rIVerse – Poison IV

By starrymag | March 19, 2021

By: Paige Zinnaman

 

 

 

Q) First, I want to say congratulations on the release of Poison IV. This album is already making such big noise on the internet. What was it like to finally get this release out there?

Khadija: Thank you so much! It has been such an incredible experience finally sharing our album “Poison IV” with the world. The response we’ve gotten from listeners has been so positive and an affirmation of what we already felt, ourselves, about the music. We started recording in 2018, so it has been two full years of us saying to each other, “Oh my goodness! People are going to love this song, right? I can’t wait for everyone to hear that song!” [laughs]

Q) How would you describe your sound?

Monroe: Our sound is definitely a combination of classic throwback 90s pop/R&B with today’s modern twist. Not only is it that, but because we are such four different individuals, we bring our own style and flare to the music. That’s what makes us so diverse and that’s what makes our sound “rIVerse.”

 

Q) Your song “BaeBeeBoo” is such an amazing track. I’ve played it on repeat for an hour straight. What was it like to write this song and how did it come about?

Dizz: First of all, thank you so much! Sounds like “BaeBeeBoo” is giving you LIFE! [laughs] That makes us so happy! The journey of this song started with our trip to South Korea in 2018. We were performing and networking out there for a month and while doing so, Monroe made contact with an incredible producer named Mirror BOY. He’s responsible for many kpop hits. Long story short, we ended up collaborating with him and one of the pieces of music we acquired was the production that is now ‘“BaeBeeBoo.” As soon as I heard the music, I knew we had a big one on our hands and I got to writing immediately. That really is one of the most important things that rIVerse looks for when preparing to work on new music. Whether we are producing it or gathering beats from other music makers, the actual production itself already has to be a “hit” on its own. From there, it’s amplified by the lyrics and vocal melodies. It was very easy to establish the melodies because Mirror BOY laced the track with built-in ear worms. I just allowed his production to lead the way and I accented it with strong lyric & melody. It was a joy to write, record and release this track in particular.

 

Q) Poison IV has some songs on it that shine a light on some very prominent topics that are still so relevant like your song “Stand Up”. Please tell us how you came to that moment when you decided that your music could be that light to others.

Dizz: This is a great question! Learning to genuinely love ourselves and recognize our worth first and foremost was at the root of being able to then decide to be a representation of love and light to others and be of service to the world. In our case, that service comes in the form of art and music. The moment we chose to love ourselves has informed every movement we’ve made thus far. Self-love also reconfigures your priorities and you start to place high value on things like authenticity and truth. That is why the Poison IV album carries such strong themes and features songs like “Stand Up” because truth was the priority. By telling the unfiltered truth, you will always touch hearts in some way, shape or form and make a strong impact that resonates with others. The self-love journey has been a challenging one and we are still learning and growing every day, but we have gotten to a place where we are strong enough to be that beacon of light.

 

Q) Your band celebrates such a beautiful message. You’ve said that your mission is to “represent the underrepresented.” How does it feel to be a part of time in history where celebrating one’s authenticity is finally being accepted by most?

Zak: The fact that authenticity can be celebrated today is such a blessing and something we do not take for granted. My daily morning routine actually involves creating a gratitude list and the trailblazers from previous generations who endured pain/struggle to carve a path of truth and authenticity for us to walk freely today is something that often comes up on my list. I have so much gratitude for those people, because what a dark existence life would be if we were all forced to be anything other than our truest forms. Yet, as you mentioned, it is being accepted by  ‘most’ and not ‘all.’ So much work still needs to be done. And just as I give thanks to those who carved a way for me to live freely/authentically, it’s rIVerse’s dream to do the same for others who haven’t yet found their paths.

 

Q) One of my favorite songs has to be “Angel Boy.” It has such a beautiful R&B vibe to it. What songs off your album hold a special place to you?

Monroe: “Angel Boy” is such a fantastic song, so glad that you love it as much as we do! As corny as it sounds, each track holds a special place in my heart because this is a body of work that has been worked on for a while. Every song was written with a story, every melody was sung with passion. Truthfully, Poison IV in its entirety holds a special place.

 

Q) Poison IV was released while the world is currently in the middle of a pandemic. What has it been like for you creatively as artists during this time?

Khadija: The pandemic we are currently experiencing has been tough for everyone, honestly. We were in the middle of planning our first tour and other big things for rIVerse in 2020 and that all came to such a sudden stop. It took some time for us to adjust mentally, just like the rest of the world. But we were also blessed to be able to slow down, refocus and find new ways to move forward. The pandemic gave us time to finish writing and recording Poison IV and prepare for its release. It gave us space to reflect on who we are as artists and as people and set goals to become the best versions of ourselves. It also pushed us to think of new ways to connect with our fans, the IV League, which has been so special. That sense of connection has gotten a lot of them, and us, through some tough times this year.

 

Q) You’re a part of social media. What has been the most rewarding experience from having your fans reactions so instantly?

Monroe: The most rewarding experience would have to be hearing how much rIVerse has impacted them in such a positive way. We each have our share of fan interactions, but it’s when they say we’ve changed their lives, helped them love themselves, helped them believe and have hope…It literally makes everything we do worth it. That makes our journey and music so much bigger than us. We are here, a generational reset, a musical/pop culture reset… The people need that, they wanna see themselves in the stars for once.

 

Q) What is the message you hope listeners take away from Poison IV?

Dizz: The message we want listeners to take away from the Poison IV album is that truth, authenticity & vulnerability is power. These things shall set you free. We are often fearful of revealing ourselves to the world to avoid judgment. We put on a tough exterior and pretend that we are hard and emotionless to protect our soft hearts, not realizing that we end up blocking all the magic, joy, wonder and blessings that are meant for our true selves. We hope that by revealing ourselves, listeners will take strength and inspiration to step fully into their truth and set themselves free!

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters of your work?

Zak: The message we most want to share with fans is this: we love you (even if at times you might not love yourself), we thank you (for helping us share this message of love and authenticity), and we’re so honored that we can be on this journey together.

Repeat after us: “I am beautiful. I am worthy. I am valued. I am loved.” … because each and every one of you is.

 

 

 

Donate To The Poison IV Concert Fundraiser

 

Watch The Video for “BaeBeeBoo” Live