2024 Issue 2 Mar/Apr Focus - Mid-South Magazine

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I surround myself with like-minded people, and it really helps me stay motivated when I see and hear what they got going on. Beyond streaming video games, Lo's creative realm extends to experimental music and performances under the alias Cel Shade. "If you had to put a genre to it, it would be vaporwave," says Lo. Lo says it is hard to define her experimental music style. Especially as Cel Shade adds an extra dimension to her music through an innovative use of visual elements, like Y2K imagery, themes of arcade and cyber core, and liminal space. "Project Pat is my inspiration, musically," Lo says, "Soundwise, we are very different, but he is my inspiration because we are both Memphians." Lo has released 13 albums, with Poison JamZ, released June 2021, being the most recent, as well as other albums released under another alias. She enjoys letting her imagination blossom in all of her art, especially photography. Lo describes it as manipulative photography that usually involves themes like social commentary, race relations, and dark subject matter. "I try to paint this world in my photography and take you to this other realm," she says. Recently, a once-in-a-lifetime artistic opportunity presented itself when Lo and her co-director, screenwriter and partner Juniper Crawford, were awarded a $15,000 IndieGrant courtesy of Indie Memphis. Lo and Juniper’s short is now one of 25 projects awarded the IndieGrant, an initiative that helps fund short films made in Memphis. "I felt honored, proud, and seen," Lo says. "I get to turn my queer horror into a reality and see it on the big screen." They did not have high hopes when they submitted their queer horror script to Indie Memphis in August of 2023. Lo and Juniper had to wait three months for Indie Memphis's response to determine if they would win. Lo admits that the adventure of making their forthcoming film, "Friend Shaped," has been quite mind-boggling. Lo’s love of music, art and horror is evident in the intense way she talks about the subjects, and is why she doesn’t mind being called a “nerd.” Originally derogatory, people like Lo are reclaiming the term “nerd.” Being a nerd is no longer something to be ashamed of. The term is not a ticket to eat lunch alone while crying in a dirty bathroom surrounded by profanity smeared on the walls with a sharpie. Nerd culture is just a parallel to what queerness is, which is being unconventional and authentically yourself. "Being a nerd is just being yourself and truly being a fanatic and passionate about something you like," Lo says. Follow Lo at @lolodahoho_ for updates on shows and her and Juniper’s upcoming film, Friend Shaped. CORRECTION: Our NERD print issue fails to credit Juniper Crawford as co-director to the upcoming film, Friend Shaped. This fact has been corrected in both our virtual issue and blog post. All photos courtesy Lo Norman 22 Nerd | Mar+Apr 2024 | focuslgbt.com
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Page 1 and 2: Serving the Mid-South LGBT+ Communi
Page 3 and 4: BROWSE THE STORES IN LAURELWOOD. EX
Page 5 and 6: FEATURED WRITERS IN THIS ISSUE CONT
Page 7 and 8: theme Mar+Apr 2024 | focuslgbt.com
Page 9 and 10: Rainbow Storytime with drag perform
Page 11 and 12: FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SHARE
Page 13 and 14: Growing up in Memphis, one of the m
Page 15 and 16: MARCH 3, 2024 4:30-7:00 PM MEMPHIS
Page 17 and 18: photos courtesy of Memphis Chess Cl
Page 20 and 21: life Lo Norman: Masked Multihyphena
Page 24 and 25: arts+entertainment Opera, Oh, Opera
Page 26 and 27: Serse, Opera Neo, August 2021. Cour
Page 28 and 29: life Advertorial Our Community, Our
Page 30 and 31: music Queer Up Your Playlist Attent
Page 32 and 33: arts+entertainment no. 11 Black Ota
Page 34 and 35: BOOK OUR PARTY ROOM MIDTOWN 901.347
Page 36 and 37: life Minnassa Wellness HOROSCOPES P
Page 38: life Advertorial Use a service you

2024 Issue 2 Mar/Apr Focus - Mid-South Magazine

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