Today, we’re thrilled to be joined by the incredibly talented Ray Levier, a drummer whose skill and versatility have made waves in the music world.
Known for his ability to effortlessly blend rock, jazz fusion, hip-hop, and more, Ray has just released a new single that’s already generating a lot of buzz called “Uncharted Destiny.”
Ray’s story is as inspiring as his music. After a devastating fire accident at age 12, which resulted in severe burns and the loss of most of his fingers, Ray found innovative ways to pursue his passion for drumming. His journey from these personal challenges to professional success is a testament to his determination and creativity.
“Uncharted Destiny” is a masterclass in rhythmic complexity and melodic emotion, reflecting Ray’s deep understanding of diverse musical styles.
Today, we’ll dive into the inspiration behind this single, his creative process, the music video for “Uncharted Destiny” and the themes of self-discovery and resilience that run through his work.
“Uncharted Destiny” is a stunning new track. What was the creative process behind it?
It started as a demo like most songs then as I worked on the melodic idea it slowly started to take on a life of its own.
It’s usually a step by step process and as things develop the song will kind of dictate what direction it’s heading towards.
It took almost 3 years to create the music video to accompany “Uncharted Destiny”. Can you tell us about the creative process behind this amazing piece?
It was a slow methodical process of shooting the scenes with a combination of green screen and a CGI program called Blender where you can build any type of model.
I called my good long time friend Frani Lugo who is an incredibly talented artist and musician. I originally was thinking of asking him to do the video as an animation piece.
He suggested doing it with CGI (computer generated imagery) which I knew nothing about at the time. Normally there are lots of people working together on these projects but it was just Frani working on it which is why it took us so long but in hindsight it was well worth the time spent and I’m really happy with how it turned out.
Your life story is incredibly inspiring, especially your journey after the accident. How did you find the strength to overcome such a significant challenge and continue to pursue music?
Pursuing music was actually the daily process of overcoming my challenges of the accident and using music and drumming as a way of healing. I took things one day at a time, it’s a process that unfolds with who you are becoming as a person especially in your more formative years. But it’s a journey that requires patience and determination year after year. I believe that the music will dictate where it’s going if one’s intuition and trust in the process remains open and free. I guess that’s where I’ve ended up after all these years.
Can you elaborate on the unique drumming techniques you’ve developed and how they have influenced your playing style?
I grew up listening to mostly rock and metal and in my mind I was pretty sure I wanted to be a rock drummer. It was when I started taking drum lessons in high school that my drum teacher started turning me on to different styles of music. I was getting introduced to jazz, funk, jazz fusion, and within those styles bands like Weather Report, The Meters, Stuff, Chick Corea, Frank Zappa. I had this epiphany at that moment and it really opened my ears up and led me down the path I’m on today. I believe that’s why it’s very important to study with a really good teacher early on to help develop not only your drumming but what your listening to because that’s really what dictates the direction one will go stylistically in the long term.
You’ve collaborated with jazz fusion legends like Mike Stern and John Abercrombie. What were some of the most memorable moments or lessons from these experiences?
You realize that they are more accessible than you would think and that they are human just like you. If they see you’re very passionate about the music they will inevitably respect that. It’s a long journey of commitment to want to be a professional musician and someone on the level of a guy like Mike Stern I think have really learned that through the years.
If you exude passion and are hungry that’s undeniable to others and they once again will respect that about you.
In “Uncharted Destiny,” you mention themes of self-discovery and finding strength in adversity. How do these themes resonate with your personal journey and musical career?
They are inseparable in my opinion. Music and the arts are there to try to put meaning to parts of our lives that just don’t make sense or are just not fair as life tends to be most of the time. Music shapes your life and your life shapes the music you are creating. I think they go hand in hand and the processes are inseparable. Uncharted Destiny is ultimately about that process.
It’s about new beginnings even when on the outside it seems like your life has been ripped apart emotionally. It’s about just holding on and trusting the process which is one of the hardest things to do in life.
As a teacher, what do you find most rewarding about educating the next generation of drummers and musicians?
I’ve always thought that it’s a privilege to be a teacher. You’re shaping this young mind at a formative point in their lives and what you share with them will be with them for the rest of their lives. I find it very rewarding to be around that young energy and young passion and watch them grow on a daily basis.
Your work spans live performances, teaching, and composing for TV networks. How do you balance these different aspects of your career?
Staying organized is very important as is time management. There’s only so many productive hours during the day and managing that time is crucial to getting things done. Most of my gigs are in the night and the music I compose for television is done during the day so they usually don’t conflict with one another. But yea, at the end of the day time management is key.
What role has technology played in your teaching methods, and how has it impacted your ability to connect with students globally?
Because of video lessons I can now teach someone anywhere in the world which is great cause that opens things up for sure. There was a time that I was doing a lot of driving to teach and it takes up a lot more time and effort to do that. I’m a big fan of technology and how it has helped with my teaching schedule. Of course there’s nothing better than being in the same room physically but a video lesson definitely has its perks.
What can fans expect from your future projects?
I’m always working on new songs and putting music out there cause it’s just what I do and will continue to do as an artist. I have a new project called The Lab Lords. It’s an electronic duo with a rock vein with some quirkiness in there as well as some really cool visuals that are in sync with the music.
Stay tuned for that. Maybe another book in the future? We’ll see but please follow me on my socials so you’ll know when things unfold.
Multi-platinum producer and artist elijah woods released his newest...
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
