YUNHWAY: INTERVIEW

December 16, 2025

by martina rexrode

For an artist as multifaceted as YUNHWAY, innovation is everything. The Korean rapper, singer, and songwriter’s latest EP, ARRIVED, is proof that you don’t need to rush into creating the perfect body of work; sometimes the music that represents your artistry best comes when you least expect it. With a history of participating in South Korean competition shows like Show Me The Money and a sound that blends every aspect of her own background, the future is bright for YUNHWAY. Unclear Magazine chatted with YUNHWAY about her new EP, her creative process, her favorite artists, and more.

Congratulations on your latest EP, ARRIVED! What made you decide to choose a word like “arrived” for the title? Does it symbolize a specific moment or turning point in your career?

YUNHWAY: “ARRIVED felt like the right word because it captures this moment where I’ve finally stepped into the sound and identity that I’ve been building quietly for years. It’s not about ‘I made it’ — it’s more like I’ve shown up as my full self now. There were so many moments in my career where I felt like I was almost there, almost understood, almost seen… and this EP was the first time I felt completely aligned with my direction. So it symbolizes arrival not as a destination, but as a declaration.”

How has the reception been towards this EP over a month since it dropped?

YUNHWAY: “The reception has honestly been really encouraging. I feel like listeners who’ve been with me for years are saying, ‘This sounds like you but evolved,’ and newer listeners are discovering me through the sound of this project, especially internationally. Brazil and Mexico — a lot of unexpected places have been showing love, which means a lot because this EP was designed to travel outside of borders.”

What was the creative process like when making ARRIVED? Is there a specific order you follow (lyrics first, beats first, etc.), or do you tend to come at every track from a different angle?

YUNHWAY: “I usually start with the beat — that’s where the emotion and attitude come from for me. I react to sound first. Sometimes the flow comes immediately while I’m listening, and the lyrics follow naturally; other times I sit with the beat for a bit until I find the exact pocket I want to hit. I don’t have one strict process because each track demands a different energy.”

Not to make you pick favorites, but which track on this EP or in your discography as a whole are you the most proud of and why?

YUNHWAY: “On ARRIVED, I’m most proud of ‘XXS.’ It’s my fans’ favourite as well. I’m not a big dancer but this song gets me bouncing and my listeners have also found the energy of the song so powerful that some have said it gets them going through their morning commute to work. I love that my sound has evolved to where it sticks with listeners through their day.”

How has having roots in Korea, Vanuatu, and Portland shaped you as an artist? Which aspects of each culture do you bring into your music, if any?

YUNHWAY: “My background has definitely shaped my perspective in music. Korea gave me the discipline to take this craft seriously and grind and work for it. Vanuatu gave me the rhythm and emotion that feels natural and instinctive — and being really in tune with how you feel. Portland allowed me to embrace different genres, especially alternative sounds. I think my music naturally mixes those elements: precision, emotion, and individuality.”

Which artists have influenced your musical evolution? Who are you listening to on a regular basis and finding inspiration in?

YUNHWAY: “I listen very widely, but the artists who consistently influence me are the ones who create their own pockets in the industry — people like SZA, The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, and so many more. I’m inspired by listening to artists that create their own world.”

What are your biggest, most aspirational dreams for your future as an artist?

YUNHWAY: “My biggest dream is to become a global artist in the true sense — not confined to one country or one scene. I want my music to travel the way I’ve lived my life: across cultures, across languages, across genres.”

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'EVERYONE'S A STAR!' / 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER: REVIEW

November 18, 2025

by anne-elise tidwell

“Good things come to those who wait,” a line from one of 5 Seconds of Summer’s newest singles, “Boyband,” holds true. After months of ominous Instagram posts, side quests, and teasing fans with the word “soon,” the band is back with their sixth studio album, EVERYONE’S A STAR!

After taking time off to pursue solo endeavors, the band reconvened and created what lead singer Luke Hemmings is calling the best music of their whole lives.

The Australian pop-rock band began the new era earlier this fall with a new label, a fresh bottle of hair dye and their spunky lead single, “NOT OK,” captivating their audience with a spontaneous pop-up performance in Los Angeles to celebrate the record’s announcement.

EVERYONE’S A STAR! confidently embraces the boy band moniker they once rejected, and delivers a mature, introspective commentary on their 15-year career. The record grapples with the “shadow side” of the industry’s glittery facade, exploring themes tied to the disposable nature of stardom.

“To still be friends, and to still [be] doing s*** like this is pretty amazing,” Hemmings said at the 5SOS Press Conference in Melbourne.

Conceptually, EVERYONE’S A STAR! is presented like a performance art piece and stands as the group’s most thematically driven and ambitious project to date. This album’s rollout has showcased 5SOS’s innate ability to outwardly poke fun at the concept of a boy band, while also taking themselves and their artistry seriously.

“If a boy band is what we are, then we are going to do it in the best way possible,” guitarist Michael Clifford said in a promotional interview.

The record is a sonic journey and an honest testament to the band’s versatile craftsmanship. It begins with hypnotic, atmospheric sounds in the song “Everyone’s A Star!,” impeccably setting the tone for the rest of the record. It also naturally delves into heavier, hard-hitting rock influences, akin to early Paramore, that can be heard on tracks like “The Rocks.”

Through over-the-top stunts, the album's narrative is able to extend well beyond the music itself and pushes the boundaries of the record's creative direction. Dramatic entrances in obnoxious pink limos; performances inside giant plastic-wrapped toy boxes; and a comical, tabloid-esque media outlet the band created called “The Daily Sauce” all serve as audacious promotional tactics and integral pieces of the record’s larger commentary on fame and identity.

The record is not only sonically well-rounded, but lyrically profound, self-reflective and personal. The pre-chorus of “Boyband” articulates the band’s insight well. The song references many facets that come along with being in the public eye, including a lack of autonomy, constant and inescapable scrutiny, and intense pressure to appease a parasocial audience.

“Boy in a boyband / make that monkey dance / let me see you clap your hands / it’s your favorite boyband.”

Their creative direction is seemingly boundless and can be pushed as far as the band is willing to go. They said their upcoming EVERYONE’S A STAR! world tour “truly encompasses” the over-the-top concept, leaning more into a theatrical performance than a traditional concert. The group compared the tour’s production scale to a Lady Gaga or AC/DC show.

The European leg of the tour is set to start March 2026 in Belfast, UK with North American and Oceania following shortly after and will conclude in Perth, Australia next November.

LOLA WILD: INTERVIEW

November 10, 2025

by lilith jaime

As a London-based singer and songwriter, Lola Wild creates narrative landscapes that reflect her personal experiences and emotions. Her music is described as "otherworldly nostalgia" that conjures cinematic scenarios and intimate moments. In addition, her surreal storytelling mixed with influences ranging from Roy Orbison and The Beatles to Billie Holiday, make her both contemporary and a standout act in the music industry.

With “Get Up,” Lola established herself as a rising talent in the indie music scene, and her recent releases and upcoming projects make her career even more enigmatic, as most of her works revolve around finding a place in the world. In this interview, we dove into her single “Girls in Hollywood,” her identity and aesthetic inspirations, and her music aims and aspirations.

What inspired “Girls in Hollywood?”

Lola: “‘Girls in Hollywood’ came from this idea of chasing the dream and what that really costs you. I was thinking about the people who go to Hollywood wanting to be seen, to make it, and how that can be both intoxicating and a bit tragic. It’s about that push and pull — the glamor and the loneliness that sits just underneath it. The same can be said for the the music industry too.”

Is this single, plus the others released this year, part of some new upcoming material?

Lola: “Yeah, definitely. The singles I’ve put out this year all exist in the same little world — this sort of static, lost in frequency kind of space. Each one tells a different part of the story. ‘Girls in Hollywood’ ties a few of those threads together. I’ve been really drawn to themes of escapism, identity, and that mix of hope and tragedy that comes with trying to figure out who you are and where you belong.”

You draw musical inspiration from the 60s and 80s. Have these decades always meant a lot to you?

Lola: “I'd say for most of my adult life it has been influenced by those eras. I used to work in a vintage shop, so I was constantly surrounded by those worlds — the clothes, the colors, the sounds playing through the speakers all day. It definitely seeped into the way I see and hear things now. The interesting thing about the ’80s is how it took such a clear nod to the ’60s — not just in the fashion, but in the sound too. Both eras share this obsession with melody and harmony, that sense of something lush and cinematic.”

Considering you navigate in your lyrics a narrative landscape, what do you enjoy most of your songwriting process?

Lola: “I think what I enjoy most is building a little world around a feeling. Usually it starts with an image or a moment in my head, like a scene from a film and then I just start to fill in the details. I love figuring out who the character is, what they’re thinking, what they’re running from. It isn't always about being literal. I like hiding bits of truth in metaphor, or saying something real in a slightly surreal way. It keeps it interesting, like you’re telling a story, but through a dream lens.”

In general terms, what do you want people to take away from your music?

Lola: “My music tends to live in that space between nostalgia and daydream, so if it gives someone a bit of comfort or escape for a few minutes, that’s enough for me. I think it’s just really special when people find their own stories in the songs. Once it’s out in the world, it doesn’t really belong to the artist anymore... it becomes whatever someone needs it to be, and I love that.”

In terms of music production, what are you always aiming to achieve?

Lola: “In production, I’m always trying to create tension between control and chaos. I want every sound to feel deliberate, but I also want it to have life, not be too polished or stale, little unpredictabilities that keep it from feeling static. I’m fascinated by texture and space, how silence and noise can interact, and how a song can exist somewhere between intimacy and spectacle.”

How does your music reflect your personality?

Lola: “I think my music reflects the way I process the world. It's a mix of observation, chaos and unpredictability. I like contrasts — beauty and discomfort, intimacy and spectacle. In a way, the songs are an extension of how I see and react to things, filtered through a lens that’s performative.”

What’s the emotion that most prevail when you are making music?

Lola: “It’s this strange mix of vulnerability and exhilaration.”

What was your path finding your own community in music?

Lola: “By carving a space for myself where I could be unapologetically strange. I gravitate towards other creatives that push boundaries instead of shying away from them.”

FUN QUESTION: What’s your dream collab?

Lola: “Dolly Parton always and forever xo.”

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EVANN MCINTOSH: INTERVIEW

November 6, 2025

by joann snavely

Kansas-born, Chicago-based artist Evann McIntosh has been carving out their space in the indie scene since their breakout debut at just sixteen. With influences from classic rock icons and up-and-coming indie artists, McIntosh has curated a catalog plentiful in introspection and upfront experimentation. McIntosh is back with their most experimental single yet. “Free Ride” is a track born from dorm parties, chance encounters, and the encapsulation of youth. Unclear Magazine got to catch up with McIntosh about the making of "Free Ride," Thelma & Louise, their growth as an artist, and more!

Congrats on your latest single, "Free Ride." Walk us through the making of the song and what inspired you to make the track.

Evann: “Thank you! When I was 18 I moved out to Chicago and everyone else my age was going to school so I’d make these friends at shows who were going to Columbia or UIC and the song is about attending dorm parties and being the only person with a car.”

Musically, were there any artists in particular who inspired you to make the single?

Evann: “I saw Madison Cunningham at Thalia Hall in 2023 maybe and that Revealer album had me in a chokehold for a few months thereafter. Abe Rounds who produced the song asked if she would be down to play on it and she did! That's surreal. Madison Cunningham and 70s classic rock artists like Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, Tom Petty. I was in a dark place and I was listening to this song by The Time called ‘The Stick’ a lot. I don’t know what was up with that. Only to say that I must’ve had cars on the brain.”

What does "Free Ride" mean for the future of your music?

Evann: “‘Free Ride,’ for the future of my music, means greatness, realness, and awesomeness forever.”

How would you describe "Free Ride" to someone listening to your music for the first time?

Evann: “It definitely stands out in my catalog. It’s the most guitar heavy for sure, I think a lot of my stuff I’ve got out is based around synths, the MOJO album is a bunch of keys and synths on GarageBand. But I think the attitude fits with everything else, it’s still very me. Probably my coolest song. I feel very cool when I play that song.”

Is there any specific lyric on "Free Ride" that stands out from the rest of the song?

Evann: “The verses are pretty clever. I’m proud of that line, ‘Got to burn some bridges to keep warm sometimes.’ I don’t know if anything in particular stands out from the rest. Maybe at the end where I spell out the sentiment, ‘Everybody they want something, if you can take it, if you want it.’ I get in the habit of being suspicious of things that are too easy, or I think I don’t deserve them. As one should be suspicious of a stranger offering a free ride. I think that thought process stops me from enjoying good things. Not that people should not be weary of strange people offering them rides! You should! I need a better metaphor.”

If you could include "Free Ride" on any movie's soundtrack, which would it be and why?

Evann: “Probably like Thelma & Louise. They could drive off the cliff to ‘Free Ride.’”

You've been releasing music for quite some time. How have you seen your sound evolve over the years?

Evann: “I grow, I listen to more music and learn more. It’s a journey in self discovery, everytime I release music or move into a new era it feels truer to me. That is a big motivating factor in learning more is the more knowledge I’ve got the more control I have and the easier it is to communicate what I’ve got in my head. That’s also just life probably. Sonically this new stuff is objectively the best sounding music I’ve released. Very beautifully mixed by Chris Connors.”

What has been the most important piece of advice you've been given as a musician so far?

Evann: “Chill out!!! It’s not that serious. And practice.”

If your music were any inanimate object, what would it be, and why?

Evann: “This is hard to say. I’ve never thought about this before. I want to say a disco ball? Might be a lame answer. It’s a pretty standard cool object. But it’s fitting for any ambiance. A disco ball you can spin for any song really, if you want. Slow disco ball, fast disco ball. Multicolor disco ball. Pretty versatile.”

Are there any additional upcoming events or projects fans should be aware of?

Evann: “It’s hard to say… but something in me says… yes there is… but it’s too soon… to say…”

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MICHELLE NÚÑEZ: INTERVIEW

October 16, 2025

by kristen case

Michelle Núñez is evolving, and on her latest single “california, home” is proven to empower vulnerability with the push and pull of choosing freedom and staying afloat amidst constant change. “california, home” has nature infused instrumentation and evocative vocals in this soulful ballad. The single gives an introspective look into where Michelle Núñez is and where she is going next. She took a moment to give us a closer look as we discussed the creative process of “california, home,” what she discovered while creating it, and the story behind the song.

Congratulations on the release of “california, home!” What inspired the themes and the sound of the single?

Michelle: “Thanks. :) My biggest inspiration is my family and the longing that comes with missing them while living across the country. The sound came to life on a sunny day in LA, sitting on my back patio, strumming my guitar, and seeking solace in homesickness.”

What is the story behind the song?

Michelle: “It’s a homage to California’s beauty and the bittersweet feeling of living in such a vibrant place while feeling a tug in my heart for home, for my family.”

What was the writing and recording process for the song like?

Michelle: “The writing process came naturally. The line ‘the California coast never looked so beautiful, I miss my folks back home’ came first, and the rest of the song grew around it. My friend and producer Yoosuf and I spent a lot of time in the studio reworking certain moments and experimenting with sounds to create the song’s all-encompassing, almost surreal tone. It was a joyful, collaborative process.”

What was the creative process like for “california, home?” Have there been any new rituals when you have creativity spark?

Michelle: “My creative process is very free-flowing. It often starts with strumming a few chords, letting a verse emerge, and then building a story around the emotions I’m feeling, drawing from past experiences that have shaped me.”

If you had three words to describe your sound, what would they be?

Michelle: “Free, open, alive.”

You have such heartfelt lyricism and really nurturing your work like a quiet whisper of hope but also so raw in emotions. How do you balance the evolution of your artistry?

Michelle: “Sometimes the hardest part of being an artist is feeling life so deeply. It’s also a gift I wouldn’t trade for anything. Balance comes from allowing myself to feel fully, even when it’s intense, and learning to navigate those extremes daily.”

What is your favorite lyric/verse from “california, home” that you feel best captures where you're at right now?

Michelle: “‘Visions in my heart, prayers in my soul, The Almighty whispers, reminding me I’m whole.’”

What would you say to someone who has never heard your music before?

Michelle: “Here’s a piece of my heart and my soul exposed. I hope it makes you feel something good.”

You described “california, home” as the pull from longing for home and the bittersweet act of leaving loved ones behind. Reflecting back, what part of yourself did you discover while creating it?

Michelle: “I discovered a part of myself that can let go of safety and embrace the unknown, trusting it will lead me exactly where I’m meant to be.”

What projects can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

Michelle: “Live studio acoustic versions of my releases this year and new music next year, and hopefully some live shows. :)”

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