Uproxx Music 20: Raiche Breaks Free And Runs Wild On The Resilient ‘Making Room’

Raiche 'Uproxx Music 20' image
Merle Cooper/Atlantic Records

Raiche knows it’s her time to shine, and it’s a moment that’s been a long time coming for the young singer. Born in Massachusetts before moving to Los Angeles to further her music career, Raiche kicked things off with the 2019 release of her Drive EP. Records like “Drive” and “Complicated” showcased Raiche’s roaring vocals and a fierce approach that only elevated the emotions behind them. By the time Raiche’s Loveland project came out in 2023, it was clear that she was heading in the right direction. Take the bouncy “Half & Half” or the radiant “Pick A Side” with Ty Dolla Sign, or the commanding “Loveland” as examples.

This year marks the start of a new era for Raiche, one that places extreme focus on only the things that serve her while discarding what’s weighed her down for far too long. That’s the theme of her new project Making Room. The 5-track EP is as fierce and bold as I’ve heard Raiche as she tackles her traumas and obstacles head-on with the goal of leaving them behind for good. “Thinking Of You” declares that a past lover no longer deserves space in her mind while “Hearts At War” accounts for a fight for love that has consumed Raiche and lover for the worse. Making Room thrives by being epic, grand, and the perfect stepping stone for what’s the come in the future with Raiche.

See Previous UPROXX MUSIC 20 Interviews:

What is your earliest memory of music?

Hearing “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers blasting through the house while we cleaned on a Saturday morning.

Who or what inspired you to take music seriously?

I guess it was innate. I always thought I could take music seriously.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I’ve played around with the keyboard, but never really mastered it. If I were to play an instrument, it would definitely be the keyboard.

What was your first job?

My very first job was babysitting. After that, I became a hostess at an Italian restaurant.

What is your most prized possession?

I learned to not place too much value on material possessions after someone unfortunately stole all of my Nana’s rings that were gifted to me. I was devastated and never wanted to experience that again.

What is your biggest fear?

I don’t know if I have any to be honest.

Who is on your music Mt. Rushmore?

The Weeknd, Adele, Bill Withers, and Fleetwood Mac.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

I’d like for Whowill to be a real place and I’d like to go frolic through the Whoville Mountains.

What are your three most used emojis?

🫠, ✨, and 🥹.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

All of my classic idols have passed on but I’d love to do collabs with James Blake or The Weeknd.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

Any sci-fi thriller-futuristic-combat vibe. Something like The Avatar. But also I really want to do voiceovers and would love to be in Inside Out.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

Selena Gomez always has the sweetest energy. At her events you feel so welcome and in such a safe environment.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

Whatever feels right for me is right and I hope the same for you. I don’t think we should push belief systems on people.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

I can’t say there is a best song. Music isn’t linear. I love all genres.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

My favorite city in the world is NYC and I’d be super excited to perform in Ireland.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

The festival would definitely be somewhere in the mountains and I’d have to go with Erykah Badu, Teddy Swims, Leon Bridges, and Yebba.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

Maybe real estate.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

I’d pick the future because why would I want to see something I’ve already experienced?

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

To stop overanalyzing myself.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I’d like for my music to be remembered as classic. However, I don’t feel I’ve fully reached that goal yet. There’s still more to come.

Making Room is out now via Genre Defying Entertainment/Island Prolific/Atlantic Records. Find out more information here.