[RINI](https://www.instagram.com/rinidawg/?hl=en) is in his own lane, creating heartfelt, soul-filled R&B that fans can’t get enough. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, the singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer started performing at a very young age, playing guitar for his church before blessing the streets as a teenager. Soon, he was taught the drums, bass, and keys to play in the background of his smooth, sultry voice… eventually uploading R&B covers onto his Youtube and teaching himself how to produce.
Speaking on how he came up with his sound, RINI states, “I’ve been making music ever since 7 years ago when I started writing, but my music background goes way back to my childhood days. I used to listen to a lot of different stuff because my dad introduced me to a lot of songs, a lot of different music really. Living out of the Philippines as an Australian, I experienced new genres of music, like R&B and soul music. Those are my influences.”
Fast forward to 2021, RINI returns with his highly-anticipated album _Constellations_, which also serves as his major label debut via Warner Records. With over 200 million streams to his name, RINI wasted no time in gifting audiences all around the world an incredible 12-track body of work, spearheaded by lead single “Red Light” featuring labelmate Wale. Additionally, he just wrapped a beautiful opening slot on [Alina Baraz’ Alone With You Tour.](https://flaunt.com/content/alina-baraz-moongate)
Flaunt caught up with RINI via Zoom, who was on their way to Miami after wrapping a show in Charlotte. Read below as we discuss his roots in Melbourne, the turning point in his music career, new album _Constellations_, favorite tracks, shooting “For Days” in Paris, signing to Warner, studio essentials, and more!
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**How was it growing up in Melbourne, Australia? I know you grew up in the church.**
Growing up in Melbourne, it was a brand new thing for me as a teenager coming from a whole different country. A third world country especially. It was a big transition but you know, I’ve met good people. Singing in church as well really exposed me to the new sounds that directly influenced my art. That's what helped me get to where I am now, it pushed me to create and write.
**At what point did you realize this music thing was forreal?**
There was a time when… it was around my first EP I released back in 2018. I wanted to do a show in my home city, which is Melbourne, for the fun of it. I booked the venue with my friends, who are my band as well. We organized this whole event and we sold out the first show in Melbourne. The moment I realized I wanted to do music full-time was when everyone was singing my song, word for word. It was a crazy experience.
**What was the inspiration behind your name?**
RINI is really from my first name, my whole first name in Justerini. I took the last 4 letters of the first name, just without Juster. I thought it was a girl’s name. \[laughs\] I searched it up and it's a common female name for Indonesian people. It’s a very common name given to a female.
**As a classically-trained musician, what’s your creative process?**
I’m involved deeply. I usually start off with all the demos, so I write all my songs on the guitar. When I feel like it's a song I bring it to producers, we start working on the whole production and everything. I do have input on all the songs and tracks that I make. Also because I play instruments, majority of the guitar you hear in the songs is played by me. The melodies and words are all my contributions as well.
**_Constellations_ out now, how are you feeling?**
I’m feeling amazing honestly. The album has been out for two months now and there’s been a lot of buzz between the original fans, and also the new fans who’ve heard the album. It’s been a great reception. I can't wait to really go out and play this live next year even more, go a little bigger and even the whole world. I'm super excited for what's to come.
**What does the album title mean to you?**
_Constellations,_ it all started when I met this person who is a part of me now. Really, the album _Constellations_ is a love story. It's different phases of a new relationship, that's what it talks about. I named it _Constellations_ because I saw people in a way where we all somehow connect. Just like the stars in the skies, how when you connect the stars and form a pattern, then you have a constellation. People meeting each other affect each other and their lives, in many ways.
**Are you spiritual?**
I am, yeah. I don't completely believe in the whole the stars and all that, but there’s definitely something bigger and greater. A creator, we all have our own destiny somehow.
**Favorite songs on _Constellations_ and why?**
I love “Over Some Wine” because it’s something about the way the instruments are played. That was produced by one of my good friend Snaggle, he’s from South Korea. The instruments in the song really created a completely different mood and really set the vibe.
Another song I really like is “A Starry Night in Apollo Bay.” I like how simple it is. It takes me back to that place, Apollo Bay is actually a real thing. That's where I spent the majority of my time with my significant other.
**How was it shooting “For Days” in Paris? Best memory?**
That was such an amazing experience. Initially we weren’t really planning on shooting a music video for “For Days.” Because I was only allowed to stay in America for 3 months, I had to exit and go somewhere else, so we went to Paris for two weeks. We were planning on coming back. It was meant to be a chill time in Paris, then we met a bunch of people in the creative scene. We started talking, they found out I did music; These people had connections to a lot of camera crews and directors in Paris, they got us connected. It turned out to be one of those things that just happened. Honestly, the whole scene was perfect for the song and that's the album to me, that wasn’t planned. When things happen organically, that's when it turns out to be the best.
**What was the best memory from Paris?**
One of my friends I met there, he took us to a rooftop somewhere in Paris where you can see the Eiffel Tower. You can basically see all the roofs and the houses. There’s a beautiful sunset in the back. Not a lot of tourists really get to experience that. If you want to get around in Paris, you really gotta know someone to take you around the place.
**How did you land at Warner Records?**
I got introduced to Warner through one of my friend’s managers, back in the start of 2019. I actually had a conversation with another label, but it didn't really go ahead with the deal. My friend who lives in Atlanta started speaking to Warner and showing people my music. It was Ryan Press from Warner Chappell who heard my music and brought it up to Warner. That's when they called me like “oh yeah, we love the stuff you do. We want to support you with everything, we want to be your partners.” I said “let’s do it!” And that's how it was.
**How does it feel to be releasing your major label debut?**
It feels amazing honestly. I was meant to release this album 2 years ago, but because of Covid it kept getting pushed back. Timing is really everything. I believe that now everything’s starting to open back up, the album’s getting a lot more attention that it deserves, so I'm really not regretting that wait.
**3 things you need in the studio at all times?**
I need my phone, I need my lip balm, and my bottle of water. Always gotta stay hydrated. \[laughs\]
**How was it collaborating with both Earthgang and Walé?**
It was really dope. Honestly those 2, Wale is one of the heroes that I was looking up to since I was in high school. I was listening to a lot of R&B and rap as well. Earthgang I didn't really find out about them until the whole Dreamville scene started really poppin’, but the collaboration was really cool. We made a live performance video. Meeting them was so cool, they ‘re such chill people. Wale was cool too, turned up to the video shoot in LA and we talked for a bit. He was such a cool dude.
**How’d it feel? That’s huge!**
I know! I didn't even know what to say really. Yo, I’m standing in front of Wale. I was listening to him in high school and now I have this track with him, it feels great. It feels surreal.
**What does it mean to open for someone like Alina Baraz? Who’s such a superstar.**
Honestly, it's a blessing. Any opportunity that I get to be able to put music out there, I'd be happy to take and she was the one who blessed me with that opportunity. I'm really deeply grateful for the opportunity from her and her management team. It’s my first tour here in America, so I'm really still testing the waters and trying to know what it's like.
**That’s so dope!**
It feels great. It feels exciting, I'm enjoying everything right now.
**Were you nervous performing in front of all those people?**
The first show, I was. After the first show and the reception we had, it wore off. The next show was good, the third show was even better. Now we’re on to the fourth show, it keeps getting better and keeps me on my feet. I'm so happy I'm performing again because it's been so long, two years.
**Favorite song to perform in a song?**
Right now, ”Meet Me in Amsterdam” because that's probably the most well-received song of the crowd. I know it's an old song but it's so easy to sing to and to get the crowd to sing as well, the last part is super repetitive, everybody knows that and you see that, it's a good vibe.
**What inspires your fashion sense?**
I love to be different. Majority of the time, I wear a lot of vintage stuff really. I'm into more 90’s vibe, 70’s, 80’s, older styles of dressing. I'm also trying to figure out a way of mixing it up with modern day pieces. I do really try to figure it out.
**Anything else you want to let us know?**
Next year, I’ll be going on my own tour. I'm going to be working on a deluxe album for _Constellations_ coming out a couple months from now. You can expect a fully new sound. There’s so much music in the vault right now that I really want to share. I’m trying to figure out a way to start introducing it slowly to my fans. The deluxe is going to help with that for sure.
