‘Ain’t it fun’ to be noticed by your idol?
A Manila-based illustrator, prompted by an interactive post on X, recently shared his entry for a viral thread about “kwentong third world artist” by recounting his unforgettable interaction with Hayley Williams, the lead vocalist of the American rock band Paramore.
On Thursday, Sept. 28, artist CJ Pangindian reminisced about the time he made the “After Laughter”-inspired sticker set in 2018 to sell it online since he wanted to buy himself a new phone.
Much to his surprise, Williams noticed his sticker set and contacted him, with the American record label Fueled by Ramen reaching out to express Williams’ interest in merchandising his design.
back in 2018 i had literally no money left tapos yung phone ko nakaangat na yung screen dahil sa battery. natripan ko gumawa ng sticker set para makabili ng bagong phone. then days later miss hayley williams stalked my instagram nilike mga old posts ko hahaha then weeks later https://t.co/6arPMXjveS
— c-j (@allweknowiscj) September 28, 2023
‘That’s what you get when you let your heart win’
Pangindian delved into art as a child but began taking it seriously when he started marketing his designs on social media in 2016. He illustrated various art prints, ranging from Ghibli-inspired concepts to Paramore fan art.
When the band released their fifth album, After Laughter, he quickly created watercolor paintings using its soft-toned color scheme.
“[After Laughter became] my instant favorite as I [went] through the same situation that the album narrates. I got inspired to paint, and I didn’t expect that Hayley Williams herself would see it!” Pangindian expressed.
In November 2018, Paramore’s official Facebook page introduced the official merchandise lineup designed by the “pals from the community,” which included Pangindian’s “Paramore Little Rain Cloud T-Shirt.” /ra
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