Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachi Relos.
Hi Rachi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My love for music started before I could even talk. I was born in a small city in Dominican Republic called Higüey, La Altagracia and was always surrounded by music. My mom and grandma made sure to sing to me as a baby whether it was to put me to sleep or to keep me entertained. According to them, once I became a toddler, I often sang the nursery rhymes they introduced to me without even knowing what I was saying. At age five, about to turn 6, I moved to Houston, Texas from Dominican Republic. Once I started first grade, I joined my elementary school’s choir. Right away, my dad noticed my talent and interest in music, so he took me to voice and piano lessons, which I attended until my freshman year of high school.
In the beginning, I was shy. I did not want anyone to know I was a singer because I was afraid they would ask me to “sing for them.” Singing for people just made me nervous, not because I wasn’t good but because I was afraid to mess up. As I got older, I participated in recitals, musicals, and performances at my church. The shyness slowly went away, and I decided that singing was something I wanted to pursue.
It was 2016, and I was 14 years old when I started making my own music. My dad gifted me a USB Blue Yeti microphone, and I downloaded a couple of softwares on my laptop. I watched youtube tutorials on self-recording and I was able to make my first track, “Soy Yo,” all by myself. I posted it on Soundcloud and the response I was receiving from my small following motivated me to make more. From then on, everyone at my high school started calling me by my stage name, “Rachi Relos.” My junior year, I won the supervelative, “Most Likely To Be Famous,” everyone’s support motivated me to keep going. I kept releasing songs on Soundcloud and Youtube for the rest of high school.
My senior year, I decided I wanted to go to college outside of Houston, Texas. My first choice was Miami because it is a city where the music industry is thriving, and I wanted to be closer to home (Dominican Republic). I chose to attend my dream school, the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, as it was in the perfect location. Ever since I moved here, I have been trying to find ways to officially begin my career in music. It has not been easy and as a full-time college student trying to make it one day at a time, the process has been slow but during it, my purpose was made crystal clear to me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been the smoothest road for me. In an industry dominated by men, being a young woman in search of opportunities has been difficult. I often feel like people in the industry notice my physical appearance and become disinterested in my musical talent. Although keeping up with my image is important as an artist, I do not want my entire career to be based just on how I look. I want people to like me because I am talented. When people offer me opportunities simply because I look good, I turn them down because I know all they want to do is hit on me and not actually support my musical talent. This was something that I had to learn the hard way, but it was made clear to me that everything that glitters is not gold. I must choose my opportunities wisely and not jump at the first offer I get out of desperation. Thanks to the struggles I have faced so far, I learned that my time will come slowly but surely and the right opportunities will be offered by those who look past my looks and believe in my talent.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a bilingual singer/songwriter. I make music in English and Spanish and explore a variety of genres, specializing in RnB and Trapsoul. I am most proud of my progress. I have been making my own music for almost six years now, and I have personally grown so much as an artist. I am constantly working on my craft and am elevating every single day to be the best that I can be. My composition skills have improved so much and I am so excited to show the people that have been following me since the beginning how much I’ve progressed. What sets me apart from others are my lyrics. I always make sure to write from the heart. Music is how I can best express what I am feeling, and I want people, especially women, to relate to my music. I want people to feel something when they hear me sing.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising that most people might not know about me is that I am only 19 years old. A lot of people think I’m older, but I’m technically still a teenager.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachirelos/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachirelos
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC9003Ue8NKJd_j2KdmEcw/featured
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-365125862?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gK9Oo0xaWkYYc9tqbsTcG?si=_SEkkS5xQ-S8o0xlw2T8rQ
Image Credits
Mariela Henriquez Kameron Mincey
