INTRO BY SERA SNYDER
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO COURTESY OF STILL + STORM
90’s grunge is the first thing you’ll think of when listening to Still + Storm, fronted by Chicago’s own Rachel Raymond. Her style is alternative indie, with an alluring yet melancholy sound. Rachel’s voice is accompanied by her partner, Dave, who assists by creating the instrumentals to make her songs really come to life. Listen to their EP “Break Away” and feel almost as if you are having a direct conversation with the two of them. The EP definitely evokes emotion, although the overall tone is not sadness, there is joy behind the scenes.
Where did you get the idea for the name ‘Still + Storm’?
"It comes from the Brand New lyric 'They say that the captain stays fast with the ship through still and storm'. I love the dichotomy of calm and chaos. We all have both within us. We also weather both within others."
How would you describe your music in three words?
"Aching, hopeful, relatable."
Where do you find most inspiration when creating music?
"In other people, usually. Maybe they have broken my heart in some way or are breaking their own. It usually comes from a place of hurt or an attempt to understand a situation."
Do you find that you have the same creative process all the time or does it change often?
"For me, it changes constantly. Sometimes the lyrics come out before the music and vice versa. I usually need to sit and be focused. Dave, however, gets ideas often and everywhere. You can find him singing into a voice memo on his phone at the grocery store. He really takes the time to channel his energy into writing. When writer’s block hits, I go to Dave. We act as sounding boards for each other, in music and otherwise."
You recently released your new video for your song ‘All of These Things’. Can you tell us a little about the song and the concept of the video?
“'All of these things are not what they seem' - it depends how deeply you choose to look. At the time, I was feeling lonely from self imposed isolation and was reflecting on my anxiety issues. The lyrics in this song are dark, but the music is purposefully hopeful. Despite my initial objections, the video features me primarily, with very little footage of Dave. We wanted to create the feeling of isolation and longing. The video was shot in Seattle by our friends Sara + Daniel, which helped incorporate my 90s grunge nostalgia."
What do you hope people take from your music?
"I love when a song speaks to some part of my life or experience. I would be honored to provide that for someone else. A soundtrack to a memory… past or future."
Is there anything else we can expect from you in the near future?
"New music, and hopefully more often."