Inspired #302 - Rascal Miles
Trans / non-binary Portland based musician Rascal Miles has just released their new single ‘Asylum’. They took a moment to talk to us about the inspirations behind it.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
Adrianne Lenker - Adrianne's fingerpicking and wordsmith style really get my creative gears turning
Chris Pureka - Chris's songs make me feel things that resonate really deeply with a lot of my own life experiences. Chris is an incredible songwriter.
Esme Patterson - that woman has a plethora of knowledge and skill and has taught me a lot about how to stay curious in your creative process. She's also encouraged me to just be myself and hold onto my authenticity, which has made all the difference in my music, I think.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
Harold and Maude. I tend to be a bit of a Harold, and I need Maude energy to be able to find my power and my joy, so it's always a film that I watch and get something out of even though I've seen it a hundred times. Plus, that soundtrack, I mean, come on.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
The cities I find most inspiring are the ones I haven't been to yet, where I don't know the language, I have no idea what'll be on the menu, and there are surprises at every turn. Ideally there's a body of water within walking distance too.. Anything with newness and culture and music and food. Street music that distracts you from what you're saying, markets bustling with people and smells that make you chase them down.. Newness. It's fascinating to be submerged in worlds foreign to your own; that's where the most growth and opportunity for learning lives.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
I'm currently inspired a lot by Frank Ocean. I just started listening to more music with electronic beats as a way of studying so I can start making my own (foreshadowing).. Frank Ocean's story and music really inspires me. I like how he leaves room for the listener to do some detective work in finding meaning in the lyrics and tracking down certain references he's making. Super cool stuff.
What were your inspirations when writing your new track?
I was inspired by the idea of creating my own safe space, and my own imaginary world that I could access in my mind any time I needed it. Sometimes it's a room to hide from society in, sometimes it's an open field where there are no signs of civilization, but whatever the image, I was practicing harnessing the power to create that place for myself.
How would you like to inspire people?
By making songs they can relate to and feel their emotions in.. Music has always been the way I best express myself, and I want other people to feel a sense of relief and validation when they listen to my songs. Anytime someone tells me "you made me cry" after a show I've played, it makes me really happy, because that means I was able to create a portal through which others can access feelings that they needed to feel for a little bit. It's cool to know that the artist on stage has basic human emotions just like everyone else. It's a way we can connect with each other.