ROREY Revives Grunge in a Major Way

office spoke to the singer-songwriter about the new project, her musical journey, and the magical music video and exclusive photos shot in Joshua Tree, below.

You grew up in NYC — how has that influenced your sound and your outlook on the world?

Everyone here is looking for something and that never stops. Looking to find their identity, their tribe, their purpose. NYC fosters so much curiosity and growth. It is the very breeding ground for self-deviance and discovery. You can just as easily lose yourself while finding yourself and that's when I write my best stuff, when I take a second to reflect on my choices and state of mind.

Your interest in music began when you were seven years old and took up guitar. In your upbringing, how was music intertwined with your life and when did you decide you wanted to take it on full-time?

Music has been intertwined in my life since birth. I grew up in a Jewish household where we sang Hebrew prayers together every weekend on the Sabbath. That coupled with my parents' affinity for music; it was never silent in our house. My mom still sends me 80s music randomly. I dropped out of college and moved to LA on a whim at 19 to start making demos. As for the catalyst, I was in an on-again off-again ‘situationship’ that fucked me up and I literally spent more time writing lyrics than writing my journalism assignments. It was just so obvious to me that it was music or nothing.

When did you begin writing music? Can you remember the first song you ever wrote and how that inspired you to continue writing your own lyrics?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. Before I could even read or write I would sing random melodies throughout the house and in public I’d annoy everyone around me. The first song I remember writing was about a boy I met on vacation, that I had a crush on but never saw again. I was ten years old.

‘I met a guy who made me go wild, I met a guy who made me smile, but I had to go and I didn't wanna show, how sad I am, how mad I am, but I had to leave and I could not believe, we’ll never see what we could be.’

I remember another song called ‘House of Despair.’ The drama!

What is your songwriting process like? Is it a linear process, or a bit more chaotic and Free-flowing?

It is sometimes chaotic, especially when I experience a traumatic or painful situation and run home to write out my feelings; I’ll be honest, some part of me seeks it out. I have a few lines in a poem I wrote — ‘I feed off the highs and lows. I crave the rollercoaster. It drives me. I thrive in instability. I relish in the anguish. After all, I am an artist.’ — which I hope can better answer this question. For the most part, it is spontaneous. I’ll even pull lyrics from text conversations. It's random like that.

Many have coined your sound as ‘sad girl indie pop.’ And your latest single, ‘Mirror,’ explores sometimes indulging in those feelings of sadness instead of trying to push them away. In what ways has music helped you face certain emotions or come to terms with tribulations you have experienced?

It actually takes effort for me not to express myself, so to have an outlet where I can say anything I want and not hold back has saved my life. ‘Mirror’ is a perfect example — there are actual screams from the desert in the outro of the song. It needed to come out.

Your sound takes on an almost nostalgic quality, shaped by the music you were raised with. I saw you mentioned in a previous interview that Santana was an influence for you, but what other artists or groups have impacted your musical choices?

Every week I’ll get obsessed with different songs while listening compulsively and they’ll inspire me sonically. A lot of those within the genre played a role in our nuanced production choices. My mom also sent me a bunch of Roxy Music songs that inspired most of the synth moments in my project.

Angst-fueled, indie-pop/rock has perpetuated for decades, but how do you share the experience of a contemporary 20-something-year-old, while still staying true to the music that shaped you?

I think the music I grew up with planted the seed for the kind of music I started writing, but sonic exploration as an artist never ends. You’d be surprised at some of the demos I have — they sound nothing like this project.

Your debut EP, Apt 7D, just dropped last week — packed full of ethereal vocals, guitar riffs, and heartfelt lyrics. Tell me about the emotions that drove this project and how you hope other people feel when listening to it.

I was so fed up with the cyclical nature of life in the context of my mental health and my relationships. In every song, there is an element of blame until an ultimate moment of clarity in which I admit it’s not their fault it’s mine — that’s a literal lyric. I want whoever listens to know they aren’t alone in that feeling. It’s okay to be angry and upset sometimes. It’s okay not to have the desire or capacity to challenge yourself or shift perspective. I’m not about toxic positivity. Feel the feels. At a certain point though, you do become an eternal victim in your own mind. We can indulge in our emotions all we want, but when it is no longer cathartic and becomes self-destructive, it’s kind of time to look inward. Hence the entire chorus of ‘Mirror.’

The video for ‘Mirror’ took place in Joshua Tree. 'Mirror' is a song about introspection and self-realization, and Joshua Tree is a beautiful, expansive place that is well-suited for reflecting. Tell me about the process of making the music video and why you chose that location.

‘Mirror’ was written in Joshua Tree a year earlier so it was only fitting. Oh god, on set I would joke that I was getting free cryo-therapy. It was so cold at night. Windy and below 50 degrees while I was basically naked. I still can’t believe I pushed through that. Never again. I almost passed out filming the desert scenes. The amount of water consumed between me and my team on set could fill a small pond. It was an amazing experience though stepping into the different facets of my personality on camera. I loved every second of it and I can’t wait for the next one.

Now that the EP has dropped — a huge career milestone — what are some other achievements you hope to accomplish for the rest of the year?

Thank you, it is, alongside this article! I really can't wait to start performing live around the city this summer and in general. Mainly, I just can’t wait to release new music. I have a lot of stuff in the works.