Blending genres like blues, soul and classic country, Rī Wolf’s latest EP, Strawberry Fields is a collection of songs created over a period of 10 years. Heartfelt and authentic, he infuses the EP with raw emotions to make it really pierce through and connect with his listeners. Rich in its ability to tell stories, the six-song EP runs for 22 minutes, bridging the gap between generations by retaining a nostalgic sound while still being inventive.
The EP represents Rī Wolf’s tremendous ability to capture your attention with his exceptional vocals that focus on helping you visualize the stories within his songs. It is a consistent body of work, keeping you enchanted for its runtime with personal tales and very human narratives. His acoustic guitar is one of the greatest strengths of the album, delivering some of the most enthralling melodies that can make you feel just as much as his words can. The subtle inclusion of electronic music adds to the flavor and makes it unique without taking away anything from the soulful sound. Despite trying, I was unable to pick a single song that stands out above the others: Strawberry Fields is a holistic experience, with each track capturing a different mood, a different story, and therefore, creating a completely unique immersive experience. There is no doubt that Rī is a special musician with immense potential and a promising career ahead of him, and I can’t help but be excited for his upcoming projects.
We were fortunate enough to get a chance to interact with Rī regarding the EP. Here’s what followed when we sat down for a chat with him.
FNE: This EP has a wonderful blend of different genres: a little bit of country, rock, blues and it creates a wonderful sound. What was your motivation behind this EP?
RW: I think the motivation behind this album is an appreciation for different kinds of music that has influenced me and finding one-on-one connections with people who can grab on to my music and relate to it. I have had a longer road than most, beginning my journey about 13 years ago. I went at it really hard for 3-4 years, had a record out, toured everywhere and then took a hiatus for 7-8 years. When COVID hit, I felt it was the right time to get back into it. I’m proud of the things I’ve done and learned along the way. This EP is about using my songs, with an emphasis on melody and storytelling, to really connect with people and find those who can grab on to my music and say “that’s meaningful to me.”
FNE: Do you come from a musical family? What introduced you to the world of music?
RW: My dad plays in the band and my brother is a sound engineer, so we’re all involved now, but while growing up we weren’t. We were always kind of interested in music from afar. It’s something I picked up when I was coming out of high school, and going in to college, where I was surrounded by friends who were interested in music but I always knew deep down, in my soul, that it’s something I wanted to do. But the music business is really hard. Playing music and sustaining yourself is quite difficult and it’s taken me a while to find the avenue in which I can do it. Now I’m finally at that point and I’m diving in full force.
FNE: There’s a great old-school feel to the EP and it represents music with a soul in it. Considering your different styles, what are some of your biggest musical influences?
RW: It’s hard to narrow them down to a few. When I listen to my music, I can say that I definitely hear the influence of some of the following people. One would be Amos Lee. He’s very soulful but also very real, and you can connect with his music on a personal level. A lot of what I write is similar to that. There are others like Ryan Adams, John Mayer, Chris Stapleton, Ray LaMontagne who are phenomenal. On the other hand, vocally it doesn’t get much better than old soul singers like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. When I listen to them, I think to myself: “I want to sound like those guys.” So yeah, this is the kind of music that inspires me and drives me.
FNE: All of your songs have a certain element of storytelling associated with them, similar to the people who you cite as your influences. How would you describe your process of songwriting?
RW: Every part of what I write, lyrically, is a piece of me or a piece of my life. Actually, the EP covers a broad span of time, probably 10 years’ worth of things that I’m talking about. Some of those songs started way back then and finally came to where they are now. Some songs happen overnight, some songs happen really quickly, and some songs just kind of slowly cook, stay on the stove for a while, and they are finally ready when you find the right ingredients. I do try to base them on my personal life, but I also leave it open to interpretation so that someone can understand it in the context of their life. I place a big emphasis on melody, and that’s the influence of Bob Marley. He’s a master of melody and could carry a song and move his lyrics through his melody. If you can connect with the melody, it’s easier to digest the lyrics.
FNE: What was your process of connecting the writing with the melody to make it as universally appealing as it is?
RW: As far as that goes, I think coming across a melody you need to have a very wide depth: you have to listen to a lot of great music. That’s something I’ve done throughout my life as I listen to all genres, ranging from heavy metal to hip-hop. I think my knowledge of musical genres helps me pool ideas from different things, and when I start writing songs, the melody usually comes first, followed by the lyrics. It’s usually me recording something on my phone and playing the guitar and then finding a melody without any words. Then I try to nail down the melody, after which I can start weaving this lyrical idea into it. That’s my process, and a lot of great songwriters do something similar.
FNE: This element of storytelling is not very common in popular music nowadays. Why do you think that is the case?
RW: This may sound bad, but in my opinion, when people listen to and consume music now, they don’t really want to think about it. Music is something that they feel and don’t necessarily reflect on personally, and it’s because we’re moving so fast now. We want something that feels good and has a good beat. There are still some brilliant lyricists out there and some really in-depth songs that you can find even on mainstream radio but it gets washed away because it’s covered in processing and you don’t understand what the person is saying. For me personally, the most important thing is connection, so I’m not concerned with being on top 40 radio. I believe that the storytelling aspect creates the long-term connection with the fan or the person listening, instead of being a flash in the pan where you’re like “it’s a catchy track but now I want to hear the next thing.”
FNE: COVID has been a big challenge for performing arts across the world. How have you coped with the absence of live performances and how have you adapted?
RW: Well, it has been interesting. I’ve had to do some online stuff which has been very different. I’m really much better when I see faces in front of me and feel that energy in a live performance. I’ve been fortunate really here in Texas since we haven’t really shut down that much, so I’m actually still out playing live once or twice a week. I’m vaccinated and most of the venues I perform at are responsible with their crowds. It’s been pretty good and I’ve been able to do some things I wouldn’t have done, and since things have started opening up, more, venues have been excited to bring in live music. However, I do have friends who are in areas under strict lockdown and it’s driving them crazy. I feel for those artists who aren’t able to do what they live for.
FNE: What’s next for you as an artist? What are you looking forward to and where do you see yourself going from here?
RW: I really hope I can build some momentum from this EP and as you know, artists are always working 6 months to a year in advance. I’m already working on other things and I’ve got some outstanding collaborations that I’m doing with some top-notch artists. I’m hoping I can springboard from this EP and get to a place next year where I can be traveling and touring, and being able to spread my music on a larger scale. But the most important thing for me will always be connection, and if I can keep that centered, I can have some longevity and sustainability in my career.
FNE: What is your advice to upcoming artists who are trying to break through and find recognition for their talent?
RW: Music was very different when I started out. You had to know gatekeepers to get in, but now artists have the power to distribute, market and connect. There is a lot of great talent out there that people should know about. My goal is to help them out along the way, and hopefully we can all do this full time. As advice, I would say, don’t be afraid to reach out to other artists and make connections. Earlier, it used to be like a competition, everyone scratching and clawing to make their voices heard, but now everybody has a platform. A lot of the collaborations that I’m doing now are based on the meaningful connections I’ve made on my musical journey. So, I would say the two most important things are first, keep working on your craft, and second, don’t hesitate to shake a hand and lift others up.