LISTED: 50 L.A. Creatives Moving Culture Forward in 2026

In the span of a couple of years, 2hollis went from enigmatic underground figure to one of the most promising young stars in pop. On his debut, boy, he proved he was a musical shapeshifter, bending sounds to his own whims. On star, he fully embraced the role of superstar. So where to next? A new album, Pirouette, is coming in November and if "Warhorse" and "sex" are any indication, he's only going to push his art further. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

When Leimert Park’s Harun Coffee reopened in January 2026, it meant more than just another great cup of coffee in L.A.; it brought a hallowed local institution back to the city. At the helm now is Aariona Johnson, daughter of founder Chace Johnson, and she’s involved in everything from marketing to crafting new beverages. A true multi-hyphenate, with a background in music, fashion, and visual art, she’s helping Harun maintain its place as a community hub, with events, pop-ups, and local toy drives. —Grant Rindner

The couple that powers together towers together, and Adair Curtis and Jason Bolden are mighty. Their lifestyle firm, JSN Studio (named for Jason, sans vowels), marries fashion and interior design, keeping cribs and red carpets looking fresh. As creative director and stylist, Bolden dresses stars like Steph Curry, Gigi Hadid, and Aaron Pierre, while Curtis decks out Beverly Hills staples like the Rosewood. They launched the L.A. cocktail bar Damn, I Miss Paris earlier this year; 2027 brings an Abrams-published coffee table book, furniture partnerships, and, of course, keeping Michael B. Jordan dapper as hell for the rollout of The Thomas Crown Affair. —John Kennedy

Aidan Cullen and Alex Gruszynski built Nova, their creative-industries hiring platform, by passing on the VC route and instead raising from more than 50 backers who actually use it, including Drake's DreamCrew. That bet is paying off: The founders say Nova has now connected creatives to more than $120 million in paid work, giving photographers, stylists, and directors who used to get passed over a backend of their own. Cullen, who has shot for Gucci and Drake, is still a working creative himself—proof the founders understand exactly who they're building for.

Fearlessly colorful, artist Alake Shilling earned a reputation for turning whimsy into fine art. Drawing on cartoons, Lisa Frank nostalgia, and the offbeat figuration of the Chicago Imagists, her paintings, ceramics, and sculptures have won her major institutional recognition. In 2023, the Whitney Museum commissioned her first public artwork, the mural Buggy Bear Goes on a Cool Cruise. In 2025, the Hammer Museum selected her for its Made in L.A. biennial, where her 25-foot inflatable Buggy Bear Crashes Made in L.A. greeted visitors. Now, she’s on this list. —Peter A. Berry

The L.A. Dodgers fitted is a staple of Los Angeles culture, and Alan the G, via his brand ay el ay en, is making some of the coolest ones out there. With subtle airbrush detailing, he adds twinkling stars you don't need a Griffith Observatory telescope to see. His work brings a rare sense of restraint to the typically maximalist airbrush style, adding variety and texture to one of his city's signature visual languages. —Grant Rindner

The name of Alana Pallister's Y2K-inspired women's line doubles as a declaration. I.AM.GIA—inspired by Gia Marie Carangi, the OG supermodel—emblazons the late icon's name across its signature tracksuits, channeling Baby Phat's logo-heavy sex appeal for a new generation. That runway-ready confidence takes a more polished form in Pallister's second clothing line, CDP, whose initials pay tribute to her mother. Launched last year, CDP dresses the modern professional woman whose sophisticated fits speak before she does. —John Kennedy

Alfonso Gonzalez Jr. found his calling by following the signs. After watching his dad work as a commercial sign painter, the L.A. native learned the craft himself, carrying on a tradition of hand-painted signage that's disappearing from his city. His LACMA installation, In Between Stops, lines the museum's concourse with 12 bus-stop benches that swap ads for personal and socially conscious messages. Gonzalez's work offers sharp social commentary and preserves local stories, reminding us all that there's power in coloring outside the lines. —John Kennedy

Few places on Earth take airbrush art as seriously as L.A., thanks to a mix of influences including hip-hop, car culture, and the city's large Mexican and Latin American communities. That makes it all the more impressive that Andrew Martinez, a third-generation airbrush artist, has become one of his hometown's preeminent practitioners. His brand, Guava, produces some of the most vibrant airbrush work you'll ever see, from embellished Dodgers gear to moving Kobe Bryant tributes to merch for Burna Boy's Madison Square Garden show. —Grant Rindner

AZ Chike was already a hometown hero before a single appearance on Kendrick Lamar's GNX made him a next-up contender. Of all the up-and-coming LA rappers featured on the album, he's shown the most promise: a deft lyricist who can lock in with, and even out-rizz, your favorites. On "Look Like My Mama," he's so magnetic you forget Tyler, the Creator is on the track, too. One thing is clear: The West is in good hands. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

With Ism Publishing, Brice Waller and Carlos Avalos have created a place for L.A.'s artists and outside-the-box creatives to get their work to the masses. Ism's library is vast but rooted in the city's rich history of visual literature. They've made gorgeous books with visual artists like Brendan Lynch, Roger Random, and David Hernández, while keeping zine culture alive through their own Community series, curated gallery events, and collaborations with local filmmakers, musicians, and photographers. —Grant Rindner

You’ve heard the story since Obsession hit theaters (and stayed in theaters) back in May 2026—director Curry Barker turned a conversation about one of his YouTube shorts The Chair into the pitch that became Obsession, which turned a $750,000 budget into $519 million at the global box office. How? By showing rather than telling; similar to a Jordan Peele (who Barker has called an inspiration), Barker’s work can be funny, but when it flips the switch, boy is it terrifying! Obsession worked best by going to the nth degree to explain why Bear’s decision to wish a friend into loving him was a grave mistake, and the proof in his work was helping 2026 become one of the best years at the cinema. And Barker already has his next projects lined up, from his original Anything But Ghosts to a reboot of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. —khal

Creative production runs in Dani Gianna Edgren's family. Her mother produced the music shows Midnight Special and Solid Gold, and her father handled creative direction and production for Earth, Wind & Fire, Gloria Estefan, and the grand opening of Yankee Stadium. Edgren has spent the last two decades producing shows of her own, including a 10-year run on the Grammy Awards. She's worked with brands like Nike and PlayStation, artists like Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Drake, and Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter in 2025. Her work has even touched the ComplexCon floor: She produced Travis Scott's Cactus Jack in 2024. —khal

When Daniel Buezo and Weleh Dennis started Kids of Immigrants in 2016, the brand was a testament to scrappiness: garments made from recycled pieces and thrift finds, repurposed to celebrate the rich texture of the immigrant experience. A decade later, Buezo and Dennis opened their first flagship, on Melrose Avenue, as a home base for retail, art, education, fútbol, and community programming. It anchors a brand that has produced dozens of gorgeous pieces blending streetwear style with multicultural appreciation and a deep sense of kinship. Born in Brooklyn to Honduran parents, Buezo has become a pivotal figure in L.A.'s globally inflected fashion scene. —Grant Rindner

Devon DeJardin designed the artwork for Gunna's 2025 album The Last Wun. But the self-taught painter hopes his first music crossover doesn't live up to the title. "I'd love to work with Frank Ocean," the Portland native tells Complex. "My work deals heavily with protection, vulnerability, identity, and the idea of the Guardian... there could be a compelling intersection between those concepts and his music." DeJardin's undergrad theology studies inform the anthropomorphic Guardian figures that recur throughout his art: surreal, cubist abstractions inspired by the forces that guide and protect us. With a Seoul exhibition next month, he plans to keep pushing P(aintings) beyond the gallery. —John Kennedy

In 2025, Dijon helped create the bones of Justin Bieber's Swag and Swag II, released his tender sophomore album, Baby, and landed a role in the Best Picture-winner One Battle After Another. Not too shabby for a singer who's been chipping away at the edges of pop for years. The rest of the world is finally catching up. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

Hailing from Oakland, singer-songwriter-producer Dylan Patrice Wiggins is a creative with legend in his veins: His pops is Dwayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné!, and his uncle is Raphael Saadiq. After working alongside Kehlani as a member of PopLyfe, he's earned credits with Katy Perry, the Weeknd, SZA, Logic, and others, establishing himself as a California creative on the rise. He can seemingly do a little bit of everything, and he's set to keep doing it. —Peter A. Berry

Clothing designer and artistic multi-hyphenate Eli Russell Linnetz found early supporters in A$AP Rocky, whom he dressed for the 2021 Met Gala, and Dior's Kim Jones, who tapped him as guest designer for a 2022 menswear capsule. That same year, ERL, the Venice Beach-based label he launched in 2018, was named an LVMH Prize finalist and won the Karl Lagerfeld Prize. The brand works clever touches of classic California—swirls that look like breaking waves, knee-length boardwalk shorts—into its high-fashion ethos. Also renowned for his photographic eye, Linnetz recently shot (and styled) Tony Hawk, Lisa Rinna, Jeff Goldblum, Travis Barker, and more for the Los Angeles Times. —Grant Rindner

The forces behind surging streetwear brand Satoshi Nakamoto are as mysterious as the Bitcoin creator who inspired its name. Yet internet sleuths connected the dots, revealing George Robertson as a major player behind the curtain. Robertson is a former Rhude part-owner and a co-writer of LMFAO's 2011 hit "Sexy and I Know It." His Los Angeles-based luxury label marries moto culture, vintage Americana, and distressed looks, and its pieces have been worn by Ye, Westside Gunn, Teyana Taylor, and Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose. —John Kennedy

If you've been paying attention, Inde Navarrette isn't new. She appeared in the final season of Netflix's 13 Reasons Why and spent four seasons on Superman & Lois before becoming a new horror queen in Curry Barker's Obsession. Her ability to swing between sickly sweet and horrifying had viewers debating the film after repeat viewings. It also turned many of her biggest moments into some of 2026's most viral memes. Then Marvel cast her as Rogue in its upcoming X-Men. What a difference one horror film can make! —khal

Growing up in Orange County, Indiana Piorek taught himself photography on cameras he stole from Goodwill. "People love this shitty lo-fi aesthetic," he said in a 2025 interview, "but in reality it's all I had. I would love to be able to do something else, but I genuinely only know how to do that." His grainy, direct-to-video look has drawn in collaborators like Kim Kardashian, Playboi Carti, and JT. This year, he directed the video for Future's "California Girls" and shot beautifully strange photos for Gabbriette and Matty Healy's wedding. His appreciation for the visceral qualities of 2000s pornography and horror-movie SFX is apparent in his recent shoot for CR Fashion Book, in which Gabbriette, in various states of undress, handles raw meat. —Ross Scarano

Founded in 2019, Happy Memories Don't Die has risen to the forefront of modern streetwear. Its drops of motocross jerseys, crystal-studded sweats, and vintage-style tees sell out with ease. Brothers Jack and Jyde Manson have tapped into the chronically online Gen Z customer with a social media-driven approach and memberships that offer early access to new releases. At the same time, they draw massive lines in every city where they stage a pop-up. —Mike DeStefano

If you want to get fits off like your life depends on it, Jaclyn Fleurant should be on your list. The stylist and custom jewelry designer has put together outfits for everyone from Sydney Sweeney to Bebe Rexha, and pieces from her jewelry brand, Letra, have been worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Kali Uchis, and Kylie Jenner. Clearly, she's doing big business with even bigger names. If you're lit enough—and rich enough—maybe you could make her list, too. If not, you can simply admire her imagination and hustle from afar. —Peter A. Berry

Jon Yao is a renowned chef who's made a serious imprint on the California food scene. He's the chef and co-owner of Kato, the Taiwanese American tasting-menu spot in the Arts District. This summer, Kato earned its second Michelin star, making it one of L.A.'s few two-star restaurants. It also took home a 2026 James Beard Award for its beverage program. That's on top of Yao's own 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: California. Technically, that means he could make a credible argument that he's the best cook in all of Cali. Yao's already got stripes, and he'll surely earn plenty more. He's shaping the culture and, if you're lucky, your cuisine, too. —Peter A. Berry

Since dropping his debut album, FORWARD, in 2023, Jordan Ward has been one of our R&B favorites: a natural storyteller with a knack for merging R&B with alternative sounds. This year, he went backward. No, really—the follow-up, BACKWARD, revealed a more introspective, wrenching singer who's still firmly in his groove. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

Cherry L.A. came up the right way. Joseph Perez and David Levy, who moved to L.A. as kids from Paris and Montreal, respectively, grew up in their families' garment factories. When they launched their brand in 2017, they kept production in downtown L.A. and made pieces meant to last. Since then, they've kept refining their Americana-meets-streetwear approach. They've also proven the operation can scale, opening flagship stores in LA and Malibu and linking with Wrangler on last winter's "The Fast Ones" collection. Early co-signs from stars like Kaia Gerber made Cherry an It brand for the city’s young consumers, but well-executed product is what kept it around after the viral moment passed. —Mike DeStefano

As Gallery Dept. approaches its 10th anniversary next year, the men behind the clothing-as-art brand have their eyes set on expansion. Founder and artist Josué Thomas designed Gallery Dept.'s first-ever eyewear collection, which dropped in July, following 2025 collabs with Paris Saint-Germain and Vans. Next up, Thomas and longtime tailor Jesse Jones plan to grow the brand stateside and abroad, continuing to construct head-turning pieces. —John Kennedy

It doesn't get more grassroots than Summaeverythang, which South Central native Lauren Halsey started in a space next to her art studio. Halsey, whose texturally bold, kaleidoscopic art has been shown at the Met, LACMA, and Gagosian, founded Summaeverythang to offer support within the community she loves, starting with free organic produce for neighborhood households. Just this year, the center has held retreats for young women, offered free yoga and line dance classes, and taught magazine design and music production to the next generation of South Central artists. Halsey also unveiled sister dreamer, a free public sculpture park celebrating her neighborhood. —Grant Rindner

Nominally, Magdalena O’Neal is a chef and food stylist. But if you take a deeper look at her work, she might as well be described as a food philosopher. She operates as the Culinary Director at Hike Clerb and she aims to erase gaps in understanding between food and culture and heritage across the globe, with a particular focus on African and African American cuisine. Through travels to Mexico City and Europe, she’s helped shape people’s concept of food and cultural lineage one meal at a time. —Peter A. Berry

As a former vintage reseller, Marquise Miller knows how to make old school feel cool. Alongside creative partner Aaron Christmon, the stylist from Hawthorne, California, looked to the past when creating the Modern Dandy collection for Walmart, which fuses Black dandyism, tailoring, and streetwear. That same sartorial eye is the reason Joey Bada$$, Amaarae, and Jazmine Sullivan got that shit on every time they step out. "I'm most excited about people being aware of all the cool things that have come before our time," he told Complex in 2025. Sounds dandy. —John Kennedy

In late August, more than 1,000 lovers of ’90s and 2000s hip-hop and R&B turned up at the Porter Junction Cafe in downtown L.A. with one specific directive: Keep your phone in your damn pocket and catch a vibe. That's the ethos of Slow Jamz, a lifestyle brand Elwood Espiritu founded a decade ago to bring playlists, apparel, and listening and dance experiences to a music-loving community. Alongside Espiritu (b.k.a. Mr. Slow Jamz), Micah Jordan (a.k.a. Micahdelics) is a regular DJ at the functions, including that phone-free bash. It's a guaranteed good time. —John Kennedy

Mk.gee's 2024 album Two Star & the Dream Police was a scene changer, a dreamy, melodic mix of analog and digital that created a sound so singular even Bieber needed some of the sauce for Swag. He's now arguably the coolest person in music, with a lively, energetic stage show to match his recorded mystique. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

Neima Khaila co-founded Pink Dolphin, then became creative director of SKYLRK, the label he built from scratch with Justin Bieber. In 2026, SKYLRK turned Coachella into its own storefront: a 10,000-square-foot "Oasis" installation and on-site shop that helped the brand shatter the festival's merch record. The previous record was $1.7 million; SKYLRK did $15 million across both weekends, including online drops.

Since his 2024 mixtape, 19-year-old Nettspend has been telling us he's a Bad Ass F*cking Kid. Now he's showing us he's growing up. Don't worry: He's still walking runways, still at the top of your aura mood board, and still one of the kings of the modern underground. But his debut album, March's Early Life Crisis, brought new layers of depth. "Sober" reflects on the choices he's making now without losing the left-of-center energy that got him here. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

Madhappy's cofounders spent 2026 collabing with almost everyone while still looking unmistakably like Madhappy. Hello Kitty returned for a second collab, complete with a cherry-covered installation at their West Hollywood flagship. Puma got a pastel satin Speedcat, and Disney's classic characters got the optimist-core treatment. In September, the brand opened a flagship in Seoul's Dosan Park, its fifth worldwide. Together, this crew has built something rare in streetwear: a brand that keeps getting bigger without getting diluted.

There's probably nowhere on Earth with more DJs per capita than Los Angeles, but Micah Mahinay, a.k.a. Noodles, has become one of the city's essential record spinners. She blends old-school turntable skills learned from her father with a distinctly modern approach to curation and serious social media savvy. (Not to mention, her SoundCloud emo mash-ups pairing artists like Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy with GoldLink and The Kid Laroi are an absolute delight.) She's performed at major L.A. events like Camp Flog Gnaw and Soulection Experience, all while touring the globe with Kehlani. —Grant Rindner

Pariya Rahni's unique eye, sourcing skills, and overall fashion sense have made her one of L.A.'s most in-demand celebrity stylists. In 2025, she transformed Kylie Cantrall into a hair-metal diva for the Grammys and helped Julez Smith Jr. own the red carpet at GQ's Men of the Year party. She also styled Dazed's ambitious Nike skateboarding crossover cover and has become a sought-after model in her own right. —Grant Rindner

When the Los Angeles Times published a story titled "Gen Z's weekend plans? Wait an hour for a $6 matcha in your most expensive hoodie," it cemented Community Goods as the cafe for L.A.'s young people. Co-owner Pedro Cavaliere used the hustle and networking skills he picked up working in the music industry to build a genuine sensation, known for its ceremony-grade matcha and beloved breakfast sliders. Originally from São Paulo, Cavaliere has found a community in L.A. eager to embrace his vision for an all-day cafe. —Grant Rindner

No Maintenance is what happens when two archive nerds decide to make their own stuff. Roe Hodgson and Sebastian Moraga bonded over Japanese designer grails, then fell down a rabbit hole of ’50s and ’60s Americana before launching the label in 2020. The result is an ever-growing assortment of vintage-inspired pieces remixed for a modern wardrobe. They never went to fashion school, but thousands of collected pieces taught them plenty. In 2026, they're making old clothes feel brand new without leaving their roots behind. Their private warehouse remains a treasure trove for L.A. stylists and fashionable celebs lucky enough to get access. —Mike DeStefano

The look of Hellstar is so influential that the copycats are countless. Since 2020, Sean "Seanie" Holland and Joseph "Juice" Pendleton have turned flames, religious symbolism, and all-over graphics into the blueprint for new-school streetwear. Airbrush artist Miles Franklin gives it a hand-done finish: At ComplexCon 2025, he customized every purchase from the brand's Adidas booth live. An ongoing Adidas partnership proves Hellstar deserves to be taken seriously and has much more to offer than its early viral hits. A project with Interscope and the Tupac Shakur Estate is set to debut at ComplexCon. Beyond clothing, Hellstar Sports runs youth camps, leagues, and NIL scholarships. Hellstar isn't just selling to the next generation. It's using its platform to give them the tools to level up. —Mike DeStefano

Shane Gonzales was 19 when he launched Midnight Studios in 2014, and its punk-meets-luxury take on L.A. streetwear quickly won over A$AP Rocky and Virgil Abloh. (At ComplexCon 2017, his booth sat right next to Abloh's.) With Midnight on indefinite hiatus, Gonzales has spent the past three years building Alice Hollywood, a spiritual successor that turns punk, skate, and early-2000s nostalgia into hardcore haute couture. In 2026, he reunited with 424's Guillermo Andrade, the first to stock Midnight on Fairfax, for a full-circle capsule. Now he's bringing Alice Hollywood to ComplexCon for its 10th anniversary.

Siddiq Cornish is outside in every sense of the word. In 2022, the Philly native relaunched Pacific Town Club—a 1950s social club dedicated to the great outdoors—to expose Black and Brown folks to recreation in nature. From hiking and fishing to snowboarding and rafting, members foster connection while touching grass (or water, or snow). “The flyest thing you can do is go outside with your people,” says Cornish, who is gearing up for new adventures, merch, and content drops to commemorate PTC’s fifth anniversary in 2027. “Experience nature and the beauty of the world.” —John Kennedy

Sophie Gray is an emerging DJ, and if you've been going to the right parties in L.A., you've already encountered her. Originally from Toronto and raised in the Valley, she started out as a producer, learning from YouTube tutorials and picking up Ableton tips from a family friend before she was a teenager. Now she's moving crowds with house and baile funk sets, including one she played from a convertible cruising down PCH. This summer, she joined heds on the bill for Red Bull Midsummer's U.S. debut at the Hollywood Roosevelt, the L.A. finale of a 28-hour global party headlined by TOKiMONSTA. She's not a household name yet, but give it time. —Peter A. Berry

Sydney Szramowski, aka sydn4sty, is a makeup artist and casting pro who's made a name for herself in L.A.'s creative scene. An L.A. native, she has spent more than a decade in fashion. She started as a designer and stylist at cult label UNIF before moving into makeup, casting, and creative direction. Her music video credits include Olivia Rodrigo's "Obsessed," glaive's "Three Wheels and It Still Drives!," Tennis' "Let's Make a Mistake Tonight," and Jesse Jo Stark's "Slayer," and she styled and cast Lil Tracy's "Heart." Her Instagram, where she's both artist and model, is a riot of saturated color and glitter that has drawn 196,000 followers and earned her a Shorty Award nomination. —Peter A. Barry

Taylor McNeill put Kendrick Lamar in those Celine jeans for his Super Bowl halftime show—"a real culturally defining moment," per her own agency. In 2025, she pulled off the same alchemy for Timothée Chalamet's Marty Supreme press run, earning a spot on The Hollywood Reporter's 2026 list of top Hollywood power stylists. From Chalamet to Robert Pattinson to Brad Pitt, McNeill quietly decides what "well-dressed" means for some of Hollywood's most photographed men.

While many creatives put their work out there on front street, Tim Hinshaw is a behind-the-scenes exec who makes sure other creatives get into the spotlight in the first place. From 2018 to 2023, he served as Amazon Music's head of hip-hop and R&B, where he helped develop 50 & Forever, a series celebrating rap's 50th birthday that spotlighted artists like Common, Mary J. Blige, and Jeezy. In 2023, he launched Free Lunch, a creative studio and agency he uses to close the gap between the corporate world and the arts. Since then, it has co-presented Kendrick Lamar's Pop Out concert and expanded into Free Lunch Records, a Warner Records partnership whose first signings were Syd and Alex Isley. —Peter A. Berry

Trevor Gorji's been at this streetwear shit for years—he could write the manual. In all seriousness, he started his own skatewear line as a teen, and he's only leveled up since. He's best known for launching Fugazi, a streetwear brand that reimagines big names with bootleg aesthetics. What began as a tongue-in-cheek meme nodding to bootleg culture has gotten very legit: Gorji opened a flagship store on Canal Street in 2024 and a second store in West Hollywood this year. From the name to the premise, Fugazi is very funny, but Gorji is no joke. —Peter A. Berry

Zac Clark still runs FTP exactly like he did as a teenager printing shirts near his high school: no investors, no stockists, drops only. The same attitude shows up in who he picks to front the brand. FTP lookbooks have starred DMX, Chief Keef, and Bam Margera, and in March, Clark tapped a recently freed Max B to model its 150-piece Spring/Summer 2026 collection. Sixteen years in, Clark still answers to nobody.

Zamar Velez is a young photographer with a serious resume. At 21, he shot Issa Rae's 2021 cover for Paper, and he's photographed a range of artists since. Along the way, he's become known for his nostalgic style and for co-founding the Black Image Center, a nonprofit L.A. space that connects Black youth with the tools and resources to make art. Who better to help than someone who's already doing it? —Peter A. Berry

If you've ever marveled at Migos' drip, Zoe Costello likely had a hand in it. The London-born stylist, who now laces everyone from Keith Lee and Key Glock to Quavo and Jade Cargill, is pulling strings and threads in the West Coast's fashion capital. After bringing her edgy, eclectic style to collaborations with brands like Hudson Jeans, Costello launched her own namesake women's line earlier this year. With more work on the way, including placements in an unnamed client's album artwork dropping "very soon," Costello's drip is feeling more like a downpour. —John Kennedy