Canadian country artist Nicole Rayy has released a brand new single called “Unfinished”. It’s a great single that beautifully showcases her voice and talent.
Nicole Rayy first came into the Canadian Country music scene back in 2012 with the release of her debut EP Only Everything. This new release “Unfinished” is the first single off her upcoming and yet to be named album. We had the chance to connect with Nicole to talk about this new release.
Interview With Nicole Rayy
Front Porch: Hi Nicole, thanks so much for joining us up here on the Front Porch! If you don’t mind, it would be great if you could introduce yourself to our audience and tell us a bit about yourself.
Nicole Rayy: Hello readers! I’m Nicole Rayy, a country/pop singer/songwriter currently residing in Alliston Ontario. Other than music my passions include, food, fitness, the tv show Friends and my 5-year-old husky, Noko.
FP: Now, your new single “Unfinished” is released today (August 12th)! Congratulations on the release – it’s always an exciting day for artists. First, we want to say that your voice is absolutely beautiful! Second, it’s a really great song and it’s clearly coming from a personal place. Tell us about this song, and what the inspiration is behind it.
NR: Thank you so much! I’m so excited that the day is finally here to share this new song. It is definitely coming from a personal place, it’s pretty much word for word my life experience. I was with a guy back when we were 18 and we dated for just over a year, we eventually broke up and went our separate ways, but I always felt a tie to the relationship, that our story was unfinished. Four years later and we are back in each other’s lives writing the rest of our story together.
FP: Tell us a bit about the recording process. Do you enjoy being in the studio creating music, or do you prefer to be on the stage connecting directly with fans?
NR: Honestly, when I first started recording it terrified me. I’ve always felt very at home on the stage performing and connecting with fans, but the studio used to make me nervous. Now that I’ve been in the studio so much, I enjoy the process a lot more now and feel a lot more comfortable. The recording process for Unfinished was actually a pretty cool experience. I recorded this song in BC with amazing producers Brian Howes and Jason Van Poederooyen. I flew out and we wrote, along with Nolan Sipe, and recorded two songs in two days! The experience really pushed me outside my comfort zone in the best way, I didn’t have time to over think how I wanted to sing the song, I just went in the booth and put my emotions out there.
FP: This past year, artists in Canada and the United States have been calling on the industry to include more female artists on the radio and on festival lineups. On the surface, it feels like we are moving forward in this movement, but there’s clearly more to be done to support female artists. What’s the solution, what would you like to see happen?
NR: Yes, it does feel like some progress has been made because we have called attention to the problem, but I agree that there is more to be done. There are a lot of talented country artists both male and female, but from my perspective it seems that female artists are held to a higher standard. If you are a male and you can sing it seems the industry assumes that is enough and people will take a chance on you, but if you are a female it is a risk to take that chance on you and you better have all the boxes checked in terms of talent, look and personality to even be considered.
I think all artists male and female need to be seen equally and held to the same standards. Also, I think it’s wrong to assume that listeners want to hear more males on the radio than females, perhaps that was the way at some point, but I say poll again! I get sick of hearing male after male on the radio and would enjoy hearing more female voices. I do think it’s great that females are standing up for one another though. A lot of times people think that females want to tear other females down, but that certainly isn’t the case in country music.
“Unfinished” is actually part of a new EP I am releasing soon titled “All Woman”. The song “All Woman” is about celebrating all aspects of being a woman, that you can love to rock a dress and jeans, it’s not about having to choose one thing to define yourself as a woman it’s about embracing everything that you are. And I would love to see the industry embrace more females as they are and not look at being female as some sort of disadvantage.
FP: We’ve heard that you have an album coming out sometime soon. Can you tell us some more details, and what people can expect to hear?
NR: Yes! Well as I said the album is called “All Woman” and it’s a really special project to me. It includes 6 songs, 3 of which I recorded with producer Doug Romanow and 3 which I recorded with Brian Howes and Jason Van Poederooyen. I started work on this project over two years ago now while I was working with my manager Janice Starodub. Janice sadly became sick with breast cancer and lost her battle on New Year’s Eve 2017.
After this loss, I was lost and it was difficult to carry on with the project without her. I’m grateful to my new manager Jordyn Elliott who found me at a time when I needed guidance. It has been a joy to continue this project with her by my side. Now that the album is complete, I am so happy to have an album that really encompasses where I’ve been and where I’m going as an artist.
FP: Finally, what are your top 5 go-to songs right now?
NR: These are straight from my recently played on Spotify!
The Bones- Maren Morris
Uh Huh – Jade Bird
Good Time Being a Woman – Emily Reid
I Got This – Jerrod Niemann
Letter for God – Abhi the Nomad
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us! We can’t wait to hear what’s next for you.
Listen to Unfinished by Nicole Rayy
In country music, the Front Porch has long been a place of reflection. A place where you can look at the life you have inside that front door. A place where time almost seems to stand still, where you can get away. It’s also a place where you can go to observe the world as it passes by you. To think about your place out there beyond the driveway.
