Raincity is a Vancouver-based Funk-Rock group making waves with their unique sound. Fronted by female leads on saxophone and vocals, their audacious performances are loaded with engaging interplay and explosive energy. The five members of Raincity combine their eclectic influences including Amy Winehouse, Moon Hooch, and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, creating a distinctive sound with infectious grooves, chameleon tones, and no regard for boundaries.
They are a breath of fresh air and carve their own lane sonically. We were really excited to speak with them. You can read the full interview below.
How did you all meet and what prompted you to work together creatively?
We started as a jazz trio in 2016 and since then have gathered members along the way and became a five-piece Rage-Funk band. In the beginning, Clare, our vocalist was looking for an opener at a solo show and found Ryley & Kaylar, guitarist & saxophonist, through friends online. Although we had never met before we decided to play a couple songs together at the show and the chemistry was instant. We felt the same chemistry with our drummer, Sheldon, and bassist, Ginger, on the first days we played with each of them. We just really enjoy spending time with each other and making music together.
For those who don’t know, how long have you been making music and how would you describe your style?
We’re not sure if it’s a thing yet but we’re calling it Rage-Funk. Our influences are diverse and include artists such as Moonhooch, RATM, Amy Winehouse, Queen, RHCP, and Bill Withers to name a few.
What can you tell us about your latest track ‘Insomnia?’ How did the track come about?
Insomnia was the first track that we wrote with our new (at the time) bassist Ginger. Like many of our songs it started with a few written hooks, lyrics fueled by a sleepless night, and many jams between the band members. Insomnia is about the turmoils that keep you up at night and how to overcome them and let things go. The song switches back and forth between dreamscapes and power melodies reflecting the lyrics “jumping on both sides of the fence”.
What does your typical music production process look like?
Typically, our songs are written through jams that we find textures and melodies that we like and want to take further. We’ve been trying to switch that up recently because we think that exploring new avenues of production also leads to new avenues for songwriting.
Which of your songs is your favorite to perform?
Recently a favourite song of ours to perform is called Puzzle Piece. The song is about society only wanting a certain portion of a woman to be in the public eye; a puzzle piece and not the whole package. It is our anthem for encouraging people to accept and own every side of themselves. Kaylar has been delving into support vocals lately, her and myself, Clare, get to unleash some sass which feels really good on stage.
Do you all have anything on the horizon creatively for the remainder of 2020 or 2021?
Absolutely, we’re always working and striving forward. During Covid we were fortunate to partake in online festivals including Mission Folk Festival, Vancouver Island Music Festival, and most recently the Jim Beam/Canadian Music Week National Talent Search, and The Whammy’s Award Show in which Kaylar won Vancouver’s Best Brass. Moving forward we are working on recording a full length album that we hope to release by Summer 2021 with some accompanying music videos. Depending on the Covid situation at the time we will either do a virtual tour or a summer live tour of socially distanced shows. We feel really fortunate to continue to make music during Covid and want to thank all of our friends, family, and fans, as well as festivals and grant funding bodies for their support!
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