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The Music Drops column starts with the presentation of a live singer I met recently thanks to my friend Spartan: Ruvilyn.
I am introducing a new column dedicated to music for all those who are interested in spending pleasant moments of relaxation in the company of live singers. In this sense Ruvilyn, I’m sure, will appeal to fans of good music. I introduce her wonderful voice in the best way possible, by letting you listen to her 🙂
I wanted to get to know her so that you too can get a better idea of her and her unquestionable passion for music.
To this end, I present the exclusive interview she gave for the VIRTUALITY blog.
Oema: Ruvilyn, where are you from? Which are your origins?
Ruvilyn: I’m currently living in western Canada. We moved here from Saudi Arabia when I was a teenager but my roots are from the Islands of the Philippines.
Oema: How old is your account, and when you started singing in SL?
Ruvilyn: I was rezzed on October 12, 2013, so that makes me almost 8 years old. I started singing on open mic sessions here on SL right away. Such places like the O Lounge, Club Zydeco, and White Tigers, which never paid gigs. I started booking actual shows in early 2014 when the owners of Club Zydeco encouraged me to start singing on SL as a career after hearing me come back to their open mic nights every Thursday.
Oema: Do you also sing in RL, or is it an SL hobby?
Ruvilyn: At the moment I am not singing in RL but in the past, I was a part of the church choir, metal band, pop band, competed in competitions on tv (Canadian Idol and Popstars). Also sang fon weddings, debutante balls, and school concerts. Although right now SL singing is a hobby but I can’t help see the growth of my singing career here on SL with the people looking for their “RUVI FIX” every Monday. That’s usually the day that I perform here on SL.
Oema: Three adjectives to describe yourself.
Ruvilyn: PASSIONATE, RESILIENT, and BUBBLY.
Oema: Your life without music would be…?
Ruvilyn: My life without music would be very quiet and full of stress. Music also helps alleviate the stresses that RL gives us while we are out in the world.
Oema: Let’s talk about your music style. Which is your favorite song? What kind of music do you prefer to sing?
Ruvilyn: Music style-wise when I perform on SL, I usually sing party songs and very lively and happy tunes to people’s chairs dancing on their RL chairs while listening to my stream. My favorite song would have to be anything that Whitney Houston or Toni Braxton back in the 1980s and 1990s.
I don’t really have a preference as I sing songs according to my moods. If I feel a little down, I would sing R&B and Jazz but if my mood is great it would probably be the latest pop songs on the radio. The ones that I can actually sing the lyrics well as you well all know, I make lyrical mistakes all the time. That’s part of the fun!
Oema: Do you remember the first time you sang in SL? Tell us about this experience.
Ruvilyn: Yes, I do! I will never forget going into the O Lounge for the first time. Having someone walk me through the download of the streaming application and how to put my name on the board. I started with a USB microphone with an omnidirectional pickup which at one side picks up my voice and on the other side picks up the backing track coming from the speaker. It was very nerve-racking cause I didn’t know how I really came through on the stream. I guess they were okay with it barbecue they encouraged me to keep singing that day. Hence, until now I’m singing on the grid. That’s all thanks to the very first time that I sang and the support of the people around me.
Oema: Do you prefer to sing alone or with someone else? Did you sing in a duet in SL?
Ruvilyn: I do both solos on my regular show but I also do duets with artists such as Mae Loved and Ryeshure on the grid on special occasions or concerts that we hold at several venues on the grid.
Oema: What do you think about the music business in SL? What would you change or improve?
Ruvilyn: In my opinion, you can find every type of musician and performer here on SL. If you are looking for a certain genre and sure you would find it. If there was anything that can be improved with the music business on SL, it is that because of the saturation of talents that have flooded the grid, I have felt that the compensation for certain performers has been affected. The competition to find venues that are willing to compensate talents properly has been reduced. I believe that the patrons need to support the SL music business by going to the venues where the artist performs and ensure that they show their gratitude to the venues and showing them some love and, of course, to the artists on the stage. My only request and plead to the people of SL that enjoy live performers is to support the venues and the singers themselves.
