SimplyRich Uses His Music As An Outlet & Shares Some Of His Iconic Story

Intro:

Today we have the Georgia-born artist SimplyRich for our latest interview article in the series. SimplyRich is highly skilled at rapping, producing, and singing music from a place of artistic expression. Since moving to Los Angeles for a software engineering opportunity, he’s been heavily immersed in the city’s vibrant music scene. These days he’s been working hard on new material & would describe this current time period as his “The King Era." Before reading our full conversation & learning more about SimplyRich below, you should follow him on Instagram & TikTok @simplyrich_music today!

Meet: SimplyRich

Me: How long have you been making music? What inspired you at the beginning to get started?

SimplyRich: I've been singing my whole life. I started leading congregational singing in church when I was 5, and I've been a member and leader of multiple acappella groups and choirs throughout middle school, high school, college, and after college. I decided to make music as SimplyRich at the beginning of 2020. I wanted a music project I could pour myself into, having the freedom to express myself with no constraints. Almost 5 years later I can't imagine not making music as SimplyRich.

Wow, I love your story! How has your style changed & evolved since then? And how would you describe it?

I like to explore different sounds and styles within R&B and hip-hop, with a dash of pop. I like to make music for every occasion: a chill weekend afternoon, getting ready to turn up on a Friday night, going hard at the gym, dramatically reminiscing about a lost love. Music has always been my companion through myriad life stages and emotions, so I try to make music that reflects the many facets of our lives.

My sound has become more polished and focused. Starting off, I was frustrated that my music didn't sound like music from my favorite artists. The technical gap was evident, but so was the lyrical/communicative aspect. As I've stepped my skills up as a writer, producer, singer, rapper, and engineer, I feel that gap shrinking, as I'm able to give listeners access to a new world through my words, melodies, flows, and beats. I'm excited to continue growing and evolving as an artist.

Also, how were you able to come up with such an all-encompassing stage name for your music?

"SimplyRich" came to be during a brainstorming session I had with my sister and brother-in-law. I knew I wanted "Rich" to be in there somewhere but not related to money. And I knew I wanted it to have some kind of oxymoronic vibe to it. When my bro said "SimplyRich", I knew it was the one.

Do you remember the first song you've ever made? What was that one like?

The first song I ever made was for my high school a cappella group I named "BroReMi". But we won't talk about that 😅 My first song as SimplyRich was my debut single, "Do You Wonder". I produced and recorded it on Garageband iOS on my iPad mini. I think it holds up OK! It's a bit sparse production-wise, but I hear the seeds of what would become some songwriting and production techniques that have become a part of my sound.

We all start somewhere & grow from there! Now, who are some of your favorite artists or producers that you’ve worked with?

Gotta give a shoutout to collaborators I've dropped music with this year: Chisa (she remixed "(Never) Let Go"), Diana Chow (she produced "BLOAT." and remixed "drought"), Grandpa Sweats (he featured on "Pool Party!"), and Nina Nepa & Roberto Horns (we collaborated on "I Want More"). Collaboration was certainly a goal for this year, but I'm blown away by the quantity and quality of these releases and I'm thankful to have worked with all the super-talented artists here 😄

Without any limitations at all, what does the perfect studio/recording session look like in your own imagination?

Flow. Whether it's working by myself in my closet studio or working with others in another studio, a perfect session is music flowing with no barriers, inhibitions, or insecurities.

I like that! Do you have any other talents & hobbies outside of music that most people aren’t aware of?

I play a lot of (maybe too much...) Super Smash Brothers Ultimate 😆 My mains are Wii Fit Trainer and Samus. 1v1 me! I also love yoga (hot yoga specifically 🔥), journaling, and reading.

There are many ups & downs that come with creating art. What's been the most difficult part of your journey so far?

Not being as far along as I wanted to be. There's always artists I can point to and say "they're doing ____ better than I am" or "they're more ____ than I am" or whatever. That feeling hasn't completely gone away, but I've gained more security in where I am and I've grown to appreciate my journey for what it is. My growth over the past few years has been undeniable so I just want to keep that momentum going.

That’s a great perspective to have as a response to those moments! Is there any advice you would give to someone considering getting into music?

Finish AND release a song. If it's for you, you won't be able to stop thinking about what you want to release next. But you gotta get something out so you have room for the next.

And finally, do you have any upcoming releases or plans for your career that you're comfortable sharing with the readers?

falling again will release in November, concluding the trilogy of EPs I've dropped this year (venting again released in February, thirsting again in July). A deluxe version of the EP, falling again++, will release in December, concluding this era of music that began about a year ago with "Curiosity". After releasing 29 songs this year, my future plans include a nap 😴