In their Twitter bio, BizZarh describes themselves as ‘two intuitive girls from the hood’ but it’s clear that they are so much more. The genre-bending duo rap and sing over a diverse array of beats to create a variety of vibes that can’t be defined or contained.
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Ross Medaglia
Ross Medaglia is an emerging creative multi-hyphenate based in Toronto and hailing from Sault Ste Marie. Though he dabbles in music, photography and painting, his foundation is in graphic design.
Read MoreFabio Dessena
Fabio Dessena is a UK-based model and rapper. With campaigns for Fred Perry and New Era under his belt and collaborations with Jimmy Prime on the horizon, his future looks (and sounds) very promising.
Read MoreRaphael Sanchez
in art, toronto, male, photographer, graphic designer, gif, APT200, 3
Raphael was a part of our production team for the Joseph of Mercury shoot with Numero Homme.
You can follow Raphael here.
Where are you from?
Filipino-Canadian, born & raised in Scarborough, Ontario. Based in downtown Toronto.
What do you do?
I am a full-time freelancer and a recent graduate at the OCADU (Ontario College of Art & Design University).
GIF-making is so difficult! Any insider tips?
Simplicity is key. Think about when you're making an Instagram Boomerang. You'll get better results from a single, stable movement rather than frantic gestures. That simplicity paired with a clear focal point make a seamless gif you'll want to watch over and over again!
What is your dream creative project?
Wow, big question! There are too many to list, but one I see myself making a reality in the near future is to create a bi-annual QTPoC-friendly party that Toronto hasn't experienced yet. I want to spin the music I love in a space that I had creative direction over.
What are your go-to tunes for…
Rising? - I have a 90s RnB & old school disco playlist on repeat just for my mornings, but Estrelar by Marcos Valle is my exit song.
Exercising? - A good jersey club mix. Sam Tiba, Skype Williams or SWISHA come to mind.
Partying? - Depends on the kiki i’m going to, but Justice, Daft Punk and the songs of the Bloghaus era have a special spot in my heart.
Where are your favorite places in Toronto to…
Eat? - Manpuku Japanese Eatery in the Village Grange Food Court. Donburi-don with a fried egg on top.
Dance? - I prefer a smaller venue with just the right amount of grunge. It makes for such an intimate, sexy atmosphere. Coda, Drake Underground, Apt 200, and the Black Eagle are few of the places I frequent.
Drink? - Whiskey. Double Jameson on the rocks.
Shop? - Uniqlo for my basics. Most of my “fashion pieces” come from instagram stores or from friends that started making merch.
Is there something you really want to do in your city that you haven't yet?
Skating under The Bentway.
List three people that inspire you…
Mimi Vuong - Director & Graphic Designer
Adrian Muir - Cinematographer & DJ
Mark Galura - Motion Graphics Designer
Freeza Chin
Where do you live?: Toronto
What do you do for work?: I am a DJ as well as an audio engineer and music producer. I co-own and operate a professional recording studio called Genesis Sound Inc.
What do you do for fulfillment?: My work basically crosses over into what I do for fulfilment, but on top of the music stuff I enjoy helping my friends in their creative endeavours.
What is your dream creative project?: My dream creative project is to build a musical body of work from the ground up for an amazing artist - writing, producing, recording, mixing and mastering the whole thing from start to finish (ideally with an unlimited budget).
Do you consider yourself a freshman, sophomore or senior in your field?: I would probably say somewhere between sophomore and senior. I've been a DJ for over 15 years and a profesional engineer for 8 years.
What can’t you leave the house without?: My phone!
Where's your favourite place to eat?: House Of Gourmet for legit chinese food at any hour
Where's your favourite place to dance?: Parts & Labour for PartyBoobyTrap, Apt. 200, The Socialite for Unruly Fridays or wherever YYY is at (usually NEST)
Where's your favourite place to drink?: I'm a pretty casual drinker and only really drink while I'm DJing, so wherever that may be at the time I suppose!
Where's your favourite place to shop?: MOOG Audio
What are your go-to tunes for getting ready to leave the house in the morning?: My alarm clock on my phone is "Heart Monitor Riddem" by Kurupt FM (and JAYEMKAYEM hates it).
What are your go-to tunes for exercising?: "Know Better" by Headie One, "Hold That (L)" by Rocks FOE or anything from Aidonia
What are your go-to tunes for going out for a night on the town?: "Bussdown" by Maxo Kream and "Turf" by Sean Leon makes me want to punch people.
Kindly recommend 3 people that inspire you:
Tre Mission
Diamond Osoteo
Marcus Visionary
Who recommended you?: JAYEMKAYEM
Milly J
Milly was a part of our production team for the Joseph of Mercury shoot with Numero Homme.
You can follow Milly here.
Where are you from?
From Toronto, currently living in Brockton Village.
What do you do?
I work full time as a Makeup Artist + Hairstylist. Most days you can find me in the studio working in TV or at Photo Shoots. But one of the many amazing things about my profession is how varied my job and environment can be.
Give us a beauty tip!?
Take a moment to prep your canvas - whether you're doing your own makeup or working on someone else's hair. Spending that extra 60 seconds prepping with moisturizer, oil or whatever it may be can actually save you time in the end.
What is your dream creative project?
Wow - that's a hard one because dreams are endless opportunities. I have so much respect and admiration for Performers - Actors & Singers. They are so fearless and inspiring in their crafts. A dream would be to art direct a creative photo shoot with some of my favourite performers as the subjects - Donald Glover, Gillian Anderson, Rihanna, James McAvoy, Ilana Glazer to name just a few performers that I find inspiring and think would be so fun to shoot in a creative setting. Not only would working with them and conceptualizing a photo shoot be amazing but would also bring the opportunity to work with so many other amazing creatives from the photographer to stylist to other HMUAs.
What are your go-to tunes for…
Rising? - Something upbeat and positive like Anderson.Paak
Exercising? - High Intensity Rap & Hip-Hop & Femme Power Tracks like "Pass Out" - Tinie Tempah, "Holy Key" - DJ Khaled, Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean & "Formation" - Beyonce
Partying? - Upbeat R&B and Rap, especially some older tracks from the early 2000's like "Body Party" - Ciara & "So Gone" - Monica
Where are your favorite places to…
Eat? - Two of my current addictions are Famiglia Baldassarre & White Lily Diner
Dance? - Well I haven't gotten out to dance in quite some time, I do work primarily in morning TV after all. However this past weekend my boyfriend and I had an impromptu St. Paddys/birthday party at our house and a dance party ensued - so can I say my own living room?
Drink? - Soho House & Rhum Corner
Shop? - Smoke + Ash, Adidas, V de V, & Town. Also will be missing Nomad (RIP) to shop for presents for the BF that I know eventually I will steal.
Is there something you really want to do in your city that you haven't yet?
I've always wanted to try stand up paddle boarding - I love being outdoors & heard it's a great workout. Combined with the fact that our water is too dirty to swim in 😁
List three people that inspire you…
Elaine Jyll Regio - Fashion Market Editor at ELLE Canada
Ezio Bondi - Actor
Piotr Adas - Artist
Audré
Audre is an emerging artist from Scarborough. She seamlessly switches from fire freestyles to silky vocals to tell unique stories and create well-rounded tracks. Her infectious energy is juxtaposed next to her smooth vocals and moody beats from her producer IVI.
Read MoreMe Time
By day, Sarah Barrable-Tishauer is a marketing consultant for major brands. By night, she is DJ Me Time, a self-proclaimed ‘bass witch’. Since her character Liberty Van Zandt graduated on Degrassi, she has spent a decade putting in work in the marketing industry and has recently transitioned to freelance life to make room for more Me Time practicing behind the decks.
Stats: 13.1K followers
Read MoreIVI
IVI is a self-taught producer based in Scarborough. In contrast to some of his peers, IVI’s talents go beyond beatmaking. He works closely with artists to produce and develop their vocals, transforming a great beat into a great song.
Read MoreMookie Morris
Mookie Morris is a Canadian Idol alum with a laid-back, nostalgic musical style that spans far past the defunct show’s history. Mookie heads his own band, The Mooks, which features Owen Norquay on bass and Luis Figuero on drums. With Mookie on lead vocals and guitar, The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.
Read MoreLuis Figuero
Luis Figuero is the dynamic drummer for The Mooks, which also features Mookie Morris on lead vocals and guitar and Owen Norquay on bass. The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.
Read MoreOwen Norquay
Owen Norquay is a soulful,seasoned bass player with The Mooks, which also features Mookie Morris on lead vocals and guitar and Luis Figuero on drums. The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.
Read MoreKim Esquila
Kim Esquila is a designer, DJ and event producer from Toronto. She has dabbled in fashion as a production assistant for Nomad and has collaborated with Soho House’s Monique Hinds and Thank You Kindly to create the Take-Out Social Club, where she championed IRL experiences with some of Toronto’s most prominent influencers.
Read MoreBeatrix on the Beat
in Nike, toronto, vancouver, female, music, graphic designer, music producer, 3
Beatrixx is a bicoastal beatmaker, originally from the Philippines. Just as she splits time between Toronto and Vancouver, between beats she moonlights as a graphic designer. As a woman in a very male-saturated industry, each of Beatrixx’s beats breaks barriers and bops.
Read MoreApolonia Rodrigues
Between working real-estate and studying business, Apolonia Rodrigues is a model and influencer based in Toronto. Apolonia’s influence spans beyond the timeline; she has done shoots for emerging Toronto designers like Mary Young, ultra-established brands like Nike and was profiled in High Snobiety’s Meet the Muse series.
Read MoreSisi Berhe
Sisi Berhe is a PR maven who has quickly ascended from associate to executive with MSL Group, where she specializes in lifestyle, beauty and fashion. After her 9-5, she works with L’Ame Inconnue (Unknown Soul), a creative collective working to bring the designs of African designers to the forefront of the industry and to change the mainstream perception of African fashion. Staying true to her Eritrean roots, Sisi’s work with L’Ame Inconnue is setting the foundation for borderless future for African designers.
Read MoreImad Elsheikh
Imad Elsheikh is the man behind Pique, an online platform for emerging artists. While Pique was initially built around 15-second clips of each artist, in collaboration with Bell, it has since expanded into a central hub for events and exposure for creatives based within and beyond Toronto.
Imad Elsheikh and his platform Pique have a combined following of 7k with good engagement on each account. Each post averages 330 likes and 14 comments, with videos peaking at almost 800 views.
Read MoreJacqueline Ashton
in 3, toronto, female, film, art, photographer, influencer, model
Jacqueline Ashton is a self-taught photographer and self-proclaimed ‘good gyal’ based in Toronto. Since studying film and dance in high school, she transitioned into photography, where she captures subjects through her signature raw, filmy lens. Her work has been featured by CBC, Vice, The Fader, Kastor and Pollux, and Lola Who.
Stats: Almost 10k Instagram followers.
Read MoreOthello Grey
in art, creative consultant, male, photographer, 3, toronto
On a timeline full of self-proclaimed photographers, Othello Grey stands out. As a self-taught photographer, each of his photos are infused with an inimitable coolness that you can’t scroll past without liking, screenshotting or wishing that you took it yourself.
As Othello gets closer to 50k followers, he receives an average of 590 likes per post with an engagement rate of 1.2%.
Read MoreZachary Roher
If you have been seeing boobs everywhere, it’s likely thanks to Zachary Roher, the Cultural Curator, Artist Manager and Clothing Designer at the helm of Collectif NUDE. In addition to designing their signature boob merch, sold at Urban Outfitters and seen everywhere, Collectif Nude manages a growing roster of artists and hosts dope parties that have featured the likes of ASAP Mob, Kaytranada and Ravyn Lenae.
Stats: Combined following of over 5k (collectifnude + personal acct).
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