeared first on KIMU.

First up, as we know how important documentation really is, the Olloclip Core Lens and accessories that the company has to offer have come on so far in the last few years – giving a lot of other known iPhone accessory brands a run for their content. You can shop it online here.

Secondly, you see a million kids with glow-up teeth whitening kits on Instagram and let’s be real – there’s a market for it, but the products highlighted never feel all that natural. I’ve personally been exploring more organic methods and one is carbon. I’d recommend SHINE’s activated carbon formula which you can shop at www.misfitcosmetics.com.

Next up, one of my favourite online retailers MR PORTER has just teamed up with Japanese brand Remi Relief on a capsule collection which you can explore in full here. My personal favourite items are the Quilted Shell Down Jacket and Brooklyn t-shirt below.

If you have an adventure day in mind – because let’s be real – what is better than completely immersing yourself in another world, you could try the following for your inner adrenaline: Virgin Experiences and Last Minute.

Finally, a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label never goes a miss. This year, the iconic brand has teamed up with Asprey on this brilliant collaborative set, which you can purchase over at www.thewhiskyexchange.com.

The post 2016: A Noir Christmas Gift Guide appeared first on KIMU.

Considering I have somewhat of an obsession with the idea of advancing a hybrid tech reality for humankind, last night, I had the pleasure of attending the premiere of a digitally reimagined production of “The Tempest.” Breaking boundaries, the show paid homage to the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death by creating a new dimension for guests in the form of the rendering a digital character – Ariel the sprite – live on stage.

Using live performance capture technology powered by Intel and developed by The Imaginarium Studios (traditionally reserved for pre-recorded video game and film content), the show featured a highly complexed and very loveable digital avatar which interacted with other live actors in real-time. According to Imaginaruim, the avatar is created with “336(!) joints, the equivalent to recreating every joint in the human body, and is powered by a PC that has 50-million times more memory than the one that put man on the moon.” So you can imagine the versatility of the character.

What I loved personally was seeing how Ariel (played by Mark Quartley)’s character was re-designed to be almost a beautiful blue androgynous nymph-esque creature with almost digital quirks in the physical human which complimented how the digital avatar came to life. Almost featured in 75% of the production, Ariel the sprite’s mesmerising presence definitely stole the show.

The overall production was also incredible as you can see from some of the photos in this post, with a complex narrative built into a subversive world, everything from the backdrops to the lighting, the thunder and lightning cracks of “the storm” and the detail in each of the character designs are truly world-class.

The Tempest in collaboration with Intel runs until January 21 2017 in Stratford-Upon-Avon, tickets are available through the RSC and will also be showing at The Barbican in 2017.

The post Preview Intel’s Digitally Re-Imagined Production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest appeared first on KIMU.

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I’ve always believed in the ideology of multi-platform creativity. Creation without judgement and application of one’s artistry through various mediums. To bring this to life has been a challenge, but an incredible journey. Whether it is still or moving image, digital animation, menswear design or paint on canvas – as you can experience here, my work is tied cohesively with a signature that translates across each of these mediums.

This is Tech Oscura, my first triptych. Thank you to Degree Art and Contemporary Collective for supporting and representing me. For more information, visit my profile on Degree Art.

The post Tech Oscura: A Triptych appeared first on KIMU.

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Malta-based photographer Kris Micallef is in the process of creating an exhibition and storybook called REGNVM, consisting of a series of underwater portraits photographed over a span of two summers in various bays around the Maltese Islands.

Kris has already unveiled a set of preview images and a short and beautifully crafted video as you can see above (and below). The exhibition launches on 21 February at Blitz, Valletta in Malta. You can learn more about Kris’ work at krismicallef.com.

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