Ryatt Fienix | Tell Me Anything - Live 5 Interview

@ryattfienix

1. For our readers who have never heard your music, explain your sound in five words
Resilient, passionate, genre-bending, purposeful, powerful.
2. As a songwriter, is it easier for you to pull inspiration from a dark place or from the joy in your life?
This is something I have come to realize over the past couple of years - that my writing is usually dark or about pain... but the reason being is this: when I write, I do so to escape the moment I'm in. So when I'm upset, angry,  sad, scared, depressed, etc, I use my pen as a way to get out of that emotion. It dawned on me that's why I don't have much music that's really about something exciting, happy, or joyful - because I don't want to escape those moments. It's been something I've worked on since that realization, actually making myself write when I'm excited or in love, etc. I just know the most raw emotion comes through when you write in the midst of the feeling. To answer the question, it's easiest for me to pull from the peak of my emotional experience, no matter good or bad. Writing about and in the most extreme emotional circumstances generate the best music. 
3. On your most recent release "Tell Me Anything", what was your experience like as you became the most transparent you have ever been as an artist?
Honestly it began as a journal entry. The very beginning is very "rap-like" because it was literally a diary of some sort of how mad and frustrated I was. And when I'm feeling that way sometimes I like finding chords on the piano that match my mood, if you will. And it just turned into a song. I was going to keep it to myself but decided I wasn't afraid for someone to hear what happened to me. Chances are whoever is listening has had it happen to them. And if it makes them feel less alone, or more powerful after they listen, I'm cool with it. Being vulnerable is strength.
4. Who is your biggest musical influence?
It's a tie between Lauryn Hill and Amy Winehouse. And it's funny, the way they influenced me has mostly been as a person/artist and not so much the way I sound or produce music. Lauryn taught me to be real as possible and not to be afraid about it. If your voice sounds raspy or you get emotional mid-song, keep rolling because people feel it. It's dope, it's raw, it's vulnerable. She taught me to make music that means something is more important than the way it sounds. Amy taught me how to make pain into a melody. She made depression sound like flowers. And I went through a lot in my late teens... hearing her voice and her dark lyrics over such bouncy, happy music made me feel like everything was gonna be okay. It's what I decided I wanted to do with my music. 
5. Where is your favorite place in the world to travel to?
My favorite place in the world to travel to is any place I have never been. It's my number one dream to travel to every part of the world and see it/experience it for myself. The more of the world I see, the closer to God I feel. 

Interview by Steven Contreras
CREATE.Digital Music
Client Experience Rep