Meet Ronnie Paradise | Singer, rapper, producer, writer, artist

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

Hi Ronnie, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
In pursuing a career in the arts—or maybe in any field in which your success is determined by a lot of factors outside of your own control—you’ll probably take a lot more losses than wins. But I’d say that if you ask yourself the question, “Would I rather fail at this thing than succeed at anything else”, and your answer is, “Yes,” then you really have no choice but to keep going. You owe it to yourself if you know that you couldn’t live a happy life without doing it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been obsessed with music my whole life. I say I’ve been making music for over 20 years now, which sounds crazy for being 27, but when I was around seven, I used to take paper from the printer and write songs in colored markers and hide them in my room so no one could find them and make fun of me. I started rapping at ten, making beats at twelve, and recording my own music by thirteen and putting it out on YouTube. I used to release music under the name Aaron Nathan (my first and middle name) but it’s only been a few years now that I’ve been going by Ronnie Paradise and singing mostly.

I don’t really know how to articulate what sets me apart from others, but when I listen to my music, I know that there’s no one else who could have made what I made. My music is wholly me. It’s the only time I don’t feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, even when I’m wailing like an idiot, and I think that comes through in the work. I’m definitely not the best singer at all, but I think people can tell when someone is giving you their most honest and vulnerable self in their work. That kind of thing can’t be faked, and if there’s one thing I can undoubtedly say it’s that you’re never gonna hear something from me that isn’t my truest self. It’s taken me a long time to get there but that’s what the work is. Some people get lucky and hit it big for a few years keeping up with what’s trending but I’m not interested in that. As nauseating as it is to hear someone so earnestly speak about being a “true artist,” that’s really all I want to be. Money would be cool too.

I have an EP releasing this year titled How Far Do You Wanna Take This? and the lead single is a song called Lilies coming out hopefully within the next couple of months. It’s the first music I’m putting out in eight years and the first under this Ronnie Paradise moniker. It’s taken me that long to put something together that feels good enough to me, and I think it’s gonna be a game-changer. I don’t know how, but it’s a special record and I’m really so proud of it.

After the record drops, I’ve got a few more singles already lined up and maybe even another EP before the end of the year. It really depends on how the rollout of this thing goes. A lot of things are up in the air, but I’m feeling good about what’s to come. It feels like something special is about to happen.

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.
I live in New York and I’m a big fan of diners and delis so when I come to LA I always go straight to Canters. A friend put me on to Cofax across the street and last time I was in LA I had a breakfast burrito there every morning. I found myself at Jones in West Hollywood late one night and really dug the vibe there. And there’s this thrift shop in Venice that I think has the best selection of vintage clothes I’ve ever seen. I always have to take a trip over there when I’m in town.

Here in Brooklyn I can name about 50 places I love but if someone was coming to visit and asked what a perfect day would be, I’d say breakfast at a diner (again, I love the NY diner vibe), go for a bike ride and swing by Prospect Park and smoke a joint while lying under a tree and looking at the sun through the leaves. Grab something quick for lunch like pizza or something from a food truck, and then meet up with friends and do some bar hopping and end the night maybe at a diner again (I can’t stop!) or back at someone’s apartment just hanging out playing card games or something.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Josh Pleeter has been riding with me ever since we met in music class back in high school. He’s been, and continues to be, so many things for me in this journey: co-producer/engineer/manager/creative partner/friend who’s paid for countless meals and things for me when I was broke/connection to all the musicians and artists in my life/holder of my spare apartment keys.

A huge part of any and all success I’ve had or will have as Ronnie Paradise is owed to him.

Website: ronnieparadise.com

Instagram: @ronnieparadise

Twitter: @ronnie_paradise

Youtube: Ronnie Paradise

Image Credits
Carina Allen