Tempo Talks: A Conversation with RAIAAN

THE RELEASE

RAIAAN, who is originally from Kenya, moved to Vancouver in 2019 to pursue his passion for audio engineering and the art of music creation. Inspired by the lyrical narratives spun by Lewis Capaldi, Noah Kahan, and Ed Sheeran, RAIAAN weaves together his velvety vocals and captivating melodic lines, crafting a contemporary sound that reverently tips its hat to the musical legends who came before him. His musical style is best defined as a blend of pop and acoustic components with a hint of R&B influence.

RAIAAN has finally released his long-awaited first album, "Love-Notes," a labor of love that took two and a half years to complete. This album, inspired by cinematic inspiration, personal connections, and intense love conversations, showcases RAIAAN's talent not only as a singer-songwriter but also as a co-producer who has put his heart into every sonic component. RAIAAN's individual approach emphasizes honesty, sincerity, and his persistent dedication to the art of storytelling, free of musical fads. "Love-Notes" is a testament to RAIAAN's dedication to the music community and his own honest, distinct style, with contributions from luminaries like as co-producer Jeremiah Gowen and excellent songwriters Taylor Aimée, Desirée Dawson, and Alvin Brendan.

THE INTERVIEW

If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?

Firstly, I would have to say Frank Sinatra. He has always been an inspiration for my songwriting, as he was able to write about love without being cheesy about it, yet he had such an innocent way of writing about the subject in general. Which is what I always strive to do. Secondly, I would say the early years of Bruno Mars had a huge impact on me, with his classic pop love songs. His melodies and vocal layers are what inspired me to make music and start singing. He was probably my favourite artist since I was a little kid, and is definitely still up there on my list. I will always strive to have the vocal abilities he uses in his songs whether it be lead vocals or just layers of background vocals and harmonies. Another increble artist and songwriter that inspires me is Ed Sheeran. His music is what insired me to start writing acoustic songs with just my guitar. I am also obsessed with his lyrics and melodies, and I greatly appreciate his attention to detail with the way he songwrites. Lastly, this artist is a recent find for me, but ever since I heard his music, my goal has been to understand why he does what he does in his music and use it to my advantage. His name is Noah Kahan, and I am absolutley obsessed with his songwriting, melodies, production, and overall sound of all his songs. He inspires me to expand my music and songwriting abilities, and I feel like that is a great way to challenge myself and become better.

Were there any personal experiences or stories that influenced the creation of the EP/Album, and if so, how did they shape the final product?

So while writing the songs for the album, I rarely used any personal experiences, but rather drew inspiration from either friends scenerios, or stories from tv shows/movies. They basically helped me put myself in a position where I could write from a first person perspective, and show the emotions of someone going through the story. For example, my song "20 Seconds" was based around the very last scene of the movie "We Bought A Zoo", or my other song "You" was based on a conversation I had with a friend, that had to do with how he felt about his girlfriend. These little stories are what helped me put this album together.

How did you approach the selection and arrangement of the songs on this project to create a cohesive and impactful listening experience for your audience?

To be completely honest, I lucked out with how easy it was for me to arrange the songs for release. Even though that wasn't on my mind while writing and recording, it just felt like each song had there own place on the overall arrangement. I honestly could not see this album rearranged in any other order, as it would just take away from the experience of listening to the album from top to bottom.

How do you see this EP/album representing your artistic evolution or progression, and what new elements or techniques did you experiment with during its production?

So as I have been working on this album over the last 2 years, a lot has changed in my personal and professional life. I believe that I have grown as a songwriter and producer, along with my music taste broadening over time. This has definitely been a good thing, as it has allowed me to change and evolve the sound in these songs as I was recording and producing them. After listening back to the album, I can clearly see how the music I listened to over the past 2 years have influenced some of the decisions I made while writing and producing this album.‏

Can you share any memorable or profound moments from the recording or writing sessions that had a lasting impact on you personally or creatively?

The most mermorable moments I had would definitely be the 6 days I spent in the studio working alongside some incredible session players and my co-producer. This is techinally the first time I have taken most of the control in the studio, as I was wearing several caps while recording this album, such as singer, songwriter, artist, producer, and organizer. I definitely learnt how to take control of the space and use my knowledge of music to better explain my thoughts and ideas clearly to the session players and my co-producer. I can confidently say that it has changed the way I think when I songwrite now, as I pay way more attention to what the instrumentation of a song would be like around my lyrics and melody, compared to just focusing on the vocal aspect of it.

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