Kat Harlton
Indie alt/pop Los Angeles based artist Raye Robinson, recently released her debut single “Daisies”. “Daisies” is the first track off of her upcoming EP entitled Crushes & Love Songs. Through honest songwriting and relatable themes, the born and bred SoCal artist creates a fresh and intoxicating sound, emitting an innocence and dreaminess that whisks you away to a fantasy land. Having previously performed in bands, her time alone during the pandemic allowed the artist to dive into herself as well as her music and uncovered her love for taking creative control over her sound. Produced by Rob Auerbach, out of his DIY garage studio, Robinson’s music emits a spunky, fun, laidback and feel good vibe that keeps pulling you back for more.
We had the opportunity to chat with Raye about her new single, her creative process, and what’s next.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your latest single “Daisies”?
Raye: Daisies came into the world after the relationship I was in came to its end. I was seeing this guy I really liked, we were driving out to see each other almost every weekend (it was long-distance), and we ended up rushing into something that neither of us knew what to expect from. Inevitably, we got to a point where we had that talk; the “what are we” talk. He was hoping that eventually it would turn into something bigger, and I knew that wasn’t something I wanted for myself. We called things off, but despite my conviction that I didn’t want to get serious with anyone, I couldn’t get him off my mind for months. Once the concept for Daisies started to form, I got to pour all the thoughts and regrets and “what ifs” out onto paper and into that song.
Kat: What do you hope fans take from the track?
Raye: The song kind of describes my own self doubt in ending the relationship and finding it hard to let go, even when you know it’s for the best. It can be so hard to untie yourself from people because it usually ends up being followed by feelings of loneliness, or wondering “did i make a mistake?” More often than not, no, you didn’t, but when you lose someone- whether you’re expecting it or not- you miss having them to talk to, miss their touch, it feels like you’re just missing, missing, missing something all the time. Now, of course, I don’t hope that people are going through that because it’s no fun, but I know a lot of people are or will be in that situation, and I hope they can listen to Daisies and think “wow, yeah, that’s exactly how I feel!”
Kat: What do you find is the most challenging part of your creative process?
Raye: Lyrics have never come as easy to me as the rest of the writing process, so I definitely spend the most time working and reworking what I want to say. A lot of the time I will write 5 or 6 or 7 versions of lyrics before I land on something I like, and even then it can take me several reworks around that concept before I have anything I’m satisfied with. I do love watching my writing style develop though!
I also struggle sometimes with the promotional aspect of my music. Sometimes it can be fun because I get to interact with people and show off all the things that I’ve worked so hard on, but it’s easy to feel burnt out when it comes to creating content. Social media, especially, has a special way of making you feel inferior, which can be so discouraging sometimes.
Kat: What has been a career highlight for you so far? What have you learned along the way?
Raye: Releasing Daisies and the Daisies music video have probably been my favorite milestones! Being my first song and music video release as a solo artist, I had a lot of excitement, anxiousness, impatience, pride, etc. etc. etc. surrounding this release, and I’m so happy with the way it has been received.
Aside from this release, a big highlight for me was getting the chance to go on tour with my old band. That was an unforgettable experience that I loved every second of, and I can’t wait for the opportunity to tour again as myself and with these new songs!
Kat: What are your plans for 2021?
Raye: I’m going to be releasing more singles and then my debut EP, Crushes & Love Songs! I’m so excited to see how people react to the new music. The songs are a little different from Daisies, more relaxed and laid back, but we definitely still have those really fun and spunky elements in there that make it feel like ‘me.’
Connect with Raye on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjustraye