Imagine you are dancing in the forest. A towering sound system woven between moss and pine, basslines reverberating through the trees. Techno pulses through the undergrowth, moving bodies into an organic flow. Time loosens its grip. Edges blur. At raves, space and self have a way of dissolving, inviting us to transcend the moment.
Somewhere in the crowd, you might find Stockholm-based DJ Jessie Granqvist. Not separate from the scene, but inside it, absorbing the details: light cutting through branches, the emotional temperature, the subtle shifts in energy. These fragments become part of the journey she shapes behind the decks, guiding people from one feeling to another, from one memory or imagined place to the next.

“As obvious as it may sound, we need spaces where we can truly be ourselves. Where we can enter our different flows, hang out, and experience what life feels like when it’s driven by joy and love and community, not rules and systems. It’s in free spaces that free thoughts are born, and where life’s most meaningful encounters take place,” she says.
For Jessie, those free spaces have been formative. DJing for over fifteen years around the world and curating club nights in southern Stockholm, she grew up in the underground rave scene that would later define her career. As a teenager, she remembers being glued to the stereo at house parties, bringing her own CD case to take charge of the soundtrack.

“When I turned 18, becoming a club kid was just natural. The first time someone lent me a pair of CDJs and a mixer, I was completely hooked. I experienced my first rave and totally immersed myself in the beautiful world of underground parties.”

Forest raves, in particular, hold a special place in her heart. They are never just about the music. “It’s more of a mission,” she says, laughing, describing the ritual of it all: finding the location, dressing for the weather, packing bananas for sustenance. “I’ve had many magic moments in the forest by just trying to find somewhere to pee. It’s about people taking care of each other and their surroundings in a respectful way that makes it beautiful, and who doesn’t love the aesthetics of a beautiful sound system next to the trees?”
There is something about the wild that calms the human nervous system. For Jessie, nature is not an escape from nightlife but rather its counterpart. “When I think of parties or spaces where I feel most secure playing at, it always comes back to the Swedish forest. Nature overall brings me balance, and when I need to reset my brain, I usually take walks in nature. It helps both mentally and creatively.”

That balance, between intensity and grounding, pulse and pause, has shaped her sound. It is also a balance that chef Filip Jansson has eloquently translated into a white pizza titled Skogen, the Swedish word for forest, for an exclusive Asahi Session evening featuring Jessie.

Each bite is like a step closer to nature; the crisp crust is a perfect base for Swedish spruce bark cheese, drizzled with spruce needle oil, delicately shaved wild forest mushrooms layered with agretti, a fresh, grassy Italian herb, on top. The finishing touch, a dusting of dried black trumpet mushroom powder, creates just the right amount of woody umami. Like her sets, it is less about spectacle than sensation, less about excess than intention. The forest lingers in flavor, in rhythm, in repetition.

It’s this ability to translate place into feeling that defines Jessie’s artistry. Moving seamlessly between sources of inspiration, she extends beyond the confines of genre. “I try my best to affect the scene positively and for it to thrive. For me, transcendence in my artistry comes through storytelling. A great set isn’t just a sequence of tracks. It’s a story shaped by my history, emotions, memories, and the atmosphere of the moment.”
And perhaps that is where the forest rave becomes more than a party. A reminder that when sound, nature, and community converge, we can step beyond the rigid systems of everyday life, if only for a few hours, into something freer and more alive.

Talent: Jessie Granqvist

Team Credits:

Photography by Jakob Möller
Styling by Josef Forselius
Hair and Make-up by Petra Stenhammar
Hair colorist: Sara Dahlgren
Styling Assistants: Vanja Filipovic and Ishi Okenmor
Special Thanks to Studio Turbo, Neo & Mia Wallenius

Fashion Credits:

1 & 10) Dress by J.Simone. Socks: stylist’s own. Shoes by Rombaut. Earrings by All Blues.
2) Knitted hat by Imaskopi. Knitted crop top by V4K. Leather top by KRIBA. Track suit pants by Adidas. Slippers by Crocs. Rings by Laôma Atelier and Arto. Necklace by Arto. Bracelet by All Blues.
3) Top by Tommy Hilfiger. Skirt by Ono Ateliers. Knee socks by Swedish Stockings. Boots by Rombaut. Rings by All Blues.
4) Top and skirt by Ono Ateliers. Knee socks by Swedish Stockings. Mules by Humana. Bracelet by All Blues. Rings by Arto.
5) Jacket and jeans by K16ch1. Sandals by Humana. Rings by Laôma Atelier and Arto. Necklace by Arto.
6) Pink and black knitted tops by V4K. Denim skirt by KRIBA. Rings by Laôma Atelier and Arto. Earrings by All Blues. Hat by Ono Ateliers.
7) Dress by Keta Gutmane. Sunglasses by Chimi. Earrings by All Blues. Sling Back Sandals by Rombaut.
8) Tracksuit jacket and skirt by Aniele Stroz. Boots by Rombaut. Belt by Inan. Rings by Arto. Earrings by All Blues.
9) Dress by KRIBA. Gloves by Trashy Clothing. Socks: stylist’s own. Earrings by All Blues.
11) Dress by Keta Gutmane. Bag by Naff. Earrings by All Blues. Rings by Arto.

In moments of uncertainty, we don’t necessarily search for answers; we look for spaces that allow us to gather, soften and remember who we are beneath the noise. With Yume, vocalist and songwriter Yukimi’s latest EP, she explores the quiet power of dreaming, not as escape, but as expansion. In Stockholm, her music met the table in a sensory dialogue, turning a performance into something shared, layered and deeply human.
After rising to prominence as the vocalist and percussionist of the Grammy-nominated band Little Dragon, she is stepping into a new chapter with Yume, Yukimi’s latest EP. The process though, has remained collaborative. Produced by Erik Bodin, who also worked on her debut solo album, the track ‘Get It Over’ was written with Saya Grey, while ‘All Over Me’ was co-written with artist and guitarist Mia Garcia.

“Every release of new music is a kind of chapter of my life. I go through different things, and so does the music. My songs will hopefully be relatable. I feel like a new person compared to the girl who wrote the early Little Dragon songs. I love and respect her, but I’m very happy to be a wiser version,” Yukimi says and adds:
“I sing about hopes, fantasies, wishes I have for the little biosphere around me, but also for the planet. I hope people can tap into the vulnerable sides of themselves, but also escape to a place with the help of the sounds. Yume has given me a chance to express my dreamy self. The music explores different sides of daydreaming, personal dreams and hopes for myself and the world. I think our world needs us to dream big so we can make it a beautiful place. So much madness is going on that it can easily become paralyzing.”
In times of turbulence, we don’t seek the rational. We look for shared meaning, a sense of belonging and stability. To transcend chaos, we’ve found ourselves gravitating toward experiences that bring us closer to the present and to each other. Throughout history, food and music have been two of humanity’s most powerful social technologies. They allow us to gather, to mark time and ritual, to transmit culture without words, to dissolve hierarchy and invite communion, to transcend the everyday. Neither requires elite access to be meaningful.

In collaboration with Asahi Super Dry 0,0%, Yukimi’s Asahi Sessions performance was no exception to history. Guests gathered not only for the music but for a dream-inspired menu, an ode to Yume, which translates to “dream” in Japanese, turning the evening into a sensory dialogue between sound and taste.
In many ways, the Yume-inspired menu created by chef Ricardo Molteni mirrored life’s chapters. Its textures and flavours moved from the soft innocence of childhood, captured in a bite-sized potato cake with burned leek mayo and juniperberry powder, to the savoury depth of growing older and wiser, expressed through truffle butter served on focaccia with fresh oyster mushrooms, toasted hazelnuts and fine dark chocolate flakes. For Ricardo, it was about balance: blending Japanese flavours while respecting the produce and committing to sustainable practices. Thus, nearly all ingredients were sourced in Sweden.

The hero of the menu, a pork katsu marinated in Asahi beer and miso, breaded and deep-fried, served on toasted sourdough with wild garlic emulsion, charred cabbage and tangy pickles, was, like Yukimi’s sound, soulful, airy and layered all at once.
“I love pairing music with food, and can recall a lot of moments in my life with the two present. I think it gives you more to sense and paint your experience with, sometimes giving a stronger feeling and memory,” Yukimi reflects.
Culinary experiences, like music, allow us to seize the moment while transporting us elsewhere. A form of transcendence not through escape, but through deepening the present, turning the ordinary act of eating or listening into something communal and emotional. Between bites of miso-marinated katsu and the first notes drifting from the microphone, that alchemy felt almost tangible.

For Yukimi, going beyond the conventional limits of art is not about spectacle but sensitivity, about understanding how we function as humans and gently stretching those boundaries. “It’s about using art as a tool for the bigger mass to, for example, feel love or feel pain that has been buried, calming the nervous system so that you can open your mind and think beyond.”
Perhaps that is where transcendence truly lives, not in abandoning the world, but in softening it. In allowing ourselves to gather, to taste, to listen, and to feel just enough to imagine something better. In turbulent times, that quiet expansion may be the most radical act of all.

Talent: Yukimi Nagano

Team Credits:

Photography by John Scarisbrick
Styling by Mili Malinovic
Hair by Francisca Saavedra
Make-up by Sóley Astudóttir
Words by Hannah Magnusson
DOP/short film by Atelier-riot

Fashion Credits:

1 & 9) White shirt by A.W.A.K.E MODE. Black shirt by Maison Margiela. Pants by Samantha Esfandiari. Skirt-shirt by Celine.
2 & 3) Dress by Stinarand. Stockings by Calzedonia. Shoes by Balenciaga.
4) Headpiece by Paco Rabanne. Asymmetrical top by Wilhja. Skirt by Comme Des Garçons. Baotou flats: stylist’s own.
5) Dress by Emma Carling.
6) Leather jacket by Anni Salonen. Skirt by Anna Danielsson. Leotard by Alaïa. Shoes by Sophie Tiné.
7) Dress by Jacob Ploski.
8) Striped blazer by KRIBA. Sheer bralette by Dries Van Noten. Gloves by Tuuli-Tytti Koivula. Skirt by Sacai.
10) Puffer kimono coat by Yakusha.

Team Credits:

Photography by Marcel Frommer
Styling by Emilia Heitmann
Makeup & hair by Florian Fuchs
Model: Valentina Nataf at The Face Paris
Artist Management: Boschtobanrap and Nina Klein

Fashion Credits:

1) Jacket by Solène Lescouët. Pants by Zara.
2) Corset top, bodysuit and leggings by KRIBA.
3 & 5) Jacket by Zara. Skirt by KRIBA. Shoes by Empty Behavior.
4) Headpiece by Esky Safrash. Dress by Piacevole e.
6) Hat by Chochengco. Jacket and top by KRIBA. Pants by Zara.
7) Top by Chochengco. Pants by Zara.

Team Credits:

Photography by Marie Dalmasso
Styling by Victorie Seveno
Make-up by Hind Sousan
Hair by Raynald Croix Bernard
Models Emeli Cestari, Tessa Dixson & Belle Vanderkley

Fashion Credits:

1) Top and bag by JOHANNA PARV
2) T-shirt by Meiloumi. Jeans by The Frankie Shop. Shoes by Nike. Sunglasses by Oakley
3) Shirt by Dries van Noten. Corset by KRIBA. Skirt vintage. Jeans by The Frankie Shop. Shoes vintage
4) Zip sweater by Sergio Tacchini. Leather corset and pants by Dromz. Shoes by Dries van Noten. Socks by Nike
5) Sweater by Maison J. Simone. Shorts by Transe Paris. Tights by FALKE
6) Dress by Dries van Noten
7) T-Shirt by Dickies. Corset by KRIBA
8) Hat by AXEL ARIGATO. Necklace by Acne Studios
9) Skirt by Maison J. Simone. Mesh Top by KLG. Jacket by Vivienne Westwood
10) Sweater by Maison J. Simone. Jacket by Vivienne Westwood