With a classic indie-pop sound, relatable lyrics, and personal charm, Raynor is a new rising artist we should all be watching. His newest single, Break Me Down (Echo), was just released today, March 20th. 

Words by Beth Ford

In an exclusive interview, we spoke with Raynor to discuss his new singles, his love of FIFA music, and how he translates his engagement on TikTok into streams and supporters. 

Beth: So, I want to start off and ask you about your latest single Minute From The Moment. I was wondering what the inspiration was behind it, and how you started writing it?

Raynor: The inspiration for the track is that the session that just started after my first single, Brighter Than Before, had come out, or it had built quite a lot of buzz around it, so I was really just in that kind of fun, indie space. And, so me and Eddie just decided we wanted to do something fun, a bit upbeat. So we listened to a few reference tracks, specifically, the Banquet by Block Party, that was one that was very prevalent that we listened to that very fun, like, kind of stabby, guitar tone and punchy rhythm of it. So we added different guitar parts, and we built around it, and then we just created the first verse and the pre-chorus and was struggling a little with the main chorus, but yeah. And then that, that did well as well, and then we kind of just progressed with the track. 

Beth: Amazing. Hearing you talk about it, it sounds like you just had a lot of fun. It seems like it was really enjoyable. 

Raynor: Yeah, that’s what it’s all about, really, just trying to make something that’s going to make people want to get up. 

Beth: Yeah, absolutely. I think that’s all any of us can do, isn’t it, really just do things that make you happy and make other people happy. 

Beth: So TikTok has been sort of a fantastic platform for a lot of indie artists, I think, and it’s been a really good way for people to get their music out there when there might have been more barriers beforehand. And I think it’s been a really good platform for that.

What would you say your experience has been like in terms of, you know, getting a lot of that engagement on the platform and then being able to actually translate that into fans that are listening and coming to see you? 

Raynor: Yeah. I actually agree with that. I feel that TikTok has really kind of democratised what is being an artist. It used to be a thing of like connections and or like who you’re signed to, which can kind of give you an upper hand in terms of like radio play or people just hearing about it in general. Whereas now I feel like when you’re on TikTok, it’s really the music which can be more put at the centre of it. Obviously, there’s a lot of content, which is like, probably more putting your music out there, but like if the song is good, people hear it. Yeah. In terms of TikTok, it’s been crazy. Like, I can always say that posting on TikTok changed my life completely. Like being able to receive such great engagement on the singles and how that translated to the fans and supporters, even – I think I prefer that word — with who, who just love the music and who I talk to every day, whether that’s about music, whether that’s about shows, or whether it’s about football or anything. Like it’s… I appreciate it a lot.

Beth: It’s just been so great to see a lot of people that maybe just wouldn’t have been able to turn music into a career without it. I think it has been so fantastic for that. 

Raynor: Definitely, definitely. So many of my favourite artists I found while scrolling through TikTok. 

Beth: Definitely, yeah. And it makes it so much easier, like I think finding music now is just so different than it used to be. And social media is such a great platform for that. 

Beth: You just mentioned football, and also, you have described your sound as FIFA music; so I wanted to ask, what are some of your favourite tracks that have come out of those playlists over the last decade, and are there any that you feel like have directly influenced your music?

Raynor: Oh, definitely. I feel like one of them, strangely enough, because it’s not really an indie tune, is a song called Feet Don’t Fail Me Now by Joy Crookes. It was like FIFA 21, I think, and it’s an R&B track, but the amount of times I heard it, like when you’re loading up in the menu screen or something, it sticks in your head and it goes again and again and again. Songs like Heat Waves as well, that one did brilliantly well on the charts as well. Yeah, so many great tracks that come out of FIFA. 

Beth: Is one of your dreams to be able to have one of your songs featured?

Raynor: Yeah, 100%, I feel like being in the UK, especially like the UK lad experience that like you go home, you go to a team and to be able to hear your own song there, or for someone to be able to recognise the song after they lose like 3:2 in a bad game or something, like it means something to me, it really does.

Beth: I think it is so integral to so many English boys’ upbringings, FIFA, I think it’s just such a nostalgic thing for a lot of people. So, I’ve got my fingers crossed that you’ll get your song on there. 

Beth: So, you’re playing Latitude Festival this summer, which is super exciting. Is it your first festival slot? And do you have any plans for it, with the setup, and how you’re going to play live? 

Raynor: My first festival slot for this year is The Great Escape in Brighton. And yeah, in terms of Latitude, though, I am so excited. But I think it’s going to be so, so sick to be able to play a festival, which is crazy. Like Lewis Capaldi is going to be there, like so many artists that I look up to, songwriting-wise, specifically, are going to be there. It’s so incredible that I actually would be on a lineup with such great names like that. But the show is going to be it’s going to be fun. I feel like you’re going to you’re going to see a lot of ourselves on stage. Me and my band mates, you can see, like, the most authentic versions of ourselves and nothing fake about performance. Loud guitars, drum fills, like everything that you could want out of a UK festival experience. 

Beth: Are you thinking of doing some unreleased songs, some covers?

Raynor: By July-time, when the festival is, I feel like I’ll have quite a lot of material out which I can play, but you never know, you might hear a cover in there. 

Beth: It’s always fun to have a little cheeky little cover in there, you know?

Beth: All right, so, this sort of leans into our last question, which is what are you working on at the moment? Have you got maybe an EP coming out that we can look forward to or anything in the near future? 

Raynor: Well, as of right now, the only thing I can definitely tell you that there’s a lot of music coming out with Raynor’s name on it. Every month, you’re gonna hear a Raynor track, whether it’s one track, two tracks, an EP, who knows? But you’ll hear music from Raynor every month, I can guarantee you that. 

Beth: Very exciting. I can’t wait to see what you come out with and get more stuff in your discography.

Photos by Alex Frances