New York Fashion week may be over, but that doesn't mean you need to go back to wearing sweatpants (although freezing temps persist)! Take a page out of our NYLON editors' NYFW street style snaps for some major wardrobe inspiration. From our Editor-in-Chief Michelle Lee's striped faux-fur coat, to Accessories Editor Tamar Levine's chic mini-bag, to Market Director Preetma Singh's leopard jacket, there are so many easy ways to update a cold-weather look. To save you the trouble (and rent money) of searching for the designer goods featured, we've rounded up similar ballin'-on-a-budget pieces from NYLONshop. Click through the gallery to shop the looks. 

Today is...

 The official release day of Purity Ring's long-awaited sophomore album, Another Eternity! (Of Montreal and Cannibal Ox also dropped new releases too.)

News of the Day:

+ Mumford & Sons announced the release of their third album, Wilder Mind due out in May.

+ Apparently Kim Kardashian: Hollywood wasn't enough, more apps by the infamous woman that "broke the Internet" are in progress! Start saving up your money now, we have a feeling that these new games will be even more costly. She already made a projected $200 million last year, so...

+  Lykke Li stars in a gorgeous short film for Gucci's Spring/Summer ’15 collection set to her song "Just Like A Dream".

+ Taylor Swift still doesn't need a man, as she's going to be the godmother of Jamie King's baby.

+ The Meryl Streep legacy continues as her fab daughters scored their own fashion campaign with H&M-owned label Other Stories' collab with Clare Vivier. Mama Streep must be so proud.

Deal of the Day:

Get ready to show some skin again: 25% off tees, shorts and swimwear at J. Crew!

Advice of the Day:

"All you can do is make something that you like and feel proud of and then just hope for the best and try to get out of its way."- Annie Clark, St. Vincent

Gif of the Day:

It's a good day to work at Warner Bros. The studio is reportedly finalizing deals for Steven Speilberg to direct Jennifer Lawrence in an adapation of Pulitzer Prize-winning war photographer Lynsey Addario's memoir, What I Do: A Photographer’s Life Of Love And War. Lawrence, who is arguably the world's most beloved movie star, is at the top of every studio's list to topline their films. Ditto for Steven Speilberg, who you know, is Steven Speilberg. And in the wake of American Sniper's massive, unexpected success, movies based on a real-life warzone heroes are going to become priorities in Hollywood. 

Addario's book, which had names like Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, and Margot Robbie all gunning for its rights, tracks her efforts to give a voice and identity to victims of conflict areas like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Darfur. She often focuses on the plight of women, as in this recent story for the New York Times on women's shelters in Afghanistan. Addario reportedly met with all the Hollywood players after her story, but Jennifer Lawrence and Steven Speilberg, who rarely misfire, eventually won out. 

Not too long ago, it seemed like Cody Simpson was just another super-cute YouTuber turned record-deal-wielding singer. And although his songs were sentimental and catchy enough, there wasn't much that set him apart from all the other wannabe-Biebers on the internet. His new album, Free, however, changes that. With a more mature sound and his own indie record label (Coast House Records) behind him, Simpson is not only about to shock everyone, but (most likely) become a playlist staple. 

"I turned 18 and I came to the realization that I wasn't doing things the way I wanted to," Simpson says. With advice from John Mayer and some valuable life experience (no doubt influenced by his girlfriend Gigi Hadid), Simpson made a conscious effort to stop listening to the record label execs and marketing experts and start creating the type of music he wanted to. For the Australian native, it's about "being old and independent enough to make a stand."

His new music—which sounds like a cross between Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Gavin DeGraw, and his mentor-of-sorts, Mayer—is the kind of beach pop that's so light and breezy that you almost don't recognize that the lyrics get semi-serious. Still, it's pretty clear that "New Problems," which boasts the lyrics "You do anything to deflate me / When you were down and when you cried / Who was there right by your side baby? / But now I'm out the door / Won't waste no time thinking about you anymore / Cause I got new girls and new problems," is about to become the Top 40's new favorite super-chill breakup song. But Simpson, reflecting his new independence and focus, isn't concerned about that: "It's about things that will stick with you for a long time as opposed to a song that will be played on the radio for a few months."

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at a NYLON cover shoot? Think great music, wild clothes, and contagious energy—plus, of course, a totally awesome NYLON girl at the center of it all. Watch the video below featuring our one and only March cover star, Rita Ora. Find out what it was like for her on set—from he rRimmel London Stay Glossy lip gloss to a jacket so cool, she plotted to steal it.

Last week, Kelly Clarkson mentioned on that she was having a hard time finding duet partners. The singer recently collaborated with John Legend on her track "Run Run Run," so she was clearly joking (but she clarified later in a Tweet just to be safe). Still, Jimmy Fallon, purveyor of epic musical collaborations, took note and selflessly stepped up on last night's episode of The Tonight Show.

Together, the new duo performed an incredible medley of famous musical duets. In true Fallon style, they went all out and recreated an extensive sonic history, starting with "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher and ending with "Endless Love" by Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross. The singing was obviously hilarious and great, but the segment's highlight came when Fallon slapped on a fake mole and earring to channel Aaron Neville during their cover of Neville and Linda Ronstadt's "Don't Know Much." The two make a pretty sweet pair, and Clarkson's duet dilemmas have undoubtedly been solved.

This just in: Your favorite Hollywood all-around-nice-guy Joseph Gordon-Levitt looks really good in uniform. The first costumed photo of the actor in Oliver Stone's biopic Snowden was released today and he's looking as tough as ever.

In the image, JGL portrays Edward Snowden before his whistleblowing days, when he was just a young man serving his country in the Army before he started working for the CIA. While this isn't the first film to tell Snowden's story, this thriller is the first film adaptation of Luke Harding's The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the World’s Most Wanted Man, and will unravel how the former NSA worker leaked private government information to American citizens in June 2013. Previously, Snowden was the subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary Citizenfour. 

The 34-year-old actor will be joined by Shailene Woodley, who plays Snowden's girlfriend Lindsay Mills, and Nicholas Cage, who will appear as an ex-U.S. intelligence officer. With a cast of all star actors that also includes Zachary Quinto and Scott Eastwood, the biopic aims to show the Snowden's full story, from his document leaking to his search for asylum. The film is currently in production in Munich and will be released in the United States on December 25.

image via Open Road Films

(via The Hollywood Reporter)

As the front-woman of The Aquadolls, LA-based singer and songwriter Melissa Brooks makes stirring guitar rock that channels a young Courtney Love. Exhibit A, B, C, and D: This brand new video for the band's single, "Sinus Infection," off last year's debut album, Stoked On You. In the stark, black and white clip, which was directed by Susie Francis, Brooks has a punk-rock charisma—the kind that has won her fans like Grimes and Charli XCX. Check it out below, as well as some upcoming tour dates, including a three-night stand at SXSW. 

March 13th @ Echoplex (Los Angeles, CA)
March 14th @ Stong Hold Warehouse (San Diego, CA)
March 18th @ Spider House (Austin, TX)
March 19th @ Pearl St. Co-Op (Austin, TX)
March 21th @ Hotel Vegas (Austin, TX)
March 29th @ Burgerama (Orange County, CA)

Whether or not you've packed your schedule with weekly Bikram yoga classes and private meditation practices, you may still want a little something that will help you to get in touch with your spiritual side—and add some major zen to your home as well. Enter healing crystals: stones found usually underground or in caves that are believed to to have individualized properties that help to balance energy in physical spaces and the body. The crystals have gained popularity as more people collect them to spur natural healing, prosperity, and good fortune.

While you can simply just collect the healing crystals that you think are the most pretty, there’s also a way to use these natural formations to maximize good vibes all around. By understanding the meanings of healing stones, as well as their proper care and keeping, you’ll be well on your way to restoring balance to your life—as well as bringing prosperity, love, and power your way. Let’s break it down to the basics.

What are healing crystals?

The use of healing stones dates back to ancient times, so this isn’t a new trend in holistic practices. “Huge quartz crystals are referred to in ancient Sanskrit writings,” says Patricia Bankins, founder of The Crystal Matrix Healing & Learning Center. “Egyptians used rose quartz as a beautifying aid and amethyst as protection for their traveling emissaries.” Information about healing crystals has been passed down millennia—making this practice a time-tested spiritual tradition that crosses cultural barriers. Today, crystal healing is not necessarily attached to a specific religion, though it has been connected to many in the past.

Crystals are seen as a spiritual way to balance energy—affecting emotions, relationships, and the like. While the practice seems inherently mystical, practitioners do not view the use of healing stones as magical. “Every crystal has its own kind of energy—some boost our mood or levels of vitality, some help to calm us down, some make us more attractive to other people, some help us focus, etc.” says Krista Mitchell, Crystal Reiki Master Teacher of Rock Whisperer NYC. “People may want to interpret them as magical, but it's just energy vibration affecting our own energy vibration.” By using different crystals, unseen energy levels can be increased, decreased, or altered to positively impact one’s emotional and spiritual life. It’s a matter of balance—the same kind of end goal sought by people who turn to meditation and feng shui to naturally encourage healing.

Which healing crystals should I buy?

The number of crystals that can be in collection is pretty much endless, and with so many pretty gems available, it’s easy to just spring for the sparkly ones. However, there is a method for growing your crystal collection from the beginning, starting with stones that bring protection. “For someone beginning, I always tell them that a protective stone is needed,” says Alana Gordon of Crystal Rock NY. “Black tourmaline is good for protection. It helps to neutralize any unwanted energy in their energetic field.” Before bringing in positive vibes, negative energy has to be distilled. From there, other crystals can be used to generate beneficial powers.

Nicole Dantzler, certified crystal healer of Sacred Healing NYC, suggests springing for something basic: “Quartz is known as the master healer and can be used for any purpose.” Michell also recommends buying crystals according to the results you wish to see in your life. “Green aventurine is a great one because it helps us to attract abundance by encouraging us to feel more deserving of good things in our lives,” she says “Amethyst helps us to feel less anxious and more resistant to negative thoughts, feelings and choices. Moonstone helps us to feel more creative and intuitive.” Other crystal choices include citrine to evoke joy and rose quartz to help love and romance flourish.

How do you care for crystals?

While some opt to wait for a full moon to clean crystals, most people choose to clean their newly acquired crystals as soon as possible, to ensure maximum effectiveness. Most stones can be washed in a salt bath (with a one tablespoon to one cup of water ratio) for 24 hours, but soluble crystals like selenite should be cleansed with smoke by burning sage around them. Susan Chu, Holistic Intuitive Advisor of One Peace Sanctuary, recommends using sunlight and moonlight to respectively clean different crystals. “Typically, all black, clear, red, orange, and yellow color stones can be placed in the sunlight, whereas white, pink, green, blue, and purple stones can be placed in the moonlight,” she says. Salt baths, smoke, and light should be used to regenerate the properties of crystals approximately once a month.

Start your collection with just one or two crystals, and be sure to take care of them—then feel the good vibes start flowing.

If there was a model for the perfect human being, we'd imagine it would look a lot like Michelle Williams. Not only is the former Dawson's Creek actress one of the most down-to-earth women in Hollywood, but she's also a veritable fountain of wisdom, as revealed in her Elle UK cover story.

After her partner, Heath Ledger, passed away in 2008, the media (and most directly, paparazzi) zeroed in on Williams and her daughter, Matilda, who was two years old at the time. "Men and women in suits were cashing checks off of my daughter’s face," Williams said. But since Kristen Bell started No Kids Policy, a movement to discourage media coverage (read: harassment) of famous children, that's all changed. Williams said, "Kristen has made it so much easier for these kids to live in a world that is friendly and that they can trust. Every month I send her a gushy, 'You don’t know what you’ve done' note. Now my daughter and other kids aren’t scared to walk down the street any more. It’s like a miracle." Although not many of us can relate to this exact situation, Williams brings up an important point: We should all respect the idea of privacy.

Photo by Kerry Hallihan / Elle UK

We should also, as Williams inadvertently advises, start the day with poetry. "I love poetry because it’s like a shot, like an attack, like a dose. And for a person who doesn’t have very much free time, it does its work very quickly," says Williams. "So I read poems on my phone when I wake up in the morning. It opens you up for the rest of the day, and suddenly your life becomes a little more observed. And, when it becomes more observed, it can’t help but start to become more beautiful."

Her experience with the theater, in regards to her recent appearance in Broadway's Cabaret, also yields some valuable guidance about life. "You truly never know what’s going to happen," she says. "And, to have things go wrong, or to make mistakes in real time and then be able to assimilate whatever is different is a tremendous feeling. To find in those moments that one doesn’t stop, or perish, or run away, but that you can rely on yourself to process things and keep going."

Also, if it's not already apparent, you should dye your hair platinum white. Because it looks damn good.

Pick up Elle UK when it hits newsstands March 5 to read the entire interview.

Photo by Kerry Hallihan / Elle UK

My father, a psychiatrist, never mentioned astrology except once: He bemoaned being a Pisces, calling it the “dust bin” of the Zodiac. Though I didn’t understand it then, he was referring to the fact that Pisces is the final of the 12 signs and therefore likes the bit of dust, leftovers, and elements of the previous year swirling around—think of a closing montage in a film where clips of everything are edited together. On March 21, that closing montage seamlessly starts becoming an opening credits sequence for the new season of the zodiac, complete with cool music and the awesome new digital effects of Spring. 

Time Marches (until it Aprils!) on and we are all just cosmic dust in the wind. 

PISCES

First off, Happy Birthday. It’s more your wont than any other sign to stop and reflect on the past year, as your birthday always puts the vacuum on the bag to suck the air out of the past to preserve your emotional leftovers for the future. And you can often see into that future, even if it’s a future that distorts and writhes. A recent viral moment seems rather Piscean: where we all saw the dress as white and gold, and then blue and black. For Pisces, the sea of luminous pixels can see both. Then, on March 20, the solar eclipse actually occurs in Pisces, which makes this a crucial moment and raises your visibility. Make decisions in your own self-interest, but also appreciate the extent that you make decisions in the name of community. In the immortal actions of Mookie—a character written and portrayed by Spike Lee, who happens to be born on the day of the eclipse, March 20—hurtle the trash can through the window of the pizza joint and Do The Right Thing.

ARIES

“Take Me To Church” by Hozier (a Pisces) has been on the radio for a while now. The song is beautiful, and the message has been important for you. It has been a productive time, but also a meditative one where you are thinking about the big pictures to come. As the spell of this song lifts towards the end of the month, you will find yourself in an entirely post-organized, post-religious, atomized world. The greatest work of theater by an Aries might be the play Breath by Samuel Beckett. It’s a play with no actors. One critic wrote that it “takes only 35 seconds to perform” and is either “a sardonic comment on the brevity of life” or “a pretentious piece of nonsense.” The script of this play involves the stage lights swelling once, going up and down on a pile of un-monumental trash, with the audio of faint cries on either side of the light. You find this poetic, Pisces. On another note, think this means a good time for yoga? You are right, Aries. Stay flexible, and on March 8 (the date of the original London premier of Breath) make sure to inhale deeply, and hopefully smell the scent of some homemade chai tea. 

TAURUS

As a bull, Taurus is used to staring off deeply into the horizon, and this might come in handy on March 5 because the full moon will be farther away from the Earth than usual. It has been dubbed a “micro Moon,” and you will draw power from it. You can detect the mellow tides of the micro Moon throughout your muscles. This time of year you should be feeling some relief: A lot is being asked of you, but you are able to muscle through it thoughtfully. Taurus during March is more open to seeing and understanding the injustice of the world than at any other time of year. Stick to your beliefs, but allow them to be the container that fills with the water of current events; in fact, it might behoove you to do something stubborn to protect yourself on March 15 during these said micro-moments. It’s a good time for one last hardy meal before spring grazing: I’m thinking big, buttery ratatouille or even a thick beef goulash if you are eating meat. Drink red wine on a couple of nights, and, though I am not sure how much you like all the drunken masses, enjoy a green beer on St. Patrick’s day.

GEMINI

Remember that song that has a sample that goes “been downhearted babe, been, I been downhearted babe” by a band called Primitive Radio Gods? That song was actually called “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand,” and though we are thoroughly in a cell phone world, you might find yourself still with something personal to communicate, coins in hand, but faced with impenetrable surroundings. So go inside the phone booth, Gemini, and turn into Superwoman. Downheartedness aside, it’s really a swell time to be flexing your nascent insect wings in chrysalis. As you emerge from the booth, consider hugging someone—maybe a Leo buddy. Play the song “Drug Buddy” by The Lemonheads for a Leo this month and you won’t be sorry. I promise.

CANCER

There is a particularly cold winter on the East Coast, right? I shouldn’t have to tell you to keep moisturized, wear bright clothes, and drink hot chocolate once in a while. Also: Be patient and read a book, even something light, even a glancing chapter. The full moon on the 5th will feel like the goddess giving you a call on your cell: It’s buzzing somewhere in your apartment and you can’t find it. Maybe you can hear the faint, muzzled ringtone. You will pat yourself down to check. There’s clarity in this dance. This month will feature a solar eclipse on March 20, and since your ruling planet is the moon, it means that you will be directly obscuring the floodlights. On March 14, Saturn (which rules your opposing sign, Capricorn) moves into retrograde and appears to stand still all the way through your birthday and into August. The reason I like this for you? The way of the Capricorn is “why work harder when you can work smarter?” and the fact that this energy appears the way it does in such a thoughtful time for you means that great inspiration might come amidst your hard work. I’m not just talking about the gym, although that too, but patience doesn’t always mean waiting around for an event. Inspiration is coming, so stay your course. 

LEO

In the words of the Shakespearean soothsayer, “Beware the Ides of March!” Or, in your case, beware St. Ides malt liquor. Leo rapper Chuck D sued the Pabst Brewing Company for using his voice while Leo indie rocker Elliot Smith wrote an ode to being drunk on the stuff in a song called “St. Ides Heaven.” In an interview about why he didn’t approve of Ice Cube and Snoop doing commercials for St. Ides, Chuck D said, “You can be hardcore and be positive.” No question that Chuck D is a good role model for Leos. He also appreciated the true wacky genius brand of Pisces in Flavor Flav. The strength and ability to appreciate the Pieces runs deep in a Leo—I’m even thinking of Leo Andy Warhol discovering the two fish musicians Lou Reed and John Cale, and then helping them become the Velvet Underground. Stay hardcore and positive, Leo, whether you are working in the living room or living in the work room.

VIRGO

Ha! I knew it! I just checked Stella McCartney’s sign and she’s a Virgo! I’ve been thinking her designs are good, detail-oriented, humane. For McCartney, the decision not to use any leather or fur in her designs is because of her upbringing as a vegetarian on an organic farm, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Virgo qualities could work their way into an explanation too: The maidens of the harvest are agrarian in nature, which is why the Virgo gets such a reputation for their lust for labor. The wheat doesn’t separate from the chafe by itself; it takes a Virgo to be the simple judge of the good and bad practices. The firsts buds of late March can have hard times pushing through such beautifully lain Virgo concrete, but you have planted and germinated powerful mental seed under there, used all of your bio-dynamic witchcraft, and I predict that it will eventually bloom into a great spring. 

LIBRA

 Robust, beautiful Libra, ruled by Venus; even in the frigid weather, your planet is basking in warm waters of Pisces during the mid-month, which is a perfect excuse to give yourself permission to dream. It’s a good time for personal maintenance. Taking care of your feet might be nice even if it isn’t exactly sandal weather. Also, love is in the air: After this moon there will be balance in the waters. Picture a mossy rock in a gentle but rushing stream as the ice and snow start to melt, and an old-school bronze scale of Justice laying in the stream as water rushes over the two circular weighing platforms, gently jiggling the stirrup that connects them. Justice really becomes “just us” this month, with utter devotion to your best pals taking centerstage. If you have a chance to sing “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s at karaoke on March 14, do it. Do it regardless of your singing voice or gender. There’s no need to ask if its classic yet, it’s been a classic for a long time. Just like you.

SCORPIO

Great things are happening for Scorpio. The immediate future looks like it will begin with the most extroverted version of you (also referred to as The Eagle) and start jumping backwards into yourself to reserve your energy. In your extroverted state, you are actually part of a group. You are sort of a ringleader, even. Underlying lust for control and privacy sometimes interfere with Scorpio’s other brighter leadership qualities. It really is something special to see Scorpio using their powers to keep a group ticking, an example being fellow Scorpio's Lorne Michaels’ role in SNL being honored after the show’s 40th anniversary. Enjoy your extroverted position on the 14th and your shyer shades on the 28th. Both are a part of who you are. Embrace them. 

SAGITTARIUS

This message seems complicated, but the conclusion for you right now involves getting temporarily unhinged to reality in order to embrace the magic and wonder that makes up your intellect. Not what you can do or all that you are capable of, but get in tune with practicing and researching what you know, which seems like magic to the rest of the horoscope. The full moon on March 5 will especially be a time to shine, with its appearance in work-centric Virgo. If you have something big at stake, now is the time. You don’t need to be pushing others to do their best right, though you certainly excel at demanding quality from your compatriots. Don’t take this as a green light to lie, but this time of year requires your imagination even more than your truth.

CAPRICORN

At New York’s Guggenheim museum, On Kawara, a Japanese conceptual artist who happens to be a Capricorn, is being recognized with a career retrospective entitled Silence. In his most well-known work, the Today series, Kawara painted the day’s date on the canvas, one per day. By the time he died, he had painted nearly 3000 paintings in 112 cities. If each are seen as a separate work, they might not be taken seriously, especially in the eyes of Capricorns, who are always wanting to work smarter, but not longer. But the profundity of the work is not entirely in the concept but more in the fact that the paintings exist, and that each date seems exactly the same yet by their very nature they are unique. Capricorns, keep to your daily routine, guard it, enjoy it, meditate within it, make exceptions to it.

AQUARIUS

Aquarians always teeter on the edge of insanity and expertise, but stay confident that you still have a lot to offer right now, maybe even more as a group member than as a group spokesperson. It’s a good time to field notes rather than write journal entries. Things really are darting around you and catching light. Take note of New York's former Mayor Bloomberg—an Aquarian—who had somewhat of an endearing trait in his willingness to be the villain— what with his smoking bans and soda restrictions. Go for it with a grin, and take everything with a grain of salt. Now's also a great time for you to take a short trip. Look for affordable adventures you can drive to, and don't pack too much. Just water, SPF (even if the sun doesn't seem to be shining), and some snacks. Then let the experience speak for itself. 

When Purity Ring’s Ungirthed first appeared on the internet in 2011, few knew the duo’s dark-synths-meet-hip-hop sound was heralding a trend that would soon find its way into the mainstream (see: Beyoncé’s eponymous 2014 album and Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood”). With this month’s another eternity, Megan James and Corin Roddick continue to prove that they’re galaxies beyond the rest of us. NYLON caught up with the wildly talented duo to talk about the new album, as well as James’ mad seamstress skills.

It's been a long time since Shrines came out. How did you start working on this album? 

Corin Roddick: We were touring like crazy after we put out Shrines. We toured for almost a year solid so it was hard to focus and get started on a new album.

Megan James:  We hadn’t written together for over a year so it was tough to get things moving again, but once the feeling came together, we started moving along at a nice pace.

Was there a specific sound you were working toward?

CR: On our previous record, we worked in a smaller box—we tried to stretch out the aesthetic over more songs to make it really unified and consistent. On this one, we went into each individual song, trying to give it more of its own personality.

What’s the inspiration between the album’s name?

MJ: Shrines was a lot about being in a cave and being enclosed in something. This record is a lot about the universe and space. It represents Purity Ring in its entirety, in the sky, opened up, and taller. It’s a progression.

another eternity also marks the first time the two of you were physically making music together. Because up until now, you've always lived and worked at different cities, right? 

CR: Being in each other's presence while coming up with lyrics (ed. note James), and producing music (ed. note Roddick) made a big difference. The process of it was entirely different when you’re actually in a room with the other person and putting things together piece by piece. Previously I would make a full track and then send that to Megan, and she would put a bunch of lyrics on top of it.This time around, each element was very much thought out as what the whole would be.

Megan, you design the clothes that you and Corin wear onstage and in your music videos. How did that start?

MJ: My mom sews a lot so I’ve always been around the idea that I could make things if I wanted them. She taught me when I was 12, and I’ve always made clothes that I wanted to exist ever since. I make a lot of clothes for Corin. Clothing is a nice thing to give someone if you can. 

When Aly Spaltro began creating music, under the name Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, she anonymously recorded a 12-track album on an 8-track and left copies on the counter of a local Maine record store. Led by hormonal longings for love and blown-out-of-proportion feelings of heartbreak, the LP, Ripely Pine, quickly became an indie hit. Now, a few years later, Spaltro has dropped the new single "The Beekeeper," and is ready to debut a new, more streamlined sound. "Because I was young when I wrote the songs, they were—objectively now what I would say stepping back—very dramatic and kind of all over the place emotionally," she says. "I wrote a lot of this record at my current age, which is 25, and I’ve learned a lot of things just naturally in four or five years. The content is more mature, a little more existential, and a little more personal."

Her sophomore album, After, sees extremely visual lyrics ("I could be cracked open like a cartoon watermelon / And you would see the solar system suspended in me") infused with a tinge of pop and robust melodies. "It’s more upbeat," says Spaltro. "There are moments of nostalgia, but the perspective is not sad—the perspective is one of acceptance," she says. "If I’m looking back at the past with this album, I’m not looking back with bitterness, like I was in the last album. I’m looking back with acceptance and just contentment. It’s a tender reminiscing." The songs, most of them written while half-asleep at 4am, also explore uncharted territory: "Heretic" is inspired by UFOs and the Giza Prophecy, and "Billions of Eyes" is about making a temporary connection with a stranger on a train. It's strange, to say the least, but in the most intriguing, thoughtful way. 

Where did your name come from?
It came to me in a dream when I was 18. I was keeping a notebook by my bed and I was writing lyrics while I was sleeping. I was very inspired and wires were getting crossed and I was kind of writing down dreams as well. It was something that was in my notebook when I woke up and I read it hours later, and it was perfectly timed with putting out my first songs, burning them on a CD, and I put the moniker there and it just stuck.

What artists would you like to emulate and what kind of feeling would you like to show through your work?        
A lot of the artists that I listened to a lot before I started writing my own music were artists that were very vulnerable and very lyrical. So someone like Sufjan Stevens was a huge influence. Subconsciously, I never tried to sound like him, but I always consciously appreciated his lyrics, his openness and vulnerability, and the way he wrote about his upbringing and his family. I was also really into Of Montreal. They’re one of the early subconscious influences that made me feel that writing really long songs that were longer than three minutes and had different movements and different tempo changes was acceptable. Another influence is the Fiery Furnaces. Same deal. 

If there was a phrase that best sums up your approach to life, what would it be?    
The one that comes to mind time and time again is “Don’t compromise your integrity"—don’t compromise your artistic self for anyone or anything. As cliché as it sounds, just be yourself and keep your integrity and go with your gut and stick to what you want and what you do and what you’re passionate about. 

What kind of person were you in high school?    
I was not into high school and very distracted. I was one of those kids that was kind of an outcast, but I wasn’t weird and I wasn’t mean to anyone. This was before I found music. I literally skipped school but I’d go to the public library and look at photography books and read. I wasn’t doing anything bad but I was just not into school. I was always thinking about what I could be doing outside of it.

If you had to live in a past time, what do you think would be the most fun era?    
I think, this is really boring of me, but I love the ‘90s and I’m curious to know what it would be like to have been a little bit older, like in high school during the mid to late ‘90s. I think would’ve loved to just be like born in 1979 instead of 1989.   

What is your favorite driving music?    
I, like a lot of us, really like to sing along in the car, especially with friends. So I’m going to have to be really honest and say my favorite thing to listen to while driving is like Sheryl Crow “If It Makes You Happy”—anthemic stuff that you can just scream. 

Have you ever felt completely alone in a crowded room? Avers channels that withdrawn mentality in the video for "Evil." Despite her orange hair and bright ensemble, the anonymous lead is merely a gloomy wallflower at a Skins-esque party. Under the twinkling lights, people (presumably on hallucinogens) with painted faces and creepy masks dance like madmen.

The song compliments the mood of the video perfectly, every noise echoing like a voice floating around inside your head. It's a rock circus that'll keep you spinning, but you won't want it to end. "We teamed up with the Flies collective out of Brooklyn to make a video for that reflects the themes of the song—loss of innocence and wild nights of excess," said the Richmond, V.A. band. "We could not be happier with how those guys made everything come together! Enjoy." 

If you're not familiar, Avers is a six-person band comprised of members of The Head and The Heart, The Trillions, and Mason Brothers. Their sound is a conglomoration of psychedelic rock, hazy pop, and fuzzy shoegaze—basically the sickest combination you can get. In the band's own words, their music serves "as the soundtrack to summer conversations with strangers on rooftops everywhere."

We know that after you watch this video you'll be overcome with a sense of withdrawal, so make sure you keep tabs on Avers via Facebook, Twitter and Bandcamp to get your daily fix!

Björk has a way with album covers. The simple yet striking artwork for Post became instantly iconic when it hit shelves in 1995. But like her music, they've only gotten stranger from there. Her latest cover, for the physical release of her eighth album, Vulnicura, is her most startling yet. This is the part where we'd try and put the image into words, but as you can see below, it's kind of pointless. Just know that Vulnicura, which was released digitally in January, is about the collapse of Björk's relationship with artist Matthew Barney and the unbearable pain of what remained. In that context, this album cover, which was designed by Björk and Andrew Thomas Huang, should be pretty self-explanatory.  

(Source: Pitchfork)

Brooklyn-based artist Erin M. Riley’s studio isn’t filled with what you’d expect. There’s a vintage weaving loom, piles of hand-dyed yarn, and racy photos of semi-naked women. Merging a traditional craft with modern social media culture, Erin painstakingly hand-weaves tapestries of sexy selfies gathered from the Internet.

After discovering weaving in art school, Erin steadily honed the precise skills needed to execute hand-made tapestries. Today, she’s one of few millennial artists keeping traditional weaving alive. With her first solo exhibition on view through March 19th at Los Angeles’s Soze Gallery, Erin’s boundary-pushing work is garnering more attention than ever before.

In the gallery, she discusses her strongest influences, how she finds selfies, and much more. Check out more of Erin’s work here.

Today is...

National Pound Cake Day! Or, if you are Beyoncé, Cake by the Pound Day.

News of the Day:

+ Our hopes for "six season and a movie" have been reignited with Yahoo's trailer for season six of Community. We're excited for the college comedy to continue, but we must admit we will miss Donald Glover and Yvette Nicole Brown on the show.

+ Get ready to see more of Idris Elba. Netflix has acquired Cary Fukunaga's African war drama Beasts of No Nation, which stars the British actor.

+ Kerry Washington is going to be honored at the 26th annual GLAAD Media Awards for her efforts in promoting equality. Olivia Pope would be proud.

+ The ever-lovely Janelle Monae is performing a free public concert in Albany, NY today to support a rally for low-income New York schools.

+ Just in time for Women's History Month, President Obama has launched a new initiative called "Let Girls Learn," which aims to help young girls all over the world get the education they deserve.

Deal of the Day:

Get ready for spring break with 20% off vacation clothes at Missguided with code SPRINGBREAK.

Advice of the Day:

"I read poems on my phone when I wake up in the morning. It opens you up for the rest of the day, and suddenly your life becomes a little more observed. And, when it becomes more observed, it can’t help but start to become more beautiful." - Michelle Williams

GIF of the Day:

Kelela is the best singer you probably don't know about. The Ethopian-American artist grew up in Washington D.C has been setting the underground aflame a few years ago with sensual, minimalist R&B. But now, it looks like she's finally making a serious play for stardom. Her new video, "Message," off her upcoming EP Hallucinogen (out May 5), shows off the 31 year old's effortless charisma and knack for seductive vocals. As she sings to a potential ex, "If I was your ex, tell you what's on my mind, we could leave it all behind," Kelela chops off her dread locks before the video as the video morphs into fever-dream anime. The drowsy, narcotic song was produced by Arca, the experimental producer who blew up this year thanks to his work with FKA twigs. Kelela has been building her profile since her debut 2013 mixtape Cut 4 Me, but it looks like 2015 is the year where she finally—and deservedly—starts attracting mainstream attention.

(Source: i-D)

Evan Peters has been building a reputation as one of Hollywood's most versatile young actors, with a regular role on American Horror Story as his anchor, and a wide array of film roles that have been raising his profile. His latest is in the horror film The Lazarus Effect, where he plays a member of a scientific team who brings back one of their colleagues from the dead. After that, he can be seen in the political dramedy Elvis & Nixon, before reprising his role as the supersonic mutant Quicksilver in next year's X-Men: Apocalypse. We recently caught up with Peters to discuss his flourishing career.

I like the science of resurrecting the dead. It’s all bullshit, but it doesn’t sound like bullshit.
It’s not total bullshit. They’re developing stuff now that can prolong the period that you can remain deceased before they can bring you back to life. So it’s based a little bit on reality there. Obviously they don’t have the serum to bring back dogs from the dead.

It might be the first use of an e-cigarette in a movie.
It’s one of the first ones. But determining whether or not it was pot or tobacco was a whole other discussion and a ratings thing as well.

And what was your character smoking?
I was saying it was pot. It was definitely pot he was smoking, but you can interchange it. Maybe he had the tobacco filter and then he had the pot filter, he switches on and off. But there were definitely times when he was stoned.

But he was a doer-stoner, no crashing in front of Cartoon Network for him.
We likened it to his special medicine. He was smoking to get thinking more creatively by the biochemical world and all those components. So it was his little serum that he had.

You said, “Creepy comes natural to me.” Care to elaborate on that?
I like comedy as well. Comedy and being silly and funny comes naturally to me as well. I think comedy and horror are very similar in that there’s a very direct intention. So you’re trying to be funny or you’re trying to be creepy and that literalness, I take to that. I like knowing what I’m going for and if trying to be creepy is what I’m going for—boom, I can be creepy.

Speaking of stoned, you’re going back to the seventies in your next movie, playing Nixon aid Dwight Chapin in Elvis & Nixon. How was Kevin Spacey as Nixon? 
Kevin Spacey did an awesome Nixon. It was very funny and very real and sometimes he looks identical to Nixon, and he's not even wearing prosthetics. Michael Shannon as Elvis is hilarious. He’s just so damn good in this film and it’s very funny to watch. Tonally it is very Dr. Strangelove. It’s not very broad. It’s more dry.

And then after that you put on the stretchy pants for Quicksilver in X-Men: Apocalypse.
I haven’t seen a script yet so I have no idea. I wanna see him go with Magneto. I wanna see them get into their whole father-son thing. In the very original comics where they’re working together and Quicksilver is Magneto’s henchman. I want to see that happen. I think that would be awesome. But we’ll see.