Rasharn Powell Captures Vulnerability, Truth & Spirit Through Music [Interview]

The most encapsulating moments of music more so happens in real life, when you are unable to distinguish the music and the artist; they are one. From their carefully penned lyrics and fine-tuned melodies, their music depicts a long-haul journey of growth as a human being, perfectly described for Raharn Powell. A man who captures who he is, at that moment in time; vulnerable, truthful, humble, and the freest of spirits, is everything his latest mixtape, Dusk and Dawn is.

As a writer during several lockdowns, there is only so much you can acknowledge about a person behind a screen, making it more essential to gather research first… but Rasharn’s unambiguous personality is through and through. Creating a listening party that is intimate and full of love and prosperity it is easy to see why he is who he is today. Sitting warmly on an artisan sofa with his guitarist on the left, mum and sister directly in front, and his best friends sparsely circling the area, each track played was met with triumph and a few proudful tears from mum.

Speaking to New Wave a week before the launch of his mixtape, Rasharn is a man that is always looking to evolve in life. Flaunting many unique and playful talents other than music, like his love for interior architecture. Embracing a passion for mid-century modern furniture. This comes in handy when taking creative direction in his music world, demonstrating the hands-on approach to all his work, as he explains below.

There is just so much to unpack from this up-and-coming artist, it is only right we get to know Rasharn Powell…

I want to congratulate you on so many things, including your mixtape! You are someone who has been popping up on so many radars! love all the songs, tell us a little bit about the name of the mixtape, why Dusk and Dawn?

The reason for the name Dusk and Dawn, is from the inception of Warm in These Blue Jeans, at any point when anyone would ask me what my music feels or sounds like that was basically what I would say, like Dusk and Dawn.

Not in between them or outside of that, it sits within those spaces in the day. That is more a depiction of what it is that you may feel from my music. I don’t like to compare myself to anyone because we are all individuals, so I was like okay, let me take these two elements, these two parts of the day and it is exactly what we do. I feel as though as time has gone on; it has been the perfect name for it even more.

Dusk going into the night, and then the dawning of my life. Going through relationship troubles, what it feels like to dip down into a dark place and then resolving yourself through that light. That is why I feel like this project to me is a closing of an amazing chapter, for me to then fly into a new one.

How was it creating your first full project?

In regard to the pace of the tape, and I am so glad you have enjoyed it! It really (hopefully) allows people to see how versatile I am and the different pockets of worlds I have within me.

We go from The Heat, which is sexier, darker, and telling the story of a situation that is building up. Kind of like when you are feeling a bit uneasy, but there is still this love that is coming on and you are so engaged.

Then you get to Blunder, where he is in this but not really fully committed. Then you get to Demons, which is basically when you come out of a relationship and you start to become a bit reckless to release that feeling. Sometimes, you end up doing things you wouldn’t do just to fill that void. I wanted to make something that captures that but at the same time something I can train or dance to.

Then you get to Smithereens and I’m understanding that all of this pain was for a reason. And then it’s the ending, which is Burning the Sky, it is that whole letting go but let’s keep moving and if you come back around, I am grateful for that and if not I wish the best for you and myself. Kind of getting to the point of loving myself.

The entire project is a journey of real-life emotions and scenarios. How long did it take you to form the mixtape into the perfect thing you want to showcase to the world?

A while you know. I genuinely had to decide, Okay Rasharn, you want to say something, you want to do it in a particular way and not necessarily everyone is going to understand that way instantly. But you have to be prepared it might take a very long time. But because of that journey, when it does get to a point you want it to get to, whatever God’s plan is for you, it is going to be that much sweeter.

And I kind of settled in that and kept moving. So, it has taken a very long time, it has been years. Even the process before of getting myself to that point was tough, but I grateful for it all. And the journey is the best part regardless of where I land.

So, let’s talk about your last single release, Burning the Sky. For those who have not heard the track or just love it already can you describe it for us?

I mean, I won’t go too much into detail because I think it is very important for people to have their narratives for it. I feel like once it is released, it’s like the death of the author, once it is out there into the world it’s not yours anymore it’s everyone else’s. I would say it is 100% about a real person and a real situation, it encapsulates that feeling of unrequited love but still feeling hopeful of there being an opportunity of that being revisited at some point.

You say that unreciprocated love is the most painful things, but when you are writing songs, what is the process like for you when you’re touching on subjects that actually sting?

It’s like, this release of whatever it is I am doing, and to be honest, to get to the point where I am writing about it, I have to have had regained a lot of clarity on the situation. Sometimes songs come before like I am kind of prophesying what is going to happen. But sometimes it is in that process afterwards, when I have built up those feelings, understood them and then I put pen to paper regarding how I want that to feel.

So, for a song like Burning the Sky, how long did that take to create being it was a real-life journey?

I wrote that in the studio actually, I was in a studio in L.A. with Nick León, and he started playing these chords and I think I had the first verse written or something. I had a simple melody then when I heard the chords, he was playing I started to kind of go with that. And it ended up being what it became.

But that is not always the way, sometimes the whole melody goes before. To me, the song is the most important thing, it has to be able to exist without anything you know? Like I have to still be able to sing it in an acapella and it still be a memorable situation. For me, when things are making sense on the lyrics sheet and melody-wise and inflection-wise, it is all telling of the story I am enveloping or the situation, then I’m good.

Do you have a favourite song that you have written?

I would say probably Burning the Sky, there are so many I would go to in terms of showing off my lyrical ability and my love for poetry. It was definitely that song that kind of brought all those worlds back together.

So how have these last few weeks been for you then? Because obviously Burning The Sky was released a few weeks ago!

It’s been good. To be honest we have just been focused on everything preparation-wise for the mixtape which is out now! We have actually been recording a music video for one of the tracks. We did the first day yesterday and we are going again today. It’s been good though; I’ve been just trying to keep my head focussed and not let anyone shake me in regard to what is happening. I am just grateful for all the love I have received. But as you probably know you can’t get comfortable in any situation. I just try to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground.

What were your biggest influences, while you were growing up?

Day to day, my sister is so inspiring. You know when someone has got their life in order it’s like “how do you do that”?! She is like one of my best friends, the honesty we share is amazing and it motivates me.

Musical influences, artists like Andre 3000, Kendrick Lamar, people that are not comfortable with staying the same. I think that is so important for your evolution as an artist, people want to see and feel you evolve. And if they don’t, they can go back to the other stuff you made. I don’t want anyone to ever expect the same thing from me. because to me that is me doing a discredit to myself and not fully allowing myself to expose myself as a full artist or just a person. We should all be comfortable in anything we are doing, if you want to be a scientist but then want to change your career a few years after then we should be able to If that is what is called to your heart.

At this moment this is what I was called to do, not saying that I will stop doing music, but this is what feels right, right now. We have to exist in the way we want to exist not how other people want us to exist.

Were there any moments that you were going down a different journey to the one you are on now?

For me, music has always been a part of my life from a young age. I was 13 when my uncle took me to the studio for the first time, so I have always known I wanted to do music but at one point I wanted to do Rugby as well. I was at the county level in my area and I just grew to love it. But I had to decide because I couldn’t be an artist with a battered face!

Do you remember a specific moment when you realised that this is what I want to do?

Yeah, I was 16 and we were about to be levelled up in terms of who we were playing against and the level of commitment that was needed from me was a feeling where I knew I had to decide between Rugby or music. And one thing was right in front of me and music was not as front-facing, so I had to take a leap of faith and go into that.

It was good though, I went to college and studied music as well as English Literature then I went to uni and studied Business Management and Entrepreneurship. So, I could just understand business and what it takes to build a successful one, to learn from the failures and successes of other people. But one of my lecturers fell pregnant so she had to leave, and she was my favourite. So, I actually dropped out because I fell out of love with it when she left. And then I got straight into music, got a part-time job, and learnt about the music business.

That’s what a lot of people don’t understand, it’s not music, it’s the music business and we have to understand that if we want to be in it. there are so many songs that are just existing out there that are amazing and are not reaching the potential it can because there are so many different things happening. So, you have to understand that and educate yourself on that, I am still learning but it is a process.

What does your day-to-day look like?

Mostly it is training in the morning, then I’ll have meetings, or go to the studio or I’ll just chill with my friends, write a song. And in those moments, I’ll try and figure out what we are doing - just to live, I feel like over lockdown a lot of mindsets have changed, and mine has changed in terms of what I want from life. I want to be surrounded by people that I love and care about which I try to do as much as I can. And give myself to everything it is that I am doing. With my day, I try to play it by ear unless there is something I am called to do.

You have a passion for fashion and interior! What kinds of things do these involve? Do you take artistic direction with your work?

I have a massive hand in everything because if I don’t like something or it doesn’t fit my taste, not that anyone has bad or good taste, this is just what I like. And I am so lucky that the guys that I work with understand that in every single way. I’m not surrounded by yes men or people who don’t see my vision, it is a team effort and pretty much plain sailing from there.

Was it a process understanding the types of things that work for you and vice versa, in creating your perfect work environment?

It was definitely a process and it was about honing into who I am. I had to do a lot of work on myself to get to the point where I was like, okay this is exactly what it is, and this is exactly what I want to be showcasing to people. But at the same time, I have always been very meticulous and particular about the things I am engaged with. So, in regard to that side of things that is something that has always remained prominent within everything that I do. You know I am not doing anything that I don’t want to do.

But at the same time, it took a while for me to understand a clear, concise direction of where I want to be creatively and just as an individual.

Is it sometimes hard for you to go all the way and solely do what you want to?

Not really, to be honest, I do pretty much everything that I want to do and if my team suggests something, then I make a calculated decision off of that. I have these people around me for their advice and the fact they are not just yes men. But at the same time, it all boils down to my decision. At the end of the day, it is me that has to present it to everyone. I always have to make sure that I am sound with what I do, and my gut is telling me, this is the right thing to do.

If I was to look at your Spotify or apple recently played, what would I find?

It’s very varied ha-ha!

There is Young Thug – Power, Red Hot Chili Peppers – Porcelain, Busta Rhymes and Janet Jackson – what’s it going to be, WizKid and Kiss Daniel – Good time.

There is this artist I love called Sheep Dog Wolf, and they have this album called Egospect which I have just been reloading lately!

If you were trapped in a desert, what is one album you would play for the rest of your life?

It would have to be D'Angelo – Voodoo, 100%

The UK RnB scene is one of our favourites at the moment, are you familiar with other R&B artists here? Who would you love to collab with?

BERWYN, I really like his stuff, OJerime that’s sis! I’d love to see what me and Jorja could do as well!

Where do you hope to be in the next 5 years?

I just want to grow and be the best I can be. I want to keep getting better, exercising what it is I have to wherever I am meant to be.

Honestly, I can’t wait to see what you got next!

Honestly, I can’t wait for you to see it too! Because that is all I have been working on!

Listen to Dusk and Dawn OUT NOW!