Today we’d like to introduce you to Rheanna Downey.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started playing music quite young and became obsessed with songwriting in high school. I did a lot of moving around, so having a guitar and an open page was an incredibly important stabilizing factor for me. I learned early on that writing was a tool of process. I started performing at the age of 15 and playing out regularly at 18 years old. I did a fair bit of touring in my early 20’s, self-produced and put out several EP’s.
I had the great opportunity of playing music abroad and even living in Australia for a short time with my husband. That was the first time I realized I could play music as a living. In 2011 I released my first full-length record. In the years since I have worked with LA-based labels, played professionally and taught my craft to others. I am currently releasing my second full-length record in 2018 and looking forward to all that will bring.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Playing music professionally is never a smooth road. I think there are several learning curves you face. Finding my voice in a sea of voices and understanding that mine counted was a huge lesson. There can be incredible competition in art, which is quite awkward since art is objective, it is there nonetheless. And I think that really people are just unsure of their voices (when I say voice I mean their overall presence, songs, etc.)
So, becoming confident in my place musically was at a huge lesson for me. Also, there is this illusive climb in music that people define themselves and others by. Truly, this was and has been at times a stumbling block for me. I’ve heard it said that we are all in a space of who we are and who we are becoming. You can’t exist in this field without hopes and dreams, and there is much to accomplish, but every path is different.
It’s not like the old days in the music business when a record label was the way to go. I have found that building your organic fanbase and playing music for music sake is the most important thing. But it was a bit of a painful lesson for me to get there. I did a lot of comparing and questioning my worth as an artist. Just because you work a day job does not mean that your art is not worthy.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Rheanna Downey – what should we know?
I am just proud of my songwriting and years of performance. I have played music all over the world to many different rooms and audiences, and have honed my craft into a something I am really proud of. I would say I write really honest and raw music. If you were to classify me I would probably fall into the singer/songwriter category, but I have so many influences. You will most likely hear a bit of country, folk, and indie influences along with some rock and soul even at times. I’d like to think my songs take on a life of their own and are unique, making them hard to completely compare to others.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Focusing on the music more than all the other stuff. I know a lot of artists who, in trying to be successful, get so caught up in marketing, money or popularity and their work suffers for it. People start to mimic what they think is successful (as we humans do) or feel the need to run themselves into the ground to get somewhere (where that is I don’t know). At the end of the day, you are stamping something permanently into time and you want it to be timeless. Overall, I believe in writing and recording great records, everything else follows.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rheannadowney.com
- Phone: 760-846-3831
- Email: rheannadowneymusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rheannadowney
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rheannadowney
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