Q&A: Miki Ratsula Embarks on A Journey of Self-Love in Debut Album ‘i owe it to myself’
DIPPED IN VULNERABILITY AND SELF-EXPLORATION — Miki Ratsula navigates discovering oneself in a crumbling world in their debut album, i owe it to myself. Creating the album throughout an era of major personal changes, Ratsula has created a time capsule that not only showcases their own growth but also encourages listeners to join them on this journey of self-discovery.
Driven by the intimacy of being vulnerable with oneself, i owe it to myself allowed Ratsula to begin exploring who they are both as a musical artist and as a person. Through channeling their own struggles and hardships that surfaced in the solitude of lockdowns, Ratsula has created an album of hope and comfort for listeners. They provide a sense of representation for queer people by sharing their own story of realizing that they’re nonbinary and accepting that they want to undergo top surgery.
The album touches on deeply universal themes such as love and loss, making it entirely relatable to any listener who stumbles upon it. A luscious mixture of R&B and soft lo-fi sounds, i owe it to myself is a gentle reminder of the importance of self-love.
Keep reading to immerse yourself deeper into Miki Ratsula’s story, as they talk us through what i owe it to myself means to them.
LUNA: Congrats on your debut album, i owe it to myself! What does this album mean to you? What feelings do you hope your music invokes in listeners?
RATSULA: I started this record at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. I was in a pretty low place creatively, emotionally, and mentally and was navigating a lot of heavy thoughts. While building this record, I came out as non-binary, got top surgery, fired my ex manager, signed to Nettwerk Records, saw my dad and brother move to Europe, got engaged — a whole lot of changes. This record grounded me and gave me a place to process every emotion I was feeling, and I’m so grateful for it. I hope listeners feel comforted by and safe with the record. I want them to feel seen and heard and loved. I just want to be the artist I needed growing up, and I hope I can be that for people listening. This record gave me the opportunity to know myself more than I ever have before, and I will carry that with me forever.
LUNA: You were quite young when you began making music — what inspired this early dive into the music industry?
RATSULA: I grew up in a very musical family, so music has always been a part of my life. We had a grand piano in the living room since the day I was born, so I spent my childhood playing and singing at the piano. I didn’t have any real intent to get into the music industry at first because I didn’t believe it was something that was achievable for me. I began by just sharing music online, and once I saw how that resonated with people, I realized that maybe this is a dream I can actually chase.
LUNA: Your music encourages vulnerability within oneself. How would hearing music like this have impacted your own personal journey?
RATSULA: I would’ve saved myself from a lot of dark thoughts. I was a very lonely kid who held a lot of stuff to themselves. I’m sure I would’ve discovered my queerness a lot sooner and easier had I seen someone like me [when] growing up.
LUNA: With gigs and concerts on hold and increased time spent isolated from other people, do you feel like the last two years of lockdowns have shaped your music in any way?
RATSULA: Yeah, that space actually forced me to be vulnerable with myself and tackle some interpersonal and personal things. I didn’t have a vision at first when approaching this album — I was just making a record to make a record. But as I went through all these changes, I grew immensely and woke up one day finally knowing who Miki Ratsula is as a queer person and artist. I scratched some songs off the record and wrote new ones and finally looked at the record as the truest example of who I am capable of being in the music industry. There was a newfound passion and heart for what I was making and everything that went into it. The isolation allowed me to experience all this and create something I’m so proud of.
LUNA: What were the biggest influences in creating i owe it to myself?
RATSULA: The storytelling is just straight up everything I’ve felt and thought over the past few years. I wanted to be as vulnerable as I could be not only for myself but for my listeners. Production-wise, Jermey Zucker is someone I look up to immensely. The way he plays with organic and modern elements heavily influenced my production.
LUNA: Where does the title of your album come from?
RATSULA: I quite literally owe this album to myself. I owe myself the opportunity to be vulnerable, to put out a debut record, to produce it by myself. This album encapsulates the growth I’ve done over the past two years while making this record and finding myself at the same time.
LUNA: What song from your album are you most excited for people to hear?
RATSULA: “i didn’t know any better.”
LUNA: What are your creative goals for the rest of this year? What can your listeners look forward to throughout 2022?
RATSULA: I’m currently working on a project that I think my listeners will definitely find special.
LUNA: How would you describe the overall vibe of your music?
RATSULA: Intimate, vulnerable, nostalgic, warm.
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