Exclusive Interview with SIVO RAY

SIVO RAY (meaning “the gray light”) is a Latvian-German-American independent artist and producer now residing in Berlin and Bielefeld, Germany. Through his blend of soft, mournful vocals, dark R&B inspirations (PARTYNEXTDOOR, 6LACK, Bryson Tiller, The Weeknd), and sound inspired by his multicultural heritage, SIVO RAY reveals his journey in seeking purpose, substance, and equilibrium in the pursuit of the all-gray.
“Spacing out, feet off the ground, no weight, no rules” — being free but faced with unlimited options. The mellow R&B/Alternative Pop atmosphere builds to the “realization” that you should “keep your sights on the road up” and have faith in your route. The beat and vocals create an impression of floating and ascent. Check out his song ‘Remedy’ and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

SIVO RAY: I’m an artists and producer from Riga, Latvia, but I’m currently residing in Bielefeld and Berlin, Germany. When I was fifteen, I saw a YouTube video of Tommy Emmanuel playing “Classical Gas” – I’ve never seen anything like it. I wanted to do what he did, so I asked my father if we could afford a guitar. When I moved to Germany with my mother back in ’09, Tommy happened to be playing a concert in Hanover. I wrote an E-Mail to his tour manager, and he replied – I got blessed to play with him. As a kid who just started out, it was insane to meet your idol. That got me really hooked on this whole music thing.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

SIVO RAY: No one in my family played an instrument and I only started producing in my mid-20s. Apparently my grandpa played accordion, but I can’t remember, he died when I was very young. So, I never had any real idols in my close circle that could have inspired me. When I came to Germany, I met this talented drummer who was looking for a band. I joined his band as a guitar player. Since he couldn’t find a singer and I was the only one who could at least hit a note, I became the lead singer as well. I sounded horrible, haha, basically screamed, and shouted for a year. People would make fun of us. Now my voice is my biggest asset. Without Marc I may have never become a singer – so I’m really grateful for that.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘SIVO RAY’?

SIVO RAY: I remember I first listened to hip-hop and R&B at the age of five, when I was translating lyrics by Eminem, Tupac, or Missy Elliot for my father in the backseat of his red Opel. He would sob listening to “Mockingbird” without understanding the words and sob even more when I would translate them. As a teenager I listened and played a lot of rock music but now I would count 6LACK, Kendrick Lamar or the general OVO sound as my biggest influences. I’m not very loyal to my idols though, haha. I think our personalities can change a lot with time and so does our taste and inspirations.

Regarding the name, SIVO RAY means “the gray light” and is based on the Taoist philosophy of yin and yang – the omnipresent gray in the state of ideal balance. SIVO translates to grey in Serbo-Croatian and out of coincidence, SIVO spelled backwards (OVIS) translates in Latin to ram or aries, which is my zodiac sign. RAY is a line of light which is spread from a center – basically a point of balance.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

SIVO RAY: Most of my instrumentalizations evolve from a dark and melancholic vibe to a strong release. I’m a big overthinker and I usually get lost in thoughts. I think my music and sound reflect that – starting out like a daydream accompanied with some negatives like doubt, fear, anxiety but ultimately moving on to finding balance and a peace of mind.

5. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

SIVO RAY: I truly hope that every listener can find their own truth in my music and not be boxed in by what I initially thought the song should be. I believe that is the magic of music – one may find a sound “sad” while the other describes it as “chill”. I think that is amazing. I will never be able to hear what you hear. Even at a concert with hundreds of people singing the same lyrics – everyone has a slightly different movie playing in their heads. It’s definitely important for me to be true to myself and finish songs as I want them to be, but the rest is up to the listener to find their own meaning and purpose in what I share. I just put paint on the canvas for you to see your personal picture.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

SIVO RAY: I guess for many people music functions as entertainment or means for passing time – not being bored by mundane silence. I’m not really interested in proving anything to anybody regarding the technicality or is this a hit or miss. My biggest wish is to simply connect with the right people or more importantly help someone out with a vibe that could make their day. Be a part of their life playlist, you know. All my tracks have some sort of spiritual or social message in them, it’s up to the listener to find a meaning. As a rule in my life, I believe it is important to create things that you love yourself but at the same time have some kind of a purpose for others. If my songs make people think, reflect themselves or they simply vibe with it then I’m happy with that.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

SIVO RAY: Basically, just making music was always enough for me. It’s therapeutical and definitely fulfilling. Now with the whole social media thing you are obliged to create content, promote it and fight for your rightful spot amidst everybody else in this jungle. A lot of my close artist friends share this struggle as well. It’s less about making music than getting attention. That is the hard part that makes you reach your limit. I guess that’s just part of the game and either you play, or you lose. But even that can be fulfilling since it’s still a chance to show who you are, how you think and, in the end, connect with others.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

SIVO RAY: My process may sound strange, but I rarely have melodies in my head or have prewritten lyrics. I just sit down, put my hands on the keys or whatever, turn on the mic and just see what happens. Pharrell Williams described this once in an interview – he believes that you must make music every single day because it’s not something coming out of you but is rather given by the universe. You don’t know which “day” will resonate in your special frequency where you could create your best work. Skip a day of producing and that could have been your perfect mojo you missed out on. So yeah, I mainly record some random made-up words and melodies, see what my body tells me to do with the instruments and then the lyrics and the sound just fall into place. But I do love to collaborate with people if we share a genuine vibe. It’s mostly all about connection.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

SIVO RAY: Wow, that’s a tough one. If I would have to pick one thing, then maybe the time where I almost died as a kid from a serious brain infection – I couldn’t speak or comprehend who or where I was. At the same time my family lost everything. After I survived and came back from the hospital, nothing was ever the same. The funny part is that I only truly started thinking about it in my late teens – you know, about death and how were escaping it daily, how fragile life is. I guess that haunted me for a very long time – until I realized that all these incidents created the person I am today. It taught me to be humble and grateful. If you’ve survived up to this point in a world that basically wants you gone then nothing is truly impossible – enjoy your life, face your set of challenges and make every day count.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud, or significant point in your life or music career so far?

SIVO RAY: Maybe the most recent one – deciding on quitting my 9 to 5 and going all-in with music. It was most definitely one of the hardest decisions of my life. Dropping out of a well-paid job as a manager and diving into an industry as complicated as music. But it has been worth it. I’ve never felt better, and I can’t wait to share the story of SIVO RAY with the world.