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Maybe I’m crazy, but I enjoy it when actors from television shows I like are in a movie together. Happily, a dark comedy about a long-time couple that learns their friends are resentful of their love (also, there’s a corpse), stars Community‘s Joel McHale and Halt and Catch Fire‘s Kerry Bishé. We’re off to a great start, even if I’m angry about Bishé not winning an Emmy for her performance on the AMC series all over again.

The Happily cast also includes Stephen Root (Barry, King of the Hill, every good show and movie ever), Paul Scheer (The League), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Good Place), Shannon Woodward (Raising Hope), Jon Daly (Kroll Show), Natalie Zea (Justified), and Natalie Morales (Parks and Recreation). This is one “Jake Johnson and Lamorne Morris reprising their roles as Nick and Winston” announcement away from being my dream cast.

Here’s more:

Happily centers on a married couple (Joel McHale and Kerry Bishé) that have been together for 14 years. Their honeymoon phase never ended and they are still strongly in love with each other. When they discover that all their friends are resentful of their constant public displays of affection, they begin to question the loyalty of everyone around them. Then, a visit from a mysterious stranger thrusts them into an existential crisis, leading to a dead body, a lot of questions and a very tense couples’ vacation with a group of friends who may not actually be friends at all.

Happily, which was written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski and co-produced by Jack Black, comes out on digital on March 19.

In a welcomed sign that nature is healing, the internet is once again captivated by a cat video. In the the now-viral clip, a Texas lawyer tries to do his best to make it clear that he is an attorney and not an adorable kitten despite what’s showing on the screen. As a very Texan voice comes from the kitten, the lawyer struggles to turn off the Zoom filter during an official hearing. Eventually, he accepts his fate and just decides to play the hand he’s dealt. “I’m prepared to go forward with it,” the lawyer tells the judge before officially asserting his true human form. “I’m here live, I’m not a cat.”

You can watch the viral clip below:

As the kitten video rocketed to viral fame, the judge in the case clearly had a sense of a humor about the whole thing and even tweeted the video himself while acknowledging that these things happen in our current COVID reality. Via Judge Roy Ferguson on Twitter:

IMPORTANT ZOOM TIP: If a child used your computer, before you join a virtual hearing check the Zoom Video Options to be sure filters are off. This kitten just made a formal announcement on a case in the 394th (sound on). These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession’s dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!

However, in a follow-up interview with Vice, the cat attorney whose now been identified as Rod Ponton isn’t entirely too thrilled with his new viral fame and blamed the incident on his secretary. “I was using her computer and for some reason she had that filter on,” Ponton said. “All it was was a mistake. It was taken off and we had the hearing as normal.”

(Via Lawrence Hurley on Twitter)

Phoebe Bridgers seems to be well-liked by fans, critics, and her peers, so perhaps she’s not the first person you’d expect to get involved in a music feud. Then again, she’s not one to hold back when it comes to speaking her mind, so if beef does come her way, she’d be ready. That’s just what happened recently with David Crosby, who called her attempt at smashing a guitar on SNL this past weekend “pathetic.” She responded by calling the music legend a “little b*tch.” Since then, Crosby has continued the feud and Bridgers happily fired some more shots back.

Last night, Crosby bashed the act of guitar-smashing in general, tweeting, “Guitars are for playing ..making music …..not stupidly bashing them on a fake monitor for childish stage drama …..I really do NOT give a flying F if others have done it before It’s still STUPID.” He then responded to a GIF of The Who destroying their instruments on stage, writing, “Didn’t like them doing it either …stupid dramatics,” then added in another tweet, “They are not toys …or props …we who’ve played them for our whole lives try to treat the with respect.” He later added in response to a tweet about Pete Townsend and Jimi Hendrix, “I have always thought it was dumb …it’s what you do if you can’t write sing or play.”

Responding to a tweet about Bridgers’ SNL performance, he offered more criticism about smashing guitars and noted that he didn’t care for Bridgers’ signature skeleton outfits either, which her band wore during the performance: “I am told that wasn’t a very good night for her and she’s really quite good …I could not see it or hear it then …the skeleton costumes were kind of distracting as well ….the guitar thing was old , wrong , copy cat, looks angry , destructive , wasteful , pointless.”

He was later asked if he likes Bridgers’ music and he replied, “Have not heard her at her best I suspect.” Somebody responded to one of Crosby’s tweets, “It looked so lame. staged. Not real emotions hence not passion. And yes, a fine instrument should not be subject to abuse,” and he replied, “Wasn’t even that good an axe …..it’s the Staged part that leaves me cold.”

A Twitter user pointed out a perceived double standard of Bridgers being judged for this more harshly because she’s not a man, and Crosby replied, “I didn’t like it when men did it either …it’s stupid drama …poor substitute for talent …..” He also co-signed a tweet about his thoughts on guitar-smashing, writing, “True.” The tweet reads, “Any of you calling Croz out for this are so ignorant… He’s been vocally against smashing guitars for DECADES. I’ve seen him say it in TV interviews, magazines, etc. It has nothing to do with who is doing the smashing… It has to do with his LOVE for guitars. They are sacred.”

Meanwhile, Bridgers doesn’t seem too bothered by all this. Yesterday, she shared a photo of her smashing the guitar and wrote, “got some really great feedback from my performance ! next time I’ll just burn it and it will be more expensive.” She also has more insults for Crosby: In response to one of his tweets, she replied this afternoon, “whiny bitch.”

Check out Crosby’s tweets below.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got a surprise new solo album from Hayley Williams, the tenth studio album from Foo Fighters, and a Boygenius reunion on the new Julien Baker single. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Foo Fighters – Medicine At Midnight

The Foo Fighters sound a little different on their tenth studio album. For Medicine At Midnight, the veteran rockers take more influence from David Bowie’s dance period than the alternative rock sound of their contemporaries. With spastic time signature shifts and other experimental looks, the album marks a journey into uncharted territory for the Foos.

Hayley Williams – Flowers For Vases / Descansos

Less than a year after releasing her debut solo album Petals For Armor, Hayley Williams is back with another full-length effort. Flowers For Vases / Descansos is a more laid-back affair than its predecessor, focused mostly on acoustic and piano tracks that showcase Williams’ raw songwriting and ability to anchor a song with little more than her infectious vocal.

Vampire Weekend – 40:42 EP

“2021” was the shortest cut on Vampire Weekend’s 2019 album Father Of The Bride, clocking in at just 1 minute and 38 seconds. To celebrate the arrival of 2021, the band recruited both jazz saxophonist Sam Gendel and jam band Goose to give the track an extended makeover, with each artist delivering versions of the song that clock in at 20 minutes and 21 seconds. “Gendel’s rendition is a spaced-out and jazzy affair while Goose takes things in the jammy direction that Vampire Weekend have flirted with in recent years,” writes Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx.

The Staves – Good Woman

On their third album, The Staves take a more experimental and electronic approach than their last Justin Vernon-produced effort. Good Woman was written in the aftermath of the passing of the sisters’ mother, as well as Camilla Stavely-Taylor’s decision to leave a long-term relationship. Both events, and the ensuing grief, informed much of what would go into the record, which Caitlin White calls for Uproxx “an album only these sisters could make.”

The Weather Station – Ignorance

On the latest album from The Weather Station, Tamara Lindeman “specializes in incisive, insightful songwriting set to warm, organic sounds that evoke the glory years of sensitive tunesmiths in the 1960s and 70s,” writes Steven Hyden in a recent issue of the Indie Mixtape newsletter. Ignorance is among Lindeman’s best work to date, and will certainly prove the staying power of The Weather Station.

Sun June – Somewhere

Sun June’s sophomore album finds them zeroing in on exactly what makes their band sound special, and fine-tuning it to create the fullest illustration of why the band deserves the spotlight. “Throughout eleven gripping tracks, the Austin, Texas five-piece find poetry in the monotony and grief of life’s most dramatic moments,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.

Julien Baker – “Favor”

With her third LP just around the corner, Julien Baker has shared the latest new single “Favor,” which reunites her with her Boygenius bandmates Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers. The track continues to illustrate the full-band feel of Little Oblivion, and “features Baker singing reflective verses over a shuffling beat,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.

Rostam – “These Kids We Knew”

On his first official new music of 2021, Rostam delivers a breezy number with a heavy narrative. With simple, repeated lyrics, the former Vampire Weekend member “takes a critical position on how older generations deal (or don’t deal) with climate issues,” writes Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx.

USERx – “Headsick” Feat. Manchester Orchestra

With two singles under their belt, UserX — comprised of songwriter Matt Maeson and producer Rozwell — are prepping for the release of their debut EP. The announcement of the EP was paired with another new single, this time featuring Manchester Orchestra. The emotional and nostalgic “Headsick” marks the first time that the three artists have collaborated, but it was “an incredibly validating feeling,” Maeson said in a statement. “Matt and Roz are a really complimentary team and the final product gave me the chills,” Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull added.

The Armed – “All Futures”

On the first taste of their forthcoming album, The Armed give a good indication of what Ultrapop can be. With eight members performing at the same time, “All Futures” combines elements of metal, noise, and other “heavy” subgenres into what can only be described as… “Ultrapop.”

Spirit Of The Beehive – “There’s Nothing You Can’t Do”

Fun fact: toward the end of my tenure as a resident of a punk house, we booked Spirit Of The Beehive. Nearly five years later, this version of the band sounds very different than the one that played in my living room that night, but “There’s Nothing You Can’t Do” still maintains the chameleonic energy that made them so exciting in the first place. The track is a dark, almost gothic, electronic track that goes to show how much the band has evolved on their forthcoming debut LP Entertainment.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Last fall, Gabriel Garzón-Montano released his dynamic album Agüita, filled with both heart sore ballads and upbeat tunes. Now looking to expand the sonic reaches of his music, Garzón-Montano has enlisted electronic producer Armando Young and singer Jamila Woods for a thumping remix of his lovelorn track “Someone.”

Speaking to her decision to hop on the remix, Woods said she’s been a longtime fan of Garzón-Montano’s music: “I’ve been a big fan of Gabriel for a while and it was so fun to re-make this song with him! The lyrics are so visual and vulnerable and the story of the song really resonated with me. Armando’s remix brought such a good energy and made it one of those songs that invites you to dance your feelings out.”

Echoing Woods’ statement, Garzón-Montano praised both of the musicians for their contribution to the track. “I’m grateful to be able to make such beautiful music with friends,” he said. “Armando is a beast and Jamila is a monster so I was in the most loving hands. I’m honored to present this ‘Someone’ remix.”

Listen to Garzón-Montano’s “Someone (Remix)” by Young with Woods above.

Agüita is out now via Jagjaguwar. Get it here.

“Everything is about story, and it’s about communicating,” photojournalist and filmmaker Deanne Fitzmaurice says over the phone, when asked for photography advice. “Storytelling is a way we can connect with viewers. It adds so much depth — it has deeper meaning and it resonates to a much deeper degree.”

That advice — to tell stories through the lens, not just take pretty pictures — sounds a little vague but is perhaps the most potent photography anyone can offer. And Fitzmaurice is the right person to share it. Her work is noted for drawing viewers into the lives of her subjects and has appeared in Time, Der Spiegel, Men’s Journal, Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, and scores of other outlets. She’s a Nikon ambassador, a filmmaker, and was awarded the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for her photo series following the 13-month recovery of a young Iraqi boy who was horribly injured by an improvised explosive device.

Clearly, Fitzmaurice’s photos have the ability to transcend simple still images. And since we want to be able to do that too, we linked up with the photo journalist and picked her brain on how we can better elevate our images. Check her advice below.

***

TIP 1: Put Your Subject Into Context

I like to photograph landscapes that tell a story. For example, I went out to San Francisco and found this park where they were painting these circles into the grass for social distancing and found a great vantage point to photograph it from. It’s important to think about putting your subject into context — where are we? I was able to see the skyline of San Francisco behind the park, but it also told the story of where we are in this moment in time. It gives a sense of place, it talks about what is happening right now in the world by showing these pandemic circles.

TIP 2: Look For Moments

I was waiting for a moment to happen within these circles. Taking time is a big part of successful photography, no matter what it is you’re trying to do. Finding the right moment comes from spending time, so find your position, and just wait, observe, and watch as people move around and look for something kind of magical or special to happen.

Sometimes the magic can happen from of the light. Maybe you go out and photograph at twilight and you have this beautiful blue light, the blue sky, or just really late in the day or early in the morning when you get the shadows and the extreme light.It can be really dramatic and it can really make your scene pop.

TIP 3: Think Of Layers

Layering is really important in any type of photography. One layer was the grass with the circles, another layer was the people who came and sat in these circles or were walking around them or interacting with these circles, and the other layer was the skyline of San Francisco behind it.

But for me, the most important thing to think about is story — it’s about layering the scene structurally but also layering the scene with meaning.

TIP 4: Find Ways To Adapt

You can use backlighting, sometimes I go into open shade — just look for a place where you don’t have that direct overhead light that’s causing these difficult overhead shadows. Sometimes, you can set it up so that you’re doing a time exposure, motion blur, at that point the lighting isn’t as important, you’re not going to have a problem with the shadows, you’re kind of introducing a new look.

This depends on if you’re photographing a person or not but you can add some flash fill to compensate for the shadows, to open them up.

TIP 5: Find An Angle That Works

Think about different angles, going up high looking down, getting low looking up, maybe you can use a longer lens and compress the scene.

TIP 6: Rethink The Idea Of “Self-Portrait”

I’ve seen a lot of people trying to tell a story of where they are during the pandemic by taking photos through windows to give a feeling of isolation. When I think about self-portraits I have a much broader definition of it personally. I don’t really turn the camera on myself very often — I think what I choose to photograph is a reflection of me, so in some ways, it’s all a self-portrait.

I get out and photograph what interests me and what moves me, and I think that reveals something about who I am. It’s kind of a different way of thinking about self-portraiture.

TIP 7: Try To Capture What Something Feels Like

Photograph what it feels like, not just what it looks like. I think that’s a way to take your photography to the next level.

“Okay I feel isolated right now, how do I photograph that?”

Maybe that’s some kind of a dark room. Think about conveying a feeling, that’s how you can take a portrait beyond just the obvious. Bring emotion to it. Think, “how do I use light to make the most powerful photograph possible?”

TIP 8: Be True To Yourself & The Stories You Want To Tell

When the protests started in the summer, I started thinking about how we were experiencing a certain moment in time here, the Black Lives Matter movement, this sort of time of reckoning, how do I go out and tell that story?

I photographed a couple of the protests and there was an African American woman who showed up on horseback at one of these protests and I thought, “Wow that is really interesting. Who is she? She’s on horseback, what is her story?”

I tracked down who she was, did my research, her name is Brianna Noble. I just found her to be an incredible person. She recuses horses and trains them, she takes young kids living in the inner city and teaches them about horsemanship, she started a nonprofit to do that.

So I’m thinking “this is a remarkable woman and it feels like it’s a story of this moment” so I went out and I’ve been photographing her. It’s one of those things where I’m still able to do this and social distance, but tell a story that matters to me, something that feels like it’s relevant.

I would leave that as a message to everyone: think about what matters to you. Find it and go towards it. Think about themes, sometimes a group of photos can be more powerful than an individual picture.

More photos by Deanne Fitzmaurice:

Former first lady Michelle Obama announced this morning that she’s expanding the work she started in the White House to help kids eat better and live healthy lives. On March 16, her new show, “Waffles + Mochi,” will debut on Netflix on March 16.

Obama described the premise of the show on Facebook:

“I’ve got some big news for you! This is something I’ve been working on for a while now, and I’m so excited to finally be able to tell you all about it. Allow me to introduce two new friends of mine: Their names are Waffles and Mochi. And on March 16, we’ll be launching a new children’s show on Netflix called Waffles + Mochi. It’s all about good food: discovering it, cooking it, and of course, eating it. These two will take us on adventures all around the world to explore new ingredients and try out new recipes. Kids will love it, but I know that adults will also get plenty of laughs—and some tips for the kitchen.

In many ways, this show is an extension of my work to support children’s health as First Lady—and to be quite honest, I wish a program like this had been around when my girls were young. I also know that this is a difficult time for so many families, and I’m hopeful that this delightful show can bring a bit of light and laughter to homes around the world. That’s why as part of the show’s commitment to helping families during the pandemic, we’re working with our partners at Partnership for a Healthier America to get fresh ingredients to families in need across the country so they can cook together at home.

So that’s what #WafflesAndMochi is all about. I can’t wait for you and your children to join us on our adventures on March 16.

More details about the show were shared by Strong Black Lead on Twitter. Waffles and Mochi are aspiring young chefs who will travel to kitchens, restaurants, farms, and home around the globe to explore recipes and ingredients from different cultures.

“Whether they’re picking potatoes in the Andes of Peru, sampling spices in Italy, or making Miso in Japan, these curious explorers uncover the wonder of food and discover every meal is a chance to make new friends,” they wrote.

Obama made kids’ health her primary focus as First Lady with her “Let’s Move” campaign and her push to get fresh, healthy food into school lunches. And according to a study released last summer, her initiative made a difference. Researchers at the University of Washington assessed how the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that Obama championed impacted the nutritional quality of school meals that kids actually ate (as opposed to just looking at the food served).

“The evidence suggests that the policy resulted in improved nutritional quality of lunches consumed by students who participate in the National School Lunch Program,” said senior study author Jessica Jones-Smith, an associate professor of health services and epidemiology at the UW School of Public Health.

The act required that schools serve more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and/or low-fat milk, and less starchy vegetables and foods high in sodium and trans fat.

Since improved nutrition standards for school meals were put into action across the United States in 2012, children – especially those from low-income households – have been eating healthier school lunches with better overall nutritional quality, a new study published July 28 in JAMA found.

The researchers, from the University of Washington School of Public Health, did not find the same positive changes in dietary quality among children who did not take part in the National School Lunch Program.

This is the first nationally representative study to assess specifically how the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act – championed by former first lady Michelle Obama and signed into law by former President Barack Obama – impacted the overall nutritional quality of school meals eaten by students, rather than meals served.

“The evidence suggests that the policy resulted in improved nutritional quality of lunches consumed by students who participate in the National School Lunch Program,” said senior study author Jessica Jones-Smith, an associate professor of health services and epidemiology at the UW School of Public Health.

Three cheers for Michelle Obama continuing to help kids develop healthy habits—this time with educational entertainment parents of young children will appreciate.

The tracklist of the soundtrack from the upcoming Fred Hampton biopic Judas And The Black Messiah arrived today and while some tracks, like Nas’ “E.P.M.D.” and Jay-Z and Nipsey Hussle’s first-ever collaboration, are drawing excitement, fans have noticed the absence of one notable performer’s alias. Noname, who has been one of the most outspoken modern disciples of Hampton’s revolutionary philosophy, wasn’t on the album’s tracklist — but that doesn’t mean no one asked her to be. When prompted by fans, she explained that she was originally billed to be on the soundtrack but opted out.

“i hope people actually go study fred hampton’s analysis on u.s imperialism and fascism beyond just seeing a movie,” she wrote on Twitter. “most of his politics were stripped from that film.” Given the controversial nature of Hampton’s views, this is somewhat disappointing but not surprising. However, because picking on Noname has become a favorite Twitter pastime, one fan decided to take a jab. Things didn’t go the way he expected, though, as Noname deflected his criticism and explained her reasoning for not being on the soundtrack.

“This why they ain’t put you on the soundtrack sis,” wrote the fan. “what’s crazy is they asked,” Noname replied. “i was supposed to be on the song with saba and smi but after seeing the movie i decided to pass.” Noname, Saba, and Smino previously partnered to form the collective Ghetto Sage, releasing a pair of tracks in 2019 to hype a potential album, but so far, there hasn’t been any more word on their project since. This track would have been a welcome addition to their catalog, but it looks like Noname stands on her principles above anything else.

For what it’s worth, she has been consistent in expressing and defending her views, and she spent some time elaborating on Fred Hampton’s politics for her fans on Twitter. Her book club has also been consistent in sharing literature consistent with Black revolutionary theory, so she isn’t just tilting at windmills. Some fans — and peers — may not appreciate her outspokenness, but considering Hampton’s own words, he’d likely stand with her more than most of the other names on the tracklist.

Judas And The Black Messiah premieres on HBO Max Friday, 2/12.

If you were wondering who the most disliked politician on Capitol Hill was, the answer is Ted Cruz.

The Republican senator from Texas got dragged by his fellow lawmakers while they were attempting to dig into the background of Neera Tanden, President Biden’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget. During Tanden’s confirmation hearing, Republican senator attempted to point out how damning Tanden’s social media posts — many of which condemned Republican party leaders like Mitch McConnell and Cruz — were in light of Biden’s appointment. They wondered if she could do a good job of sticking to the president’s commitment to bipartisanship after calling McConnell “Moscow Mitch” and Senator Tom Cotton a “fraud.”

What they didn’t realize was they were giving audiences a live Mean Tweets reading on the Senate floor, and that their colleague, Cruz, would get the worst of it.

A lot of people, Republican and Democrat, can’t stand Ted Cruz but Tanden’s tweets managed to trash the insurrection-supporting senator with some truly stunning linguistic verbosity. At one point, Tanden was accused of tweeting that “vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz,” which, just … wow.

Republicans also noted during the hearing that there were “nine pages of tweets about Ted Cruz” that they hadn’t got to yet. (Please, get to them!) And while it’s certainly amusing to watch politicians themselves so spectacularly, it’s also hypocritical, considering how they’ve been backstabbing each other under Trump’s example for years.

Of course, Twitter’s here to jog your memory in case you forgot:

This exercise in faux outrage aside, Jimmy Kimmel definitely has grounds to raise a fuss over this. You can’t just steal a comedian’s bits like that, even if you do work for Lord Voldemort.

VanJess has spent nearly a decade working towards to position they find themselves in today. The Nigerian-American R&B duo comprised of sisters Ivana and Jessica Nwokike, earned their first bit of success back in the early 2010s thanks to a viral cover of Drake’s “Headlines.” From then on, the duo would perfect their craft and sound that’s laced with a ’90s touch of R&B and soul. While their talents are certainly undeniable, their rise to success has been one that’s required an ample amount of patience.

In 2013, VanJess independently released their debut EP, 00 Till Escape, and re-released it two years later where it earned a top-ten position on the iTunes charts. Three years later, in 2018, the duo returned with their official debut album, Silk Canvas. The 14-track effort was an impressive collection of songs that touched based on all corners of their wide-ranging musical palette. Contributions from Masego, GoldLink, and Leikeli47, as well as production from Kaytranada and IAMNOBOI, set up the perfect canvas for VanJess to flaunt their silky talents upon.

Nowadays, Ivana and Jess are more like veterans in this R&B world. They’re far removed from the young sisters who sang covers to their growing YouTube audience in their early days. However, the passion and love for music remain the same. VanJess would join Keep Cool’s roster at the end of 2018, and more than two years later, they returned with a new EP, Homegrown. The project hones in on the growth they experience through remaining tethered to their roots and staying patient through it all. With help from Kaytranada, Garren, Devin Morrison, and Elbee from Phony Ppl, VanJess shows that the best growth is rooted in digging right where you stand.

Fresh off the release of Homegrown, we spoke with VanJess about the new EP, how their Nigerian background influences the music they create today, and what makes them and Kaytranada such a great combination, and more.

I just found out that your 2018 album Silk Canvas was actually supposed to be named Homegrown. What made this EP a more fitting project for the experience you wanted to bring with Homegrown.

Jess: At that time, 2016 was very, very interesting for us because it was simultaneously the lowest point in our lives, but also a breakthrough creatively. Our mom had just had a stroke and was in the hospital and we had to take care of her during the day. Oftentimes, we would have to go to the studio, pay out of pocket cause we were independent. During that time, we had to rely on ourselves to create music. We had to stay in our homes a lot of that time and we had to just go bare bones and just rely on ourselves and our own production and our writing. What’s crazy is four years later, last year with COVID-19 and quarantine and everything we kinda found ourselves back with family spending more time with our family than we had since that time and because of that we really just felt like we were going back to that time in a way. We were clear of distractions, we were really focused on our family and what was important. So as we were creating the EP and putting the songs together, we realized wow Homegrown, that’s really what this is, that’s what we’ve always been and that’s what we still are. And so we thought that would be a great name for the EP now.

On Homegrown, there’s definitely some growth to your music and to your sound, so I wanted to ask you both, what is the growth that you’ve seen in each other since your Silk Canvas?

Jess: Since 2016, I feel like she’s a lot calmer in her energy. I think she’s molded into who she is now, and as I was back then, it was a very unpredictable time, a time where we were very new to the industry and going to LA and experiencing that side of things for the first time, I think that there’s a certain level of confidence in calm that my sister has now — as do I — in the sense of not feeling the need to really be in the mix or do things for others. Just doing things for herself and I think that also reflects in the music. I think she’s also in a place of positivity. You’ll notice we’re kind of on the same page with all these things, but I would definitely say that for my sister, that’s what I’ve seen. The growth I’ve seen is I think she has a calm in who she is and that’s important because I think it’s one thing to know who you are, it’s another thing to feel the need to explain yourself all the time, and then it’s another thing to not feel the need to explain yourself but just be that. I think that’s what she has.

Ivana: I think that’s where we both are. Jess and I on our own individual roads to just more inner authenticity. I think that as artists we feel as if we’re currently struggling to be that for everyone, but we forget that we got here based on what we brought. So, I think one thing for both of us has been to constantly keep that authenticity and always come back to it and I think that’s why Homegrown is so special.

I remember with “Come Over,” we wrote that song in 2016 and we were looking for production for it and, it was a pretty back and forth kind of situation just figuring out where to go, but the first track that we heard was the one we chose, but I didn’t feel it, I was like, “I know there’s gotta be something else,” but what Jess said was, “This is us, this is who we are, this is literally us in our core, in our essence let’s go with this track,” and when she gave that perspective, it was just like a light bulb. I think that in itself gave even more of a pathway to us knowing that the EP would be called Homegrown. Everything has been connecting so much, when you’re aligned you start to feel that way because everything is just moving along, you’re not really forcing it, it’s just all going. Some things don’t happen, but you know it’s for the good. It’s great I’m thankful for Jess and her perspective. I think that’s another thing that has just grown. Just her way of understanding and perspective and just keeping true to who she is and what she believes in, what she likes, not getting caught in the noise of things because it is really easy to do in 2020 because we didn’t have anything to do. You’re constantly online searching and scrolling and reading the news and noise noise noise and that in itself is harmful for an artist to create. How did we even create in that time, I mean we’re still here, but how? It’s because we were able to just focus on our family dynamic, focus on each other, and focus on ourselves, our inner wellness.

You mentioned “Come Over” was something y’all wrote four years ago, what are some of the more recent songs y’all created that are on this EP?

Jess: “Slow Down” definitely came more recently. Ivana wrote the verses, I wrote the hook at that time it wasn’t even as crazy, but it was just thinking about what was important. The toxic love thing we hear about all the time and it seems trendy and that’s kind of what we’re thinking about, let’s put out a song about positive love, you know, what love is supposed to be? Can we get back to that? That’s how that one had come. “Boo Thang” is one that definitely came in the middle of the pandemic, that was one of the ones that was a collaboration. I guess “Caught Up,” it came together in the pandemic as well. We brought on Elbee from Phony Ppl on the record and that one, the magic of it really came to life during this time last year. It took time, it took awhile for Elbee to get his verse over to us, but it was worth it. We were always very intentional with who we collaborate with, it’s never the label paying someone to be on our song. It’s always artists that we genuinely connect with and work well with. So those were really exciting records to put together for this EP.

Ivana: Yeah, I’m just thankful that Jess and I were always writing. We’re always are creating, we’ve created a lot of songs. It wasn’t really that hard for us to say, “Hey you know what? Let’s put something together. Let’s tie up a little project for everyone.”

Jess: “Come Over Again,” too. That one was originally supposed to be on a different beat and, it’s so funny how it all came together, because M-Phazes, who produced “Come Over,” we were like, alright, we’re gonna do this other version, people love remixes we got it, cool. We always kind of put a lot more into our remixes and this one in particular, we were like maybe we can change the verses up, how are we going to put this together? Our A&R had sent us this beat and the story of it was he was just listening to old, old beats, like beats that like we’re not touched. He realized that this one beat sampled a song called “Come Over” by Faith Evans and we’re like woah that’s so crazy, that just seems so meant to be. We started trying ideas on it and it literally came together in like 2 days. We put the song together and we were like “Yo, this the remix. This is it.” It’s its own song and it ends the EP and that was towards the very end of the year last year that we put that together.

While growth is definitely a theme on the EP, patience comes up as one, too. Being gentle, taking your time, and letting things happen at their own natural pace. What’s the message that you hope fans receive with this theme and the songs that align with it?

Jess: Patience is definitely one. Learning to be patient with people, with partners, with friends, with family. Patience is also being understanding of people you love. Everything ties in and I think that the people we love are the ones we seek understanding from, but also seek understanding from us and those two things have to work hand in hand. I want our fans to embrace love, embrace positivity, embrace understanding, patience, and embrace joy as well and gratitude. We want our music to uplift people, we want our music to help people in that search for joy in this hard time, but we want them to be able to find it in the little things, the things that they don’t think [about]. It doesn’t have to be in the Birkin bag, it doesn’t have to be in having a crazy bank account because a lot of people don’t have that right now. You can find joy in so much more, just in a song like “High & Dry” which is just about having someone in your life that, no matter what, can make you feel better. That’s a blessing, that’s something to celebrate.

I think that’s what we want people to take from our EP, that can use that you can celebrate and find joy in the little things. You can have gratitude and that’s so important and I think because the truth of the matter is that not everybody’s in the same tax bracket, not everyone is fortunate to have the same thing. One thing we can all try to do is find our sources of joy, whether that’s just music — we hope that that music and that people can look into our music and find that. But we hope that that’s having the right people in their lives and if they don’t have that, then finding those people and escaping with like-minded people who also love.

Considering that a lot of our sources for inspiration are gone because of the pandemic, how did you both fill that void over the last ten or so months?

Ivana: I think for us again, it goes back to just being present [and] digging where you stand. We’re fortunate that a lot of the music on this project was already created pre-pandemic, but we did create a lot during this time. I think that going through life together I think being able to talk, being able to share perspectives and reflection — reflection was really important for me in this time when it came to inspiration, a lot of hindsight [too].

Jess: I think what also helped us stay inspired was creating with similar types of people. Just thinking about “Slow Down,” we did that right before the pandemic and I just remember that day, working with a producer and he was so positive and just allowed us to have a really safe space. As everything progressed and we kept creating, that was very important to just kind of be around people that would give each other energy. It’s so important because when you have to be creating in a space where maybe you’re hearing bad news or whatever, you can inspire each other and someone’s spirit and someone’s energy, you can channel that into music and lyrics. I think that for us, that was helpful and because we are also creatives individually, we do that for each other as well. I think being a duo and not just being ourselves also helps because you really are able to get inspired by bouncing back and forth. Ivana sends me an idea and I just get inspired off that, even if maybe I wasn’t inspired before.

I saw some influences of African print on your single artworks. How does your Nigerian background and its culture influence the music you create, because it’s not put out in plain sight for listeners, and as well as the way you approach topics?

Jess: I think for us, first and foremost, we never wanted being Nigerian to be a costume. With Black Panther, [for example], there’s been a lot of like trendiness to being African and I think that for us it’s been really important, first and foremost, to never try to force people to be like, “Hey guys we’re Nigerian look!” It is a part of us, we’re Nigerian American and so because of that, we really wanted to find a way to wear that proudly and very obviously in a way that our people would know. Not just going on Google and wearing some dashiki print, but subliminal things that we could do that only Nigerians would pick up on and that they would see and would appreciate and they would feel represented. One way we thought to do that, and it also tied into the Homegrown story, the idea really started in pandemic zoom meetings. We were talking with our team and we basically said if we were quarantined in 1970 Nigeria, what would that look like? How would we be dressed? We were looking through our parents’ photo albums, getting inspired and we decided we wanted to really represent that in our artwork. It was really important to us to really step out this time around and tell our fellow Nigerians, “Hey, we’re Nigerian,” but not do it in a way that was performative or inauthentic, but true to us and our own story being Nigerian Americans having parents that were young in the ‘70s.

In our music, we’ve always tried to represent the Nigerian side organically, like on Silk Canvas, the “Control Me” record, that was something Ivana kind of naturally fell into when she listened to that beat and because of that, we were like this is the perfect time to use pidgin English and throw a little Yoruba in it even if we’re Igbo. With the music, we’ve always done it more organically. When we listen to a beat [or] when we listen to a record, if we get inspired to channel that side of us, we do and if not then, we don’t force it and that’s the way do it when it comes to representing our Nigerian side, but it’s really important for us to showcase that identity and we’re glad that people have started to see it not just in our aesthetic, but our story.

You and Kaytranada are 3/3 at this point with “Another Lover,” “Taste,” and “Dysfunctional.” How is it working with him and what do you think makes y’all a great combination?

Ivana: We’ve been following him for many years. I think I remember I sent him a message on Soundcloud like, “Hey, it would be really great to work together,” way back in the day, definitely shooting that shot. It’s actually amazing that it happened. It’s fun to work with him and it’s just a vibe, I think the first time we ever worked together was actually a sort of impromptu situation with “Dysfunctional.” Tunji [Balogun] was like, “Yo, do y’all wanna get in with Kaytra, Mary J. Blige didn’t show up,” and Tunji was like, “You, you wanna get in with VanJess?” and [Kaytra] was like, “For sure.” We hopped in an Uber from Fontana, which is like 45 minutes away, headed down to LA and did that.

Jess: He literally played “Dysfunctional” and was like, “I don’t know guys, tell me if you can write something to this,” and we’re like okay! He popped it on and it was just mumbles, we put it together, and then we were like, “Why don’t you sing the hook?” and he’s like, “No, oh my gosh,” and then he sang it and we wrote the verses. After that, we were in good graces so that’s when we’re like, “Heyyy, we’ve been writing to some of your beats, can we use this one too?!” and that’s where it formed from there. He’s also very specific, it’s not about the clout for him, I think that’s what we take pride in, like he really does respect us artistically. So when he was putting together his album, he sent us a beat pack and we wrote “Taste.” Actually, we wrote it to another beat originally and he loved the song so much that he would like, “Okay I’m going to reproduce this,” and then he’s like, “Okay just rewrite the second verses.” We did that and it came together and it’s the “Taste” that everyone hears now.

I think that musically, we’ve always been inspired by the same thing and when you’re inspired by the same things when grew up in this very eclectic sound palette, then I think that’s really why, not just us, but the artists like Kay, I think that’s why it just makes sense. Whether it’s an artist like a Tinashe or a Masego, when you look at artists, the sounds in their own music outside of Kaytra, it’s always very eclectic. I think that you have to kind of have an expansive musical kind of — just outside of R&B, but R&B or soul being the core. It’s just good vibes, good music, music with feeling, tempo sometimes is nice and he does that you know.

Another feature I really enjoyed was Devin Morrison’s.

Jess: He’s the only person that’s been able to vocal produce us. We usually vocal produce ourselves, so nobody can tell us anything we do everything right? He, oh my gosh, his ear, he’ll be like, “Try this harmony,” and we’re like, “Come again? What? Do what?” He’s incredible, genius. It was a song that [he] wrote and we heard in the midst of a pandemic, funny thing about it: We had a session with him before everything went crazy, I couldn’t go because I was having tonsillitis at the time. Ivana started a different record from scratch, that one’s still in the works. Kind of as fate would have it, he sent us this record that we really loved and we wrote our own verse and made it a collab.

You gave fans a little bit of everything on this project. There’s moments to dance and there’s moments to lay back, but it’s still a cohesive project. Was this experience something you intended to bring with the project?

Jess: We don’t ever say, “Hey let’s do this,” or “Hey let’s make it sound like this and then go this way.” We just create and then it just comes together.

Ivana: Yeah, we make our music, it’s our project. We’re experiencing, we’re living life and going through it creating songs and a thought might come like, “Hey what about this,” and we’re really close to our A&R too and we just have a really good dynamic together with our team, so it’s always a smooth flow of ideas running like “Oh, this would go great after this or what about that.” It always comes smoothly. A lot of these songs we had [for awhile], so to put them together, who knew they would work? It just did.

Jess: And we have a lot more. The thing is we’re constantly writing, we’re constantly creating, so — I don’t know if this is gonna excite people too much — we have so much music, we have projects for days at this point, but it’s kind of like when we’re putting a project together, obviously there’s working with Tunji on sequencing and whatnot, but that wasn’t even the conversation when we were deciding the singles. We had the music that we wanted to put out, we put it out, and we’re like, “Alright, let’s put it together.” We didn’t know what’s going to work the way it did. It’s crazy because even with releasing “Come Over” and “High & Dry,” right?. We originally wanted to put out “Caught Up” before “Slow Down,” and we all were talking and we’re like you know we feel like the world needs more R&B VanJess in this moment, so let’s go with that. I think the best thing I could say is a pro for us is that we really just have no rules when it comes to the sound because we always are in the core VanJess. Because all the music is us no matter what, when you hear it, it just makes sense. You don’t know why, but it just does. I think it’s just because we know who we are so no matter what sonically is happening. It’s just VanJess.

Homegrown is out now via Keep Cool/RCA. Get it here.