Rising singer-songwriter and Hopeless Records signee Remy is on the ‘up and up’.
Rising singer-songwriter Remy has just dropped his new album, ‘could the grass be greener’. His second full-length, it sees the New York artist showcase his formidable songwriting skills (he’s previously written for the likes of The Chainsmokers and Alexander 23, you know) and leaning into the idea of, “what if?”
Hi Remy! How’s it going? What are you up to today?
Hey guys. I’m good – today, I’m going to a session with the legendary Public Library Commute. We’re cooking up a little something special.
What first inspired you to start making music?
Everyone in my dad’s family is a musician, so it was only natural that I got into it. I would say, though, that it was John Mayer’s ‘Room For Squares’ album that made me grab a guitar.
Can you remember the first song you ever wrote, or worked on?
I don’t know if it was the first song I ever wrote, but one of the earliest I can remember was a song called ‘Coffee Shop Girl’. Still slaps imo.
What were your first steps to getting into the music industry? You started out writing/producing?
I was signed to Sony as a writer and began writing a ton for other artists. Definitely a good boot camp cause it helped me find the type of music I wanted to make for myself.
What has been the most challenging aspect of starting and maintaining your own solo venture?
The most challenging part is coming to terms with the fact there is no destination or real end goal and comparing myself to other artists. Every time I hit a milestone that I had been climbing towards, a new one comes around. So trying to enjoy the process more as opposed to chasing something.
Tell us about your new album – what’s it about, where did it come from?
I’m a super indecisive person, and I do a lot of second-guessing. So the idea of “could the grass be greener?” came from that idea of me constantly wondering, “what if?”. My friend who designed the merch came up with the landscaping concept, which I loved and ran with.
How did you approach curating the tracklisting?
I didn’t really have much concern with the tracklist, except for the first and last song. I knew I wanted to end with ‘closer to thirty’, a song about getting older. And I wanted to open with ‘don’t mess a good thing up’ because it’s my favourite on the album, I think.
Where would you like the album to take you?
I think we did a great job of making sure there are a lot of different types of songs on this one. I think there’s something for everyone, and I hope to find some new fans who want to go back and check out some of the older songs as well.
What else are you working on at the moment, do you have big plans for this year?
We’re already hard at work planning more music to release this year. Also working on putting together a show or getting on a tour… more live stuff and more merch. Just more everything in general. We’ve got good momentum, and I don’t plan on taking a Frank Ocean-style hiatus any time soon.
What do you like to do outside of music? Do you have any interesting hobbies?
I’m a huge comic/movie/TV nerd. Just finished Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. My wife and I are finishing the last season of The Handmaid’s Tale. I loved the first episode of The Last of Us, and pre-ordered tickets to the new Ant-Man movie. ■
Taken from the March 2023 edition of Upset. Order a copy below. Remy’s album ‘could the grass be greener’ is out now.
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