Q&A: Ricewine
USING MUSIC AS AN ESCAPE - it's something we're all familiar with. For Talae Rodden, his musical career started off as a way for him to keep his mind preoccupied in his small town outside of Melbourne, Australia. Thankfully for us, this lead Rodden to put music out under RICEWINE, a creative outlet complete with poetic lyrics and heartfelt melodies.
Though a newer artist, RICEWINE has already released two albums and will be soon releasing his third. Listeners get the pleasure to observe the growth and change Rodden has been able to experience throughout his creative journey. There's something for everyone in RICEWINE's music - those lo-fi aspects we've all come to love, soft but powerful vocals mixed with a little rap from time to time, introspective lyricism and always a catchy beat. Read on to get Rodden's take on the music of Melbourne, the lo-fi scene & more.
LUNA: What lead you to pursue music full time rather than keep it as a hobby?
TALAE: I still like to think of music as a hobby, making it my career seems like a bit of a pipe dream. The more I do it, the more confident I am that it is possible though. Music is the only thing I’ve consistently enjoyed since I was a kid, so I’m trying my hardest to make it my life.
LUNA: I honestly don’t know too much about the music scene in Melbourne - what’s it like? Do you think it’s impacted you as an artist in any way?
TALAE: The standard of music in Melbourne is crazy. People are doing some amazing jazz and hip-hop stuff. Being surrounded by so many talented artists all the time definitely inspires and pushes me to create the best music I can. Everyone supports each other by always trying to do their best all the time, it's a great scene to be a part of.
LUNA: I hate asking this but I love to hear what artists have to say - what’s your elevator pitch in regards to the type of music you’re making? Do you feel like you fit into one genre?
TALAE: I always struggle when people ask me this question because its kind of hard to describe my music. I like to call it dream-hop. Genres are kind of just another way to put an artist in a box though.
LUNA: Following up on that - I know before you said your music was naturally lo-fi because you were making use of what you had rather than intentionally making lo-fi music. Do you think the lo-fi/bedroom pop scene should just be a temporary stage in an artists’ career rather than the end goal?
TALAE: I just think that artists should strive to create the best possible version of the music that they are making. I don’t think there's anything wrong with lo-fi, if that’s the type of music you’re trying to make, go for it. It just seems like the terms ’bedroom pop’ and ‘lofi’ are used as a trendy musical and visual marketing aesthetic, and implies that the music isn’t as good. The great thing about technology nowadays is that anyone can buy equipment and release music. A lot of artists are perfectly capable of creating huge sounds at home without a studio; labeling those sounds as ‘bedroom pop’ or ‘lofi’ seems a little insulting to me.
LUNA: Has your creative process changed at all since you started making music?
TALAE: A little bit, but it's generally stayed the same. Just wake up in the morning, make a coffee and just get straight into it. yeehaw.
LUNA: Do you find yourself having a common theme for writing?
TALAE: I usually just write about what's happening in my life at the moment. It's hard to write when I’m not doing anything though. Experiencing life and different people is important and helps with my creative process a lot when I’m just sitting at home all day I find it really hard to write. Pretty much all of my songs are about girls and love which is super lame… Need to start exploring other subject matter.
LUNA: Are there any artists that you tend to always look to for inspiration? Who have you been listening to lately?
TALAE: I take inspiration from lots of different artists, it's pretty random. I recently read a book about Joni Mitchell, so I’ve been listening to her a lot lately. JPEGMAFIA is pretty cool, been getting into Captain Beefheart, my girlfriend recommended these guys called ‘2nd Exit’ they’re dope, the list goes on…
LUNA: The visual side has become an increasingly important aspect of an artist’s identity, especially with Instagram and the like, so is that something you consciously spend time on?
TALAE: I try not to spend too much time on social media, shit’s depressing. The reality is that the visual side of an artist is just as important as the music nowadays, so social media is something artists’ need to utilize I guess. I’m not the best at marketing myself though, I feel like such a wanker when blow my own horn on Instagram haha.
LUNA: So - what’s next for Ricewine?
TALAE: My next album ‘Lovesick’ is finished and will be out very soon! We will hopefully be going on tour in summer, and hopefully I have time in the near future to play with my cat.
