RICCY DELEON BREAKS DOWN NEW EP “SPOTLESS MIND” [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

BY BRENESSA ROACH | APRIL 2, 2024

Meet Riccy DeLeon, an independent alt-hip-hop artist hailing from the Valley in California, United States. He debuted on July 3, 2019 with the single “Breaking Molds”. Through his artistry, Riccy uses music as a form of self expression and storytelling, crafting songs that resonate with his audience and offer a therapeutic outlet, much like his own experience.

On March 4th, 2024 Riccy DeLeon released “Violence” followed by “Personally” on March 18th, both serving as pre-release tracks for his latest EP. At midnight, Riccy DeLeon unveiled his EP spotless mind which includes; “Violence”, “Personally” and “Sunshine”. Behind The Beat recently caught up with Riccy DeLeon to discuss the deeper meanings behind his EP.

SPOTLESS MIND EP BREAKDOWN

What is the overall meaning behind spotless mind?

Riccy DeLeon: The overall meaning was definitely using a musical canvas to get through my heartbreak. Fun fact, I make all this lovey dovey music, but this past October was the first time I could truly say I felt in love. I was super bummed about it of course, but those dramatic emotions are where the juiciest pieces of art come from, so I grabbed my DAW (digital audio workstation) and got to work!

What is the meaning behind each track?

Track 1: Violence

Riccy DeLeon: “Violence” was originally supposed to be a throwaway, I freestyled so much of it and just let the energy flow through. The reason it’s called violence is to encapsulate the gore of “getting your heart torn out”. I wish I had filmed it, but I was even gripping my chest while recording the song like I was in pain, it was something else. My favorite line is the beginning of the second verse where you can’t even make out the words, but I say“like a bee without a stinger”! I’m not even joking when I say that line came to me in a dream! The night my ex and I ended things I dreamt she was texting me and this notification popped up with “I feel like a bee without its stinger”. I woke up so fast like WRITE THAT DOWN RIGHT NOW!

Track 2: Personally

Riccy DeLeon: Ugh!!! Ok so when we ended things, after a while she told me I was taking things personally. And I was like “you’re damn right I am!”. This is me being selfish, vocalizing how insulting it feels to not be enough for someone you care about. I recite a poem in the beginning that you can faintly hear before the verses start and it says something like “what’s the issue with loving you?”. But yeah the songs like feeling defeated and wanting to make sense of having someone who loved you one second then the next they don’t wanna be anywhere near you. That’s why I say “tell me your side, tell me you lied”. I’m not one to assume what anyone’s thinking, I think it’s disrespectful not to allow someone their right to communicate. So, when something’s cut off and I just have to sit there confused, I’m just stuck.

Track 3: Sunshine

Riccy DeLeon: The first line is “on the brighter side”.

Shoutout eternal sunshine. This song’s about imagining a time where I forget about our entire connection and it’s left as barely a memory. Nothing lasts forever. That goes for good and bad moments/emotions. The lyrics go back and forth on whether or not I’m yearning for what was or optimistic for what is and I love those complex bites. I write a lot of poetry from the perspective of a visual artist, and having moments of juxtaposition are always my favorite cause that’s the reality of life. We want black and white, but there’s so much in between. I end the song with a poem in Spanish that basically says;

I brought so many letters

The first 3 asking for your hand,

The next 4 I am searching for something,

In my mind,

Spiritually.

I brought so many letters

I forgot what person i brought them for,

I forgot everything I was talking to you about.

In my mind,

I don’t feel it anymore.

What was the production process like for this EP? What sounds were you going for?

Riccy DeLeon: I actually had no restrictions sonically nor any expectations. I recorded all of it in my living room to beats I found on the internet.

I showed “Violence” to the boys at Townewest and they offered to help me finalize the product! Big shout out to them! Jonum helped me on the audio side and then Bouquet helped me with visuals like the cover art and the video for “Violence”. Those guys are a force to be reckoned with, just being around them makes me want to get moving!

What emotions do you want your listeners to feel when they listen to the EP?

Riccy DeLeon: Ugh!! It’s art man. The way you feel watching these emotional films where you’re damn near breaking down from how much you resonate. That. I don’t have any expectations on how I want them to feel but shoo if you do feel it a lil too hard. I’M SO SORRY.

What’s your favourite song on the EP?

Riccy DeLeon: Definitely, “Personally”. It feels so vulnerable. So real. And the sounds on it are so different. It’s just ooof! I show it to some folks then watch their reaction to certain parts and every time they hit the second verse it’s always the same reaction. Like they get this surprised wide eye look and I’m always freaking out with them like, “I DIDN’T KNOW I COULD DO THAT EITHER!!”

Can you describe this EP as a colour and why you chose that colour?

Riccy DeLeon: canary. FFFF99, 255.255,159

It’s like a faint yellow. Yellow itself is an optimistic color, but the idea of it being faded gives the impression that it could either be losing its power or in the process of regaining it. The self awareness in the project definitely hits that right on the head.

spotless mind is now available on all digital streaming platforms, so make sure to listen to it here.

Special thanks to Riccy DeLeon for working with us to make this interview happen.

Check out Riccy DeLeon on Instagram: @riccerson

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