AW21 Campaign
Meet the People Behind the Bench of our AW21 Campaign.
Meet the People Behind the Bench of our AW21 Campaign.
Emma Beko, a Peruvian-Canadian artist based out of Montreal. At 29, the lyricist, singer, rapper and songwriter had just released her EP Blue and has new music on the way!
Q: How does your city where you really started out as an artist play an influence in your work?
Emma: It's a city that makes me feel safe to be completely and authentically myself
Q: What cultural aspect do you admire most about your city?
Emma: The diversity, the melting pot of cultures
Q: Favourite city you’ve ever performed in?
Emma: Paris.
Q: What does living a 24 hour lifestyle mean to you?
Emma: It means one day at a time. No time for stressing out about the past or thinking too far ahead, just being present.
Q: Tell us about some cool upcoming projects you got going on right now.
Emma: I'm putting out a new single this fall... it's so cool hahaha I can't wait to share it!
Emma Beko, a Peruvian-Canadian artist based out of Montreal. At 29, the lyricist, singer, rapper and songwriter had just released her EP Blue and has new music on the way!
Q: How does your city where you really started out as an artist play an influence in your work?
Emma: It's a city that makes me feel safe to be completely and authentically myself
Q: What cultural aspect do you admire most about your city?
Emma: The diversity, the melting pot of cultures
Q: Favourite city you’ve ever performed in?
Emma: Paris.
Q: What does living a 24 hour lifestyle mean to you?
Emma: It means one day at a time. No time for stressing out about the past or thinking too far ahead, just being present.
Q: Tell us about some cool upcoming projects you got going on right now.
Emma: I'm putting out a new single this fall... it's so cool hahaha I can't wait to share it!
Jason Voltaire Otherwise known as Mbootyspoon is a DJ born and raised in Montreal.
Jason Voltaire Otherwise known as Mbootyspoon is a DJ born and raised in Montreal.
Q: How does your city where you really started out as an artist play an influence in your work?
Jason: Montreal is just…a great arts and music city, historically. There’s always been tension amongst citizens / government establishments and movements / offshoots that have stemmed from this. Huge hot bed for clubs once upon a time. So it makes sense that as a DJ and visual artist I’ve been the most stimulated by nightlife adjacent art. That and just the infinite sleaze of the city.
Q: What cultural aspect do you admire most about your city?
Jason: It certainly would have to be the underground nightlife scene here as a whole, including the food scene here that’s a bit off the beaten path and vibrant in the later hours of the evening.
Q: Favourite city you’ve ever performed in?
Jason: Glasgow, Scotland, honestly. There’s a certain level of ‘ Go-Mode ‘ there that yields to some pretty insane chaos in the club hours +Beyond.
Q: What does living a 24 hour lifestyle mean to you?
There’s always something to do, there’s always something to take in and be stimulated by.
Q:Tell us about some cool upcoming projects you got going on right now.
Jason: Nothing out of the ordinary right now apart from the fact that I’m on the road DJing again, abroad. Especially after such a pause, it’s something I definitely will not take for granted again!
Q: How does your city where you really started out as an artist play an influence in your work?
Jason: Montreal is just…a great arts and music city, historically. There’s always been tension amongst citizens / government establishments and movements / offshoots that have stemmed from this. Huge hot bed for clubs once upon a time. So it makes sense that as a DJ and visual artist I’ve been the most stimulated by nightlife adjacent art. That and just the infinite sleaze of the city.
Q: What cultural aspect do you admire most about your city?
Jason: It certainly would have to be the underground nightlife scene here as a whole, including the food scene here that’s a bit off the beaten path and vibrant in the later hours of the evening.
Q: Favourite city you’ve ever performed in?
Jason: Glasgow, Scotland, honestly. There’s a certain level of ‘ Go-Mode ‘ there that yields to some pretty insane chaos in the club hours +Beyond.
Q: What does living a 24 hour lifestyle mean to you?
There’s always something to do, there’s always something to take in and be stimulated by.
Q:Tell us about some cool upcoming projects you got going on right now.
Jason: Nothing out of the ordinary right now apart from the fact that I’m on the road DJing again, abroad. Especially after such a pause, it’s something I definitely will not take for granted again!
Introducing Matt Rusniak, He is a professional and skilled MMA fighter.
Introducing Matt Rusniak, He is a professional and skilled MMA fighter.
Q: When did you start boxing?
Matt: I started boxing at the age of 14 when some kid at my high school beat the shit out of me with a baseball bat. I was not keen on that happening again so I joined my local boxing gym and after the first workout I knew I wanted to do this professionally for as long as I physically could.
Q: What was the boxing scene like in your city?
Matt: Montreal is known as a boxing Mecca in North America so there were no shortages of local competitions for me to participate in, during my amateur career I amassed over 30 fights. Even though there are many gyms and many faces, the competitors all know each other and often visit each other outside competition. One day you’re competing against someone, the next day you’re training alongside them.
Q: What cultural aspect do you admire most about your city?
Matt: Montreal is a true cultural melting pot, and that’s reflected in the city's boxing gyms. Palestinians boxing alongside Israelis. Different religions, different cultures, all living their days together.
Q: What does living a 24 hour lifestyle mean to you?
Matt: How you do one thing is how you do everything. You are passionate about an activity or personal project, it’s not a 9-to-5, it’s an all day every day kind of thing.
Q: If you have any upcoming fights or exciting news to share with us we’d love to hear.
Matt: I’ll be fighting in November for SAMURAI MMA in Montreal Quebec! It’s going to be the first MMA event posted in Quebec since the pandemic started and will be televised on TSN, RDS etc. Lots of super exciting bouts that night, it’s gonna be 🔥
Q: When did you start boxing?
Matt: I started boxing at the age of 14 when some kid at my high school beat the shit out of me with a baseball bat. I was not keen on that happening again so I joined my local boxing gym and after the first workout I knew I wanted to do this professionally for as long as I physically could.
Q: What was the boxing scene like in your city?
Matt: Montreal is known as a boxing Mecca in North America so there were no shortages of local competitions for me to participate in, during my amateur career I amassed over 30 fights. Even though there are many gyms and many faces, the competitors all know each other and often visit each other outside competition. One day you’re competing against someone, the next day you’re training alongside them.
Q: What cultural aspect do you admire most about your city?
Matt: Montreal is a true cultural melting pot, and that’s reflected in the city's boxing gyms. Palestinians boxing alongside Israelis. Different religions, different cultures, all living their days together.
Q: What does living a 24 hour lifestyle mean to you?
Matt: How you do one thing is how you do everything. You are passionate about an activity or personal project, it’s not a 9-to-5, it’s an all day every day kind of thing.
Q: If you have any upcoming fights or exciting news to share with us we’d love to hear.
Matt: I’ll be fighting in November for SAMURAI MMA in Montreal Quebec! It’s going to be the first MMA event posted in Quebec since the pandemic started and will be televised on TSN, RDS etc. Lots of super exciting bouts that night, it’s gonna be 🔥
Q: Where/How did you learn how to skate?
I've been a fan of skating since I saw it on MTV when I was around 7. I used to wake up early before school just so I could watch the skate competitions and music videos that had skating in them. I didn't learn how to do tricks until I moved to Virginia when I was 11. I taught myself how to do tricks from youtube videos.
Q: How important was that city for you in molding your ability as a skater?
Moving to Montreal was huge for me, especially since prior to it I was living in the 'burbs in the states. Living in the city had a big impact on my skating and my day to day life. I never felt truly bored on my board,, I always had new areas to explore in a very accessible way. I always watched New York based skate videos and living in Montreal helped me try to imitate them, I think that helped push me progress as a skater.
Q:What does living a 24 hour lifestyle mean to you?
Living a day to day life to me would mean that I am living in the moment. I'm more of a carpe diem kind of guy so living in the moment for me is something I do without thinking.As much as I let myself stress out over the future and responsibilities, I let myself enjoy living in the moment. As long as I have my head screwed on right, I think living a 24 hour lifestyle could be pretty fun.
Q: Do you have any cool passion projects or side endeavours you want to share with us?
As passionate as I am on my skateboard, I also love making music. Both of these hobbies have the same importance for me. I'd say I make electronic rock/trap type music using the moniker "Pichingo" which means cartoon in Honduran slang. These two parts of my life hold the same weight as the other, so neither would I call a side project.
Q: Where/How did you learn how to skate?
I've been a fan of skating since I saw it on MTV when I was around 7. I used to wake up early before school just so I could watch the skate competitions and music videos that had skating in them. I didn't learn how to do tricks until I moved to Virginia when I was 11. I taught myself how to do tricks from youtube videos.
Q: How important was that city for you in molding your ability as a skater?
Moving to Montreal was huge for me, especially since prior to it I was living in the 'burbs in the states. Living in the city had a big impact on my skating and my day to day life. I never felt truly bored on my board,, I always had new areas to explore in a very accessible way. I always watched New York based skate videos and living in Montreal helped me try to imitate them, I think that helped push me progress as a skater.
Q:What does living a 24 hour lifestyle mean to you?
Living a day to day life to me would mean that I am living in the moment. I'm more of a carpe diem kind of guy so living in the moment for me is something I do without thinking.As much as I let myself stress out over the future and responsibilities, I let myself enjoy living in the moment. As long as I have my head screwed on right, I think living a 24 hour lifestyle could be pretty fun.
Q: Do you have any cool passion projects or side endeavours you want to share with us?
As passionate as I am on my skateboard, I also love making music. Both of these hobbies have the same importance for me. I'd say I make electronic rock/trap type music using the moniker "Pichingo" which means cartoon in Honduran slang. These two parts of my life hold the same weight as the other, so neither would I call a side project.
