Converse’s latest All Stars Series is a celebration of culture and collaboration
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONVERSE
WORDS BY Maeve Kerr-Crowley
Your foot in the door of the creative industry.
Converse All Stars – the creative network, not the iconic shoe – has been going strong for five years now. The global community launched right here in Australia back in 2017, with the goal of bringing together creatives from a wide range of disciplines and fields. Vibrant All Star communities now exist all around the world.
Despite what you may think, it’s not an ‘influencer club’. To be an All Star doesn’t require thousands of followers. You don’t need to know everyone who’s anyone in your field or have public accolades attesting to your creative brilliance.
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So what do All Stars have in common? A creative spark, passion and the potential to bring on real cultural change. Earlier this year, the brand facilitated one of the most mind-blowing All Stars initiatives yet.
Converse invited 30 All Stars from 12 countries to a three-day workshop led by industry leaders, to collaborate on a fresh approach to music, blending both unique genres and cultures. The end result? Five original tracks, each with an accompanying visual expression.
Collaboration was the name of the game, encouraging the All Stars to meld, reinvent and reinvigorate their own sounds and disciplines in order to create something that had never been heard before. The five resulting tracks cover everything from emo and R&B to EDM and Brazilian funk. Another team of All Stars then captured the process, highlighting the intersection of culture and creativity.
At the end of the workshop, the songs were presented to none other than Tyler, the Creator, who offered the gathered creatives some priceless advice and industry insight.
“If you’re a creative person, it’s easy for people to pigeonhole you,” explained the music magnate.
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“When you branch out and do something different, even your biggest supporters might not understand as they don’t have the same lens as you. When I’m not in my comfort zone, it pushes me to break out even more. It’s easy to relapse and fall back into your old ways, but sometimes getting out of your comfort level is the greatest thing ever and that’s what this Converse All Star experience is all about.”
In attendance was Melbourne local Lydia Tesema, who’s still reeling from the opportunity to speak to and create music for such a well-respected music icon. Lydia and five other creatives worked on the song ‘Together’, a bilingual Brazilian funk-trap track that draws on themes of resourcefulness, unity and purpose.
“It was that big of an experience that I just had to sit back and take it all in,” Lydia says, reflecting on the workshop. “It was just so amazing on so many levels, and it was wonderful connecting with other creatives from around the world. I love people, I love meeting creators and I love connecting. Converse gave me the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Following the creative showcase, three All Stars were presented with the opportunity to perform live at iconic Sydney venue, Lansdowne Hotel.
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The All Star Series: Sydney is the third installment this year with long-time Converse partner, Tyler, the Creator, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to empowering the next generation of creators.
“We will always support innovation in a space that’s such an important part of the Converse DNA. The All Star Series: Sydney was an important step in our journey to foster musical talent and we have big plans to continue supporting emerging musicians,” explained Andres Kiger, VP of Marketing, Converse Global Partner Markets.
Converse and Tyler, The Creator’s GLF 2.0 returns this Holiday with a bold two-tone color blocked edition in green and blue. Head here to shop the shoe.
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