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Photo by Emily Gringorten

You don’t just stumble upon artists like RAEGAN. From her eye-catching visual presentation to the overflowing energy in the music, it’s impossible to not be immediately captured. Her starry-eyed outlook on life permeates through the art in every way, combining her chaos into a beautiful kaleidoscope coined “RAEGAN CORE”. Her new EP, THE ANGEL OF LOS ANGELES, is out today and we caught up with the rising star to learn all about its creation: 

Tell me a little bit about your journey as an artist. Have you been writing music since you were a kid? 

I grew up in musical theater, so I've always been a performer. I went to high school for acting. It wasn't until I was in middle school that I started dabbling into expressing myself through lyrics. I used YouTube beats to write little songs as a teenager and started getting into producing music around high school. That's when I started putting my entire being into creating and writing music. I actually started making dark pop music. That was my coming of age, rebellious side. I really want to connect who I was as a child to who I am now in my early twenties. That's what led me to this world of theatrical pop I’m in now.

Were you listening to dark pop at the time? Why do you think you started in that genre and then shifted?

What I was consuming at the time was dark pop / alternative / experimental music, which I still love. I was replicating who I was at the time. Coming out as gay came with a really hard time of figuring out who the fuck I was. You're moody at 16, like ‘Ugh, the world doesn't understand me.’ All of that was reflected into my music not only lyrically, but sonically. 

It's so freeing when you can tap back into those parts of yourself after maybe rejecting it for a while. 

Absolutely. I missed that part of myself. I missed expressing my happiness. My music was a reflection of the negative emotions I was experiencing, which was a way of healing for myself. But, this used to also be really fun too. I redefined the way that I expressed myself in the way that I am an artist and it feels really, really comfortable and fun now. It’s brought me to a great place. I'm more connected to who I was as a child than I was as a teenager. It's so joyful. 

What I love about your theatrical voice is that you can still explore the darker topics. What's your songwriting process? 

I wish I had a clear answer, but I actually don't. Every single song is created differently each time. I love going in with absolutely nothing and creating everything at the same time. But it changes every time. Sometimes I have a concept and I'll write lyrics on my notes. I really like starting with beats as well. That's what I used to do primarily in high school, when I first started making music. It’s just creating the landscape and putting how it feels in my body into the music, then how it feels in my mind on top of that.

You’re clearly inspired by so many mediums like film and musicals. How do you inject references while keeping it pop-forward?

I think art is recycled at all times. Everything inspires everybody. To me, that is the goal: to inspire others. It's subconscious, but growing up going to musicals and watching movies creates your personality. I think we carry that with us and it definitely reflects in art. I’m obviously very inspired by musical theater and pop music. The balance of blending it, it's something I try not to think about. It's funny, some people are probably thinking 'Where is the pop?' But some are going to very clearly hear it. I'm obsessed with 808's and trap beats, which is so random. Implementing that into the musical theater is really fun and adds a lot of the pop influence as well. Pop is a structure and as long as you're following it, ultimately you can make a pop song out of anything. 

Obviously visual language is so important to your project. Even right now I keep looking at the ribbon in your hair, it's so cute. Tell me what fashion means to you and how you go about connecting it back to the music? 

That's the way that I express who I am, not only as a person, but an artist as well. I've always been the kid wearing outfits that were a choice…I would always be looking crazy. The more that I grew up and the more time I spent in New York City, I understood myself through fashion. Being that my music is so theatrical, it needs that visual element to bring it to life. My music does a lot of the talking, but bringing a visual element is how I’m able to tell the full story. 

I love that you just said ‘to my core’ because that brings us to the concept of “RAEGAN CORE”, which I love. What does that mean to you?

I feel like the best ideas come from just out of nowhere. Basically, I've been through so many stages where I just wear the craziest shit because it's my expression at the time. I'll look back and be like, ‘Why did I do that?’ I had on a crazy outfit one day and someone in my band was looking at me and said, “This is so Reagan-core.” That's how it started. I was like ‘Wait, I like that.’ I wrote it down and thought I should use that one day. I actually made a completely different song called “RAEGAN CORE” and it was really weird, but I never did anything with it. When I ended up making the “RAEGAN CORE” that’s out today, I was like, ‘who am I?’ It was this whole philosophical question that I’m still answering. Who is RAEGAN? As an artist, but also as a person. It got super deep and weird. I realized I am whatever I create, so let me create a world. Every artist has a core, like Sabrina-Core. This is just my version of it.

Personally, I don't think there’s such a thing as “too campy” – but how do you walk the line of camp? 

I ask myself this question all the time. I'm a very over the top person. That’s who I am behind closed doors with my girlfriend and my dogs. RAEGAN really is just like a mirror. I try to walk the line of not coming off as annoying, but at the same time, I am really annoying. So I’m constantly trying to stay true to myself. Listen, the people that get it, get it! The people that don't, don't. I believe there's no line of camp. If I'm true to myself, then it’ll be extremely over the top at all times. I'll just stay true to that. 

Are there any ‘theater kid’ popstars that you admire? 

Ariana Grande, obviously. I love that she's returning to it now. I just have to mention Raye because I've been, like, pulling my hair out over her new album, This Music May Contain Hope.

That album is very theatrical.

I'm actually losing my mind of how good it is. I don't know if she started in theater, but it almost doesn't matter because it’s totally a theater kid album. I have so much appreciation for her music. I'm just gonna say Raye even if she doesn't fit the question. 

I have to ask – what are some of your favorite musicals?

I love Chicago. I just love the burlesque element. “Cell Block Tango” created my personality. It single-handedly made me who I am. I love the music in Hamilton. I know every single word. That was my whole middle school experience. Obviously, Wicked. I'm also obsessed with the movie. Oh! And Gypsy, too.

I also just watched Moulin Rouge with Nicole Kidman for the first time. That is “RAEGAN CORE”. 

I completely agree with you. I'm obsessed with “Sparkling Diamonds”. I'm dying to do that as an opening number at one of my shows. I just need enough time to rehearse with my band. One day. 

You need to come down from the ceiling…

With a glitter spotlight.

Who are your OnesToWatch?

I've said this already and she's extremely famous, but I have to give it to Raye. I'm actually obsessed with this album. I don't think I’ve felt this passionately about music in a really long time. It's bringing so much inspiration and setting a new standard for me. I'm gonna give it to Raye.

Listen to THE ANGEL OF LOS ANGELES below: