The generation game

NYC-based musician and artist TWEAKS, 26, catches up with musician and model Mimi Mcveigh, 20, to speak on the power and pitfalls of social media and getting comfortable with doubts.

Mimi: Where do you look for inspiration?

TWEAKS: It depends on where I’m at in life. If I’m more in a reclusive mood then I’m usually reading a lot, I’m surfing the web a lot, I do a lot of research in general. Does social media help or hinder you as a musician, or both?

Mimi: Instagram is great because you have more of a chance of people connecting with your music. But social media also hinders me, we do that thing where we see someone and it seems like they’re doing way more than you, producing way more work than you. Comparing yourself to someone never ends well, it gets you stuck in a rut. In moments of doubt, what do you tell yourself?

TWEAKS: My therapist keeps me in check, for sure. I think if making music or making art is not productive to easing off stress then take a break. If it’s giving a vibe of expression and it’s therapeutic, keep going with it, but there is a time that you should just be honest with yourself and take note if making music is not actually clearing your mind – same for any medium. What can we expect from you next in terms of projects or releases?

Mimi: I feel like I’m quite a perfectionist when it comes to my music. I’m waiting until I have something I’m really happy with to release. I personally want to create something that is new or different and doesn’t sound like any other thing that anyone else is listening to. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

TWEAKS: Just get comfortable with doubts. Doubts are natural, it’s natural to be nervous, it’s natural to have overwhelming feelings that you might not be doing something right. Don’t internalise it, don’t take it too seriously – it’s just doubt, keep going.

Model and activist Maxim Magnus, 23, discusses transformation and taking up space with model, artist and podcaster, Jade O’Belle, 31.

Jade: What are some of the ways that modelling has been empowering for you? For me, modelling’s been empowering because it’s taught me not to be so self-aware. Sometimes doing a shoot – putting on someone else’s vision or seeing myself in a different light – can be transformative.

Maxim: It’s sort of the same thing for me. Every time I go on set and become these different characters and see myself in all these different perspectives, I see myself transforming into all of these things that I love being. This applies to both of us a lot: why is it important to be free to dress and express who you are?

Jade: Dressing allows you to live out different possibilities, sending a message out to everyone that sees you who you are as a person or who you want to be. Clothing is ultimately an adornment of your body so whenever you dress your body, your body is a political statement in itself.

Maxim: As women, we’re so policed on what we can wear and what we can’t wear and what our clothes say about us. I think it’s very empowering for us to show the world that we can wear whatever we want. Modelling has been really helpful because you’ve got people around you, stylists and photographers and people like that, who help you explore those opportunities and different personalities inside of you. And they allow you to bring them out in a safe space.

Jade: Totally agree with you. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Maxim: Respect people until they give you a reason not to, instead of respect should be earned. What about you?

Jade: You’re only as young as you are right now, basically don’t sweat the small stuff. Sometimes you just have to leave the ego behind and trust that you’re doing your best every day.

NHS mental health worker, activist and runner Intisar Abdul-Kader, 35, discusses boundaries and staying positive with poet, Larena Amin, 22.

Larena: How has your work in mental health affected your personal journey of wellbeing?

Intisar: I work with people after they’ve been through therapy and what I’ve learned is: always trust the journey, whether it’s short or long, you will get there. I see the people I work with thrive and grow afterwards and I think, wow, OK, I can do it as well. Larena, If you could talk to yourself like someone you love, what would you say?

Larena: I like this question. I would reiterate that I’m doing everything I can, and that means that I deserve things like rest and looking after myself. Putting the same energy as I do for my poetry into making sure I’m nurturing my spirit. I would affirm myself and the things I deserve. What do you think the future of health looks like in Britain?

Intisar: I’m a firm believer in the NHS, I believe in the work, the ethos, everything it stands for, but I want mental health services to be at the centre of all the conversations that are happening. I want doors to be open and I want it to be easy to use, the same way someone would find it easy to walk into A&E and get support. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Larena: My mum for my whole life has told me: grow with your age. Just go with the natural progression of your life, behave as you feel you need to in that time and don’t overexert or force yourself into uncomfortable situations. What about you?

Intisar: Work stays at work. I love what I do but at the same time I love me and I need to look after me. Work will be there the next day.

Vintage collector queen Danielle Greco, 31, chats setting up shop with secondhand seller extraordinaire, Yotti Wilkinson, 24.

Yotti: Hey Danielle, do you have any tips for other sellers who are trying to start out or that are in your field?

Danielle: My advice would be, if you’re thinking about starting a shop, be educated on vintage so you know what you’re looking for. Are you actually getting a good deal for these items, are you checking quality? And then ultimately just really loving the hunt. Yotti, how did you get into selling clothes?

Yotti: I started selling a few bits that my mum had passed down to me from her ​’90s wardrobe, that were too big for me at the time. I thought that the actual process of taking the photos and listing them was quite fun. I’d been sourcing clothes from charity shops and eBay for quite a few years at that point and thought to myself well why not do it on a bit of a bigger scale. What things did you find hard at the start but have now overcome?

Danielle: I feel like whenever you’re starting to do anything on your own and putting yourself out there, you always kind of doubt yourself. My shop is a personal project. It’s a way to collaborate with my friends and find some cute stuff and be able to put my personal taste out there. Taking that pressure off myself of ​“what if no one likes this” and realising oh I just do this because it’s fun for me, was something that I had to overcome and I’m like, totally over it now. What’s your best piece of advice?

Yotti: You need to stay consistent with what you’re doing. Honestly, it took me years and years and years to build up the platform and customer base that I now have. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Danielle: If it doesn’t scare you it’s not worth doing. I remember that all the time when I get super nervous to do something new.