Remy Reilly
Remy Reilly is probably one of my last features of the year and I’m glad I get to end the year with this brilliant artist and this song. “Dirty Work” is pure, emotional and real. A great record.
“Dirty Work'“is like my own personal diary entry. It’s a song about the fear of intimacy, the fear of not being enough, and the comparison of others. I wrote this song when I was in a dark place on my self-love journey, and I hope it comforts others who share the same struggles and helps them realize we all are worthy of love,” she says.
The Dallas-based artist has just revealed a stunning music video to accompany the single. A must watch.
Congrats Remy on this release and thank you for the conversation ! “Dirty Work” is out now !
Hi Remy, how are you? Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions ! :) What's your story?
Hello there! I am doing wonderful, thank you for asking. Hope you are doing great too! My story is quite simple and wholesome. I come from two parents with a music industry background and slowly fell in love with their jobs. I never knew the job I'd pick would be the artist but here we are! I started playing shows at twelve years old and I never looked back.
Do you remember your earliest musical memory?
I do! With my dad being a music promoter, I have been attending concerts since I was quite literally a baby. My earliest memories were stacking CDs at the radio station and playing in the mailroom there and of course going to concerts with my family every week it seemed like. I was five at this time.
What did you grow up listening to?
Everything! Sounds like a basic answer but my family is into everything. My father is a metalhead, my mother is into hip-hop and my brother loves indie. With all of their influences I have grown to love just about any song I hear. My favorites are R&B, indie, jazz and singer/songwriter stuff!
Do you remember a specific time in your life where music made a huge impact?
I have moments where music makes a big impact in my life every day. There are too many moments to count, but at every gig something special happens. It is just the power of music and the connection it brings. Music has brought me joy through all stages of my life, no matter how big the show is, even for two people an impact is made. I have the privilege to connect with people through music every day.
"Dirty Work" is your latest single - what's the story/inspiration behind this song?
This song is about the fear of intimacy and letting someone in your life. I remember writing this after a breakup and I had been comparing myself to the girl I was cheated on with. So, I started listing off things she had that I didn’t and I made it into this song. I used the main thing I was jealous of and at the time, it was that I simply wasn’t ready to be intimate with someone and she was.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process behind this song? When did you start working on it? Who helped you create it?
I started writing this song in high school. The process was fast since I was so hurt the words just flew right out of me. I had the chorus in mind for a while, so finding the picking style for the beginning was the next step. I think I wrote this song in under an hour and did not change anything while in the studio, most of it was live recorded. I just went back and did backup vocals and harmonies!
What's your favorite lyric on "Dirty Work"?
My favorite lyric is the main line of the song, “She can do the dirty work and I’ll be there to wash the sheets.” It’s always a head turner moment when I play it live, people are all of a sudden shocked by that line and get the deeper meaning of the song.
What did you feel when recording this song?
I felt emotional while recording this song since it is a vulnerable song. It can be scary to open up about personal events in your life to the public but that’s a huge part of this job! I was so glad I was recording my story in hopes someone like me would listen and feel comforted and less alone.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
The artwork is from the one and only Travis Beverly! On the set of the music video, we did for “Dirty Work’! We had known we wanted to do this video and photoshoot at a laundromat so Travis searched and searched for one that would let us, it took him 18 tries! The artwork is me looking at the washing machine with the sheets from the video inside. I was so happy with the final product!
When did you know "Dirty Work" had to be a single?
I knew I wanted this song to be a single when I wrote it. It is such a personal song to me and my story, and I knew it had to be recorded and released. I make so many songs in a year and only just a few ever make it to the studio. I made sure this one was heard by producers and my peers and now it can be heard anywhere.
What do you want people to feel when listening to this song? What message do you want to deliver?
I want young girls to know they are perfect the way that they are. With the pressures of the growing technology in social media, with the way the world works against women, I want them to know how powerful and beautiful they are. I want people to listen and feel like they can look in the mirror and think a billion things about themselves but ultimately land on thinking “I love this person”. Although I wrote this song for my own reasons, I of course want everyone to relate it to their own life and I hope it gives everyone a sense of comfort and support over who they are.
Could you list a few records that influenced the music you are making today?
So many! The biggest musical inspiration in my career is James Supercave. Their debut full length album, “Better Strange” Has been my favorite album since I was thirteen. They constantly inspire me through their musicality, lyrics and vocal techniques.
The ZZ Ward album, “Til The Casket Drops” has been on repeat for me since I was a child, and everything I have done up to date is inspired by ZZ. Whether that be her style, her vocals and all of her blues! Foster The People’s “Torches” also played a huge part in my upbringing and inspiration to my music career. I strive to have the feel-good fun music that they have.
What biggest life lessons have you learned this year?
I have learned quite a few life lessons this year, I just turned 21 and I am really getting a taste of what the 20s are all about. That is self-discovery. I always think I know myself 100% then I go and learn something new again and again. It is so eye opening to watch my own development and my peers. It makes me excited for the future, who will I be in five years? What I have taken away from growing into myself, is that we never stop evolving, every day is a new day and like Mr. Rogers said, “Someone can love you exactly as you are.”
In your opinion, what would make the world a BETTER place?
Compassion and respect, you don’t have to agree with someone, live the same life they do. You must respect them. Find the beauty in everyone, their beliefs, their pasts, their whole soul! We are all having a human experience, we are all looking for the same thing. We want to be included, we want to be seen, we want to be loved. The world is filled with challenges and horrific setbacks, so in a world of chaos, to be someone’s peace for even two minutes could change the rest of that person's life and the reaction is contagious. Just be kind. It isn’t as complex as we make everything out to be.
What can we expect to hear/see next?
I am currently in the studio writing new music! I am also in the process of learning the world of audio and recording, so you can expect some of my own self produced projects as well!
As an artist, what's your ultimate goal? What do you want to accomplish?
My ultimate goal is accomplished at every show! I am doing what I love and giving love to others through my music. In the end, I would love to play music all over the world, travel and be able to just simply support myself. I would be happy for eternity if that is how my life played out.
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