Meet Rini K | Independent Pop Music Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rini K and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rini, what do you attribute your success to?
I started my music career as I was turning 15 and over the past two years I’ve done so many different things both creatively and business wise. However the one thing that never changed was my consistency and willingness to grow and improve. More than talent or connections, my work ethic has been the true core of my success. Showing up day in and day out no matter how good or bad things were going was what got me to each milestone. In conjunction with my consistency was my constant evolution in both my music and my business decisions. A lot of artists (including myself occasionally) can be constantly caught in a cycle of the same way of doing things, whether that be musically or in terms of strategy of growing their fan bases. I have tried many different ways to grow my fanbase, and a lot of them didn’t work, which broke my heart in the moment because I had believed in those platforms and strategies so strongly that it was hard to accept that I needed to keep going back to the drawing board. However, because I let go of my stubborn nature and did my best to detach my feelings from those situations, I was able to find the one thing that got me to so many places which was TikTok. I’ve had a similar situation with my music as well where I’d constantly be improving my songwriting and making music I was proud of, only to be told by industry professionals that the production quality and vocal skill was lacking majorly. However, I took the constructive criticism and am now making songs that I’ve never been more proud of, while staying true to my songwriting style and artistic vision.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Being that I started making music so young, my songwriting and overall artistic vision has evolved so much. Recently, I’ve had a huge journey with my mental health between moving half-way across the country, dealing with unforeseen health complications, and occasionally being dragged on social media. However, this in turn has caused me to write the best songs I’ve ever written and for the first time I’m truly confident in who I am as an artist. What tends to set me apart from other artists is the subject matter of my music. At age 17, I’ve never been in a relationship and have next to none romantic experiences as I’m homeschooled and generally don’t work with a lot of people around my age. Therefore, I’ve never really been inspired to write songs about love or breakups, but rather focus on the relationship I have with myself. Obviously I’m not the first artist to write about their mental health, but for me it is truly the theme of songs right now, which is definitely more uncommon to see in pop music.

Without repeating myself too much from our previous conversations, I’d say that the main the cause of where I am today was my presence on TikTok. It took so much trial and error and stamina to even get to the point where I started my TikTok account however I’m so glad I decided to go for it because it’s essentially gotten me all of my opportunities with my music both in terms of my fans, connections, and business opportunities. There’s been so much blood, sweat, and tears to get to this point but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from it as that we all truly have so much more control and strength than we realize. Our attitude and how we approach things impacts our outcome so much. Manifestation is real and when you have a positive mindset, work harder than ever, and be a good person and generally support those around you, your dreams will start to come your way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I just moved to Dallas one year ago and I’ve gotten to explore so many fun places! The first place I’d take them is the part of the city that I live in which is Oaklawn. It has a historically LGBTQIA presence and is a must visit for anyone coming to Dallas! Some of my favorite restaurants are in this area such as Lucky’s Cafe, Hunky’s, and Italia Express! There’s also lots of shopping and plenty of entertainment between the shops and the bars! I’d also take my bestie to Highland Park Village as the neighborhoods around their are insane. Highland Park is a spectacle for anyone who loves high end real estate and upscale shopping. It’s totally different from the vibe of Oaklawn but super close to it so you can enjoy the best of both worlds! Lastly, I’d take my friend to the Bishop Arts District, as this is a fabulous artistic community in Dallas and has so many amazing restaurants, independent shops, and artisans all around!

Of course, I couldn’t leave out my favorite spot in Dallas, which is Chocolate Secrets! Chocolate Secrets is a chocolate shop, but they also offer food, wine, flowers, jewelry, cards and even more! My favorite part about Chocolate Secrets is their live music! Every Monday I play at their Open Mic along with other amazing artists, poets, and comedians. They have live music going on all week and it truly is my favorite spot in Dallas.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It honestly blows me away when I think about how many incredible people have had a major impact on me and what I do that I could go on and on forever! However, the people that are truly the core of my story are my mom and dad. Their unconditional love and support is what keeps me going and they are the sole reason any of this was even possible for me. Between their guidance and not only professional support, but also emotional support, they give me the strength and motivation to pursue all of my passions and not be afraid to make noise with my ideas and values.

Additionally, I’d love to shoutout some incredible fellow independent artists that inspire me everyday, including Ashley Sienna, Melotika, Isabel LaRosa, She Is Jules, and Tianda. These incredible women are continuing to pave the way for small artists and always prove to me that anything is possible. I don’t know what I’d do without them and their insane talent, kindness, support, and their overall amazing vibes.

I also want to give a huge shoutout to the remarkable Dawn Wisner-Johnson and her amazing team at A Matter Of Music! They have truly give me more opportunities than I could ever dream of and I’m forever grateful to have the privilege of working with them and their generosity.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rinikofficial/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rini-kaffenes-1625b2203

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RiniKmusic/featured

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rinikmusic?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1BSbY4EQbpcuumjQ9lPsJA?si=_FcCu8UmSdeqBbC_YNV5eA

Image Credits
Photos taken by Tim Sporcic and Andrea Kaffenes.