“Stop optimizing for ‘engagement,’” she says firmly. “I see kids changing their album covers because the contrast ratio wasn’t right for the algorithm. Don’t do that. Your art isn’t a thumbnail. Make something that makes you cry in the car first. Worry about the playlist later.”
“Those genres are just boxes the internet built to sell playlists,” she says. “I grew up listening to Fiona Apple and Paramore just as much as I listened to 100 gecs. I want my music to feel like a fever dream, sure, but I also want it to break your heart.” rina ellis interview
If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok or digging through Spotify’s Hyperpop playlists recently, you’ve likely stumbled into the glitter-covered, emotionally charged world of Rina Ellis . She’s the voice for the overstimulated, the under-loved, and the digitally native. I had the chance to sit down with her last week ahead of her upcoming EP, "LUCID LOSS," and what transpired was a conversation about vulnerability, viral fame, and why she refuses to be put in a box. “Stop optimizing for ‘engagement,’” she says firmly
Her latest single, "Internet Crush (Delete Later)" is a masterclass in this tension. The chorus is sticky and sweet, but the bridge descends into glitched-out screaming. It’s about the horror of modern dating—swiping, matching, ghosting. Your art isn’t a thumbnail
She reveals that "LUCID LOSS" will feature an acoustic guitar track—a first for her. “No autotune. No distortion. Just me and a room. I’m terrified for people to hear it, but I think that’s how you know it’s real.”