We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Raven Matthews a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Raven, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on is the album I’m finishing now. The LP is called “DATA ROT” and is a culmination of roughly 20 years of writing songs and finding my unique artistic voice.
I feel like anything you’re currently making is the most important because it is an active engagement with the infinite source energy from which we pull our ideas. There’s something electric and alive about the creation process, and that’s where I feel most content. I’m addicted to that space.
That being said “DATA ROT” feels especially important because it’s my most mature offering, it’s coming from a more healed place, and I’m able to really curate the sound, using the tools I’ve learned from along the way. I’ve done a lot of introspection leading up to this moment, I’ve let go of cycles and patterns that hurt me, and have really distilled my sound to its most potent form.
The album is also totally self produced, which gives it a cohesiveness and defined aesthetic that represents my inner world. It’s dark and moody while being dancey and playful, which I think resonates with me as a Gemini. It’s coming after a move from Seattle to LA, and includes both regional sounds of grungey vocals and soundscapes, with a mix of alt pop drums and synths. It’s an authentic expression of my duality as a human being.
I’ve struggled most my life with addiction/depression/ and toxic relationships born from a learned codependency. I’m finally starting to shake these heavy weights, I’m beginning to take accountability and responsibility for my story. I think “DATA ROT” is an example of my growth and my will to live and get better.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started making music early, around 9, I’m 32 now so it’s been a long minute. I’m not at the point where I’m making a living from it, but that is my ultimate goal. What a dream that is, and I will be so humbled to attain it. I think a lot of people out there can relate to this. I want to lead by example by chronicling my journey towards success. By being up front about my short comings and mistakes. Letting people into the process of yearning and learning to be a better version of yourself with every project you put it out. It’s just about doing it.

I feel like my job as an artist, as “Rave Holly”, is to build worlds in which my fans can travel to, escape into. I want to translate my inner world as best as I can and let people interpret that and add to it. I just want to be apart of the ungoing collective conversation.

The world of Rave Holly is filled with samples from my favorite films, references to physical media, drugs, s*x and spiritually. It’s a vulnerable peek into a flawed person, it’s a collage of all the culture that’s influenced me, and my connection to the places and people who shaped me.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I used to have this stubborn need to be totally ahead of my time, and doing something different from everyone else. This has ultimately hurt me in my career. I’m learning now that it’s super important to be aware of what the trends and cultural directions of the time are. Don’t be afraid to do what’s popular. Once you have found your voice, you will always bring your own sound and approach to the art, but it’s helpful to combine that with things people are enjoying at the moment. You want people to enjoy your art, it’s not just about you.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My resilience has kept me alive, it’s in knowing how to adapt and change. I nearly lost my life in addition. I almost lost myself in unhealthy relationships, but I trusted some guiding force within, and was lucky to steer my ship away from that darkness. Just thinking back on how close I got makes me shutter, but it also makes me so grateful for that guiding light inside me, for my belief in something better and my trust in the unknown.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/raveholly
• Instagram: @raveholly
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/xAxYct-Y5Gs?si=DiOiOpInEGCalTdH
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/AJoTZfZn9ngXFuJ26
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6NILQqiOJoJtQUdnRsUgan?si=gEWtIV_kRO-EtQdClVx9qg