This interview has been edited for length and clarity and was aired October 6th on Dirt Roads with Timothy Tschoepe for World College Radio Day
Tim Tschoepe: So you were born in Baytown, Texas. Tell me a little bit about growing up. Did you grow up with music or how did all that start?
RaeLynn: So, Baytown is close to Houston, and we grew up every year going to the Houston livestock show and rodeo. I grew up on Christian and country because I really do feel like Christian music and country music have the same backbone of faith and values and all those things. I grew up around a lot of hardworking people who just really instilled in me great values and things that truly matter in life, which is family, faith, and all those things. Anyways, I’ve been chasing this crazy music journey now for almost 12 years. It all started in Baytown, and I’m very much a Texas girl. Have you ever been to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo?
Tim: My sister does FFA. I’m from Bulverde, Texas which is just north of San Antonio, so we’ve had our fun little ventures out towards it. She took more that route. I took more of the sports route. She does animals and stuff like that, so in terms of the Houston LiveStock Show and Rodeo, I haven’t been to that. I’ve been there when it happened, we just never had an opportunity to go. I’ve been to San Antonio one thought.
RaeLynn: My friend was in FFA and she loved it. She raised a steer every year and sold it. That’s really cool.
Tim: My sister loves it, It’s one of the cool things and it’s been fun watching her do all that stuff and compete.
So you went on to do The Voice. What was the process like? When did you make the decision to pursue this and try to go after it?
RaeLynn: I didn’t really. I just kind of went for it. I didn’t have in mind “Oh, I’m going to be a Country artist.” I was like “You know what, I’m going to keep going through doors that God opens for me and we’ll see what happens.” I had set up some writing sessions in Nashville, so I was going back and forth there, and I was writing with a girl who told me that The Voice auditions were coming through. I love Blake Shelton, so I auditioned for The Voice and made it onto the show. I really feel like whatever you’re supposed to do in life, God will make it happen. Of course, hardwork has to go behind that determination, but that nature of just opening doors, following your dreams, and it being your path, I always think that music was supposed to be that for me.
That first door that was opened for me and really laid the foundation for me was The Voice. I’m very grateful, It just fell in my lap.
Tim: I agree with that 100%. It’s definitely a fun journey of how things kind of fall into place. Musically, what singers or artists did you want to model yourself after? Who set that pathway for you?
RaeLynn: Honestly, Dolly Parton was one for me. I know that a lot of people want what Dolly’s achieved. It’s not just about that. It’s the class that she has, her heart, and her personality. She’s not just been an artist, but she’s been an amazing business woman. She has a clothing line, she’s an actress, she sings, she owns her own park, and she’s been very smart about how she brands herself. I think if anybody can take notice of another artist that’s a legend, it’s somebody like her. I love her songwriting. I feel like some artists lose the songwriting aspect, but she’s always been somebody that’s written her own songs and always been somebody that’s told her story in a beautiful way. I would definitely say Dolly Parton.
Tim: The first song that I listened to that had me like “Oh, RaeLynn” was probably Love Triangle. I think that’s probably one that everybody says, but the story, writing, and that caused me to look into what else you had to offer, so on a six hour drive, I listened to all of it. Your songwriting and storytelling is just amazing. You painted a picture and it was really cool. So in 2015, you released your EP Me with God Made Girls on it. Tell me about how choosing the songs on it and everything went into place.
RaeLynn: For that, It was my first body of work, and I remember trying to figure out a name for it. I was like “I’m just being me.” I remember not liking the photos that they picked of me, and I just wanted to take a picture on my self timer on my phone and have you put them together and put out a song. I don’t want all the bells and whistles. I just want people to feel authentically that they’re listening to RaeLynn, so we did that and honestly, I think that’s what made it work. It didn’t feel very businessy. It felt very authentic. On God Made Girls, I wrote that song with Liz Rose, Lori McKenna, and Nicole Gallion. All incredible songwriters in town, and I didn’t realize the doors that song would open. I’m really proud of it.
Tim: I believe that it’s a platinum record, and I was like “Wow, that’s really crazy”. I like the way it was written and I think it was a different viewing of it especially around that time. Then 2017 came around and you released WildHouse that had Love Triangle and Lonely Call which are your other two gold records. What came into it and what was the anticipation for your debut album?
RaeLynn: I think WildHorse is one of the first songs I wrote where I felt it was me. I talk about little grit, little dirt, little glitter, and all those little things. I’m very much a tough girl, but I also am a girly girl wearing a pink tank top and whatever, but I love the mix of grit and grace on this record. I have a very big personality and I think sometimes when you are a bubblegum person, you’re blonde, and all those things that people sometimes don’t take you seriously, and I really wanted people to see my heart and the songwriting behind it. That’s why I put songs like Lonely Call, Love Triangle, Young, and Praying for Rain because I wanted to be taken seriously. I did that for me, which was really cool. I felt very fortunate that the record debuted at number one, and to see the songs on it take off, it was a really great experience for me.
Tim: I think realistically the storytelling and individualism saying “Yes, this is what I want. This is me.” is why WildHorse is probably my favorite album of your’s. Everything that ties into it as well as the imagery is great.
Origins came out in 2018. What was the difference between the two albums?
RaeLynn: I actually didn’t release that record. That was something my label did. They had a bunch of music on me that they wanted to release, and they didn’t really tell me that they were doing it.
Tim: So they just kind of threw it out?
RaeLynn: I wasn’t really a part of the creative process.
Tim: Lastly, Baytown is named after your hometown. Was it your goal to have it focus on songs more about your hometown?
RaeLynn: Yes. I wanted it to be based on who I am as a person, the way I was raised, how I was raised, where I was raised, and what makes me different being in Nashville and being from Baytown. It’s having that spunk, and growing up like I did, so that’s why I wanted all that to encompass this record. This record was my first independent release, and it had over 100 million streams which is crazy. I think it was a big leap of faith for me, but it also showed me to always bet on yourself, and bet on the music that you’re creating because God will take it to the next level, so it was really cool.
Tim: There’s a specific song that stood out to me on it, She Chose Me, and that’s probably my favorite on it. What was the writing process with it? What was something you are wanting to say with the song?
RaeLynn: I just wanted to be honest, and every part of the song is true. It’s my mom and dad’s story of how I came to be in this world. I think that song is definitely talking about a hard subject, but I think the cool think about music and Country music is you can talk about hard subjects in a beautiful way, and I really do think we conveyed that. To see so many fans react to it and connect with it has been really cool to see.
Tim: More recently, you released a song called Broken One, and that one stood out to me. Were you originally planning on releasing that song as a single or was it going to be into a project?
RaeLynn: I am doing more the independent approach and I’ve just been really taking my time on my record. I don’t want to just throw out music. Anything that I feel like is taking off socially or songs I feel like need to be out, I’ve just been putting it out. So, I did that one with Broke One, Somebody Else, and What’s Wrong With That? Which are all songs that I’ve kind of teased on Instagram and they’ve taken off, so I’ve been trying to work on that. I don’t know when I’m gonna put out my record yet, I think definitely next year at some point, but I’m not really rushing it. I’m having a good time. I’m releasing a new single with another artist named George Birge in two weeks, so it’s just taking my time with all of it.
Tim: So, it is October meaning we’re close to Halloween, so what is your favorite candy and why?
RaeLynn: My favorite candy is definitely Twix. It melts because it’s chocolate, but I just love Twix. They’re just good. They’re just so yummy. They’re caramel, but I would say harder candy. I love sour patches with how they’d be super sour, but they’d get super sweet.
Tim: Are you a scary movie person? What’s your favorite scary movie?
RaeLynn: I don’t watch them as much now that I have a kid because I get nervous, but one we just watched was Darkness Falls about the scary tooth fairy. I didn’t think that was too scary though.
Tim: I definitely dove into Scream, but I think that’s more of a thriller. Last one, if you could be anything for Halloween, last year I was Justin Bieber because why not, who would you be?
RaeLynn: This year? I don’t know. Last year, I was Luigi, but this year I think I’m gonna be a minion with my daughter because she loves minions.
Tim: I do appreciate it. Thank you for doing this interview and thank you so much for taking time out of your day.
RaeLynn: Thank you so much. You have a great day, Timothy.
This interview was transcribed by Zachary Sorrels
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