Sweet Wonder, Songstress Raveena Aurora
Photographed by Cherry Ayala
Tearing a delightful leaf of R&B is Raveena Aurora. At 25-years-old, the New York-based singer creates a tender sound reminiscent of a beautiful spring day — soft yet colorful. While touring with fellow R&B newcomer Ravyn Lenae, Raveena awes her audience with breathtaking performances and visuals. Love and compassion play a major part in her craft, bringing back the soul many listeners have missed.
In the middle of recording her new project, Aurora gave her fans a taste of what to expect. Her new single ‘Honey,’ is just that — sweet and keeps you wanting more. We had the opportunity to learn more about Raveena and what keeps her going in the music industry.
Maria Mora: Shanti generated a lot of positive traction and buzz earlier this year. Can you tell us what life has been like since dropping your debut?
Raveena Aurora: It's definitely been one of the most overwhelming and positive years I've had in awhile. I've done things in the last seven months that I had been envisioning for so long - quitting my day job, making a bunch of music videos, going on tour, working with some people I admire, getting to develop a really beautiful relationship with a lot of people who listen to my music - and this year it kind of all manifested for sure.
MM: Love continues to be an ongoing theme within your music, now with your new record 'Honey.' How important is it for you to incorporate that into your art?
RA: It's the reason to live. I think love naturally just exists in music! When people hear love transmitted through the music, they feel more peaceful and connected with the universe, which is extremely powerful and important in such a complex and often disheartening state of humanity. Whenever I'm recording I try to be in that space of love so people can feel those literal vibrations when they listen to my song. I also make music with my soulmate, and I've been told that people can hear the love we have for each other through the music, too.
MM: You’re in the middle of recording your next project. Can you tell us a little bit about how has the recording process been so far? How does this one differ from Shanti?
RA: I have a lot more on my plate while recording this time. I am pulled in more directions creatively which has been the main challenge of recording this album, but I'm completely in love with the process of making a larger body of work that tells a story with complexity. [This is] an album that lives in its own world, that has its own unique colors, feelings and images. It's honestly a project and story I've had in my head for years, and it's exciting (also a bit scary) to lay all that untapped energy into a project for the first time now.
MM: How does your Indian heritage influence your approach to music?
RA: A part of me recognizes India as home. It's part of my DNA. The colors, food, music, clothing, and language all give me that nostalgic feeling of being a child surrounded by something so familiar and warm. It's sad that when you grow up as a first gen immigrant in America, you are often taught or feel like you have to reject your heritage in order to assimilate more into white culture, so re-discovering my roots and finding a way to merge both of the cultures I grew up in has been deeply empowering for me. I mostly listened to Jazz, R&B, and Folk when I was a teen crafting my own taste, so I'm excited to delve even deeper into that connection to India and the music I listened to when I was very young, as time goes by.
MM: What was the first song that you wrote?
RA: Oh god, I remember it was quite bad! I think I was 12-years-old or so, and I remember being dreadfully bored in some kind of Kohl's or Macy's department store while my parents were looking for linens or a suitcase or some shit. I started [writing] some song in my notebook about '"lying like an eagle/bird so you can't be heard." It was so awful, but I guess it was honest about my desires to escape whatever sadness I had as a kid. I remember my early writing was super melodramatic and sad [laughs].
MM: Was there a decisive moment where you thought, 'I want to make music my career?'
RA: Yes. I was pretty dead set on it by the time I hit 11-years-old. I was really into the idea of having a career on Broadway, and would attend casting calls in the city all the time. I pretty quickly learned that there were no roles for lil indian girls in musical theatre. By the time I reached 14-years-old, I realized that I would have a lot more freedom in my craft and more of a chance if I just practiced my vocals every day, and got really good at songwriting.
MM: Name a couple of artists or producers that you would love to collaborate with.
RA: Okay, dream people, Noname, Anderson Paak, King Krule, UMO, Tame Impala, Erykah Badu, Sade, SZA, Frank Ocean, Asha Puthli, MIA, Paul Brothers, Tyler the Creator, Steve Lacy, Sly Stone, Ravyn Lenae, D'angelo, and Om'Mas Keith.
MM: What advice do you have for women of color who are interested in developing a career in music?
RA: Ignore tradition. Ignore any subconscious or obvious messages told to you that you are less than, that you are exotic, that you are unworthy of great love, that you should not follow your dreams, that you deserve bad treatment from others, that you should stick to doing something safe and comfortable, that you need a man, that you are not beautiful, that you are not as smart or talented as others, that you are supposed to be this body of wild empathy, forgiveness and care-taking. We are magic and deserve every ounce of power and love in this world. Go chase that most beautiful life in your head with freedom and passion.
MM: Where do you draw inspiration for your music?
RA: My colorful and varied life experiences. I usually try to meditate and breathe right before I write though. I think looking at all the range of my emotions from a balanced place is super powerful.