Rinaly follows in the footsteps of artists such as Markus Schulz and Ummet Ozcan by joining trance legend Talla 2XLC for volume 62 of his ‘Technoclub’ series. The double album features one massive trance hit after another – the first mix by Talla 2XLC, while Rinaly brings her trademark uplifting sound to the second set. We had the pleasure of speaking with Rinaly in the build-up to this release.
Thanks for taking this time to speak with us, let’s kick it off with your feature on ‘Techno Club Vol. 62’. How honored were you being asked to join in on such a big series?
“Thank you for interviewing me. It’s a great honor to be able to work with a compilation that many famous artists have participated in in the past. Technoclub is famous even in Japan. My fans are also very pleased with my involvement.”
2020 was a big year for you, with 9 releases in total. How hard was it to release music at a time where the dance music scene was struggling?
“Most of my 2020 releases were completed before the pandemic started. In 2019, I performed at festivals and events around the world and made tracks based on that inspiration. After the pandemic started, it was honestly difficult to keep motivation and the releases stopped for several months.”
Speaking on struggles, you recently opened up social media about your mental health, creating a Discord server for your fans who may be going through the same thing. How big of a step was it to admit yours so openly?
“When I was playing a live stream alone in an empty room, I was slandered and it was difficult to keep a smile on my face and I couldn’t control my tears. I also panicked when streaming didn’t work due to equipment problems. I’ve never experienced responding to a chat while DJing, so I’ve been reminded many times that it’s hard to answer. The words made me both sad and happy. I’ve had that experience several times and hundreds of viewers have witnessed it, so I felt it was time to open up on my own mental health issues. Since I created a mental health topic on Discord, it feels like my territory and I’m glad my fans are also open with me.”
The Discord server proved to be hugely popular, how enjoyable was it for you to see such a quick and instant positive response from your fans?
“My community is amazingly warm and they always say kind words. I’m really supported by them and I reply to help those who are suffering as well.”
Along with your music, you also set up a Twitch channel which has gone very well for you. As a new experience, how was it to enter the world of Twitch & streaming?
“I still remember how strange it was to livestream for the first time. It was embarrassing at first to smile at the camera in a room where no one was looking. After a few months, I got used to it, and the number of viewers increased and it became fun. And thanks to the support, I was able to upgrade the setup. My sets cross several different genres and I’m really pleased with how the channel has grown.”
You’ve been incorporating elements of techno into your trance sounds, leading to a unique overall style. How important do you feel it is to keep your sound fresh with new ideas?
“I always put my honest feelings into the sound. I’ve been having a dark time since last year so I’m experimenting with techier sound. I love Uplifting Trance, but I haven’t lived an uplifting life for a while so I couldn’t make it lately. So much of my sound is emotionally related.”
Gaining sounds and inspiration from several genres for your productions, are there any other genres or styles you would like to incorporate into your productions?
I want to create a fresh and unique sound by incorporating the rock sound and the sound of live instruments, which is my background, regardless of genre.”
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, is there any news you’d like to announce to our readers?
“My next single release is a collab with Vadim Bonkrashkov, and Natalie Gioia – ‘Won’t Quit The Fight’ – out on July 2nd on AVA White. Vadim and Natalie are Ukrainian and my Japanese sensibilities blended nicely with their ideas. The breakdown has elements of Asian musical instruments to create a unique musical texture. The lyrics send a really strong message too. I’m also planning to perform at two overseas festivals later this year. I can’t tell you the details yet but will announce it soon!”
