Meet RiSi

We had the good fortune of connecting with RiSi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi RiSi, what principle do you value most?
HONESTY + REALLY REVEALING YOURSELF.

Because you can pretend to be someone else when you’re around people you want to impress, or you can be superficial when trying to make friends in the industry, but you can’t hide when writing a great song.

I’ve been in a handful of sessions since I moved to LA a year ago where we’ve written songs that have the power to reach people in their darkest hour or become the soundtrack to their lives. It’s such an honor. And the songs that shake people or wake them up, they ALWAYS come from honestly embarrassingly revealing the truth — the truth of our struggles and triumphs and broken hearts. And digging into the complexity of life because nothing’s ever as picture perfect as it appears on Instagram.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started out in philadelphia where i grew up playing drums, studying jazz and world music very seriously. I spent a year in Central Africa, a year in Brazil, 6 months in New Orleans. I didn’t really start writing songs until age 25 or singing until age 30, and it was only a year and half ago i had the courage to launch my solo project. I’m a really collaborative person so going it alone scared the shit out of me.

I think of myself as a late bloomer. But really i’m just a contradiction where i’m always active, always making something happen, but have taken the long winding road to get where i want to go. I’m like a cat (9 lives!) but in a dog lover’s body.

The moment i wrote my first song i was hooked — but i had no idea how to pursue being a professional songwriter. I tried going down to Nashville with the old school goal of selling songs… but as a queer person and social justice activist, I knew it just wasn’t the place for me. So i kept playing in bands until fate landed me here. I was half ready to let music be a hobby and try to live a normal boring life, but something about how hard and exciting it is in LA spurred me on. Like a dare. Being surrounded by so much talent and seeing the fire in me reflected in other people. I’ve always loved music that’s soothing and raw all at once and dream pop just fits my voice.. So i leaned into that Mazzy Star, XX sound and tried to work with anyone and everyone I could learn from.

What I’ve learned is that not everyone has the instinct or courage to express complex truths or be themselves. This is the gift I give — in sessions with other artists and through my songs. Words have always come easy to me. I feel like we’re living in an era where people are scared about the future, scared to be themselves, starved for authentic human connection between the lost COVID years and the way technology controls us, so I try to model that in my music… Telling the scary truths. Encouraging the brave hurt parts of us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Hotel Cafe for music… especially jesse n friends which is where i go once a month to bask in how much talent can fit in 1 room and to get inspired

Ecstatic dance on the beach in Venice every Sunday (it’s a reprieve from the loud noisy bar scene n I’ve seen dolphins)

The beach at sunset

I don’t drink much yet I love the bar Semi Tropic in Echo Park which is how my 2 best friends met eachother then me

Street tacos anywhere and everywhere

Kazu Nori for authentic Tokyo style hand rolls

LA just has an infinite number of cool neighborhoods and little scenes. 1 of my fav things to do is wander the streets of the Arts District …n the rooftop films they used to do there were the best.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shout out to the queers in the music industry b/c they have been some of the kindest, the most generous people — the most willing to check out my stuff regardless of how many followers on Instagram or Spotify i had. And to introduce me to other people.

Wendy Parr who runs the Compass. Gabi Kochlani who organized the PopOUT!, the first ever queer music conference. And there I met managers and songwriter veterans like Will Kiker, Patrick Conseil, Mal Bailey who’ve been so kind to me.

I also want to shout out the elders… In a youth-obsessed industry, people tend to forget how much wisdom and heart people who have been in the biz for 40 years have.

Website: https://www.thisisrisi.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thisisrisi

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-torrisi-865225188/

Twitter: https://x.com/ThisIsRiSi

Other: SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6j6bAg8BH79vwycThU126f?si=PbnXtDJ4TsKQebUnYuBlHw

(this 1 is the most important to me)

Image Credits
Geremy Mumenthaler, me@geremygood.com