Chaos and Creativity – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Kimi and Lou sit down with Annicka Ekvall, a Swedish-American DJ and producer making major waves in the minimal melodic house scene. Closely associated with Insomniac, Annicka has performed on the world's biggest stages, including EDC, Coachella and Burning Man. She joins us to discuss the magic of staying grounded while playing for thousands and why her newest role, being a mom to a baby girl is her greatest blessing and inspiration.

Key Highlights:

• The Power of Presence: Why being grounded on stage is the secret to creating a truly transformative experience for a crowd.
• Connection Over Impression: Shifting the focus from playing a set to connecting with the soul of the audience.
• Storytelling in Music: How Annicka uses house, soul, and funk vibrations to tell a narrative of love and inspiration.

Connect with Annicka 

• Instagram: @foreverannicka
• Stream Her Sets: https://youtu.be/vbyIioz2yfE?si=MmklxMZXqGUQ15xf 

Connect with the Show

• Hosts: Kimi Recor and Lou Lesko
• Producer: Claire Duncan
• Instagram: @chaosandcreativitypodcast

How do you handle criticism when you are deeply connected to your work?

In this episode, Lou and Kimi talk about what it really feels like to receive feedback as a creative. Whether you are an artist, producer, designer, writer or entrepreneur, learning how to take criticism can be the key to growing your ideas and your confidence.

Creatives often become emotionally attached to their work, which can make it hard to know if something is actually good or needs more development. Lou and Kimi share how they personally deal with criticism and why honest feedback has become an important part of their creative process.

They also discuss how preparing yourself mentally can make a big difference when receiving criticism. Being grounded, well rested and open can help you respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally.

If you are a creative trying to grow, build confidence and make better work, this episode is for you.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel.

Lou heads to London to chat with Joe Ingham, an award-winning producer and filmmaker who works in development and production across both the UK and US. Joe has helped bring projects to life with Amazon, BBC, Sky, Channel 4, Paramount, and more, and his films Baby Lies Truthfully and The Microcosm.

In this episode, Joe breaks down what “development” in TV and film actually means, taking an idea from its earliest spark and shaping it into something ready for the screen. He talks about the creativity, patience, and people skills it takes to make it happen, plus the importance of keeping an open mind and creating space for new ideas.

If you’ve ever wondered what really goes on before your favorite shows or documentaries get made, this conversation will pull back the curtain on a side of the industry most people never get to see.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

In this mini-episode, Lou and Kimi talk about YouTube running AI filters over videos, without creators asking for it. Has AI ever automatically edited your content? What does that mean for creativity?

YouTube is one of the biggest living archives we have, but if AI starts changing our work, are we actually moving backward? Things are already at the point of overproduction, and social media feels exhausting. 

Lou and Kimi ask: should AI be making creative decisions, or do we need to bring back imperfection and stay connected to art?

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

Episode Links: 

BBC Article: YouTube secretly used AI to edit people's videos. The results could bend reality

Rick Beato Youtube 

In this episode, Kimi and Lou sit down with award-winning visual artist Natalie Lennard, also known as self-portraitist Miss Aniela, and surreal fashion photographer Natalie Dybisz.

Natalie reveals the genesis of her highly imagined photographic art and how she holds on to the joy of creating despite the sometimes difficult challenges of realizing her vision. Lou and Natalie talk about what it takes to follow inspiration with intention, how art evolves over time, and why exploring new directions keeps creativity alive.

As Natalie Lennard, she is best known for her powerful and groundbreaking Birth Undisturbed series, a stunning and surreal exploration of feminism and natural childbirth. Natalie digs into how the series came together and how it affected her.

The conversation also touches on the role of AI in art, asking whether it can support creativity without replacing it. Natalie also opens up about audiences, identity, and her exciting shift into writing a novel.

Whether you’re an artist looking for inspiration or simply curious about the forces that shape creativity, this episode offers a thoughtful look at building art, vision, and meaning from the ground up.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

In this minisode, Kimi and Lou dive into the fascinating and sometimes unsettling world of AI. Sparked by the appearance of an AI model in Vogue, they explore how artificial intelligence is transforming art, fashion, and creativity. 

Is AI taking jobs from real artists and models? How is it impacting diversity and beauty standards? Could it be limiting the very creativity that inspires us?

Kimi and Lou also reflect on the moments of raw, human creativity that AI cannot replicate and what we risk losing as technology advances. Whether you are a creator, a fashion lover, or simply curious about the AI revolution, this episode will make you rethink what you see online and what is real.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

In this episode, Lou and Kimi sit down with Ava Roy who is celebrating her 25 years at We Players, a theater company that brings productions to life in breathtaking outdoor locations. Ava has been transforming California’s parks, shorelines, and historic sites into epic stages for over two decades.

Known for crafting performances that merge place with play, Ava shares how physical space can ignite the imagination and shape the emotional arc of a show. She breaks down the deeply complex and alchemical process of creating a production that doesn’t just entertain but envelops, where the audience is not just watching but living the experience.

We talk about how imperfection fuels art, the demands of building something from nothing, and how growing up surrounded by history shaped Ava’s uniquely intuitive and imaginative approach to directing.

If you’ve ever wondered how a play comes together or how place can become a character of its own, this is a must listen.

Her next show, The Keeper, co-created with Britt Lauer, a celebration of the small and the vast — an absurd and joyful drama premiering September 5–7, 2025 at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center in Washington.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember, always act a little cooler than you feel!

Join Lou and Kimi for a conversation that’s been on our minds lately: Is content the new spam?

With so much noise on social media, AI-generated posts, recycled trends, and endless “value-packed” videos, we’re starting to wonder... has content lost its meaning? 

It’s starting to feel like the internet is full of stuff that doesn’t really matter. And in the middle of it, the few pieces of truly good content stands out more than ever.

We also talk about how real-world connection is becoming more valuable in a world saturated with screens. Humans need each other. We need third spaces like parks, coffee shops, and libraries. And maybe even fourth spaces... book clubs, running groups, or anything that pulls us offline and brings us face to face.

This minisode is a quick reflection on stepping back, taking a breath, and finding space to think. There’s a kind of creativity that only shows up when you put your phone down and spend a little time alone with your thoughts. 

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember—always act a little cooler than you feel! Sign up for our newsletter

Mentioned in this episode: 

Brick is a physical device that temporarily blocks distracting apps and their notifications on a user's phone. 

The September Issue 

Lou Lesko of BlinkBid Explains Why Social Media is Useless Without Real World Connections

Have you ever watched a movie and thought, “This song is perfect for this scene?” That’s the work of a music supervisor, and in this episode, Kimi and Lou talk to one of the best.

Terri d’Ambrosio is an audio post and music supervisor at MarcoCo. Studios, where she oversees projects from script to final mix. With experience in music production, licensing, editing, and sound design, she brings a rare depth of knowledge to every project she touches.

Recent projects include We Live in Public, The Revolutionary Optimists, The Rape of Europa, Inequality For All, and HBO’s 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Krause. She’s also worked in the music industry in A&R and record promotions, collaborating with artists like Jon Anderson, Ottmar Liebert, and Charo.

In this episode, Terri gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to build a soundtrack. From clearing music rights and negotiating deals to the creative process of finding the perfect track, Terri wears a lot of hats to make it all happen. 

If you’ve never heard of a music supervisor or never realized how much work goes into building a soundtrack, this episode will definitely surprise you. We loved this conversation and think you will too.

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember—always act a little cooler than you feel!

In this mini episode, Lou and Kimi revisit the story behind Chaos and Creativity and reflect on the power of origin stories. The ones that are messy. The ones that take time. The ones that remind us why we do the work. 

It started at the bar at The Buckeye Roadhouse. Lou and Kimi, a bottle of red, and a lot of chaos.

Now, many years later, we got to thinking… where does a creative journey really begin?

Do origin stories give us a sense of hope? Do they help us find happiness, or explain why people become who they are  for better or worse? Is there always a bit of magic in the beginning, or sometimes a reason things go dark?

Lou and Kimi explore how every artist has their own unique story, and why no one origin story needs to be better than another. It’s about finding the story within your story. And sometimes, asking the right questions to get to someone else’s.

So tell us — what’s your origin story?

Stay tuned for more Chaos & Creativity on Instagram. And remember—always act a little cooler than you feel!

Mentioned in this episode: 

Songs from the Shed

Full Origin Story of Chaos and Creativity