Rylai’s ethereal vocals not only radiate a vulnerability that immediately pulls at the heartstrings but also carry a sense of imbalance, that uneasy feeling of being stuck between two places with no clear path forward. In the “Issues” music video, he drifts through “some of the loneliest scenes in New York” like a ghost, trapped in his own mind and fully in the thralls of his torment. Wandering through the contrasting industrial and natural landscapes of the city that never sleeps, it becomes increasingly clear that he’s trying to work through the dark cloud hanging overhead. He searches for catharsis in every traffic light, subway ride, and beach stroll, and eventually he finds it. Burying his traumas deep in the ground with a few tears and a gentle kiss, he walks away, this time for good.

You’ve said you’ve had melodies in your head for years. What do those ideas feel like now compared to when you first started playing them on that old piano?

The melodies I wrote years ago still feel just as exciting and fresh to me now as they did when I first came up with them.

It’s not like I remember all of them, but I do remember a lot. Some of them are still, to this day, among the best melodies I’ve ever written.

It’s always satisfying to nurture them, dress them in the right production, and finally show them to the world.

“Issues” feels really raw and stripped back. What made you want to keep the production so minimal?

It started from the idea of stripping away all the drums and keeping it acoustic. From there, Skyler added a lot of beautiful acoustic guitar parts, and we built the production around that in a way that felt right.

Why did I want to keep it acoustic? It was just an instinct that doing it that way would serve the melody and lyrics better. Luckily, that instinct turned out to be right.

There’s this tension in the song between holding on and letting go. What inspired that feeling?

I hope everyone who listens to this song lives a happy life. But sometimes there are moments when you have to let something go to move forward.

For me, I had to let go of certain things because my parents strongly opposed my pursuing music. A lot of things happened, but these days, my dad has come around.

Your influences range pretty widely. How do you bring those different sounds together in a way that still feels like you?

I think people are drawn to lyrics that fit an emotional yet catchy melody, and to beautiful sounds that soothe the ear. Tastes may differ slightly, but from this perspective, I don’t think the music we make is all that different.

As for how I bring those different sounds together while still making them sound like me: if you listen to the artists who influenced me, I think it becomes much easier to understand.

For example, I look up to Kendrick Lamar for his lyrics, and I admire Ado for her powerful singing style.

Each of them has different strengths.

Within the framework of good music, they each focus a little more on different aspects. Studying those strengths, experimenting with them, and applying them to my own music isn’t all that difficult.

You’ve been working with Skyler Cocco. What has that collaboration been like for you?

It was a relatively short studio session. We recorded some percussion and background vocals together. When I came back to my studio and went through all the files she sent over, I was blown away by the acoustic guitar production. It was the best acoustic guitar production I had ever worked with

I had a really good feeling that this song was going to become something special.

From there, I added synths, electric bass, and a lot of other elements, especially building toward the climax of the song.

That’s how the song came together.

As you keep growing as an artist, what do you hope people take away from your music, and anything else you’d like to share before we wrap up?

I hope people walk away from my music feeling something they want to come back to. These songs reveal more of themselves the more time you spend with them, and that’s only going to continue. “Issues” is my third single, and there’s plenty more on the way this year. Every person who listens genuinely means the world to me and brings everything I’ve envisioned closer to reality. So thank YOU for listening! This is just the beginning.

Follow Rylai

https://www.officialrylai.com/
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The post Pop Artist Rylai Discusses His “Issues” appeared first on The Hype Magazine.