Chip Chrome, The Neighbourhood’s Knight in Shining Make-up | Interview

Rutherford’s mother wasn’t too stunned by Chip Chrome, both. Mohawk and tattoos apart, Rutherford remembers getting despatched house from faculty in fourth grade for portray his nails “and different silly shit that you shouldn’t get despatched house from faculty for.” Though he was a self-described “fairly good” child, Rutherford thrived on being accountable for who he wished to be. His angle rising up may very well be described as, “Let me drive the fucking automotive. Let me be behind the wheel of who I’m,” he says. “And my mother was all the time tremendous open to [it], and let me gown nevertheless I wish to.”

The truth is, the primary time he painted himself with Mehron’s CreamBlend Stick, Rutherford was reminded of his teenage years. As he coated his pores and skin within the shiny hue, he was transported again to dwelling at his mother’s and sensing the liberty she as soon as provided him once more. Rutherford felt like he was taking on drawing once more, considered one of his favourite childhood hobbies. “I’ve all the time moved quick and rushed to the subsequent factor,” Rutherford muses. “After I was youthful, my mother used to attempt to get me to attract to assist me calm the fuck down for a second, simply chill, and focus on one thing apart from getting up and going.”

Rutherford quickly realized turning into Chip Chrome helped him really feel extra ready to take the stage, and the metamorphosis is now meditative apply for him — one he needs to carry onto, even after he stops being Chip. As Rutherford silver-izes himself and blends eye shadow onto his lids (particularly together with his ring finger), “the world type of stops for a second,” and he feels fully immersed in his artwork and creativity on the most bodily degree, he says. 

As of late, make-up artist Sydney Szramowski aids Rutherford in his transformation, sweeping on rainbow gradients of pigments on his lids or asymmetrically color-blocked hues that distinction the polished hue that covers his physique. However the magic of the method nonetheless strikes him. 

The ultimate product could also be a man in makeup, but Rutherford doesn’t want to fit the typical expectations and praises of such. Rather, he’s more of an alien in makeup than anything else. “I’m not trying to be sexy or beautiful or anything like that with it,” Rutherford declares. “It’s hard to even call it beauty. I know makeup fits in the category of beauty, but I’m not really trying to do something beautiful. I’m just trying to do something creative.”

The singer is hardly defensive or pretentious with these claims, though. Instead, they encapsulate his passion for art and self-expression. Makeup, Rutherford believes, should be as broadly and abstractly approached without gender roles attached. He hopes his use of makeup can exemplify the non-permanent, boundary-less ways to explore our identities — no matter who we are.