Rainsford Finds Beauty in the Littlest Things
“I think music is beautiful, and the anonymity of an artist while listening to the song is beautiful as well.”
Many would agree that there’s beauty in music. It is, after all, an art form that transcends mediums to invoke an array of feelings. In L’Officiel Singapore’s feature The Sound of Beauty, we speak to three up-and-coming artists about how beauty shapes music creation.
Growing up in what some would call an “entertainment family”, Rainey Qualley, better known by her stage name Rainsford, has always had a special interest in the arts – a fact unsurprising to us considering she’s the daughter of actress Andie MacDowell.
“I’ve just always really loved to sing,” says the American singer-songwriter. “I started dancing at a young age and did dance competitions all throughout my youth. Exploring songs through movement gave me a really important, full-body experience of musicality. And to be honest, singing and songwriting are two of the only things I’ve always felt confident in.”
Rainsford recently released a new song Brutal, adding to her already impressive discography – including Love Me Like You Hate Me, with a music video starring her sister, actress Margaret Qualley, and Crying in The Mirror, directed by her friend Cara Delevingne, and featuring model Kaia Gerber. And with the ease of Covid-19 restrictions around the world, the artist is now able to tour and perform her new songs in the UK and Europe, as well as work on her upcoming album.
“I love playing shows! I’ve missed it so much the past few years,” she shares. “But I always really enjoy the songwriting and recording process. The music video for my song OMG, which came out last year, was a really special experience,” she continues. The song, co-written by Nick Dungo, was visually themed around Rainsford’s friendships. “I convinced a bunch of my friends to make little guest appearances and the song itself is pretty silly and fun.”
It is rather amazing that there is a kind of beauty through the expression of music and lyrics; singer-songwriters like Rainsford know this better than anyone, as artists who write songs based on their own personal experiences.
She finds the work to be therapeutic and representative of her feelings at certain moments of her life. “It’s an interesting time capsule in a way because I’m able to remember exactly how I was feeling at a certain moment by listening to old songs,” she says. “I think music is beautiful, and the anonymity of an artist while listening to the song is beautiful as well.”
Other than music, Rainsford finds this beauty in the littlest things – being around the right people, being kind, helping animals, as well as treating her body well by exercising and following a vegetarian diet. “Giving love and spending love through music, or whatever makes you happy, is beautiful,” she says.
Rainsford’s Everyday Beauty Essentials
“I always carry vegan lip tint, lip balm and brow gel in my purse.”
Rainsford’s Go-To Stage Makeup
“I play up my eyes more on stage because of the harsh lights. My go-to is a cat-eye. And bright lips.”
