1.) Greetings and salutations, RAEGAN! Before we dive into the Q&A mosh-pit, how goes your 2023? 

hiiiii!!! My 2023 has been great!! I’ve finally been releasing my Music and opening myself up to the world. 

2.) Major congratulations on the upcoming June 1 release of your freshly-minted new single and music video for WALTZ! What was the genesis of this gem of a tune? How did it come into being? 

I made this Song in highschool, around the time I was coming out as gay to my family. It was a very rough and claustrophobic time for me because I felt like I was being “controlled” and “trapped.” One day I went into the studio and just wanted to create a song out of a Waltz, I then freestyled how I was feeling in a more metaphorical way. 

3.) Who was your producer on WALTZ and what did the collaboration between artist and producer look like in the studio? 

I’m actually the producer of this song and all my music. I was honored to work with Sara Jones, a very talented violinist. I had the song pre-made with computerized instruments but we made it come to life, just a few months ago, with the live strings. The studio session was high energy and very collaborative. 

4.) When adapting an evergreen such as Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet into a tune such as WALTZ, has most of the heavy lifting already been done by the Bard himself, or do you as an artist enjoy finding new ways into a universally known story? 

When I made this song, I wasn’t creating it after Romeo and Juliet, I was just telling my story and comparing my love/ tragedy to theirs. It wasn’t until after I finished the song, that I had the idea to create a music video of a lesbian Romeo and Juliet. 

5.) In your humble opinion, what differentiates WALTZ from the distinguished Competition on the 2023 music scene? 

Well I guess the biggest difference is that it’s an actual Waltz hahaha. It’s a very theatrical and cinematic song, i’d explain it almost as if broadway music went mainstream. 

6.) How is WALTZ similar to some of your past music such as TIM BURTON? How is it different?

The similarities between TIM BURTON, WALTZ, and all my other songs is that I’m just expressing myself through music, that my mind won’t do through conversation. The difference is I made those two songs in completely different times of my life so I’m talking about something different and expressing different emotions. 

7.) The music video for WALTZ is wonderful – Did you have a complete final say on the finished video? 

Yes!!! The music video was a very collaborative effort between Bella Tan and myself. I wanted to feel comfortable with the video and make sure it was my exact vision for my song. 

8.) On the heels of the June 1 release of WALTZ, can fans look forward to an EP or LP release from you before the end of 2023? 

Yes and I’m so so excited. My upcoming EP “FUCK RAEGAN” is coming out around September and it’s for sure my favorite project yet. This compilation of songs describes me as an artist and person, so far. They’re all my most favorite and most private pieces. 

9.) What does your touring and performing dance card look like in the upcoming weeks and months? 

I’ll be performing for Sofar soon and doing shows in NYC. I’m starting off doing more intimate shows, to really connect with my listeners. 

10.) Who inspires you musically? 

Musically I’m inspired by Broadway music, Marina and the diamonds and Tyler, the Creator (to name a few). 

11.) At the end of the day, what do you hope music aficionados walk away with after listening to WALTZ? 

Honestly I don’t care what they walk away with hahahah. Art is completely up to interpretation and when I first started releasing my music, that was the biggest lesson I learned. Even though I thought I always knew that, I needed to learn from the experience of being so connected with something and watching the world either hate it, love it, or literally not care about it. I’ve come to the conclusion that that’s actually really beautiful because the people who could connect with my soul, are the ones that enjoy my art, and that’s all that matters to me.