Moving to Los Angeles for a job in tech, SimplyRich felt the time had come to reconnect with his musical passion. We are glad that happened: he obviously has a story to tell. Exploring human nature and the eclectic nature of life, the talented rapper and lyricist delves deep into introspection and personal experiences, birthing an EP that’s relatable and evocative, intense yet elegant.
Sonically, we are in old-school territories. Built on boom-bap and R&B stylings, ‘thirsting again’ reveals itself as a treasure trove of influences, not a surprise when considering SimplyRich’s longstanding cultural baggage.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with SimplyRich to learn more about the project and the EP… interview below!
Hey SimplyRich, how is it going? some of our readers might not be familiar with your project, how would you describe yourself, in a few words?
Hey, it goes well! I’m SimplyRich, a singer, rapper, songwriter, producer, and engineer based in Los Angeles. Other ways I’d describe myself? I’m a journaler. Dumping my thoughts out in my journal is one of my favourite activities. I’m a romantic. Love is everywhere, you just have to receive it.
Your current work is the result of a long journey; What first drew you to making music?
Music has been a huge part of my life for my whole life. I started singing in church when I was 6, and I participated in and led multiple choirs and a cappella groups in high school and college (shoutout Georgia Tech Chamber Choir and Sympathetic Vibrations!). After college, I needed something to fill the music-shaped void. I had been hesitant to truly pursue music, but it was ultimately my sister (shoutout GapEe!) who convinced me to take the leap! Hence the birth of SimplyRich in January 2020.
If you had the opportunity to pick any artists in the world for a collaboration, who would be your first choice? (and second choice, perhaps?)
First choice is Lucky Daye. He’s hands down my favourite male R&B act at the moment. Second choice is Tori Kelly. Insaaaane voice. Other dream collabs would be monte booker, Take 6, and JID.
You recently released a punchy and playful EP, ‘thirsting again’ – what’s the biggest inspiration behind it, and what would you like the listeners to focus on when listening to it?
This EP is quite different from the other EPs in this era (February’s venting again and November’s falling again) in that fun is at the center, so I want listeners to sing/rap/dance along, laugh, and have a good time. It’s summer, baby!
Do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team? Can you shed some light on the creative process behind the EP as well?
I typically write alone and feel most confident doing so, although I’ve had some amazing collaborative experiences recently, like “BLOAT.” with Diana Chow and “Pressure” with session9.
Each song on this project has a bit of a different story and process. Some tracks were made from beats I made and had been sitting for a while, others were YouTube “type beats” from talented producers. I released a preview of some of these songs last year (check out my SimplySession videos on YouTube), and others were completely created within the last couple of months. Most of these songs are tied to specific experiences and feelings about partners, crushes, and friends.
It’s interesting that you relocated to LA for a job in tech; how did you find the music industry there? is it bubbly and perilous as they describe it? 🙂
I was moved out here in 2021 for a software integration developer role with a startup I ended up quitting a year later (although tech is still my day job).
I love the descriptors “bubbly and perilous” haha those words feel accurate. It’s exciting and motivating to be in a place bubbling with so much talent and hungry musicians, but the saturation of artists and entities ready to exploit those artists also brings its amount of peril. Every era of music here has been new for me so I feel like I’m constantly beginning. Therefore I try to approach every new opportunity with a fresh and optimistic mindset.
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
Perhaps the biggest challenge artistically has been having soooo many ideas, in music and in other mediums. So many ideas, but never enough time. However, I’ve been feeling more secure in taking my time and trusting myself to come back to ideas that call to me. Ultimately it’s been a practice in patience. There are many times when I write down an idea or make a voice note that I don’t even begin to execute until I randomly stumble upon it again a year or two later. It feels good to be in a period of release with my music, where the internal momentum that’s been building for about 2 years is manifesting in this year’s EPs, duples, and singles.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
Yesss, I will close out this series of EPs with Falling Again EP, which I’m aiming to drop in November. Between now and then I’ll release a deluxe version of thirsting again (thirsting again++), another duple (Love, Simply, Vol. 3), and a collaborative single. The first next step is rest haha. Then back to the grind: hitting up my collaborators, polishing and reworking demos I already have, and locking myself in my studio closet for hours a day. Let’s get it!
