Girl Next Door – RALPH Interview & 5 Quick Questions

With a few days off in the middle of a tour, you’d think that RALPH might try to relax a little or catch her breath, but it turns out that’s not the case. The pop singer-songwriter kept a full schedule of writing sessions, media hits, and planning for her next EP between stops on the The Hang Ups tour with Scott Helman.

We caught up with RALPH on the phone to talk about everything that she’s been working on, and to take a look back at the release of A Good Girl, the 10 track album that has now celebrated its six month anniversary. We also talked quite a bit about her brand of pop music, what she’s trying to do, what she needs to maintain to be happy with her songs and true to herself. And that’s where the magic is with the Cold To The Touch singer.

When we talked about the album and the reception that it has received from fans in the half-year since its release, RALPH was most happy about the connections that the songs seem to have made with listeners. She talked about tweets and DMs after shows from fans telling her how much they enjoyed hearing the songs live. And after one show, a teary-eyed girl came up to her with the realization that she needed to break up with her boyfriend after really listening to the words in Cereal. RALPH says that she told the fan that they needed to take a minute to chat about that to make sure it was the right move, and added: “it seemed like the right move for her.”.

Related: A Good Girl – RALPH Album Review

She added, about the A Good Girl and the reception, “I think the best part about the release for me… it’s always been really important for me to write music that connects with the listeners on more of a personal, emotional spectrum. So it’s been really nice to see feedback from fans, because it’s been really supportive and so many of the songs seem to have hit home for a lot of the fans.”.

We also talked about her songwriting ideology and sticking to her roots as a songwriter. RALPH told us that she is committed to starting with stories. She wants to create timeless records and songs that don’t just live in the moment that they’re released but also hold up in the future for re-listens.

When we mentioned the magic earlier, this is what we’re talking about. RALPH wants to write songs that connect with people on a deeper level in their lyrics and feelings, while at the same time never being afraid to experiment with new elements and styles that keep her music fresh and exciting for both her and her fans. That combination takes an extra effort. It isn’t easy. It doesn’t come quickly. But it does come with an opportunity to make the connections that she’s already started to experience.

Two names that came up as we chatted about songs and pop music were Lady Gaga and Kacey Musgraves. Both artists have made significant changes to their music over their careers, pushing boundaries, finding new sounds, but still finding ways to connect. And whether it’s Gaga going a little country on Joanne, or Kacey getting disco-poppy on High Horse, there is room for it, and it can work and be awesome.

While we had RALPH on the line, we took a few minutes to play a round of 5 Quick Questions. Hit play to learn which albums she’s reaching for on a road trip, where she wants to vacation, who she would die to duet with, and more!

With eight days left on her current tour opening for Scott Helman (including a stop in Toronto on Friday night at the Danforth Music Hall), we asked about road life and preparing for shows. RALPH told us that her show prep isn’t overly complicated. She makes sure to take time to warm up and be ready to sing. She also told us that it’s important to her to avoid any unnecessary, last-minute stresses before show time.

She laughed and said that her parents came to the Montreal show on this tour and asked if she wanted to join them for dinner beforehand. She declined, “I was like, no. I know you just drove to Montreal for me, but I find that before a show I do just need to focus on not rushing. You know I don’t want to be at dinner down the street and then be like, oh shit I have to get back in time to warm up. I just need to be really focused and calm.”. Sorry mom and dad.

So while she may not be going for any pre-show dinners with friends and family before these last eight shows, RALPH does know what her focus is. As an opening act, she wants to use her 30 minutes on stage to interact, engage, and connect with as many fans as possible. She wants to get them ready for Helman, entertain them with her time, and inspire people to say to themselves, “cool, I’m gonna go look her up.”. So far, her work is paying off. We fully expect that it will continue to do so.

RALPH is excited about the new music she’s working on. She told us that she has probably seven strong contenders already for the next project. We’d bet though that she’s nowhere near done. With her Garage Band app at the ready in the car, at the airport, and wherever else she has time and an idea, the Toronto singer-songwriter will always be working on whatever comes next.

And we can’t wait to hear it.

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Joshua Murray

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