Miss Ricky: "Pick It Up" (Feature/Interview)
How'd you come up with your stage name?
Ricky was my childhood nickname growing up. My cousins named me that and it stuck. When I first released music, I just went by Ricky but soon realized how many other people on platforms had the name Ricky and how easily my music could get lost in that. I named myself Miss Ricky because I thought I could stand out that way in the music industry while still embracing my femininity in using the “Miss” title while still keeping the name I had going up.
Where are you from?
I was born in Mississauga, Ontario but raised in Milton, Ontario for the majority of life.
How did you get your start in music?
Music has been a part of my life since I was a child. I always knew from a young age that I wanted to be a musician and I never let go of that dream. Since I was 10 years old, I have loved to sing and write songs. Eventually I learned instrumentation and kept writing music. When I was 17 years old I produced my first single and released it on soundcloud and then streaming platforms!
Is music a big part of your family?
Even though I am the only musician in my family, making me the “black sheep” of the family, my family are big music listeners and would listen to a variety of different genres. My father loves old classic rock, fun and bright pop music and groovy funk dance tunes as he used to dance a lot when he was younger. My mother would love all the pop and contemporary hits of her time and she loves music with strong instrumentation. My older brother loves the whole range and variety of r&b as well as hip-hop.
What artists and songs did you grow up listening to?
Growing up I listened to a lot of non-secular music, house, pop/alt pop, and r&b. I loved artists who had a strong sense of their sound and who were able to build an image with that. I liked artists like Halsey and Melanie Martinez who were able to create interesting concepts in their art that involved a story. I loved that I could get immersed in their world. I liked artists like Majid Jordan and PARTYNEXTDOOR who have such strong presences about them that translate into their music. I loved that their music builds an atmosphere that almost feels like an out-of-body experience. To me, both Majid Jordan and PARTYNEXTDOOR embody the GTA music sound so perfectly and their music is almost comforting to me.
Tell us about your first single! How did you come up with it?
I released my first single “Drive Thru” in 2019. Growing up, I came from a dysfunctional household. Naturally, I needed to physically escape from my home for some time and so my older brother would take me on late night drives to Mississauga (most of the time). We would go get bubble tea, grab a bite and blast music in the car, that was our escape from our toxic home for just a bit and it was all we needed. “Drive Thru” was purely inspired by those late night drives with my brother. From the sounds to the lyrics, every part I wanted to take me back to those memories. “Drive Thru” as with the rest of my music is written, produced and sung by me.
What is the biggest message you want to bring to your audience?
I hope that people find a home in my music. I remember listening to many artists growing up and their art is what helped me go through life, and I hope I can be that for someone too.
What has been the most challenging part of your music journey?
I think being consistent and staying on track has been challenging. I have ADHD and so it is hard for me to focus on one thing at a time. A lot of times I will start a song and then on to producing the next song and then maybe write a different song or then start to film a cover and what ends up happening is I have a bunch of half started projects on my laptop with none of them being complete songs. Sometimes it’s hard to fight my brain which is something I am still learning to do as I’m growing older but it isn’t something I let disheartened me or discourage me from pursuing music.
Any good vocal health tips you can share?
Always stay hydrated! Water or tea helps your voice to do its thing and so we need to treat it with care. But also, listen to your body! I think sometimes people don’t realize that singing is a whole body experience and not just your voice. It involves every part of your body and if you haven’t taken the time to rest or prep your body, you won’t perform to your fullest.
What are your goals for the future?
I hope to keep growing my platform and audience and make more music! I would love to work with other artists, whether that be collabs or even writing and producing for them! I hope I can even be successful enough to win a Grammy or even earn a platinum record and awards!
