By Nicholas Jason Lopez
After her first case of heartbreak upon her second decade in life, songwriting was a way for Rella to cope with the pain and it soon led to her first single release in 2019.
The daughter of a bass player, Rella was practically born right into the Nashville music scene. If that didn’t do it, perhaps being at the same high school as Taylor Swift definitely did, as she aspired to be like her own influences – Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell and Lorde, to name a few.
The 22-year-old’s emotional new single “Maryland” showcases the singer’s natural ability to fuse indie-pop with country and tell a story from an optimistic perspective about the much-too-real scenario where substance abuse can ruin a relationship.
The Music Bugle had the chance to talk with Rella about “Maryland” and more.
Music Bugle – What directly inspired your new single “Maryland”?
Rella – I was really inspired by Folklore and especially the trio of songs that are about the same story from three different perspectives. Maryland is actually the second song in its story, as I realized halfway through writing it that it fit perfectly as the opposite perspective of another song I’d written.
Music Bugle – How have you been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Rella – I graduated college in May 2020, so I’ve pretty much been roughing it since. I’ve had to move, like, five times due to different Covid-related circumstances and I started the pandemic in Brooklyn and I’m ending it in Nashville, but it’s also given me the opportunity to spend time honing my craft and I’ve definitely noticed major improvements in my voice and songwriting abilities, so there have been some positives!
Music Bugle – Which of your songs were the hardest to write?
Rella – Honestly, I’ve never had much of a hard time writing a song. Sometimes, I start a song and leave it and come back to it a few months later and finish it, but since I’m a new artist, I’m not really on strict deadlines, so I’m able to take my time writing.
Music Bugle – What are three of your all-time favorite albums?
Rella – ‘Fearless’ by Taylor Swift, ‘Frank’ by Amy Winehouse and ‘Clean’ by Soccer Mommy.
Music Bugle – Who are you listening to right now, music-wise?
Rella – I’ve been listening to the new Taylor’s Version of ‘Fearless’ of course and also Charlie Burg, Jensen McRae, Maisie Peters and Maude Latour.
Music Bugle – Do you feel your young age gives you any sort of advantage in today’s music industry?
Rella – I definitely think so, because pop stars tend to be so young, especially the women, but I also think young people right now have a really unique perspective because of all of the changes the world is going through.
Music Bugle – What excites you the most about your style of music?
Rella – I’ve been having a lot of fun working with my producer March Martin and exploring new sounds, which I’ve never really gotten the chance to do in the studio. My influences are really all over the place, so it’s fun to imitate different styles in my production, while still bringing my own twist.
Music Bugle – Does social media help or hurt musicians?
Rella – I definitely think it helps people get their voices out there and I’ve certainly discovered a lot of new music on TikTok, but it’s also incredibly difficult to run socials, because algorithms push people that post consistently and value quantity of content over quality, which is really frustrating.
Music Bugle – What’s a quote that motivates you to keep doing what you do?
Rella – “You will never be able to escape your heart, so it is better to listen to what it has to say” from “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.
Music Bugle – Where do you go when you need an escape?
Rella – My aunt and uncle’s house just outside of Nashville is my favorite place in the entire world.
