Cain Culto
The lore of Cain Culto is layered and complex. A former worship pastor-turned-queer renegade with a story of contradiction and evolution, his provocative take on left-field pop and hip-hop with global influences is unlike any other.A DIY auteur, Culto develops bold, uncompromising music and visuals that pull at thethreads of faith, politics, race, and capitalism in the form of wild -eyed, original pop music. The name ‘Cain Culto’ refers to the shadowy, fratricidal Old Testament character of Cain, and the Spanish word for worship ‘Culto’. Born in Florida, Andrew Padilla was raised in a Colombian and Nicaraguan household , listening to salsa and cumbia. At the age of 5, his family moved to Kentucky, where he learned bluegrass fiddle and attended a fundamentalist evangelical church. Culto spent his youth hiding his queerness, trying to conform with his surroundings - a familiar tale of religious trauma many queer people experience - ultimately leading to a breakdown, and hospitalization in 2021. He ended his acclaimed Christian band ‘Ecclesia’ and broke from the church, reemerging as Cain Culto.
The Culto persona represents a realignment with spirituality, sexuality, and cultural heritage. The ethos is built around challenging dogma, knowing oneself, and protecting freedom of thought. Dedicated to making some of the boldest, and most fearless alternative music around,Culto brings together high and low art, political protest, satire, controversy, and undeniable pop magic as an antidote to mass-produced music culture. A skilled singer, rapper, producer, and visual artist, Culto has the skills to realize his ambitious vision,performing a suite of instruments across his songs, self-styling, and directing his music videos.
Chrissy Chlapecka
Chrissy Chlapecka, a pop musician and social media personality, is making waves with her unapologetic style and unique sound. Recognized as one of the leading faces of #BimboTok, Chrissy has been featured in Interview, NYLON, Rolling Stone, and the Chicago Tribune. Chrissy Chlapecka is poised to become one of pop music's biggest names, making a significant impact both musically and as an LGBTQIA+ influencer.
EMM
EMM has built a reputation for creating music that showcases a woman’s unapologetic power in a world that constantly tries to diminish it. She has become a beacon of hope for girls everywhere who are searching for their inner heroine.
EMM’s story is not a shallow one and it’s not for the faint of heart. In many ways, from the outside looking in, it’s been a dream - a classically trained musical prodigy from a tiny Michigan town, graduating early, moving to New York City on her own as a teenager to pursue music, and making it all a reality. EMM is an accomplished musician - an award-winning classical pianist, guitarist, songwriter and producer. Not to mention, her voice and 4 octave vocal range - one that rivals the chart-topping divas of this generation.
But as a young teen, with all that creativity there was also an intense battle with shame, guilt, a chronic struggle with depression, a challenging social life, deep familial struggles, body image issues and religious and sexual trauma. So songwriting was more than a passion or a discipline in EMM’s life - it was the key to her survival.
Like a true alchemist, EMM has turned the things that the industry and the world saw as an inconvenience- her vision, her strong opinions, her power, and her honesty - into her superpowers. And this heroine is just getting started. When you ask EMM the question, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” Her answer appears to be, “Just watch.”