Randie is the collaboration between Randy and a poet and dear friend writing under the pen name Lv. “I’ve played music since I was 10, and at this point in my life, it feels like more of a habit than a choice,” Randie tells Eat This Music during our chat about their debut, ‘Swing Song‘. “But of course it was a choice at one point, and I think back then I chose music because the musicians I was exposed to as a kid were the first time I saw deviancy celebrated.”
“I’ve stuck with it for so long because of how much music does to quiet my heart. The project Randie is all about making a space for us to be queer, completely vulnerable, and maybe a little out of pocket.” — Randie
Despite having a busy work day, the release day of Swing Song was a significant personal moment for Randie, as their gender expression and the creative process had been undergoing private evolution for an extended period of time. The release of the song provided a newfound opportunity for a wider audience to understand Randie’s artistic vision and identity.
“Writing, producing, and releasing Swing Song was about as big of a creative undertaking as I’ve ever done,” Randie says. “The biggest thing I learned about myself is that I can do it!”
Although Randie’s debut single was the first collaboration between Lv and Randy, the two have undergone significant personal growth separately since its creation, becoming more confident and capable in the world. However, Swing Song remains a homage to the parts of themselves that have remained unchanged, still introspective and prone to daydreaming.
“Swing Song is about looking back at a…romance?…you had when you were younger,” Randie adds. “Trying to process those feelings, realizing how much those old sensations are still with you. Those sensations really inspired the production.”
“I found myself drawn to the intimacy of breath – somebody else breathing close to you. So you’ll hear a lot of breath-powered instruments: harmonicas, flutes, and even steady breathing in and out deep in the mix.” — Randie
Lv explained that the original poem that inspired Swing Song was written at the age of fifteen, reflecting the intense emotions of a person who they later realized was not meant to stay in their life. The song delves into the theme of revisiting the past and grappling with nostalgia and longing for what could have been.
“The initial piece of poetry that Swing Song was born from was written when I was fifteen,” Lv explains. “At the time my feelings for a specific person felt huge and urgent. But when I rediscovered the poem I was surprised that I was writing about the loss of someone I was seeing nearly every day.”
“I think some supernatural sense in me knew all along that they weren’t here to stay. That’s what lies at the heart of this song: re-exploring the ghosts of your childhood and still somehow feeling haunted by the hope of what could’ve been.” — Lv
During the production of “Swing Song,” Randie describes the creative process as a journey of discovery that involved working with Lv to remember little moments and experiment with various sounds, while also crediting Joey Messina-Doerning for contributing significantly to the song’s mixing process and the collaborative vision that was built with the team.
Lv adds, “There was more written on the piece of paper I kept in my desk drawer for the past seven-ish years. I edited out bits I didn’t like as much before I sent the idea to Randie.”
Randie’s debut EP, titled “Here’s Hoping,” is scheduled to release in May. The EP showcases a diverse range of genres, including intense pop and pocket-y R&B, while maintaining a consistent mood and thematically telling a story of searching for the unknown and striving to break free from our own thoughts.
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