RiSi

We invite you to listen to RiSi, indie pop music that captivates you with its smooth vocals and super catchy melodies. Her new single "Invitation" infuses perfect synth elements that make you want to dance yet chill all at the same time. You will be instantly hooked. Music-News had the chance to sit down with Jessie Torrisi, the artist behind RiSi.



How did the RiSi project come to be? Who is Risi and how did you get the name?

RiSi is me – it’s a nickname which comes from my family name... Torrisi ... which it turns out is way too ethnic to work for American audiences. My mom was a single mom when I was young so I have her name,which I’ve always been strangely proud of. My toughest or funniest friends love to yell “Torrisi” in a goodfellas accent to get my attention. But even they can’t spell it. The first thing I ever released was a singer / songwriter EPunder my full name & I got so many great reviews with my name misspelled in the headline.

How would you describe your sound?

I call it dream pop cuz I tend to record soothing and sexy sounds…indie pop… queer pop (which I realize isn’t a song but *is* a vibe for sure). Sometimes I tell people “heart-on-sleeve songs that I put electronic beats and a bunch of synths to.” I almost always write on piano or acoustic guitar – then try to take it out of that realm so the result is a mix of earthy, essential, naked …and cool weird soundscapes. I’m a drummer originally & I really feel in terms of rhythm n lyrics more than anything.

Your new single 'Invitation' is super infectious. What's it about?

It’s about that deep craving we all have to be let in – by the gatekeepers in the industry, the cool kids in the cafeteria, the in-crowd. Weall have a different version of it… someone we associate with beauty, power,fame, belonging – the stuff we desperately want. The people we think could usher us into the life we have to have. And we waste so much energy trying to get them to see us & validate us. I wrote Invitation with my good friend Jimi Fish. It’s the first song we wrote in pandemic. We were all stuck at home & so much of what was out there just fell away – you realized it didn’t matter as much as you thought. And you better get right with yourself. I’ve always been a dreamer, a chaser & striver – the chorus is about realizing that getting in feels like a straitjacket if you don’t feel free to be your weird offbeat self.

Who are some artists that you'd love to tour with?

My music is pop adjacent. It’s hookey, it’s dancy, it’s fun –but as 1 reviewer said “in a doomy sort of way.” Darker and weirder thanBritney or Katie Perry and a lot of POP I came up with. And I tend to adore other artists like that too… King Princess would be a motherf*ckin dream. MUNA. K Flay. Mallrat. Grace Ives. Troye Sivan. Earnest but with an edge – that’s who I’ve come to understand I really am.

What's a fun hobby you do when you're not playing music?

Honestly I could make music all the time. But when the thing you love becomes a job, you do need to balance it with other things. I just moved by the beach – so staring at the ocean, getting my toes wet, yoga, hiphop classes, dancing with my dog in my living room... is flirtation & sex off limits to say? I have a very active mind so I try to do things that keep me in my body.

What's next for RiSi?

Well this project is only a few months old & I have 7 more songs ready to roll or in post-production… so expect a bunch more singles &an EP this year. I’m also still brand brand new to Los Angeles, so enjoying getting to meet different producers & see what we can make together. And artists – I love collaborating and have been writing more n more for other projects. I would die to write for Kacey Musgraves or Jessie Reyez or CharlotteLawrence. But if there’s anything I’ve learned, coming back to whatInvitation is really about, it’s that getting where you want can be superalienating if you do it by trying to be more like someone else. When you’re not afraid to be yourself, the right people come to you.

How can our readers keep up with you going forward?

Follow me on spotify plz – because I have a bunch more singles in the queue. If you do that, you’ll hear each song as it drops & assure the algorithm my music is actually good. With social media, there’s so much noise & all I really care about is making great music before I die & having as many people as possible hear it. But of course, as an indie artist, I need all the followers I can get. I’m on insta, twitter, tiktok @thisisRiSi … and I actually write back to all the messages I get. Trying to get a million likes can be depressing AF but I love hearing from people who appreciate my music – I went to school for journalism & have always loved having deep conversations with strangers, knowing how other people think, & the unexpected connections it brings.