In Conversation With.. Ra
For our next ‘In Conversation With..’ series, we caught up with gentle torrent of talent know as Ra. Hailing from Dumfries but now based in Edinburgh, Ra’s smooth vocals, lyrical prowess, surprising covers and ability to switch between guitar and ukulele have established her solo acoustic sets a consistent delight.
For those who know very little about you, who is Ra?
I’m a twenty-three year old singer/songwriter/musician from Dumfries, based in Edinburgh. I’m an English Literature graduate; I wrote my dissertation on Hannibal Lecter. I’m allergic to my dog but I cuddle him anyway. I’ve been gigging since I was sixteen, and I write everything from rock to acoustic folk to vocals for electronica. I also record multi-track/multi-instrument covers for youtube.
You are quite clearly a multi-instrumentalist. Do you recall when you first picked up your instruments?
I started piano lessons when I was eleven, learned a few guitar chords in high school, and picked up the ukulele when I was fourteen. More recently, I started playing bass about a year and a half ago.
Photo: Wild Child Photography
A very poignant moment, but do you remember the moment you discovered how cathartic making music could be, and does creating music in that way affect your understanding of yourself?
I can’t say I remember going through one specific moment of discovery, but looking back, it was probably when I started playing with my first rock band What About Wolves. I like playing music solo too, but there’s something special about playing with other musicians. When you’re all vibing off each other and you can feel the response of the crowd and the energy in the room, it’s a unique sensation. And we were all experiencing that for the first time together, just a bunch of kids really.
Does creating music affect my understanding of myself? Great question. Music can be a very visceral, rugged, honest, messy experience. As Oscar Wilde said, art is a portrait of the artist; what you create is a reflection of yourself and how you respond to the world around you. Sometimes you might hear something in your own voice that surprises you. This is particularly true if you’re writing without a filter, which, I admit, is sometimes difficult to do if you’re writing for an audience - and you’re shy. So, I think making music can be an effective tool for navigating and channeling your thoughts and emotions - loss, desire, fear, hope, humour, etc. - if that’s what you’re setting out to do. But, I think it’s also worth saying that understanding oneself is overrated. Over-thinking hinders productivity, just as perfection is the enemy of creativity. Not every song has to make a complete, fully-formed, well-constructed statement about its author. I often prefer to leave a level of ambiguity in my lyrics, to give the listener space to find themselves in the music with me, rather than just me alone, singing away to myself in my bedroom.
We last saw you perform as part of Dumfries Music Conference’s ‘Live Sessions’ in October 2019, you have since been touring China, and more recently France, with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain – please tell us about that?
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain have - funnily enough - been one of my primary musical influences. People tend to disbelieve me when I say that (including them), but it’s absolutely true. They’re the reason I started playing the instrument; I went to one of their gigs when I was fourteen and enjoyed it so much that I figured I had to get me some of whatever they were having. At that time, it was still somewhat of an outsider instrument. No-one took it seriously - and that was precisely the point of the orchestra. There they were, the original non-conformists, wearing dinner jackets and playing David Bowie. Check out their live versions of Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’ and Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’ on youtube. They’re a perfect example of the marriage between tongue-in-cheek “British” humour and humble musical virtuosity. Anyway, somehow - it must have been my relentless charm, good looks and modesty - I’ve become a deputy for them, so I fill in when one of the original eight members can’t do a particular gig or tour. They’ve played everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to the North Pole (not a joke). China and France happened to be the tours I got the phone call for!
You’ve also been involved in a sideline synth-project with electronic music producer, ALEX. In February this year, you released a “dirty synth track”, ‘OUTLAW’ – how did that come around?
ALEX was working in a local Edinburgh bar with a good friend of mine, and we met at a flat warming party. He said he was an electronic musician, so I asked him if he needed a singer. Since then we’ve done a number of tunes together, but Outlaw is definitely one of my favourites. I think I can count on one hand the amount of times we’ve actually met in person, but the online nature of our working relationship fits in nicely with the kind of music we make together: it’s all electronic.
COVID-19 has brought our beloved music industry to an absolute halt. How have you been dealing with quarantine as a musician?
It’s been tough for a lot of people. Thankfully, I’ve been kept busy doing a lot of video editing work for the orchestra, so I’m not at a complete loose end. It’s scuppered a few of my gig plans, but I can still work/write/record/film stuff in my bedroom. The creative industry is full of so many wonderful people, and it’s been great to see everyone adapt to this new situation and try to put some positive things out into the world during such uncertain times.
Am I right in thinking you have been in the recording studio before the outbreak of COVID-19?
Yes, I was recording an alt-folk collaboration track with Fiori and Angela Musk (my sister and my long time friend respectively). The track is called Seven Seas, under our collaboration name Fyne. We wrote it on the shores of Loch Fyne, hence the name, and we released it not long before all of this kicked off. I think it’s really quite pretty.
Talking of bedroom art, you have made quite a name for yourself when it comes to covering some classic songs, in your own unique way. In order to dissect these tracks and cover each aspect, instrumentally, how do you go about that process?
I like to give people the impression that I’m quite lazy and just whap 'em out in a couple of takes, but actually, it’s a rather gruelling process. I listen to the track until I don’t like it anymore, and slowly record each different layer on Logic until it starts to sound like an actual song. Then, I use that as a guide track while I film each part and record new audio at the same time (so the visuals are synced with the audio). Then I mix the audio, and edit all the videos together on Final Cut Pro. For a complicated one like The Smiths’ ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’, the whole process takes probably 4 or 5 solid days. And once I start, I like to get it finished as quickly as possible, so by the time it’s done I’m pretty zonked out creatively.
At Dumfries Music Conference we love discovering new music, who has been on your radar recently?
I’m guilty of mostly listening to old bands, but there are a few current artists that I’m really into. Billie Eilish, for one. I’d like to cover loads of her songs, but I’ve already done two so probably best not to over-egg that custard. Some random songs that I’m liking: ‘Los Ageless’ and ‘Marry Me’ by St Vincent, ‘Alive and Well’ by Jake Troth. Album-wise, ‘The Loved Ones’ by Flyte is an incredible debut. But you can’t beat ‘The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads’.
Take us by the hand, what is next for Ra?
Well we’ll have to see how long this lockdown lasts, but getting out and gigging again will be a start! I have a lot of songs that I’d like to polish up and record. Maybe I’ll do an acoustic EP. Or a rock EP. Or an album. Who can say? I’m approaching life as I think we all are right now: one day at a time.
