Artist of the Day | RAYE ROBINSON
ARTIST OF THE DAY
21.06.2021
RAYE ROBINSON
LOCATION
Los Angeles, CA, USA
GENRE
indie pop/singer-songwriter
CURRENT MEMBERS
Raye Robinson
With the current pandemic, the state of the music and touring industry has dramatically changed. Where were you when everything was brought to a halt?
Before the pandemic, I had just started writing songs and playing shows under my own name-- I had been putting out music with my band up until this point. I was struggling to come up with more interesting sets because the songs I had at that point were all kind of depressing (can you say breakup album?). I am generally a pretty positive person and I wanted my shows to be fun and feel-good, I wanted my music to reflect my positivity and spunk. And then...Covid-19. As scary as it was, the lockdown actually gave me a great opportunity to dive into writing and create music that is more representative of the ~vibes~ I want to put out and how I wanted to come across to listeners.
How has that affected your plans for the coming year? Did you have a tour planned, upcoming album release?
Having the chance and plenty of free time to play with my style, I was writing music that felt more fun, upbeat, quirky-- more me! I met my now producer and we started working together and crafting what has come together as my soon-to-be-released EP, Crushes & Love Songs.
Before the pandemic, I had no solid plan for shows, for recording, for releasing, for anything. But now I can say that I am excited to be putting out music, and I am BEYOND ready to get back to playing live music and hopefully touring before long.
What have you been doing to fill/make the most of your new-found free time at home? How are you supporting your mental health through all of this?
Besides getting to focus on my writing, I've also (as many others have) picked up quite a few other activities, like cooking/baking, working out, and art projects, and of course some less productive activities like Netflix binging, and scrolling mindlessly through TikTok.
I think all of these things have contributed to my mental health, keeping me busy, keeping me active, and keeping me connected to people even when I couldn't physically connect with them. Not to say that it hasn't been a struggle for me to stay positive throughout this experience, but I was lucky as I happened to be in a place mentally, even before the lockdown, where I was ready to embrace being alone with myself. I also got even closer with my few close friends and realized that I don't have to give my energy to any and everyone the way I tend to.
How are dealing with the Covid third wave?
Well, I'm dealing with it better than the first 2 waves!
In all seriousness, I am starting to get excited as I see more people getting vaccinated and some outdoor shows and gatherings slowly coming back. It feels like we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel that is returning to our lives, and I'm so ready to makeup for all the missed concerts and get togethers!
Do you have a message for everyone at home reading this?
I urge each and everyone of you reading this to find the beauty, and seek the positive. There have been so many hardships over the last year, and it can be so much easier to notice the clouds than the silver lining. But when you give attention to the love and the light and the things you can be grateful for, you will see that those are always there too, and the more you actively look for them, the more you will start to see them everyday.
If you would like to be our next ARTIST OF THE DAY please email us at:
JEN@CONCERTWORKS.CA
