DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD DRAFTS
This is my original draft of my double page spread, the words in red are the ones I decided to correct for my second draft.
As I sat at the bar in a crowded London basement, hidden in the depths of Central London, I nodded my head along to the exhilarating new releases of upcoming indie artists, Skylar Collins. As the young, carefree eighteen year old preformed and sung to the crowd, a prominent, proud smile light up her face as the crowd cheered and chanted her songs back to her. Since the release of her first album ‘IMPULSIVE’, Skylar Collins has become quite the talk within the indie fandom, most likely due to her emotionally-rich, hypnotic tracks. As I looked around the dimly light basement, with a thin layer of smoke filling the room, everyone was dancing away and enjoying their night.
The following day I meet Skylar for her first UNORTHODOX interview in her hotel room. As I entered the room I was greeted by the brunette, with one hand clutching onto a small glass of red wine whilst the other consists of a cigarette, grasped tightly between her two fingers. She took one last puff of her a cigarette before putting it out and greeting me with a gentle smile. Her makeup was done so simply yet to perfection, portraying her natural beauty. Her clothes consisted of just a casual black tee tucked into some tight fighting black jeans, with a vintage-looking brown leather jacket- reminding me of a young Joan Jett.
Before I get the chance to sit down she already is quizzing me about what I thought of the gig, and more importantly her album. Obsessed with bands such as Oasis and The Strokes since she was a young girl, she always dreamt of being a singer so began writing at the age of 14. “I’ve always just wanted people to hear me.” She said. “I like to write about my feelings, I like the feeling of people being able to relate with me. For me, that’s what it’s all about. Being able to connect and relate to the music.”
The album takes you on her journey throughout her adolescence “We’re all young and reckless once! Throughout my teens I lived by the famous words of Kurt Cobain ‘The duty of youth is to challenge corruption’, so that’s exactly what I did, and will continue to do so” she exclaimed, followed by a sip of her red wine. “Going to an all-girls grammar school was hard. Whilst I was in school I always stood out from the other girls. Instead of going out, buying all the latest fashion trends and getting my nails done I was dying my hair bizarre colours and buying clothes from charity shops. I felt very uncomfortable. But as I got older I thought f*** it! I don’t care what people think of how I act or dress, I live to please myself, and if anyone has a problem with me then that’s their fault, they can f*** off!”
The indie-icon-in-the-making began to gain public attention by posting covers of songs on her YouTube channel (skylaarcollins) since the young age of 12. However, it was only once she turned 17 when she really began to get noticed. “It was crazy! One day I was just singing covers in my room and the next minute I blew up! It was so bizarre! I get asked a lot how I deal with it, ‘You’re only 18!’ or ‘You’re so young!’ they say. But I’m not a young girl anymore; I’m a grown, sexy woman just doing what I love whilst also trying to make a living, and trust me, I’m only just getting started.”
The most known indie acts throughout the years have mainly consisted of groups, such as The 1975 and Arctic Monkeys. In addition, the majority of the members within the bands are male. Thus, there is yet to be a Beyoncé of the indie genre. So, could this gap be filled by Collins? Could she become the queen of indie?
“F*** yeah!” She exclaimed with a smile and small chuckle. “If you believe in yourself and work hard enough you can do anything! Being the queen of indie? I’ll drink to that!” Collins raises her glass to me, and then finished her drink. “I just want as many people to hear me and come to my concerts. I was 11 when I attended my first concert, it was an Arctic Monkeys ‘Humbug’ gig. I mean, there were only 4,000 people in the audience but since then I’ve been mesmerised by the idea of crowds of people coming along to my shows and singing with me as they love my music. Since then Arctic Monkeys have done bizarre concerts! Like festivals such as Reading & Leeds and Glastonbury to preforming at the Olympics Opening Ceremony and Madison Square Gardens. That’s my dream, to preform legendary performances and rock the world!”
Second draft
As I sat at the bar in a crowded London basement, hidden in the depths of Central London, I nodded my head along to the exhilarating new releases of upcoming indie artists, Skylar Collins. As the young, carefree eighteen year old preformed and sung to the crowd, a prominent, proud smile light up her face as the crowd cheered and chanted her songs back to her. Since the release of her first album ‘IMPULSIVE’, Skylar Collins has become quite the talk within the indie fandom, most likely due to her emotionally-rich, hypnotic tracks. As I looked around the dimly light basement, with a thin layer of smoke filling the room, everyone was dancing away and enjoying their night.
The following day I meet Skylar for her first UNORTHODOX interview in her hotel room. As I entered the room I was greeted by the brunette, with one hand clutching onto a small glass of red wine whilst the other consists of a cigarette, grasped tightly between her two fingers. She took one last puff of her a cigarette before putting it out and greeting me with a gentle smile. Her makeup was done so simply yet to perfection, portraying her natural beauty. Her clothes consisted of just a casual black tee tucked into some tight fighting black jeans, with a vintage-looking brown leather jacket- reminding me of a young Joan Jett.
Before I get the chance to sit down she already is quizzing me about what I thought of the gig, and more importantly her album. Obsessed with bands such as Oasis and The Strokes since she was a young girl, she always dreamt of being a singer so began writing at the age of 14. “I’ve always just wanted people to hear me.” She said. “I like to write about my feelings, I like the feeling of people being able to relate with me. For me, that’s what it’s all about. Being able to connect and relate to the music.”
The album takes you on her journey throughout her adolescence “We’re all young and reckless once! Throughout my teens I lived by the famous words of Kurt Cobain ‘The duty of youth is to challenge corruption’, so that’s exactly what I did, and will continue to do so” she exclaimed, followed by a sip of her red wine. “Going to an all-girls grammar school was hard. Whilst I was in school I always stood out from the other girls. Instead of going out, buying all the latest fashion trends and getting my nails done I was dying my hair bizarre colours and buying clothes from charity shops. I felt very uncomfortable. But as I got older I thought f*** it! I don’t care what people think of how I act or dress, I live to please myself, and if anyone has a problem with me then that’s their fault, they can f*** off!”
The indie-icon-in-the-making began to gain public attention by posting covers of songs on her YouTube channel (skylaarcollins) since the young age of 12. However, it was only once she turned 17 when she really began to get noticed. “It was crazy! One day I was just singing covers in my room and the next minute I blew up! It was so bizarre! I get asked a lot how I deal with it, ‘You’re only 18!’ or ‘You’re so young!’ they say. But I’m not a young girl anymore; I’m a grown, independent woman just doing what I love whilst also trying to make a living, and trust me, I’m only just getting started.”
The most known indie acts throughout the years have mainly consisted of groups, such as The 1975 and Arctic Monkeys. In addition, majority of the members within the bands are male. Thus, there is yet to be the Beyoncé of the indie genre. So, could this gap be filled by Collins? Could she become the queen of indie?
“F*** yeah!” She exclaimed with a smile and small chuckle. “If you believe in yourself and work hard enough you can do anything! Being the queen of indie? I’ll drink to that!” Collins raises her glass to me, and then finished her drink. “I just want as many people to hear me and come to my concerts. I was 11 when I attended my first concert, it was an Arctic Monkeys ‘Humbug’ one. I mean, there were only 4,000 people in the audience but since then I’ve been mesmerised by the idea of crowds of people coming along to my shows and sing with me as they love my music. Since then they’ve done bizarre concerts! Like festivals such as Reading & Leeds and Glastonbury to preforming at the Olympics Opening Ceremony and Madison Square Gardens. That’s my dream, to preform legendary performances and rock the world!”