An R&B/Pop artist born and raised in Vermont and now a student at Berklee College of Music, Eva Rawlings tells a story of finding strength. Her music explores her journey with female empowerment, her relationship to her body, and finding her voice in a socially mediated world.

“Tell us about the genesis of the project.”

I was tired of hearing my beautiful friends talk about horrible hookups and hearing they feel like they can’t ask for what they want. The songs meant to show you that you deserve what you like. 

“What does music and being an artist mean to you?”

I have been performing since I was 7, songwriting since I was 13. I’ve always known I wanted to be a musical artist. As I grew older, I wanted to make songs I wanted to listen to, that blended all the genres I liked, and gave my take on the world in a few I maybe hadn’t heard before.

“What are some sources of inspiration for lyrics and storytelling?”

I pull from my own experiences and those around me. I’m constantly overanalyzing everything so instead of letting it eat me away, I turn it into music. 

“Who is an artist you look up to more than others?”

Amy Winehouse. She was obviously one of the greatest talents of all time, but also was such a beautiful soul. She never made music for fame, money, etc. she just wanted to make music. Thinking of her grounds me in what’s really important.

“You seem to be fusing several music genres. What inspires your sound?”

Imagine Lana Del Rey, Murda Beats, SZA and Billie Eilish got together and tried to make a song- that’s how I’d describe my music. I love the way hip hop makes me feel confident and powerful, and R&B makes me feel sexy and loving. I also loved the emotional side of pop. I wanted to do it all.

All time favorite record?

Asking a musician their favorite record is like asking a parent their favorite kid. However, the album CTRL by SZA had a huge impact on me. At the time in my life when I heard it, I had never had someone express the way I’d been feeling so perfectly. The lyrics, melodies and production sync so well and its an incredible album. It made me feel like I could give a listener that same experience.

“What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?”

“Staying in your comfort zone is far more uncomfortable than stepping outside of it”. I lived a lot of my life in fear of being uncomfortable. This quote basically means whatever temporary discomfort you feel from doing something that scares you is far less painful than the regret and agony caused by not doing whatever it is.

What are some things you do to deal with anxiety and creative blocks?

I have learned that whenever I’m feeling anxious or blocked I have to bring myself back into the joy of music. I will do karaoke in my room, just sitting down at the piano and sing whatever comes into my head, or play music with a friend. I find that when I forget why I wanted to be an artist in the first place it’s best to return to the fun of it.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I would love to be able to be working with other artists I respect, touring, and writing music I feel proud of and be able to make a living off of that. It would be amazing to be out in LA- can’t take much more of these New England winters!

Your style is very original and elaborate. How do you take care of your aesthetics?

I try to keep my aesthetics as authentic as possible. I really try to create things I would want to listen to or look at, which I think gives me a grounding point when it comes to making decisions about branding. I tend to overthink a lot, so if i can keep it simple with “Do I genuinely like this?” and “Does this coincide with my values?” then I usually feel like it’s taken care of well.

What was the most daunting moment in your career so far?

Probably my first year at Berklee College of Music. There are so many incredibly talented people there it was easy to feel intimidated and small. Instead of allowing it to make me feel lesser than, I tried to use it as an opportunity to be inspired