New York music is back in full force with some solid Texan roots. While combining soul and R&B, rock star Sterling Rhyne, is bringing addicting vibes into the musical stratosphere for fans to enjoy while the warmth of summer remains. Natural and captivating tunes are released via her unique style that is sublime. After premiering her latest single, Remedy earlier this month, the musician is sure to become a fan favorite in the year to follow.
Natural conversation took off with the single in question. “… Remedy was the first tune I wrote when I moved to NYC two years ago. I recorded and produced it in Brooklyn and brought in a number of great NYC based musicians to play on it.”
Utilizing a specific genre is hard thing to completely grasp for Sterling and her music given her eclectic taste. “The topic of genre has always been an interesting concept for me. I have many musical influences in my music, from Marvin Gaye to Bjork and Joni Mitchell. Overall, I hope that my music reaches as many people as possible and has a pop audience, while still maintaining my thumbprint. Most music today seems to be a mesh of many different influences because we live in a world that is more connected than ever through the Internet, which I think is a beautiful thing!”
Beyond the craft, musical exploration always continues onwards. “My hope is to constantly keep carving out my own production sound and continually evolve over time. I also try to keep my ears open to listening to all kinds of music. With so much music online now the possibilities of exploration are limitless.”
Her most current work holds sway as she looks back on her discography thus far. “This is such a difficult [statement] because all of my projects are like my children. I love them all the same, but each stem from such different precious moments, emotions, and experiences. My recent project, Remedy was a lot of fun though. I really wanted to work on my production style and produce my own project. Also, I was blessed to work with some amazing musicians which was very inspiring.”
Performance goals are high while on the road. “I would love to do a tour in theaters and opera halls with a full orchestra! Growing up, I was in orchestras, choirs and performed quite a bit in cathedral halls and theaters. My favorite performances that I have done as a singer-songwriter are in listening room style halls, and it would be a dream of mine to play with a full orchestra.”
First time moments are often difficult or stressful, Sterling elaborated on one specific event in her memory. “One of my most difficult performances was actually my first time performing solo in NYC. I was playing at a place called the Path Café, which is unfortunately no longer in the West Village. The Path Café was an amazing place for singer-songwriters to try out new material in front of a listening style audience. The community of singer-songwriters there was amazing and supportive as well. Before having my solo project, I was involved in a band for a few years. So going from a band and collaborating on songs, to writing and playing solo was a big adjustment. My set was 45 minutes and it felt like forever as I would get halfway through new songs and try to remember lyrics, but the audience was forgiving. When I got through that first set I felt an amazing rush, like this is exactly where I need to be musically.”
Her place in the music world causes the musician to recognize the unusual timeline music is in 2017. “The music world is an interesting ball of wax today. On the one hand you have Quincy Jones saying there is no music industry and oversaturation of the music market. Then on the other hand you have 7.5 billion people on planet Earth, more people than ever before which ultimately means more music listeners and consumers than ever before. Someone can release a song tomorrow, and it can go viral in a part of the world they might never have even thought about. As an artist today, I feel a bit overwhelmed by all the possibilities that exist for connecting to people and feel there are so many avenues that have yet to be explored.”
Other mediums help Sterling stay focused and creative. “When not playing music I love to garden, watching and making films. Being cooped up in a little Brooklyn apartment makes me long for open spaces and greenery, so I managed to turn my pad into a mini jungle with all the plants. Also, I love to watch old movies and make short analog films. So I haven’t watched a new movie in almost a year, but I love watching older movies that are new to me. My favorite recent summer movie classic that I’ve seen was Ghost with Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. It has scenes on Broadway Ave. in Brooklyn not too far from where I live. It’s an amazing movie about life, white collar crime and the afterlife. I [also] love escaping to upstate NY, hiking and finding some peace away from the hustle and bustle of the city.”
From there, the music life never ends. “Today I’m going to write string parts, then read this really fascinating book called Sounding the Inner Landscape: Music as Healing by Kay Gardner. It is a very eye-opening book about the power of music to heal, and how ancient cultures would share music as a therapeutic means, but by the middle ages music became a means of entertainment. Right now I am working on my next single and music video for a tune called, Shine. I wrote it about four years ago, and am releasing it in December! I am collaborating with wonderful musicians and one of my favorite filmmakers/photographers and dear friend of mine, Christopher Sonny Martinez, on the visuals. The whole process of seeing everything come together is very rewarding.”
Jam on.
Give Remedy a listen below:
https://soundcloud.com/sterlingrhyne/remedy
