Vilda Ray, a stand-out artist and producer whose effervescent personality is embodied in her bubbly vocal style, has created a fresh wave of songwriting while paying respect to influences such as Prince, N.E.R.D, and Chaka Khan. Originally from the island of Guam, now residing in Los Angeles, Vilda has a unique musical style steeped in R&B, Soul, and Funk. She is an aggressive lyricist but oftentimes delivers her message delicately, and always without shame.
Featuring Vilda’s signature soulful vocals over a spellbinding melody and inventive R&B production by DDidThat, “Fool In Love” is a raw and intoxicating musical escape that listeners can get wrapped up in, while connecting with their own stories.
Darien Newton is multi-instrumentalist and music producer living in Los Angeles. Over his three-year career he has made waves in LA’s local R&B scene, producing singles for some of LA’s most promising singer-songwriters.
As a product of the church, he has drawn inspiration from the gospel greats: Fred Hammond, Kirk Franklin, and Israel Houghton. Through their use of lush R&B chords and funky gospel grooves, he has developed a sound reminiscent of classic “feel good” gospel while mixing the hypnotic feel of Neptunes-inspired R&B. His love for gospel has opened doors for him musically — playing drums for Gospel chart-topper “Vashawn Mitchell” and International recording artist Sunny Badu.
How did you become an artist?
VR: It was a slow but natural progression. I had been producing music for myself and others for a long time, then started writing songs, and afterwards found myself wanting to keep some of the records for myself as a solo artist because they were so personal. More than anything though, I am a songwriter first. I believe a pen holds much more power than a mic.
How do you think this record is different from your past ones?
VR: This is my first R&B/Hip Hop release. It’s weird because R&B is my favorite genre, but up until this point I had been releasing more Pop Funk material. It’s also only the second record I have released that’s produced by someone else other than myself. DDidThat’s production is very delicate atop, yet the core of the music is quite stern. That’s how I see my writing, so naturally I came to trust his sound.
Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing the song?
VR: Funny thing is this collaboration all started with an instagram story post! DDidThat posted a very short clip of this beautifully hypnotizing piano loop and all I said was “I can hear something over this already” and he hit me with the email immediately!
D: It was all very organic! Vilda has a great ear for beats, so when she hears one she likes, I know it’s gonna be good.
What are the dynamics between you two when creating music?
VR: DDidThat and I have very similar influences, and our R&B palette in particular is almost identical. I’ve found that sometimes when he pulls up a track and starts humming something I was already on my way there! I believe us having that same passion and respect for R&B guides us to the best collaborative ideas.
What’s a record that shaped your creativity?
VR: Brandy’s “Never Say Never” is one of those albums that can make me cry on sight and was a template of how to display my sensitivity as a musician. What makes it genius is the relationship between artist and producer. There is absolutely no discord between the two roles. I use this album as reference of how to communicate with my collaborators, including DDidThat.
Who is an artist or band you look up to these days?
D: I love everything Rochelle Jordan is doing these days. She’s a Toronto-based R&B singer, but she fuses a lot of drum and bass elements into her production. That fusion is really inspiring to me.
Any future projects?
D: I’m working on a Lofi album with my good friend and collaborator, Tim Rose. The theme of the project is on self-reflection and finding yourself as you journey through life. It’s set to release at the beginning of next year. Can’t wait for the world to hear it.
What does music mean to you?
D: I look at music, specifically my production, as a canvas. I like to imagine I make the canvas for the artist to express themselves over. I see music as the canvas for expression.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
D: Sweet, soft chords on top with hard-hitting drums on the bottom. I borrow heavily from my influences in that regard. Artists like Tribe Called Quest and the Neptunes always had the hardest, dirtiest drums with pretty jazz melodies. My sound/ style is very similar.
