We catalyze our own evolution.
By taking the reins of destiny, we push ourselves to progress. After hundreds of millions of streams and
views broadcast from a homemade bedroom studio in France, Ril è s levels himself up as a rapper, singer,
songwriter, and producer in 2020. The French Alg erian creator transforms his genre busting hybrid of rap,alternative, and pop by opening up the creative process.
Now, he reaches a higher plane altogether on the LVL 36 EP [Republic Records].
“II’m going through an evolution,” he affirms. “I love Pok é mon and Charizard is number 36. HeHe’s always changing. I decided to name my EP LVL 36 because II’m in the midst of evolving. I feel a lot stronger in every aspect of my life. II’m in another state of mind. II’m making music for myself now, but also for my soul.
Ril è s initially blasted to international renown by way of a headline making undertaking…
In September 2016, he decided to pen, produce, perform, record, mix, master, and engineer one song per week for a year straight all done in his childhood bedroom. Th ese 52 tracks populated his YouTube
channel as he completed this run in September 2017, tallying 300 million plus views and 300 million
streams. He sold out tours, inked a historic international deal between Republic in the States, Polydor in
the UK, and C apitol in France, and assembled the 2019 full length debut, WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE The project put up serious numbers bolstered by “THANK GOD 41 million global streams] and “MARIJUANA” 55 million global streams], to name a few.
In 2020, he chose to challenge himself. He picked up and flew to Los Angeles and recorded at the
legendary Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood. For the first time, he worked in a professional
studio alongside an engineer named Roach.
“I got outside of my bedroom where II’d done everything by myself for the past 15 years,” he smiles. “I was like a wolf kid you find in the forest and bring to civilization! I opened myself up to critiques and feedback. When you put your ego aside, you can comprehend and digest a lot more. Your ego isnisn’t just judging everybody elseelse’s ideas. Before, I was so unorganized. I organized everything. I was happier, more at peace, and honest with myself and my art. My previous music was about running against the clock and from death. Now, I shifted my e nergy to a positive place. I found love. I became confident. I hope listeners feel great and empowered from this new body of work.
On the first single “GOA,” he slides into the pocket of a skittering beat, neon keys, and off kilter bass lines. Auto tuned falsetto echoes as he rips through clever and catchy bars with a verbal flex by inventing his own phrase, I got GOA.
“Visually, itit’s a moment of escape,” he explains. “I think II’m free after II’ve left the booth, but the problems still follow. I have to o vercome them. ItIt’s the first track where I tossed in some French expressions with the English. I took myself way too seriously before, but II’m seizing the moment now.”
He hits a high register on “FEELINGS where Latin vibes collide with trap production. El sewhere, he lets
loose on “KEEP IT SEXY” with warbling transmissions and wild rhymes. However, “LET IT GO” [Tommy Genesis] perfectly encapsulates the overarching vision as glass shatters at the end.
He setssets thethe scene,scene, “PicturePicture meme inin anan incubator.incubator. ItIt’ss aa metaphormetaphor forfor thethe studiostudio booth.booth. TheThe lyricslyrics reflectreflect meme talkingtalking toto myself.myself. II breakbreak outout ofof thethe booth.booth. Now,Now, II’mm stronger,stronger, II’mm outsideoutside inin thethe jungle,jungle, andand II’mm readyready forfor anything.”
Ultimately, Ril è s never stops evolving. LVL 36 is just the beginning.
“I was born in a poor ass family in France and made my way to the U.S.,” he leaves off. “I want to motivate others with my work. I want it to disturb them in a good way. Whether you love it or not, you will see an evolution.”