73 Qᴜᴇꜱᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱᴘᴇᴄᴛʀᴜᴍ | ᴠᴏɢᴜᴇ [Paparazzi Activity #2]

eureka

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[The video opens with the camera being walked down a short hallway. The words ‘73 Q’s with Spectrum’ fill the screen. Once they fade away, we get a better look at our surroundings. Dark wood paneling, bronze sconces, antique decor. Most of the light comes from votive candles on the stairwell and in alcoves close to the ceiling. At the end of the hallway, the camera stops and a hand appears from offscreen.
However, just before the camera operator can knock, the door swings open to reveal 𝓢𝓟𝓔𝓒𝓣𝓡𝓤𝓜. The most attention-grabbing thing about this woman is her ocean blue hair, which has been streaked with purple. She’s wearing a black bodice and chiffon skirt over a turtleneck sweater that matches the dark violet color of her glossy lipstick. Her lips are curled in an expression that sits exactly halfway between an inviting grin and a smirk.]
𝓥𝓞𝓖𝓤𝓔: semi-startled Whoa!
𝓢𝓟𝓔𝓒𝓣𝓡𝓤𝓜: laughing Good afternoon. Sorry, did I startle you there?
𝓥: A little. Let me guess - you could sense me coming…
𝓢: Well, yeah, you texted me when you were downstairs. she shows the camera her phone; the screen has a single crack running diagonally through it and the case is a collage of lunar phases
𝓥: Oh, right. These are for you, by the way. a brightly-colored bouquet appears at the bottom of the frame.
𝓢: They’re lovely! Thank you, dear. she pauses to accept the flowers and admire them Ah- where are my manners? Would you like to come in?
𝓥: Yeah, that would be great. she waves him over the threshold and takes him through into the living area, talking while she moves the bouquet into a vase So, Spectrum, thank you for agreeing to film 73 Questions with us.
𝓢: My pleasure.
𝓥: We are currently at the Georgian House Hotel in London, but you’re not originally from here.
𝓢: chuckling What gave me away?
𝓥: Where are you from?
𝓢: In the interest of time, let’s just say I found my way to Earth through a wormhole that spat me out in the Marianas Trench.
𝓥: Ah, yes, of course. she laughs, settling into the chair across from him And after that?
𝓢: I decided to settle down in Los Angeles.
𝓥: A Cali witch.
𝓢: with her hand on her heart Always.
𝓥: So what are you doing in London?
𝓢: That, my friend, is forbidden knowledge. Don’t worry, all will be revealed soon enough.
𝓥: Fair. Well, I believe congratulations are in order. What the Water Gave Me just hit #1 on the Billboard charts, but that isn’t the only good news you’ve received this week. How does it feel to be Oscar-nominated?
𝓢: Like a waking dream. chuckling under her breath It still doesn’t feel real, to be honest.
𝓥: Now, your fans already have a name for themselves.
𝓢: she brightens My tones!
𝓥: How did that name come about?
𝓢: Well, it can either refer to an individual color, or musical tonality. Seemed fitting, considering how I got my name.
𝓥: How was that?
𝓢: I have something called auditory synesthesia, so I see sound as color. When I make music, I try to ensure that every shade of the rainbow is accounted for. The full color spectrum. Ergo…
𝓥: So you’re probably tired of this question, but what color is my voice?
𝓢: No, no, I love this question! Just sing a couple bars for me. she closes her eyes and sits patiently
𝓥: Well, I’m not a singer, so I’m really sorry… he warbles the opening melody of Mermaid
𝓢: Ooh, you know what? These geranium leaves are kind of a perfect match. she plucks a stem from the bouquet You’ve got a bit of a spring green going on. Here, hold still? she leans forwards and off camera, presumably to place the frond behind his ear Perfect. The image of King Oberon himself.
𝓥: Oh, um, thank you. he clears his throat Are you working on any new music?
𝓢: smirking as she leans back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest I see what you’re trying to do here and it won’t work.
𝓥: But…
𝓢: But the answer is yes. shrugging I’m always working on new music.
𝓥: Anything you can share with us?
𝓢: No audio, but I can tell you that I have a collaboration with ODESZA coming out soon. beat And, no, that’s not why I’m in London.
𝓥: What is your favorite part of the songwriting process?
𝓢: Hmm, probably the moment it all comes together.
𝓥: What’s it like being on your first world tour?
𝓢: It’s incredible. I’ve been around for millennia and every day on the road is a new experience.
𝓥: What’s your favorite place you’ve visited on tour so far?
𝓢: Maybe Bruges? It’s almost completely unchanged since the last time I was there in the 1300s.
𝓥: And what’s one place you can’t wait to visit that you haven’t yet?
𝓢: Well, I’m headed over to Australia in a couple days. I can’t wait to meet all the poisonous critters!
𝓥: When you’re on a long journey, like being on tour, what is your go-to soundtrack?
𝓢: Easy; Pink Floyd’s The Wall.
𝓥: What was the first moment that made you think ‘I’ve made it’?
𝓢: she laughs Remains to be seen. The first time I heard one of my songs come on in public was an experience, though.
𝓥: And where was that?
𝓢: At a rest station in Ohio. One of my dancers heard it first and pulled me over.
𝓥: Speaking of dancing, when did you start taking lessons?
𝓢: No exaggeration; I started lessons from almost the moment I could walk.
𝓥: Wow, that’s young. How many years did you practice?
𝓢: Fourteen, but that was just the contemporary ballet.
𝓥: What other styles do you know?
𝓢: A couple others. Modern, jazz, some ballroom - like salsa and waltz. Also, I did one year of tap!
𝓥: Fourteen years of ballet…Does that mean you can go en pointe?
𝓢: quirking an eyebrow as she glances between the camera and her platform boots Not in these shoes, but- she reaches behind the sofa, pulling out a well-worn pair of pointe shoes -let me get back to you. she begins to switch out her shoes
𝓥: On the topic of dancing, what is your favorite choreography to perform?
𝓢: I’m really proud of what we put together for What the Water Gave Me.
𝓥: And the hardest?
𝓢: she looks up from her shoes What the Water Gave Me.
𝓥: Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
𝓢: Yes, but they’re a secret.
𝓥: Do you speak any other languages?
𝓢: Моя мама научила меня русскому языку! [tr: My mother taught me Russian!]
𝓥: That sounded Russian.
𝓢: Да! I also know a bit of French and Spanish.
𝓥: How much?
𝓢: Enough to know you shouldn’t say ‘je suis chaude’ or ‘yo soy embarazada’ unless you know you actually mean it.
𝓥: Do you have any secret talents?
𝓢: If I told you, they wouldn’t be secret anymore, now would they? a beat But I am pretty good at guessing where a wine was grown by taste. Also, this! she stands, then finally goes en pointe
𝓥: he cheers as she completes a bourrée turn Brava!
𝓢: Thank you, thank you. dropping back to the floor and curtsying And thank you for giving me an excuse to practice. Gotta do at least a couple minutes a day or…Well, you’ve seen Black Swan. she turns and heads back through the suite, camera following behind
𝓥: Great movie!
𝓢: they reach a door and Spectrum turns to grin at the camera before opening it to reveal a bedroom Isn’t it? she sits on the bed and begins to untie her shoes
𝓥: Would you say it’s your favorite movie?
𝓢: No, that honor goes to The Thing. John Carpenter’s, of course. Don’t waste a question on that one.
𝓥: What about the last movie you watched?
𝓢: Get Out. Can’t believe I missed it in theatres.
𝓥: Who would play you in a movie about your life?
𝓢: Hmm, I’m not sure. Samara Weaving, maybe? My only requirement is that it’s directed by Guillermo del Toro.
𝓥: Safe to assume you’re a fan of horror, then?
𝓢: Guilty.
𝓥: What’s your greatest fear?
𝓢: Drowning. That’s why I write about it so often. Batman method. Face your fears.
𝓥: That’s actually pretty good advice. she winks
𝓢: Why, what’s your biggest fear?
𝓥: Ghosts. he shudders, shaking the camera Do you believe in ghosts?
𝓢: she pauses, a smile crossing her face You know, this hotel is supposed to be haunted. Kinda disappointed I haven’t seen any yet.
𝓥: a loud knock sounds from the other end of the suite and he lets out a yelp Ghosts!
𝓢: Alas, that’s just room service. she carefully packs her pointe shoes into one of her bags I ordered the afternoon tea platter to my room. Care to join me?
𝓥: Oh, sure! That sounds great.
𝓢: Then let’s go! she stands and rushes for the door
𝓥: as he attempts to keep up with her While we’re on the topic, what’s your favorite food?
𝓢: Anything my mom makes.
𝓥: And your favorite drink?
𝓢: A dark, spicy red. Malbec, Syrah…Though I am partial to a good Chianti. she stops running, sliding the rest of the way to the door in her socks Hello? she opens the door, but there’s no one there - only a multi-tiered platter left in the doorway Hmm, maybe it was a ghost.
𝓥: the camera lingers on the empty hallway even after Spectrum has walked away with the plates; in a quiet voice as the camera sweeps the hallway Totally haunted…
𝓢: from offscreen Hey, I thought you were gonna help me with this!
𝓥: clearing his throat Right. Yes! he walks back over to Spectrum, who is already seated in the dining area, and settles in across from her
𝓢: gesturing to the platter Help yourself.
𝓥: Oh, thank you. a hand appears from behind the camera, picking a pastry at random So, Spectrum, how would you comfort a brokenhearted friend?
𝓢: instantly, holding up a fork and knife Who hurt you?
𝓥: Huh? Um, no one. Just wondering.
𝓢: Darn, I was feeling a little hungry. Unrelated, but did you know most mermaids of legend are cannibals? she puts the silverware down, her look softening But, really, I would put all my effort into making my friend happy again. Schmucks who hurt good people don’t deserve any of my energy. I’ll let karma take care of them.
𝓥: What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
𝓢: imitating her mother's voice Natasha! You take the spoon out of the soup before it goes in the microwave!
𝓥: Solid advice.
𝓢: Very solid. Just wish I learned it before nearly starting a kitchen fire.
𝓥: Yikes! What’s something you wish your fans knew?
𝓢: How much I love and appreciate every single one of them.
𝓥: What’s the strangest thing in your room?
𝓢: while preparing a scone with clotted cream and jam At any given time, probably me. she pauses to chuckle But I also have a series of actual spiderwebs hanging on my wall. They’re spraypainted silver and set against a black background. They’re quite beautiful.
𝓥: They sound really cool, but where did you even find those?
𝓢: My mom made them, actually.
𝓥: That’s right! I heard that both of your parents work in the art field.
𝓢: tossing a grape in the air and catching it in her mouth Correct.
𝓥: It must’ve been nice to have that kind of support while you were working on your debut.
𝓢: The opposite, actually.
𝓥: Why is that?
𝓢: Well, I think they were worried I was setting myself up for a lifetime of heartbreak and disappointment.
𝓥: Have their opinions changed after your recent successes?
𝓢: she pops a canape in her mouth, nodding Yeah, they’re more worried than ever.
𝓥: What do they think about the album itself?
𝓢: I hope they like it. I think they do. she shrugs My dad tries to put it on every time we’re in the car together. I always make him shut it off.
𝓥: Don’t want to get sick of your own music?
𝓢: No, because my dad starts singing along and he’s better than me. Do you know what that’s like? she shakes her head, pausing to finish another canape Man…I hope I never get sick of my music.
𝓥: What’s one song you’ll never get sick of?
𝓢: Losing My Religion by R.E.M.
𝓥: What about your favorite song you’ve ever made?
𝓢: Come on now. That’s like asking me to pick a favorite child.
𝓥: Yeah, I guess it would be kinda impossible to-
𝓢: No, it’s Mermaid. That was the first song I recorded in the studio, so it’ll always have a special place in my heart.
𝓥: Favorite lyric you’ve ever written?
𝓢: singing softly “By this steel heart, I won’t be led”... she stops to flash a grin I like puns.
𝓥: Besides original songs, you’re an artist who’s also known for her covers Spectrum preens overdramatically What’s your favorite cover you’ve ever done?
𝓢: I just did one of Paul McCartney’s Waterfalls for the BBC1 Live Lounge that I’m pretty proud of.
𝓥: What about the covers on your YouTube channel?
𝓢: faking astonishment Old school! But I dunno. Maybe my rendition of A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins?
𝓥: What’s on your current playlist?
𝓢: I’ve been obsessed with Rumours recently, as well as the latest from 3SE. There’s also some Florence on there, some Austra, and Forest Swords…Little bit of everything.
𝓥: Can you list some of your inspirations?
𝓢: Oh, there are so many to choose from. Ursula le Guin, Grace Slick, Edgar Allen Poe…
𝓥: Who, or what, would you say has had the greatest influence on your work?
𝓢: Hmm… she pauses, then smirks Sappho.
𝓥: Have you ever been completely starstruck by another celebrity?
𝓢: Elvira tweeted at me that she liked my album and I lost one of my nine lives.
𝓥: Do you have any celebrity crushes?
𝓢: winking at the camera Oh, I’m sure there are some celebrities who have crushes on me.
𝓥: What three things would you bring with you to a deserted island?
𝓢: A fresh pen, a blank notebook… she smiles at something in the distance And my muse.
𝓥: What was your first job?
𝓢: Music tutoring. Piano, violin, music theory- she suddenly stops short, checking her phone Sorry, I don’t want to be rude, but I do have an appointment this evening. Would it be alright if I fixed my makeup? Promise to keep answering questions.
𝓥: Of course. Wouldn’t want to keep you from you from your big secret endeavors.
𝓢: already heading for the washroom You catch on quick.
𝓥: On the topic of fashion, you’re already something of a style icon. Spectrum tosses her hair over her shoulder, shimmying for the camera before settling herself in front of the mirror What is your favorite piece you’ve ever worn?
𝓢: rooting through her makeup bag Definitely the gown I wore to the Shape of Water premiere. It was this lovely number by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The beading looked like waves crashing over the bow of a ship. she sighs, plucking a tube of lipstick from her bag Stunning. I still can’t believe they let me wear it.
𝓥: I remember that dress! Vogue said you looked like a mermaid, luring people to their untimely demise.
𝓢: Who’s to say I’m not already? she winks at the camera in her reflection
𝓥: Number one hair dyeing tip?
𝓢: Use vaseline along your hairline. It feels gross, but it’ll prevent the dye from staining your neck or forehead.
𝓥: Favorite lip color?
𝓢: she stops applying her makeup to wave the lipstick tube near the camera I’ve been very into purple recently. one final kiss towards her reflection and she packs the lipstick away
𝓥: Do you have or want any tattoos?
𝓢: I’m more of a piercings girl. Spectrum lifts her hair to reveal the growing collection of rings on her ear; there’s a stud on the left side of her nose as well
𝓥: How many do you have?
𝓢: her smile curling up at the ends Wouldn’t you like to know?
𝓥: I, um…Oh! What’s your biggest pet peeve?
𝓢: as she passes by the camera in the doorway and moves into the bedroom, texting all the while People who leave hair in the shower drain.
𝓥: What is a cause you’re passionate about?
𝓢: Better funding and destigmatization of mental healthcare.
𝓥: What do you keep in your bag?
𝓢: Well, I’ve got this giant schlepper here. she drops a large tote onto the bed Let’s see what I can fit in it. she begins to throw items in as she lists them off Phone, charger, external battery, notepad and pen - in case the mood strikes - makeup for touch-ups, wallet, umbrella, keys, hairbrush, a thermos of iced coffee… hoisting the bag over her shoulder Basically, my whole life is in here.
𝓥: That’s a lot. I’m impressed. What is the first thing you do in the morning?
𝓢: Stretches. Or, at least, that’s what I should be doing..
𝓥: How do you like to spend your days off?
𝓢: laughing mirthlessly Days off? What are those? pulling her phone from her bag to check it Ooh, my ride is almost here. she beacons the camera to follow her out the door
𝓥: What was the most embarrassing moment of your life?
𝓢: Hmm, I don’t really get embarrassed. Maybe the first time I messed up onstage? I got so into my choreography I totally forgot to start singing Exit Stage Left, so I made everyone go back and do it over. Guess you could say I’m a bit of a perfectionist.
𝓥: What’s your star sign? That last remark makes me think Libra.
𝓢: Gemini, actually. You?
𝓥: Aquarius. I think that makes us compatible.
𝓢: Technically, yes.
𝓥: What are three qualities you look for in a partner?
𝓢: she spins on her heel to throw a Look at the camera All this talk of star signs and compatibility, don’t think I don’t see what you’re up to. Trying to win the heart of a witch? That’s not very wise, you know.
𝓥: Ah, well. Had to give it a shot.
𝓢: her smirk softens Sorry, but my heart already belongs to another.
𝓥: So you do have a boyfriend?
𝓢: she turns back around to chuckle In not so many words.
𝓥: Any chance we’ll ever meet this mysterious man?
𝓢: Who’s to say you haven’t already?
𝓥: Does that mean your boyfriend’s a celebrity - like an actor or another singer?
𝓢: holding the door open for him You’re getting closer…and yet, still so far away. they exit onto the street, Spectrum's eyes scanning the passing cars
𝓥: Alright, we’re almost at the end here. Spectrum lets out a small, disappointed noise Pressure’s on. Hmm…If you had the chance to ask seventy-three questions to anyone, who would it be?
𝓢: It can be anyone, alive or dead?
𝓥: Anyone at all.
𝓢: Then I’m gonna have to go with Virginia Woolf.
𝓥: And what would you ask her?
𝓢: I have so many questions about her writing - particularly Orlando. Also writing advice. I’d probably wind up asking her way more than seventy-three questions.
𝓥: But, unfortunately, that’s all we have time for.
𝓢: Aww, that was really too fast. she points at the car that just pulled up to the curb But, hey, perfect timing!
𝓥: It was great talking with you.
𝓢: You too! Let’s do it again some time. she quietly greets her driver and slips inside, but not before throwing one final wink at the camera Hey, I know I said my job here was top secret, but I’ll give you one final hint. she turns to the driver and says, just loud enough for the camera to catch… Abbey Road Studios, please! back to the camera Bye! It was so nice chatting!
𝓥: Nice to meet you too! as the car pulls away Wait, did she just say-
— CUT TO CREDITS

COMMENTS (1768)

@ᴡɪᴛᴄʜʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ: Is it weird that I’ve never been more attracted to Spectrum than when she was talking about eating someone alive?
@ʜᴏʟʟʏ ᴍ: 73 questions and she maybe answered half of them. amazing.
@ᴘɪʟᴏᴛ93: aww she’s taken. do you think she was talking about that model whos all over her insta?
@ᴡɪᴛᴄʜʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ replied: who???
@ᴊᴀᴋᴇ_ʙꜱᴍɪᴛʜ replied: Do you mean Remy Deveraux? They’re not dating, they went to school together. They're just friends.
@ʟᴏᴠᴇɪꜱᴀᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢɢᴀᴍᴇ replied: ahh, yes. just two gals being pals.
@ʟᴏᴠᴇɪꜱᴀᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢɢᴀᴍᴇ replied: coming back six months later to say: GET DUNKED ON