Dazed Club Spotlight is our monthly series showcasing up-and-coming talent from the Dazed creative community. If you’d like to be featured, download the app HERE and join our community. You just have to post your best project(s) and the Dazed team will take a look – we select one person from the community to spotlight per week, which then end up in our monthly spotlight roundup.
“I am a multidisciplinary DJ and saxophonist from London of Jamaican and Grenadian descent. Through my work and sound, I blend musical genres of Caribbean and African origin to celebrate the music of the global Black diaspora, homeland and beyond to honour and acknowledge the whole community. The ultimate aim is to bring about a discussion on the state of the Black diasporic identity centred on how music connects us all. I am also the founder of VEXED, an online archive to document diasporic stories and art.
“The mixes that I share on SoundCloud intend to give a glimpse into the universe of Black rhythmic chaos. To go about creating my mixes I select tracks that I feel embody the energy I am trying to create, blending Black electronic sounds like house, jungle, dancehall and gqom and purposefully placing different Black genres and cultures next to one another – usually in harmony – to represent the similarities and connections of the global Black population but also the stark individuality within that.
“The aim of my VEXED show and archive has always been to highlight global Black diasporic thought and art. Here, the listener can expect a series of soundscapes punctuated by recorded audios of people from the community answering questions to topics posed for the episode – usually on Black identity.”
Noah Davis Spotlight10 Images
“My work is rooted in the romanticisation of my life in Indiana which is often bleak and rather ordinary. I aim to envision my environment and the people around me in a cinematic way – part of a larger story. My background in film and video shapes my approach, bringing a narrative depth to every frame. I like to capture vibrant scenes and high-fashion looks, blending storytelling and style.
“I’m drawn to the idea of making someone the best version of themselves by encapsulating their persona and style in a single frame. My primary subjects are my cousins, who feel more like sisters to me. I love photographing them in locations that resonate with me, whether it’s a rural landscape or an urban backdrop.
“Themes of confidence, escapism and empowerment run through my work. I lean into lighting techniques that create contrast and make the subject pop out of the photo. In post-production, I use masking to create a colour palette that suits whatever mood or emotion the subject evokes. I’m always working on the next thing. Right now I’m working on a mixed-media video edit for socials that showcases some of the adventures I go on with my friends.”
Emma Blythe-Collins Spotlight10 Images
“I am a London-based fashion designer and upcycling artist. My work researches how fashion can be used as a positive force within the discourse on gender inequality and cultural harm. I developed my practice by using vintage and antique items connected to the traditional masculine wardrobe and designing new ways to relate to them to open up new lines of discussion.
“I now create bespoke and demi-couture collections that imagine this body of work if it could successfully detach objects from their current meanings. I am inspired by feminist mysticism and the idea of a woman within this new future narrative who is disentangled from the painful history the garments surrounding her used to represent.
“Possessions focused on the early stages of this disentanglement. The film showed the struggle between the body wearing the clothing, and the aggression still haunting the materials used to make them. I’m very into the idea of ghosts and their connection to material items throughout time. This team came together quite organically. The muse for the film and first editorial is Damsel Elysium, a non-binary performance artist and musician. The way they relate to clothing and the spirituality of it made this an obvious union.
“My creative space is the community of mainly femme artists and creatives that I’ve been fortunate enough to be inspired by and work with here in London. Fashion design is such a small part in painting the much larger world that I am working to build and none of it would be possible without the passion and sensitivity and intelligence of so many other talented people. I am grateful to them for believing in what I do. After a few months away from studio-based work, I have a few things forming for 2025. I will be announcing a group exhibition for something in the fall, and another ready-to-wear capsule collection coming this summer. I’m ready for the next phase.”
Annie Lian Spotlight8 Images
“My designs are rooted in sustainability and creativity, aiming to give people the freedom to express themselves through fashion. With techniques like screen-printing, patchwork, deconstruction, cut and sew, and draping, I take an experimental approach to design. I started upcycling clothes during the pandemic. I’m inspired by the DIY scene, the internet, and urban culture. I’m also influenced by unconventional and avant-garde designers such as Alexander McQueen, Margiela, Comme des Garçons, and Eckhaus Latta.
“This photoshoot was created during my trip to LA, where I aimed to showcase the raw beauty of the city’s natural environment. Shooting at Bronson Caves and Mulholland Drive allowed me to highlight the gritty and mysterious aspects of Los Angeles. We relied heavily on lighting. The contrast of light and dark reflects the city’s duality, adding depth and mystery that align with my brand’s aesthetic and vision.
“My creative scene is rooted in New York’s DIY fashion community, where I connect with other artists. However, I’ve learned that creativity isn’t tied to one place – each city I visit brings new inspiration and opportunities. For me, a creative scene is about the people and the passion they bring rather than the location itself. In terms of things I have coming up, I have a fashion show in February at the Chelsea galleries.”
