Renforshort "Pretend To Like Me": New Single & 2025 Plans
Inspiration, evolution & future projects.
Your journey as an artist—blending raw emotion into alt-pop, evolving your sound, and connecting with fans worldwide—is seriously inspiring. I’m a big fan excited to learn more about your creative process! With "pretend to like me" dropping on March 14th, I’ve got a couple of questions:
What excites you most about sharing this single with the world, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?
I think I'm most excited about having it out in the world. I have had this song in my arsenal for a while. I shared it some time ago on tik tok thinking it would never come out and people ended up really loving it- since then it has kind of been a fan fav which I love because I think it's playful while still touching on a topic that I think a lot of people can resonate with. I hope listeners can hear the song and find some solace in having those feelings.
Your latest single pretend to like me is described as a bold and dynamic alt-pop anthem. What inspired the track, and how does it reflect where you are right now as an artist?
Ironically I wrote this song a while ago but still do feel it reflects my evolution and diversity as an artist. Not in an annoying way but it really is a different pop song in contrast to my others that are out. I was inspired by how I was feeling at the time- desperate, lonely, yearning, and confused. I think I really wanted to make a song that felt anthemic in an ironic way. I think the chorus and bridge really pulled the emotion out of me especially coming out of the verses that are way more chill vocally it allows for an explosion of emotion which I really like.
You’ve built a reputation for blending raw, emotive storytelling with infectious melodies. When you write, do lyrics or melodies come first, or does it change with each song?
I actually think it does change for me. I have a lot of notes with a lot of concepts that I pull most of the time. But sometimes I feel like I restrict myself by feeling I need to use the words I have written down. I really feel like it's super in the moment for me. However, I typically feel really melodically inclined- I find they come to me a little quicker.
From the teenage Angst EP to dear amelia and clean hands dirty water, your sound has continuously evolved. How do you think pretend to like me pushes your music forward?
I think it just represents a different phase of my life which I know is such a basic answer, but that's how I look at my discography. I’m always evolving and finding new inspirations and songs and with that, I think my music changes along with the experiences I write about. I think this song is just another layer of that- it's another story and more words that people can hear and possibly relate to which think is evolution.
Your career has taken you from independently releasing music in 2019 to collaborating with artists like Travis Barker. What’s been one of the most surreal moments of your journey so far?
I have so many moments that feel so surreal to me it's hard to pick one... I would say my first headline show was one of the most transformative emotional experiences I've had in my career thus far. I think being able to see in real life how music can bring so many people together is a feeling I can't even describe. So I would say basically every headlining show I've ever played.
Your songwriting often touches on themes of mental health, relationships, and self-identity. Is there a particular song from your discography that feels the most personal to you?
I have a really deep cut on “off saint dominique” called “this is just a story” that I honestly have not listened to since I approved the last master. It was a really odd time in my life and to me is about how tilting coming into adulthood was. Maybe I'll listen now lol
You’ve toured internationally, recently performing in the UK. How has connecting with fans in different parts of the world shaped your perspective as an artist?
I think it's so interesting how people feel about certain songs in different places. I really think it's cool to see how those trends change around the world. I also feel so fortunate to be able to travel the world and sing my songs with people everywhere. That's the coolest thing ever.
Your influences range from Nirvana to Amy Winehouse. If you could sit down with any artist— past or present—for a conversation about music, who would it be and why?
That's a really hard question. I think if he would be willing to talk it would be Bob Dylan. I know as much as I can know about him but there's too much stuff I need to know. I would love to hear his stories, I imagine they would be so fascinating.
Winning a Chinese language competition by singing Mo Li Hua is such an unexpected and cool part of your story. Do you think that early experience shaped your approach to performance in any way?
Haha, I think that was the scariest performance I ever did in my life, funny enough. I think it made everything infinitely easier. So I think in that way it did!
Your music balances introspective lyricism with a rebellious, carefree energy. How do you navigate that duality when crafting new songs?
I think my natural inclination is to not make things too deep. I find I try and do that sometimes and cringe at myself. I don't want my music to be a mission or a puzzle- I want it to be relatable and say what I feel like I want to get across in the 3 minutes or so that I have to do that.
With pretend to like me set to release on March 14, 2025, what else can fans expect from you this year? Are there more singles, an album, or any big plans on the horizon?
There's a lot of fun stuff going on this year that I cannot wait to share with everybody maybe a little project maybe a couple of shows maybe a short film idk..?
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