Today we’d like to introduce you to Vilda Ray.
Vilda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I originally started as a producer and composer. I began writing music because I didn’t like what I was hearing out in the world, and I wanted to change that. After producing artists for a few years, I began writing lyrics. At the time, the artists and songwriters I was working with were not as passionate as I’d hoped, so I began writing to my own music instead of waiting for them. I was still too shy to sing my words myself, so I would release music with guest features.
Just earlier this year, my circle of very encouraging music friends finally convinced me to try to sing my own songs. I think they knew that adding my own character could bring my songs to life in a special way that was all mine. So now here I am, as my own artist. All the steps taken up to now have been by necessity because my vision and sound couldn’t be translated properly by anyone but myself. But of course, I still love collaborating with many talented musicians. This music thing cannot be done alone. You’ll need help, no matter how much drive you possess.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Besides all the self-doubt I go through almost every day, the biggest struggle is maintenance of the mind. I give up on music at least twice a year. I get frustrated and just decide to stop. Then a few days later I miss it and I’m writing a new song again or practicing piano. The longest break I took was a full year. I was so scared to even open my Pro Tools sessions because I didn’t think I knew how to write music anymore. That was a stressful time because I wasn’t creating anything, and I felt very low, unimportant almost. The natural love I have for music, both as a listener and creator, keeps me coming back. At this point, I’m staying. My heart is invested in my music, it’s a natural part of my everyday life.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am an artist, songwriter, and producer who writes R&B, Soul, and Funk music. I specialize in music to either make your body swerve or leave you teary-eyed. I’m most proud of my ability to write songs that make others smile and feel true emotion, and most importantly, make me happy. My music is very transparent. Listeners can easily point out my themes, which is a good and bad thing. Good because my ideas are getting across clearly, but bad because I don’t leave much mystery to the mind!
Vilda Ray’s latest EP Said What I Said is available now on all streaming platforms.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I don’t see myself as successful yet, and that’s probably a good thing because it drives me to be better than my last song. But of course I am proud of the work I’ve created, and creating something from nothing is a miniature success all on its own. My ambition and ability to translate thoughts into sounds is the most important thing I possess. I don’t think that will ever change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ygvcDmG77pLDAVewxvoP4?si=9BMGZumJRZmis2QyuROY7w
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vildaray/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vildaray/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/vildaray?lang=en
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq28VAe903GR5_iauCpRZFQ
Image Credit:
Vilda Ray “Said What I Said” Cover shot by Tammy Nguyen
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