We had the opportunity to interview Rvby My Dear, an emerging alternative act who's sound has hints of alt-pop to it. They've just released a brand new EP titled Remains, that you can listen to here. With fantastic atmospheric melodies and dynamic vocals, Rvby My Dear are a group that needs to be at the top of your list of artists to check out. But check out what they had to say in our interview first!
1. How did you come to pursue music and how long have you been at it?
"I’ve been playing piano since I was 4 and then played bass through high school and eventually went to university for jazz voice, so music has always been a part of my life in some way. This project has been around since the end of 2012, though 2016 was when I think I really honed in on the style of writing and producing that I wanted to stick with, and that’s when we recorded the album, so I kind of think of that year as a rebirth or the true beginning".
2. Could you walk us through your process of writing music?
"I start with the basics, piano and voice, then eventually move to the computer once I feel like I’ve got the other parts starting to form in my head. Lyrics come around during the piano phase, but the main thing for me is the music - I’m more interested in capturing the emotion of a song through the melody and harmony and instrumentation rather than being too specific in the lyrics".
3. What artists have inspired you in your career?
"I’m obsessive when it comes to music and have had many “phases” over my life, so I couldn’t list every artist that’s inspired me here. Direct sonic inspiration and references for this current record came from Massive Attack, Portishead, Beach House, Can, James Blake, Daughter, and Radiohead. I’d say in terms of actual career trajectory, I really look up to Half Waif and Mitski - I think the way their sounds and their touring setups have progressed over time (Mitski’s becoming more elaborate; Half Waif paring back to a solo electronic set) is really interesting and shows that you don’t have to stick with one way of doing things forever".
4. Do you have any favorite music gear (guitars, amps, effects pedals, keyboards, etc.) that you love to use? If so, what’s the story on them?
"I’m not much of a gear nerd but there are a few things we used consistently when making this record - lots of Dave Smith synths (Prophet 08, Prophet 6, Prelude), an Omnichord and a janky Casiotone MT100 that I bought off eBay during college, a Space Echo, a few Earthquaker Devices pedals, some random Logic presets from my demos that were never replaced in the studio... my producer made a big master list of all the gear we used on this record, he might share it one day".
5. Can you describe the vibe at your live shows? Also, what do you enjoy most about a venue when you do a show?
"We’re pretty focused on performing the songs in a direct and honest way rather than hiding behind too many bells and whistles, though I will say I love a good awkward banter between songs. I come from a jazz background where that kind of rock star showmanship is not a thing, so some people can find my style a bit “cold”. I tend to get very in my own head when performing because I want to present the songs in the best way possible. I’m a perfectionist! And I’d hope that the music and arrangements do most of the work of taking the audience on a journey, rather than me having to get in someone’s face and be like “listen to me!!!!”. Having said all that, I’m super keen to incorporate more lighting and projections into the show to help with creating a more cinematic vibe.
Good sound and artist-friendly vibes are a must at any venue".
6. What is one thing that you want the public to know about your music?
"The thing I like about songwriting is that it’s up for interpretation, I find it really interesting when people have completely different experiences with the same song. I guess one thing I think people should know is that I write all the music and lyrics myself - I’ve never done a co-write for this project before, not that I’d be opposed to it in the future".
7. Do you have any upcoming projects you would like fans to know about?
"We just released a new EP called “Remains” which can be heard on Spotify, Apple Music and all streaming services, and the music video for the first single “10:17” is now on Vevo! We’re celebrating with a show at Cmon Everybody in Brooklyn on March 1st. And our full length album, along with 3 brand new music videos, will be coming later this spring".