Standing still, listening to the wind and birds singing to each other, Rukhsana Merrise breathes in the nature inspiring her two-part album ‘Child O’ Today.’ An album with a collection of cross-genre sound that serves intricate and meaningful lyrics showcasing Rukhsana’s former carefree state of mind and moves towards a more focused place in her life.
Days before the release of ‘Today’, the second half of the ‘Child O’ Today’ project, Rukhsana lets us into her world and shares what inspires her, the core of her sound, and the reasoning behind a two-part album.
Were you into music when growing up?
I grew up in a household playing various styles of music so my palette was broad from an early age. I can remember discovering Jodeci The Show, The After Party, The Hotel as well as Fleetwood Mac Rumours. Worlds apart, nonetheless great music.
How did you get from being a songwriter for hire to pursuing your singing career?
I released a project called September Songs in 2014 via soundcloud which was a massive turning point for me as a musician. The EP itself showcased some of the influences I have across the different genres that inspire me. It was also a great way of me expressing myself honestly through music.
How would you describe your sound?
My music is cross-genre and an amalgamation of the different things I grew up listening to. The fundamentals are always based on guitars & storytelling with undertones of r&b vocal production.
What inspires you?
Weekends away; The sound of the wind howling, the birds singing to each other, fresh air, sunsets, starry nights, and long walks. Anything, and where I can stand still.
Long conversations with my grandmother. We often reflect on life, and she puts a lot of things into perspective for me. Also makes a great plate of food.
My nephew Danté. He’s so innocent and cheeky all at the same time. There’s never a missed moment of laughter when he’s around.
Why did you want to put out a two-part album ‘Child o’ Today’?
I’m a lover of discovering music. However, the massive influx of music being released, sometimes makes it difficult to fully take in projects that are longer. I think the concept of albums is changing because of this. I really wanted people to grasp my album in full, so me and my team worked out a way we could still achieve this.
What is the difference between ‘Child’ and ‘Today’? What is the theme of each album?
My album is called Child O’ Today, I wanted to quite literally show the story of me progressing from a carefree mind state, to a more refined and focused place.
What is next for you after releasing ‘Today’?
I’m looking forward to releasing more music and working on new projects. Potentially an acoustic version of the album.