Interview by Passion DzengaFrom East London to Botswana, Brunei, and now Belgium, Bex has been quietly building a global sound rooted in raw honesty and musical versatility. With a journey shaped by continents and cultures, he’s not just another artist—you’re looking at someone who's lived the rhythm, not just studied it. His new acoustic EP marks a bold departure from trap and wave, diving deep into themes of vulnerability, mental health, and modern romance, wrapped in stripped-back production that keeps it painfully real.Now headlining his own shows and gaining recognition from platforms like Colors and Dazed, it’s time to get familiar with a voice that’s resonating far beyond his growing fan base. Bex is proof that delusion can sometimes be a superpower, especially when it’s backed by undeniable talent and tireless work. And whether it’s looping guitar riffs at home, engaging with fans on Discord, or preparing for a fully acoustic tour, one thing’s clear—this is an artist we got love for.You've been on quite a journey, from East London to Botswana to Belgium. How have these different places shaped your sound and your identity as an artist?Yeah, definitely. So, being born in London, my first memories of music and influence came through my big brother and UK hip hop. Then I moved to Botswana where I was involved in all sorts of musical activities—playing in a Mima band, singing in a choir, playing flute in an orchestra. My mom really encouraged all that, and I appreciate it now. Later, I moved to Brunei and joined a band, though I wasn’t too immersed in the local scene there. But I was still picking up different rhythmic and melodic ideas. That’s also where I started guitar lessons properly. Then I came to Belgium, continued guitar, and by the age of 16, I decided to focus on being a vocalist. I was already making beats using GarageBand on my laptop as I traveled. It was a bit messy, but it was the start.You were trained on guitar and flute, and played in a Mima band. How have those diverse musical experiences shaped the sound of your acoustic EP?At the time I was focused on certain instruments, I was developing musical ability without realizing it. Playing the Mima, a percussive instrument, trained my rhythmic sense. Being in the orchestra and learning flute helped me understand harmony—how each part contributes to a bigger whole. All of that informs my creative process now. The guitar, in particular, gave me a new vocabulary and allowed me to explore sounds beyond what I’d done before, especially once I dropped the ego of being "just a rapper."Your debut EP marks a big shift from wave and trap into a more acoustic, pop-R&B sound. What inspired that transition?It was my mindset and life experience. School wasn’t going well, and I was at a point in my career where it felt like “now or never.” That urgency stripped away the ego, and I felt free to sing about my feelings and be vulnerable. It was the only option that made sense at the time.Why focus on vulnerability, mental health, and modern romance in this project?It’s too relevant not to. Especially for my generation and those younger, there’s a lot of silent suffering and emotional weight people carry. I didn’t want to just talk about it—I wanted to embody it and hopefully set a standard through the music.Was it an aesthetic choice to keep the production minimal with just guitar and vocals?Exactly. It was intentional. I wanted something that was honest and vulnerable. Keeping it simple was a foundation for future projects. I didn’t want to jump straight into a polished, full production sound. This way, it’s more true to the moment and easier to replicate live.Does the simplicity also help with live performances?Definitely. I’m currently rehearsing and it’s nice to be able to recreate the whole song live, with just myself, the guitar, and the mic. It brings people into that vulnerable space with me.Can you take us through the creative process of making this EP? Who were you working with?Most of the songs I wrote at home, looping a guitar riff until I found a chorus or hook I liked. I’d post some of those on social media. When I had three or four solid ideas, I took them to my producer Alexis, who I’ve worked with for two years. We built out the songs from there—he helped with production, and I wrote verses on the spot. Two of the tracks were actually written years ago, but they stuck with me, and I knew they needed to be on this project.So it was mainly you working solo until you were ready to bring Alexis in?Exactly. I’d build the demos, and then we’d work together in the studio to polish them.Was Alexis also involved in your earlier tracks?Yeah, he worked on “Miss Me” and “Uptown,” the two acoustic tracks leading up to this EP. He did some production and also mixed and mastered them.Did you expect “Miss Me” and “Uptown” to take off the way they did? Why do you think they resonated so well with listeners?I kind of expected them to do better because there was real buzz online and anticipation. It wasn’t necessarily about adding to my audience—it was about finding the audience. These songs reached the right people and helped build the fanbase.You've received recognition from big platforms like Colors and Dazed. How does it feel to be recognized on that level?It means a lot. In the music industry, success is measured in so many subjective ways, but having people show love to your work—that’s the most rewarding part. I’m grateful for those features.I heard that a trip to Tenerife sparked something in you. Can you talk about what happened there?Honestly, that one’s a bit tough. I went with a friend, but neither of us were really in the position to go. I came back feeling like I should’ve been focused on the work. It wasn’t regret exactly, but it felt like misplaced energy. Can we skip that one?No problem at all. Let’s move on. You’ve grown a loyal fan base and you’re really savvy at sharing your creative process in real time. How do you stay connected with listeners and make sure your message is getting across?I pay attention to how people respond and take that into account. I post previews, and the ones that get good feedback often become releases. I also make vlogs, run a Discord channel, use Instagram broadcast channels—stuff like that. I even take beats from supporters and give feedback or record on them. I’m always trying to improve that connection.I’ve heard you’re rehearsing for shows in London, Paris, and Brussels. What can fans expect from the live show?It’s going to be fully acoustic—just me and the guitar. This is my way of introducing Bex to the world as a performer. It’s intimate and minimalist, focused purely on the music and the experience.Where will you be performing in the coming weeks? Will you be playing in London and Paris as well?I still need to confirm dates for London and Paris. I can’t share anything official yet, but I’ll post details on my socials. As for Brussels, I’ll be performing on Thursday, the 27th of March at V-Gas for a Black History Month event.Back to your music—you’ve gone from performing alongside big names to headlining your own shows. Has your approach changed? Do you feel like this is a coming-of-age moment or more a sign of maturing as an artist?It’s a mix of both. I was the definition of a delusional dreamer—I never took "no" for an answer and was fully convinced music would be my path. Now, I feel ready to learn and grow. I’ve always felt secure in my musical ability, but stepping into live performance has been a whole new challenge. It showed me that being good in the studio doesn’t guarantee you’ll give people a powerful live experience. There’s a big difference between recording a good song and truly moving people on stage.How old are you now, if you don’t mind me asking?I just turned 22 two weeks ago.Congrats! Sounds like you're right on track to realizing your dreams. And honestly, a little delusion can be healthy—sanity doesn’t always breed creativity.Facts. I appreciate that.Now that the acoustic EP is out, do you see yourself sticking with this sound, or are you planning to explore new directions? What’s next for Bex?Definitely expect some Afro sounds. My goal is to drop an Afro project for the summer. I’ll keep the acoustic vibe alive, especially for these upcoming performances, but by the end of the year, Beex won’t just be defined by the acoustic style. I’ll have branched out into other sounds too.

Interview by Joe Leonard-Walters | Edited by Passion DzengaSince its launch in 2021, Echobox has been turning the volume up on community radio, offering a platform where voices usually kept at the margins take centre stage. From sonic experiments to subcultural celebrations, Echobox is carving out space for radical expression—and few shows encapsulate that mission quite like The Queer Agenda.Now, you might be wondering—what exactly is The Queer Agenda? A manifesto? A mission? A myth? According to the trio behind it—Jackie, Micklin and Iona—it’s “just a bunch of hot lesbians” (Said Nobody, 2025). But dig a little deeper, and you'll find a cultural collective making serious moves in Amsterdam’s queer scene. From photographic calendars of queer venues to sweaty DIY club nights and full-on takeovers of iconic institutions like Paradiso, The Queer Agenda is creating space, visibility and plenty of mischief for queer women, trans and non-binary folks.In this interview, we caught up with the brilliant minds behind the mic to talk about the origins of the collective, the ethos of their Echobox radio show, and the queer anthems that soundtrack their lives. From carabiners with exes' keys to Kingsnight strip clubs, they've got a lot up their sleeves—and you're gonna want to tune in. You can catch up with this show now on Echobox Radio.What is The Queer Agenda? What do you have up your sleeves? ‘Just a bunch of hot lesbians’ (Said Nobody, 2025).The Queer Agenda is a collective that organises a range of cultural initiatives, focusing on events, photography, that increase the visibility of queer women, trans and non-binary people, and also create new spaces for this group.We are composed of three people: Jackie, Micklin and Iona, and collectively have backgrounds ranging from photography, styling and film production to social science, art direction and campsite entertainment (this list is not exhaustive). Up our sleeves we collectively have a carabiner with an ex’s housekey, too many rings, a 35mm film camera, a USB with multiple heartbreak playlists, nail clippers and a protein bar- if you must know. How did the collective come about?The Queer Agenda came about quite serendipitously. So, the OG founders are actually Micklin and Jackie, who together created a photo calendar of queer venues across the city with models from the community, to act as a guide for new queers in the city, and to document queer spaces and people. This calendar was called The Queer Agenda (queers in a calendar, you get it, right?). This project was a huge success, with the calendar soon after being seen everywhere, from the bar at Pamela, to the toilets at Footy and even your new situationship’s fridge. Just after the calendar had been launched, Iona started running a queer live music clubnight called SNEAKOUT. She wanted to create more variety in the queer nightlife sphere and have a night that wasn’t only centred around electronic music (…and also play there with her band so people would find her cool and interesting). After the success of the first three editions, SNEAKOUT got a slot at Paradiso (e.g. big boy full building Paradiso) the week after pride, which we called ‘Pride is Not Over’. This was the first collaboration in our current configuration, and we managed to pack our Paradiso with nearly 1000 queers. We thought that we must have been doing something right, so we decided to continue- and here we are!After that, we continued to run more projects together, and officially tied the knot last March after moving into an office together at TILLATEC (class U-haul), which is still the TQA HQ. How does the ethos of the collective extend into the show?We like to keep things fun and non-pretentious- in both our show and the work we do. I think conversations around queerness can often be quite heavy, and whilst these conversations absolutely have their place, I think we should seize any opportunity to laugh at ourselves, as well as making each other laugh, which we try our best to do during our show. The world is very quickly becoming a more difficult place for our community, so if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. We like to do both, but think we should, as much as we can- laugh. Do you have any queer anthems that connect to your show? What makes a queer anthem in 2025?I have three queer anthems that are really cornerstones of our show.I play this one a bit too often. It is a cheesy 90s heartbreak banger by the Outhere Brothers- about a man being in love with a lesbian, but it simply isn’t meant to be. Don’t cry brother, we’ve all fallen in love with straight girls too. A 160 club banger by local rap duo LIONSTORM- sounds sexy mixed into any 160 track- I mean ANY. Give it a listen, give it a mix and you’ll thank me later!This banger is part of a whole EP of Sapphic bangers called ‘Anthems for Lezzies’. This particular track contains sirens beckoning all lesbians to the dance floor. The plot thickens when they throw in samples from ‘The L word’ theme tune (if you don’t know what that is, do your homework). Overall, great stuff, 11/10.What have you got coming up that we should look out for?Our Queer Agenda is actually very full in April- so I have a lot to tell. The one I am most excited about is the XXXXL Queer Strip Club in collaboration with Striptopia on Kingsnight- essentially we are opening a queer strip club for one night at TILLATEC because we wanted to make Kingsnight a bit more sauuuuucy. I know you’re intrigued- just come. We are also organising an opening event for the Josephine Baker exhibition at Verzetsmusem on the 16th of April, which will have an amazing panel and also the chance to see the exhibition + get some gratis welcome drink.There is lots more on our instagram, so check give us a follow on instagram at @thequeeragenda.ams Don’t let the name fool you. While it might conjure up images of sizzling pans and secret recipes, Garlic & Onions is less about the kitchen and more about taste—in all its forms. Named for two everyday ingredients Bella Hall can't live without, the show is a celebration of the music that nourishes us daily, just like a good meal.In this interview, Bella peels back the layers of her creative process, sharing how a deep dive into her own musical archive turned into a personal sonic diary. From memory-driven mixes to childhood nostalgia and genre-free journeys, she’s creating a carefully curated audio scrapbook—one emotionally resonant show at a time. Ready to cry, groove, and maybe get a little hungry? Let’s get into it.  You can catch up with this show now on Echobox Radio. What recipes have you been cooking up on Echobox? When I came up with the name for my show, I debated if I should incorporate the theme of food more literally. Still, I decided against it because I realised the main purpose of the name was to create a strong visual identity behind it (shoutout to Stan Hillen & Meryl Barthe for helping me) and not directly link it to the music. But so often, people think that food or cooking is the idea behind the show. Though I love cooking, really, the Garlic & Onions show name is inspired by the fact that I love garlic and onions, in all their forms, and eat them every day just like I listen to music every day. Having studied philosophy I often feel the need to make things deep and have lots of meaning. By naming my show after such everyday objects, I stepped away from that in a way I have really been enjoying. What made you want to start your show?Over the years, I have collected a decent amount of music, and so often, I found that they would just disappear in one of the many playlists I have on my USB or at the back of my record collection. So, to kind of counter that, I wanted to do a show that actually used my existing collection as inspiration. I also wanted every show to have a super specific theme that wasn't genre-related necessarily.  I find my creativity flows best when I put certain constraints on myself. By starting the Garlic & Onions show I made myself go back to my collection in such a fun and creative way. Sometimes, all it takes is for me to listen back to one song I used to listen to a long time ago to inspire a whole theme and then mix around it.  I have found that the stronger my theme, the better my mix is, which is also usually the case with all my mixes.  My ultimate goal with the show is to create a thematically organised mix archive of my own archive of music. You said that this month's show is a very personal one - What do you have planned?You will just have to tune in! No, but the mix is inspired by my first conscious memory of listening to music and the specific time and place I was in. The mix might actually contain one or two songs from back when I was a child, but mostly, it will be music I have collected over the years that are able to transport me back to that exact time and place. Genre wise it will be very much outside what I usually play, so it will be quite vulnerable as well. But I also think you can quite easily draw a red line between the music I grew up with and what I listen to now. What's you favourite track from your shows so far?Offff this is, of course very hard as my shows are based on and contain songs that have been with me for a long time. I think that my favourite mix so far would be the one I called "moodstep" I think the theme and the way the mix came together was super solid. However, my favourite track is probably the track that inspired my "Unstable" mix, aptly called Unstable by OCB. This is one of my all-time favourite songs ever, so it felt natural to make my first mix be inspired by this track. Tune in to Echobox - broadcasting from below sea level every week, Thursday until Sunday.

Interview by Passion DzengaSome brands start with a pitch deck — West Milan Club started with a connection. What began as a tight-knit creative crew has grown into one of Italy’s most exciting underground fashion movements. At the heart of it all is Shiva, the rapper whose sound helped define a generation, and his longtime collaborator and creative director, a Cuban-Italian filmmaker with a passion for style and storytelling. Together, with a team of designers, friends, and local talents, they’ve built more than just a brand — they’ve built a movement rooted in community, culture, and authenticity.In this interview, we spoke to Ivano from West Milan Club and we went behind the scenes of how the brand came to life, why its name carries the weight of a neighborhood, and how the team’s outsider perspective became its greatest strength. From DIY pop-ups and grassroots marketing to deeply personal graphic design and a bulldog mascot that symbolizes loyalty, the story of West Milan Club is one of hustle, heritage, and heart.How did the West Milan Club come to life and what sparked the idea?  It started pretty organically. The brand came out of a team — I’m the creative director and handle project management. We also have two graphic designers who work on visuals who go by the name notfoundstudio, and Shiva, the rapper, is the founder and central figure. Shiva and I go way back — I’m also his video director. He’s built a strong identity here in Italy with his own label and studio. He had the idea to start a brand, and I’ve always been into fashion. We clicked creatively, and since 2022, we’ve been building this together.Can you tell me a little about the name West Milan? Are you all from there?  The name comes from Shiva’s roots. He’s not originally from Milan, but his grandmother is from the west side. He grew up around there and had most of his early success in that area. His label is called Milano Ovest, which translates to West Milan. We chose that name to represent our area and the side of Italy people don’t usually see — not just the pretty tourist spots, but the outskirts and neighbourhoods where real stories happen. Our models and team all come from that area too.Milan is known for fashion, but you guys clearly have your own lane. How would you describe your approach to style, and what makes it uniquely yours?  We’re building a style rooted in our identity. Growing up, a lot of the fashion we liked was hard to access or expensive. Especially in the hoods, people stuck with sportswear like Nike. So our idea was to bridge that gap — bring the fashion we love to our community. We're in the music business, we love fashion, and we wanted to create something that speaks directly to our people. I’m not from Milan originally either — I’m half Cuban and from a small village near Milan — so when Shiva and I met, we connected over our shared vision. He brought the Milan side, I brought the outside perspective.Do you think that outsider perspective gives you an advantage?Definitely. When you come from the outside, you see the bigger picture more clearly. You’re hungrier. I came from a village with maybe 1,000 people. So arriving in Milan, I saw all these opportunities and wanted to make the most of them. Sometimes people already in the scene can’t see that, but I think that’s what helped me bring something new to the table.How important is community to your brand, and how do you keep that spirit alive as you grow?  That’s the key to everything. We had a strong community even before we started the brand. Because of our relationship with fans and the people around us — doing giveaways, meetups — we had that support. Once we launched the brand, we kept doing the same things. We even gave out 100 t-shirts in Milan during an event. We did pop-up stores, and always brought people from the community in behind the scenes — during shoots, styling, whatever.  Even when Shiva was arrested — first for five months, then on house arrest for a year — and couldn’t promote or release music, the community carried us. Our connection with them kept the brand alive. Music, fashion, and our neighborhood are the three pillars of everything we do.When you say you involve the community, you really mean they’re part of everything — models, photographers, stylists?  Yeah, 100%. We’ve got three models who started just by being part of the vibe, believing in us. One of them is building his own brand now, and we’re helping him grow. Another guy, Demba, didn’t even have a clear role at first — he was just always around, super passionate. Now he works closely with me and helps push the culture. We try to lift up anyone who’s part of the movement.Can you tell us a bit about the pop-ups West Milan Club has done in the past?We mostly drop online, but last year we had our first physical temporary shop. It gave people a chance to see the collection in person and understand who we are. It was also a chance to meet the community and grow from that. Our last event lasted three days and included gifts and printing. We also collaborated with More Money, a brand that supported us during tough times and helped develop one of our most consistent collections.What’s the goal of these pop-ups?We’re building an experience. Even though things can get messy with multiple plans, we’re trying to blend our clothing drops, community events, and musical projects together. We want to mix past, present, and whatever resources we have to do the best we can.You’re activating both online and in-person communities. How does the team support that?Yeah, for sure. A lot of the team are friends and multitask on everything. For example, Shiva’s personal manager and security also help with our pop-ups. Someone who works on music auditions is also the guy I call to get 100 t-shirts printed in two days. We all help each other out.West Milan Club has a unique visual identity. Can you explain the meaning behind the Bulldog mascot and your graphics?The bulldog is like our gang’s mascot—Shiva bought a dog years ago that became symbolic for us. It became one of the graphics for the brand. Our graphics often mix product ideas with a concept or a word that reflects our story. For example, the Cholo collection was inspired by West Coast Mexican cholo culture. The West Milan Gun Club drop was a nod to a real-life incident with Shiva, and it symbolized exclusivity and warning—like “keep out.”Tell us about your collaboration with More Money?That was our first official collaboration. They represent the hustler side of things while we’re more like rebels—our color is red, and we use the word “demons” a lot. The concept was “More Money, More Sins,” reflecting Milan as a city of sin. The graphics were gothic and referenced nighttime, a flipped perspective of the city’s religious identity.This recent collection included women’s wear. Was that a first for you?Yeah, it was the first time we designed specifically for women. Before, women would buy our unisex tracksuits and t-shirts, but this time we added bras, skirts, and tube tops. It was possible because the collab gave us space to do a full collection. We want to open up to the women’s community, even though it’s a different market.