Next week, we’re heading out to see pop artist Ralph and we couldn’t be more excited. The Toronto-based singer recently released A Good Girl, a 10-track album featuring her single “Tables Have Turned.” She’s currently heading out on a 25-date international tour in support. We jumped at the chance to chat with the rising artist who we can’t stop playing. Trust us, if you need something that gets you in the feels but will also make you dance, this is it. Don’t trust us? Listen to “For Yourself” and tell us you don’t feel like giving yourself a day of self-care. Thanks for chatting, Ralph!
You’ve been in the music industry for a while. From a Folk band to doing your own thing! What have you learned most about yourself after all these years?
Trust your heart. Be patient. Stand up for yourself. Prioritize healthy living. Surround yourself with a band that makes you feel like home, no matter where you are.
How did you come about the transition from Folk music to pop?
I grew up listening to Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, etc. so pop has always been a huge passion. I did folky/singer-songwriter stuff because I love songs with narrative storytelling – my parents are big into Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bob Dylan so I grew up with that type of music. I was actually doing my folk project at the same time as Ralph, it was just in the early stages of the project and I was still figuring out the sound. I never felt like they were HUGELY dissimilar, my style of writing is still really narrative driven and I love sweet harmonies and dynamic musical melodies.
What is the story behind the name Ralph? How did you decide that will be your moniker?
I had done several projects under my real names, so I wanted to stray from behind associated or confused with those. I also just wanted a new identity for Ralph and was excited to start fresh. I liked the name because it was similar to my own, but was different enough. It was also gender ambiguous and could be the name of a duo or a band. I liked the mystery of it.
Congrats on the album and on your tour! I can’t wait to check you out next week but before all that, what are you doing to get prepped for tour life?
Well we’ve just done 7 shows in a row and as I write this, I’m on the road to Montreal, so I guess I’m getting prepped by performing a bunch! I’m also spending Thanksgiving weekend up north at my cottage with all of my relatives, which is super important for me. Having even a couple of days to relax and re-set before going on the road is huge.
Being on the road has its perks. Is there anything you wanna do/accomplish while on the road? Check out a specific city? Try out a famous restaurant?
I plan on downloading and watching the new season of Ozark while on the road, and my band is really into Game of Thrones so we’re gonna rewatch the entire last season. We love going for walks and hikes. We did a 4-hour hike in Newfoundland next to the ocean and it was amazing. I wanna try and do yoga in the mornings as often as possible. City wise, I’m excited to go back to Europe, I love London. I’d love to go to Japan eventually. Food wise, I’m always down for great Mexican food, so LA is a fun spot to be – they have bomb tacos.
Moving onto your album, huge congrats! How does it feel to have it out there for your fans to finally listen to?
It feels amazing, it feels like a long time coming! I’m just excited to have new material and to be performing it, we even have onstage choreo for “Tables Have Turned” which has been a hit. It’s awesome to hear all the feedback, I love finding out which songs are resonating the most.
What was trek like to get this album finished? What difficulties did you run into?
I think the hardest part was picking the 10 tracks that would make it onto the album. I wrote for 16 months so I had soooooo many songs that I loved. It was sad cutting songs or accepting that their vibe just wasn’t right for this album, but I like to think maybe they’ll chill on ice for now and can be contenders for the next album if I still like them.
What are your hopes for this album?
I hope word spreads and people all over the world listen. I’d love to do more festivals and more international touring this year, so hopefully, the album will help me get there.
Lastly, completely non-music related, who are your fashion idols? Scrolling through your Instagram, it’s hard not to realize you have amazing taste for fashion.
Aw, thank you. ? I always look up to Rihanna, Tiffany Hsu (@handinfire), Tracee Ellis Ross, Solange, Prince. Designer-wise, I’m obsessed with Adam Selman, Seis Marjan, Attico, Cinq a Sept, Wandler (bags), Giambatista Valli, Loewe.
FOLLOW RALPH: Official Website | Instagram | Twitter