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For any of her followers who may be wondering, a shopping trip with Abi Masters is a bit like stepping into every ugly duckling makeover; every slow-motion strut down Beverley Hills Boulevard overladen by armfuls of boutique bags; every “My dad gave me this card for emergencies and trust me, this is an emergency” montage of noughties television come to life. Watching her eyes dart between pieces, connecting tones and textures – a world of possibilities contained in the clothes rail – it’s clear that Abi is in her element. We began our day at Poppy’s Girl, a boutique vintage stall run by one of Abi’s friends and, before we could blink, the style icon had whisked a fully coordinated outfit from the racks. A pair of brown suede micro-shorts, and an earth-toned mesh top with pink accents to match the detailing on some vintage cowboy boots: a fit to make Carrie Bradshaw herself swoon. Abi’s unique and self-assured style can be credited to her upbringing, particularly her mother, who sounds like a style icon in her own right. “She dresses how she wants, and she doesn’t really give a fuck what anyone thinks”, Abi tells us, alongside some words of wisdom that we could undoubtedly all benefit from hearing: 

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“Dress how you want, wear what you want, do what you want. Because it’s your life, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

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Abi Sipping Expensive Tea

This lesson has certainly carried through – Abi Masters knows exactly who she is: “The minute I become predictable, it’s over.” She carries herself with surety in front of the camera and when you see her in action; so comfortable in her own skin, you can’t help but want to be too. It was surprising, then, to hear that she works through some pretty gnarly imposter syndrome. When asked how she overcomes this in the interests of her work, she points out that: “You kind of realise how insignificant you are, but that’s not necessarily a negative thing because it’s so freeing. You’re like, genuinely no one gives a shit, like, you do you!” This premise is also one of the reasons that London has become Abi’s creative hub; the anonymity of the city offering a liberating freedom to pursue individuality and creative expression. “Everyone here is sick, everyone here’s got their own style” she tells us, confessing that she loves nothing more than sitting in a coffee-shop and people-watching. Abi draws creative inspiration for her work from her surroundings in everyday life:


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“I’ll be walking into Soho and I’ll be like, ‘That’s a really cool colour!’ or, ‘I remember a top I’ve got that’s that colour at home, I haven’t styled it yet.’ Everything kind of connects.”

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Abigale Masters on Sofa

It’s clear that London is where Abi belongs, and as she breaks into the luxury fashion space, she’s made it her priority to remind the city of the luxe potential of shopping vintage. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without charity shops”, she tells us, and we hear whisperings of plans to collaborate with British charities sometime in the future. As Abi continues to promote the creative, environmental, and economic potential of sustainable fashion, we’ll be watching along every step of the way and can’t wait to see where she goes next.

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@abigalemasters is making fashion fun again. When 14stroke16 joined the influencer for a shopping trip down Portobello Market, we were greeted by a whirlwind of tulle and twill; clusters of clips, rings, and tooth gems glinting in the sun. As if the word “bisous” had got up from the pages of a dictionary and started walking around; Abi has an irresistible charm. Her look was a playful take on business-core, pairing a pinstripe shirt, waistcoat, and tie with a grey tutu, and she prides herself on her commitment to buying and wearing exclusively pre-loved clothes. Encouraging her followers to experiment the same way, she says that “shopping second-hand, you’re given this whole realm of creativity that you can’t get from going just to the high street.” Having built an ever-growing audience off her infectious personality and joyful approach to dressing, and it’s easy to see how a few TikToks documenting her charity shop and car-boot endeavours have taken Abi out of her childhood bedroom to working in the capital with some of the biggest brands out there.

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Abigale Masters - Making Fashion Fun Again

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Having grown up in such an artistic family, maybe it is. He tells us that “there was just always music going on in my house... there was just, noise”, and with inspiration abounding from his father, aunts, and uncles alike, his path was clear: “I guess I had the pick of the litter of what direction I wanted to go into musically.” He cites the likes of Pharrell, Quincy Jones, and Max Martin as his primary influences, and was drawn to production for its multi-faceted role in the creative process; allowing him to combine his love for writing, composition, and – most importantly, creative collaboration. He tells us:

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“It’s being in service to the thing that you love. And everyone who I’ve looked at who’s super successful, they’ve always made sure there’s a humility to, you know, how they approach the game. And it always starts with, “I’m in service to this artist, I’m in service to this company, or to whatever.”

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Despite their cross-border and cross-genre variations, Kwame’s productions can each be identified by an intricate sonic tapestry – his own personal ‘Wall of Sound’, if you will. In tracks like ‘Angels in Tibet’ for Amaarae, and EXO’s ‘Cream Soda’, you can hear his delicate multi-track arrangements, rising and falling with crisp melodic tension, while maintaining their energy with contagious, driving rhythms. These features stamp his work distinctly as his, like an artist’s signature in the bottom right-hand corner, and it’s a testament to his craft that this personal touch can be found applied to such a broad breadth of genres. When we ask about his process, Kwame tells us that instead, he has processes.

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His foundation always starts with authenticity, but he allows himself “to be as open and receptive to whoever’s in the room with me.” Rather than any one personal ritual or tradition, he moulds his creative approach to the artist that he works with – “my process is more, ‘how do I connect with this human being?’” We find that this fluid creative approach also applies to the places he creates in. From London to Paris, LA, Accra, and Lagos, Kwame tells us that “the sound is still the same, but certain decisions I make around it might be different.” Always a traveller never a tourist, he looks to his hosts for “whatever’s either popping, or whatever feels good, I’ll latch on to that, and just add my sauce that way.” This adaptable approach to making music is also expressed in his personal style. Wearing a dark-wash contrast-stitch cowboy tux with oxblood leather boat shoes, Kwame tells us that his wardrobe strives “for uniqueness as much as possible” and would “rather thrift something or get something tailored. Like, with my music everything is bespoke, so my clothes also are a similar thing.” Drawn to comfort and practicality in design, he notes the influence of fashion on the music he makes:

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“Everything from how I feel in an outfit can sometimes dictate what I make. Do you know what I mean? Like, there’s times when I’ve come from the club and I know I’m looking wavy and I’m just like, “Listen, let’s just go back and make something lit.”

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Listening to him, it’s apparent that the pursuit of self-expression and authenticity permeate so many of his decisions; the potential for creative endeavour to be found around every corner. One piece of advice he’d give his younger self? “Believe in your authenticity, believe in your uniqueness. Because that is the thing that’s gonna make you successful. All the different avenues you went down to try and be things that you’re not? Great learning experience. But it’s not you, stay the same.” Or ask he originally put it: “Big man? Trust your ting.” 

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Undoubtedly something everyone could use hearing every now and then.

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It’s not every day you sit down with a legend in the making. When 14stroke16 sat down with Kwame KZ Kwei-Armah, we had the unmissable chance to be flies-on-the-wall in his North London studio. KZ is perhaps best known for his twofold nomination at last year’s Grammys under Best R&B Album for Babyface’s Girls Night Out, and Best Song Written for Visual Media with Lift Me Up from the Black Panther Wakanda Forever soundtrack. Couple those with his BAFTA under Best Original Score/ Music for the BBC’s hit mini-series Mood, and it’s clear that we’ve got a veritable virtuoso of musical storytelling on our hands. A storyteller who can spurn the spoken word cuts to something deeper, more visceral in the human condition. Relaying narrative and rousing emotion while transcending the confines of language is a feat most artists could only aspire to – and one Kwame makes look as easy as breathing.

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This shines through in his work. Whilst he provides an energised and engaging presence to his interviews, Rambo listens far more than he speaks and this could be why, regardless of whether he’s interviewing a capital-P Personality or a stranger on the street, he has a remarkable ability to set those around him at ease. He explains that he’s drawn to the interview dynamic by “the idea of getting people out of their shells and having a flowing conversation… I take pride in being able to get that out of people.” Building an unavoidable rapport with those around him by sheer force of personality, he understands this as something that’s always been a part of him, and credits to growing up in North London: “It’s very multicultural so I’m around a lot of people. Now I’m interviewing, there’s kind of the common ground of being from London mixed in with that.” While the role seems to come naturally to him, Rambo didn’t set out with an ambition for content creation. Like so many young people at the time, he began his creative journey in lockdown, and explains that, “I was consuming a lot of content; a lot of podcasts, a lot of interviews and, just sitting there, just watching it, enjoying it – it made me think, ‘You know what? I could do this.’” Finding himself in more and more musical environments as a result of his friend’s own creative journey, Rambo took the opportunity to use the settings and people around him; “started doing videos here and there, interviews for certain people, and one part after another, now I’m here.” The unshakeable positivity of his content makes Rambo’s rise to success somewhat unsurprising, and he admits that “it’s gone well because, like, people like me. Whether it’s off camera or on camera, they like me.” Having made several appearances at London Fashion Week, Rambo tells us that he’s excited to break into new spaces:

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“I’m not in a rush, you know? And I really do appreciate being, like, a figure within the music industry, even if it’s still on the upcoming, like, I’m recognised for that and I still love that. But definitely, would love to venture out and be in other spaces.”

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Man facing the wall wearing a supreme bomber jacket.

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When we ask him where he sees it all going, Rambo says he hopes to maintain “the same thing but just bigger and better.” It’s difficult to imagine a world where this wouldn’t be the case. Rambo’s content is marked by a contagious optimism that the streets of London just can’t resist, and offers the internet a project in human connection that it is long over-due. In his own words, Ramboistalking is “well-versed to talk to anyone because, at the end of the day, like, everyone’s just a person.”

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Readers might know Ramboistalking for his prolific record of interviews across the UK music scene, or they might be more familiar with his high-energy, man-on-the-street content. But when 14stroke16 sat down with him on a cloudy Sunday afternoon, we weren’t greeted by the man with the mic, but by a composed type – deliberate with his words, and holding a quick, understated wit. Not nearly the loudest person in the room, Rambo explained to me, laughing, that “Ramboistalking doesn’t really talk that much. When the camera’s on, I just– not turn it on, but just, amplify it.”

FEATURES

Abigale Masters - Making Fashion Fun Again

KZ - THE FACE BEHIND THE ARTISTS

RAMBOISTALKING ON PRESENTING, FASHION AND THE FUTURE