Exclusive Interview with Rainych Ran

Rainych Ran is an Indonesian singer who’s best known for performing song covers from various anime titles. Her cover of Doja Cat’s “Say So”, which reimagines the American pop hit as an upbeat Japanese song, recently became an overnight sensation, having garnered over 3 million views on Youtube at the time of writing.

THE MAGIC RAIN had the opportunity to catch up with Rainych and learn about her goals and process for creating music. Get to know more about this talented singer by reading our interview below!

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Disclaimer: The following interview has been edited for reading clarity.

What inspired you to start producing music?

I’ve always loved singing since I was a child. But I didn’t really show it to people except during school performances. Until the end of 2015, when I was depressed at the time because of some life problems and thinking to try something new to refresh my days. I suddenly remembered the anime songs that I watched a long time ago and decided to upload covers of them to YouTube with my low cost equipment, just for fun.

What is your usual process for creating a song cover and how long does it take you to produce one?

When I decide to cover a song, I start with searching for the instrumentals that I can use. I usually get them from a producer that I support on Patreon, or sometimes I pay someone else to make the instrumentals for me.

Once the instrumentals are done, I can start to record the vocals in my bedroom. After that, I will mix and master the vocals along with the instrumentals. The next step will be filming and editing the video. The final video can then be uploaded. Aside from the instrumentals, I usually need around 4 days to finish everything since I do everything by myself and I really want to make sure I do my best in every aspect.

What was the most challenging song you’ve ever covered?

Actually for me, there are several songs that can be considered “challenging”. They are:

• Kaen by Queen Bee / 女王蜂: Requires a wide range of vocals and a pretty fast vocal shift, not only between one octave to another, but between different registers as well. In this case, my chest voice and head voice.
• Kawaki wo Ameku by Minami: The most challenging part is to make that little growl in some phrases and to present the “depressing feeling” into my singing.
• I feel obligated to mention most of LiSA’s songs: they require stamina, constant power and high notes (that I love and am comfortable with. I have so much fun singing her songs). 

You’ve performed covers in Japanese, Korean, and Bahasa Indonesia. Do you have a language you prefer to perform in?

I don’t have a preference, honestly. As long as I enjoy the music I don’t really mind the language ^^

What do you think of the TikToks fans have made using your cover of “Say So”?

I feel honoured! Seeing that they’re enjoying my cover makes me feel so thankful and motivated. It’s really fun to watch ^^

Doja Cat recently featured your cover of “Say So” on her Instagram Live. What was your reaction to finding out that she liked your cover?

I got super excited, smiling like crazy throughout the video. I’m not lying when I said I was shaking. Her reaction was priceless and adorable. Will make sure to watch it whenever I feel down 🙂 

Do you have plans to release your own original music?

I definitely do! It’s one of my dreams, to make my own songs. I can’t play any instrument at the moment though, but I do hope the day will come. I must study harder.

If you could collaborate with any artist in the world, who would you pick and why?

My first utaite crush ever, Reol! She has been my motivation and inspiration since I found her in my early days as a cover artist. I learn a lot from her  <3

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start learning how to sing?

Just sing whatever songs you like. As long as you enjoy it, you can learn it quickly. Then let your heart flow on to your voice. It’s the best feeling!

Lastly, do you have a message you’d like to send to your fans?

For anyone who’s been listening to me till now, thank you so much, for all of the love, kindness and support! I won’t be the person who I am today, without you all. I hope my singing will always be able to reach you, brighten up your days, accompany you in various states, and even cure your sadness and depression. 

With lots of love, Rainych Ran.

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We’d like to thank Rainych Ran for the chance to speak with her! To learn more about Rainych, be sure to follow her on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nico Nico Douga, or support her on Patreon and Ko-fi.