Adrenaline

33 | new perspectives

She doesn't look convinced.

"Please," I beg, even though I would love some clarity. The difference is I understand there likely isn't any even within the involved parties. I'm better off trying to swim forward in a riptide. "Just let them be."

"Fine. But may I point out once again that they're back at the hotel alone?"

"Jenny is there," Rami points out.

She laughs. "Not where they are, I promise you that."

...

My brain must be scrambled into soup after all this promo because when the Forbes 30 under 30 list drops as we arrive back in the States, I'm caught by surprise.

If I think handling my phone and emails is a struggle, it's nothing compared to this. As soon as I power up my phone, the notifications blow up like fireworks on my screen.

"Stevie, what is this?" Lauren yelps, jogging to catch up to me. "Have you seen this? Holy sh—"

"Ma'am, you look stunning here," Seira adds when she rushes to meet us.

Holding up her phone, she shows me pictures from a photoshoot I did about a week before we left for Monaco. It was arranged quickly and over within eight hours. A blink in the eye during an otherwise chaotic time. It feels like a lifetime ago and I barely remember everything from that day, aside from the casual interview done by the industry peer Forbes selected.

"I should wear blue more often."

"That's what I've always been saying!" Seira squeals. She yanks the phone back and flicks through the photos. "I know that whole Leo shit says to not wear pastel blue colors but you look hot."

While we jump in the car, everyone reads the Forbes profile in silence.

...

I know her as Stevie, but she prefers to be called Stevie from the band MARS, and I think that sums her up as a person. (Though she will have you believe that not letting men into her shows for free is what embodies her the most.)

We met at the beginning of the year and quickly became partners in crime, but it wasn't until the summer of 2022 that I felt like I finally get to know her as more than just a singer, but as a person and a woman navigating a complicated industry.

Stevie is a leader. Not in the traditional sense she often talks about—one of her favorite pastimes is lovingly gushing about Rami's role in the band—but because she's inspiring. She leads with her heart and stands up for what she believes in. Whether it's speaking out about issues facing Native Hawaiians in their own land, including their fight for independence, outspoken efforts about the unfair criticism society aims at women, particularly concerning her experience living in the public eye, or, as a bisexual woman, her fight for equality for all LGBTQIA+ individuals. There is no shortage of reasons that we could all turn the tables on her and loving gush about her role in the industry.

It's not like she would even accept your compliment anyway. Stevie is the type of person who stares at the ground and shakes her head in disbelief when anyone tries to tell her she's beautiful. And she is. But her outward beauty is the least interesting thing about her.

When I was asked to write about her today, I was at a loss. How do I sum up the magnificence of this singular person in less than a thousand words? A hundred thousand words would be the bare minimum to do her justice, though a million would still leave hundreds of reasons left untouched. And so I realized something—it's simply not possible. The only way to understand a woman like Stevie is to know her. To listen to the words she so carefully crafts into the most beautiful songs you've ever heard in your life. To watch the way she loves and loves and loves her friends as if they are stitched directly from the fabric of her soul. To breathe in the life she lovingly gives to those around her.