Ravyn Lenae Talks Coach Campaign, Her Belt Buckle Locket, And Becoming a Timeless Artist

I think even me going to art school and going downtown and going to poetry slams, just that backdrop, served as a place for me to really experiment and push the boundaries of what I think is cool. So, I think I try to keep that spirit in me as I get older, and as I, you know, move to different cities or travel, that's something that I try to keep. But I think that's the fingerprint. That's the identity of people from Chicago.

TV: Speaking of going back home, are there any style pieces that you're eyeing for gifts this year already for your family?

RL: I know with my mom, she loves a good sweater or a good purse. She's a purse girl. She holds onto purses for years and years and years and years. And I love that about her because she takes really good care of them and the things she worked hard for. So I think I learned that from an early age, is taking care of your clothes, taking care of the things you have high regard for.

TV: In this era of over consumption and also this push for vintage items, do you feel like you take an “honoring the craftsmanship” approach when it comes to fashion and having this capsule wardrobe from your mom?

RL: I would consider myself a minimalist type of person. I don't like to acquire too many things, and I never saw my mom acquire a lot of things. I just know that she had her mind set on what she wanted and she would save up to buy that, and she would cherish that and keep it for years. I think I definitely adopted that same mindset with the things I work hard for and I'm proud to have. I'm definitely not a “more is merrier” type of person. I like things that are gonna stay in my wardrobe or stay in my life for years to come.

TV: Heading back home for the holidays, you're gonna be reconnecting with your family after a whirlwind year of chart climbing and touring. I can only imagine how grounding that must be. Is there a new part of yourself that you've discovered and you want to share at the dinner table this year?

RL: I'm very close to my family so there aren't many things they don't know about what's going on with me. I think it'd just be a good time for all of us to reflect individually on all of our years and see what those changes have been. I think the biggest thing I've discovered this year is I have a strong ability to adapt to change. And that's something that I'm really proud of because I didn't used to be that way. So I think even in the way I operate in music and in my business, I think that's just spilled over to how I deal with people or problems or any shift that happens in life that's natural. I think I have a better response to it. I could also just be getting a little older, and understanding that. You know, things change for the good and for the bad and it's best to ride that wave instead of resisting it. So I think that was probably the biggest thing I learned this year, especially with such a major shift in my career. And then that spills over to personal life, naturally.

TV: In one of your first shows on Renee Rapp’s Bite Me Tour, you wore a belt buckle locket and displayed a childhood photo inside of it. What was that childhood photo?

RL: That was a picture of me and my mom. I think it was a birthday party, but I love that photo. And when me and my stylist thought about it, I was like that's such a good way to interweave me and my character into my clothes, and I think that is what fashion is. For me, like, making it more personal and really telling a story through it, is what makes it interesting and fun and inspiring. So whenever I'm on the road, sometimes I have lonely moments or I'm missing my moms or I’m missing my family. Being able to incorporate such a sacred part of me into my clothes on stage is so meaningful and cool.

TV: We have watched your career and this sense of enduring artistry. It is so beautiful to see you join a brand’s campaign that is rooted in that same sort of enduring craftsmanship. I want to know, how does it feel as an artist that reflects those same values to also now be aligned in this moment with this campaign?

RL: I think it feels easy. It feels natural. When it happened, it felt like a no-brainer to me. Like you said, because we had the same values and for a brand to be able to live this long, there's something about it that is timeless, classic, and can't be replaced. And I like to think of my career as aiming towards something like that. So, to be able to align with a brand that is so nostalgic for me, but also, hit a certain part of my childhood, pivotal moments in my girlhood, It's just been fun. I hope this is only the beginning of a long, fruitful relationship.