Interview: Racyne Parker Discusses The Release Of Her New Single “I’ll Keep You”!

Upcoming singer-songwriter Racyne Parker has been creating an impressive impact within the music industry with her vibrantly creative style, which combines a variety of musical genres, alongside her mesmerising songwriting talents.

Racyne has now released the fun & upbeat ear-catching single “I’ll Keep You” & has kindly taken the time to speak with Fierce & Fabulous Revolution about her latest release.

Hey Racyne, thank you so much for this interview. Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?

Racyne: Happy to! My name is Racyne Parker. I’m a singer-songwriter and performing & recording artist currently based out of the Denver, Colorado area. To date, my songs have lived within the country genres – a sound that has deep roots within me. I released my debut and sophomore singles early in 2019, followed by my debut EP, “Tumbleweed Town.” I followed those releases up with two more singles in the fall of 2020. It’s been such a fun few years so far, and there is so much more to come!

My upcoming singles and projects, including my most recently released single, heavily reflect influences outside of the country genre, so I’m excited to see what opportunities and new connections may arise from that!

When did you first discover your passion for music?

Racyne: Born and raised in a small-town in Southern Oregon, I grew up riding horses, working cattle, playing sports, and listening to a lot of music. My dad, the lead singer and rhythm guitar player of The Lost River Band, would take me to band practice as a kid and I would fall asleep on the couch in the barn-turned-studio space to the sounds of country and rock covers and originals. Sometimes at his shows, I’d get to go up on stage and sing with him, maybe play the tambourine too, because I knew all of the songs in their set. I was just a little girl. His band has been together for over 20 years now. I’m fairly certain, looking back, that’s where it started for me.

Have you always known that a music career was something that you wanted to pursue?

Racyne: Yes… and no. I didn’t actually begin pursuing music as a career until my early 20’s. In fact, I was pretty sure I was headed to medical school after graduating from college with a degree in biology and anthropology. I took the entrance exams and went to work a job that I thought would validate my pursuit of becoming a doctor but instead only convinced me to pursue what really set my soul on fire, which I quickly confirmed was music. I always wanted to pursue music but I let fear get in the way.

I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember and I’ve been good enough with a guitar to get by, but it wasn’t until college and the years after that I thought I should take that creative outlet and turn it into something more. When I finally allowed myself to believe that I could make what once felt like a pipedream into a reality, I committed to a music career.

How would you describe your musical style to someone unfamiliar with your music?

Racyne: Ever-evolving. Folks who listen to my early work on their favorite listening platforms will be sure that I am a country artist. Folks who come to my live shows will hear songs with country, singer-songwriter, folk, pop, and rock influences. I just want to write, record, and release songs that reflect how I felt at a certain time, and hopefully make you feel something to – sometimes, that means doing a little genre-bending. Though, I do think that there will always be nods to country music, no matter how far I stray.

You have just released the brand new single “I’ll Keep You”, which sounds amazing by the way. How did the idea to create this single come together?

Racyne: This entire song stemmed from a 10-second voice memo on my phone from 2018, as many songs do, that I recorded while sitting in the passenger seat, running errands with my guy. I wanted to write about the happy, easy aspects of love. Little things that can bring you joy and bigger things that keep you from getting in your own way were the main themes of the lyrics. I wanted the music to reflect that ease and fun, too.

What does the song personally mean to you?

Racyne: This song was written with my own experience in mind, based on my real relationship with my then-boyfriend, now fiancé. Because of that, it is reminiscent of a page out of my own diary.

The first real love song that I’ve released, I’ll Keep You really took on a playful pop vibe even before I knew that it would. It also might be my most ambitious vocal performance yet, and the growth that I’ve seen in myself through this song has been truly refreshing. It’s reinvigorated my sense that I am just getting started. From conception to production, this song has been a blast to create and I’m glad that it’s out in the world now!

If listeners could take anything away from this song, what would you like it to be?

Racyne: When you listen to this song, I want you to feel light and joyful – maybe catch yourself tapping a toe or swaying your head. Maybe you’ll find yourself reflecting on the people and passions in your life that you want to keep around (or that want to keep you). Whatever you take away from the song, know that I’m singing to you and am happy to get to share a few moments with you.

Do you have any further releases planned that you are able to share with us?

Racyne: I’ve got a new project coming up involving some of my absolute favorite musicians, but it’s too early to say much else about it. I guess I could say that the next project is a pretty significant departure from anything that I’ve done before. Sorry that I can’t say more, I’ll keep you posted though!

What are some of the things you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Racyne: I love this question! I really enjoy spending time with my guy and our big Pyrenees dog, Deets. They bring a lot of joy to my life. I also really enjoy cooking and baking – we make homemade pizza every Friday, and I’ll always bake you a birthday cake if you need one!

If you could perform a duet with anyone in the world, who would you choose & why?

Racyne: There are so many people that I would be humbled and honored to do a duet with… this is such a tough question. I’m afraid my answer wouldn’t surprise too many people, especially given her recent releases, but I (like many others) am a massive fan of Taylor Swift and would love to do a duet with her. Not only would I love to write and sing with her, but I think she would be super chill to hang out with. Mostly, I think that she has set a great example for artists like me who find themselves venturing in and beyond genres. That’s why I would love to do a duet with her!

What song do you always keep on your playlist & why?

Racyne: One of my favorite songs of all time is “Anything But Mine” by Kenny Chesney. Kenny was one of the first concerts that my parents ever took me to, and so I have some sentimentality associated with him. This song of his in particular has been part of the soundtrack to my entire life and so I put it on all of my playlists – I never get tired of it and am always excited when it randomly comes up on a playlist!

If you possess one superpower, what would you choose & why?

Racyne: I would absolutely choose teleportation. The convenience of instantly being somewhere else would be so beneficial – for touring, for visiting my family back in Oregon, for visiting you over in the U.K., for saving money on fuel or plane tickets…. The list goes on, teleportation is where it’s at for superpowers!

What advice would you offer someone who was looking to pursue a career within the music industry?

Racyne: I would first suggest that they ask themselves why they make music. The music industry is full of obstacles – from rejection to people completely ignoring you – so artists should make sure that they have a purpose with their music beyond “getting famous.”

With a “why” in mind, get to studying. There are so many artists and creators who are finding success at any given moment. You aren’t the first to do this, so you’re not alone. Get involved with your local scene and emulate what you see others doing, while putting your own unique personality and flair to it. Read the books that have been written, listen to the podcasts, watch the how-to TikToks, and take to Google with your questions. As long as you are enjoying the process and feel that you have yet to reach your potential, keep grinding!

Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers of Fierce & Fabulous Revolution?

Racyne: Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and about my music! I’m excited about any opportunity to connect further with you – you can find me on your favorite socials or at racyneparker.com (I’m pretty quick to respond to messages, so I’d love to hear from you).

Thank you for supporting artists like me – you are the reason we do what we do. Until then, wishing you all the best!

You can check out “I’ll Keep You”on Spotify below.