By: Brittney O.
Hip-HopVibe.com Entertainment Editor
We were excited to connect with rising R&B virtuoso RINI, as he was sent back to Melbourne, Australia upon the pandemic taking place. We were able to hop on a call with him and find out about his new projects and transitioning as an artist from overseas breaking into the market here in the states. RINI, has now unveiled a steamy new single, “Bedtime Story,” mixing themes of love and passion with RINI‘s innovative style. “Bedtime Story” perfectly encompasses his future-classic R&B brand.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLaCK3xQm6c&w=877&h=493]
RINI, did you come out of the womb singing?
Actually no! I never really began singing until around 17 years old. I never had an interest. I started playing the guitar at 10 years old but my father always tried to encourage me to sing too. My friends would also say I should just try singing.
Is your Dad a musician as well?
He is. He’s a Filipino Dad so he loves singing and playing guitar as well. Haha!
Do you play any other instruments or are you currently learning anything new?
I’m self taught on the keyboard and the bass. Everything has been self taught for me.
Where did you attend high school — or should I say secondary school?
I spent my secondary in Melbourne but prior to that I was in school in the Philippines. We relocated to Australia when I was around 12 or 13 yrs old.
What was your secondary school like in Melbourne, Australia? Was it a performing arts school, public or private school?
It was a basic public school but we had music electives that I loved being apart of. Year 12 I was in school band. We learned music production and that’s where I studied music – not that I learned a lot from it but it peaked my interest in music production.
Do you produce music as well now?
Yes, I actually produce as well. I’ve been doing that for maybe 3 years so not long. After high school I began saving money and started learning stuff on YouTube.
How did you cultivate your songwriting? Because you started by singing covers..
Well I started writing my first songs as a test – not seriously at all. I just wanted to try and see how it went. The first song that I ever released was called “Wasted” which is still on Spotify! The beat came from a friend that was running out of space on his computer so he was like, try writing to this. I did and released it and the reaction from people was crazy! That started it all.
Coming to LA and pursuing music full-time is a big move! I’m sure everyone thinks that you’ve already made it back home in Melbourne. What were some things that were culture shocks to you here?
Definitely. LA is much different than Melbourne. People here are much more direct. In Melbourne the people are more conservative, but in LA the people are like, “GO CRAZY!!” Working in the music industry is crazy in LA because I started out in producing and recording in my room! So now being in professional studios – the process and songwriting – all was so fast paced. That took me off guard because I usually take my time. It’s also different working with different people and other writers. It has made me more proficient.
When was your last live performance?
My last live performance was in Jakarta, Indonesia and it was amazing. I had an hour set with my band – I did two shows at that festival. There were A LOT of people, it was the first big crowd that I had and they were lovely people. This was back in March. Then coronavirus hit and you know the rest…
How do you prep for a show?
Well, drink a lot of water, get your body warmed up and vocal warm ups going on. I love jamming with the band and see how they’re thinking – just get a team vibe up so when we get onstage we kill it, you know?
What are the Top 3 festivals on your bucket list to perform at?
Oh yes! There are a lot! I want to perform at as many [festivals] as possible to be honest! But for my top 3 I would say: Coachella for sure, that would be crazy… Glastonbury in UK! UK is a vibe.. those two are the ones I really want. I would love to get on one of the festivals like the Laneway Festival here in Australia. That would be great.
Tell me about your most recent project. What do you want the listeners to take away from it?
It’s going to sound a little different from the previous EP, but in an evolved form. I’m talking a lot about relationships and being in love I guess.. it’s a lot more fantasy driven. La La Land vibes is the way that I would describe it in words.
You’re 22 years old now right? What would you tell 16 year old RINI now about your journey?
I would tell him to keep going and to spend a lot more time learning your instrument because I always wanted to do that. I just got around to that because of being in quarantine. It has really helped me get to take hours of practicing my instrument.
And lastly, tell us about “Bedtime Story” single!
It’s the new single and it’s crazy – “Bedtime Story” has an 80’s vibe and very romantic. The visuals for it are amazing. We shot it in Australia via FaceTime! It’s streaming everywhere – make sure to check it out and show love on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Tidal. It’s everywhere!
