Razteria

The San Francisco songwriter makes breezy Latin pop with a tropical feel flowing through multilingual songs that give a nod to her Bolivian/Dutch roots. Also produced and engineered by Razteria, “Space to Play” is her eighth album and features Fantastic Negrito guitarist Tomas Salcedo and members of Michael Franti’s band Spearhead. The Spanish-language songs “No Veo Nada” and “Corazón Cegado” especially stand out with their combination of island rhythms and tribal electronic dance production.

“’Space to Play’ is about our hidden potential,” Razteria said in a statement. “I hope these songs inspire you to feel the power of vulnerability that comes with making time to be creative … to enjoy being in awe when the inevitable result of this process goes beyond what you could have ever imagined.” - Datebook SF Chronicle

San Francisco Bay Area artist Razteria's new single, "Crash," illustrates the harshness of human society juxtaposed with the power and beauty of the ocean's waves. The style of this track can be compared to artists such as St. Vincent, Jhelisa, and Jada Kingdom.

Lyrically, "Crash" tells the stereotypical story of tourism in a coastal paradise, where the locals try to please the Gringo (man), but he will inevitably "crash", a metaphor for death and an end to the power hierarchy which exists in society between humans. Most importantly, recognizing that the destruction and domination of nature is an illusion, we are only destroying ourselves. The wave's crash represents the transformative power of nature to which we will all return.

The song symbolizes the freedom we realize when we embrace our insignificance. By letting go of the myths we hold about ourselves, and allowing our egos to crash, we find peace. Death is the ultimate equalizer, we will return, like the waves to the ocean.

Credits:
Composed, performed, produced and mixed by Razteria
Mastered by TrakWorx
Artwork by graphic artist Júlio Mesquita

This is the third 2021 single from Razteria's upcoming album, Space to Play, slated for release in September. - Female.com.au

Razteria releases her reggae pop EDM tinged banger “No Veo Nada” just in time for summer. With chill vibes that are perfect for any pool party or dance floor, anyone can have a good time and let loose alongside this song.

While the track has a lighthearted, danceable beat, the lyrics spin deeper as they tackle the experiences of Zezé Fassmor, who became blind at a young age due to a rare eye injury. Razteria takes Zezé visions of the world around him, originally in poem form, and brings those experiences beautifully to life in ways most would not be able to.

Between the meaningful lyrics and the upbeat melodic rhythms Razteria brings this story to life in powerful and impactful ways that hook listeners into both the story and the song itself. This is an impressive accomplishment and contributes to the uniqueness and power Razteria portrays throughout the song.

Beyond just the track, Razteria released accompanying visuals, bringing neon colors, flashing lights and club vibes into the mix. She keeps the video intimate as the shots focus on Razteria herself and the words she is singing, a nice touch and something that pairs nicely with the song.

Razteria proves that keeping things real while also fun and lighthearted is what life is all about and there’s no doubt in my mind that Razteria is a rising star and I can’t wait to see what she brings to the table next.

To further support Zezé, Razteria started a GoFundMe campaign to help support the artist and further his artistic ventures. - Discovered with Steph

Razteria (Renée) means to be reborn in French, a name that accurately describes an artist in the perpetual renaissance of sound. She creates pop music with vocals reminiscent of Sade, electronic elements of Massive Attack, grooves of Steel Pulse, and the Latin vibe of Shakira.

Based in El Sobrante, California, with Bolivian/Dutch roots, Razteria has developed a bilingual (Spanish/English) repertoire. As a result, she can hone her unique sound as she takes on the roles of artist, songwriter, and producer/engineer.

She released her first full album in 2005 and has since released seven albums and one EP under different names in collaboration with artists from the US, Argentina, Bolivia, and Colombia.

Her song ‘Once Again’ won Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, World Category (2016), and her music video ‘Inspire Me’ was an International Songwriting Contest Finalist in 2020. Razteria is currently working on ‘Space to Play’, album number 8, releasing in 2021.

Razteria’s first memories are voices singing, those of her mom and dad, who sang her lullabies, mainly traditional Latin American folk songs. Her desire to sing propelled her to begin writing songs as an adolescent, first picking up the bass, then guitar to accompany the words and melodies to express her inner adolescent workings.

Razteria has always been drawn to music with thick percussion and basslines, which complement what comes naturally, the voice. - Irie Mag

San Francisco and International-based World/Pop/EDM artist Razteria is releasing her music video for "What I Love" in honor of Earth Day on Thursday, April 22nd. Her music and videos have been compared to Paloma Mami, Everything But The Girl, and Michael Franti.
"What I Love" is a Reggaeton Pop Worldbeat song about living and loving life in the present moment. It describes the feeling of being at peace with the beauty of nature and the challenges brought by being out of step with our inner nature.
The music video captures nature, animals, the sun, the moon - basic elements which unite us all. Razteria is an avid hiker, and she often hikes on her favorite trail in Wildcat Canyon Regional Park near her part-time home in Richmond, CA. The "What I Love" video transports you to the trail's stunning landscapes with breathtaking views with a special surprise ending. - Pop Roxx Radio

Square One Magazine curates a weekly Release Radar to keep you in the loops of our favorite new releases! - Square One Magazine

Bay-area artist Razteria (aka Renay) has just released a music video for their 2020 single “Why.”

A song that captures the duality of the human condition, the video expresses the idea that humans’ irrational instinct can work in favor and against us.

“Why” seeks to explore the desire in us to chase the good and the bad, and how good and bad cannot exist without the other. Good and bad are bound together in their meaning, and the video uses choreographed dance and yoga to embody how they function as an entity, the idea representing that there is beauty in pain.

Razteria wrote the first version of this song 15 years ago, channeling her toxic patterns before fully understanding the toxicity was present. Coming back to the song, she learned the experiences that shaped this song, helped her grow into the person she is today. “Why” allowed her to become aware of the power of her experience – the beauty lying within all the toxicity.

Watch the video for Razteria’s track “Why” below, and follow along on social media for updates on all things Razteria/Renay. - Second Society Report

The music video expresses that our irrational side can sometimes act in our favor or against us, but we can make peace with it. The incorporation of dance choreography and yoga contributes to the captivating, intense, and powerful viewing experience. Razteria’s irrational side is portrayed by January Steward. - Dark Beauty Magazine

Added to "Pop Rising" playlist by OUT THE BOX, and to their "Best Submissions" section. - Out The Box

"What I Love" deals with the infinite power of Now.

An ethereal recording, contemplative, as if she is discovering love as she searches for the words; “I won’t let love pass by”, “It’s all part of the processes”, “What I want is so clear”.

There is great emotional honesty in all of those words. An earnest heart felt truth and vulnerability expressed in an alluring voice grappling with the depths of the words.

Love is a meta-construct in this outstanding song.

Keep up with Razteria by visiting her website and following her on Instagram and Facebook.

- Skye Whitney
Pop Journalist and Mad Men Binger - Sonic Smoothie

Embedded link to SoundCloud - That Buzzing Sound

We at EILE love San Francisco-based, Dutch/Bolivian pop artist, Renay, who has a voice smooth as silk, (think Sade with an alt-pop, electronic twist) and an ability to write and produce really great songs. This latest dance-pop release, Pure Love, from her debut album of the same name, is no exception – and would be just the thing to add a romantic atmosphere on a balmy, Summer’s night, when you’re with that special someone. (Or you could be just thinking about them!) Either way, have a listen, and Enjoy!

-MKB

Pure Love is available for streaming on digital platforms worldwide

You can visit Renay at:

https://www.facebook.com/renaymusic

https://www.renaymusic.com/

https://www.instagram.com/renaymusic/ - EILE Magazine

San Francisco-based Dutch/Bolivian pop artist Renay has released her debut album, Pure Love, a melting pot of her singular songwriting, production and meditations on love. The album is now available for download and streaming on digital platforms worldwide.

Opening the record is the lead single, “Wanna Share,” a song, “about how I’m in a place now where I’m confident, I love myself, and I’m ready to share myself,” explains Renay. This idea is reflected in the track’s straightforward lyrics, sung in Renay’s gently self-assured voice. Musically, “Wanna Share” is detailed and dynamic, ranging from moments of swelling stillness to flurries of percussion, bouncy bass, and eclectic synth arrangements. Resulting from three years of hands-on work from Renay and collaborators such as BTWN Music and 808 Mafia’s Swede (DJ Khaled, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne), the production is meticulous and diverse. Electro-pop slow-burners like “Inspire Me” give way to searing reggaeton beats on the title track as well as “Baila” and “Infinito,” which also highlight Renay’s bilingualism with their Spanish lyrics. In keeping with the record’s multicultural theme, the album’s title track features guitar work from Caribbean artist, EMJE. The tail end of the album takes detours into even more genres, impressively without losing Renay’s core sound: the trap beat on “This Ride,” 90s funk with “Destiny” and elegant electro-reggae on “Butterfly,” the album’s soft rhythmic closer. As suggested in both its title and tracklist, Pure Love as an LP expands on the eagerness for love introduced in “Wanna Share.” In songs like “Inspire Me,” Renay doubles down on romantic and physical love as a larger-than-life, sometimes overwhelming source of inspiration for her, justifying it as the main theme throughout the rest of the project: “this album is a musical ride of my experiences with love’s many facets.”

Renay’s first memories are of her singing – incorporating her diverse background in her melodies as soon as she started writing songs on guitar at age twelve. Before committing to music full-time, however, she pursued academic work across the globe, to help reduce social inequalities she was exposed to growing up. This experience served to further enrich her bilingual repertoire that draws on a large variety of influences. Renay incorporates these influences into her music as not just a writer, but also a producer and engineer, having attended Cre-8 Music Academy’s Music for Commerce program in West Hollywood. Eventually deciding to focus her skills on creating and performing pop songs, Renay has been steadily working up to her debut album, notably winning the John Lennon Songwriting grand prize in the ‘World’ category.

With its varied mix of influences and confident lyrical approach, Pure Love is a proud declaration of who Renay has grown to be as a person and an artist. The album is available for download and streaming on digital platforms worldwide.

You can follow Renay’s journey by visiting RenayMusic.com - Divine Magazine

De Nederlands / Boliviaanse popartiest Renay uit San Francisco heeft haar debuutalbum Pure Love uitgebracht, een smeltkroes van haar unieke songwriting, productie en meditaties over liefde. Het album is nu beschikbaar voor download en streaming op digitale platforms wereldwijd.

Het openen van de plaat is de hoofdsingle, “Wanna Share”, een nummer, “over hoe ik me nu op een plek bevind waar ik zelfverzekerd ben, van mezelf houd en klaar ben om mezelf te delen”, legt Renay uit. Dit idee wordt weerspiegeld in de eenvoudige teksten van het nummer, gezongen in Renay’s zachtaardige zelfverzekerde stem. Muzikaal is “Wanna Share” gedetailleerd en dynamisch, variërend van momenten van zwellende stilte tot vlagen van percussie, springerige bas en eclectische synth arrangementen. Als resultaat van drie jaar hands-on werk van Renay en medewerkers zoals BTWN Music en 808 Mafia’s Zweed (DJ Khaled, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne), is de productie nauwgezet en divers. Electro-pop slow-burners zoals “Inspire Me” maken plaats voor het aansteken van reggaeton beats op het titelnummer, evenals “Baila” en “Infinito”, die ook Renay’s tweetaligheid benadrukken met hun Spaanse teksten.

In overeenstemming met het multiculturele thema van de plaat, bevat het titelnummer van het album gitaarwerk van de Caribische kunstenaar EMJE. De staart van het album neemt omwegen in nog meer genres, indrukwekkend zonder het kerngeluid van Renay te verliezen: de trapbeat op “This Ride”, 90’s funk met “Destiny” en elegante electro-reggae op “Butterfly”, de zachte ritmische afsluiter van het album . Zoals in zowel de titel als de nummerlijst wordt gesuggereerd, breidt Pure Love als een LP uit op de gretigheid voor liefde die is geïntroduceerd in “Wanna Share”. In liedjes als ‘Inspire Me’ verdubbelt Renay romantische en fysieke liefde als een meer dan levensgrote, soms overweldigende bron van inspiratie voor haar, die het rechtvaardigt als het hoofdthema in de rest van het project: ‘dit album is een muzikale rit van mijn ervaringen met de vele facetten van de liefde. ”

Renay’s eerste herinneringen zijn aan haar zingen – het opnemen van haar diverse achtergrond in haar melodieën zodra ze op twaalfjarige leeftijd begon met het schrijven van nummers op gitaar. Voordat ze zich fulltime met muziek ging bezighouden, zette ze echter academisch werk over de hele wereld voort om sociale ongelijkheden te verminderen waaraan ze opgroeide. Deze ervaring diende om haar tweetalige repertoire dat gebruik maakt van een grote verscheidenheid aan invloeden, verder te verrijken. Renay neemt deze invloeden op in haar muziek als niet alleen een schrijver, maar ook een producent en ingenieur, die het Music for Commerce-programma van Cre-8 Music Academy in West Hollywood heeft gevolgd. Uiteindelijk besloot ze haar vaardigheden te richten op het maken en uitvoeren van popsongs, maar ze werkt gestaag door aan haar debuutalbum, met name de John Lennon Songwriting-hoofdprijs in de categorie ‘World’.

Met zijn gevarieerde mix van invloeden en zelfverzekerde lyrische benadering is Pure Love een trotse verklaring van wie Renay is gegroeid als een persoon en een kunstenaar. Het album kan wereldwijd worden gedownload en gestreamd op digitale platforms. Je kunt Renay’s reis volgen door RenayMusic.com te bezoeken. - CDES

Wanna Share is the opening effort on Renay’s new album, Pure Love. The effort will immediately draw fans in with the unique melange of pop, dance, and ambient / atmospheric styles. While the song is draped in the mid-to-late 1990s style of performers like Christina Aguilera and Madonna, there’s a vibrancy that permeates this single that will have it hang nicely with other songs climbing the charts. Inspire Me is a sea change from Wanna Share, coming forth with an insistent EDM effort that spans a range from dubstep to Spinnin’ Records acts. The charisma of Renay’s vox here allow her to move into some intense vocal sections without impacting the crossover potential of the composition.

Pure Love slows things up well, linking Renay’s narrative ability with a bit of a tribal dance sound. Fans will have their psyche and heart imprinted by Renay’s voice here, as she is able to effortlessly pull double duty in contributing to the song’s melody while telling participants a story that anyone can appreciate.

This Ride shatters the conception that late-album tracks are necessarily weaker than what is slotted first. This cut has the instrumental and vocal sides gradually cede the spotlight to one another. What results here is an earnest and honest single that touches upon Corinne Bailey Rae or India.Arie, if not back to the late-90s work of Mariah Carey. Butterfly is the final composition on Pure Love, beginning slowly before moving into a fairly robust pop/dance track. It is this holistic approach that acts as a bow, wrapping up the album like a present. We’re excited to hear more from Renay in the months and years to come; give her Facebook a spin if you’d like to experience more of her music.

Top Tracks: Wanna Share, Inspire Me

Rating: 8.6/10 - NeuFutur

Happy New Music Friday everyone! Below you will find a roundup of some of this week's best new music by some of today's most promising female artists. Also, be sure to check out our comprehensive Spotify playlist at the bottom of this page which includes all these songs plus songs that we previously featured earlier this week.
Enjoy! xoxo - Wonky Sensitive

Multicultural Songstress Renay Unveils New Album, “Pure Love”

Rising Pop Artist Promises Genre-Blending Songs Examining Love from All Angles

Los Angeles, CA — San Francisco-based Dutch/Bolivian pop artist Renay has released her debut album, Pure Love, a melting pot of her singular songwriting, production and meditations on love. The album is now available for download and streaming on digital platforms worldwide.

Opening the record is the lead single, “Wanna Share,” a song, “about how I’m in a place now where I’m confident, I love myself, and I’m ready to share myself,” explains Renay. This idea is reflected in the track’s straightforward lyrics, sung in Renay’s gently self-assured voice. Musically, “Wanna Share” is detailed and dynamic, ranging from moments of swelling stillness to flurries of percussion, bouncy bass, and eclectic synth arrangements. Resulting from three years of hands-on work from Renay and collaborators such as BTWN Music and 808 Mafia’s Swede (DJ Khaled, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne), the production is meticulous and diverse. Electro-pop slow-burners like “Inspire Me” give way to searing reggaeton beats on the title track as well as “Baila” and “Infinito,” which also highlight Renay’s bilingualism with their Spanish lyrics. In keeping with the record’s multicultural theme, the album’s title track features guitar work from Caribbean artist, EMJE. The tail end of the album takes detours into even more genres, impressively without losing Renay’s core sound: the trap beat on “This Ride,” 90s funk with “Destiny” and elegant electro-reggae on “Butterfly,” the album’s soft rhythmic closer. As suggested in both its title and track-list, Pure Love as an LP expands on the eagerness for love introduced in “Wanna Share.” In songs like “Inspire Me,” Renay doubles down on romantic and physical love as a larger-than-life, sometimes overwhelming source of inspiration for her, justifying it as the main theme throughout the rest of the project: “this album is a musical ride of my experiences with love’s many facets.”

Renay’s first memories are of her singing – incorporating her diverse background in her melodies as soon as she started writing songs on guitar at age twelve. Before committing to music full-time, however, she pursued academic work across the globe, to help reduce social inequalities she was exposed to growing up. This experience served to further enrich her bilingual repertoire that draws on a large variety of influences. Renay incorporates these influences into her music as not just a writer, but also a producer and engineer, having attended Cre-8 Music Academy’s Music for Commerce program in West Hollywood. Eventually deciding to focus her skills on creating and performing pop songs, Renay has been steadily working up to her debut album, notably winning the John Lennon Songwriting grand prize in the ‘World’ category.

With its varied mix of influences and confident lyrical approach, Pure Love is a proud declaration of who Renay has grown to be as a person and an artist. The album is available for download and streaming on digital platforms worldwide. You can follow Renay’s journey by visiting RenayMusic.com. - The Urban Music Scene

San Francisco based Dutch/Bolivian pop artist Renay has released her debut album, Pure Love, a melting pot of her singular songwriting, production and meditations on love. The album is now available for download and streaming on digital platforms worldwide. Opening the record is the lead single, “Wanna Share,” a song, “about how I’m in a place now where I’m confident, I love myself, and I’m ready to share myself,” explains Renay. This idea is reflected in the track’s straightforward lyrics, sung in Renay’s gently self-assured voice. Musically, “Wanna Share” is detailed and dynamic, ranging from moments of swelling stillness to flurries of percussion, bouncy bass, and eclectic synth arrangements. Resulting from three years of hands-on work from Renay and collaborators such as BTWN Music and 808 Mafia’s Swede (DJ Khaled, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne), the production is meticulous and diverse. - Dark Beauty Magazine

Happy New Music Friday everyone! Below you will find a roundup of some of this week's best new music by some of today's most promising female artists. Also, be sure to check out our comprehensive Spotify playlist at the bottom of this page which includes all these songs plus songs that we previously featured earlier this week.
Enjoy! xoxo - Wonky Sensitive

Los Angeles, CA -- Multicultural songstress Renay released her new single, "Inspire Me," a richly produced pop track pondering how the burning intensity of love can both inspire and tear down an artist. The song is now available to stream and download on digital music platforms worldwide.

Co-produced by BTWN Productions, "Inspire Me" features elegant, fiery synths over a bed of somber bass and propulsive drums, with Renay's acrobatic voice dancing over trip hop and electro pop styling. "This song is about how the muse inspires, paradoxically propelling you to create (birth), yet through the intense obsession it devours you (death)," explains Renay. "An intensely positive rendition of the infinite connection between life and death." The prolific songwriter continues to encourage her listeners to think about these deeper subjects, while maintaining a danceable, catchy sound. "Inspire Me" marks the follow up to her empowering dance-pop single, "Wanna Share," released earlier this year.

Renay's first memories are of her singing -- incorporating her diverse background in her melodies as she was already writing songs on guitar by age twelve. Before committing to music full-time, she pursued academic work across the globe, wanting to help reduce social inequalities she was exposed to growing up. These experiences served to encourage her culturally rich, bilingual repertoire crossing Latin, electronic music, reggae and even alternative rock. Renay (nee Renee) means to be reborn in French, a name that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Getting increasingly involved in the production process of music, Renay was eventually recruited by Cre-8 Music Academy's Music for Commerce production program in West Hollywood. Honing her musical skills to focus on pop songwriting, she has since released a myriad of impressive singles and won the John Lennon Songwriting grand prize in the 'World' category.

"Inspire Me" is the latest addition to Renay's genre-merging catalog, combining pristine production with catchy songwriting, contemplative lyrics and pleasantly elastic vocals. Download or stream "Inspire Me" now on all digital music platforms. You can follow the up-and-coming multi-talented artist on RenayMusic.com. - Music Industry News Network

This talented World Music/Pop artist first caught our attention with her infectious track Wanna Share. Renay writes from deep within her heart allowing every corner of passion to be fully visualized and heard. A mix of Bolivian and Dutch roots accent her professional song writing giving it a global appeal.

Interview Meikee Magnetic

Where were you born and where are you now?
I was born in New Brunswick, NJ to a Bolivian Dad and Dutch mom. I moved to France as an adolescent and then back to the States when I was 21, landing to start my life in the US in the SF Bay area, a region which has nurtured my musical journey.

Tell us who you are as an artist:
First, I am a songwriter, then, a singer, followed by musician, engineer, producer. I love to mash up all types of sounds and have a tendency to be drawn to what most people may find on the edge of dissonant or disjunct rhythmically. But, I have made real efforts to make songs that resonate with people, as the point is to make music that can move hearts and minds, not just make what pleasures me. This feedback process has moved my music into what can be described as pop – even though I really am all over the place genre-wise, and I think I will always be.

At what age did you pick up guitar and begin singing?
My first memories are of singing. I began taking singing seriously around age 9. I first picked up the bass, then the guitar at 12, but I have never became a virtuoso. All instruments serve primarily to permit me a harmonic and rhythmic structure over which to write songs. One of my goals is to become a virtuoso on some other instrument, at the moment I am focusing on songwriting, singing and producing.

Touch upon your music video Wanna Share and the lyrical meaning:
Wanna Share was shot with AfterThought Media in Berlin this summer. A whirlwind experience where I for the first time worked with a large scale team allowing me to pretty much just focus on being an artist! Wanna Share is about the journey we have in finding ourselves, loving ourselves, and being ready to share everything with another person. This song was co-produced by BTWN Music, Joe Pepe and Zacke Burke, from Los Angeles.



Did you go to Audio school or receive any training?
I started recording myself on an M-Box in 2004, and taught myself ProTools. In early 2018 I took a music production bootcamp at Cre-8 Music Academy (WestLake Studios, West Hollywood) and this filled in so many holes I had due to being self-taught. It exponentially increased my production toolkit. The director was Doug Fenske, a really awesome musician, producer and teacher. He still gives me feedback on my productions.

We see videos of your music career reaching back 8 years with lots of live full band performances. How have you grown as an artist?

I believe I’ve become a better songwriter, performer (recording and live) and engineer/producer. I feel like I am getting closer to making music that can have a really wide impact. I also feel like I am at the point that I can really help other artists in the producer/engineer role, and I’ve started to do so. At the same time I feel like I am only scratching the surface. I’m on the tip of the iceberg whose mass is incalculable.

What other music genres can we find in your work?
I’ve been classified as World music, in the Latin and Reggae genres. I have also been classified as Folkrock and alternative rock.

Who are some Bay Area artists you’ve collaborated with?

I’ve collaborated with a bunch of musicians and artists in the world music (Latin, reggae) and independent hip hop scene. Notably, Rahman Jamaal (rapper, educator from RedWood city), Fyah Squad Band (backing band for many touring reggae acts), Raleigh Neal (keys, Michael Franti Spearhead), Jayme Arredondo (drums, Don Carlos reggae), Jackeline Rago (Venezuelan percussionist and cuatro player), Sang Matiz (Peruvian world music group). Under a different artist name (Razteria, we had a collective of women in World and Reggae music called Empress Unification (Irae Divine, Queen Makedah, Amanda Sol, myself – Razteria). I have recorded and toured as a backing vocalist with Taj Weekes and Adowa (St Lucia Island reggae).


Outside of music what else are you passionate about and pursue?
I love being active, yoga, calisthenics training, running, hiking, biking, swimming… I cannot live without sports. I’m actively working on improving my strength and flexibility in order to be able to do certain movements – like the press handstand. I love to be in nature – anywhere. It’s where I source much of my inspiration. I also love to cook, and make most of my food from whole foods. Social justice and the environment (I know vast topics) are always on my mind and I try in my everyday life to put my little grain of sand… even if it is just helping someone find there way to their next destination, or a friendly face with a smile.

Future plans:
I plan on producing as much music as possible. I have another single “Inspire Me” out on Dec 13th, 2019 followed by a music video on Jan 17th 2020. I will release an album on Feb 21, 2020, called “Pure Love”, the title track features guitar playing by Emje, a young upcoming beautiful Colombian artist. It also features productions by Swede of 808 Mafia and a few Bay area musicians. The tracks range from dark, electronic pop to pop with more Latin and reggae flavors, in English and Spanish. From there on I hope to get some music licensed, and have a tour set up! We will see what happens.

What does Dark Beauty mean to you?
Subtle deepness. The beauty which goes far beyond the surface. True beauty.

Photography by Kerim Knight and Tim Haber
Dressed by Raki
Dancers Berit and Anna Frøysland

MORE INFO:
www.renaymusic.com
www.facebook.com/renaymusic - Dark Beauty Magazine

Welcome to Freshly Squeezed, a weekly new music playlist: spanning country, pop, EDM and urban, mainstream and other.

What can we say, we can’t say no to Josh Gray. His new song “Can’t Say No” crashes on the senses – acoustics and synths twisting together into a swooning mix. “I wish I could walk away, but I can’t / You’ll just pull me back in every time,” he sings. His whispers hook you and drag you into a cooly-sensual smolder, fluttering and silky layers coming to meet his siren-like gaze. “I can never get enough,” he later confides.

Indie-rock outfit Loser Company delight in a psychedelic wonderland. “Blueberry Skies” ignites their new EP, of the same name, with a gentle teeter-totter groove. It slinks; it slithers; it smolders as a candle’s soft flame. “Sun in your eyes,” frontman Will Saunders sculpts. The imagery is lush, coated in a gravel-baked snap. And it’s so intoxicating you might be in for one helluva hallucinatory trip.

The new playlist – the last non-Christmas edition of 2019 – features Madison Malone, LX Mason, Cathedral Bells, Brian Fallon, Jonathan Wilson, Magdalena Bay, The March Divide, Weslee, Alec Benjamin and many more!

In all, we’ve got 30 new tracks to power your weekend ahead. Get to listening!

Each playlist will be refreshed every Friday morning/afternoon. We reserve the right to update anytime during the week, so make sure you bookmark this page. - B Sides and Badlands

Rising multicultural singer-songwriter Renay is back with a brand new single titled Inspire Me, an infectious piece of pop music about how the burning intensity of love can both inspire and tear down an artist.

I am really enjoying her smooth vocal delivery that flows beautifully over the addictive electronic production packed with elegant, fiery synths over a bed of somber bass and propulsive drums. I am also enjoying the rhythmic touch of the song that blends elements of trip-hop and electro-pop that instantly makes the song memorable. Check it out below!

Speaking about the song, Renay said,
"This song is about how the muse inspires, paradoxically propelling you to create (birth), yet through the intense obsession it devours you (death). An intensely positive rendition of the infinite connection between life and death." - CaesarLiveNLoud

Multicultural songstress Renay released her new single, “Inspire Me,” a richly produced pop track pondering how the burning intensity of love can both inspire and tear down an artist. The song is now available to stream and download on digital music platforms worldwide.

Co-produced by BTWN Productions, “Inspire Me” features elegant, fiery synths over a bed of somber bass and propulsive drums, with Renay’s acrobatic voice dancing over trip hop and electro pop styling. “This song is about how the muse inspires, paradoxically propelling you to create (birth), yet through the intense obsession it devours you (death),” explains Renay. “An intensely positive rendition of the infinite connection between life and death.” The prolific songwriter continues to encourage her listeners to think about these deeper subjects, while maintaining a danceable, catchy sound. “Inspire Me” marks the follow up to her empowering dance-pop single, “Wanna Share,” released earlier this year.

“Inspire Me” is the latest addition to Renay’s genre-merging catalog, combining pristine production with catchy songwriting, contemplative lyrics and pleasantly elastic vocals. Download or stream “Inspire Me” now on all digital music platforms. You can follow the up-and-coming multi-talented artist on RenayMusic.com. - Vents Magazine

New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Multicultural songstress Renay released her new single, "Inspire Me," a richly produced pop track pondering how the burning intensity of love can both inspire and tear down an artist. The song is now available to stream and download on digital music platforms worldwide.

Co-produced by BTWN Productions, "Inspire Me" features elegant, fiery synths over a bed of somber bass and propulsive drums, with Renay's acrobatic voice dancing over trip hop and electro pop styling. "This song is about how the muse inspires, paradoxically propelling you to create (birth), yet through the intense obsession it devours you (death)," explains Renay. "An intensely positive rendition of the infinite connection between life and death." The prolific songwriter continues to encourage her listeners to think about these deeper subjects, while maintaining a danceable, catchy sound. "Inspire Me" marks the follow up to her empowering dance-pop single, "Wanna Share," released earlier this year.

Renay's first memories are of her singing -- incorporating her diverse background in her melodies as she was already writing songs on guitar by age twelve. Before committing to music full-time, she pursued academic work across the globe, wanting to help reduce social inequalities she was exposed to growing up. These experiences served to encourage her culturally rich, bilingual repertoire crossing Latin, electronic music, reggae and even alternative rock. Renay (nee Renee) means to be reborn in French, a name that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Getting increasingly involved in the production process of music, Renay was eventually recruited by Cre-8 Music Academy's Music for Commerce production program in West Hollywood. Honing her musical skills to focus on pop songwriting, she has since released a myriad of impressive singles and won the John Lennon Songwriting grand prize in the 'World' category.

"Inspire Me" is the latest addition to Renay's genre-merging catalog, combining pristine production with catchy songwriting, contemplative lyrics and pleasantly elastic vocals. Download or stream "Inspire Me" now on all digital music platforms. You can follow the up-and-coming multi-talented artist on RenayMusic.com. - Top 40 Charts

Co-produced by BTWN Productions, “Inspire Me” features elegant, fiery synths over a bed of somber bass and propulsive drums, with Renay’s acrobatic voice dancing over trip hop and electro pop styling. “This song is about how the muse inspires, paradoxically propelling you to create (birth), yet through the intense obsession it devours you (death),” explains Renay. “An intensely positive rendition of the infinite connection between life and death.” The prolific songwriter continues to encourage her listeners to think about these deeper subjects, while maintaining a danceable, catchy sound. “Inspire Me” marks the follow up to her empowering dance-pop single, “Wanna Share,” released earlier this year. - Skope Magazine

What is your name?
Renée Asteria Peñaloza AKA
Renay / Razteria / Agent Double E / Renée Asteria

What is your genre of music?
Electronic dark pop crossed with world music influences

Give us a little bio about you.
I was born in New Jersey, but move to France as a kid where I did middle and high school, my mom still lives there and it is like my second home. My mom is Dutch and my dad is Bolivian. I went back to the US at 21, to the San Francisco Bay area. In SF, I launched myself in the local live music scene. I’ve been writing songs since I was 12 years old, but when I moved to SF is when I started to work with a band, other musicians. I gained more skills in terms of composition and instrumentation, with voice and melody being what seems innate to me. I produced my first album with studio musicians while I was working and going to school at Berkeley. I kept pursuing music alongside studying and working, as it is just something that I have to do. I must write songs. Over the past decade, I’ve acquired the skills to record myself and to produce. I am not a virtuoso musician, but extremely creative and have a finely tuned ear and enough skill and theory to communicate and express myself. I guess you would call me one of these extroverted highly sensitive people, and my medium is song writing. I’ve had the privilege to experience a lot of different worlds, between the US and Europe and South America both through going to school, working in projects related to public health. I also have collaborated with musicians all over South America. Seeing what people have to go through to survive and thrive, I realize how very blessed I am to have this opportunity to be an artist. I hope my music will uplift people and also hope to represent and promote other artists. And beyond music, I hope that I can help other voices, those that would otherwise be missed, to be heard, and empowered with more volume. I know that sounds perhaps vague and very idealistic. I am a dreamer and idealist at my core.

What made you go into music?
Honestly, my first memories are literally of the sound of singing. It has always been an integral part of my life. I have been singing ever since I have been conscious. Both my parents are musical, though they never did anything professionally. They met through sharing South American folk songs at a party when they were both students, and did not even speak each other’s language. When I was growing up, I never thought that it was a viable career for me. I thought I needed to be more “useful”, become a doctor, or the president. In my case, I pursued a career in public health, internationally, as I am good with people, having experienced living and working all over and I am good with data. While I’m not trying to put down anything that I’ve done till now in my life but I have come to realize I am fundamentally an artist and I have and the opportunity to spend at least this present moment as such. So I really am trying to give my best through music.

Are you a signed artist?
I am independent. I have my own label – Asteria Records – under which I released myself under various artist names as well as represent a few other artists. I hope to help more artists release their music, both financially / logistically, as well as being a producer.

You set to release your single ‘Inspire Me’, tell us more about the single.
“Inspire Me” is actually a re-versioning of another song of mine called “2 Immortal Eyz / To Immortalize” which I rerecorded, edited and re-arranged the song and working with BTWN Music to reproduce the track in its current electro-pop form.

What is the meaning behind the single?
The song itself is about the muse and how it propels you to create but at the same devours you. It symbolises the essential cycle of life. The infinite connection between birth and death, in creation.

Describe the track in two words.
Birth, death

What was the writing process like?
I literally was sitting outside in the sun (like the opening phrase) with my guitar and recording myself with my phone improvising. It was I was one of these songs that came like a stream of consciousness. Literally came all at once, lyrics, melody and harmony (chord progression). I recorded it with a completely different instrumentation and arrangement back in 2018. I felt that it had a lot more pop potential. After my commercial music production training at Cre-8 Music Academy , in early 2018, in West Hollywood, I decided to reversion it as a pop song and brought on-board BTWN Music, Joe Pepe and Zack Burke. It’s been a journey definitely worth the wait. In retrospect, it’s kind of interesting because this song has had multiple iterations, multiple births, so “Inspire Me’s” process of creation embodies the very theme of the track, this cycle of rebirth and death.

What was the recording process like?
As I stated before, I went from recording basic organic elements, guitars, drums, bass, vocals, and even the Kora (west African harp) for the first version of this song. I then redid everything, basically re-sang, reproduced the vocals and rearranged the song structure. I sent vocal stems to BTWN Music, and they built out the version you hear today. I guess it’s technically a remix, but it is so different from the first version I decided to retitle it and release it as a new single.

Who did you work with on the single?
I worked with BTWN Music, Joe Pepe and Zach Burke. It is mastered by Justin Weiss, TrakWorx out of San Francisco.

Will we see a music video for the track?
Yes, you will see an amazing choreography, my very first one! I got the opportunity to work with Anna and Berit Froysland, 2 twins, contemporary dancers from Norway and an amazing Spanish stylist, named Raki Fernandez. We shot the video with After Thought Media in a 14-hour day with 6 costume changes (lol) in Berlin at Havel Studios in mid August. It is in the final editing stages and is set to be released on January 17th, 2020.

Will we see an EP or album and if so what can we expect?
Yes, actually I’m releasing an album on February 21st, 2020 called “Pure Love”. It’s going to have tracks in Spanish and English in multiple styles of pop. Electronic-pop, Reggaeton, Caribbean feel and even a taste of Trap.

Do you have any shows coming up?
I don’t because I’m focusing on production but I do want to organise a tour next summer. Instead of having a full band, have myself singing and playing instruments on and off, together with with a drummer / DJ and work with dancers. Make it an original combination of contemporary dance, performance art style and different electronic pop flavours.

What else can we expect in 2019/Early 2020?
Basically the release of the music video for “Inspire Me” and the album “Pure Love”. Then we will see :).

Do you have any collaborations coming up with any upcoming artists?
The title track of “Pure Love” features EMJE on guitar, a young upcoming Colombian singer/songwriter and badass guitar player. Other track feature established Bay area indie musicians Raleigh Neal (keys, Michael Franti / Spearhead), Kevin Glaz (guitar), and Jayme Arredondo (drummer, Don Carlos). The album features 3 tracks produced in collaboration with Swede of 808 Mafia (producer of DJ Khaled, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne, Nas etc). Also as stated above, Joe Pepe and Zacke Burke from BTWN Music, have coproduced 2 featured tracks, “Inspire Me” and “Wanna Share”.

Would you be up for collaborations if other musicians wanted one with you? and who would they have to contact?
Definitely, I love collaborating. I feel like it takes music to completely different level, a level that is superhuman. Just email me or hit me up on any social media platform.

Do you play any instruments?
My main instrument is voice, then rhythm guitar. But I can make my way around a bass guitar and keyboard, have good sense of time for drums and percussion, all enough to help produce tracks. But I look forward to honing my musicianship skills. I am also a recording and mix engineer working in Logic Pro and ProTools.

Who are your influences?
My influencers are so vast I don’t even know where to start, all the classic you know, Mozart, Bob Marley, The Beatles, and Nirvana. Currently I just listened to everyone and everything that I possibly can to try to hear what people are listening to. In the past when I was writing songs I would write (and I still do this) without paying attention to current musical trends. While producing, I usually can’t listen to other music. But this has changed quite a bit as I want to reach as many people as I can with my music. When you’re trying to make pop music you want to make something popular right? So you want to pay attention to what people are listening to and not just listen to the “muse”. So over the past couple of years I’ve been making an effort to listen actively to pop music and I’ve gained a deeper appreciation and understanding.

How do you get inspiration to write songs?
I can source my inspiration from a lot of different things. I would say I specialise in love songs but all different types of love and songs about the human condition. I try to make songs that are simple with meaning that people can use in their own lives. Honestly my songs are often times inspired from people in my life, individuals, my muses but also from my life situations. I use the songs to express a lesson to myself. Sometimes I get very specific, if I wanted talk specifically about a topic that is important. I have a song called “Illegal” and it’s about the plight of undocumented immigrants (released under Razteria) My sources of inspiration are vast. I give myself a space everyday to write. I usually write something in the morning, about anything and often times it becomes a song. I feel like I become a channel at this moment, channelling energies perhaps other souls.

When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I’m an athlete. I love doing all types of physical activities, but I’ve never done anything professionally. I do yoga, a couple hours a day, then some sort of cross training. Right now what I am working towards is the press handstand. So I do strength training and calisthenics. I also love just being outside in nature, going for long hikes. I love swimming, biking, running, walking so many things etc. There are so many wonderful things in the world to do! I must say though that I need to be active and if I’m not I can’t function. Also I source much of my inspiration from those moments in time where I am physically exerting myself. I’m very passionate about the environment so I try to live in a low-impact way terms of what I consume (food or any products). I eat mostly whole food plant-based meals so I do quite a bit of cooking make things from scratch. I really love cooking and inventing things.

What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
Honestly, I cannot pinpoint a song, but if I had too, it would be of my first memories of Carmen, the operatic musical when I was only starting to develop memories

What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Always reach for the stars and you will never fall too far.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Never give up. It’s ok to doubt and question and as long as you’re creating you are succeeding.

What quote or saying do you always stick by?
The more you do the more you can do.

Where in your hometown is a must go to visit?
Wildcat Regional Park from there we have 360 Panorama on all the SF Bay area

Your coming off tour;
1/ Where do you go first?
Definitely somewhere in nature definitely to do some type of sports and reconnect with the world.
2/ Who do you see first? My priority would be my family, my brother specifically even though we live really far apart I really love him. He’s one of my worst critiques and I really appreciate it.
3/ What do you eat first? I probably have coffee with some sort of frothy like almond milk… actual food – I’d make myself like a massive green veggie stir-fry spicy curry thing.


When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
My microphone, setlist, guitar/guitar amp, water/tea, remember to breath and smile - Music of the Future

Los Angeles, CA — Multicultural songstress Renay released her new single, “Inspire Me,” a richly produced pop track pondering how the burning intensity of love can both inspire and tear down an artist. The song is now available to stream and download on digital music platforms worldwide.

Co-produced by BTWN Productions, “Inspire Me” features elegant, fiery synths over a bed of somber bass and propulsive drums, with Renay’s acrobatic voice dancing over trip hop and electro pop styling. “This song is about how the muse inspires, paradoxically propelling you to create (birth), yet through the intense obsession it devours you (death),” explains Renay. “An intensely positive rendition of the infinite connection between life and death.” The prolific songwriter continues to encourage her listeners to think about these deeper subjects while maintaining a danceable, catchy sound. “Inspire Me” marks the follow up to her empowering dance-pop single, “Wanna Share,” released earlier this year.

Renay’s first memories are of her singing — incorporating her diverse background in her melodies as she was already writing songs on guitar by age twelve. Before committing to music full-time, she pursued academic work across the globe, wanting to help reduce social inequalities she was exposed to growing up. These experiences served to encourage her culturally rich, bilingual repertoire crossing Latin, electronic music, reggae and even alternative rock. Renay (nee Renee) means to be reborn in French, a name that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Getting increasingly involved in the production process of music, Renay was eventually recruited by Cre-8 Music Academy’s Music for Commerce production program in West Hollywood. Honing her musical skills to focus on pop songwriting, she has since released a myriad of impressive singles and won the John Lennon Songwriting grand prize in the ‘World’ category.

“Inspire Me” is the latest addition to Renay’s genre-merging catalog, combining pristine production with catchy songwriting, contemplative lyrics and pleasantly elastic vocals. Download or stream “Inspire Me” now on all digital music platforms. You can follow the up-and-coming multi-talented artist on RenayMusic.com. - Divine Magazine

EILE favourite, singer-songwriter, Renay, has just released her new single, Inspire Me, a richly produced pop track, about how the burning intensity of love can both inspire and tear down an artist.

Co-produced by BTWN Productions, Inspire Me features elegant, fiery synths over a bed of sombre bass, and driving drums, with Renay’s versatile voice dancing over trip hop/electro pop styling.

“This song is about how the muse inspires, paradoxically propelling you to create (birth), yet through the intense obsession it devours you (death),” explains Renay. “An intensely positive rendition of the infinite connection between life and death.”

The single is now available to stream and download on digital music platforms worldwide. - EILE Magazine

Exhilarating pop artist Renay from San Francisco has released a music video for her single, “Inspire Me” and it’s nothing less than stimulating and refreshing. “Inspire Me” ponders how the burning intensity of love can both inspire and tear down an artist. The video explores this message through stunning choreography and visuals. Renay (nee Renee) means to be reborn in French, a name that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound. Her Bolivian/Dutch roots can be heard in her unique style of electronic pop.

Photographer Kerim Knight, Styled by Raki

MORE INFO:
www.renaymusic.com
www.facebook.com/renaymusic - Dark Beauty Magazine

Renay is a multi-genre artist who recently dropped a pop/dance track called “Wanna Share.”

“Wanna Share” is a love song about feeling complete within yourself, and being ready to share everything that you are with someone else. With that being said, there is still a strong sense of independence and empowerment.

Renay’s vocals shine with her beautiful tone and her enticing delivery undeniably draws you in. The instrumentals are the primary dance element of “Wanna Share,” and it’s exceptionally enjoyable to listen to. The vocal style combined with the instrumentation forms something quite unique and captivating.

All of the art Renay releases is filled with an insane amount of passion. She isn't afraid to step out of the box and try something new. It makes her such a fascinating artist to watch grow and evolve. Can't wait for more! - Untold Music Promotion

Renay (née Renee) means to be reborn in French, a named that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Renay is a pop artist, singer-songwriter, producer/engineer based in the San Francisco Bay area. Her work has been compared to Sade, Gwen Stefani, Morcheeba and Massive Attack.

Renay was born to sing and write songs. Her Bolivian/Dutch roots can be heard in her unique sound. She writes daily, feeling blessed with the gift to channel voices which would otherwise go unheard, through her music. Her first memories are of singing and she began writing songs at age twelve. Learning guitar to express her musical thoughts and her inner adolescent workings, Renay was very sensitive to stark social inequalities that she was exposed to at an early age. She first dove deep into her studies with the felt sense that she had to do something more in the world with her privilege perspective. While pursuing a career in research and international fieldwork, she continued to write, produce and record her own music, marking the beginning of Renay’s transition to dedicating her life to music production and songwriting.

Home » Resource Directory » Artist / Band Directory » Artist Spotlight: Renay
Artist Spotlight: Renay
Posted on September 11, 2019 by Joseph Timmons in Artist / Band Directory, Artist News, artist spotlight, New Faces New sounds, New Music // 0 Comments

Renay (née Renee) means to be reborn in French, a named that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Renay is a pop artist, singer-songwriter, producer/engineer based in the San Francisco Bay area. Her work has been compared to Sade, Gwen Stefani, Morcheeba and Massive Attack.

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Renay was born to sing and write songs. Her Bolivian/Dutch roots can be heard in her unique sound. She writes daily, feeling blessed with the gift to channel voices which would otherwise go unheard, through her music. Her first memories are of singing and she began writing songs at age twelve. Learning guitar to express her musical thoughts and her inner adolescent workings, Renay was very sensitive to stark social inequalities that she was exposed to at an early age. She first dove deep into her studies with the felt sense that she had to do something more in the world with her privilege perspective. While pursuing a career in research and international fieldwork, she continued to write, produce and record her own music, marking the beginning of Renay’s transition to dedicating her life to music production and songwriting.

Renay has developed a bilingual repertoire, crossing Latin, reggae and alternative rock rhythms. Fascinated by the process of production and empowered with detail oriented technical skills, she acquired the skills needed to take a song from initial composition through to the final mix. In 2016, Renay left her academic career to fully pursue her passion for writing and producing music. She has since collaborated with artists worldwide including San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia. Her song “Once Again”, featuring rapper Rahman Jamaal from Redwood City, CA, won Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, World Category.

Renay was recruited by Cre-8 Music Academy in West Hollywood where she attended the Music for Commerce Production bootcamp. This experience was a game changer for her, and has taken her productions to another level with a focus on writing great pop songs. As a marker of this stylistic transition, Renee has been reborn as Renay.

Follow Renay’s journey
http://www.renaymusic.com/
http://www.facebook.com/renaymusic
http://www.youtube.com/renaymusic - Indie Music Pulse Magazine

Artist and producer Renee Asteria Penaloza has announced her newest single “Wanna Share,” out today under her most recent musical persona, Renay.

The name, which means “to be reborn” in French, hints at the stylistic transition the singer-songwriter has undergone following her recruitment by the Crē•8 Music Academy in West Hollywood. After attending the music production bootcamp, Renay was conceived as a way to diversify her sound and expand her reach to a more mainstream audience. This follows in the wake of a number of previous artistic personalities, including Ratrap, a trilingual rapper-singer duo, Razteria, who blends South American sounds with a flavor of Reggaeton, as well as Renée Asteria.

Now known as Renay, the San Francisco Bay pop artist is excited to share her fourth single. She explains, “‘Wanna Share’ is a non-traditional love song. It’s about being at peace with yourself, focusing on becoming your best, not compromising, and at the same time, being ready to share your love and your life.”

Donning stout basslines, rich synths, and signature ethereal vocals, the single effectively delivers a punchy electronic dance tune indicative of Renay’s poppy renaissance of sound. From tumultuous crests of volume and echoing downbeats, the song gleams with trappy brass and cozy electronic hooks fit for the San Francisco pop scene’s latest member.

Despite this most recent turn towards American pop, Renay remains firmly tethered to her multicultural roots, a quality prevalent throughout her wide range of genre-bending music. Born in the U.S. of Bolivian-Dutch heritage and raised in France, Renay implements a number of stylistic crossovers, fusing Latin, reggae, and alternative rock rhythms in her work. Performing in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, her music has been described as “musically adventurous.” She elaborates, “Musically, I cross genres, and write songs in English and Spanish, and hope to develop music that represents the beauty of cultural diversity."

This commitment to celebrating multiculturism dominates Renay’s work, a manifestation of her sensitivities to stark social inequalities around the globe. While frequently tying in activism into her work, Renay collaborates with artists worldwide, across the UK, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bolivia, and Colombia. Notably, her song “DCN”— released as Razteria— features youth from Enseñarte, a non-profit organization based in Bolivia, as well as Honduran UK artist Rich D Lion. Her song “Once Again,” featuring Californian rapper Rahman Jamaal, won Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, World Category.

Since 2013, she has been a part of Empress Unification, a collective of Bay Area female artists who perform world music in five different languages: English, Farsi, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. The purpose of the collective is to highlight the works of female artists advocating for peace, love, and unity, as well as to raise funds for local women's charities.

After leaving a burgeoning career in research and international fieldwork in 2016 to fully pursue her efforts in music, Renay has successfully planted a vast number of musical seeds throughout the Americas and Europe. As CEO of her own Asteria Records, her experience with learning about the music-making process has proven to be an incredibly immersive one.

Since delving into the industry, Renay has pushed back against a number of standards imposed upon her, as she relates, "Like many people growing up in current society, I am torn between having to categorize myself in all facets of my being, be it identity, ethnicity, profession, etc. I have been told that in order to ‘be successful’ as an artist, I need to focus on politically neutral themes that are either universal to the human experience or trending, basically love, sex, and thrills.”

Needless to say, Renay has found a myriad ways to be successful while rejecting these expectations. Be sure to check out the new single today. - Gehen Press

“Wanna Share” is available everywhere now! - That Buzzing Sound

Renay (née Renee) means to be reborn in French, a named that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. The pop artist, singer-songwriter, producer/engineer, loves us listeners. She loves us so much that she shares this decadent, triple layered, goodness of a single named ‘Wanna Share’. That chorus is to die for. Really. The sultry make up of Renay’s vocals on this single is nostalgic, and when the 90’s r&b/soul pop aesthetics bounce off of the digital frame of the song, you have gold. Her Bolivian/Dutch roots can be heard in her unique sound. She writes daily, feeling blessed with the gift to channel voices which would otherwise go unheard, through her music. The tantalizing artist is based in the San Francisco Bay area. - Come Here Floyd

Renay (née Renee) means to be reborn in French, a named that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Renay is a pop artist, singer-songwriter, producer/engineer based in the San Francisco Bay area. Her works has been compared to Sade, Gwen Stefani, Morcheeba and Massive Attack.

Renay was born to sing and write songs. Her Bolivian/Dutch roots can be heard in her unique sound. She writes daily, feeling blessed with the gift to channel voices which would otherwise go unheard, through her music. Her first memories are of singing and she began writing songs at age twelve. Learning guitar to express her musical thoughts and her inner adolescent workings, Renay was very sensitive to stark social inequalities that she was exposed to at an early age. She first dove deep into her studies with the felt sense that she had to do something more in the world with her privilege perspective. While pursuing a career in research and international fieldwork, she continued to write, produce and record her own music, marking the beginning of Renay’s transition to dedicating her life to music production and songwriting.

Renay has developed a bilingual repertoire, crossing Latin, reggae and alternative rock rhythms. Fascinated by the process of production and empowered with detail oriented technical skills, she acquired the skills needed to take a song from initial composition through to the final mix. In 2016, Renay left her academic career to fully pursue her passion for writing and producing music. She has since collaborated with artists worldwide including San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia. Her song “Once Again”, featuring rapper Rahman Jamaal from Redwood City, CA, won Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, World Category.

Renay was recruited by Cre-8 Music Academy in West Hollywood where she attended the Music for Commerce Production bootcamp. This experience was a game changer for her, and has taken her productions to another level with a focus on writing great pop songs. As a marker of this stylistic transition, Renee has been reborn as Renay. Follow Renay’s journey by visiting RenayMusic.com. - Triple HQ

Rising artist Renay has just unveiled her brand new single Wanna Share, a catchy piece of electro-pop music about recognising one's self-worth and then being able to share your life with someone else.

I am really enjoying the polished production and how her distinctive vocals flow beautifully over the infectious beat. The song's message about loving ourselves first before sharing life with others is quite beautiful and very relatable and I think you guys will enjoy it! Check it out below!

Speaking about the song Renay said,
'Wanna Share' is a non-traditional love song. It's about being at peace with yourself, focusing on becoming your best, not compromising, and at the same time, being ready to share your love and your life. The song's inception was based on the tempo. I was in production mode and asked a friend for inspiration. He gave me the tempo- 111, his birthday. - CaesarLiveNLoud

Rising artist Renay releases polished electronic single, “Wanna Share.” Renay presents a powerfully clear vocal lead, relaying the importance of recognizing your self-worth and then being able to share your life with someone else. “Wanna Share” is now available to download and stream across all digital media platforms worldwide.
“Wanna Share” describes the feelings that come along with being able to share things with someone that you love after realizing the importance of putting yourself first. “‘Wanna Share’ is a non-traditional love song,” explains Renay. “It’s about being at peace with yourself, focusing on becoming your best, not compromising, and at the same time, being ready to share your love and your life.” Renay’s music presents a unique sound that highlights her Bolivian and Dutch roots and showcases her talent for engineering and producing. “The song’s inception was based on the tempo. I was in production mode and asked a friend for inspiration. He gave me the tempo- 111, his birthday.” Co-produced by BTWN Productions, “Wanna Share” teaches listeners to fully embrace themselves as they are, unapologetically.
Having developed a bilingual repertoire, crossing Latin, reggae and alternative rock rhythms, “Wanna Share” is Renay’s third single under this pseudonym, marking only the beginning of her career as a pop-electronic artist. Download and stream the track across all digital media platforms worldwide, now. Keep up with her journey at RenayMusic.com.
Share - Vents Magazine

Los Angeles, CA -- Rising artist Renay releases polished electronic single, "Wanna Share." Renay presents a powerfully clear vocal lead, relaying the importance of recognizing your self-worth and then being able to share your life with someone else. "Wanna Share" is now available to download and stream across all digital media platforms worldwide.

"Wanna Share" describes the feelings that come along with being able to share things with someone that you love after realizing the importance of putting yourself first. "'Wanna Share' is a non-traditional love song," explains Renay. "It's about being at peace with yourself, focusing on becoming your best, not compromising, and at the same time, being ready to share your love and your life." Renay's music presents a unique sound that highlights her Bolivian and Dutch roots and showcases her talent for engineering and producing. "The song's inception was based on the tempo. I was in production mode and asked a friend for inspiration. He gave me the tempo- 111, his birthday." Co-produced by BTWN Productions, "Wanna Share" teaches listeners to fully embrace themselves as they are, unapologetically.

Renay (nee Renee) means to be reborn in French, a named that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Penning her first song at just twelve years old, Renay was born to sing and write. Learning guitar to express her musical thoughts and her inner adolescent workings, Renay was very sensitive to stark social inequalities that she was exposed to at an early age. She first dove deep into her studies, graduating with a Master's degree in Public Health, with the sense that she had to do something more in the world with her privileged perspective. While pursuing a career in research and international fieldwork, Renay continued to write, produce, and record her own music. She has since transitioned to dedicating her life to music production and songwriting. "Writing is my form of self-expression, it helps me to learn life lessons and evolve."

Having developed a bilingual repertoire, crossing Latin, reggae and alternative rock rhythms, "Wanna Share" is Renay's third single under this pseudonym, marking only the beginning of her career as a pop-electronic artist. Download and stream the track across all digital media platforms worldwide, now. Keep up with her journey at RenayMusic.com. - Music Industry News Network

Welcome to the September/October 2019 issue of EILE Magazine!

What an exciting time for the LGBT+ community in Northern Ireland! They’ve finally achieved equal marriage, with Valentine’s Day 2020 set as the day the first marriages will take place.

This issue is full to the brim with goodies; our music section features gay singer-songwriter, Brian Justin Crum, of America’s Got Talent fame, and US-based singer-songwriters, Kota Wade and Renay, who tell us their latest news. Frances Winston reviews some great films, theatre, and ballet, and interviews Graham Halley, who was recently attacked in Dublin. She also interviews Dame Stuffy, and Brian Rochford writes on men’s fashion and health. Lisa Reynolds retro reviews an Alice Cooper album (perfect for Halloween) and an LGBT+ short, and Shaley Howard writes on the Femme perspective – an often overlooked group in the LGBT+ community.

So take some time to sit back, relax, and browse our September/October edition of EILE Magazine. Enjoy!

FREE to read or download! Just click on the magazine icon above right, or far right sidebar if you want the full pantheon of EILE monthly issues. - EILE Magazine

Here at EILE Magazine, we really love this track! Rising artist, Renay, has just released an electro/pop single, Wanna Share.

Renay, who wrote her first song at 12 years-old, writes, produces, and records her own music. On this track, she sings about the importance of recognising your self-worth, and then being able to share your life with someone else. She has been compared to Sade, Gwen Stefani, and Massive Attack.

“‘Wanna Share’ is probably one of the most honest songs I’ve written in a while. It’s all about me finally being ready to fully open myself up to others without fear. It’s truly liberating”, she explains.

The song describes the feelings that come along with being able to share things with someone that you love, after realising the importance of putting yourself first. “It’s about being at peace with yourself, focusing on becoming your best, not compromising, and at the same time, being ready to share your love and your life.”

Wanna Share is now available to download and stream across all digital media platforms worldwide.

-MKB

To learn more about Renay, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/renaymusic

twitter.com/reneeasteria

https://www.renaymusic.com/ - Eile Magaine

Rising artist Renay releases polished electronic single, “Wanna Share.” Renay presents a powerfully clear vocal lead, relaying the importance of recognizing your self-worth and then being able to share your life with someone else. “Wanna Share” is now available to download and stream across all digital media platforms worldwide.
“Wanna Share” describes the feelings that come along with being able to share things with someone that you love after realizing the importance of putting yourself first. “‘Wanna Share’ is a non-traditional love song,” explains Renay. “It’s about being at peace with yourself, focusing on becoming your best, not compromising, and at the same time, being ready to share your love and your life.” Renay’s music presents a unique sound that highlights her Bolivian and Dutch roots and showcases her talent for engineering and producing. “The song’s inception was based on the tempo. I was in production mode and asked a friend for inspiration. He gave me the tempo- 111, his birthday.” Co-produced by BTWN Productions, “Wanna Share” teaches listeners to fully embrace themselves as they are, unapologetically.

Renay (nee Renee) means to be reborn in French, a named that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Penning her first song at just twelve years old, Renay was born to sing and write. Learning guitar to express her musical thoughts and her inner adolescent workings, Renay was very sensitive to stark social inequalities that she was exposed to at an early age. She first dove deep into her studies, graduating with a Master’s degree in Public Health, with the sense that she had to do something more in the world with her privileged perspective. While pursuing a career in research and international fieldwork, Renay continued to write, produce, and record her own music. She has since transitioned to dedicating her life to music production and songwriting. “Writing is my form of self-expression, it helps me to learn life lessons and evolve.”

Having developed a bilingual repertoire, crossing Latin, reggae and alternative rock rhythms, “Wanna Share” is Renay’s third single under this pseudonym, marking only the beginning of her career as a pop-electronic artist. Download and stream the track across all digital media platforms worldwide, now. Keep up with her journey at RenayMusic.com. - New Music Weekly

Renay (née Renee) means to be reborn in French, a named that accurately describes an artist defined by a perpetual renaissance of sound, creating multi-genre music. Renay is a pop artist, singer-songwriter, producer/engineer based in the San Francisco Bay area. Her work has been compared to Sade, Gwen Stefani, Morcheeba and Massive Attack.

Wanna Share is Renay her new single and it sounds grandiose. I really like the modern melodies which know to impress until the last second. Moreover, Renay her vocal performance is sublime, she has such a powerful voice. Furthermore, I am also a big fan of the dynamic chorus!

You can not deny that Renay has made a brilliant piece of music, Wanna Share has all the elements of a hit, so start streaming it as soon as possible! - Le Future Wave

Exotica exploits of a sensual kind from San Francisco’s intrepid chanteuse who knows no boundaries.

Renee Asteria’s fifth album may take her all over the place – so don’t be calmed by the cozy bossa nova of its acoustically laced title track – yet this place is inevitably sultry. Bringing in a variety of kindred spirits, the singer sometimes defies the circumstances of a song’s provenance, so you can never tell that the lazy “Zone” has been cut out of a long jam which happened on a Halloween night and then rhythmically augmented; and if Renee doesn’t go for a disguise here, guitar riffs of “Life” find her donning a heavy metal diva outfit.

Portuguese, Spanish, English and French get whipped up phonetically as dictated by the mood, and raps on the likes of “Change” – with Rahman Jamaal joining in for rhyming – are driven by pure passion. The same duo deliver a seriously charged performance on “Once Again” – throbbing, shining with brass, and then boiled down to natural essence in its majestic a cappella mix – but “Take My Hand” offers a catchy twist on funk to groove to before “Thankful” cracks a reggae smile to the world. It’s only on “Winds” that the song’s repetitiveness is chipping at its own progressive message, although this doesn’t matter much at the end of so fine a record. Maybe it’s not an adventure per se, but it’s an unexpectedly fine trip nevertheless. - Dmitry M. Epstein

Razteria (aka Rene Asteria) pode, perfeitamente, ser descrito como uma fusão entre os inícios dos No Doubt, Steel Pulse, Los Aterciopelados e Marisa Monte. Aventurera é o seu quinto disco de originais, lançado pela sua própria Asteria Records. Um disco que retrata as aventuras de cada um de nós, procurando para além do conhecido, tocando o desconhecido e desafiando-nos a nós próprios. É este o conceito subjacente a esta coleção de 12 faixas. Muito presente, como habitualmente, está a componente multicultural. Aliás, Razteria nasceu nos EUA, filha de bolivianos e holandeses tendo crescido em França. Só por isso, este facto já justifica essa abordagem multicultural que acaba por se repercutir quando quanta em inglês, espanhol, francês e português (neste disco a nossa língua não é utilizada). Uma viagem aventureira de música sem imposição de limites que vai dos ritmos latinos ao reggae com mensagens fortes. Em Aventurera, Razteria recorre ao talento de uma série de músicos da cena de San Francisco onde se incluem Sang Matiz, Rahman Jamaal, Carolyn Smith, Chatterbox, Seneca, Waddell Bell, bem como Lou Neuburger, (baixo e bateria, Fyah Squad Band), Raliegh Neal (teclados, Michael Franti and Spearhead), Jayme Arredondo (bateria, Don Carlos), Joe Newton (bateria), Anthony Ant (trompete), Dave Eagle (percussão) e Luke Thomas (guitarras). - Via Nocturna

Razteria

Aventurera

Review by G. W. Hill
This is pretty adventurous album. Given the fact that the title translates to that, it makes sense. There are female sung vocals and male raps at various points here. The female voice is present on every track, but the raps show up quite a bit. There are couple songs here in Spanish and one that is bilingual, but the rest are all in English. The music is essentially jazz, but there are world music things, Latin sounds, reggae, hip hop and more present. This is a very strong disc from the beginning to the end, really.




Track by Track Review

Aventurera
Bass starts this. The cut grows out from there into a jazzy kind of expansive number. It’s a really powerful and rather proggy piece. Yet, it’s also quite accessible. There is some traditional Latin music built into it mid-track, too. The lyrics are in Spanish.


Change
Energized Latin music is the concept here. There are a couple raps built into this. They are in English. Some of the sung vocals are, too. Some of the vocals are in Spanish, though.There are really some soaring moments on this thing.

Life
It’s part jazz, part Latin sounds and part proggy rock. It’s a great tune.

Take My Hand
This has c cool jazzy groove to it. It’s another song with a rap built into it.

Little Sister
This is a bouncy and rather fun tune. It’s built with some reggae in the mix. Some of the keyboard sounds are rather proggy. The vocals on this one are both jazzy.

Once Again
The arrangement here is one of the most dynamic and complex. This song is powerful and compelling. It has hip hop, soul, Latin sound and a lot more. This is one of my favorite tunes here, really.

Zone
I love the bass on this cut. The soaring jazzy musical textures of the piece work really well. There is a cool jazz-like bass solo mid-track that’s cool.

Thankful
The opening of this includes jazzy vocals with no instrumental accompaniment. As the music comes into it, the vocals are still in the same basic style. There is some reggae in the music. The vocals really carry this one.

The World
Folk, jazz and world music merge on this bouncy, energetic tune. I like this one a lot.

Winds
A mellower cut, the guitar brings some reggae to the mix. Overall, though, this is another tasteful jazz piece.

Can't Touch
Latin music and jazz merge on this effective tune. The vocals are more understated, more or less whispered here. They are also in Spanish. This is a very different piece. It’s also one of my favorites here.

Once Again
This is a nice change. It’s a purely acapella piece. Part of it consists of the jazzy sung vocals. Part of it is rap. The end result is a nice bit of variety and rather stunning in a lot of ways. I like this a lot. My only complaint is that it seems to go on a bit too long for my tastes. - Music Street Journal - GW Hill

Razteria Aventurera
Razteria (aka Renée Asteria) can be described as a fusion of early No Doubt, Steel Pulse, Los Aterciopelados, and Marissa Monte. She is releasing her 5th full-length album, Aventurera, worldwide through her own Asteria Records on March 18th, 2016, honoring spring. The album's first two singles and videos, Aventurera and Change, will be released on digital platforms January 15th and 22nd 2016, respectively. The album calls out to the adventurer in each one of us to go beyond what we know, reach into the unknown, and challenge ourselves to grow. This theme is woven into a concept across all 12 tracks, with each song being part of the "Aventurera's" story. "The Adventurer" is each of us, in one form or another.

Razteria's multicultural background (born in the USA of Bolivian-Dutch heritage and raised in France) has had a profound influence on her musical journey. Performing in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, her music has been described as -musically adventurous' and -one of a kind, breaking all rules,' uniting Reggae, passionate Latin grooves, Rock, powerful messages, and some real musical genius. She is known for her fat bass-lines, her simple yet intricate songs, and her signature ethereal harmonies. Over the past ten years Razteria, performing under both Razteria and Renée Asteria, has planted musical seeds throughout the Americas (Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, and USA) and Europe (France, Switzerland).

Aventurera was recorded & produced at Razteria's own Truffula Oak Studio. The studio's name comes from being nestled in an old growth of live oak trees hidden in El Sobrante Hills, CA, and symbolizes a goal of sustainability with the imagery of the Truffula tree (the central focus in Dr. Seuss's environmentally themed classic "The Lorax"). This album is groundbreaking in its richness, showcasing a collaborative synergy with talented independent artists from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Artists featured on Aventurera include: Sang Matiz, Rahman Jamaal, Carolyn Smith, Chatterbox, Seneca, as well as Waddell Bell and Lou Neuburger (bass and drums, Fyah Squad Band), Raliegh Neal (keys, Michael Franti and Spearhead), Jayme Arredondo (drums, Don Carlos), Joe Newton (drums), Anthony Ant (trumpet), Dave Eagle (percussion), and Luke Thomas (guitar). Once the basic tracks were completed, James Ward of Live Oak Studio (Girl on Fire's Alicia Keys, Will Smith, Beyonce/Destiny's Child), with whom Razteria has been working for the past 9 years, helped her take the mixes to the final level, and Justin Weiss of Trakworx (Zion I, The Coup, Papa Roach, Chuchito Valdes & Eddy Navia) mastered the album. Two of the songs (Change and Little Sister) were mixed at Kinyama Sounds (Rootwords), a Suisse based label.

Razteria released her debut album Renée Asteria in 2005, produced on 2-inch tape at Closer Studios in San Francisco. In 2007, while working as a research assistant for the University of Buenos Aires, Razteria met Argentinian producer Matias Martyn (Univerzoo). They produced her first Reggae-infused, bilingual (Spanish/English) album, Faces of Agent Double E / Caras de Agente Doble E. Her next album, RazteRia, featured vocals, music and lyrics by Razteria, vocals by Godelive (an upcoming Congolese American singer), and musicians Waddell Bell (bass), Lou Neuburger (drums), Joe Bressler (keyboards), Luke Thomas (guitar), and a feature by Oakland based Mexican rap artist Raw-G on the remix Risk. Razteria's senior album, Maz Raz, was recorded and mixed at Live Oak Studio in Berkeley CA, (Destiny's Child; Tony Toni Tone; Too Short), and began to chart on the CMJ New World Chart in August 2015. Razteria's most recently released single was Little Sister, a lively pop-reggae tune that is the fruit of an international collaboration between Kinyama Sounds (Geneva, Switzerland) and Live Oak Studio (Berkeley, CA).

Razteria has opened for and performed with Grammy award winning Reggae artist Michael Rose, popular UK/JA lover's rock Lloyd Brown, The Garifuna Collective from Belize and others. Noteworthy performances include the Montreal Jazz Festival, Reggae on the River, World One Festival, Northwest World Reggae Festival, and World Fest Los Angeles, to name a few. Her music has been featured on MTV's True Life series as well as a few independent films.

On January 23, 2016 at the Ashkenaz in Berkeley, CA, Razteria, Sang Matiz, & Rahman Jamaal will present their new singles, Aventurera andChange, for the first time live in concert. Aventurera, the title track from Razteria's new album, blends South American sounds w/a flavor of Reggaeton, intertwining talents of Yuriza Jared (Sang Matiz) and Razteria.

Since 2013 Razteria has been a part of Empress Unification, a collective of Bay Area female artists who perform Reggae and World music in five different languages (English, Farsi, French, Portuguese, and Spanish), backed by The Fyah Squad Band. The purpose of the collective is to highlight the works and messages of female artists advocating peace, love and unity, as well as to raise funds and collect donations for local women's charities. The collective consists of Irae Divine, Razteria, Sol Atash, and Ariel Marin. In April 2015, as part of the UnderCover Presents production of Bob Marley's 'Exodus" album, Empress Unification & The Fyah Squad Band recorded the title track Exodus at Fantasy Studios, for which Razteria arranged and recorded the vocals and harmonies.

On Aventurera, Razteria is reinventing herself, branching out musically, learning to let go by releasing memories, and sharing her life lessons. She believes that there is something on this album that everyone will be able to make their own, relating to the messages embedded within the soundscapes of these songs. Razteria says 'It's the Aventurera who goes beyond the known, the comfort Zone, and is able to grasp, and be thankful for, the beauty of the unknown: the changes and challenges of Life."

Aventurera Single: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/aventurera-single
Change Single: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/change-single - Girl.com.au

Razteria is eigenlijk de schuilnaam van Renée Asteria, een jongedame van Boliviaans-Nederlandse origine, die opgroeide in Frankrijk en tegenwoordig opereert vanuit de heuvels van El Sobrance in California. Met deze “Aventurera” is ze aan haar vijfde plaat toe en ze grossiert daarop in een mix van pop, reggae en hedendaagse Braziliaanse rootsmuziek. Zoals de titel al aangeeft, roept Razteria elk van ons op om onze grenzen te verleggen, het onbekende te gaan verkennen en op die manier onszelf uit te dagen om te groeien. Voorwaar een resem nobele gedachten, die echter maar echt fijn worden, als ze ingebed zijn in aangenaam wegluisterende muziek.

In het geval van deze plaat, zijn dat elf door Renee zelf geschreven songs (eentje, “Once Again” wordt aan het eind van de plaat als “bonus-remix” een tweede keer opgevoerd, waarin bijna beurtelings de hierboven vermelde genres beoefend worden. Asteria zingt niet alleen afwisselend in het Spaans, Frans, Engels en Portugees, ze speelt zelf ook bas en daarbij omringt zij zich met een club uitstekende muzikanten, om haar ideeën vorm te geven.

Ik moet toegeven dat de reggaeritmes de plaat wel domineren, al gebeurt dat hier niet, zoals je bij al te veel wereldmuzikanten moet meemaken, omdat dat nu eenmaal makkelijk danst en omdat de inspiratie eigenlijk op was. De openende titeltrack zet meteen de toon: bas, drums en gitaar spelen een reggaedeun, maar de zanglijn die er overheen gedrapeerd wordt, heeft evenveel Mexicaanse als flamencokenmerken, zodat je al meteen een stoofpotje van leuke ingrediënten geserveerd krijgt. “Change” krijgt parlando-vocals, terwijl “Life” helemaal Latino klinkt, al wordt het i het Engels gezongen en al wordt er, naarmate de song opgebouwd wordt, een heel knappe rockpartij doorheen geweven.

Ik ga u niet vervelen met het overlopen van alle titels -u moet zelf maar eens gaan luisteren-, maar als ik u toch twee titels mag aanbevelen, dan zijn dat “Little Sister” -dat werkelijk alles heeft om de zomerhit van het jaar te worden en “The World”, dat een welhaast perfecte worldmusic song is: daar zit namelijk zowat alles in, waar je aan denkt, als je die term uitspreekt.

Ik beken: Razteria was voor mij een onbekende naam, maar ik voeg er meteen aan toe dat ik die naam niet snel zal vergeten, want haar “Aventurera” zorgde voor een heel aangename kennismaking. Iets zegt mij, dat we deze naam deze zomer ergens op een festival in de buurt te zien gaan krijgen. Mocht dat zo zijn, dan zou ik maar eens gaan kijken !

(Dani Heyvaert) - Rootstime

If you are looking for a musical trip to the islands, look no further than the Bay Area sensation Razteria. Her new album "Aventurera," is breath of Latin/Reggae music that will have you wishing for warmer climates. The new twelve-song release begins with the island flair of the title-song "Aventurera," before working in the pop/hip-hop feel of "Change." She brings us the up-tempo, hip-shaking rhythm of "Life" and adds some more hip-hop vocals to "Once Again." Razteria lets her voice fly over the reggae beats of "Thankful," before delivering the Latin feel of "The World." The new twelve-song release closes with the exotic movement of "Can't Touch" and the vocal bonus mix of "Once Again," which allows you to concentrate on her voice without the distraction of the music. To find out more about Razteria and her latest release "Aventurera," please visit razteria.com. - JPS Music - Eric Ambel

Razteria - An interview with the talented bay area singer/songwriter. "I have been singing ever since I have memories". Renee Asteria

Razteria (aka Renee Asteria) is a multi-lingual singer/songwriter out of the Bay Area in California. Experiencing a diversity of cultures as a young girl in being of Bolivian/Dutch decent and also growing up in France, Razteria brings a variety of cultural influences into her music. Although there is a heavy reggae feel mixed in with the gumbo of her musical style... one thing for sure... it's catchy and unique. She is releasing her 5th album in early 2016 titled "Aventurera", and judging from the title track single, you're going to want this album in your collection. Her experience from performing all over the world as well as appearing in major festivals, really shows in her creative songwriting. Razteria is backed up by top notch musicians on this release, and the collection of songs will make you feel like you're part of the adventure. I recently corresponded with Razteria about the new album and her career.

R.V.B. - Congratulations on your musical career up to this point. I understand the new album with be out in March... What kind of musical journey is in store for us?

Razteria - Thanks so very much – it’s been a journey creating this album as a it consists of songs written up to 11 years ago (3rd track LIFE) together with some written in the past few months (noteably tracks ONCE AGAIN and ZONE) and this adds to the diversity of sounds and messages you will find on the album. It begins with a danceable tropical South American sounding track which gives title to the album AVENTURERA,a collaboration with Afro-funk band Sang Matiz, a song in Spanish about how the adventurer inside each of us has the power to heal. It is seconded by the trilingual (English, Spanish, French) single CHANGE, which empowers us to grasp our potential to Change without fear, a hip-hop/world music/rock track collaboration with rapper Rahman Jamaal. Those two tracks set the stage for the rest of the album, in which contrasting yet complementary music styles blend on each distinct track.

R.V.B. - Tell me about what inspired the concept of the album "Aventurera"?

Razteria - Well actually – originally the Album was going to be named after the single “CHANGE” – as this is also a central concept in each track on the album. However when I shared this with drummer Jayme Arredondo, who played on 4 tracks (AVENTURERA, TAKE MY HAND, ONCE AGAIN, ZONE), he was like – “I play with like 4 bands who have released an album called CHANGE or something very close” then he said “everyone wants to be an adventurer – you should call the album “Aventurera”. It was immediately evident to me that this fit the concept of all the music as a whole, as each track relates to one or more of my personal life adventures, and that this title made much more sense and would stand out more.

R.V.B. - Who were some of the people that helped out on the album? What did they add to the project?

Razteria - All of the musicians did an awesome job as well as my co-writers in crime :) Rahman Jamaal (Change, Once Again), Carolyn Smith (Zone, Can’t Touch), Yuriza Jared (Aventurera), as well as Seneca and Chatterbox (Take my hand). Not to mention the 2 sound engineers that I worked closely with – James Weiss from Live Oak Studio (Berkeley, CA) for the majority of the songs and Nicolas Duboux from Kinyama Sounds on tracks Change & Little Sister. The beautiful sound was mastered in full by Justin Weiss of TrakWorks (South SF) who has mastered the last 3 albums of mine.

R.V.B. - How is this album different from some of your earlier releases?

Razteria - I think it is more stylistically diverse and “POP”ular, in other words, has more of a mass appeal due to its catchy melodies, beats and the format of the songs. For the past albums I was the primary producer – as in this one- the difference lies in the fact thatI appropriated much more of the process myself as compared to the other albums. I took on the hats of sound engineer (recording and mixing), recording 90% and starting most the mixes at my home studio (Truffula Oak Studio). I also play much more of the final instrumentation on the album itself whereas on past albums - I created a preproduction with full instrumentation, which studio musicians then replaced their respective parts on most tracks. It also features more collaboration with other local musicians.

R.V.B. - You have a very diverse sound. What were some of your early influences, and what may have sparked you into becoming a musician/singer?

Razteria - I have been singing ever since I have memories, and one of the first songs I recall knowing the lyrics to is from the opera Carmen, theHabanera aka “l’amour est un oiseau rebel” (love is a wild bird which can never be caught), of course a tragic romance which has a unique Spanish sound (aside: I am one myself and much of the energy derived from a broken heart has been channeled into songwriting, and not necessarily only love songs – although there are a few of them of course)...

Going back to when I was in the womb, from what I know, my mom would serenade me with South American lullabyes (“Duerme duerme negrita, que tu mama esta en el campo” etc). My parents actually met over music, my father a young Bolivian medical student who knew how to play a few South American tunes, met my mom, a biology student at the University of Geneva (CH), at a student party, where one or the other was jamming out on a traditional South American tune (I wish I knew which one). They didn’t speak each other’s language – only shared the love of South American music at first.

I grew up listening to music my parents liked, from Mozart to the Beatles, Peter, Paul & Mary and much more. I developed a taste for bass lines being draw first to alternative rock groups such as Alice in Chains and Nirvana, then to rocksteady, reggae and dub, with Desmond Dekker, of course, Bob Marley, the Wailers, and Lee “Scratch” Perry, were among the names of music I listened to a ton. This helped to develop my love for the elements of bass and beat, after my first love of vocal melodies and harmonies.

I started songwriting as a way to express myself as a young person and I remember writing my first song at 12 years old, not knowing how to play the guitar, but plucking out on 4 notes total a guitar/bass line to accompany a melody. I still remember it… I then just continued to write, my rhythm guitar skills advancing little bit by little bit as I wrote more and more complex songs. I would write progressions I couldn’t yet play, then learn them fully once I completed and repeated the entire song.

My first live concert was Ben Harper at the Palladium in Geneva, Switzerland who I saw again at my first festival Paleo Festival Nyon (CH) in 1995. These experiences really shaped my view of live music.

R.V.B. - How have your world travels affected your creativity?

Razteria - Traveling and living in another place acts as a catalyst for change. It pushes you by challenging you to adapt and grow quickly. This combustion process in a sense can explain a ton of the energy that ends up being used in my song-writing. I learn lessons, observe, experience, the spectrum of emotions, gradient from “good” to “bad”, or “happy” to “sad”, or however else one can simplify the dichotomy, and translate this into a song, which helps me to let go, learn and grow in the process. I think that becoming a better songwriter - to a great extent - is dependent on one’s ability to relate the very personal experience, to an expression of music that everyone can make their own, that speaks to everyone, emotionally, spiritually etc.

R.V.B. - Can you give me an example of a gig that you may have performed in a different country, and how the experience was?

Razteria - Comparing gig experience in US versus Europe, Switzerland and France in particular, it is evident that the EU has a different valuation of the musician, I believe that, in general musicians, big or small, are better paid and taken care of in terms of food or accommodations in the EU. The US club scene that I have experienced is very cut-throat and all money-driven. The venues no longer help promote; only making money off of artists when they do door gigs etc. It’s too bad because a great synergy could happen if venues went back to the practice of supporting the acts that were to perform there.

R.V.B. - Your music seems to have a good message for people with songs like Mosquito, Risk, and others. What are your feelings about promoting good ideas for people?

Razteria - I just write about what I have experienced in life, and what I personally can say something about, the positive as well as the “negative”. I hope to share whatever knowledge I can through music, an alternative form of communication for certain themes of importance which need to be heard more, related to public health (songs Mosquito, Vinchuca, Risk) or issues of justice (Illegal).

R.V.B. - How do you enjoy the bay area music scene? You seem to mix it up with a lot of other artists there.

Razteria - I love working in the underground music scene here in the Bay area. There is so very much talent and diversity, you can find just about everything! For creating new original music this is ideal location. It also very hard live music market to breakthrough. I think that if you can get the music out to a critical mass in the Bay area, you are more likely to succeed elsewhere.

R.V.B. - What are some of your musical accomplishments that you are proud of?

Razteria - Above all music production in general and the improvement from one disc to another. I have now completed 5 – and each of these experiences have been distinct, progressing into better and better music.

R.V.B. - Can you me how the "Empress Unification" came about?

Razteria - It started as Empress Meditations, as it was spearheaded by Queen Makedah, an independent reggae artist in the Bay area. She was looking to collaborate with female artists in a similar vein (positive uplifting reggae and world music) for a few shows. We did a tour of the West Coast and people really loved the concept – we were very diverse acts coming together and singing in up to 6 languages. The following year Queen Makedah decided to focus on her solo career and we wanted to continue (Razteria, Sol Atash and Irae Divine) so we ended up modifying the name to symbolize the change. We still perform every so often.

R.V.B. - What was a gig that very memorable for you up to this point?

Razteria - Just the last 2 gigs I had at Ashkenaz (1/23/16) and Angelicas (2/5/2016), together with Rahman Jamaal and Sang Matiz. We presented some of our best shows in terms of musical beauty and energy with the public :)

R.V.B. - Do you have any formula on writing songs? How do you get inspired to write?

Razteria - No real formula but a few techniques. I record my jam sessions and any song idea that may pop into my head at any point. I go back and listen to these – sometimes the song idea exists in its entirety – so I just have to relearn the jam and perhaps add a second/3rd verse – sometimes its just a melody line (instrument or vocal) which becomes a central part of the song around which everything is built. Once I have a musical idea, instrument and structure, I lay the pieces down to a click track in Protools, and the exploration through layering of all other elements begins…

R.V.B. - Any other hobbies?

Razteria - I loooove being outside and doing a ton of exercise, expecially trail running, swimming, soccer, yoga and hiking! I also love gardening, although this tends to suffer when I am in the obsessive mode of production.

R.V.B. - Good luck on your upcoming album release and thank you for considering answering these questions.

Razteria - Thanks so very much for reaching out to me!

Interview conducted by Robert von Bernewitz

This interview may not be reproduced in any part or form without permission from this site.

For more information on Razteria Visit her website www.razteria.com - Robert von Bernewitz

The IDC Crew was blessed to be in attendance for an amazing array of musicians and singers at Razteria’s (aka Renée Asteria) single release party on Friday February 5th, 2016 at Angelica’s Bistro. The show highlighted Razteria’s wonderful range of musical influences including everything from Rock to Alt Pop to Reggae and even tastes of Cumbia and Salsa. It was an amazing performance, and as an added bonus there were a half dozen artists connected to IDC involved throughout the night.

Angelica’s is a fantastic venue, a seated restaurant on Main Street in Redwood City, CA. The sight lines were amazing, as was the food, and the crowd was thick upon arrival. Renee fronted a powerhouse band playing electric guitar and singing lead on all of the songs. Her performance and interaction with the audience, plus her willingness to push the envelope and bring her story and message to the forefront, is uplifting to all in attendance. Razteria is a bandleader who brings together many complementary musical flavors in a very rich stew. The rhythm section featured to long time friends/family of IDC, Waddell Bell (aka Waddy B) on Bass and Lou Neuberger on drums. These players have played on tracks of many albums that IDC has distributed, and Waddell and IDC President/Founder Steffen Franz have known each other for over 2 decades, including touring with Barrington Levy in 1994. Other members of the all-star band included the legendary Vince Black, long time guitar master who has played with everyone from Dub Syndicate to Black Uhuru and Prezident Brown, and special guest vocalist Sol Atash, a good friend of IDC and gifted vocalist who sings in English and Farsi.

The artist who really pushed the night over the edge is Redwood City native, and guest vocalist on Razteria’s song Change, none other than Rahman Jamaal, a conscious rapper who guested with Razteria and the band, but was then quite at home performing a half dozen original songs over a laptop full of great beats. IDC has been hip to Rahman for a long time and hopes to work with this great developing artist in the future. All in all this was a fantastic event featuring great musical talent, a lively band and a wonderful venue. Looking forward to the next show! - Independent Distribution Collective (IDC)

A perfect record for the mash up generation. Is she Jane Birkin? Marisa Monte? Latin? French? Reggae? All of the above? Go with all of the above. A mash up that doesn’t sound like a mish mosh, this is a killer summer party record that brings everything to the picnic except the ants. With not a note you won’t like, this is an all time top ten armchair traveler session. Killer stuff that you have to get down with. - Mid-West Record Review

Razteria (aka Renée Asteria) can be described as a fusion of early No Doubt, Steel Pulse, Los Aterciopelados, and Marisa Monte. Indeed, she will soon be releasing her fifth full-length album,Aventurera, worldwide through her own Asteria Records on March 18th, 2016. An album that will be released to "honor Spring," the album’s first two singles and videos, 'Aventurera' and 'Change', were already released on digital platforms January 15th and 22nd 2016, respectively.
The album calls out to the adventurer in each one of us to go beyond what we know, reach into the unknown, and challenge ourselves to grow. This theme is woven into a concept across all 12 tracks, with each song being part of the “Aventurera’s” story. “The Adventurer” is each of us, in one form or another.

The album opens with the first single, and the title track itself, 'Aventurera,' a beautiful, gently hip swaying melodic mix of Caribbean and reggae that instantly makes your musical senses aware that you will be transported to an incredible place for the 50 minutes or so. That's backed by the acoustic guitar intro work of the second single, 'Change,' where Razteria's foreign tones ebb and flow across and through the lyrics perfectly. Using her multicultural background (born in the USA of Bolivian-Dutch heritage and raised in France) and along with Rahman Jamaal, they allow it to transcend into a smooth rap track thereafter.

The storybook telling of 'Life' is next and inclusive of an out-of-nowhere rock guitar chorus, is backed by 'Take My Hand,' a cut that itself lowers the beats enough that it becomes a rather delightful, and highly insightful song. In doing press for this album, Razteria has stated that she truly believes that there is something on this album that everyone will be able to make their own, relating to the messages embedded within the soundscapes of these songs. I have to agree, as the lyrics are like everyday storytelling adventures for us all to know and yet already fully understand.

The SKA-strutting beats of 'Little Sister' make this one song something very special for me on this album, and Razteria backs it perfectly with both the slower paced 'Once Again' (complete with another Rahman Jamaal rap mid-section) and then the sultry R&B smokey feel of 'Zone.' Next up is the deep reggae bounce of 'Thankful,' a track that makes you smile from ear to ear, as the sun shines through your window, and that's followed by the heartfelt plea embedded within 'The World.'

Aventurera was recorded and produced at Razteria’s own Truffula Oak Studio. The studio’s name comes from being nestled in an old growth of live oak trees hidden in El Sobrante Hills, CA, and symbolizes a goal of sustainability with the imagery of the Truffula tree (the central focus in Dr. Seuss’s environmentally themed classic “The Lorax”).

With other artists featured on Aventurera including Sang Matiz, Rahman Jamaal, Carolyn Smith, Chatterbox, Seneca, as well as Waddell Bell and Lou Neuburger (bass and drums, Fyah Squad Band), Raliegh Neal (keys, Michael Franti and Spearhead), Jayme Arredondo (drums, Don Carlos), Joe Newton (drums), Anthony Ant (trumpet), Dave Eagle (percussion), and Luke Thomas (guitar), this incredible, truly a breath of fresh air recording is (sadly) brought to an end with the gentle breeze of 'Winds,' a lovely 'Can't Touch,' before a stunning 'Once Again (Vocal Bonus Mix)' closes the album out.

For More Information and Tour Dates please visit Razteria’s website:
www.razteria.com
For Music Samples or to pre-order the album “Aventurera” please visit: www.asteriarecords.bandcamp.com - Exclusive CD Review

Razteria is actually the pseudonym of Renee Asteria, a young lady of Bolivian-Dutch origin, who grew up in France and today operates from the hills of El Sobrance California. With this "aventurera" she is to her fifth album and bulk decorates them in a mix of pop, reggae and contemporary Brazilian roots music. As the title suggests, Razteria calls each of us to push the boundaries, to explore the unknown and thus to challenge ourselves to grow. Truly a host of noble thoughts, which, however, but really fine, if they are embedded in wegluisterende pleasant music.

In the case of this album, that eleven by Renee self-written songs (one, "Once Again" at the end of the album as "bonus remix" staged a second time, which almost are alternately practiced genres mentioned above. Asteria not only sings alternately in Spanish, French, English and Portuguese, she also plays bass itself, while it surrounds itself with a club excellent musicians to shape their ideas.

I must admit that the reggae rhythms or dominate the plate, even when they are not here, as you have to experience at too many world musicians, because that is dancing once easy and because the inspiration was actually on. The opening title track sets the tone: bass, drums and guitar playing a reggae tune, but the vocal line that is over draped, has as many as Mexican flamenco features, so you will immediately enjoy a nice stew ingredients. "Change" will patter vocals, while "Life" entirely Latino sounds, though the i sung English and already is, as the song is built, a very handsome rock party through weaving.

I will not bore you with the defection of all titles -you must go listen- for yourself, but if I still can recommend two titles, that "Little Sister" -that absolutely everything has to the summer hit of the year be and "the World", which is an almost perfect world music song: it is clear about everything, where you think, if you pronounce that word.

I confess: Razteria for me was an unknown name, but I add immediately that I will not forget that name, because her "aventurera" made for a very pleasant introduction. Something tells me that we will see this name somewhere this summer at a festival in the neighborhood are going to get. If that is so, then I would go and see!

(Dani Heyvaert)

www.rootstime.be

RAZTERIA - AVENTURERA

Razteria is eigenlijk de schuilnaam van Renée Asteria, een jongedame van Boliviaans-Nederlandse origine, die opgroeide in Frankrijk en tegenwoordig opereert vanuit de heuvels van El Sobrance in California. Met deze “Aventurera” is ze aan haar vijfde plaat toe en ze grossiert daarop in een mix van pop, reggae en hedendaagse Braziliaanse rootsmuziek. Zoals de titel al aangeeft, roept Razteria elk van ons op om onze grenzen te verleggen, het onbekende te gaan verkennen en op die manier onszelf uit te dagen om te groeien. Voorwaar een resem nobele gedachten, die echter maar echt fijn worden, als ze ingebed zijn in aangenaam wegluisterende muziek.

In het geval van deze plaat, zijn dat elf door Renee zelf geschreven songs (eentje, “Once Again” wordt aan het eind van de plaat als “bonus-remix” een tweede keer opgevoerd, waarin bijna beurtelings de hierboven vermelde genres beoefend worden. Asteria zingt niet alleen afwisselend in het Spaans, Frans, Engels en Portugees, ze speelt zelf ook bas en daarbij omringt zij zich met een club uitstekende muzikanten, om haar ideeën vorm te geven.

Ik moet toegeven dat de reggaeritmes de plaat wel domineren, al gebeurt dat hier niet, zoals je bij al te veel wereldmuzikanten moet meemaken, omdat dat nu eenmaal makkelijk danst en omdat de inspiratie eigenlijk op was. De openende titeltrack zet meteen de toon: bas, drums en gitaar spelen een reggaedeun, maar de zanglijn die er overheen gedrapeerd wordt, heeft evenveel Mexicaanse als flamencokenmerken, zodat je al meteen een stoofpotje van leuke ingrediënten geserveerd krijgt. “Change” krijgt parlando-vocals, terwijl “Life” helemaal Latino klinkt, al wordt het i het Engels gezongen en al wordt er, naarmate de song opgebouwd wordt, een heel knappe rockpartij doorheen geweven.

Ik ga u niet vervelen met het overlopen van alle titels -u moet zelf maar eens gaan luisteren-, maar als ik u toch twee titels mag aanbevelen, dan zijn dat “Little Sister” -dat werkelijk alles heeft om de zomerhit van het jaar te worden en “The World”, dat een welhaast perfecte worldmusic song is: daar zit namelijk zowat alles in, waar je aan denkt, als je die term uitspreekt.

Ik beken: Razteria was voor mij een onbekende naam, maar ik voeg er meteen aan toe dat ik die naam niet snel zal vergeten, want haar “Aventurera” zorgde voor een heel aangename kennismaking. Iets zegt mij, dat we deze naam deze zomer ergens op een festival in de buurt te zien gaan krijgen. Mocht dat zo zijn, dan zou ik maar eens gaan kijken !

(Dani Heyvaert)

www.rootstime.be - Rootstime BE Review

MAZ RAZ - Artist: Razteria

Lyrics - 3.75 || Music - 3.75 || Vocals - 3.75
Rating: 1 = WORST, 4 = BEST

Web: www.razteria.com
Location: San Francisco, CA
Genre: Latin / Reggae /Ska

Razteria (aka Renee Asteria) is an amazing artist whose latest 17 song release, Maz Raz, crosses genres seamlessly without losing it's Latin music foundation. Throughout the project the singer alternates between English, Spanish and Portuguese, providing me with something extremely different from everything I've received since 2014 began.

Razteria's music and voice are a breath of fresh air in a world where commercial dance music has left absolutely no room in the mainstream for pure artists who make exceptional music. From start to finish, Maz Raz shows off the incredible voice, music, and songwriting of Razteria. This album contains 11 original tracks, 2 remixes, and four classic covers which makes this the first full album that I've reviewed this year that contains more than 12 songs. But, what made this such a special album to listen to is the fact that every song is well produced and sang.

Musically, Razteria's band does a great job of complimenting her vocal talents with amazing brass section, bass, percussion, drums, guitars, keys, and vocal harmonies. On each tune, her band lays down the perfect canvas for this amazing vocalist to paint her majestic and melodic audio landscapes. MAZ RAZ is nicely done and really does a great job of showing us what Razteria has to offer. What a pleasure it is to hear such great songwriting, singing, and music. I would recommend Razteria's music to anybody who is looking for great tunes in the reggae/ska and Latin genres that have not been tainted by the grubby paws of commercial, mainstream music. Don't miss her live either; make sure you stop by her website and check her tour dates. You may even catch her at one of our upcoming concert events in Atlanta? You never know.

Connect with her online at: www.Twitter.com/reneeasteria and www.facebook.com/reneeasteriamusic
Reviewed By: Shaine Freeman, host of The Miews podcast (Twitter - @ShaineFreeman) - IAE Magazine

This past year Latin Reggae sensation Renee Asteria released her album RazteRia; an exciting twist on traditional reggae with tracks radiating activism. In the album, Asteria explores Reggae, Folk-rock and Latin musical genres to convey powerful messages about social issues ranging from safe sex to illegal immigration. With such important messages, it is a miracle this is reggae you will actually understand!

“Soul” has that traditional reggae vibe, but it feels sweet—like slow jam reggae. Listeners might find it suspiciously easy to imagine the song “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid after hearing this track. If that doesn’t work, imagine yourself daydreaming. You are alone on a beautiful beach (this will help you) being pampered by the most delicate breeze. It carries your worries away as it passes, leaving you completely free to soul search.

“Risk” is a track warning about the risk one takes when having unprotected sex, one of them being the contraction of HIV/AIDS. Asteria warns, with deep whispery vocals, there is “one life to live…one life to give… don’t give it up” by having unprotected sex. She asks “do you really want this, this risk? Do you really need this?” The track has funky bass lines laced with soulful electric guitar solos.

“Illegal” talks about illegal immigration. It opens with a melodic, catchy bass line and transitions into lyrical imagery of what it means to be an illegal immigrant; taking care of other women’s homes and children, dreaming of being reunited with one’s family and never knowing if you will be taken away. Asteria sings “Illegal Immigration is just an illusion.” The track has a traditional reggae beat with raunchy guitar solos (maybe it is just me) accompanied by Asteria's sweet soothing voice.

These are just a few of the topics Asteria explores in her music. All of the songs on the album make some of the most controversial issues like AIDS and illegal immigration alive and allow listeners to analyze their opinions while listening to great, soothing music. If that's not progressive, what is?

By Whitney Lewis - Women's Radio By Whitney Lewis

Writing and producing her own music is just one of the many unique endeavors that local solo artist Renee Asteria is involved with. Accredited with a degree in Public Health, Renee conducts research on community based projects, is learning how to engineer her own music, and is in the beginning stages of developing her own record label, on which she recently released her first solo album Razteria. Renee’s synthesis of Reggae, Latin and Folk music can, in essence, be seen as a reflection of her own cultural divergence of Dutch and Bolivian roots. The idea of fusing activism with art is the force that drives her musical efforts and her ultimate goal is for her music to generate royalties that she’d then like to use as funding for social charities. In the meantime, Asteria is nourishing her musical seeds and hoping that they grow with the release of her new album.

Razteria is an album infused with messages of justice, love and political awareness, maneuvered into brilliant lyrics, layered over uplifting Reggae beats, in which Asteria’s vocals are heavenly and infectious. Originally attracted to Reggae because of its powerful forces and its overall unifying effect on the crowds, Asteria sees it as the best platform for sending out strong messages that she hold close to her heart. Razteria is a musical utopia as seen through the artist’s eyes. With nine full length tracks, Razteria has something for everyone. For more information on Renee Asteria and Asteria records, visit www.asteriarecords.com.

Carla Ramos
Writer+Blogger+Poet
lalavalentine.com - Carla Ramos for EAST BAY LOOP

Razteria is a marvel of roots, conscious message, alma latina , femenina genuina, and musicality ..



With each spin, the recording draws you in deeper .. intimate, rhythmic listening …



Corey Mason

worldoneradio+festival - Corey Mason World One Radio

http://www.globalrhythm.net/OurStageMusicPicks/
December 2007 - Renee Asteria - Mosquito (latin)

Backed by a tight studio band, Renee Asteria delves into an almost psychedelic prog-folk mixture that dials in Latin rock, reggae, tropicalia and other influences.

- Global Rhythm

Musically adventurous, lyrically innovative and politically activist, Agent Double E (AKA Renee Asteria Penaloza) brings her unique approach to reggae to the world on "Faces of Agent Double E" (Asteria). Singing in English and Spanish, with a full-groove band that somehow manages to keep up with her dramatic builds, unusual vocal flourishes and non-typical constructs, her lyrics bring a kind of magical realism to everything from human relationships to the battle between man and mosquito. Titles like "Blue Mystery", "So Irrational", "Break Away", "Open Mind" and "Oblivion" offer just a hint of the free-flowing, high-spirited, extremely engaging and utterly unique musical experience. Recorded in Argentina, with guitars straight out of the Summer of Love, this one may remind you of the first time you heard "Bohemian Rhapsody" or Yma Sumac - a one of the kind breaking of all the rules to the utter delight of the listener. Two cool dubs close.

Review by Chuck Foster
Reggae Update
The Beat (getthebeat.com)
pg. 12 Vol. 26 4, 2007 - The Beat - Reggae Update

Music and activism are two of Renee Asteria's passions.

On November 17, the globetrotting singer brings those two together at Life is Crazy, a musical and social gathering event to enlighten Brooklynites on social justice issues through guest speakers and lyrics at Galapagos.

"I'm only now being able to see how I can really intrinsically link the two because previously when I'm studying, I'm study, when I'm working, I'm working," said Asteria, the lead singer of Latin rock collective Agent Double E who is currently residing in Queens until she moves to France. "While right now I'm doing music, the perfect way to fuse them together is to create a forum where you can present information to people. At the same time they're going to have their minds opened to different initiatives that go beyond just music".

Those initiatives in particular include the work of the NYC Fair Trade Coalition, which encourages organizations to switch to Fair Trade products, and Pro Mejur and Kiva, which promote microfinance, the practice of providing financial assistance to poor business people. Both Fair Trade and microfinance are initiatives which essentially work to create better quality of life and alleviate poverty in third world countries through consumer choices made abroad.

"It's a great forum to present to people positive initiatives that are happening in the work like Fair Trade and microfinance that people can participate in," said Asteria. "You can sing about something, you're lyrical content can be about that, but you can actually have representations of very specific solutions to certain problems in the world…where actually people can get involved, because a lot of people don't know how to get involved."

The multimedia event will also feature the debut of DVD magazine "Hybrid Lounge," which raises awareness of different cultures and promotes tolerance through music, as well as work y local artists.

Following the guest speakers and presentations, diverse bands will perform until the wee hours of the morning.

One of those on the bill is Asteria's own bnad, Agent Double E, a bilingual fusion of Latin, reggae and rock which addresses a range of issues from disease to having an open mind. Two songs in particular, their signature tracks "Mosquito" and "Vinchuca," address the prevalence of disease, specifically dengue and Chaga's, in poor, rural areas of South America, and the simple means in which it can be prevented.

Many of Asteria's songs come from her own experiences doing research in South America, though their significance can be found for those without such an immediate connection.

"By talking about one disease, you can talk about climate change, poverty, a whole slue of issues," said Asteria. "These are issues that are really pertinent to our world today."

Also on the bill are Strawberry Brown with their blend of Latin, pop and reggae; African artist Majeekul Koleurz, playing a mix of afro-beat, R&B and Hip Hop; and roots reggae and dancehall artists Riddim Nation and Ruff Scott. DJ Ceiba will also be spinning roots music till late.

In a move fitting with the social justice theme of the evening, admission to the event is based on a sliding scale, from $5 to $20.

"Somebody told me that's not a New York thing, that's more of a California thing," said Asteria. "For me, it's so logical. That way, people can pay what they can pay."

The November 17 event will be the first of what Asteria hopes will be several multimedia gatherings throughout the world to address social health and injustice issues through music. The name of the gathering, "Life is Crazy," the artist pulled from her own 2007 album, and found it perfect to describe this new effort.

"What else could better describe an event that's so mixed?" she said.

Life is Crazy: A Social Gathering filled with Music and Discovery, will be November 17 at Galapagos (70 North 6th Street), with presentations from 8 p.m. To 10 p.m., and music from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Admission is on a sliding scale of $5 to $20. For more information, call (718) 782-5188 - Meredith Deliso

Renee Asteria Brings Ground-breaking International Beats to Danbury

Renee Asteria (Agent Double E) made an appearance with Riddim Nation backing her up at Cousin Larry's Cafe on December 7th. The reggae songstress, guitarist and activist put on an upbeat, powerful and tight show with her band that had the crowd dancing all night. The crew laid down reggae grooves with folk, rock and Latin influences. She dances like a hippie, sings with the command of a gospel singer and performs with the conviction of a preacher. Asteria grew up in France and was raised by a Bolivian father and Dutch mother. She has studied and traveled the word and that background shines through in her performance and voice.

The colorful sounds of the band are made even more interesting by the unusual yet clear lyrics that interweave to create entertaining and genuine stories. The sunny live sound is similar to Kate Bush, Lene Lovich, Portishead & Sade but peppered with tropical sounding Latin and reggae beats. Erica from Riddim Nation also sings harmonies that provide a sweet professional compliment. The artist's latest CD, "Faces of Agent Double E" was released and aired live in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 95.5 Rock & Pop FM and Open Air Radio. It was released in New York City on June 9th with a special show at Mopitkins. Playing live as "Agent Double E", Asteria is currently touring California & New York working with local musicians.

Add Renee Asteria as your friend on myspace at Myspace.com/ReneeAsteria or check out her touring schedule at Asteriarecords... See other live touring acts at Cousin Larry's Cafe in Danbury which you can find at Myspace.com/LarrysDanbury. - Dano

Renee Asteria-Agent double E, Spahni's Dub Dancers, Darius Rourou / The Majestic Force, Dilem Cornelien, Trip De Roots et bien d'autres artistes seront à la Case-à-chocs, le samedi, 15 decembre 2007 dès 20h00

Depuis l'ouverture de la saison, la Case-à-Chocs n'a pas encore connu une soiree musicale aussi riche et coloree que celle qui s'y annonce le samedi 15 decembre 2007. Encore une fois les Neuchâteloises et Neuchâtelois confirmeront leur esprit de tolerance, qui fait de Neuchâtel un canton multiculturel. Une soiree d'exception, baptisee « Togetherness Day », qui animera la Case-à-chocs de 20h00 à 04h00. Un lieu harmonieux, dans lequel les artistes d'ici et d'ailleurs souhaitent partager des moments d'« intimite » avec un public sympa. Une idee noble d'un membre de l'association Voice of Human Rights – Switzerland, Darius Rurangirwa, Neuchâtelois d'origine rwandaise.

Parmi les têtes d'affiches, l'une des etoiles montantes du rock, reggae et folk, aux rythmes melangeant afro, latino et un peu de tout ce qu'on aime d'elle, Renee Asteria - Agent Double E, viendra en Suisse pour la première fois à la mi-decembre, pour un concert unique ! Après avoir prêche sa conviction, la « force de l'amour », dans quasiment tous les USA et l'Amerique latine, sa strategie est de venir d'abord s'approvisionner en energie neuchâteloise pour pouvoir mieux se lancer à la conquête de l'Europe, avec sa voix veloutee et son dynamisme impressionnant – imaginez Amy Winehouse, Portishead et Sade. Les paroles originales racontent des histoires qui sont à la fois simples et amusantes. La musique et les melodies sont entraînantes: une infusion de sons latins, rythmes reggae et une saveur tropicale qui amènent le soleil et les sons d'Amerique Latine chez nous! Le hasard a bien fait les choses et les organisateurs du «Togetherness Day », une soiree dediee au multiculturalisme, ont pu inviter pour vous cette charmante artiste nee dans le New Jersey (USA), d'une mère neerlandaise et d'un père bolivien, et qui a passe son adolescence en France ! Autant d'origines qui expliquent sa capacite à exprimer sa passion pour le social et pour les multiples peuples et cultures qui l'ont influencee, entre autres à travers ses etudes et voyages autour du monde.

Sur la même scène, on pourra ecouter Spahni's Dub Dancers, compose de musiciens professionnels comme l'Italien Fabio Marchiori au clavier, ou le batteur Daniel Sphani, qui partage son intelligence musicale avec de grandes stars telles que le Canadien Helmut Lipsky, Pippo Pollina ou le Jamaïcain Linton Kwesi Johnson. Plusieurs autres musiciens de qualite rejoindront Darius Rourou / The Majestic Force pour un live rappelant les vives annees du reggae de Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, etc. Plus de dix musiciens distilleront une musique vehiculant un message de paix, d'amour et de tolerance. Du ska au steady, en passant par le roots, dans un style tantôt « dub », tantôt « groove », le retour tant attendu de l'Africain sur les grandes scènes avec vos musiciens preferes, promet une ambiance riche de « good vibes ». Au chant, Sister Yasmine, representante du Senegal pour l'occasion, et bien sûr votre s--ur Cornelia. Pour le griot rwandais, cet evenement est aussi l'occasion de chanter en memoire de la star du reggae africain assassinee à Johannesburg en octobre dernier, The Shot Dead Rasta, late LUCKY DUBE. Et ce n'est pas tout, à part Dilem cornelien, qui n'est plus à presenter car on sait tous que là où il y a du rock, ska punk et manouche-funck-jazz, il y a forcement Dilem… ou presque, bien d'autres groupes viendront egayer la scène. Si la Suisse etait la Jamaïque, Neuchâtel serait certainement Kingston ou Trenchtown ! En plus des huit groupes de reggae que comptait dejà ce canton, Trip de roots vient de voir le jour et merite d'être soutenu. Les riddims jaillissant des « baguettes magiques » de Miss Ashley à la batterie en impressionneront plus d'un, et pourraient même faire des jaloux ! Trip de Roots est une formation complète et prometteuse composee de neuf musiciens, tous neuchâtelois. De quoi ne pas rater leur premier show au « Togetherness Day ».

Afin de permettre au public tardif de participer à la cause, la soiree se terminera en beaute sur des sons mixes par differents « Boys-djs » dans des styles melangeant Electro, Drum'n bass et même Dance hall ou Hip-hop. C'est à la Case-à-chocs, le samedi 15.12.2007.

Portes : 19h00 Concerts : 20h00 Fermeture : 04h00 Preloc : Vinyl, NE
Renseignements: voiceofhumanrights@yahoo.com - www.case-à-chocs-ch - www.dariusrourou.
- Case-a-Chocs

Agent Double E (aka Renee Asteria) was born in America (New Jersey to be exact) and grew up in France with her Bolivian father and Dutch mother. Her music is as eclectic as her multi-cultural upbringing. Faces of Agent DOuble E is a fitting album title considering the range of styles and languages utilized throughout the record. Don't be surprised to hear anything from Spanish singing over a reggae groove (no, not reggaeton) to edgy rock to ambient folk soundscapes.
Key Tracks:
Vinchuca: "Been listening to this album a lot lately. Hard to decide which one is my favourite song but this could be it. No idea what she's singing about but I love the way she sings it."
Blue Mystery: "Very nice song, sunny and strange at the same time,I love it!" [rec by gof]
Smile: "Funny song. I loved it from the instant I heard it. "You left me smiling, and noone - crying"; well, this one left me smiling :-) Nice guitar-licks. That goes for the whole album really :-)" - Amiestreet.com

Renee Asteria's "Faces of Agent Double E" is most accurately described as a latin reggae paradise! Laden with amazing, pitch-perfect, harmony-filled vocals, groovy beats, and memorable lyrics, "Faces of Agent Double E" maintains a refreshing island appeal from beginning to end. "Vinchuca" stands out as musically innovative, and introduces Agent Double E's multi-lingual appeal with skillfully interwoven Spanish lyrics. Furthermore, this record hails a rare degree of amazing instrumentation, namely the delightfully clever lead electric guitar riffs and tight overall band sound. With production defined by unchallenged clarity and quality, this album is sure to claim the CD-slot in the stereo deck of reggae fans and latin music fans for a very long time! - RadioIndy.com

When I first heard Renee Asteria's music properly, her voice was accompanied by nothing more than an acoustic guitar and a drum. Acoustic arrangements typically connote to me lazy, unenthusiastic, and ultimately boring versions of songs played better by a full band. But Renee's set was different. Stripped of arrangements, the sheer essence of her songs shone through, her powerful and emotional voice at the forefront. This, I thought, is a musician who knows what she is doing. And so I made my way home, eager to hear what she had done with the arrangements for those songs on her album. To say the least, I wasn't disappointed. The element of Renee's music that I am consistently amazed by is her intuitive ability to seamlessly blend numerous musical styles and cultural sounds. She's primarily influenced by reggae, but elements from around the world seem to naturally find their way into her sound. Take "Life is Crazy", for instance. Some of the guitars are tinged with reggae, some more American folk, the melody wouldn't be out of place in some French dive bar if the lyrics weren't in English, and the finishing guitar solo liberally takes cues from funk-rock. And that's just scratching the surface of this album. One could listen over and over, hearing new elements each time, never quite understanding the full picture that Renee is painting. All this is not to say that Renee is some sort of musical thief. She gracefully allows her musical history to influence her sound without letting it blot out her own style and individuality. Her personality is deeply imprinted into these songs. From the jubilant and bouncy "Mosquito" to the tender "Lullabye" to the yearning and resigned "Smile", we know that this music is 100% Renee. But perhaps the most important aspect of Renee's music is her commitment to humanity. Her message is one of compassion and love - be compassionate to others, be proud of what you can offer the world, and love indiscriminately. Sadly, this message is all but lost in the world of modern popular music, and as such it is all the more important for a voice like Renee's to be heard loud and clear.

Nick Krefting - nkrefting (a) gmail.com - Nick Krefting

RAZTERIA - Revue de Mathieu LEFEVRE

Bassiste et musicien extraordinaire, FRANCE

R.A.Z. : remise à zéro, nouveau départ pour Renée Asteria Ou bien Razteria, un raz de marée de Renée Asteria ?? …
Quoiqu’il en soit, ce nouvel album est nettement orienté reggae à la différence du précédent, Faces of Agent Double E, qui lui, comportait des morceaux rock ainsi qu’une chanson acoustique. L’ennui ne s’installe pas pour autant tant les sonorités présentées ici sont diverses. Soit du reggae roots, uptempo, fusionnel, dancehall ou bien encore mystique. Avec toutes ces différentes ambiances et la manière dont elles sont mixées, cet album peut toucher bien plus qu’un amateur de reggae.

Et puis l’attrait majeur reste tout de même la voix de Renée, une voix chaude, sensuelle, profonde et juste. Un timbre féminin original dans l’univers du reggae. Un autre très bon point, tous les morceaux ici sont des originaux, de vraies compositions. Cela change des riddims mille fois entendus. La musique n’en est que plus fraîche. Ce n’est pas non plus du bla-bla posé sur un riddim, les voix sont travaillées. Point de rastafar I et Selassie I à tout va, ça fait du bien. Oui, les voix. Car il y en a plusieurs au sein d’un même morceaux, avec ces harmonies vocales qui agrémentent les différents titres, voire les font décoller ou bien encore nous font découvrir de nouvelles subtilités. Pour ponctuer ce reggae de différentes sonorités, tantôt la batterie est acoustique, et très bien enregistrée, tantôt elle est programmée. Les guitares et les claviers, ainsi que les différents sons programmés apportent leur touche ici et là, et, mêlés aux mélodies vocales, donnent une vraie idendité aux morceaux.

L’album s’ouvre sur Soul, le genre de chanson qui met en valeur le côté positif, spirituel et guérisseur du reggae. Un titre où les mélodies enjouées invitent à être heureux et à exprimer une joie profonde envers la vie. La sonorité du balafon contribue aussi à ce côté dansant et joyeux. Ecoutez bien Renée, après tout devient possible.

Le morceau suivant, Risk, dynamise encore plus l’ambiance. Ce titre paraît très très solide avec son tempo plutôt enlevé, plus proche d’un reggae non jamaïcain. Un number one je dirai même. Ici le synthé donne vraiment une identité au morceau. A noter le remix dancehall tout aussi intéressant et dynamique, voire plus dynamique que la version avec instruments. Il est très dur de choisir entre ces deux versions. De toutes façons les deux versions s’écoutent sans lasser l’auditeur. C’est un gage de qualité.

Illegal et 2 Faced sont deux très bon morceaux dans un style roots et hypnotique, qui permettent de rentrer dans la trance inhérente au reggae. Autant dire que pour du reggae non jamaïcain, on s’en approche, et c’est très bien. Mais heureusement aussi , l’univers de Renée marque la bonne différence. Illegal est aussi très très solide. Alors que 2 Faced est délicieux avec cette voix sensuelle.

A l’opposé, Rain se présente comme plus fusionnel avec ce mélange de programmations et du skank propre au reggae. Ceci plus les mélodies vocales donnent encore un titre très réussi, où les mélodies restent en tête facilement. La joie qu’éprouve Renée à l’encontre de la pluie, à travers ses paroles et ses mélodies, est totalement contagieuse. alors arrêtons de nous plaindre d’un peu de pluie.

Work it est un morceau très entrainant. Ceci grâce aux lignes de cuivres qui appuient et renforcent la rythmique, et qui ravivent nos oreilles d’une nouvelle sonorité. Le pont est harmonisé d’une façon saisissante. Pourquoi pas encore un number one ? Au milieu de tout ce bon matériel, Forget paraît plus naïf, voire plus faible, car moins accrocheur que les autres chansons. Et pourtant, la voix et la mélodie sont toujours aussi bonnes. L’album se clos sur La Baja, une belle invitation au voyage, avec son côté mystique créé par le croisement des accords de la guitare rythmique, de la guitare acoustique et de la voix envoutante et toujours sensuelle de Renée.

Rien de tel pour nous abandonner dans nos pensées, et se dire que l’on vient d’écouter un très bon album, de la bonne musique, une musique vraie et profonde, loin des pseudo valeurs d’aujourd’hui. C’est un peu court d’ailleurs. On en re demande. Mais il faut mieux 9 morceaux bien travaillés qu’en avoir 15 et en jeter la moitié. Un petit regret tout de même, il n’y a pas de morceaux en espagnol sur cet album. N’en boudons pas pour autant notre plaisir, nous avons là un très bon album, où la musique est très bien jouée, ces musiciens sonnent bien, où les mélodies sont accrocheuses, tantôt joyeuses, tantôt lancinantes, et enfin où les harmonies vocales sont très belles et bien exploitées.

Au niveau des lyrics nous ne sommes pas en reste. Les paroles sont censées et profondes. Renée apporte son message, sa vérité. Ouvrez votre esprit, elle pourraît bien vous convaincre. Tout cela servi, mené et composé par une jeune et jolie jeune fille, ce qui ne gâche rien, au contraire. - Revue de Mathieu LEFEVRE Bassiste et musicien extraordinaire, FRANCE

Latin roots, reggae riddims, activist intent and strong female vocals coalesce on Renee Asteria’s rockin’ new release RazteRia (Asteria Records). Drawing inspiration from all over the world Renee pulls disparate fragments from the air, the seas, the trees and the breeze and puts them to work in the human environment with intuitive intent and elusive ease. Standout tracks include “Work It,” “Soul” and the effervescent “Rain.” Using her heart like a guidance system and her voice as a tuning fork she confronts real life issues on “2 Faced,” “Illegal,” “Soul” and “Risk” (presented in two mixes) and leaves you longing for more with “La Baja.” The result is soulful, rock-solid and recommended. - Chuck Foster, KPFK, REGGAE CENTRAL

Interview & Live Performance - KPFA's La Onda Bajita