R E L‘s words, “It’s okay to be imperfect—it’s what makes you human. Fixating so hard on perfection is betraying yourself. The beauty is in showing up with heart and letting people really see you,” really resonated with me. She’s right. Striving for perfection can be self-defeating. The true beauty lies in being authentic, showing up as your genuine self, heart and all. This philosophy is the heartbeat of her music, and the soul of her existence.
Growing up in Los Angeles, R E L was surrounded by creativity and the healing power of music. For her, music isn’t just a hobby; it’s a way to process her emotions and navigate life’s ups and downs. She believes that emotions are like waves, constantly shifting and flowing. This belief is reflected in her self-coined genre, evocapop, music that stirs deep emotions and invites listeners to connect with their own feelings.
Her latest EP, Medicine, is a deeply personal journey of self-love, healing, and letting go. It’s a raw and honest exploration of heartbreak, vulnerability, and the power of embracing our full range of emotions. Through songs like “Medicine,” “Canary,” and “Intuition,” R E L shares her experiences and encourages us to face our own challenges with courage and compassion.
In our conversation, we delve into how music continues to be her source of healing, her evolving understanding of self-love, and the practices that help her stay grounded in a world that often feels disconnected.
photography by Ursula Armstrong
Congratulations on your new EP “Medicine”. How do you celebrate this special day?
Thank you! Well, I started celebrating last night. I had an EP release show, which was so much fun. It was special to play the EP as it got released, along with more music (both released and new…) to a beautiful audience. Best way to ring in release day!
Today, I’m celebrating by going a little slow. For me, that’s real medicine, along with the music. Moving slower, with more of myself in every moment and movement. I’ll eat something delicious, go for a lovely walk in LA with my dog, and see some friends. I’ll go dancing! Also will be sharing the new EP, and some making-of content!
“Medicine” talks about release and letting go. Can you share a moment when you felt a deep sense of letting go in your life?
Medicine is about release and letting go for sure, but it’s also about feeling safe with the tears – seeing their beauty and the way the pain teaches us so much. It’s a song about losing someone. That happens in so many ways – a crush, a partner, a friend, a pet, a parent, you name it. Letting go makes you lighter, freer. But it’s scary of course. And it hurts like nothing else.
Which track on the EP is closest to your heart? I’m guessing it might be “Medicine,” right? (smiles)
They’re each very special to my heart…pieces of my own story. “Intuition” is the unbearable pain of feeling it all that becomes bearable with faith and self trust and opening. “Canary” is about owning sensitivity and letting your heart out – to be seen, love and be loved. It’s about deciding to stop hiding. “Medicine” is about loss, recognizing changes and getting your heart broken. The tears and heartache can transform into awe. So I guess right now, “Medicine” is my favorite.
The chorus is basically “And it makes me cry, it makes me cry, yeah it makes me cry…” and I just found this little poem in a note on my phone from Oct 2023 about crying that I wanted to share:
Crying drops me into this raw, very real place
Where i can connect to myself and others with no pretense
There i meet them as i am, in my natural state, not trying to be anything more than i am or perceived as anything other than this now because in the cry I feel strong and alive and vulnerable and knowing I am fully connected to it all.
Sometimes I withdraw, but in the depth of emotions i can connect at the heart level, i meet you where i am and invite you to join where you are.
“Without self-love, it’s impossible to love someone else—to really love someone else. That wall is a barrier of protection but it also prevents real, deep love…”
In an older interview, you mentioned, “Music really is medicine. I process my emotions with music. When I’m sad, singing makes me feel better.” What role does music play for you when you’re feeling other strong emotions, like joy or anger? Do you find that music helps you channel those feelings in similar ways?
Of course. Music fills the space of whatever mood I feel. It still is the way I process emotions most clearly. What has been really cool with this release is to experiment with the way I create– so some of the songs on this next album (which the “Medicine” EP is the first three songs from) were older songs that I added pieces to. Some were written from scratch, and some came out as freestyles. The emotions are energy in motion – moving me through the tides of my heart. So, some of the songs are angry, angsty, hopeful, tender, revelatory. I’ve tended to hide from myself and music’s how I short circuit that self-destructive wiring. I’m learning not to hide now, too. But I can be sneaky!
In a world where we’re often distracted and disconnected, how do you find space for self-reflection, and what practices help you achieve it?
Movement, dance, singing, playing, nature, walks, connecting with friends, new and old. Moving my body slowly – for me this is a big one because my mind is often moving so fast and when I go slow I can feel all the holding patterns in my body – all the places I’m hiding from and when I can just feel it all, when I’m fully embodied, I feel at home in myself and most alive. And free!
You’ve journeyed through different sounds, from evocapop to dream pop and alternative R&B. Is there any genre you feel doesn’t fit your work?
Evocapop encapsulates all these sounds! It’s fun to hear how people are relating to this new music. Genre used to feel so limiting to me – so I rebelled and made up my own (ha!) but in all seriousness, I’m so grateful I did that so that I could continue evolving and feeling out spaces of my own creativity that’s already there. There have even been some genres I’ve always fought that come out a bit on this next body of work, and this time I’m deciding to embrace them all. This EP and next album is the work I’m most excited about in my career so far.
I would imagine that heavy metal doesn’t fit my work. Otherwise, I think they all do :)
Pop is what’s popular – the Beatles, Billie Eilish, Radiohead, Kacey Musgraves, The Cranberries, Eagles, Sara Bareilles – all pop to me!
“Genre used to feel so limiting to me—so I rebelled and made up my own (ha!)…”
If you could give your younger self advice on self-love, what would you say?
It’s okay to be imperfect – it’s what makes you human. Fixating so hard on perfection is betraying yourself. The beauty is in showing up with heart and letting people really see you. In being kind, in expressing freely and being embodied. But I think I had to learn these things in my own time…
Self-love is important, but I also believe it’s essential to love others and everything around us—friends, family, people, sunsets, even the little things. What are your thoughts on this?
I guess for me the two are intimately connected, intertwined. Without self love, it’s impossible to love someone else – to really love someone else. I spent so long out of my body, that coming back home to it reminds me of the layer of wall I had built between myself and others. That wall is a barrier of protection but it also prevents real, deep love (and receiving it, or giving it fully), and if you don’t know how to take the wall down, then life and love aren’t fully realized.
Where do you see yourself in around 10 years?
I see myself touring the world, performing, creating, singing. There’s a musical I’m at very early stages of writing so I see that vision realized and being produced. I see myself with loved ones and family. I see myself inspired, connected and very much alive. Thriving!
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