Five-time CMA Ontario nominee Nicole Rayy Releases New Single “Guilty”
Five-time CMA Ontario nominee Nicole Rayy has unveiled her new single, “Guilty.”
Produced by Douglas Romanow (Kinnie Starr / Don Amero / Alessia Cohle) and written by Nicole Rayy, Douglas Romanow, Chrystal Oudijk, “Guilty” is a not-so-typical love song. The song paints the picture of a love so good it should be illegal, a love you are willing to go to jail for. The song also really homes in on a more country rock sound for Rayy, with bluesy undertones, a sound she feels is the truest to her as an artist.
Can you share the inspiration behind your new single “Guilty” and what led you to explore a not-so-typical love theme in the song?
I was watching the show “Good Trouble” before I went into a writing session with Douglas Romanow and Chrystal Oudijk. For those who haven’t seen it, there is a lot of legal jargon throughout the show. So, I had imagery of court and justice on my mind that day. I was hoping to write a love song on this particular day because I struggle with them the most and I wanted to include a love song on my upcoming project. I got into the session and I wasn’t quite sure how to pair the imagery of court with a love song until Chrystal made a joke about “a love being so good it feels illegal”. And Guilty was born.
“Guilty” delves into the concept of a love so profound that one is willing to go to jail for it. How did the collaboration with Douglas Romanow and Chrystal Oudijk contribute to capturing the essence of this unconventional love story in both lyrics and production?
They are both such talented and creative people to work with. This was my first time writing with Chrystal but I loved how she was immediately on board with an unconventional love song concept. I felt she helped to formulate the lyrics in a way that worked for this out-of-the-box love story but expressed them in a way that made perfect sense to me. I have worked with Douglas on many songs and I always love the way he helps bring my vision for a song to life. I wanted this song to showcase a more rock and blues sound and he knocked it out of the park.
February marks a series of tour dates in Canada in support of “Guilty.” How do you prepare for a tour both musically and personally, and what aspects of touring do you find most fulfilling as an artist?
I am so excited to hit the road with fellow country artist Mackenzie Leigh Meyer! Touring is so fulfilling as an artist, especially getting to meet and connect with new fans who love my music. It is also a lot of work, especially as an independent artist. Mackenzie and I are planning the tour ourselves, so that means we are doing all the prep work before we hit the road. We are booking all the venues, and planning all the travel ourselves. As well as creating our graphics, creatives, and promotional materials. All the work is worth it to be able to get on stage and do what we love. Being on stage is my favourite part of being an artist, so I am excited to get on some new stages I’ve never performed on before.
Having garnered over 4 million career streams and being a five-time CMA Ontario nominee, how do you reflect on your journey in the music industry, and what pivotal moments have shaped your evolution as an artist?
There have been so many wonderful people who have helped shape my career along the way. I have been lucky to work with amazing producers, musicians, PR teams, and radio trackers who have all taught me so much and pushed me to be a better artist. I am so grateful to anyone in this industry who has given me opportunities to prove myself. I think some of the most pivotal things that have shaped my career though are the things I had to learn on my own. Being an independent artist, I have to manage so many aspects of my career by myself. I wear many different hats from booking my shows to managing my social media platforms. Being an artist is much more than just being able to sing. My willingness to work hard every day on the business side of things and constantly learning about this ever-changing industry is what has allowed me to have success as an artist.
As the founder of HarmoniaFest and an advocate for female artists, how do you believe initiatives like #AllWomanMusic and your festival contribute to the empowerment and recognition of women in the music industry?
I hope that All Woman Music and HarmoniaFest helped provide a voice and a platform for women in music. To me, it still feels like the country music industry is willing to give a lot more opportunities to men rather than women. But if we don’t give the women a chance to be heard how do we know if the fans want to hear them? We all tend to listen to what we are familiar with and if women don’t have the chance to be heard nobody will be familiar with their music. I hope my platforms help give women that chance. I also hope it helps build a community of women who support and empower one another. Because there are fewer opportunities for women it makes women feel they need to compete with each other. Being a part of this community, allows us to let go of that competitive mindset and to support and elevate each other instead.
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