First up, can you please give us a quick intro?
I’m Ridzyray I’m a rapper from Northern Vic Wemba-Wemba Country, currently living in Geelong on Watharong Country, I make beats sometimes, I like to get out into nature and relax when I can, I don’t mind a bit of a party here n there too but, as long as there’s no dramas.
Tell us about your new single “Keep Ya Head Up”
The singles really just one of those feel-good tracks that get’s stuck in ya head aye, co-created by the musical genius that is Dobby, as part of The Archie Roach Foundations Singing Our Futures Project.
What’s your favourite work at this point in time?
Overall I’d have to say the new single ‘Keep Ya Head Up’ I do tend to float back to a few tracks off the NOAH ep done with ACP earlier this year depending on what mood I’m in really couple of goodies off the Ridzy Reags ep to a collaboration with Reags Nelson, but yeah the love I’m getting and positive messages about Keep Ya Head Up is priceless.
How would you describe your sound in food form and why?
Full-on proper BBQ with all the meats and all the sides.
I’d describe it like that because there’s variety, lil bit of this, lil bit of that, something there to suit just about anyone’s taste, very rarely any 2 tracks sound the same yet they all still have that distinct flavour, it’d be like saying the steak taste the same as the snags or pasta salad is the same as potato salad. If that makes sense
Tell us a quick, on the road or studio, anecdote.
So my very first gig at port fairy folk festival, i was running a bit late but wasn’t stressing too much, on the drive there I started playing the setlist and Keep Ya Head Up was getting me too excited for the show, I couldn’t wait to perform it for the first time i’m just cruising, rapping along in my own world and wasn’t paying attention to the speedo. Next thing I got cops pulling me over, turns out I was doing 50 ks over the limit, instant loss of licence and the officers kept me there till one of my fams came 2 hours out of geelong to get me so yeah i ended up missing the whole show. This was on my birthday too so i went from being on such a high to feeling like the biggest idiot just like that. Moral of the story, i don’t know. Only one I could think of.
What, or who, inspires you?
I’m pretty blessed to say that everyone in my life right now inspires me in their own unique ways. Sometimes when i listen back over my songs i’ll have the realisation that certain people inspired certain tracks whether it’s the whole concept of the song or certain little catch phrases that were used in the raps and i think to myself damn, so and so planted that seed in my brain that stemmed into a full song.
Which song do you wish you wrote?
Californication – Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I don’t think i fully get what half of the subject matter is but it’s a gnarly track, Anthony Kiedis is spitting bars.
What’s next for you?
I’ve got so many tracks in the vault I’m figuring out how I’m going to go about releasing them. Some unreal collaborations in the works with some incredible artists. I just hope the tracks come into fruition. A few shows coming up in Naarm keep an eye on socials for those if there’s any festival organisers reading this hit up premier artists i’d love to get amongst it this summer. SKY HIGH music vid drops nov 24th & plenty more visuals to come, shouts to Paz, Donski and Maxxi. Dj Verse@ille is putting together a Amapiano Remix for HANO (amapiHANO) that’s a world first right there. There’s definitely more i just can’t think of it right now
What’s your scene?
My scene is with the spiritual peeps, the misfits & the weirdos. Where it’s nothing but love and good vibes, where everyone is supported and nobody feels out of place. My scene is where they want to see each other winning and being the best version of themselves they can be.
RIDZYRAY SHARES RADIANT NEW SINGLE KEEP YA HEAD UP
LIFTED FROM FORTHCOMING EP SINGING OUR FUTURES VOL.1 DUE OUT NOVEMBER 17
PHOTO CREDIT: JACINTA KEEFE
A radiant fusion of hip hop, brassy tones and uplifting joy, the brand new single Keep Ya Head Up from Wemba-Wemba MC Ridzyray releases today as part of the Singing Our Futures program, The Archie Roach Foundation’s mentoring experience centred around helping First Nations artists on their songwriting and recording journeys. Adding to already released singles from Emma Donovan, Kee’Ahn, KiwatKennell and Madi Colville-Walker, the brand new Singing Our Futures Vol.1 EP is set to land on Friday November 17, amalgamating of all of the incredible Singing Our Futures tracks together as one powerful and unified collection. And Ridzyraywill launch his single at Workers Club Melbourne on Friday October 20.
Finding Ridzyray teaming up with prolific hip hop artist and drummer DOBBY to bring the brand new single Keep Ya Head Up to life, the end result is nothing short of pure feel–good vibes, and oozing with authenticity. Drawing stylistic inspiration from Kayne, Bob Marley and Tupac as well as a multitude of artists who have left their own indelible influence on Ridzyray throughout his lifetime, Keep Ya Head Upseamlessly blends vulnerable lyrical origins with fresh and enigmatic sonic surrounds – and some long-awaited familial shout outs, as Ridzy elaborates, “I don’t really know how to describe it, music is still such a new thing for me so most of the time I just throw some sounds and words together till I feel good about it so I guess it’s a “feel good sound”. Keep Ya Head Up is kind of like a message and reminder to myself to be proud of the things I’ve over come in life, what I have accomplished and who I am and to not let that self-doubt and negativity consume my brain. And I’m hoping that people can relate. Plus, all the family always ask for a shout out in the songs so I threw in as many as I could at the end there.”
With glittering trumpets, saxophone, trombone, grand piano, synths, guitar, backing vocals, percussion, and Ridzyray himself on lead vocals, Keep Ya Head Up dazzles as a cohesive and exuberant venture, powerfully driving home Ridzyray’s positive message while also celebrating the power of music at its heartfelt core. And for Ridzyray, a talented and eclectic artist who has swiftly earned the moniker as one of Australia’s best kept secrets, the opportunity to work alongside his Singing Our Futures program mentor DOBBY was as effortless as the affable charm on display throughout his brand new track, as Ridzy shares, “The experience was so simple and smooth, I had an idea of what I wanted and shared it with him. It’s like he knew exactly what I wanted and what it needed to bring it to life and next thing I know we had a track there ready to go.”
An all-encompassing artist who writes and self-produces all of his own music, Ridzyray has become renowned in and around the industry for his fresh eclectic style fusion in his music as well as his insatiable positivity. Whether dropping bop after bop or wowing with slick delivery and compelling wordplay, Ridzyray’s latest single releasing as part of Singing Our Futures, the vision of beloved song man and storyteller Archie Roach, is a gleaming extension of Ridzyray’s own creative and personal journey to date, as Ridzy elaborates, “For me, Uncle Archie Roach stands as a symbol of what is possible for indigenous artists, he’s paved the way for so many of us, and I’m honoured to be mentioned in the same sentence. I was always playing sport and was sure that would be what I’d end up doing but injuries led to mental health issues which led to addictions and substance abuse and the only way out of that hole for me seemed to be music. I’m just doing what brings me joy, I feel very, very lucky.”
A meaningful and culturally safe songwriting program that supports emerging First Nations artists to tell their story through songwriting, Singing Our Futures was devised pre-COVID and was one of the leading programs of the Archie Roach Foundation. Led by Candice Lorrae (The Merindas), an established singer-songwriter and music producer with Jawoyn and Torres Strait Islander roots, Singing Our Futures has since evolved into an impactful and ever-growing initiative for emerging artists and storytelling that spans genres and generations, burgeoning in 2023 with the impending release of the anticipated Singing Our Futures Vol.1 EP due out on Friday 17 November.
Bringing together all previous singles unveiled under the Singing Our Future program this year as well as some still to come, this extraordinary upcoming EP includes the spell-binding debut track Take No More, by Kee’ahn and Emma Donovan, the powerful dive into deep connection, Disconnected from Torres Strait Islander artist Kiwat Kennell, as well as the mesmerising ode to home and country via Yinyarr Mulana Winyarr by Yorta Yorta creative Madi Colville-Walker, and pure serenity courtesy of Narrm artist Maylene Yinarr’s This Is For Us.
Keep Ya Head Up is out today via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
The Singing Our Futures Vol.1 EP is due out Friday November 17.
