Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Carina Allen, known by her stage name rlyblonde, has recently dropped the highly anticipated music video for her latest single, “Dumb Blonde.” This release not only showcases her musical talent but also her prowess as a director and producer, making it a significant milestone in her artistic journey.
The “Dumb Blonde” music video, produced and directed through her new production company, HOT CREATIVE, is a visual treat filled with hidden gems for her loyal fans. “Viewers who have seen past rlyblonde videos might recognize small easter eggs throughout the video — look out for old video outfits featured as props, callbacks to past releases, and a breaking of the fourth wall that mixes fantasy and reality,” Carina reveals. This intricate layering of visual elements underscores her commitment to creating a rich, immersive experience for her audience.
During our interview, Carina shared her passion for the visual aspects of her music. “Directing and producing my own videos is such an integral part of making music for me,” she explained. “I’m not just writing songs, I’m building an entire visual world for people to escape into.” This holistic approach to her art allows her to maintain a unique and cohesive aesthetic, setting her apart in the indie music scene.
Carina’s journey as rlyblonde began to take a transformative turn in 2023 with the release of her debut EP, ‘Fantasy.’ This project marked her reintroduction as a DIY rock artist, featuring five self-directed and produced music videos that captured the essence of her new sound. Performing at iconic venues across New York City and garnering attention from tastemakers like The Luna Collective and Unpublished Magazine, she firmly established herself as a force to be reckoned with.
Now, as she embarks on a new chapter in her career, rlyblonde has been collaborating with producer and multi-instrumentalist Robbie Guariglia, known for his work with The Veronicas, Oh Honey, and Native Sun. This partnership promises to bring a fresh and exciting dimension to her music, as she continues to evolve and push the boundaries of her artistry.
1. Inspiration Behind “Dumb Blonde”: “Your new single ‘Dumb Blonde’ deals with the inner monologue of self-doubt. What personal experiences inspired you to write this song?”
C: Last year was a huge transitional year for me as far as shifting my career, moving from visual art to music, being in the public eye in a different way, and also coming out as queer and really putting myself out there as far as dating women etc. I was constantly grinding and everything was moving so quickly. I was so happy, I was like, “wow, I guess this is everything I wanted…” But with that comes the feeling of, “Oh this can’t possibly last.” I felt a little in over my head but in a good way. “Dumb Blonde” reflects both my overwhelm at the time as well as my method of coping – partying and trying to ignore my anxiety! I think there’s some validity to living in the moment and not getting so caught up in hypotheticals.
2. Lyricism and Themes: “‘Dumb Blonde’ is described as having clever, confessional lyricism. Can you share some of your favorite lyrics from the song and the story behind them?”
C:“Walking like a dumb blonde
into everything that I wanted
Don’t really know how I got here
if I’m being honest”
The first verse really speaks to this feeling I had of finally getting the things I wanted, and not understanding the connection between years of hard work to make it real and the actual outcome. It’s like, you work so hard for so long you almost forget why you were doing all of it.
“Talking to the universe
thinking that I’m some kind of prophet
But I’m still lying awake at night
stuck feeling nauseous”
I’m a very spiritual person in a pretty non-religious sense, more so in the way that I have a strong tarot practice, I spend a lot of time alone sort of meditating on my music and what I want. I’m definitely an angel numbers girl. This line sort of alludes to me thinking I sort of cracked the code of my life, catching these small signs from the universe signaling that this is my path, but at the same time acknowledging that it’s a little nutty to just be like… “I am a star…This is gonna happen for me.” Duality!
3. Musical Style: “The single features buzzy guitar riffs and pop-rock elements. How did you decide on this particular sound for ‘Dumb Blonde,’ and how does it reflect your artistic vision?”
C: I wanted to shift ever so slightly from the heavier pop-punk sound of the Fantasy EP to something with a bit more swing, a bit more fuzz. I’ve always thought of my work in chapters, sonically and visually. Fantasy was my bratty teen pop-punk era. “Dumb Blonde” is the first track off the upcoming Star of the Show EP, which I think is a bit more mature and a bit more indie-rock, while still being playful. Eventually I would love to explore a country-tinged sound too, so there’s definitely some elements of that woven in as well.
4. Message to Listeners: “What do you hope listeners take away from ‘Dumb Blonde,’ especially in terms of dealing with life’s unpredictability and challenges?”
C: I think there’s a lot to just taking life one day at a time! Enjoying the highs and growing through the lows. Putting pressure on everything to last forever is a great way to get stuck in hypotheticals.
5. From Visual Arts to Music: “You’ve been a go-to photographer, videographer, and creative director for indie acts in New York. What motivated you to transition into making your own music with the rlyblonde project?”
C: I got a bit selfish, to be honest. I was getting really tired of grinding on other people’s projects, not because I don’t love the work but just because it wasn’t feeling as creatively fulfilling as I wanted. I hadn’t done any “personal” art in so long that I felt really disconnected from my feelings and general creativity. Something cracked when I wrote Fantasy and the whole thing really lit me up from inside. There was not really any going back for me after that.
6. Debut EP ‘Fantasy’: “Your debut EP ‘Fantasy’ marked your reintroduction as a DIY rock artist. How did your background in visual arts influence the creation and production of your EP and its accompanying music videos?”
C: To me, it’s all about world building and not just about one song or sound. It’s almost impossible for me to think about the music project without imagining the entire visual rollout. To me, the music and the visuals go hand-in-hand. It’s not a song with a music video, it’s a self-portrait that’s got both musical and visual elements to it. Certainly my background in visual art made it super easy to shift mediums as far as knowing what goes into producing visuals and leading a crew. I’m nothing without my team but I do generally like to be in charge of running the show and having a grip on all the details of a project.
7. Creative Independence: “You self-directed and produced five music videos for your EP. Can you talk about the challenges and rewards of maintaining such a high level of creative control over your work?”
C: Handling all the aspects of visual production for my own project is a lot of work, but I get to cut a lot of bullshit out of the creative process, ie. endless brainstorming, waiting on decks, approving everything with a million people, making a million revisions. Obviously there is a lot that still goes into shooting a video, I still trust my go-to crew immensely and hold their opinions in high regard. Music and visual production are both collaborative, so I’m not doing it all alone, but I am the one who gets final say on what I’m putting out. Unfortunately it is challenging and very expensive to be such a perfectionist, but I’m always really proud of the final product and I think it speaks to my larger portfolio of work as a creative. I also am building creative relationships with other DPs, stylists, hair stylists, makeup artists, grips, gaffs, producers, etc., so that I can have a super strong roster under my wing for future projects I direct for other artists. In an ideal world my work spans beyond the “rlyblonde” universe, but I will always be expanding on this project as my artistic life goes on.
8. Working with Robbie Guariglia: “You’ve been collaborating with producer Robbie Guariglia on your new music. How has this partnership influenced your sound and creative process?”
C: Robbie has such an extensive background and skill set as a producer and instrumentalist. He’s an in. As someone getting their footing in music, my language for describing certain production aspects might be a bit lacking, but he has a great way of understanding what I’m trying to articulate and how to execute my vision. He has a great ability to understand what aspects of a song make it catchy or unique and translating that into something that is super polished but still true to the original soul of the song.
9. Song Development: “You mentioned that Robbie helps to flesh out songs and understand what’s inside your brain. Can you give an example of how this collaborative process has transformed a particular song?”
C: We have a few songs in the works right now that even from the original demo to the in-progress mix, it feels like night and day. For a lot of my newer songs, I was really inspired by late 90s shoegaze bands and these extremely heavy rolling guitar sounds. I think my demos relay that but maybe lacked the “pop” factor or the energy that they needed. Robbie completely flipped the drums on a couple of tracks and made the songs come alive in a way I could have never imagined. It’s cool to see someone breathe new life into a song while still honoring the original sound of the demo.
10. Evolution as an Artist: “How do you feel you’ve grown as an artist since the release of ‘Fantasy,’ and in what ways has your music evolved in this new chapter?”
C: I think I’ve grown a lot! It’s been a process of building up my own confidence, self-assurance and belief that I can do this and that I have the skills to do this. I’ve been developing my musical skills for years. I also know that I bring a lot to the table as a creative and visual artist, so I’m just trying to match myself when it comes to my music chops. The live performances have continued to improve, the music is growing in its own ways, and I’ve had a lot of achievements worth celebrating in the past year. It’s all very exciting!
12. Dealing with Doubt: “In ‘Dumb Blonde,’ you address the inner voice that predicts failure. How do you personally combat these feelings of doubt and stay motivated in your career?”
C: I made a mood board a few months ago and I have this one quote I pulled from a magazine that says, “I’ve been in the game and the grind for a long time. At a certain point people respect you when they see you fall down and get back up.” I wish I knew who the quote was originally from (sorry!), but I think about that a lot. I felt very self-conscious for a while about switching my art up so drastically and the way I present myself to the world. But I like to think that people who are rooting for me see that I’m pushing myself in a lot of ways and even if it’s not perfect, you have to work through challenges in order to grow.
13. Balancing Roles: “Balancing your roles as a musician, visual artist, and creative director must be challenging. How do you manage these different facets of your career, and what strategies do you use to stay organized and inspired?”
C: Gosh, I’m so busy all the time and constantly wearing a million different hats. It’s a HARD balance! I have to structure my week with a lot of intention so that I get things done (ie. office days on Monday and Thursday, sessions on Wednesday, photo jobs on the weekends, etc). I remind myself that it’s all part of the machine, that I’m doing this all for a greater goal, if not many greater goals. My manager Heather keeps my head on straight. I’d be extremely lost without her. My big challenge this year has been focusing on my health and making sure my body is in good shape to handle all the various tasks and demands of my life and my work. Getting older is not a joke; take your vitamins, drink water, get enough sleep.
13. New Chapter of Music: “You’re ready to reveal a whole new chapter of music. Can you give us a sneak peek into what we can expect from your upcoming releases?”
C: The new project Star of the Show is kind of like Fantasy 2.0. Fantasy was exactly that… a Fantasy. A dream I had for myself. Star of the Show is those dreams realized, and maybe still fantasized a bit. It explores a more indie-rock sound while still being a reflection of my inner-monologue as I grapple with my own ambitions and have a little fun with everything.
14. Goals and Aspirations: “What are your long-term goals for the rlyblonde project? Are there any particular milestones or collaborations you’re aiming for in the near future?”
C: Long-term I want to keep building up the “rlyblonde cinematic universe” so new and old fans alike can really indulge in the full world of rlyblonde. I love performing live shows, and am excited to keep throwing amazing shows and parties for queer folks to come and just have fun, dress up, and rage. I’d love to see a rlyblonde track featured in a TV show or movie. I just am excited to keep exploring this character and world and see how she develops over time.
15. Advice for Aspiring Artists: “As someone who has navigated various creative fields, what advice would you give to aspiring artists looking to make their mark in the industry?”
C: Sing from your heart! Corny but true. I always think writing from a genuine place will carry more weight than just writing to write a hit song. Find ways to do a lot of stuff on your own and sustain yourself without needing to outsource to so many different people. Figure out your goals for yourself and invest in things that will get you there, and don’t invest in the things that won’t. And have fun and enjoy the ride! Every level of success comes with its own challenges so you might as well enjoy the entire journey.
For those eager to dive into the world of rlyblonde, the “Dumb Blonde” music video is an excellent entry point. It encapsulates her vision, creativity, and the meticulous effort she pours into every project. As she continues to blend music and visuals seamlessly, there’s no doubt that Carina Allen’s rlyblonde will keep capturing the hearts and imaginations of her growing fanbase.
Stay tuned for more from this innovative artist as she redefines what it means to be a multidisciplinary creator in the modern music landscape.
The Hollywood Six 