Meet TRACE, an L.A.-based Vietnamese-American musician making emotionally rich, delicate, and dreamy alt-pop songs that are as relatable as they are infectious. We caught up with her to chat about her musical evolution, who inspires her, and what she has coming up. 

Born and raised in Orange County, TRACE didn’t grow up having musical ambitions of her own - despite the fact that her mom, Carol Kim, is a renowned Vietnamese singer. Instead, she went to college for business and communications and got a job in L.A. as the Managing Editor for a magazine. It was there she realized her passion for music and her desire to pursue it as a career. “I never performed really growing up but I was always a writer with decent guitar skills. It was always a hobby until it wasn’t,” says TRACE. 

Her newest release, “Cry Baby,” is an emotionally driven EP that gives the listener permission to feel, to release, to let the music meet them exactly where they are. Each song juxtaposes TRACE’s soft voice and vulnerable lyrics with experimental electronics so easy to move to you almost forget how raw she’s being.

How has your music evolved over the years?

I think perhaps sonically I’ve evolved in that, throughout the years, my confidence has grown so I’ve been able to experiment with different sounds and not feel I had to stay in a pocket/genre. Fortunately genres feel more and more expansive. In terms of the things I'm writing, I feel more careful in ways because I know there is an audience listening. But overall, I’m grateful to be able to look back and feel a cohesion of honesty with my words. But I think the goal is learning to be more and more yourself and whatever that produces is the evolution itself. Going from one understanding and emotion to the other.

What aspect of your life most impacts how you write or make music? 

I would say every aspect. But of course it’s the relationships in my life that fuel how and what I write. I do my best to take note of everyday experiences and every single emotion I come across. Writing and making music often makes me feel lighter because there is the intention to connect every part of myself to my work so I can release it. Relay it. Realize it.

What artists have been your biggest inspiration? 

I’m inspired by so many people! Frank Ocean, Feist, James Blake,  The National. But also like Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen.

What are you most excited about? Any upcoming projects/shows/tours?

Working on my first full-length album and diving into the NFT world! I always want to play more shows. I hope to get to tour, it’s all very unknown in le music climate right now. 

Describe your personal style.

I would say a mixture of tomboy and feminine. I enjoy playing with combinations that complement each other like a men’s oversized blazer with a silk midi skirt. The baggier and drapier the better. Minimalist with neutrals but mostly black. Quality over quantity. 

Keep up with TRACE on IG, check out her music, and scroll for a playlist on Spotify she made for us at Prism.

Meet MONOGEM, a.k.a. Jen Hirsh, a critically acclaimed alt-R&B artist who’s got some serious range; vocally, culturally, and musically. We chatted with her about her latest release, how becoming a mom has changed her work, and what she’s got coming up.

Raised in a diverse suburb of LA, Jen was inundated with music from an early age. While she’s the only musician in her family, her music-loving parents made sure there was never a shortage of tunes to introduce her to. “I’ve been singing literally since I could speak. I think my parents recognized I was passionate about it when I was about 5 and I’ve been in voice lessons ever since.” 

Jen was surrounded by Latin music growing up, especially when her grandmother lived with her family when she was young. And while early exposure to music so closely tied to her heritage made an enormous impact on who she is as an artist, it wasn’t until her latest release, ‘Gardenia,’ that she was ready to connect her career to her culture. 

‘Gardenia,’ named after her grandmother’s favorite flower, is a dreamy, synth-laden record that’s both infectiously dancy and deeply personal. The perfect amalgamation of electro-pop, soul, and jazz, ‘Gardenia’ is a look into MONOGEM’s journey as she connects her past to her present; embracing her Mexican-American heritage as a woman and as a mother.

You recently released your first bilingual album. What has it meant to you to put songs in Spanish out into the world?

I am thrilled that ‘Gardenia’ is out in the world and has been so well-received. Singing in Spanish has been extremely cathartic for me - it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and have felt super insecure about my whole life. So, the fact that listeners have welcomed this new era of mine with open arms, feels like I am in the right place doing exactly what I should be doing.

Why now?

I needed to find the right creative team to help me feel comfortable enough to try something new. I really have to credit the producers of the album, Kyle Patrick and Will Snyder, for giving me a safe space to feel vulnerable, but also pushing me to go there and find this new voice.

How has becoming a mother impacted your music?

So far, it’s hard to tell. After releasing an album during a pandemic and not having the opportunity to tour yet, it feels like I am still in a holding pattern, but I am totally okay with it. I am enjoying my son and stepping into Motherhood - I’m starting to get creative again and excited to see what flows. Everything happens in waves and phases and I feel totally present in this one.  

Who inspires you?

I recently started an interview series/podcast (coming soon) where I have uncensored conversations with other mothers in the music industry. I’ve only done a few interviews, but they have given me so much energy and inspiration I didn’t even know was possible! 

Anything exciting on the horizon? 

Yes! Currently working on a Gardenia: Reimagined EP with some remixes and collabs that I cannot wait to share. Stay tuned.

How would you describe your personal style?

Loungewear-Chic! After the pandemic, I can’t be bothered to be uncomfortable in my clothes anymore. I seemingly always find a way to make cozy clothes look put-together with the right accessories. 

Keep up with MONOGEM on IG and check out her music, and scroll for a playlist she made for just us. 

Meet Stevie Kin, an LA-based musician, poet, and co-creator of Weather Womxn - a constant conversation about how to stay connected to your creativity and home of their course, Holistic Creative. We caught up with Stevie to find out more about who inspires her, what lies ahead, and the songs she’s currently listening to.  

Stevie grew up in a musical family - her mom plays the guitar, piano, and sings and her dad played drums in a jazz band in high school and also sings.

“Playing and singing music has always been a part of my life. My sister and I used to write and record songs on old cassette tapes when we were kids. We still, occasionally, bust out our greatest hits.”

It was as she entered her angsty teenage years that she started writing her own sad, emo songs, but was too embarrassed to perform them for anyone. Stevie says, “Secretly, I fantasized about one day being brave and cool enough to sing my own songs on stage, but I stayed in hiding for a long time.” But that all changed in college. That’s when she started to open up and share with friends what she was writing. Through some mentorship and encouragement, she finally played her first show. “It was terrible! But I kept going, becoming a better performer and a better songwriter.”

Stevie released her first EP, ‘Petals’ in 2019. Each song is filled with her breathy but captivating voice, dreamy instrumentals, and personal lyrics - all recorded in her bedroom via a portable studio she set up herself. The result sounds almost like someone’s diary set to a low-fi soundtrack, leaving the listener with a little of herself. 

What's your process for writing new music?

I’m a huge believer in a creative gestation period. Creativity tells me when it’s ready to come through and how it wants to come through. I really feel that in their truest form, artists are channelers. When I sit down to write, it is because I feel something is ready to flow through and out of me, I just have to tune into it. I just start by fumbling around on guitar or piano, whichever feels right, and then find the chord progression that resonates and start humming along. Eventually, the humming turns into a phrase or two and then the rest of the lyrics start coming in. Lyrics are my favorite part of the process because it feels truly collaborative— between something ethereal and me. Once I know I’ve released fully and authentically, I usually record a demo of this through my logic set-up and add some simple instrumentation and background vocals. The final versions of my songs are usually these demos I record on my own combined with the beautiful and thoughtful touches of my producer. 

How did lockdown impact your art?

Wow. Things shifted quite a bit. Just before lockdown I’d come off of a tour and went straight into the studio to start recording my new record. That week a tragic tornado hit Nashville and the following week, a pandemic hit the world. Everything paused. Everything was holding its breath. It took me a while to truly let go of any timeline or idea of productivity I’d been holding onto, but once I released it, I had the time and space to allow my spirit to remember that expression is timeless. The universe has its own order and flow. Turns out, what I most needed was to rest, recalibrate and tune into the new directions creativity wanted to take me. My record changed, new projects began taking form, and I started a brand new journey into a different medium altogether. 

What artists have inspired you the most?

Patti Smith has been instrumental (pun kinda intended) in my development as an artist. It is not her sound, but her essence that has and continues to inspire. She has tapped into a true freedom that blends her “regular life” and her creative life with an effortless joy. A very long list of other writers, musicians, actors, painters, and poets follow. I’ll just name a few — Rilke, Mary Oliver, Cat Power, Leonard Cohen, Meryl Streep, Frances McDormand, etc. 

What are you most excited about? 

My new record is nearly finished! Hope to share it later this year. This recording process has been a messy, wild, beautiful ride, but gave birth to something new and pure. It is an ultra personal record, but then, so was my last…. So I guess it’s all personal! I’ve recently fallen deeply and passionately in love with acting. It’s a bit of an obsession at this point and I could talk endlessly about the true craft of it. I’m taking Meisner and also have some films/projects coming up that I’m so, so excited about.  Also, my dear friend/business partner and I released our course + podcast discussing and teaching on creative well-being and balance. It is our hearts’ desire to see everyone creating in their fullest freedom and authenticity, so this is for those who feel blocked or want to tap into greater creative power. The process of bringing this vision to life has been 5 years in the making and every single word, visual, and sound was crafted with all our love. 

Describe your personal style.

Simple. Relaxed. Boyish. Dancer. Classic. Ideally, my outfits can go day-to-night just by switching out my shoes and throwing on a blazer. Those are always my favorite looks. 

Keep up with Stevie on IG and check out her music, and scroll for a playlist on Spotify she made for us.