- 5 minutes ago
Rei Ami opens up about “2LOUD” and her phoenix-rising comeback in this Billboard News Interview, explaining why this album is her full come-up story and “every emotion in between.” She breaks down how the track came together during a late-night studio session and why it had to lead this bright, feel-good, funky pop era—plus what a “hit” means to her now (a song that makes you want to move, scream and feel alive). Rei also traces her path from a corporate job in Rockville, Maryland to teaching herself writing/recording/production, early viral DIY moments (including a $50 video for "SNOWCONE"), getting label attention, moving to L.A., getting dropped and rebuilding, and why she’s ready to be fully unfiltered. Along the way, she talks about how 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' shifted her audience and expectations, teases the album’s range (bops and ballads), shares her maximalist visual vision, and wraps with “Golden or Take Down” and her funniest dating takes.
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MusicTranscript
00:00People love a struggle story unfortunately. They do. This album literally is my come up. It's my fucking
00:07Phoenix rising from the ashes story. So it's every emotion
00:12In between. I feel like I already got the title for this video and it's two Gemini's telling each other.
00:17Yes, bitch. Yes
00:19That's us
00:24Hi, I'm Riyami and you're watching Billboard News
00:34I
00:34Hanging out with miss too loud. Are we being too loud today? Yes
00:38I love being loud with you. How are you? Good. How are you? I mean?
00:42I'm happy that we've arrived to this moment because I feel like so often we've spoken and you've spoken to
00:47other outlets
00:47You're like new music is coming. New music is coming. Well, it's here. It's like oh can I curse?
00:52You can. You can do it as long. It's fucking here.
00:55Yes, I'm very excited. It's been a long time coming. I mean
00:59We've run into each other how many times during this crazy campaign, but I've been telling you and it's finally
01:05here. I wasn't lying
01:12And listen, I will say the first time I played too loud
01:14It was instantly for me like yes, this is her like it's such a perfect introduction for you
01:20So tell me about when you found this song and why you're like, okay
01:23This is the one that's gonna like establish me. You know, it's so funny. I was actually at a the
01:28hannah montana 20th anniversary
01:30One of the literally
01:31Literally, I saw you that wait. I saw you that night. Oh my god
01:36So literally after that event
01:38I went to paramount studios and that's when I was starting like a part two like writing camp session in
01:43between like the campaign
01:44Right, so my producers are there my writers are there and like I walk in
01:47I'm like, okay
01:48Like what the fuck is up because I wasn't supposed to go to the studio
01:51I was gonna go to bed, but instead I was feeling good walk in and then
01:55They had this beat going they had this top line going on like what the what what is this because
01:59one?
01:59It's such a funk poppy fun summary bright anthem and it's something that like I think my album is that's
02:07what I'm aiming for
02:08I want me I want to make people dance feel and feel like very vibrant and lively
02:12And so when I immediately heard that I was like, okay, I need to cut this we need to finish
02:16this
02:16And it was just a great way to kind of reintroduce myself to I guess my old fans my new
02:22fans and also the people that don't know me
02:25And yeah, it's about me being too loud and being too proud
02:28Well, it's absolutely perfect for that
02:30I also am obsessed with the fact that only someone like you can go from the hannah montana premiere to
02:35the studio
02:36Like that's just the day in the life
02:38Being a pop star
02:40Um, and we will get some more too loud
02:42But I want to back up a little bit because you're talking about your old fans and your new fans
02:45So for somebody that doesn't know who you are like where did you start before you were fighting demons?
02:49Give me a little quick little journey. Where was I?
02:53I was in ruffle maryland and I was working a corporate job. I've been in love with music all my
02:57life, but
02:57Through in college is when I really dove into the studio learned how to write learn how to record the
03:03entire like process of like
03:05Engineering learning everything about production and stuff like that
03:07But I never had the balls to drop any music until I went through some like crazy traumatic breakup
03:11And then on a whim I decided to
03:15Release this one song that one sounded nothing like I had been making sonically in the studio
03:19It was just very bold and like in your face and kind of violent and it was something that like
03:24I guess it was a side of me that I always kind of kept tucked away wasn't too proud of
03:33And that song when I dropped it, it started getting label attention
03:37Which was
03:38Fucking insane because you know there are artists who you know
03:41We strive for that goal eventually
03:44We want it to reach and we want to reach the people that are going to help it blow the
03:48fuck up and make you know
03:50Your music really take your music where it needs to be so that happened and so then I was like,
03:55okay
03:55Let me just keep going and then I released my second song which got which is snow cone
03:59And that got picked up by like reddit and like the youtube algorithm
04:03And it just like blew up like a month after I dropped the music video which cost fifty dollars to
04:08make by the way
04:09So we love an organic queen
04:10Yes, edited by me
04:19And then you know signed my first deal moved to l.a in 2020 kept at it and then you
04:24know typical
04:25Artist story you come to a big city gets swallowed up. You're lost. You're very green. You're learning, but
04:32Yeah, it was really fucking hard. I got dropped typical story boohoo cry me a fucking river. I'm over it
04:38now
04:38Way over that way over that, but you know like it you know, I went through that
04:43Stereotypical artist journey of like you get signed you've got all this attention everyone's looking at you everyone's praising you
04:49And you are like what is this world and you kind of get lost in it
04:52And for a second I think I did get lost and I think that's why this album makes it means
04:56so much to me because it's telling that journey of
04:59How I started and what it was like going through it and where I am now
05:03So it's a diary of just every single piece of shit. I went through and persevered through
05:09Thank you to our family friends teams and our incredible kpop demon hunters family for a life-changing year
05:16And I mean talk about perseverance and of course we've talked so much about kpop demon hunters
05:20But I do want to touch on it just lightly because what's interesting to me about you
05:23Specifically even when it comes to the three of you is like you're such a personality, right?
05:28You're like such a fireball and I think about like
05:31Disney girls in a way of how they're always like oh those are my disney days
05:34But I have to break free of that and it's like do you feel like this pressure to like break
05:38free?
05:39Yes, no pressure. It's more like I let me fucking be
05:44Like god, it is so frustrating and listen I used to be a babysitter for like eight years
05:50So I love kids kids are the coolest
05:52I think they bring out a side of like a lot of adults that like you know are like washed
05:57away and forgotten and they just teach us how to be
05:59Young and free and not give a fuck
06:01I never wanted to be a role model though
06:03Like I never saw myself as somebody that kids would necessarily be like oh mommy
06:08I want to be like her but then like kpop demon hunters happened and then this kind of responsibility was
06:13presented to me
06:14And it was like either I take it or I don't and obviously I'm gonna fucking take it
06:18And so you know throughout this process I you know
06:20I did find myself kind of holding back because my music previous like before kpop demon hunters
06:27Very aggressive and violent and definitely not safe for work in
06:32What so ever and so I had to find kind of like a
06:36How do I not compromise myself one?
06:39How do I stay true to who who I am and what got me here, but also?
06:42Make it appeal to I don't know make it more kid friendly I guess in a way or like family
06:48friendly just
06:49So that the entire world can like consume me make
06:53Get more digestible, but I think um i'm ready to fully
06:58Be myself with no limitations or restrictions or censorship or filters like i'm ready to pop the fuck off
07:06Oh
07:11Well like two follow-ups to that really quick is like one did you see a transition at all during
07:15the blow-up of kpop demon hunters?
07:17Because maybe this was just me
07:18But I felt like there were a lot of adults that were like watching it and vibing with it
07:23And I didn't even know at first that like kids were a part of this I was like oh this
07:27dope kpop movie
07:28I love it talking with my friends about it and then it slowly became like yeah the kids jumped on
07:33did that really happen?
07:34Yeah, no, it's so weird because like I feel like that yes, obviously kids I think really
07:40Made it like blow up. I think when it was initially bubbling though
07:44It was definitely like kpop fans animation fans people who just love like animation films
07:50They were talking about how great the graphics look the animation how um like sony's killing it blah blah blah
07:57Like everyone was just so in love with the film and the music
08:01I think it's when you know like it was summertime kids are at home
08:04I think that's you know people are like okay. This is kind of in top 10 what's going on and
08:09you know
08:09You get the kids obsessed and boom
08:11It's just snowballs into this massive thing and yeah definitely that transition was kind of crazy. I was
08:18Wasn't shocked, but I was like just so relieved that
08:22Adults found joy in it because it's just like so hard in adulthood when we're busy stressing about
08:27Bullshit and bills and jobs and people like we forget that life can be so beautiful
08:34And there are things that we can look forward to and towards to feel joy and feel happiness again
08:39And I think we should actively strive
08:42To obtain and experience joy because it is so healing. I mean talk about experiencing joy
08:46One of my favorite transitional periods for this moment for you was actually your birthday
08:50We're in Vegas. We were at the club and you they played golden
09:03Oh
09:03Homegirl got up on the table was twerking strutting to golden and I was like this moment is everything
09:10Have you seen golden drag?
09:12No, I have not seen golden drag
09:13The queens are eating it up. Oh my god
09:15Them cosplaying as like Rumi, Mira, and Zoey and like just sexy as fuck. I know they're sorry, but
09:21But that just like shows who you are you'll take the moment and you still stamp yourself on it
09:27So how has this transition been with the girls as far as like now transitioning to all of you are
09:31doing solo work?
09:32So do you get their advice?
09:33How's it been because you know a lot of people are like wanting you guys to all jump in the
09:36studio
09:36But now you guys are kind of doing your own thing. It's so interesting
09:39We yeah, we're focused on all our solo stuff watching like audrey and ej do their thing and like shine
09:45and they're like
09:46Brightness and stardom is so inspiring to watch I learn a lot
09:51I was in paris a couple weeks ago and ej was there too and I actually showed her
09:56Some of my album and we were just talking and seeing her reaction to like
10:02This new side of me because she she's always been when we were recording throughout this entire run. She's like
10:07ray
10:08You need to sing more like you have a voice and you don't sing. I don't know why the world
10:11hasn't heard. You need to sing more
10:13And then she would like look at marilyn chris who's my executive producer get her to sing more
10:17And i'm like
10:18Okay, bitch, okay
10:19We'll sing more and you know
10:22I will say there is a side of me in this new record that like people have not heard people
10:27have not heard this voice
10:28And i'm very very excited to show them all
10:35Well, let's talk about the new music so too loud as I already said obsessed with the song for you
10:39It kind of to me as fresh as it feels has like a bit of a funky throwback pocket
10:44Is that something that you noticed that that you wanted to give this vibe of like feel good and throwing
10:48it back?
10:49Yes, it's so funny. Everyone. I hate saying this but like everyone wants a hit, right?
10:53Everyone wants to smash and we like I went into the studio like with that intention. I'm like I need
10:59a hit
10:59I need a smash, but I think you can't a hit can sound like anything
11:03I think it's more about how you feel and I think when I was like cutting that record sitting in
11:08the studio
11:08And just like really listening back
11:09I'm like this song genuinely makes me want to move and dance and scream and shout and like
11:16That's
11:17To me the definition of a hit and I think with too loud. I just it was undeniable for me.
11:23I loved every part of it
11:24I love the message. I love how I get to show the versatility and my skills like singing and rapping
11:30I'm saying what i've been wanting to say for
11:34Some time now that i'm not too loud and that sometimes the things that we dim can actually open doors
11:41and change and transform everything
11:45Loudness or me being too full of myself or too much all of that, you know, i've been very open
11:51about that throughout this entire campaign, but
11:53Those were parts that I really struggled with and I took
11:57It took a long time for me to gain the confidence to really
12:00Put that part of me on the pedestal and start like treating it like a gift
12:05Because it is a gift and it's done
12:07So many things for me and I just want to encourage people to
12:11Think about that think about the parts you're dimming
12:13Just really I need to make sure I do it right. Is this the right finger? Yeah, people keep doing
12:17this. It's this
12:18Yeah, I get worried about it. I get so stressed about it every time I put my hand out
12:29With you like now having the full album
12:31Is that what you're trying to hope the whole album embodies like that same vibe because you just recorded that
12:36recently?
12:37So I'm sure what are the other songs sounding like? What can we expect? You know, there's a lot of
12:41ballads. There's a lot of like
12:44Dancy bops. It's so weird when I think about music. I think about colors. I don't have synesthesia
12:49But I associate like certain songs with certain colors and with this album
12:53I just like pictured a very bright beautiful yellow orange pink hue
12:59It's like the kind of color you see like at sunset like it's pink and there's something so beautiful
13:05But kind of sad because the sun is setting and it's about to become nighttime
13:08And you're not really sure what's gonna happen in the nighttime. It's
13:12Everything from I think happiness to joy. It's everything in between just because this journey
13:17This art like in being an artist. It's not pretty. It's not all glitz and glam. It's really tough and
13:25there are times that
13:26We don't want to be brave. We don't want to be strong
13:28But we got to push through and those times are fucking miserable
13:31But I think being honest about that experience and showing that to the world that I'm also human, too
13:37And I go through some shit. I believe the same fucking blood
13:41I think that's something anyone can resonate with it. People love a struggle story. Unfortunately, they do
13:47This album literally is my come up. It's my fucking
13:51Phoenix rising from the ashes story. So it's every emotion
13:56In between can't wait to hear all of it
13:58And then of course and I mean you look great. So like I'm thinking about visuals
14:02What what is the look you want to go for with this area color maximalism? I wanted to be in
14:07your face very
14:08Loud. I literally was watching a tick-tock the other day and it was like people commenting on like people
14:14at a comic-con dressing up
14:15And they were like, this is so embarrassing. I'm like
14:19You're going to make me mad. No, literally like it's so everything must be fucking embarrassing to you
14:24Like paying your like bills must be fucking embarrassing taking care of your child must be fucking embarrassing
14:29You're going to comic-con. What the fuck do you expect?
14:33Just the fuck off
14:33Thank you. What do you mean?
14:35It's so that literally like pissed me the fuck off because I was like life is for living
14:40Yes, it's to express it's to feel it's to yearn it's to want and and you're you think that's embarrassing
14:48you think a human being
14:50Living their human fucking life doing human fucking things in their human fucking community is embarrassing
14:56You're fucking embarrassing
14:58Um, so that's what the look is. It's about being yourself
15:01It's about expressing yourself to the fullest fucking degree and not holding back
15:05Just because it makes you uncomfortable
15:09Yes, I feel like I already got the title for this video and it's two gemini's telling each other. Yes,
15:14bitch. Yes
15:16That's us. Yeah, here we are
15:20I mean, I do like to wrap up our interviews with something a little fun
15:23So I want to play like I want to I want to see your take on dating, right?
15:27I'm going to say some things and I'm going to say golden or take down you say if this is
15:31a golden thing or something that takes you
15:33Take it down. All right, so golden or take down pays for everything
15:40Oh, see that's tough because financial manipulation is a real thing and financial abuse is real now if there is
15:47no financial abuse, it's golden
15:50flowers
15:51Okay, some people don't like flowers
15:54You like who
15:56Okay, a mama's boy
15:59Take down
16:01Okay, because there's a man who respects and loves his mother and there's a mama's boy
16:07Okay, coffee on the first date
16:09You know what? This is going to be really controversial. Don't call me a pick me bitch because I'm not
16:12so shut the fuck up
16:13I think it can be golden
16:17Listen because it's the thing now everybody's like, oh, you just go to coffee first
16:20I think there's just like too much division right now
16:23Like too much fucking hate on both sides that we've like lost the essence of like courting and dating and
16:28also that like a relationship
16:31Is dependent on like mutual respect communication. How are you gonna like?
16:37Feel each other out like chemistry wise how you communicate how you vibe does this person have a sense of
16:42humor?
16:43It's like I don't know like all you want is like
16:47A six hundred dollar steak. I don't I don't
16:49I just get the coffee but also yeah, just I don't know
16:51It's just no pressure and also it's like I don't want to feel super pressure to like go to a
16:55fancy restaurant
16:56In front of somebody. I don't know where I can't really escape
16:59You know it is a trap
17:01Because it's a long it's a dinner you have to sit down for it's like an hour to 30 minutes
17:05coffee
17:06You can be done in 15 minutes, baby. You can be like I don't like you goodbye and block done
17:12And they can't be mad at you and be like oh, I spent all this bitch shut up
17:17Yes, I don't need you to pay for that
17:19Well, then I already know what you're gonna say about the next one because the movie gold intertakedown as a
17:23first date
17:24I fucking love movies really because that's also a trap though. Dude, this is a trap
17:29Two hours
17:32Wait two hours. You're sitting next to the person if it was like obsession
17:37I wouldn't even pay attention to be honest. So maybe you're like I'm watching the movie
17:41Okay, so take down because they're not talking
17:43There's no like actual connection
17:45And then lastly industry bae
17:47Industry what bae like an industry bae dating someone from the industry
17:53Oh god, I know a lot of people that date within the industry. So
17:57I date with you know what golden golden you know what?
18:00That's a controversial take, but I think people that make it work
18:03They make it work and people who don't unfortunately unfortunately don't and that's
18:07Not my problem. You did really good at this game
18:11It's preference based y'all. It's not fact
18:14Live your life the way you want to live it not how I ray on meet lipstick. Thank you
18:19And then just to wrap up, let's talk about the future
18:22So we have k-pop demon hunters 2 that's coming down any you can't tease nothing about that. I know
18:28nothing
18:29They don't tell you a little secret. Even if I had something to tease you
18:32I feel like I'd be legally obligated to shut my mouth
18:35That's something that's hard to do
18:36But I would love I would you know i'm waiting you're waiting on the call too. I just want to
18:41know what it's about
18:42I'm so curious
18:43Me too
18:44Like where are they going to take it? Where are we going?
18:47And then also what do you want people to take away from the single? They're listening to the single
18:51This is their first time their first introduction to you. Where do you want to leave their thoughts?
18:55I want you to go outside and dance barefoot in the grass with the sun shining on you
19:01Yes, and like just do a little quick spin
19:05And breathe and you'll feel better
19:08Oh, well now I can't wait to do that. Can I go do that now?
19:10Yeah, let's go do it together. Well, thanks. Have fun. Thanks. Okay. Bye
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