Diandra Interviews The Rayes: Sisters In Sound

The Rayes, sisters Rebecca and Jordan Stobbe, are superbly talented, funny, and folksy. The earth tones of their music, as seen in new record Two Legs, matches their humility and humor. They are two sisters that have decided, together, is the best way to handle the ride of making music your career. For some reason, their interview makes me recall a famous actor who said being an entertainer is the most embarrassing, brave thing you could do. He was not wrong; becoming a professional artist means a lot of hard times, learning curves, and complete self-reliance that you can un-break your heart. In our interview, they discuss how a sisterhood filled with laughs and admiration is the best way to keep sane in this profession.

Diandra: How do you feel Two Legs embodies your style and personalities?

The Rayes: Well, I think ‘Two Legs’ could mean a lot of different things for different people, which is one of the reasons I (Jordan) really like the song. I wanted to keep the lyrics light and expansive, so that it could take on different meanings. But when I wrote it, I was in a time of new-found freedom and wanted to embrace the carefree stage I was in. I felt powerful and renewed; young and optimistic. I was craving connection, but in the most powerfully, independent way.

Diandra: Which song do you feel most encompassed a personal experience that you either loved, or that you needed to heal?

The Rayes: Definitely ‘You’re Not Alone.’ I (Jordan) started writing this song before COVID, when I was in a stage of yearning for the nature back home (in Seattle, WA). It was winter in New York, and I couldn’t stop my mind from dreaming of pine trees and the Puget Sound. I was very lonely and struggling mentally, at the time, and was trying hard to create a ‘home’ within myself to give myself comfort in these times of trouble. Once COVID hit, this idea of finding solace in struggle became even more relevant.

Diandra What have you learned about each other, as artists, that surprised you as sisters?

The Rayes: Nothing really surprises us anymore! Haha, well maybe we don’t surprise each other (we know each other too well having lived together practically our whole lives and have been working creatively together since High School), but there are definitely always times when we are impressing one another with our creativity and resilience.

It has surprised me (Rebecca) that even when Jordan is struggling mentally, she still finds a way to be creative and continue writing. Sometimes, it seems even more than most people do when they’re actually feeling incredibly inspired!

For me (Jordan), I’m constantly impressed by Rebecca’s musicianship. She’s our rhythm guitarist, so I think that title might make people look past her skills sometimes (Beatles fans, you might know John Lennon used to complain about this a lot hah!) But honestly, she is one of my favorite guitarists ,and her ability to whip out what I like to say is “the best song I’ve ever heard” practically every time she comes to me with a new tune.

Diandra: How has the pandemic both worried and moved you as artists and the future of music?

The Rayes: It’s moving to see so many artists continue to be creative and resilient right now, when our livelihoods were abruptly disrupted in every way. The current environment in the world is anything but inspiring right now, so this is a beautiful thing to see: that inspiration and creativity still survives in the darkness. This time really accentuates how even in ‘normal’ times, being a musician is extremely unstable and unsustainable. The way we relied on an income pre-pandemic was primarily from touring (even then, sometimes, at most, you would only break even). But now, in pandemic times, we are left to rely on streaming or virtual shows, which usually bring in little to no profit. So it has become even more blatantly obvious that the majority of the music industry is still not ‘artist friendly,’ and there are big changes that need to be made.

Diandra: With most of the album recorded in quarantine, how did you feel this year of both mass isolation and connection revamped your sound and messages?

The Rayes: Quarantine has helped us really focus more on recording, and has pushed us to really get the hang of home recording softwares and equipment. This was a big learning curve for us because we have never dedicated much time to learning the production side of things. So what better time than when we’re unemployed and stuck at home?!

Diandra: What is your craziest, busking tale? Could be horror or humorous?

The Rayes: Haha!! Well, we really went into busking with NO KNOWLEDGE whatsoever. We didn’t even look around to see what other musicians were doing! Rebecca was probably 15 years old, and I was 17. We’d only JUST started learning guitar at the time, and probably only knew a total of like 5 chords. Honestly, I don’t know how we had the courage without knowing literally anything about busking, or playing music for that matter!
To give you an idea, we would take a picnic blanket with us, spread it out on the ground in the prime busking spot at Pike Place Market in Seattle (which happens to be in front of the first Starbucks and is always packed), sat down cross-legged, and probably kicked off our set with Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri. So, to summarize, I’d say pretty much the entirety of our first month or two busking was fully embarrassing to say the least!

Diandra: What is a movie you feel would be a great concept album? Why and from what character’s perspective?

The Rayes: Well, Rebecca just blurted out “Call Me By Your Name!!” We are huge fans of the soundtrack in that movie, because of how it reflects the vibe and scenery from small-town French summers. Plus, we love the interesting mix of genres in the soundtrack. They combine piano-heavy classical music, dramatic and sometimes cheesy 80s dance music, mixed with several dreamy Sufjan Stevens songs. This melding of genres really contributes to the overall feeling of the film, and I think it would be interesting to mold an album around this genre diversity and youthful summery vibe. And maybe even the lyrics could be centered around the theme of the movie being about star-crossed lovers; struck by the social inequities of the time which prevents them from being together.

Diandra: What is an album you love that appears to you like a good movie? Why?

The Rayes: We are both big Andrew Bird fans, and think his most recent album ‘My Finest Work Yet’ has a really beautiful, nostalgic overall vibe that is consistent throughout the record, making it feel like a concept album. There’s also melodic phrases among all the songs that create a sort of motif throughout, weaving the songs together and helping it flow naturally. Something about these melodies have an almost eerie, ancient sound to them that makes it feel like they’ve been around for centuries, or like he took them out of the back of my mind.

Diandra: You said the EP was born from moods of resistance and desire. What are the things you have found, through your songs, you most desire and most resist?

The Rayes: These songs contain a mix of resisting loneliness, resisting frightening unpredictability in life, and resisting social injustices which seem to repeat themselves through generations. The desire that we speak of in these songs revolves around human connection, serenity in nature, and the freedom found in self-love and power.

Diandra: When you think of Melanie’s Song, what chapter of her life do we find Melanie and how does she appear to you?

The Rayes: This is a song I (Rebecca) actually wrote a couple years ago, after one of the frequent mass shootings happened. The title ‘Melanie Song’’ came more from the feel, rather than representing a specific person. But if she was, she would probably be in her late-teens, or early twenties, becoming exasperated and increasingly resistant as more and more injustices in the world are revealed to her, and grievances and inequities become painfully apparent.

Diandra: In honor of You’re Not Alone, what are things you love about people that makes you want their company versus what are the things people say that makes them love your company?

The Rayes: Well, actually one thing I (Jordan) think about when I think of people whose company I love, is our bandmates (who also double as our best friends). Honestly, practically every musician who we’ve ever played with has become one of our closest friends. We feel really lucky in that way, and it also kind of blows our minds! Like how is that even possible?! We found the drummer and lead guitarist we play with now off of craigslist for gosh sakes! But I often think about those late-night band rehearsals with our other bandmates, at our sketchy practice studio off Wyckoff in Brooklyn, laughing and joking around with beers from the bodega across the street, as shitty gear crapped out on us, amps feedbacking, and we’re just screaming into our mics trying to hear ourselves over the noise, and laughing hysterically at each others’ raunchy jokes. Truly, we have such a genuine closeness with our friends. I think the kind of people that we are drawn to are those who are open minded, light-hearted about their mistakes and embarrassments, and especially those who are imaginative, driven, and creative.
I think people are drawn to us by our ability to relate and connect, and by our awkward sense of humor. Haha!

Diandra: The EP is about owning and standing your essence or rather truth. What truths about who you are, your life, and even your relationships music has revealed to you?

The Rayes: Music has shown us what following your dreams truly means, and has shown us how to forge our own path even when societal norms and some people might be working against us. Much of it is incredibly challenging, and takes a LOT of drive and motivation. But I think we’ve really learned who we are in following this path. And more than anything, it’s shown us that, learning as we go and at our own pace, is completely okay, and something to be proud of.

Diandra: If Music could incarnate into the a liter third member of your duo, what would be your perfect adventure with her?

The Rayes: I think that every musician, themselves, is kind of “music incarnated.” I kind of think of music and musicians as symbiotic beings. So if that’s the case, I guess we’ve had lots of amazing experiences with ‘music!’ Some of our favorite being, tours. We have so much fun touring. Lots of crazy times!!

For More Information The Rayes Click Here.