Mustard had the pleasure of speaking with Raine Emily. Emily recently released their first EP “songs for an indie movie” which can be found on all streaming platforms. Additionally, Raine is also one of the voices (alongside Kai Ono) to produce and create the “JustSomeMustard” jingle you will hear on TikTok. More information about Raine Emily can be found in our artists tab! Mustard hopes you enjoy this interview!
1. You cite Phoebe Bridges as one of your favorites. What Phoebe Bridges song did you first connect with?
As most people would probably say, “Motion Sickness” is a masterpiece. Pheobe has a way of crafting hauntingly beautiful lyrics that really get stuck in your bones. This song is a perfect example of how she coined the “sad girl” sound that I am inspired by.
2. It is no secret you love anime. How has anime influenced you? What about anime engages you compared to other entertainment?
Honestly, I’ve always had a soft spot for animation! When I found out there was such a thing as adult animation that wasn’t just anime, shows like Futurama, Bob’s Burgers, etc. I lost my mind because I absolutely love the animated TV. I’ve been watching anime for over 10 years, and it just makes me so happy. Being able to see the creativity that goes into the art, the music and the story just fuels me. I just get so captivated by the fantasy worlds and these characters that are so lovable. I just think that when you watch anime, a “bad anime” is better than a bad live-action TV show! *cough cough Riverdale* So I always feel like I’m going to have a good time!
3. What is your songwriting process?
For me, I always start with lyrics. I’d say in the songwriting process, other than singing, lyrics are my strongest suit. If something happens to me and that makes me feel really emotional, I’ll pull my phone out and start typing in my notes app. Sometimes I just feel like telling a story through a song, other times I’ll write random things. I always make sure I have my phone on me, I find it really helpful just to write a single sentence. Something that small can inspire a whole song! My next step once I finish writing lyrics is I move onto working on music and a melody. I find that no matter what instrumental I come up with, vocals are really easy for me to put together. That includes harmonies. I’ve always been able to improvise harmonies really well, and I think that’s definitely a key feature in my music.
4. When did you first find the Grim Reaper cute?
I’d have to say about three years ago. What can I say? Emo skater boy he’s a cutie! But in all honesty, writing the Grim Reaper was a joke at first. I thought that my EP needed something a little more lively to cut through all the sadness. I wrote these lyrics as a parody on some of Corpse Husband’s lyrics, but people thought they sounded really good and that they were fun lyrics. So ended up going with it!
5. Crunchyroll sends you a direct message. They want you to compose and write music for a show. What should do you think that would be?
Oh!!! That’s a tough one! I’d have to say “Attack on Titan” has some of the most incredible music. It’s just fabulous and so EPIC. I don’t know if my music would necessarily work with what they do, though. I think that “Your Lie in April” is definitely another potential for this because all the music is incredibly beautiful. It’s just stunning and very emotionally charged. I think I could write a good closing song for the show!
6. How has TikTok helped you as an artist?
TikTok has been a blessing in disguise. Without it, I don’t think I would have really gotten any of the confidence that I’ve gained over the past six or seven months I’ve been using it. It really just helped me shed my perfectionism. I used to care so much about being absolutely perfect, and I would do 100+ takes of one 20 second TikTok and just run myself dry and still hate every option. Now, I sit down, I only do a couple of takes, and then I know that I did the best I could and that’s enough. The best part is people tell me that they like what I did! It serves as a reminder that it’s okay to not feel like you’re absolutely perfect because that’s just being human, and I really am grateful for that.
7. You’ve mentioned in one of your live streams that you were classically trained. How does classical training differ from other types of training?
I started my music journey as a classically trained opera singer. Taking classical vocal training means that you are learning about every little aspect of your voice. You’re learning about breath support, about proper form, you’re not just talking about singing good. It’s not just as black-and-white as “you’re a good or bad singer.” Classic training just means that you sat down with a trained professional who has studied voice as well as the human body. You’re not just singing on your own either! You have to learn a lot about how to read music and a lot about how to open your higher register. So my singing experience is that I sat down with someone who had a degree/PhD in voice and that’s how I learned instead of just singing on my own without any proper guidance.
8. What advice would you give to musicians joining TikTok now?
Just have fun! There is this whole thing about TikTok and consistency, posting to 3+ times a day, doing lives every day, and it’s exhausting. At the end of the day, you should be posting what makes YOU happy and content that YOU feel proud of. Not just posting a bunch so that it’s consistent, and you don’t like what’s on your page. I know that a lot of people will disagree with me on that, but it’s to have fun instead of forcing it to be so intense.
9. If you could build an anime “Avengers”, who would be in it?
Oh my god this is a challenging one! I’m going to have to say that if we’re talking fighting that I would definitely want Gojo Satoru from Jujustu Kaisen, Shoto Todoroki from Boku No Hero Academia, Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titian, Giyu Tomioka from Kimetsu No Yaiba, Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan, Kaneki Ken from Tokyo Ghoul and Akame from Akame ga Kill. Ultimate team right there
10. What musicians from TikTok do you think everyone should follow? Who is on your radar?
I have such great recommendations! Graham Maude is also from Vancouver, BC and he is seriously so freaking talented! I love this song “Wait for Me” I have it on my summer playlist and it’s just a bop! I would also say Molly Annelle! Her TikTok following is really small, but she is literally one of the best singers I’ve ever heard! We went to improv camp, like two years ago, and I don’t think she remembers me, but I am such a big fan of hers. Her album “Elevator Music” is truly a masterpiece.
11. Could you describe the process of writing the “JustSomeMustard” jingle.
The first thing I did was record about 10 different voice notes of ideas I had over the span of a day or so. Then I took my favourite four, and I recorded a rough draft of each of them. Which was basically me just recording the main vocal, and then I experimented with a couple of harmonies until I built something I liked. I didn’t really polish the audio up for anything, and then I send them your way! Once you chose your favourite, I re recorded and refined the final vocals and stacked on even more harmonies! It was pretty simple, I was just thinking about all those super cheesy infomercial vibes and I think I pulled it off!
12. Do you have any plans for a sequel to “songs for an indie movie?”
I’m currently working on a full length album, but that is definitely going to be a long process! With myself going to a college which is basically full time, I’ll have to make time to keep working on everything at a good speed. I don’t think it’ll be for a little while, and hopefully I’ll be able to drop a couple little songs here and there throughout the process. This will definitely be a beast of a project and I wish I could say expect it soon, but that’s not going to be the case! I’d rather it be exactly what I picture rather than rushed.
13. What anime should everyone be watching?
As much as I am on the “Jujutsu Kaisen and Kimetsu No Yaiba are incredible train,” I would probably have to say a really underappreciated anime is noragami! It is one of my all-time favourites, and it is absolutely incredible! I’ve read the manga and I absolutely love it. I think it’s so underrated, and it deserves more attention because it’s storytelling and art are just phenomenal.
14. Favorite skateboard trick?
Literally just staying on the board! At this point if I’m standing on the board without falling over I’m pretty happy. I managed to go down hill the other day and not die, so I was pretty happy about that. But then I stepped back and looked at the hill, and I was like “ah I know a 10-year-old could probably do that better than me” But you know what, I’m having fun learning how to skateboard!
15. Do you have any closing words or advice for independent musicians?
Some advice for independent musicians. For every five songs you write that you hate, there will be one song that you absolutely love and so will everyone else. It’s okay to not write perfect songs every single time you sit down and write. I have been writing songs since elementary school, and I’ve only ever released four songs that I’ve written that I’ve liked. I have written hundreds and hundreds of songs, it’s okay for them to not be perfect because you will learn, and you will excel in your craft with patience. Also, don’t give up. Just keep trying because an opportunity will come knocking at your door when you least expect it and you should absolutely take that opportunity. My final words would be thank you for the interview and stream my EP “Songs for an Indie Movie” on Spotify, Apple Music, all that good stuff!
Music Shelf With Mustard 