Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are a heavenly combination of buttery shortbread, topped with decadent cheesecake, tantalizing apple filling, crunchy sweet streusel and drizzled with ooey caramel on top. Nothing says here comes fall quite like these!
Talk about a powerhouse dessert. This Caramel Apple Cheesecake bar has it all. Buttery melt in your mouth shortbread crust is just the beginning. Creamy smooth cream cheese layers on top for a delicious middle. Next spiced apple filling is spread on top and covered in a crumbly sweet streusel topping. After these cool the whole thing is drizzled with a caramel topping perfectly combining all the flavors into an explosion of home baked goodness in your mouth.
These are so extravagant yet so homey you can take and serve them anywhere. From your dinner table to the potluck to the work party, these are perfect. The balance of the tart apples goes perfectly with the tangy cream cheese filling. The crumb topping with caramel will make everyone want the recipe so be prepared with copies.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars Ingredients:
The list may look long, but it’s not complicated at all, it’s just simple sweet elegance.
Flour: All purpose or bread flour work for this recipe
Brown Sugar: Try dark brown sugar for more of a rich flavor
Butter: Be sure to soften the butter for easy mixing.
Cream Cheese: Low fat cream cheese will work here but I wouldn’t recommend non fat.
Eggs: Make sure to get Large eggs.
Vanilla: Helps sweeten the cream cheese.
Granny Smith Apples: The tartness of granny smiths pairs perfectly with the caramel.
Ground Cinnamon: Adds spice and warmth.
Ground Nutmeg: Makes everything taste like fall.
Caramel Topping: Use your favorite caramel topping or make your own.
Streusel Topping:
Brown Sugar: Light or dark will work beautifully.
Flour: Needed to help make that crumb texture.
Quick Cooking Oats: Make sure they’re not rolled oats.
Butter: Don’t substitute shortening or margarine here. You want that clean smooth buttery taste in your crumb.
How to Make Apple Cheesecake Bars:
This a simple recipe, it just takes a little time but it’s easy to do.
Line: Line your 9 x 13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray to make removal of the bars easier. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine and Bake: Mix the flour and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Cut in the butter till mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of your pan and bake for 15 min till lightly brown.
Beat: In another bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed till smooth and creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time wand the vanilla. Mix well and pour over warm crust
Apple Filling: In a small bowl combine the apples, two Tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and spoon over the cream cheese layer.
Streusel: Combine brown sugar, flour, oats and butter till crumbly and sprinkle over the apple layer.
Bake: Bake for 30 min. until filling is set. After cooking drizzle with caramel topping.
Hints for Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars:
This delicious caramel apple cheesecake dessert has all of the amazing flavors of fall combined into it. The best part is the caramel drizzled on top! Now drool. 🙂
Apples: Cut the apples up into pea sized pieces. This ensures they’ll cook and be easier to eat. If you don’t have Granny Smith apples you can use Jonathan, Jonagold, or even Fugi.The taste will be slightly more sweet however.
Streusel: Don’t melt the butter, keep it cold, but a little soft to ensure you get that nice crumbly texture. Use two knives or a fork to work the butter in if you don’t have a pastry cutter. Use a measuring cup or your hands to press evenly into the pan.
Cream Cheese: You can use either full fat or 1/3 less fat cream cheese, however the full fat will give you a slightly thicker batter. Try adding a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to the cream cheese mixture to add a little bit more flavor.
Prepare: These do take time to prepare, bake, cook and then cool for an hour all before you refrigerate them for at least 3 hours.So before serving these amazing bars make sure you plan accordingly, It will be worth it. I promise.
How to Store Cheesecake Bars:
Refrigerator: Cover bars tightly with foil or place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
Freezer: Cheesecake has always frozen well and these are no exception. Before freezing do not but the caramel sauce on. It doesn’t freeze quite as well. Place the bars in an airtight container, or freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator over night or at least for 4-5 hours. When ready to serve drizzle with the caramel sauce.
More Tempting Caramel Apple Recipes:
There is nothing like biting into a crisp fall apple that has been dipped in caramel. Try these for more caramel apple deliciousness:
Delicious apple cheesecake streusel bars drizzled with caramel topping!
CourseDessert, Snack
CuisineAmerican
Keywordcaramel apple bars, carmmel apple cheesecake bars, cheesecake bars
Prep Time20minutes
Cook Time30minutes
Total Time50minutes
Servings12Slices
Calories528kcal
AuthorAlyssa Rivers
Ingredients
2cupsall-purpose flour
1/2cupfirmly packed light brown sugar
1cupbuttersoftened
28 ounce packagecream cheese, softened
1/2cupsugarplus 2 tablespoons, divided
2largeeggs
1teaspoonvanilla extract
3Granny Smith applespeeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
1/4teaspoonground nutmeg
1/2cupcaramel topping
Streusel topping:
1cupfirmly packed brown sugar
1cupall-purpose flour
1/2cupquick cooking oats
1/2cupbuttersoftened
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. This makes removal of the bars easier.
In a medium sized bowl combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of your 9x13 pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
In a large mixing bowl beat with a hand mixer the cream cheese, 1/2 sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust. In a small bowl combine apples, remaining 2 Tbs sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon evenly on top of the cheesecake layer.
Combine brown sugar, flour, cooking oats and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle streusel topping over the apple layer.
Bake for 30 minutes until filling is set. Allow to cool and drizzle with caramel topping.
Notes
Updated on September 9, 2020Originally Posted on October 4, 2913
A bad morning can follow you throughout the entire day - raise your hand if stubbing your toe on your bed frame and spilling your coffee all over your new white shirt snowballed into unnecessarily snapping at your partner and an overall foul mood.
While we can't do much about your furniture placement, we can help you out with a 10-minute yoga practice - curated by Katie Davidson, a California-based certified yoga instructor - that puts positivity and productivity on the forefront.
"One thing to understand is that yoga involves subtle energy in the body," Davidson says. "Moving and releasing stagnant energy right when we wake up is a great cleansing practice, while synching our breath with our movement is one way to align our bodies with our minds, essentially getting all parts of ourselves on the same page before we start our day. It also sets our priorities straight."
While Davidson admits it's tempting to sit up in bed and simply begin, she recommends getting out of bed and carving out a special place for your practice - even just a corner of your room works! "There are already so many distractions; a warm, cosy bed doesn't need to be one of them. Set your space up ahead of time, perhaps with a cushion or blanket for the first meditative posture, and anything else that might help you anchor, or commit to, your practice," she says.
Then, check out Davidson's yoga sequence and pro tips, below. While she notes that it's suitable for all levels and can be done in succession, remember to take breaks as needed and listen to your body's cues.
Do you feel irritation in your inner thighs while jogging? Do you suffer from painful blisters and skin rashes even during normal days? If yes, it is an indication that you may be suffering from chafing. It is a common problem among runners, athletes, and cyclists. But it can happen to anybody involved in strenuous exercises with repetitive motions, as they cause friction between the inner thighs.
According to an article on Healthline, chafing is not restricted to a specific body-location. Some people also suffer from this problem in the underarms, nipple area, and groin. But if you wear the right type of clothes during physical activities, you can reduce your suffering. Let’s check out how to choose the anti-chafe clothes.
Seamless and Zero Tags
Seams and tags are the culprits that rub against the skin and cause chafing. You need to check the outfits for seam-stitch and tags before buying. Try out the clothes in a trial room before buying, and see if you can feel the tags or in-seam.
During the trial, if you feel something is bothering you, you must avoid buying it. Sports activities require clothes that can withstand rapid movements. Even during simple activities on a regular day, you may not concentrate on essential things if you feel irritation on the skin. So, buy clothes that are seamless and tag-less.
Check for Moisture-wicking Quality
Many sportspersons prefer wearing cotton for daily wear, as it is known for the best sweat-absorption. But the more you sweat, the heavier the cotton fabric gets. Eventually, it starts irritating the skin, and you develop rashes.
So, opt for a material that absorbs the sweat but does not weigh-down. Many sports garments have the best moisture-wicking quality. Synthetic blend, nylon, and micro modal are some of the best moisture-wicking fabrics.
Avoid Too Much Wool
Wool is considered one of the moisture-wicking fabrics, but it is not best when you use it for workouts. Woollen clothes are suitable for workouts during the winter season, but you will sweat a lot during summers.
If you find an outfit with a woollen blend, make sure the wool percentage is 10% to 15%. You can work out without any issues by wearing blended woollen clothes, which can also prevent chafing.
Wear Anti-Chafe Bands
Anti-chafe bands come in different materials, including lace, neoprene, nylon, and micro-fibre. These thigh-bands work as a protective layer around the skin and prevent friction during walking, jogging, or other heavy-workouts. Many athletes, cyclists, and runners use these bands to avoid this issue.
The fabrics used in making these bands are also skin-friendly. These anti-chafe bands have a silicone-gripper to hold the band on your skin during physical activities.
You can take proper care of the silicone gripper and keep it in hygienic conditions. Many men and women wear these anti-chafe bands under their regular clothing as well. They are not restricted to only sports-use, but you can also wear them on any regular attire.
Nootropics are one of the hottest trends in the health and wellness industry. Those who take their supplements seriously are well aware of nootropics and their types. Nevertheless, many people are unfamiliar with what they are, and many question their effectiveness on one’s health. There are different varieties of nootropics available, and you will be […]
Ladies, set your alarms because Tammy Hembrow is launching a velour collection as part of her latest drop for Saski on September 10 at 10 a.m.
Coming in three colour ways (sage, black and gunmetal grey) are a range of velour jackets, pants, leggings, shorts, tank tops, sports bras and bodysuits. "This is our first collection with pieces in velour, I really wanted to create a comfortable and luxe tracksuit that had a different vibe from anything else we've ever released," said Tammy of the launch.
Designed to be both lounge and gym wear, you can mix and match the styles to wear them both to brunch and the gym.
You can check out a sneak peek Saski's '90s velour collection below before it goes on sale tomorrow.
After giving birth, many new mums experience challenges withlosing the weightthey gained during pregnancy. It’s also common for new mums to encounter a phenomenon known as “mummy tummy” — when the “baby bump” lingers on, long after the baby is no longer taking up space in your womb. If you’re suffering from either of these issues after having given birth, the following fitness tips are likely to help you make progress towards regaining your usual shape:
1. If Possible, Breastfeed Your Baby Exclusively
Exercise is critically important after you’ve given birth; but, believe it or not, there’s an exercise-free way to lose your baby weight and shrink your mummy tummy. According topeer-reviewed clinical research,exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first 3 months was found to result in several positive weight-related outcomes for new mums. One is a greater amount of weight loss, with the difference being about 1.5 kilos total after a duration of 12 months. Another is a slightly increased probability that you’ll return to your same body mass index (BMI) or lower, and that you’ll also return to your usual pre-pregnancy weight or lower.
Surprisingly, according to experts at theMedical Clinics of North America,breastfeeding actually burns as many as 500 calories every day.
Breastfeeding isn’t always easy, and we’re not here to judge you if that isn’t the right solution for you and your baby. But, if you’re able to do it, it’ll give you a fantastic head start on slimming down postpartum.
2. Create a Realistic Postpartum Exercise Program
After you’ve fully healed from giving birth,exercisebecomes a high priority. It’s ideal if you can speak with your GP or midwife for advice regarding how soon to start and what type of exercise would be most beneficial considering your unique situation.
Typically, new mums would benefit from doing a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week; brisk walking is a doable activity for most. Gentle pelvic floor exercises also tend to be beneficial for new mums.Resistance trainingmight also be appropriate, depending on your abilities and fitness level.
3. Shun Added Sugar and Other Empty Calories
Too much sugarcan cause many health problems, one of which is unwanted weight gain. It’s best to avoid sugary drinks and foods and instead to nourish yourself with more nutritious fare.
4. Consider Physiotherapy for Diagnosing and Treating Diastasis Recti
If your mummy tummy doesn’t go away despite exercising and eating a nutritious diet, it is possible that you may be suffering from a condition known asdiastasis recti. This can sometimes happen when a growing baby places more pressure on a pregnant woman’s rectus abdominis muscle than it can handle, and that pressure causes the muscle to separate. The separated muscle doesn’t automatically heal itself after the baby is born; although it theoretically could heal itself in time, it frequently does not.
This is an issue that you may need professional help to diagnose and resolve. A physiotherapist could recommend exercises or other solutions for healing a diastasis recti condition.
5. Consider New Families Health Insurance
New families health insurancecan be useful long after you’ve given birth to your new baby. You might benefit from utilising the services provided by a dietitian to ensure you and your baby are getting adequate postpartum nutrition; or you might discover that you need a physiotherapist’s help to resolve diastasis recti.
Or you might need any number of other allied health services, most of which are not covered by Medicare. But if you opt to enrol in an extras cover policy, you can get cover for these types of services through your private health fund. If you’re having trouble losing weight after giving birth, it is likely that you would find it worthwhile to do so.
These 5 tips can help you to lose the weight you gained as a result of your pregnancy and childbirth. They can also help you to ditch the “mummy tummy” that lingers on after your baby has left your womb. We also recommendthese nutrition tips,which could help with weight loss at any time, including the postpartum phase.
This simple side dish recipe is a great way to use your summer garden zucchini and tomatoes. Use a good extra virgin olive oil and fresh tomatoes for the best flavor. Another summer side dish I love is this easy Grilled Zucchini recipe. And when I have more time, this Zucchini Lasagna is my all time favorite!
This year's US Open is quite different than years' past thanks to COVID-19, but athletes (with the exception of some players) have still taken over the NYC courts match by match. And now, three women are making history: it's the first time three moms are advancing to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam.
Serena Williams, Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova, and Belarus's Victoria Azarenka all won fourth-round matches on Labour Day, qualifying them for the quarterfinals - marking this in the recordbooks. Williams and Pironkova will actually face off against each other on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and Azarenka is set to play Elise Mertens from Belgium that day as well.
According to the US Open, only three women have ever won a Grand Slam in the Open era after becoming mothers: Belgium's Kim Clijsters and Australia's Evonne Goolagong and Margaret Court. Keep reading for more on Williams, Pironkova, and Azarenka as they prepare for their quarterfinal matches.
from POPSUGAR Health & Fitness https://ift.tt/35ivQBx
via babu31
TIFF 2020 kicks off on September 10, and while this year’s lineup is greatly reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic, there’s still plenty to look forward to. Read on for the projects by Canadian filmmakers we’re most excited to watch this year.
Beans
Based on the true story of the Oka Crisis, this film by first-time director Tracey Deer chronicles the three-month standoff between two Mohawk communities and government forces in Quebec in 1990. Told through the perspective of a 12-year-old Mohawk girl named Beans, the coming-of-age drama tackles important topics like Indigenous identity, activism and protest.
No Ordinary Man
From Canadian filmmakers Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt, this documentary maps out the life and career of Billy Tipton, a 20th-century American jazz musician and trans icon. Tipton gained fame across the United States in the 1940s and ’50s but his trans identity wasn’t revealed publicly until after his death in 1989. The film serves to honour his legacy through a diverse group of contemporary trans performers, while also examining the intense media scrutiny faced by members of the trans community.
Shiva Baby
This debut feature from Canadian filmmaker Emma Seligman emerged from a short film she directed as her NYU film school thesis. Taking place over the course of a shiva she attends with her parents, the film follows the protagonist as she deals with curious family members, embittered exes and more.
Inconvenient Indian
Based on an award-winning book, this documentary examines the ongoing colonization of Indigenous peoples in North America, particularly the colonization of history, culture and traditions. Directed by Indigenous actress/filmmaker Michelle Latimer, the documentary features archival footage, interviews, dance, visual arts, and traditional customs like tattooing and hunting.
Enemies of the State
This unsettling documentary tells the story of an American family seeking political asylum in Canada after their “hacktivist” son is targeted by the US government for his alleged ties to WikiLeaks.
The New Corporation
Canadian filmmaker Jennifer Abbott and University of British Columbia law professor Joel Bakan are teaming up again for a sequel to their award-winning 2003 documentary, The Corporation. Their latest film exposes the current trend of companies rebranding themselves as socially responsible, and features thinkers and leaders like Anand Giridharadas, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Katie Porter.
.@joelbakan and Jennifer Abbott's THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL exposes how companies are desperately rebranding as socially responsible — and threatening democratic freedoms in the process. #TIFF20https://t.co/aOlXIfVwSQpic.twitter.com/HZhhMsoRgG
The Water Walker
This short documentary follows 15-year-old Anishinaabe water activist Autumn Peltier as she travels to the United Nations to advocate for clean drinking water—a basic human right—in Indigenous communities around the world.
THE WATER WALKER follows Anishinaabe water activist Autumn Peltier’s powerful call for clean drinking water in Indigenous communities around the 🌎.
Trickster
Based on Eden Robinson’s bestselling novel, this supernatural series from the CBC is directed by Michelle Latimer and follows an Indigenous teen struggling to support his dysfunctional family amid myth, magic and monsters.
Violation
Canadian filmmaking duo Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli, whose previous short works have won various awards, return to the festival with their debut feature-length film. Following a pair of estranged sisters who reunite for a weekend getaway, the psychological thriller explores themes of violence, betrayal and revenge.
Launched back in 2017, the fragrance Y from YSL Beauty just got a new ambassador: rock legend Lenny Kravitz. Turning the first letter of Yves Saint Laurent’s name into a question: Y, the fragrance is meant for “an experimenter and a creator who never stops asking himself: Why not?”
“I’ve always been a fan of Yves Saint Laurent,” Kravitz said in a press release. “Of his work, his aesthetic, his lifestyle, his boldness. He was super eclectic and drew from so many places. I also happened to already wear a lot of Saint Laurent. Always have. This was not something I had to fit into or think about. It’s been part of my lifestyle for so many years. It’s a very organic collaboration.”
Created by Master Perfumer Dominique Ropion, the fragrance has notes of bergamot, geranium, lavender, vetiver and sage. As “the olfactive equivalent of black jeans and a white tee-shirt,” the fragrance offers a rock n’ roll take on the classic family of perfume known as fougères.
Musician Adam Levine was a previous face of the fragrance so Kravitz is in good company but what he seems happiest about is joining the ranks of a brand for which his daughter, actress ZoĂ« Kravitz, is also an ambassador. “For once I get to follow in my daughter ZoĂ«’s footsteps as a brand ambassador. I love that,” he said in a statement.
Stay tuned for the campaign, photographed by David Sims, and the accompanying fashion film, shot by Anton Corbijn.
After highlighting the issue of “diversity within the music space” in the short film Discwoman several years ago, director Stacey Lee has returned with a documentary that focuses on the routine harassment and lack of equality that women and female-identifying creatives in the world of electronic music have faced for decades. “This isn’t a new phenomenon,” says Lee when asked about the sexism, undervaluing and under-representation that’s explored Underplayed, a new documentary which was produced by Bud Light and premieres at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival on September 19. “Women have been central and instrumental to the whole birth of this industry since the beginning.”
Stacey Lee. Photograph courtesy of Underplayed
Lee’s film offers a voice to a wealth of musical talents ranging from Australian DJ, producer and singer Alison Wonderland and twin sister act Nervo to Los Angeles-based DJ and producer Tokimonsta, Niagara Falls’s Rezz and Grammy winner Suzanne Ciani. It also draws attention to trailblazers like musician and composer Delia Derbyshire.
Lee says that she was shocked at what she uncovered while working on Underplayed, particularly given this wasn’t her first production on the topic. “It was like nothing had evolved,” she says of the four years since her first project hit the screens. “If anything, some of the statistics were worse. It made me realize the urgency surrounding it.” At the core of the film is the notion that for women to gain equal footing with their male counterparts, a revolution — with all voices involved — must happen.
“It’s exceptionally complicated because you don’t want to distract from the art and the craft of what you’re doing by defining yourself as a woman,” says Lee about her documentary subjects. “At the same time, because there’s such inequity in the space, they also have a responsibility to speak up until things are right…. It’s a male responsibility, too. Women can’t be the only ones fighting for this. It’s the same as the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s shouting into an echo chamber if women are the only ones talking about this.”
FASHION spoke to four electronic acts who are part of the documentary about the trials they’ve faced, how self-expression brings them joy and what keeps them playing on.
TOKIMONSTA
courtesy of tokimonsta
“I think ingenuity is such a challenge and a gift,” says L.A.-based multi-hyphenate Jennifer Lee, who produces music and DJs under the name Tokimonsta. “It’s a quality in music that I strive for, and it keeps me on my toes.”
Lee, who grew up in a traditional immigrant household and learned how to play piano in her youth, says it wasn’t until she left for college that she could dabble in musical creation outside the works of the classical greats (all men) she had been exposed to and expected to learn.
“Growing up, I felt as if I had a lot of creative ideas, but if I ever strayed from Mozart or whatever I was playing, my family would be like, ‘What are you doing? Just stick to what you’re meant to do,’” she recalls. “I never allowed myself the opportunity to think that being creative in a different way was possible or OK. Once I decided to leave for college, it didn’t really matter what my parents thought anymore. I was on my own.”
During her first year of post-secondary studies, Lee downloaded the music production program FruityLoops (now called FL Studio) and developed the technical skills and prowess to craft the hypnotic tracks she has become known for; she points to the genres of drum & bass and West Coast rap and the work of Missy Elliott as being pivotal influences on her style. In 2015, after releasing two albums, Lee was diagnosed with Moyamoya disease, which affects arteries in the brain; she lost a host of cognitive functions and had to learn how to make music all over again.
Despite Lee’s evolution as a musical entrepreneur — she launched the record label Yung Art several years ago — and the fact that she’s self-taught, part of the sexist behaviour she has witnessed through her more than a decade-long career centres around her abilities as a creator. “There have been rumours that my boyfriend was making all my beats and he taught me everything I know,” she says. “Those rumours still exist because people don’t want to think I did it on my own. The discouraging part is that I’ve become so wrapped up in this idea that people don’t give me ownership of my music that it creates a blockage, and I feel very reluctant to work with other people. It has created some long-lasting trauma for me. But I’m growing and exiting from that, and I need to think about the art more than my ego, essentially.”
In addition to Lee learning to release her fears about collaboration, she says that familial acceptance with regard to her career has also grown; her mother now gleefully watches out for Tokimonsta mentions in the newspaper. And her mother — who was a fashion designer in the 1960s — has influenced her in terms of the style choices she makes. “She’s had a profound impact on my style,” says Lee. “She’s all about classic looks—the idea that if you have a certain style of jacket, you’ll have it for the rest of your life. I’ve always enjoyed her perspective on fashion in that way.”
TYGAPAW
courtesy of tygapaw
“I didn’t think of DJing as something I could pursue. If you don’t see yourself represented in a position, you don’t think it can be obtained.” Dion McKenzie, who goes by the moniker Tygapaw, grew up in Jamaica, and though she was exposed to music by Whitney Houston and Tina Turner growing up, the male-dominated dancehall and reggae scenes that permeated the culture left little space for women to consider themselves part of that world in the creative sense.
After moving to New York to study graphic design at Parsons School of Design, McKenzie felt emboldened to pursue the passion that had previously been denied. “I wanted to dive into learning how to play an instrument, but I wasn’t necessarily encouraged or supported when I was younger,” she recalls, noting that when she was a teen, her most potent musical memories came from hearing alternative music by bands like Nirvana and No Doubt. “I had a deep interest in the sound of an amplified guitar running through distortion,” she says.
McKenzie leaned into learning the guitar, and that eventually led to an interest in DJing. “It started when I was in a band, and my bandmate was a DJ as well,” she says. “She was fierce, and she really encouraged me. She said: ‘If you want to DJ, you should just do it. you shouldn’t put a barrier in front of yourself.’”
Since those early days, Tygapaw has become an integral part of New York’s underground music scene and beyond, although quarantine has forced her to focus more on the creation of her first full-length album than globe-trotting. “I’m enjoying the break because sometimes it can be overwhelming when you’re touring a lot and constantly in motion,” she says.
It’s hard to imagine McKenzie revelling in stillness when her music has such a propulsive quality, mixing nuances of island rhythms with driving electronic elements. the range of influences reflected in her tracks can also be seen in how she approaches dressing. “Personal style for me is all about expression and where I’m at in terms of my comfort in denouncing what society deems as conventional,” she says. “expressing myself, especially when it comes to my gender—or non-gender. There’s an evolution that’s in progress.”
The notion of progression resonates with McKenzie’s career path as well. “I create opportunities for myself, and I don’t take no for an answer,” she says. “A lot of times for Black, queer, non-binary and trans artists, that’s often the case. We create our own space and carve our own path.”
Although Tygapaw is one of the biggest names in New York nightlife, McKenzie says she was surprised to be asked to be part of the Underplayed documentary. “I’m an underground artist, Black and queer, and I also present in a certain way; I’m not high femme,” she notes. “There’s no overnight success for people who look like me; there’s a continuous work ethic — being ridiculously resilient and continuing to have a vision for yourself.”
Interestingly, McKenzie says another creative in the documentary is someone she admired as she was coming up through the touring circuit. “Tokimonsta has been an inspiration,” she says about fellow subject Jennifer Lee. “I saw her live at a festival where I was playing a smaller room, and now it’s come full circle where I’m in a documentary with her. Life is funny and interesting that way.”
And since McKenzie knows first-hand what example and encouragement can lead to, she says that the opportunity to be a voice in the film was important to her. “It’s really to empower young Black girls to know that they’re good enough. You can shine as bright as you want because you’re completely capable.”
NERVO
Photograph by by Chloe Paul
Like many of their peers, twin musical act Nervo acquired their aptitude after years of training — for them, in piano, violin and voice. Miriam and Olivia Nervo — who have recorded tracks with Kylie Minogue and Kesha and got their big break with a Grammy Award-winning song they co-wrote with David Guetta and Kelly Rowland — grew up in Australia in the musical-theatre world and haven’t stopped stealing the stage since.
“I think our singing teachers would roll over in their graves if they could hear us now,” Miriam notes with a laugh, as the pair have lent their vocal skills to pop-fuelled tunes that are a far cry from the formal arrangements they once studied. “The greatest thing about pop music is that it’s super-creative,” she says. “It’s all about breaking rules and doing what you feel.”
One gets a sense of this free-spirited nature via Nervo’s wardrobe choices — a mix that includes bodysuits, outsized tops and jackets and a selection of silky boxing shorts from Thailand. “We’ve always had fun with fashion and our hair,” says Miriam. “The best part of our job is being able to wear the best wardrobe.”
Always ones to follow their own beat, the sisters took a course in music production after several experiences of having their music “ripped off” by producers. When asked about the discrimination they’ve encountered, Miriam says: “We’ve always been around that. It’s part of being a woman in a male-dominated industry — you experience it in all aspects, from talent scouting and development to working with other artists.”
In order to shine a light on these challenges, the two were keen to be part of Underplayed; they had performed as part of the Bud Light House Party Tour and loved the experience. But they’re quick to point out that their interest doesn’t ultimately lie in shaming aggressors. “It doesn’t do us any service to name them,” says Olivia. “It’s tricky airing dirty laundry about our male counterparts in the business,” adds Miriam. “Yes, some of them haven’t been supportive or have been sexist, but our nature is to focus on the good and move forward.”
Miriam and Olivia notably used the documentary’s platform to demonstrate one women’s issue that’s still deeply under-represented in the entertainment industry: being a working mother. The pair announced their pregnancies in 2018 and avidly share the journey with fans. “That part of our lives we’re very open about,” says Miriam. “There are a lot of DJs who are fathers, but you wouldn’t know it from their social media,” adds Olivia.
Recalling the women who have influenced their musicality since they were teenagers — like Irish DJ Annie Mac and British musician Sonique as well as their relationship with music manager Amy Thomson, whom they credit as being a strong single mother — the Nervo sisters can’t help but look forward to a world with more female representation across all industries.
“I’m so optimistic for their lives,” says Miriam about her daughter’s and niece’s future. “I think women and girls these days are getting great opportunities. Society is changing.” And not a minute too soon.
CIEL
Photograph courtesy of ciel
When Toronto-based DJ, promoter and producer Cindy Li — also known as Ciel — isn’t visiting one of her favourite local shops, like vintage haunts Nouveau Riche Vintage, Public Butter and Common Sort, she’s directing her attention to not only her craft but also making the music industry a more equitable place.
Li feels that much of the problem is rooted in confidence, having experienced her own self-esteem struggles, which started when she was a young piano student. “I didn’t think I had it in me,” she recalls about making the move to create her own music after years of classical training. “Growing up in that world…there’s this idea that talent is innate. That kind of thinking is especially harmful for women because we aren’t as encouraged.”
This is something that Li has worked actively throughout her life to combat. “When I interact with women at workshops and on social media, I’m always trying to encourage them to not let fear stop them,” she says. “Anyone can make music if they want to and if they have the time and dedication.”
Though Li, who also ran a fashion blog in the 2010s, took a hiatus from the music scene for several years, she returned to nurture experimentations in sound—her tracks are melodic, intentional and uplifting—as well as encourage a new community by throwing parties with a fellow female entrepreneur. The events brought together “a queer-, woman-, POC-heavy community of people” at a time when “most lineups were 99 per cent male.” And although these parties made headway in terms of illustrating what equality in the music industry could look like, Li says that slowly, over time, she found that her influence was limited. “In the existing community—and you can see this in other cities as well—people were OK to just keep doing what they were doing.”
This was evident when Li called out a successful promoter in Toronto who until that point “had consistently booked all-male lineups and actually hadn’t booked a single woman in six years.” She recounts the experience as being something she would advise others against, even though call-out culture has become ubiquitous across industries. “It was really intense, and I don’t recommend it,” she says. “It was mentally trying for me. Leading by example is great if you have a lot of patience. Calling out will get you more immediate results but not necessarily the results you desire. A lot of times when you call someone out, they just shut down and end the project rather than trying to do better. The group that I called out stopped throwing parties. Of course, I was blamed for their disbanding. But I didn’t ask them to disband; I just criticized them for not booking women.”
In spite of this experience, Li hasn’t lost her drive to inspire others. “The way the industry looks now versus how it looked five years ago is hugely different,” she says. “There are way more women on lineups.” But she adds that with an uptick in representation comes the danger of insincerity. “I’ve been the token female DJ on an all-male lineup,” she says, noting that she’s also experienced multiple instances of payment disparity with her male peers. “For a man to say something like ‘I’m not going to play your party unless you pay me $500’ — it’s very rare for women in the industry to have that level of confidence,” she explains. “That’s a much deeper problem in examining inequality — a lot of women lack the self-confidence to compete with full gusto against their male counterparts.”
Li says that there’s much work to be done for the music industry to eliminate discrimination, highlighting the fact that female DJs are still treated differently even when it comes to accolades — for example, in the separate list rankings for top DJs and then top female DJs. “We’re trying to achieve integration and equality,” she says, adding that what it all comes down to is this: “Women need their existence to be normalized.”
This story appears in the October issue of FASHION magazine, available on newsstands from September 10th and and via Apple News + today.
Photography by Iakovos kalaItzakIs. Styling by Ryan WeavIng. Creative direction by geoRge antonopoulos. left: Jacket, $4,930, corset, $3,830, and skirt, $1,255, andreas
kronthaler for vivienne westwood. right: Jumpsuit, $2,275, vivienne westwood. necklaces and gloves, stylist’s own.
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