Alt-pop artist Ravive is a gifted performer and vibrant soul. Her intriguing personality draws in the attention of every listener, complimenting the complexities of the brilliant art that she creates. Ravive has a story that simply demands to be heard, and her brutally honest songwriting is anthemic to an anxious generation. Throughout her many career endeavors, she has demonstrated her boundless creativity and limitless potential.
Ravive’s intriguing sound demands the attention of listeners with her raw and unapologetically honest lyrics paired with baselines that you feel throughout your body. Ravive’s genre-defying music is a cross between bedroom pop and electro rock, and her catchy choruses could fill an arena with fans screaming every lyric.
Ravive’s newest single, “Las Vegas Makes Me Sick,” is set to release January 21st on all platforms. Fans can look forward to an ethereal fusion of breathy pop and synthesized melancholia paired with a hard-hitting story about revitalization. Although this song will be the fourth single to drop under Ravive, Hope Vista is a well-seasoned artist and experienced industry professional with undoubtable talent.
This deeply personal song depicts the complicated and devastating effects of manipulation. When Hope Vista was 13, she entered an online relationship that started on social media with a male four years her senior from Las Vegas. The relationship continued over the span of 4 years in which Hope went through several forms of emotional manipulation. This song reflects on the traumatizing experience and recites her feelings towards the situation with full vulnerability. The story behind this song is one that Vista feels extremely passionate about sharing with her audience, so much that she wrote an entire novel titled “Timothy,” which tells a descriptive and gut-wrenching story of a young Vista as she navigates her way to both adulthood and freedom.
Vista graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing Arts from Rowan University in 2015, and by 2019, she released her first full-length novel and auto-biography, “PREVAIL: Finding Normal.” Along with being an accomplished recording artist and writer, Vista has also expanded her career into many other areas of the music industry. Using her extensive music industry experience and unique perspective as an artist herself, she developed her own music oriented PR company called 25/8 Public Relations. As the owner publicity manager, she had worked to expand her own audience as well as the ones of her impressive roster of clients.
Throughout Hope’s impressive career, she has been a constant advocate for mental health, and she has incorporated this topic into all of her creative and professional projects. In her free time, Hope produces podcasts which reflect her interests and give her a platform to build awareness on struggles surrounding mental disorders. Her newest podcast, “Criminal Mind”, is a true-crime podcast that delves into shocking cases that all tie into mental health, and she uses this outlet as an opportunity to blend together one of her interests with a cause that she is passionate about.
Ravive’s talent is accented by her fascinating aura, and her bold strides within all sides of the music industry will not be going unnoticed. With several releases and projects lined up in the near future, fans of Ravive are ready to settle into this new era for her artistry.
We were able to chat with Ravive about her newest single “Las Vegas Makes me Sick” and her experiences as an artist and entrepreneur in the music industry. Scroll down to read the full interview!
Was there a specific moment or experience that pushed you to write “Las Vegas Makes Me Sick”?
Not a specific moment, but absolutely an experience. When I was 13, I began being manipulated by an online predator, a 16 year old boy from Las Vegas. This ‘relationship,’ if that’s what it was, lasted for about 4 years, and he had a real handle on me. It was quite traumatizing, so much so that I wrote an entire novel about it called Timothy.
Was the creative process for writing this single different from how you have approached songwriting in the past?
This song was written from scratch in the studio. There was no demo or anything like that; just the title and concept. All of the melodies, lyrics; everything was written then and there. I’ve done a lot of Ravive songs like that so far. It just feels more comfortable, and writing this way gives me the space to experiment. Previously, I’d usually just write songs on one of my guitars, but that felt constricting.
What was the production stage like for this single? Did you have a clear vision for where you wanted the song to go throughout the process?
It really didn’t go through any revisions. The track was built based off of this concept of Vegas being a place that makes me uncomfortable, and I think the production really captures that uneasiness. That’s what I wanted - darkness, and uneasiness.
Do you have a favorite memory or moment that sticks out at you from writing “Las Vegas Makes Me Sick”?
Finishing it. It was a concept I had locked up in my head for a long time, and it needed to come out at the right time. I don’t know what it was about that writing day - this was in April 2020 - but it just came out. When it was finished, I felt so relieved. It was like, ‘here’s another story you have off your chest,’ and that felt great. But it’s also a rather disturbing subject and story, so it’s really a catch 22.
Throughout your projects and platforms, you always advocate for mental health awareness. Is this something that you actively try to promote within the songs that you release?
Thank you for noticing; that makes me really happy. As someone who’s struggled with mental illness for nearly my entire life, it always ends up being injected into what I write, because it’s just a ‘normal’ part of me. I really feel like there isn’t enough conversation surrounding mental illness and mental health as separate parts. Both parts need time, attention, and resources, and because it’s a part of me, I always aim to advocate and spark dialogue.
"As someone who’s struggled with mental illness for nearly my entire life, it always ends up being injected into what I write, because it’s just a ‘normal’ part of me."
What is the most rewarding part of your job? Would you say that it is the songwriting process, production aspects, promoting the music, or performing live?
Definitely performing live. I miss doing that in many capacities. There really is nothing like bringing your recordings to the stage, and trying to figure out how to make sure each track translates. It almost feels magical.
What songs or genres were playing in your household growing up that may have influenced the type of music that you put out today?
My dad was a beautiful classical guitarist; his guitars were extra appendages to him. He was always playing, always callused. He’d sit on the floor in the kitchen and just play various pieces of sheet music, or improv. I was always awestruck by his overall ability and passion for his craft, and that inspired me to find my own voice. I tried classical guitar at first, but to be honest, I just sucked. So when I was 3, I really found out how much I love to sing. And that was really it - my dad was my lifeline, especially in music.
What first inspired you to come up with the idea for your podcast “Criminal Mind”?
I listen to soooo many true crime podcasts, and I just wanted to have my own. I wanted to talk about mental health with that outlet, and I thought: ‘what better way than to do it via a true crime podcast?’ I’m almost done writing out all of the episodes for season 2, so I expect that to start coming out late winter. It’s a lot of research and writing, so I decided to do it in the form of seasons, instead of weekly. It helps keep me on track.
You have an interesting perspective on the music industry, having experienced it from both the artist and publicity sides of things though running PR company “25/8 Public Relations.” In your opinion, what are some of the most promising recent establishments and new platforms in the music business?
Podcasts. They’ve totally changed the game in terms of how someone can promote their release. It’s not 100% about ‘traditional’ press anymore; the landscape has changed quite a bit since I first started working in PR. But podcasts are one of the biggest game changers I’ve seen, because they give the artists an outlet to freely speak about their music. TikTok is obviously also I think the most important tool an artist can use right now, because the possibility of going viral is attainable. If any artist doesn’t have a TikTok account, they need to make one right now!
"It’s not 100% about ‘traditional’ press anymore; the landscape has changed quite a bit since I first started working in PR."
How do you see your sound developing in the future? What are your long term goals for your music career?
It develops with each song that I release. I’m really just starting with Ravive, so with each song, I get to play with different elements and explore more into who Ravive is. That type of experimentation can be really fun. Long term though, I have a handful. I almost don’t want to share them because I don’t want to jinx anything. But all I’ve ever wanted is for music to be my full-time, bill-paying career. If I can do that with Ravive, that’s the ultimate dream.
What are your short term goals? Is there anything that our readers can expect from you in the near future that you would like to share?
I’m going to be releasing more singles, that’s kind of the move for right now. I want each song to have the opportunity to grow in its own right, because they’re all incredibly important to me. I have a full EP done, but don’t really know what to do with it just yet. It needs to be released in the right way, and I don’t know what that is. So singles feel the most comfortable, and I’m able to tell the story of each song! Criminal Mind season 2 will be dropping in the coming months. I have a weekly podcast called I Am Ravive, and I’ve also been doing a lot of freelance writing. Always trying to keep busy as best I can, especially in this climate.
"Las Vegas Makes Me Sick" will release on January 21st on all platforms. Click on the link to pre save the single!
Make sure to follow Ravive on Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay updated on all of her upcoming projects!