Laotian American spoken word artist Catzie Vilayphonh is the Fashion Director for two.one.five magazine where she also does her weekly column Catz Out The Bag with everyone from designers to directors and artists to actors. She’s been an editor at dorkmag.com and a manager and assistant buyer at Ubiq. When she’s not working a day job, Catzie is one member of the spoken word group Yellow Rage. Bakka Magazine caught up with her:

Bryan Thao Worra: What are you working on these days, artistically?
Catzie Vilayphonh: Artistically, hmmm. That’s a hard one. I haven’t written any new poems in a while but I have a gang of them bubbling up in my head so hopefully, when i get a chance to sit down and I can put them into words.

Right now I am the Fashion Director for two.one.five magazine, but I am also a staff writer so my time is spent putting together photo shoots, networking with designers, photographers and models and then the writing.

The writing is divied up into 3 parts: Catz Out The Bag, my weekly interview column on two.one.five’s site which seems to have become a bi-weekly at the moment because of how busy I’ve gotten; the articles for which I never make the deadlines for; and the outside freelance stuff I tried to slide in between because I like being able to have different outlets.

I am also the Transmit Editor for Theme Magazine which is based in New York, and my other artistic outlet is in music helping my producer friends who shall remain nameless, get on their creative and keep it going. I guess you can say I’m a music muse, haha.

BTW: How did you first get into writing and the performing arts?
Catzie: I wanted to be an actress right after high school but wasn’t sure how I was going to do it. I saw an article in the newspaper for an all-Asian American writing and performance workshop at the Asian Arts Initiative and decided to go for it. I fell in love with being on stage there, but also realized that making movies and films wasn’t for me, at least not then.

I later met my future poetry partner Michelle Myers and we started the group Yellow Rage. Ever since we’ve been performing on stage.

BTW: What’s the biggest challenge for you as a writer?
Catzie: Deadlines. When you want it to sound like you, you need to be able to do it freely, and a deadline kinda ruins that feeling. Whenever I feel rushed, I don’t really create anything new, I’m just rearranging what’s already been said before. Thats no fun either.

I’m also not very good with ending something and making it final. Everything is a work in progress.

BTW: Has your family been supportive of your writing?
Catzie: My mom kinda knows what I do. She watched me perform on the HBO Def Poetry Show with me sitting right next to her. I thought she might get mad about the cursing, but she saw how the crowd was feelin us and gave us a standing ovation, so she was ok with it. I guess she’s happy that I can travel in my work and that I’m comfortable with what I do.

Although she does think I’m too comfortable with my life. She keeps asking when am I gonna get married.

BTW: Who’s on your reading list these days?
Catzie: Oh gosh, this is so embarassing. I haven’t been reading any books but my boyfriend sometimes makes me read what he’s currently reading which is: Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond, to him in the car, so I guess the closest thing would be that.

BTW: Do you have any advice for emerging writers?
Catzie: Keep your day job, it may be a source of inspiration that would not otherwise be there if you were in a quiet solitary environment.