Tucson Heard It First: Meet Rae.L in Contagion Magazine’s ICON Issue
By Contagion Media
Before she was performing for Tucson crowds, Rae.L was playing her music from her phone in the back of a Target fulfillment department.
That is where photographer and interviewer Michael Schuette first heard her. The two used to work together pulling online orders, taping boxes and pushing carts. Years later, Schuette would find himself behind the camera filming Rae.L for Contagion Magazine. It is the kind of full-circle story that feels right for Rae.L.
Contagion Magazine Vol. 6: the ICON Issue
Featured in Contagion Magazine Vol. 6: The ICON Issue, the Tucson musician opens up in “33 Questions with Rae.L,” a candid feature covering everything from how she started making music to the influences, experiences and ambitions shaping her next chapter.
And her beginning was anything but conventional. Rae.L started making music in 2020, eventually building her first song, “Easy Morning,” with a Wii Rock Band microphone, a MacBook and free recording software. She connected with producers through Discord and figured things out as she went.
That DIY beginning says a lot about the artist readers meet in the feature. Rae.L is still experimenting with her sound, moving through pop, R&B and whatever else catches her attention. She describes her music as fun and danceable, but there is more underneath it. Her song “Chaos,” for example, may not be her most-streamed track, but she considers it one of her most rewarding because of how cathartic it was to create.
The interview also gets into the realities behind the music: working a regular job while pursuing an artistic career, preparing for live performances, finding community, and figuring out what she actually wants her future in music to look like.
There are plenty of unexpected answers along the way, too. Rae.L talks about her childhood performances for her mom, her surprising history with both Christian music and metal, the artist she would love to collaborate with, and what she would tell her 17-year-old self now.
Then there is the moment that brought everything back around: opening for Upsol, an artist who had inspired the first song Rae.L ever recorded. It became a reminder for her to pay attention to the full-circle moments that happen along the way.
That spirit is ultimately what makes “33 Questions with Rae.L” worth reading. It is not simply a profile of where she was at the time of the interview. It is a look at an artist who is still becoming, experimenting and deciding what comes next.
Order your print or digital copy of Contagion Magazine Vol. 6: the ICON Issue.
Contagion Magazine Vol. 6: the ICON Issue features 11 stories and 100 Pages that explore what it means to be an iconic artist.
From artist interview to valuable advice to behind the scenes videos, this premium magazine is the perfect read for artists who love to experience artist journeys, creative culture, and career development in the art & media industry.
Curated by KBR and Contagion Media’s editorial team, the ICON issue features artists of all mediums breaking artist boundaries globally, as well as their advice as to how they got there.
Artists Featured:
Sean Dackermann
Ryan Postas
Maddie tha Baddie
Angel Virtuoso
Erick Grillo
Rae.L
Chantel Hardison
B Bailey
ALEXIA
La Unica
Krysta Alyse
Yosh
Leslie Knox
Kevin Fides
& more!
Estimated Print Delivery Time: 2 Weeks
Estimated Digital Delivery Time: 24-48 Hours via Email
Rae.L may have started with a Wii microphone and a song playing from her phone in the back of Target. Tucson heard it first. Now, get to know the artist behind the music. Pick up Contagion Magazine Vol. 6: The ICON Issue to read the complete 33 Questions with Rae.L, alongside the issue’s other artists, creatives and stories celebrating the people shaping today’s culture.
Published by KBR on September 27, 2026
