CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 134: RARIA ON WHY 'THIS GENERATION SUCKS'

Interview by Brooke Gibbs.

FMM: This is such an exciting time for you because you've had another great release come out recently, This Generation Sucks. It's been out for a few weeks now, so how have people been reacting to it?

RARIA: It's been wild. I mean, on TikTok, so many people are resonating with it. So many people are using the sound to make videos with, and yeah, the response has been amazing. I didn't realise so many people would connect with the lyrics, so it's been really good so far.

FMM: That's amazing to hear, and as you said, I feel like it's doing so well because of how relatable it is. I'm 25 myself. I'm single. I've had my fair share of experiences, and I feel like it's very relatable for our generation.

RARIA: Yeah, well, I mean, every song I write, I try and be as relatable as possible, but I didn't realise with this song, so many people would just jump on board and be like, oh, my gosh. I relate. I relate. So, yeah, I feel you. I think that's the beauty of writing music, I guess. So, it's been good.

FMM: Yeah, and it actually is doing really good because I noticed it got picked up by Better Homes and Gardens, which is an Australian classic. How did that come about?

RARIA: That was so random. I just had a friend that I met in Europe send me a random video, and I was like, what is this? And it was my song playing in the back of them, like, cracking eggs open, and it was actually really funny. But, I'm so grateful that they used the song, but it was just so bizarre. I didn't think that they would choose my song, that song for a cooking part of the show. So, it was very interesting, but it's one of those things where you know you're doing well when Better Homes and Gardens picks up your song. I loved it. Yeah, I'm very grateful for that. It was fun.

FMM: Is this song written about a particular dating experience, or is it about, like, all your experiences kind of summarised into the one experience or feeling?

RARIA: It's definitely about all of my dating experiences. Definitely. I've been through my fair share of heartbreaks, and I kind of just wanted to sum it up in one song. I guess my motto around everything I've been through is, this generation sucks. So, yeah, it's about everything. It's about everything I've been through, yes.

FMM: So, in saying that, what do you find sucks the most about this generation?

RARIA: I just feel like nobody takes anybody seriously anymore. I feel like it's really hard dating because nobody's looking for anything serious, and then they are, and everyone's just hot and cold and doesn't know what they want. That's all fine, but I just feel like this generation plays a lot of games and it's not like it was back in the day where you could just fall in love and run with it and go with it. Nowadays it's like dating apps and ‘oh, I want to travel so I don't want to partner.’ It's so many things and it's like, why can't we just fall in love like the movies? Why can't it be that easy?

FMM: Yeah, and I think that's why I like the last lyric leading up to the end of the song too, where you mentioned that you should just listen to your guts. What does your gut tell you to do?

RARIA: My gut always says just go with your heart, but sometimes you should just listen to what your gut is actually saying and not your heart because your heart can tell you one thing, but I think your gut has a better understanding of what's right and wrong for you. So for me, that lyric was like I should have just listened to my gut instead of my heart because I tend to just go with my heart a lot in life and then that's what gets me hurt because I should have listened to my gut and given those messages.

FMM: I feel like it's a perfect follow-up from Happy Never After.

RARIA: Yeah, it's kind of the same storyline and message, I guess.

FMM: Yeah, and while talking about Happy Never After, I like the new sound. This Generation Sucks is very stripped back compared to that or Kill You Boy and some of your other releases. Is this a new sound you're going for?

RARIA: Not necessarily. I guess, I'm in the pop world so I can kind of venture out wherever I'd like, basically because that's the beauty of doing pop music. I love drum and bass and EDM and dance music, so I just kind of wanted to have some fun with this song. It’s not a new sound direction I'm going in, but I'm just going to experiment for the rest of my career because why not? I'm in pop music so I'm just going to have fun with whatever production and sound suits the song. I'm just going to run with it.

FMM: Yes, definitely, and it's good that you've got the variety as well and have that freedom to do that.

RARIA: Yeah, it's so fun. I mean, switch it up once in a while, it doesn't hurt and it just makes everything more fun, I guess.

FMM: Definitely, and I heard you wrote this song in three hours, is that correct?

RARIA: Yes, actually probably less. We just smashed it out. We didn't think anything of it. It was a piano demo. Didn't think that we'd release it at all. We left it and then I just put up a little tiny snippet on TikTok not thinking anything of it and it blew up and I was like, okay, shit, we actually need to finish the song now. So, I think we spent another hour on it just writing the second verse and then the song was done. I honestly think the song was written in 4 four hours, which is crazy.

FMM: Yeah, and I feel like that would be hard too, because I know for me, I'm a perfectionist, so I like to continue working on something. To have something in three hours and be like, no, we're going to leave it, this is ready to be released is insane. How do you balance that?

RARIA: I feel that with the lyrics, I wanted to keep them really simple and straight to the point and I was like, you know what, I could change these lyrics a million times, but they're just so raw and real. I'm going to leave them and I kind of just let it be and let the song be what it was meant to be. Instead of getting all OCD on it like I normally do on my lyrics, I just kind of let it do its thing by itself.

FMM: It obviously works well because people are relating to it. It's getting some good attention.

RARIA: Thank you.

FMM: This Saturday you're opening up for Glades in Sydney. That's exciting.

RARIA: I'm so excited. I've been listening to their music for so long. I'm very, very excited to open up for them.It's going to be fun. I just did a show in Sydney not long ago, so it's going to be so nice to go back after not so long of a gap and it's just going to be good.

FMM: Definitely. What can we expect from your show on this Saturday?

RARIA: Oh, just heartbreak bangers. I don't know. We're going to have so much fun. We're going to dance, we're going to cry, and then we're all going to hug it out and dance again at the end. We're going to go through every single emotion you could possibly feel and then we're going to come out of it feeling great. That's what you're going to expect from my show.

FMM: Sounds like a very wholesome experience.

RARIA: Fingers crossed it goes like that.

FMM: Speaking of live shows, I feel like you've really earned yourself a place, hopefully at Spilt Milk, because I love watching all the pranks you've done recently on your parents.

RARIA: Oh, thank you. I really hope so. Honestly, I didn't think. I just kind of fell into that of making those videos. I wasn't actually going to do those videos, it just happened and I was just kind of having a laugh about it. But, I genuinely really want a spot on that lineup. So I was like, you know what, this is kind of funny. I'm going to go for it and maybe that might get their attention and pop me on the list. It's very like a different approach, a unique approach. It's funny. Just having fun with it, I guess.

FMM: I love how supportive and involved your parents are because obviously, they've featured in a few of your music videos now. They seem to be a huge part of what you're putting out into the world.

RARIA: Yeah, they love the attention. They love being a part of everything. They say they don't, but they secretly love it.

FMM: And obviously, because they keep coming back for more videos.

RARIA: Exactly. They love it. They secretly love it no matter what they say.

FMM: And look, I love it too. I love watching those videos and they seem like wholesome people.

RARIA: Thank you. Yes, they are. My dad, he's an actual teddy bear and my mum's just… she's mum, she's funny.

FMM: Do you have any more shows coming up other than the Sydney show this week?

RARIA: I do, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to announce. I have one coming up in November and it's for a band that I'm obsessed with as well, and that's in Melbourne. But, that's all I can say because they haven't announced it yet, so I got to keep my mouth shut.

FMM: Yeah, that's fair enough, but it sounds exciting and we'll definitely keep an eye on your pages and we look forward to that show. I'm really excited to hear what's next for you. Is this release a part of an EP or is this a standalone track?

RARIA: To be honest, I'm just releasing singles at the moment and just going with the flow. Haven't really thought about piecing anything together as an EP. I've already released two EPS in the space of four years of having the RARIA project, so I'm kind of just having fun with releasing singles at this point. But, I will definitely put something together as an EP. Definitely. Maybe yeah, probably next year. Sometime next year.

FMM: Yeah? Sounds exciting. Speaking of the RARIA project, for someone that hasn't come across your music before, how would you describe yourself and your project?

RARIA: Oh, I would describe it as kind of happy, sad. I know. I have a song called Happy, Sad. But genuinely, I feel like my music makes you happy, but it makes you sad. Hopefully the end result is, it leaves you walking away feeling some kind of happiness and hope. Yeah, I think that's how I would feel coming across my music. I'd be like, oh, it hurts, but I connect with you and I don't feel alone with it anymore. That's what I hope people feel.

FMM: Yes, and I feel like you definitely have summed it up well, because coming from an outsider, I feel like that's how I interpret your music as well.

RRAIA: That's good. Yay.

FMM: So tell me more about how you got into music and where you hope to go with this project in the future.

RARIA: Honestly, I just used to watch Raise Your Voice when I was, like, seven years old, and I used to watch Hilary Duff write in that movie, and that is when I picked up my first pen and notebook and started writing. Since then, since seven years old, I have just been writing. And then at 15, I was like, you know what? I want to release a song. So I released a song at 15, and since then, I have been releasing, and it's been, like, 15 years now, so I don't plan on giving this up. I'm in it for the long haul, and I can't wait to just keep releasing and releasing and just seeing where this career takes me. I'm so excited.

FMM: Definitely, and I'm so excited to watch it, too, and see where you go with it.

RARIA: Thank you. Thanks so much.