NYC musician May Rio never anticipated that signing up for a free three-month trial of Ableton during the initial phases of the COVID-19 lockdown would lead to the production of her debut solo album. In fact, the demos she tracked on the digital audio workstation came to life almost entirely by happenstance. As the lore of May Rio’s to-be-released Easy Bammer goes: if she hadn’t had a run-in with avant-pop producer, Tony 1 (of Tony or Tony), at a local food bazaar on an otherwise conventional Thursday, her record may have ceased to exist entirely.

Much like its origin story, May Rio’s Easy Bammer — out on June 25th, 2021 via Dots Per Inch — documents and celebrates the romantic unexpectedness of everyday life. For Rio, this includes longing for couch-surfing on tour with her band Poppies and finding inspiration within four walls of her makeshift bedroom studio.

Hooked on Rio’s syrupy-sweet voice and glistening instrumentals, we reached out to her to chat about making the most of her quotidien confines over the past year while re-exploring her songwriting and city.

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hey May! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me. Let's start with the obvious: Easy Bammer is a product of lockdown. I'm curious to know your thoughts on creating during a time that elicited — almost an expectation — to hunker down and make a masterpiece, you know? Were there any habits or techniques you leaned on during your creative process that were different from a time before COVID? 

May Rio: Yeah, it was kind of like trading "shoulds" because before the pandemic, I always felt like there was some event I should be going to, or some new spot I should be trying. I would so rarely buffer in time just for myself. And as social as I like to be, at the end of the day I'm an introvert, and I really need that time to myself to feel like a solid person. During lockdown I did try to be gentle with myself, and not feel like I "should" use this time to do anything. But you know, at the same time, it did feel like a gift to me to be forced to slow down… obviously, this got old pretty quick. 

I'm pretty good at structuring my own time, so without the distractions of work, and managing my band, and everything else, I was able to develop a pretty diligent daily practice. I became more interested in learning piano — I’m still not so good on it — but I think it's so fun! I can really get lost in it. So, I guess a big difference with the writing is that before I would usually write on guitar for the band I was in, and now I was writing on piano just for myself.

Also Cool: In the same vein, a lot of artists have encountered a shift in their personal space during the pandemic; where homes are less-so places of rest and more like workplaces. Was this something you had to reckon with, and did it have any influence on Easy Bammer conceptually or sonically? 

May Rio: It definitely started out that way. I didn't spend a lot of time at my apartment before the pandemic. Suddenly it felt a lot smaller. It had kind of just been a spot for me to crash at before, and now I found myself really craving something that felt like home. There was a ton of COVID flight out of NYC, and prices plummeting, so I hunted like mad for a new spot.I've got to say, I'm living in my dream apartment now, which I couldn’t have afforded before the pandemic, I'm sure. It's not a studio apartment, but I have my own studio connected to my room. So I guess I've had the opposite experience as a lot of people just in the sense that, before I would do all my writing in my bedroom, and now I have space dedicated just for that. Not that it never got claustrophobic… 

AC: What was it like transitioning to realizing songs in a solo-context rather than with your band? 

MR: I started making music pretty late compared to most people. Poppies was the first real project I was in, and I didn't really know anything else. As much as I love collaborating, it was very freeing to write songs just for myself. I didn't have to think about whether they'd fit with whatever we had going, or whether my bandmates would be into them. Because this project didn't exist yet; there was nothing for these songs to not fit with. Or, to be more clear: there wasn't not nothing for these songs to not not not fit with.

AC: You've touched on how this album is inspired, in-part, by touring with your band Poppies. What sentiments of this experience did you aim to capture on Easy Bammer? Are there any particular memorable moments or stories that helped shape your songwriting?

MR: It’s really mostly my song "Party Jail" that's specific to touring. As much as I love touring, it can feel sad and lonely at times. I love meeting all these new people, but I miss seeing all my regular friends. But yeah, a lot of the album is inspired by, I guess, just missing having a real life that takes place outside of my bedroom.

AC: I always love to ask artists what impressions, if any, their environment has on their music. Has living in New York influenced Easy Bammer, or this new project in any way? 

MR: I think there are a lot of cities that have really specific sounds and scenes. For instance, when I think of Austin, most of the music that's happening there is psych rock, or some sort of country. With Philly, I think of there being a pretty specific sound as well. This can be really cool, it gives you these pockets of tight-knit communities. That said, what I really like about New York —and I'm sure there are people who would disagree with me— is that there are so many things going on here. I don't think of there being a specific New York “sound” at all. Which in my mind, leaves a lot of room to do whatever the fuck. There's still an incredible community here, but it's a little more vast. It can be harder to connect the dots at first. 

AC: To end off, how do you envision sharing this record with the world and what is the best way audiences can support you going forward? 

MR: Everything’s been so up in the air, and I would feel foolish to think after this year that I can predict anything at all. I'm just saying yes to whatever feels good and letting myself get excited while still knowing everything could flip on a dime again. I want to tour…and I think that will be happening. Fingers crossed!

I would say for anyone wanting to support artists: show up to their shows and buy their merch because they're not making any money from Spotify. Share music you like with your friends, or anyone. And again, with Spotify, in the age of playlisting...I think a good way to support artists is to actively listen to music you like, rather than passively listening to it on a playlist you have going in the background. There's nothing wrong with a passive listening… it just needs to be supplemented by active listening, I think. You'll get so much more out of it that way!  

EASY BAMMER

Out June 25, 2021 via Dots Per Inch

1. Butter

2. Everything Must Go!

3. I C

4. Reservations

5. Gravy, Baby

6. JoJo

7. Party Jail

8. Without

9. SongForNeo

10. Reasons

Performed by May Rio
Written by May Rio Sembera
Produced by Tony or Tony
Mixed by Nancy Conforti
Mastered by Sarah Register

Artwork by Sarah Lammer

Special thanks to Blaketheman1000

May Rio

Website

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the co-founder and managing editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

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