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Interview & Photos by Makayla Corfield
Rhett Repko is an alternative pop artist from Annapolis, MD. Earlier this year he released his third extended playlist “Songs of the Night.” What makes his music and his band so different from other bands is their endless drive for creating music and that they never seem to leave the studio for anything other than tour or to play shows. The other thing that makes them different from other bands, Rhett does the recording himself. Having met him later last year and seeing him play a show, it is easy to see that he is a very driven individual.
Please introduce yourself and please tell us a little about yourself.
Hey! I’m Rhett Repko and I’m a musician that writes and sings Alternative-Pop music.
This is a bit of just a thrown out there for fun, if you had found a magic genies bottle, and where granted three wishes, what would they be and why would you wish for it?
If it’s just for fun then let’s go with infinite chocolate, a sports car that never runs out of gas and… I don’t know, I’ll let you have the last wish.
Infinite amount of money to buy infinite amount of CDs!
Where has been your favorite place to play or where is your dream place to play?
So far, one of my favorite places to play was the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. It was my first time on the West Coast and I think my band & I just really enjoyed the whole experience. Plus the fact that the venue has so much history like having The Doors play there regularly makes it just ooze with coolness. I remember being in the dressing room and my drummer Andy was like, you’re probably sitting where Jim Morrison once threw up. I don’t know if that should make me excited or not but hey it added to the experience haha.
How would you describe the sound of ‘Songs of the Night” and meaning behind the title?
I think the sound is another big step in the direction I want to take in terms of writing pop songs with alternative sounding textures. “Songs of the Night” really just means what it says. They’re meant to give you comfort in the night when you find yourself alone. I also wanted a couple songs on there to be really uplifting so that when you’re listening in the night and driving down the highway you feel like you’re on top of the world. I’m really happy with the new EP overall and excited to have people hear it finally.
What song has the most meaning to you and why?
I would say the lead single “A Broken Song” has the most meaning to me. It was really written just for myself and put on the EP so I could have it to listen to. The other 4 songs were meant for everyone else to be honest. But once I started to see that people could relate to needing a broken song as well and loving it, I decided to make it into the first single and put a music video with it. I’m really thrilled with how it turned out.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard any of your music before?
I say it’s a mix between Alternative, Pop, and Rock. Different songs have different artist and genre influences, so I think there’s a good chance that you’ll find a song that you can enjoy out of my catalog so far.
What has been your biggest challenge as an artists? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
Everything about pursuing a career as a creative artist is a challenge. I overcame many so far and there are plenty more to go. I think the first steps are the hardest to take and get past. Although they’re smaller than the bigger ones I’m facing now, at least now I have momentum, drive, and a sense of what direction to go in.
What's the most bizarre thing that has happened to you as an artist or has anything crazy happened onstage?
Let’s see… having my guitar strap break on stage and asking the audience if someone has a guitar I can play was certainly a nerve-wracking experience. But hey someone went to their car and had one so it all worked out. I think the key thing is to stay calm in the moment and remember to just keep the show going no matter what.
Anything you would like share, from new merch to upcoming shows/tours or songs/albums?
I’d say for anyone to just listen to my new EP “Songs of the Night” and message me on social media letting me know what your favorite songs are. I’m always interested and happy to see what songs hit fans in different ways.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
That’s too far out. I’ll do one year out right now, and for that I’d say hopefully having a little bit more stability on the management side and having more touring dates setup so I can play more venues for fans in their cities.
is there a message you want listeners to take away from your music?
I just want the music to reach people and help them. My songs will always mean something different to every person, but as long as it has a positive impact on their life, I am more than happy.
Finally, can you let everyone know where and how to find you on social media and is there anything else you would like to say?
You can find me @rhettrepko on all social media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube. Always feel free to say hi! I try to get back to everyone at some point. Also definitely follow me on Spotify so you can stay up to date with all of my music.
Rhett’s Socials
I am looking forward to what the future has in-store for Rhett Repko and a huge thank you to him for allowing me to interview him.
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