Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with RUDI

Rising R&B/pop artist RUDI has a voice that will give you chills and lyrics that will hit close to home. With two singles already under her belt this year, RUDI is showing off another side to her artistry with “Stupid Boy.” The single is an anthem for anyone who’s been burned in the past and come out the other side as a “bad bitch who doesn’t give a damn.” Pop Culturalist caught up with RUDI to learn more about the song and her plans for 2020!

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
RUDI: Growing up, my parents put me in everything from swimming to acting to soccer to singing. I just stuck with what I really loved doing, which was music. I sang my first song on stage by the age of two and never stopped!

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
RUDI: Musically, I can’t really narrow it down to one person. So many different artists have inspired me in so many different ways. Both of my parents, although not in the entertainment industry, inspire me by showing that hard work and determination pays off. I’ve watched my dad work from the bottom to the top. He never gave up. Both of my parents are the hardest workers I know. Seeing their daily grind inspires me to never give up myself and to shoot for the stars!

PC: You recently appeared on The Bachelor Presents: Listen To Your Heart. What was the biggest takeaway from that experience that you’ve been able to apply to your career moving forward?
RUDI: I really learned how to be patient and take things one day at a time. In this industry, that is so, so important. I grew up listening to my mom say, “Just take it one day at a time,” but it wasn’t until filming that I really learned how to do that.

PC: Tell us about your new singles, “Smile” and “Hate LA.” What inspired the two songs?
RUDI: A lot of people don’t know this, but I actually wrote the chorus of “Smile” about my grandma and then finished the verses about an ex. “Hate LA” is strictly about an ex that decided to leave for New York and it ruined LA for me for a little bit. [laughs] Sometimes, I can finish a song about one person and that specific experience, but a lot of the times when I’m writing I take inspiration from multiple different situations and different people and just mush them together. [laughs]

PC: What was the selection process like when deciding which two singles would be your introduction as a solo artist?
RUDI: It was pretty easy for me because that was where I was at the moment in my life, and I’m all about keeping it real with people. I released “Smile” almost exactly a month after my grandma passed away—who the song was originally about—and then I released “Hate LA” when I got broken up with on national television. [laughs] Although the song initially may have not been about him, I was still feeling very similar to when I wrote that song.

PC: Tell us about your new single “Stupid Boy.”
RUDI: It’s about a stupid boy. [laughs] Actually, all of them from my past. Boys who thought they could string me along for their own benefit and how I’m finally letting go all of that negative energy because I know I deserve better. It’s about feeling like a brand-new bad bitch who doesn’t give a damn!

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2020, what does the year hold for you?
RUDI: It’s a little hard to say right now with the whole world being shut down and all, but I can promise new music regularly and hopefully a couple of music videos to go along with some.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
RUDI: Led Zeppelin

PC: First album you bought?
RUDI: Britney Spears’ …Baby One More Time

PC: First concert you attended?
RUDI: Aaron Carter

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
RUDI: Christina Aguilera’s Stripped. It helped shape me to be the singer I am today!

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
RUDI: Madison Square Garden

PC: A must-have on the road?
RUDI: Good company, good music, and Hot Cheetos.

To keep up with RUDI, follow her on Instagram and Spotify. Pick up or stream “Stupid Boy” today.