Internet Friends: An Interview with Rae.L
By Lea Byrnes
Rae Lewis, known by her fans as Rae.L, is a 24-year-old musician based in Tucson, AZ. Soft, chill vibes and upbeat tempos of Rae.L’s unique sound pair perfectly with her angelic voice and relatable lyrics inspired by her life. Her lyrics are an ode to the struggles and emotions experienced by many people in today’s generation, filled with heartbreak and laughter alike. Rae.L is a part of the Tucson-based music collective, Our City’s Finest, which has helped her to share her music with a wider audience. She is a natural performer who easily captivates her listeners with her sound and imagery. About her music, she says, “I love to make super upbeat songs that have darker/sadder lyrics. I think the contrast is funny & makes for good music!” Rae.L’s songs have a lofi, soft/bedroom-pop vibe that is perfect for listening to when you need some relaxation and funky tunes.
Photography by @_thegarageofficialAlthough she was involved with choir and musical theater as a kid, Rae.L’s musical journey began after she dropped out of college, looking to discover what she was truly passionate about. She describes, “...I was really struggling to find who I was. I was also horrified by what people would think about me. But when I dropped out I was able to reconnect with music, and find creative outlets, and it made me realize what I actually want to go back to school for. Just take your time in life, find what you love and do that!!” Rae.L’s career began to flourish as she started making music in 2020 on Discord with talented artists from all over the world. This is when all the pieces started to come together for Rae.L, as she found a sense of community and belonging amongst fellow artists.
These new friends are the inspiration for her upcoming album, Internet Friends. After moving to Arizona a few years ago, Rae.L met many new people who have inspired her artistically and helped her to grow as a musician. About her community, Rae.L says, “I love the hip-hop community in Tucson because the people in it are kind, accepting, and uplifting. It’s inspiring how much love everyone puts into their art, and it’s beautiful to be surrounded by so much music. There are so many good people in this community, and it’s definitely a safe space to be.” Her work on Discord eventually led to her involvement with Our City’s Finest, the music collective in Tucson. “Being in OCF is my favorite part about making music and performing,” Rae.L says, “I’m really proud of them all the time.”
Rae.L’s debut single, titled Easy Mourning, kick-started her career with its synth-pop sound and dreamy lyrics. For the album art, she chose to hire @positronic.ray on Instagram, who has continued to create the artwork for her singles ever since. Rae.L describes, “ I sent them the song and asked them to just create based on whatever the song made them feel; for Easy Mourning, the colors incorporated were blue, pink, yellow, orange, green, black, and white. I think that those vibrant colors matched up with the high-energy, existential crisis vibes of the album just really pair nicely. It also matches my instagram feed which is just a nice bonus!!” Rae.L’s Instagram feed has the same vibes as her music; with beautiful pink and orange ombre backgrounds behind announcements and colorful, fun album art.
Photography by @_thegarageofficialFor Rae.L, music helped her to find her community and connect with others through art. She says, “My favorite part about what I do is that it forced me to stumble into a group of the most talented, patient, and kind people.” Working with new artists is one of the most exciting parts of creating collaborative art. When we asked Rae.L about some of her favorite current music, she answered, “Right now I have two albums on repeat. SOS from the legend SZA, and Hey u x by miss BENEE. I adore both of their music, and getting to work with either of them would be so surreal.” No doubt that this is only the beginning for Rae.L’s musical career, as her fans can expect a long-awaited album drop in the near future! She says, “I don’t have a date, but the songs are getting close to done, FINALLY!!! I started this project [Internet Friends] in 2020 on Discord, so it’s bittersweet; but I’m so excited to share it with everyone.” Keep an eye out for Rae.L and Our City’s Finest to stay updated on all of her new music, shows, and amazing vibes!
