#177 Rainee Blake
Renaissance women is what Rainee Blake describes her artist journey as a singer, songwriter, composer, actress and teacher. She wears many hats and promotes the balance of good work ethic, self love and consistency and driving steady in the things she loves. Born in Australia on the northern beaches of Sydney her American psychologist father and Australian actress mum guided her and helped her to really find the passion and love she has in the arts and continue to support her today.
She now lives in LA but has had roles in the popular Sydney TV show ‘Home & Away’ and more recently on the CMT TV show ‘Nashville’ playing singer songwriter Alannah.
With so much passion and experience there is some great wisdom and fun in this conversation in this episode of Songwriter Trysts. Shows in Australia this week and European tour later this year connect with her now to find a show near you.
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Transcript
Rae Leigh: Welcome to a Songwriter Trysts with Rainee Blake. Thanks for joining me.
Rainee Blake: Thanks for having me.
Rae Leigh: I'm excited. You're in Australia at the moment. Getting ready for some big shows. You excited.
Rainee Blake: Yeah. I'm very excited. I'm actually, I just got to Adelaide yesterday and, got to see a shows as a part of the fringe. So yeah, it's fun to get here and settle in a little bit.
Rae Leigh: Yeah, that's good. Find your auzzie face again and have some fun. So I like to start this podcast by getting you in your own words. Tell us a little bit about who you are and where you come from.
Rainee Blake: am from Sydney originally. I grew up on the Northern beaches in a town called Avalon and my parents, my dad is American and my mom's Australian. So I kind of. from a young age. Both passports sort of thing. And that was a big reason why I ended up moving to the states. It was kind of a Yolo moment if you will.
Rae Leigh: Okay. And you've got family over there as well. I'm guessing.
Rainee Blake: I have some family there. Yeah. So it feels a little bit more rooted than moving somewhere. Knowing anyone. And yeah, I'm a thing as songwriter, musician, actress, coach composer, et cetera, et cetera. I do lots of different things. Sometimes. I just tell people in a Renaissance woman, because it kind of covers all an artist. I'm an artist. so yeah.
Rae Leigh: At the end of it, it sounds like you're obviously very creative, but I was also inspired learning that you, you do so much to support and encourage and lift up other people through your coaching and teaching, but also there's a song tonight that you run on a regular basis, which I'd love to hear about.
But yeah, you've done so much stuff. It's inspirational to me to see what you're doing, because I think I love similar music to what you're doing and I love acting as well. Anyway, to be able to tell a good story. It's beautiful to be involved in. What was it that kind of sparked that passion feed, where that all began or what inspired you to get into it?
Rainee Blake: So many things by my parents have always been so supportive and I think my mom's an actress. And so she and her mom was also an actress. So it's kind of in, the blood a little bit and, it
Rae Leigh: you have much of a
Rainee Blake: run it. No, I did, actually, I begged my mom to get, get me an when I was a kid.And she, she was no, no, no. no. years, you know, so she a stage mom at all. Um, kind of her to to let agent and started doing sort of commercials and that kind of thing. Um, supportive. My mom to this day still helps me with auditions.
Um, had an audition the other day and I'm like on zoom with her and she's coaching me and helping me do this tape. And so I feel really lucky that. Had that. And uh, my dad is, um, my dad's a so that would kind of related that interest in humans and, and telling human stories and kind of like what you were loving to tell stories that kind of, my dad inspired that in a lot of ways. Always been fascinated by humans and relationships. And I have him to thank for that. I think, plus he loves music. He had like, bookcases filtered CDs. This is aging me now. Yeah. He loved jazz and all kinds Of stuff. So he really helped to inspire me from an early age with that as well.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. That's cool. I do feel like I hear a sort of old soul vibe in your voice and in some of your music even like fulfill love. And I love that sort of music as well. I haven't met many other people my age that are into that really old school sort of vibe. And is that kind of, you think inspired by your parents or does that come from somewhere else?
Rainee Blake: I think probably initially, Yeah.My dad sort of gave me a records when I was younger. He introduced me to Joni Mitchell. So.
Rae Leigh: yeah,
Rainee Blake: since that, I've just kept diving deeper and deeper into predominantly music from the sixties and seventies, I would say 67 to 77 is sort of my favorite decade if I had to choose, love it. There's this such, and I'm sure you could agree with this as like a magic to that time that is captured in the rooms that they are recording in, in the sort of intimacy and immediacy of some of those recording techniques and the songs that were being written and the time in history being such a revolutionary time. Just to be in the world. let alone being a musical artist. I just think there's such yummy. Goodness. So it came out of that time and a lot of
Rae Leigh: what's going on in
we throw out, and it's yeah. So much was changing so much was happening and yeah, it shows.
Rainee Blake: it's just the best. I always go back to music of that time and I. Like the newer stuff I've been working on recording. And the last few months we've been this producer I've been working with one of the things that we're trying to sort of of is yes, the old school stuff that sensibility, organic instruments, intimacy, all of that, but then bringing it into 20, 22 as well.
So finding ways where, you know, We're using some of the mixing that we're doing with the songs in this, this new stuff I'm out is a little bit more pop folk forward and sort of aren't R and B forward just in the mixing and, and in the we're using and things like that. So trying to.I have it, you know, when you hear it on next to a song that's modern, it doesn't sound so disparate, you know, there's, makes more sense in the modern landscape. So that's something that we've been working on. And I think as well, lyrically, that's something that you can play with because. whatever you want.Now you could say wet ass pussy. I mean, it's like,
Rae Leigh: Yeah,
that's
Rainee Blake: I'm saying that, but, um, but made, I think people it's just much more like liberal now with what you can say in music. And I think that's a fun way to bridge um, as well as through the
lyrics.
Rae Leigh: Yeah, I think there's a real freedom in art in the sense that it is an expression of self that doesn't need to be debated. We can just. Say how we feel and just put it out there. And people will try and argue with it, but like you said, if it's just a piece of art, whatever that is, a show or a song or an actual painting or something it just is what it is.
It's a reflection of that person's process and their thoughts and their feelings at that given moment that they did that project. And you can. You can disagree with it. You can not like it that's all like we, all those things, that's fine, but it's not like a confrontational in that sense. I don't think even when someone is being like, uh, aggressive or they're saying things that if someone said it just word for word in a conversation, they'd probably get a punch in that face, but when it's put into an art form, it's oh yeah. That's, that's just what they want to say. That's okay. I liked that it was liberal.
Rainee Blake: I like that too. I think something so special about music
as a medium or, or songwriting as medium is that we, we are drawing on so many different things. Like we've got poetry or words, and then we have music. And the way thing sounds the way
things feel like the voice plus the instruments, you know, there's many elements that help to make.
Like you were saying sort of more or, um, stands alone separate from like just words or just music and songwriting to me is just
the best. art form if I,
Rae Leigh: mean, I agree. I'm biased as well. I'm obsessed with it. There's a reason. This is like episode, I think 177.
Rainee Blake: Oh, wow. So I'm sure you talk to so many different
people and different people. I mean, to, what do you think is one of the themes that people talk about most when they talk about songwriting?
Rae Leigh: It's an interesting question because it is so many people are different, obviously different ages, different generations, different success and different beliefs, of what's possible. And that's probably the biggest thing that I've noticed of. People's attitude and what they use music for in their own lives and what they're actually trying to gain from it.
Or what, even if that is just too in my case, it's probably more therapeutic above anything else, but by sharing that, you're sharing that gift of therapy with other people, but it's interesting to see where it comes from and what you know. And some people I think are really like, they ask those deeper questions and then other people.
Maybe don't want to ask themselves some of these there may be a little bit more subconscious than aren't really asking themselves the questions of like, why do I do this? This it's interesting. Cause they, it does come up in conversation. And sometimes people get a bit stumped and I think it's a good question to ask yourself, not just in music, but in, in life.
It's what am I doing with my life? What I, what do I want to get out of life? It's I think a lot of people can go through life. Very like on autopilot, not really being consciously making decisions about the choosing the life you want to live. So with that, cause that's like a long winded thing.
No one ever asks me questions rainy. You're twisting it on me. This is you're the interviewee, I'm the
Rainee Blake: Sorry.
Rae Leigh: Okay. Saying that, what is it for you? What do you think it is that, gets you obsessed and you just have to do this compulsion.
Rainee Blake: I think purpose is, is such an interesting thing to talk about because it's kind of like, can see up ahead that you've always got your eye on. So for me, purpose isn't, it's not just about my art making it's about my whole life. Like, how am I, what am I giving back to the world? And what's my sort of vision for myself and my life and how can I in everything I do align myself with that vision.
So. I want to live as truthfully and fully and authentically as myself and inspire others to do the same thing. If I can, along the way. So like big open-hearted fullness, authenticity, you know, fun So something like that. I think. And then it's like, what am I doing every day to live in alignment with that, you know?like sometimes I mess up and I'm not perfect and, you know, I make stuff, but I'm still on that path. And I think that that's a really good and grounding way to not be sort of oval WellMed by the day to day. And, and or by the sort of overwhelming sense of I have to do something or make an impact.It's like, no, everything. Is working towards that and like, I'm living that right now. Um, think like self cares is such an important part of that. Um, having on my community is such a big part of that, you know, the work I with my teaching and, and songs and being on stage, I do. I couldn't not do that. I,
Rae Leigh: You're
Rainee Blake: I have to tell.
And I'm so blessed, so lucky. Yeah. To, to be able to be an artist. Full-time and, to just take every opportunity I can to, to continue along that path. So,
Rae Leigh: I think that's beautiful. I love that. You said that you want to inspire the people. Like it took me a really long time of being a personal trainer and a health coach and all this other stuff to realize that motivations. In my experience is false. Like you can't really make people change.
They've really have to be inspired to make that decision for themselves. And that goes for anyone, whether it comes weight loss or whether it's, whether they're chasing their creative music dreams or trying to quit drugs or alcohol, it has to be something that is inspired within us to make that personal choice before the change can actually come
Rainee Blake: right. and.
they need to see that
it's possible. Too. They need to see living examples. You know that, oh, here's a girl who like moved to the states and is doing music and she's kind of paving Oh, I can do that.
Rae Leigh: Yes.
Rainee Blake: Right. And you know, we, we don't many role models of people who.
Our unabashedly like themselves and unabashedly artists and, you know, paving themselves. So for me, that's such a big part of it for me. It's like, like women role models that I longed for. And that, of course I had, you know, people like Mitchell, like I always
looked up to and.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Rainee Blake: I I would love to in some way, you know, be that for somebody else. Like what an amazing gift to give
back to the world.
Rae Leigh: And we'll probably never know the amount of people you inspire. Like I said, even just learning the little bit about you that I do know from what is out there. I'm sure it's only a fraction of what's what, who you are as a person. When I say that, Wow. This is someone that really aligns with the dreams that I have.
Like you said, that I'm making daily choices to move towards and she's someone that's, she's done that and she's doing that. You had supportive parents. I didn't, but it's still possible. And I literally have been trying to tell like my niece that as well, it's you don't. There's this belief that everyone ends up like their parents or, but actually you do have control of your life and you do get to choose the path you take.
And sometimes it's not easy, but sometimes the easy choice isn't necessarily the best choice,
Rainee Blake: not a bit of challenge personally.
Rae Leigh: Oh, so do I actually, I'm the worst at having a challenge? I don't know. I don't know about you and this might be something you've experienced, but I had a challenge earlier this year where I was given 12 hours to learn a song that I had never even heard before, because it's a really old school song and I had to perform it live on this, like a TV show. Like the next day,
Rainee Blake: Oh, wow. That's a lot of pressure.
Rae Leigh: it was so much pressure I'm. So I'm like, that doesn't happen. That's never happened to me before, but I was like, I can do this. Yeah, sure. Let's just do it. I don't know if
Rainee Blake: some of the things that you did to prepare for that that felt like good and supported?
Rae Leigh: Do you, what do you mean for in that 12 hours to learn the song?
Rainee Blake: Yeah.
Rae Leigh: I haven't many recordings here at home, so I don't know about you, but like I memorize, once I've recorded a song it's in my head and it will never go away. So I got to work on recording, like an acoustic version of the song so that I got it into my vibe.
And it's still me as an artist. The song that they asked me to play. And so I just, you sing it multiple times and you get all that thing. And then by the time I'd done that, I'd memorized it. Yeah. And I think that short-term memory, or even like that committing lyrics or words to memory is definitely a skill that you build up over time to be able to learn things really quickly.
Like I, I'm the type of person that will write a song the night before, and then I'll perform it the next day, because I'm just excited that I just wrote this new song and then Oh, and to share it straight away. And I'll I, if I know that if it's, for me, it's a good song. I know that it is because I can't I become obsessed for a good two, three days to the point that I know the lyrics
Rainee Blake: Yeah. I'll often like re If I've written a new song, I recorded a demo, whatever. And then I'd just like, listen to it. I forgot it over again. I'm like, Yeah. this song is so good.
Rae Leigh: you're such a kindred spirit. Yes, that's me. No, that's really nice to hear. Cause I was like, some people think I'm completely nuts for writing a song and I do it to my band as well. I'll have a show coming out and we've been practicing for months. And then the week before I'm like, Hey guys, I've written this new song and I want to perform it. And they're like wait, what.
Rainee Blake: love that. I think there's this thing, particularly in Australia where people are. Get weird about you, like keeping your own music. It's like what.
I have to, if I didn't like it, why would I be doing it? Like there's to be more forthright and proud about like, yeah, I this song. I wrote. I'm like, I'm not afraid to say it. And I want to listen to myself sing and like that's okay. fact, it should be encouraged.
Rae Leigh: should, it's hard to love yourself. So if you can love your voice and you can love your writing and you can, if you love your face, all those sorts of things are things that we do struggle with, especially as women, but in Australia, there is a bit of tall poppy syndrome that I think is just like culturally, a part of.
History and that sort of stuff. Yeah, but I totally feel that. And I've been to Nashville and Nashville was what inspired me to actually go, Hey, I can do this. Whereas.
In Australia. I was definitely like under that tall poppy syndrome where I was like, no, I can't do everything. It's not good enough.
And if I did, then it's I'm saying that I'm better than everyone else or something, like this weird, I don't know. And then I was in Nashville and I was like, no, this is definitely what I need to do with my life forever.
Rainee Blake: Yes, I think that's so important. I think it's so important for Australian songwriters and artists to come to america, even if it's just to visit, but to kind of get them out that mindset a little bit and see what else is possible. I think that's something that the states really has to offer culturally, compared to australia.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. I've told people the same thing actually. Not even just in the music industry, but people who are naturally ambitious and have that drive, I've said the same thing. I'm like, you've just got to go to the states even just for holiday. What is it that for you. Do you think that you say that, like what happened when you went over there and experienced that different culture?
Rainee Blake: I mean, I had been over to visit quite a lot with that similar sort of Like I really enjoyed the culture, particularly in LA and in Nashville, of course, which I, I lived there for a as well. Think people are out there hustling, you know, hard. They're making a living whatever way they can in pursuit of their dreams. And I just, loved that. I think you know, in a big pond in America, so you have a lot of competition like, which, you know, of course in some ways is challenging because there aren't as many, but you notice. And you were, maybe that's just a belief I have that I'm not as likely to
be successful, but you along. It spurs you along because you're like, holy shit, there's such so much talent, so many hardworking people. I better step it up. You know, I to be on that same level. Otherwise I'm not worth, I'm not worth my talk. You know, you gotta, you
Rae Leigh: inspires you to be better.
Rainee Blake: Yeah.
Rae Leigh: to do your best rather than, and we can all get a bit complacent, especially if you are around people that aren't trying as hard, but is it like, you're the average of the top five people you hang around that? Have you heard that one? So just being in those spaces where other people are working hard towards what they want.
Yeah, it drives you to be like, yeah, they're doing it. I can do this too. And it's just, I think it's good. It's I actually, I don't really believe in competition, like when it comes to the arts. I I'm a big believer that everything happens exactly the way it's meant to. And that's,
Rainee Blake: totally.
Rae Leigh: probably just a coping mechanism, but yeah
Rainee Blake: there's a in comparison. I think
that as soon as you go into, oh, she's doing this, or they're doing that and I'm doing this and I'm not good enough. Like there's particularly with You have to be so careful about what you're taking in and what you're letting affect you, you know, a thick skin and at the same time, have a thin skin so that you can make vulnerable good art.
So there's this constant like back and forth where you, you, you do have boundaries and, caught up in that comparison loop while still staying tender. And I think that that's a challenging thing to, to handle as an artist.
Rae Leigh: Absolutely. I live most of my life, not trusting anyone and being really thick skinned, but when you have those big walls up. It keeps everyone out and it keeps you locked in. And for me, I was very isolated and music was my only friend, for a very long time music was my therapy.
No one knew that I did it. It was like a private in the bedroom thing. Yeah. But it was the one thing that I was my company and kept me safe. And that's a powerful thing. I'm so grateful. Every therapist I've ever seen said, I'd probably be dead if I didn't have my music and that's how massive it's been for me.
And now it's that's something that I can share. And yeah, I think it's been about for me now. It's like breaking down those walls. Because I've found a sort of certain security or like a foundation to stand on. I don't need the walls around me anymore because I'm standing on a solid ground.
That's I don't know what I'm saying right now. So I'm just going to move on.
Rainee Blake: love let me, before you move
Rae Leigh: I got great to call them am I doing, am I making sense? I don't know.
Rainee Blake: I love what you're saying. I think it's so true. And I think a lot of the time, you know, in your you're figuring that out. You're figuring out how to survive because you don't really know. you do have to build up that resilience and then once you have that,
Rae Leigh: That's all
Rainee Blake: then you're able to create a more sustainable life.
Rae Leigh: I was going to ask you about your music and when you are writing a song, do you think about, okay, this is what I want to communicate to the world. And there, are you thinking about what people are feeling when they hear it, or is it purely coming from a place of, I just need to, this is what I need to say right now.
Rainee Blake: is different. I also go through phases with sort of my style and my approach to songwriting. Recently in the last year, probably I've had a process Lyric's coming first, which is not something I used to do, but I was writing a lot of poetry.
And started to inform my approach to songwriting, you know, which is kind of like puzzle. And in this case I was put, the first piece was I would think of something that felt like pertinent that I wanted to say and, set in my room.
Away from my desk away from my bed, even if it's just on the floor, some somewhere separate and then just sort of freeform, right. Through the lens of, whatever the topic was that I wanted to write about. And then I would go to the keyboard or the guitar and find music to it. So that was a very, Yeah, very focused thing where it was like, I need to figure this thing out. And I would come At it that way, I mean that, and that's approach I've been using quite a lot, but then other times it I'll just be jamming out and a melody will come and it's just it's, it's so different. I think in the, it sort of speckled throughout the audience kind of comes into. My
field, particularly when it comes to harmonic or chordal choices, I'll often or structural choices of I'll have a little bit of a pop or like commercial sort of lens kind of come into little bit. I think mostly though, it's like what sounds good to me and what sounds like a vibe to me.
And then sort of in the second or when I'm editing, then some of that more sort of technical sort of thing would, will come into play more.
Rae Leigh: commercial. And I think it is important to think about because you do want to have music that people want to hear.
Rainee Blake: totally. And I think like I, listen, I do listen to a lot of what not pop is a weird word because
Rae Leigh: This is popular, isn't it?
Rainee Blake: know. Just like, but you know, Motown is pop. It was, you know what I mean? So I'll listen to a lot of music that was successful. Not necessarily some of the crap that they play on the radio now but, but people love that music, you know? So it, that that's still a blueprint for what has the potential to be popular.
Rae Leigh: I like that. And I think the important part that you mentioned as well as that you found something that sounds good to you. And like we said earlier, if you don't like it, someone told me once that the worst thing that could happen is you released a song that you don't, you know, you're not absolutely in love with.
And then it becomes like a massive hit and you're singing it for the next 50 years of your life. And you want to kill yourself because you're just singing this song that you don't even really like that much.
Rainee Blake: right.
Rae Leigh: the rest of your life. Now ever since I've heard that I did a music course and this guy was like, saying that is a chance that could happen.
And that has happened to some people before where people refuse to sing the songs. Everyone wants them to sing because they're just over them. They don't love them that much.
Like when I released a song, it's I want to make sure that this is something that I love and I know I could sing for the rest of my life.
And sometimes like I've had songs that's definitely been the case. Now the songs I'm like two years, I'm like, thank goodness that didn't take off. So it's just, you just gotta learn and grow. What about,
Rainee Blake: Mentioned being the Eagles or something and like playing hotel California for the milk NeuLion's time. Like, but
Rae Leigh: I kinda like Keith urban, he changes up his songs. Like every time he plays songs at his love shows, they usually fairly different. And I think I would be the same, like when I'm playing songs, the more and more I've played it, the more it evolves. And I find who I am in that moment, in that song. That's probably what I would do for the rest of my life. It'll just evolve and yeah, you just gotta go with it and keep everyone on their toes.
Rainee Blake: You got to keep it fresh for yourself too. Like you're saying, like find a new way to tell that story, now. And that could mean maybe just changing the melody a little bit or the groove a little bit, or just imagining a new world, like you're well. So you kind of get that. you create images and reality based. But as you're interpreting the song live and you can do that work of course beforehand, too, but that helps so much because it
keeps you present and it, and you're not just sort of autopilot playing the song. Like you've played it a million times, cause that's not gonna, it's not gonna feel good for you and it's not gonna feel good for the audience.
Rae Leigh: I think the energy comes out.
Rainee Blake: It does. And, and like, as, as storytellers, you know, we we have, a job to do, to be truthful and to tell stories with our heart. And to be honest, and to, to share ourselves, I think that that is kind of our responsibility to do that in a way with integrity.
Rae Leigh: it's so brave though, as well. Like it's scary, but.
Rainee Blake: Oh, my God. It's terrifying. You kidding?
Rae Leigh: is terrifying, but I think it's also, it's nice to be able to get up and by being vulnerable and sharing stories and emotions, you're instantly giving everyone else permission to. To feel those things that maybe they haven't been given permission before.
And that's what I love about art movies or, story it's telling a song or whatever it is, whatever the emotional, the underlying story and message of that art is. It's like you're giving people permission to be human. It's oh, I just love it. It's yes, we're human. I feel that too. Thank you for saying that.
Because shame for being human is just. The worst thing anyway lyrics and melody, which one would you say is your natural go-to?
Rainee Blake: Probably melody. Think I generally have to work at lyrics a bit more. But I can, I'm a bit of a stickler. Like I, I want to say something in a way that is interesting, and I've occasionally written songs that are. Oh, no, I wouldn't say that. I'm always particularly flowery with my language. I actually quite gravitate to language that is simple or just, easy to understand. But I do think that lyrics can be, can take a little extra work. Yeah. Whereas melody, I'm just like always in email. That is just, they come to me all the time. Yeah,
Rae Leigh: Yeah, no, that's that's probably me. I have to, I've had to work on lyrics more. So do you have any like books or teachers that you've gone to, to help in that area?
Rainee Blake: listened to a lot of music and I actually studied creative writing at university. And so, I find just reading novels, just, it helps with the cadence of good writing. It
just all seeps in, you know, co-writes are really been a great way to help me with my songwriting game. Just song analysis, being like, I've loved this song. What the hell is going on? Find that a good tool too. But Yeah. I think like in general, it's it's like, Everything you do can help make you a better artist. You know, if you're doing with some intention, like, so yeah. listening, like all kinds of things, just sort of it all, helps.
Rae Leigh: I don't know about you, but sometimes I'll be like on public transport and I'll just listen to conversations around me and I'll have my headphones in. And so people think of listening to music and I'm just
Rainee Blake: Right?
Rae Leigh: Sometimes. They're really interesting. And it's, I'm not, I guess I am eavesdropping, but it's it's people watching really.
It's like studying other humans and how they live and how they speak. And what's important to them and something I've done since I was a kid, it's such a weird thing. And I, I don't know why I'm admitting that to.
Rainee Blake: I love that. No, I mean, we all do that. love to people watch
Rae Leigh: It's something that I dunno, I'm fascinated by, I think, like you said, with your dad and like the human humanity in the way we think and feel, you mentioned co-writing as well, what's been your best experience with co-writing and what have you gotten out of that?
Rainee Blake: I had a really great car ride that?
I did when I was working on Nashville. I had my character I, I pitched songs, but this is the one that got. I did a co-write with my friend Frankie's WIC. And we, it was so fun because we kind of, scene and what was going on. Luckily we had the script
ahead of time. So we looked at the same. We talked about what what's going on for in this scene. Like where does she come from? What's her past? Where is she in this moment? And we able to take that. It was quite a specific. which was really cool. Cause often you're like, ah, what am I going
to write about today? You know, you have to pull it out of air. So I've found that has been a really helpful tool is like, okay. Can I take something that's actually quite specific and perhaps has limitations and use that to my advantage. I loved that. And she's a really wonderful lyricist. I learned a lot from her and we just, Yeah.
co-writes are a great, and then I've taken that, those sort of lessons into sort of the soundtrack work I've been doing in the last year as well, which is the same thing. It's like. where X, Y, and Z is happening. You know, that specific information and turn it into something that's going to work for the scene in a song. and, a lot the film is also era specific. So the research and figuring out how it makes a thing sound like it's in 1965 and things like that. It's just so fun. And I love.
Rae Leigh: And.
Rainee Blake: Yeah, exactly. And what was the culture of the lyrics and w what was the production like? And. you know, what would the changes be like? And just all That kind of stuff is just endlessly fascinating to me.
Rae Leigh: That actually sounds like fun, like a decent challenge and practical as well. Something that's, hopefully going to be used. And also it's just you can do their research. Whereas when I think when you're trying to write something. New, you literally could use anything. Obviously you can be inspired by something, but it's you've got to, you've got to choose that from scratch, but I've had a few people who've right.
I know I don't know if you've ever heard or worked with Allan Caswell, but he wrote the theme tune to prison at the TV show.
So this is like old school and he had the same thing. He had the script ahead of time and then he just wrote that and then they, they loved it and that was
Rainee Blake: Oh, That's sick. That's the dream gig
Rae Leigh: That's what changed cake.
Rainee Blake: theme of a show. Like it makes so much money doing that. It's
Rae Leigh: Seriously. I'm pretty sure he's lived off since 65, but anyway
yes, that would be the dream, but it's also like it, I love hearing him tell the story of how yeah. He had the script and he had somebody to stop for her. And I'm like, sometimes I wish I had that, and that's why I'm always on.
And I'll take my notes in my phone so that like, when I get to that, okay, I'm going to write a song. Where am I going to stop? Cause he's literally, he's like any, anything is possible. And then I'm not a very good decision makers.
Rainee Blake: totally. And then you kind of get overwhelmed by having to make a decision and then you don't end up
writing at all. You know, like to get into that pattern
sort of thing.
Rae Leigh: What would you say is the best thing or the best advice to give to someone before going into a co-wrote with someone else?
Rainee Blake: okay. Um, Don't be attached to any ideas. I think you could be like, oh, that's a really good idea. If you're too attached to it or being, or wanting that to be the one that you use, oftentimes the other person actually has a better idea. I think he, I, and in
service of the song, that's the other thing. It's not like, oh, that part and she wrote this part.
And while alive, it's like, we wrote a and we did it together. And part of that takes a lot of humility. And I think humility is, and flexibility are both really important.
Things to bring into a
car ride.
Rae Leigh: Good.
What about the best advice? Just in general with the industry that you're in the. Has there been something that someone said to you once, or maybe something your mom shared with you that has really helped you get through?
Rainee Blake: This is so cheesy, but never give up.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Rainee Blake: I know that's just, it's so cheesy, but it's true. This industry acting and music both happened to choose like the hardest industries, but anyway so brutal, they will wear you down. Like you will get rejected again, and again and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, like it, you got to just kind of accept the fact that that's going to happen a lot and then just one step in front of the other and just keep going. Cause a lot of people. They can't handle it and they'll quit. And so, but you're still trotting along, you know, I think a quote that I heard recently, and I don't know who said this, but somebody is slow, is steady and steady is fast. And I think that that is. Been one of my favorite quotes recently, cause you don't need to move quick or frantically. In fact that energy of like rushing is actually not in your highest worth. And when you move slowly and intentionally and lovingly and tenderly and that's how you make it, you know, or define making it.
Rae Leigh: I completely agree. And I used to do like a corporate job for a long time and it was very like high intense, and it just, I just burnt out, just, and that whole burnout cycle I've I did that burnout cycle to the point that I realized I don't want to live like that anymore.
Rainee Blake: Yeah.
Rae Leigh: And it is like listening to your body and someone I've got two quarters that relate to what you've said. One, you said never give up and it's The only way you can ever fail in this industry is to give up. So then if your fear is of failure, just never give up.
that
persistence,
Thing happening in there.
So then you can get rid of that fear because if you make that agreement with yourself that you're never going to give up, then you don't have to have a fear of failure. And then the other one you said is the rejection. Which, yeah, sometimes you just don't you just not the right size. Like I went for a casting call the other day and I was too thin.
I was like, I'm really happy with that rejection. I've never been told I was too thin for anything, but it's like rejection, someone said is actually just redirection. It's that's not meant for you right now. It's not the right fit. There's something better coming along. And you've just got to have that optimism and belief that the right thing is coming and you don't need to push it.
You don't need to force it. If you're doing all the right things, the universal the lineup. And it's just, like you said, as long as like on a daily basis, you're doing the right things for yourself. the direction will
Rainee Blake: you got to, you got to self care things and you have to do the career things. You know, there's lots different things you gotta do. You can't just sort of sit and expect to have a
career, you know,
Rae Leigh: know people that do that though.
Rainee Blake: Yeah. right. But, so there's a balance, you know, I think like the whole idea of manifestation sort of thing it's, it's not just about thinking positive and hoping that
it'll happen. You know, you've got steps that might feel scary direction of your dreams and, you
Rae Leigh: have to live your life at the same time, relationships fall in love, have children, if that's the thing like, just, yeah. I don't know. I don't, I'm not a believer that life should wait for anyone that we should just live it in conjunction with everything else in.
Rainee Blake: totally.
Rae Leigh: You can plan so much, but yeah. If you could work with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why
Rainee Blake: So many people maybe. mentioned Joni Mitchell twice. I feel like I need to say someone else, but I do love her. She's my idol. But Quincy Jones,
Rae Leigh: Oh, yes. Have you seen all these documentaries and stuff that have come
Rainee Blake: I have I love him. He's amazing. And he's just an incredible like, he's a total genius. And I think now that I'm a little later in my career just the production is really interesting to me.
Not that I'm a production head or anything, but being in the studio and working on arrangement. And I just, it's really interesting to me. And he's one of the grades, so
Rae Leigh: Yeah, he is. Would you have you done much production yourself? Is that something that you'd be keen to get into in the future?
Rainee Blake: I am starting to learn how to use pro tools. I, it's not something that interests me as much as actually just nitty gritty writing the songs, but working on this film, the soundtrack for the film, I was in the studio a lot. I was there working with my producer, Eric Grossman, you know, we're a little. And we work, you know, figuring and arrangement. And I think out of anything in production, what interests me the most is arrangement. And then working with singers and getting the best performance out of singers. I think I do that a lot in the teaching that I do as well. And. And I really enjoy that process and getting to sort of singers into the potential and, and with them in the studio.
Just find that and getting them to sing my songs. I don't really enjoy that part as well. And I'm like, this is so cool.
Rae Leigh: I think that's beautiful. It sounds like you're, you've got an, like a natural talent for teaching that you just see that potential in people and you love bringing it out in them. And
Rainee Blake: It's the best.
Rae Leigh: I love that. I don't know if I could be a teacher. I've yeah, I think I'd need both patients.
Rainee Blake: Texts a lot of
Rae Leigh: I,
Rainee Blake: presents.
Rae Leigh: I'd rather be like one of these lectures at university where I can just get up, say my thing, take notes and do it if you want, if you don't want I'm not going to push,
Rainee Blake: It's an interesting thing to be uh, find this in my teaching practice is like, yeah. You know, I want to kind of push people and have some accountability for people showing up and doing their
practice and stuff. And then also being compassionate to where they're at. And it's, it's kinda were talking about before, about being purpose-driven it's like sometimes you don't practice and I'm sometimes I don't practice every day and sometimes I don't do my warmups, like I should, or I don't do my yoga or whatever it is. Supposed to do, but I'm still on my path. I get
right back on. I'm not like, oh, I've gone off and now, oh, woe is me. I'm not doing
it anymore. I give up, you know, like it's that there are ebbs and flows. You know, there are periods that you might not write a song for a few months and that's okay. Like, I don't know. I think there's sort of a culture, the capitalist patriarchal culture that we have, which is like be productive or punish yourself. And it's just not supportive if you're trying to build a sustainable career as a creative person, because it's a lot of it you can't control and you just have to ride and you have to be kind to yourself.
And there's such a dance within that. That is an important thing to master as an artist.
Rae Leigh: Yeah, I agree. I think it's an important thing to master as a human being. If you want to enjoy your life um,
Rainee Blake: Totally.
Rae Leigh: But yeah,
I'm creative as well. So I mean, I, I totally get that. And I think I had to muster that before I could let anyone know that I liked music. Like I had this weird belief that if I shared my music with someone and that didn't like it, that then I wouldn't like it.
And I just didn't think that I would be able to live my life without music. Like I needed it to survive. And had an, when I say it out loud, I'm like, it's, I don't even know where that belief came from. I think it was because I saw so many people were like, they'd go to university for music or they'd go and do one of those Australian idol or the voice auditions, and they'd get rejected or they'd get out of the music degree and they hate music.
They're just like, I'm never doing that again. And they'd go do something else and they just couldn't stand, they didn't do it. And I was like, I can't afford that. Hate music and I can't afford to not want to do music. So I'm just never going to do tell anyone.
Rainee Blake: Interesting. Yeah.
Rae Leigh: Tell me what are your plans now? I know that you've got a few shows. Do you want to tell people what shows you've got going on and what's coming up for the near
Rainee Blake: Oh, yeah, I've got some doing two shows here as a part of the Adelaide fringe. One is on March 2nd. The other one's on March. So. At nexus arts, which is a venue here in the CBD, in Adelaide, I'm in Adelaide right now, seeing some shows. And then next week on Wednesday, I'll be playing at lazy bones, which is a venue in Sydney.
That's March 9th, great spot. And I've actually got, as a great support act as well. Timothy James Bowman. I don't know if
you know him. Awesome singer and he he'll be performing at a support act as well. And then other than that, I'll be heading back to LA. I live in Venice, right on the beach in Venice, which is pretty Nice.
And just, yeah, I've got my residency. I do. So once a month I hosted a songwriter's night called soft spot. At a venue called gold diggers, which is in Hollywood. And yeah, it's all about supporting independent and emerging artists, creating a space where they able to share new work. And it's a fantastic night that I absolutely adore.
So I've still got that and I have music coming out and I'll be heading to Europe. Then again, the end sort of towards the end of that. Europe's summer this year as well to do some shows.
Rae Leigh: Awesome. So you're open about, and people can follow you and I'll put all your links and tickets for the shows this over the next few weeks as well in the description of the podcast. I am interested to hear about how the song, and I, that gold diggers came up about, and what's the, mission behind the.
Rainee Blake: Yeah.
I, I a part of a songwriters accountability group last year that ended. And then I sort of started my And that is a 10 week thing. It's an email thread and you submit a song a week. If you miss more than two weeks, you get kicked out. It's. Amazing. You can totally join
next time if you want, by the way.
Rae Leigh: Okay.
Rainee Blake: And it just helped to start to create this community around songwriters all over the world. But a lot of them are based in a NLA. And from there I decided I wanted to create a night kind of centered around same values. Just supporting the artists in my community and creating a space that just felt really warm and inviting and void of comparison and things like that we were talking about.
So I love my night, you know, I get to play well every time. So it's fun for me to. Something to, tell people about, you know, every month the same gig, so Yeah.
it's been great. We've had some really great performance come through and saying, and it's always either solo or do a
performance. And that's part of the ethos of the night is that it's, you know, soft spots. It's intimate it's soft and it's it really focused on the art of songwriting.
Rae Leigh: I love that. That is my jam. I love the songwriter rounds. Do you know, there are people here who don't even know what songwriter arounds are? I just
Rainee Blake: That's crazy. We actually don't do that. We don't do this in the round. We do it perform at a time, but I have done, in, in Nashville at the blue bird a few times.
Rae Leigh: no, that's really cool. I think I love that concept. I'm a big fan of just solo. I mean, It is great when I can, you know, you can get that full band sound and, you know, get people up dancing and stuff as well. But I'm definitely the same as like, I love that acoustic solo DUI kind of vibe. And that community as well of meeting other people with that like-minded passion for music to keep you accountable and also drive you like we've talked about.
And we do that too with some our, we run. Local nights where we just get together and meet other songwriters. And we co-write, we just co-write together and randomly come up with a song in the night and we break into small groups and then come back and share what we've done. It is, it's really fun.
It's just like a networking thing. So you can, you know, maybe meet at the lyricist. So producers and stuff like that. But we put our first showcase together last year where we just did like a rounds thing. And so many people had never even heard of it or been to anything like that. And it was so. It was so much fun just to see.
And like I had pros like Allan Caswell, the prisoner guy, he came and James Blondeau came and there was such a cool vibe, but you had no one knew what to expect, but with the song let around like that, you can have different genres. If everyone's playing acoustic guitar, it does break it down to it's just about the song.
Rainee Blake: Yeah,
Rae Leigh: It's letting the songs down on its two legs and not worrying about production, which is what I like anyway. So I love that you're doing that. It's so cool. I'm going to come to LA just to come to your gold diggers.
Rainee Blake: Please do. Please do.
Rae Leigh: I will. Good luck with your shows. Thank you so much. Is there anything else you would like to say before we finish up the podcast is
Rainee Blake: That's all. Yeah. thanks for having me.
Rae Leigh: I appreciate it. Thank you very much.
