Q&A With Ella Rayne
Meet singer and songwriter, Ella Rayne. Ella creates music which resonates with people like myself due to it's relatable content. Her songs "Blah Blah" and "Dreaming" tell two stories of love and relationships. "Blah Blah" which had me snapping my fingers is about deciding to no longer accept lies and broken promises from a partner. While "Dreaming" is about pursuing someone and desiring them even if they are or are not single.
Rayne announced in this Q&A that she will be releasing a project titled Ella's Journal in December which is the singer's birth month. Rayne described her music as "most girls diaries". She also explained that her music is in many ways a bridge to other girls emotions since she writes about things some people are hesitant to say. "They aren't created to be aesthetically pleasing, but so that the listener can think, omg girl me too" Ella explained.
In this Q&A Ella Rayne shares her musical journey, the creation process behind her songs, upcoming projects, sound discovery, aspirations and more. Scroll below for more details.
Angelica: When did you decide to begin pursuing music as a career?
Ella Rayne: I decided around the summer of 2016. Music has always been apart of my life, singing and dancing as a child and dancing throughout my teenage years off and on but I had gotten away from it just because life began to happen. However, once I found my voice again, I knew it was time that I actually use it.
Angelica: How did you discover your own musical style/sound?
Ella Rayne: I'm not sure if this seems odd but I discovered by the way I would sing other songs throughout my day. You know how you just began to hum a catchy song? I'd do that but it would never be a replica of the original arrangement and tempo and all of that, it felt comfortable and right that way.
Angelica: Your song "Blah Blah", to me, is about no longer listening to sweet nothings. Was the inspiration from that song drawn from a personal experience?
Ella Rayne: That's definitely the message! Yes, it was most certainly drawn from personal experiences over the years of dating. I was a pretty insecure teenager so when a guy would do something to me and I had the courage to confront them about it, those are things that they'd say, "I'm sorry, Forgive me, Stay with me" and I'd comply. It took until 1. meeting an amazing guy who allowed me to use my voice in any manner and 2. Just really finding the confidence to say, you know what? No, that's stupid and I don't want to hear it because you knew you were wrong, own up to it.
Angelica: "Dreaming" seems to be the opposite. Where as you're saying you want to stay and you're willing to be anything to a special someone as long as you have them in some way. “If you had a 9-5 I could be the weekend as long as I can have you touching me” you sang. What was the process of creating this song like compared to "Blah Blah"?
Ella Rayne: I was wondering who would mention the strong contrast! This was more so emotionally driven, more so focusing on being pleased physically instead of really manifesting a relationship. Each love song I write, rather it's positive or negative, I tailor it to a different imaginative relationship. With this one, I was speaking to a man I'd met, was attracted to but had a girlfriend or a wife, hence his 9-5 and my being the weekend (shout out to Sza); so she was his work and we were each others pleasure. The pleasure, in any form, was so enjoyable that I didn't care in what manner I'd receive it, as long as I got what I want. I wasn't being convinced or pursued, I was the pursuer.
Angelica: Do you have a body of work coming soon that we can expect?
Ella Rayne: I do! I'm working on a project called Ella's Journal, I had a set date but have since retracted it and went back to the original idea of it being released around my birthday in December. I do plan on releasing a song from it prior to that though. It's super super personal, a little out of my comfort zone so I'm taking my time with it; treating it as my baby.
Angelica: You recently told me that like many artist such as H.E.R, H.I .M, SIA, The Weeknd, you prefer not to show your face. Which to me is great because people sometimes enjoy when artist has a mysteriousness to them. Can you explain why you made that choice?
Ella Rayne: Yes definitely, I think they're genius for that choice. I chose it because, as with most industries, people will support you due to your popularity or your looks. I've seen it happen to myself already, and while I'm flattered, I don't want that at all. I want you listen to me, not think of how I look and if you find me attractive, I don't want to open doors for myself with my looks, which I actually was told that as a female I may sometimes have to do; I refuse! My music is relatable, it's personal, it's real; THAT should be what draws people to me, my talent; come to me and tell me how my song helped you through a break up, a hard time in your personal life or just makes you feel good, tell me I'm beautiful in a different DM.
Angelica: How would you describe your music?
Ella Rayne: As most girls diaries. Which is why my project has Journal in it's title. They aren't created to be aesthetically pleasing, but so that the listener can think, omg girl me too! That's what I like, like we're girlfriends and I'm just saying what they were hesitant to say, afraid to or didn't know how to. Music should be therapeutic, it should carry a message or story, a purpose in some way.
Angelica: Can you describe what music does for/to you?
Ella Rayne: Music allows me to feel. I've experienced and am experiencing many obstacles and trials in my life, and your early 20's are a really fragile time. Because of the things I've faced, while it's made me more aware of others and their feelings, it's also caused me to, in a way, disallow myself of expressing properly; good and negative feelings or thoughts. So, through music, I can smile, I can laugh, I can detox and relax or I can cry and be angry and hurt. It gives me back my rights.
Angelica: By this time next year what can we expect from Ella Rayne?
Ella Rayne: By this time next year, you can expect to hear the name Ella Rayne more, see my music in more ways rather it be in my own voice or my songwriting for another great artist. You can definitely expect to get let into my head a bit more through my music; this time next year, my listeners will be family instead of strangers and will call me Sis instead of Ella Rayne.
Follow Ella Rayne via Instagram : @barelyella