Written by Ivona Homicianu
Ruti’s sophomore project Maybe I Got It Wrong is a collection of soft folk songs that aim to focus the listener in feeling a sense of belonging. From the title alone, Ruti erases what they thought they knew about themselves to make place for who they are now. It is an emotional yet tender exploration of one’s identity, going through the events that have impacted them and focusing on how those pieces fit in the present.
Ruti is a London-based, Essex-born musician. They grew up with various music influences from gospel, Christian rock and disco to Nigerian legends such as Fela Kuti and Bobby Benson. Music was constantly present in their surroundings, which shows in this project through its sonic diversity. While the songs would best be described as lo-fi and folk, to those are added elements of electronic and pop.
‘Maybe I Got It Wrong’ is the opening track, a dreamy yet ominous recounting that feels half based in reality and half in imagination. Ruti’s high register vocals along with the guitar strings bring an urgency and at the same time relief; as if they are eager to discover what happens next. The lyrics are remarkable, drawing on a metaphor of being deep in the ocean while someone else is on the shore.
My first inquiry surrounds the title itself and how they made the decision. “I wrote the song back in March last year. Although the song is about one thing in itself, it felt like the right title. I felt like maybe, up until then I didn’t feel like I (and also people around me) had confidence in my decisions. The title Maybe I Got It Wrong also conveyed the fact it’s okay if I don’t know what I’m doing. Maybe up until this point, I’ve got it wrong at every turn.”
When referring to the EP, Ruti said that this is the most themselves they have felt. It did spark the curiosity of whether it is more difficult for them to write these vulnerable tracks or share them with the world. They took a moment to think, but did end up admitting it is harder to write them. “I’ve been sharing music for a while now and I’m always putting myself out there, even without these songs. I’m playing in front of crowds and I feel like that’s very vulnerable, but it’s something that I just get past.”
They remarked that it is more difficult to express what they feel in the studio. “When you journal, you know that the book that you’re writing in is meant to be for everything, every thought that you’ve had, everything to process. It’s vulnerable and there’s no holding back because it’s only for you, but when you’re in a room with one other writer or a producer… Sometimes it’s really difficult to truly open up and say what I feel out of fear of being judged.”
‘Turn The Key’ plays on a metaphor as well, showing the thoughtfulness in Ruti’s writing. I wondered aloud to them about the process surrounding the song. “I was in Stockholm writing with a couple of friends. I’m not sure how we came up with the metaphor. Sometimes you sing the melody with no words, and then a specific sound comes out, and then you’re like, ‘Oh, this could sound nice here.’ The metaphor is just about finally closing the door on something that is not meant for you, even if it feels like it could still be fine. It was about a relationship and through the relationship, both of us were like, ‘This is fine. We can just keep going, because there’s nothing actually bad about it.’ Giving permission for both of us to close the door, let’s turn the key, leave that house. We can both do that. There’s no hard feelings.”
‘Lakeside’ takes us on a journey starting with minimal production and quiet vocals and rises to emotion progressively. It encourages you to return to a place that reminds you of who you were. Through the sonic dimension, it feels as if Ruti is gradually opening up while gaining strength in their decision. The bridge witnesses an electronic moment that elevates the track, showing the mastery of their craft in how they blend two genres that would not make sense together, yet here they do.
When asked about the message of the song, Ruti specified ‘Lakeside’ is a shopping center near where they grew up and where they’d often go with their friends. Since they’re from a small town, they didn’t have other places in the vicinity where they could hang out. “‘Lakeside’ is about the nostalgia of something that is not very pretty (although the visuals for that show a lake in the Lake District, and it’s gorgeous). I’m nostalgic for something that isn’t cute. It’s very commercial and consumer focused, but I have really fond memories of it, even going with my parents. It’s also about going back to the place where you were a kid and hoping that things will be the same, and trying to ground yourself in that.”
‘Monster’ has a strong message of feminine rage. Ruti elaborated on their intention and how this track has shown another side of themselves. “Feminine rage is how that song feels to me. I hadn’t been as vulnerable in the angry sense before, although this song still sounds quite pretty. I don’t go super deep into anger, but I hope that people can see the levels of me. I’m not always yearning and I’m not always beautiful in lyrics and sound. I get very angry. This song is about the monster in me coming out, not just a monster that is making me angry. The way I’m describing it sounds very toxic, but what you’re doing is going to bring out a bad side of me if you continue to do that. Whenever I play it live, I always say that it’s dedicated to all the men that have wronged me, which is quite a lot, not just personally but across the world. I hope people can see the layers of me as an artist and as a person.”
If Ruti or their music would be a color, it would be green, their favorite. “I feel like that makes sense for me. I think it inspires me in every sense of life. I love to wear it as well. It’s calming, but also there’s a natural element. It really makes me happy. Every time I see it, there’s something happening in my brain.” As for the Karma! Magazine Playlist, they recommended their own ‘If I Could Choose, It Would Be You.’
Given their vulnerability and the way they spoke of the project, I pointed out how it seemed to have quite an impact on them. “It really made me feel like I can trust myself and trust my decisions, and that I can be in charge as well. That’s how putting this EP together set me up for the next project, and the next project after that. It made me feel that I had the songs. I think everyone was like, ‘We’re not really sure what the next move is but it’s probably going to be an EP.’ I was like, ‘Okay, here it is.’ These are the songs that I love. I don’t want to mess around with these songs that I don’t like.”
Ruti has a signature style that is easily identifiable throughout the project. This is a cohesiveness one would associate with an artist who has a much longer career behind them. However, this was not always the case. “At the beginning of my career, I was thrown in. I didn’t know myself very well, even in my earlier 20s. I was growing, but I was still feeling like a teenager because I had no idea who I am properly. I’m just in the world and trying to figure it out. Then, I turned 25 and it makes sense that I’m now figuring myself out properly. My frontal lobe is developed. Everything’s logging in right now. I haven’t rushed it and I haven’t felt like I’m behind. It would be ridiculous to feel that because I’m in my mid 20s, it’s not been that long that I’ve been alive.”
Ruti had a busy couple of months. Being a natural performer, they were often on stage. Add to the equation the release of the EP, it makes sense that they would feel tired by everything they had to do. Yet it is obvious that they are passionate about being a musician. Their energy put me at ease since the beginning as they show a way of conversing that is open and grounding.
Ruti’s Maybe I Got It Wrong offers a safe haven of exploration of one’s identity. Although the subjects they handle are not light, there is a grounding and calming presence to their voice. These tracks serve as a method of understanding or forgiveness towards one’s self, whether that was Ruti’s intention, that is how I trust most listeners will find it.
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