After following up his much-loved 2021 album 'akimbo' with the stunning comeback single the following year, genre-pushing artist Rainer Ild is now back on the grind to deliver his infectious new offering 'Honky'.
Exploring more of that broad and innovative aesthetic he has been cultivating since his earliest beginnings, 'Honky' makes for an incredibly fun and catchy listen. With its groove-filled basslines, toe-tapping hooks, and progressive production throughout, this one will be stuck in your head long after you first hear it.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
-
What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I do remember that I asked my mother when I was like six or seven, that I would like to play the piano, but she thought I was joking. So, I didn't find music until I was 17 and I saw a classmate playing electric bass. I was like: "I've been living my life so wrong" and I started learning guitar. So I guess my first real love was guitar.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Eminem, I remember having an old cassette player and I rewinded the tape a lot because I tried to write down every lyric I heard. I was maybe ten. But all in all, what I listened to was what I heard behind skateboarding videos. Lame, but true.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The Eminem Show. I do remember that I made some mixtapes out of songs I heard on the radio but I do not remember buying albums.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
I have actually no clue. But maybe something by Justin Timberlake - doesn't matter who you are or where you are Justin always makes the vibe at the bar.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Well, my first album was all written drunk, to be honest. If you call getting drunk a ritual then that's that. But also what people find weird is that I can produce and write in the middle of a party. And I enjoy that - people give me energy. Other than that I try to buy new stuff because new instruments inspire me. Sometimes I build my own like microphones out of old phones. Sometimes I write down words that sound different, maybe from a book or a movie, and when I write music I try to use them.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Fontaines DC, Bob Dylan, and Bring Me The Horizon.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Post Malone, just because he feels like a friend.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Finishing a song. Damn, that dopamine hits hard.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Always doubting yourself and hating yourself.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Always finish the song, no matter what, even if it is crap.
-
Rainer Ild's new single 'Honky' is out now. Watch the new video for it in the player below.