Dazed Magazine Autumn 2023 Issue 281

BEYOND BORDERS, FALL 2023
For me, September is always like a reset. A new season brings with it a new energy that I find very revitalizing. Since becoming editor-in-chief of Dazed, my vision has always been outward. I am proud of how, in these two years, we have managed to not only maintain but develop a truly global point of view. When we start imagining a new issue in its early stages, we look everywhere for ideas and stories. Since taking the reins of the magazine, I have strived to provide a global perspective, and with this new season I wanted to focus on that. Dazed is synonymous with creative fearlessness and groundbreaking art and expression, and our fall issue is a testament to that.

Rosalía, the Catalan superstar who conquered the world in her native language, perfectly captures the essence of this number. I have always believed that music is a universal language and Rosalía's global success is proof of this. With good taste, talent and pushing the limits in both his sound and his enigmatic live performances, I can't wait to see what he does now that his Motomami era comes to an end.

K-pop sensation Jung Kook is about to release his debut album while taking a break from his duties as the youngest member of BTS. His global stardom will only grow based on his recent record-breaking exploits. In July, his debut single, "Seven," made him the first male artist to surpass 15 million streams on his first day on Spotify, and the first South Korean artist to top the global charts. I am excited to see how young people embrace artists and media that go beyond their language and cultural references. "It perfectly reflects our vision for Dazed."

Spice is the reigning queen of dancehall, with fans from Jerusalem to Japan to Jamaica. In another milestone for Dazed, she becomes the first dancehall artist to grace our cover in its 32-year history. The impact of dancehall is resounding and I really wanted to highlight a key cultural export from the Caribbean island that has given so much to the world.

Chasing us from the grave for another iconic fall cover, Quenlin Blackwell takes a break from her viral TikTok career to talk about her new fashion line and tells us all the ways she's making waves in 2023. Our Contributor regular Thibaut Grevet photographed her touring the city in a hearse and Georgia Pendlebury was in charge of her styling.

Then there's our latest cover star, Little Simz, a quintessential London rapper, poet and producer "cut from a different cloth", who has always looked beyond the obvious in his creativity. For Dazed's first cover, Simz talks about the fuel he gets from his creative family to dig deep into his soul for something new in his sound. It's an exclusive look at his next evolution and how he continues to break down barriers between sounds and styles.

I wanted there to be new ideas and new fashion throughout the issue. New forms of styling and photography. Bold voices that gave meaning to a changing world. At Dazed we always want to break new ground, but for this issue we've searched every corner of the world for fresh, bold voices to live up to that energy. Welcome to a new season, we hope you enjoy it.

Ibrahim Kamara, editor-in-chief