Artist Advent Day 15: Raspberry Protocol
Written by: Keyali Mikaela
In the enchanting world of music discovery, Day 15 of Next Wave Magazine's Artist Advent introduces you to the vibrant sounds and compelling stories woven by Raspberry Protocol.
Join us in an exclusive interview where Raspberry Protocol opens up about the influences shaping their craft, the impact of technology on their musical path, and the secrets behind their collaborative songwriting process. From heartfelt advice for emerging musicians to cherished memories on stage, get ready to dive deep into the essence of Raspberry Protocol's musical magic.
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Next Wave: What inspired you to pursue music?
Kiwi: I was a very big Katy Perry fan when I was 14 and her movie “part of me” inspired me to learn the guitar and start writing music. I quickly started to explore other genres and artists, which has led me to the type of music I play now.
Jake: My friend Matt got a guitar when we were in eighth grade, and I thought that was so cool, so I had to learn how to play. For the next ten years, I played multiple instruments for my pentecostal church band, and although church is no longer a part of my life, music stuck.
Nik: The video game Rockband is what first piqued my interest in performing. Then I saw my first live concert with a drum set at my high school talent show. I had never seen drums up close, in person, under stage lights and they were so shiny and pretty that I knew I needed to play them.
Next Wave: Who are your musical influences or role models?
Kiwi: My dad has always worked in radio and he worked at an oldies station when I was super young. I was exposed to classic groups that started my early interest in singing such as The Beach Boys, the Beatles, Herman’s Hermits and my personal favorite, Mama Cass. I always adored her smooth and soulful voice. As I got older I found a deep love and appreciation for songwriters like Billy Joel, Paul Simon and Tegan & Sara. My favorite guitar player is John Butler. Watch him play his song ‘Ocean’ live at the red rocks. You won’t regret it.
Jake: I grew up on The Beatles, so good songwriting is top of the list for things I look for in a band. This has led me to artists like Darlingside, Phoebe Bridgers, Mountain Man, and others that have more stripped-down sounds that really allow the “bones” of the song to come through. I think Raspberry’s success comes from our songwriting. As a bass player, Les Claypool is god.
Nik: I grew up with the 90’s punk and emo bands like Blink-182, Bullet for My Valentine, Escape the Fate, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan and many others.
Next Wave: What's the most challenging aspect of breaking into the music industry?
Kiwi: I feel like new challenges come and go. Once we have the skill and performing down, it seems like we are so behind on the social media stuff that by the time we get caught up with that, we need to re-visit the skill and performing again to make sure we can still rock! We just have to find the balance and learn what everyone’s roles are, so that not all the responsibility falls on one band member's shoulders. There is also a lot of competition out there. Everyone and their mamma is starting a band, so anything that sets us apart or makes us different is what we try and lean into the most.
Jake: The non-music parts. The music is easy (or at least, it’s the fun part). But that’s only one of many skills a band needs to be good at to succeed in the industry.
Nik: *agrees with Jake
Next Wave: How do you go about promoting your music and building your fanbase?
Kiwi: We try our best to be as active as possible on our social media and interact with our fans! We are still a small band, but we have people who listen to us and want to hear more. So I think having a strong social media presence can help us stay connected to our followers as well as interacting with them and letting them know they are a part of our journey. Networking at any gig or event is also a great way to grow and spread our music.
Jake: Relationships are everything–not just in this industry, but in any industry. This goes from developing relationships with other musicians, producers, and venues, but most importantly, the people who show up to listen to live music. They are the ones who allow us to do what we love, and expressing our gratitude to them develops the relationships that will keep us going.
Nik: *agrees with Jake
Next Wave: How has technology and the internet impacted your music career?
Kiwi: When I first started performing, Tiktok wasn’t a thing, and YouTube was very intimidating to me. I also was more of a solo artist back then, and facing all the technology side of things by myself was very overwhelming. I love love having band members to share the weight of that. One of us can be in charge of posting silly promotional memes that will connect with our fans on instagram, and another one of us can be in charge of filming and directing TikTok’s as that is a great way to get your music out there these days. Not to mention booking gigs online and putting our website together (thank you Nik, our drummer)
Jake: When I started playing music, our instruments were made out of rocks and animal hides. (I’m the oldest band member…) I think social media is how we develop those relationships with our fans and partners when we aren’t doing it at shows. Your online presence should be as strong as your onstage presence.
Nik: *agrees with Jake
Next Wave: Do you have any advice for other up-and-coming musicians trying to make it in the industry?
Kiwi: Collaborate with as many musicians as you can. Write a lot of music. Never ever compare yourself to other artists. Art is subjective, everyone is different, so try and focus on what your vision is. Don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s hard out there and the last thing you want to do is lose yourself. Be yourself!!
Jake: 1) Surround yourself with people you love. Your band is your family, and you are going to have ups and downs and spend a lot of time together. Sometimes success will take a long time and a lot of work, so be sure you are doing it with people who you want in your life for a while.
2) Love what you do. Don’t lose sight of how much fun and rewarding making music is. If your passion is authentic, it will ooze out of you every time you step on stage or shake a fan’s hand.
Nik: *agrees with Jake and is tearing up a bit
Also - Getting a group of talented motivated musicians together isn't even half the work. DO NOT neglect the business side of things.
Next Wave: What are your long-term goals and aspirations?
Kiwi: It would be magical to play on a big stage in front of lots of people one day. But honestly, if I can get to a place where I can have some sort of passive income from my music, I will be very very happy! It’s hard not being able to commit to every gig or opportunity because of a day job. In a perfect world, we could make money from our music and put it towards continuing to make music. I hope one day my band can be 100 percent touring, recording and performing!
Jake: To always be making music I love with people I love. Other band members may have more concrete goals, but I’m just along for the ride. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep this wild ride alive.
Nik: All I want in this life is for Raspberry Protocol to play at Saturday Night Live.
Next Wave: Can you share a memorable moment from your musical journey so far?
Kiwi: I get the opportunity to perform around the country at a lantern festival. I mostly do it without the band, but it has given me the opportunity to meet SO MANY amazing people. I met a young girl that told me that seeing me on stage inspired her to want to learn the guitar and sing! I’ll never forget that.
Jake: Road tripping to Fresno to play a lights festival for nearly 10,000 people. It wasn’t glamorous, and we probably lost money, but I still brag to my friends about that because it made me feel like a rock star.
Nik: The people we meet stick with me the most. One time we played a local show and after the set a young woman came up to talk to us and it turns out she heard about us playing and walked for over half an hour in the dead of winter just to try to catch some of our songs. We were blown away and ended up talking with her for quite a while.
Another time someone came up to us after a show and gave us a drawing they made highlighting the band's logo and name. It was such a wonderful moment and that drawing now hangs on our wall.
Next Wave: Can you share a little about your creative process and how you come up with new ideas for songs?
Kiwi: When I write songs alone, I normally try to write a chord progression first and write lyrics to go with it. Occasionally I’ll think of a good line, and need to immediately write it in my notes app and or record the melody I’m thinking of on my voice memos.
When I collaborate with the band, it’s a lot more challenging for me because I’m working with so many other brains. It’s a brain workout for me. But I do think the results from collaboration are a lot more rewarding. There is something about creating something with a group of people that feels more prideful. There is a lot of back and forth and disagreeing, but when we can reach a decision and a final product, I feel so proud of it and proud of my band.
Next Wave: What song, ep or album of yours would you recommend to someone who is listening to your music for the first time?
Kiwi: I would recommend Wakka. It’s a good mix of our old stuff and new stuff. Wakka has a fun energy and the lyrics are uplifting as well. A great song to hype yourself up to in the car!
Jake: Wakka. It is the intersection of the beautiful melodic songwriting of Raspberry’s first album and the higher energy rock sound we’ve been exploring over the last year. Our next single, Maybe Tomorrow, will be another great example of that!
Nik: *agrees with Jake
