I have been a long time fan of Ryeshure's. From the moment I heard her I have been in awe of her voice and from the moment she started to sing I knew that I was in the presence of someone with a wonderful gift. Her voice is just insane and that she chooses to share it with us all in SL makes us very lucky indeed. When it came time to decide who to interview for October's Showcase it was an easy choice and when I thought about it more I knew who I wanted to do the interview....I just had to convince him...as it turned out he was more than happy. For those of you who don't know him, Spike Upshaw is not only a dear friend of mine and a great supporter of DTS but he is also the owner of the Aussie venue, The Woolshed, where the sheep are in constant need of shearing and the music is so hot you could fry an egg on the pavement. Thank you Spike for being a guest interviewer, I now hand it over to you. - Harlow
RyeShure Peony
Spike: Rye thank you for giving me the opportunity to interview you for Droppin The Stream's October Showcase. We have known each other for a while now and as the owner of The WoolShed where you sing once a week, i just want to say that I believe you have a very powerful voice and are indeed one of the most talented musicians here in SL. One of the highlights of SL for me is that I get to hear you sing each week but let let me get on with the questions, and again, thank you, smiles.
Spike - Rye, tell us a bit about yourself, where you grew up and when you began singing?
RyeShure - I grew up, in Mandaluyong, Philippines and I have been professionally singing since 1998. My first contract abroad was in the InterContinental Hotel in Bahrain as band Vocalist. I then went onto Japan with the Y2K band then I worked in Carnival Cruise Lines for 15 yrs. I stopped because I have kids so I formed an acoustic band that performs in hotels & lounges here in the Philippines as well as events such as weddings, debuts and corporate shows..
Spike - We all have an interesting story on how or why we came into SL, can you tell us how you came to be here?
Rye - Since the covid pandemic, we have not been able to perform in RL and these events were my bread and butter. My friend Mae Loved introduced me to SL last year as an opportunity to expand my singing career. I actually celebrated my first rezz day on September 24!
Spike - Rye, tell us how it was you got to singing in SL and what your first gig was?
Rye- I started streaming into SL on the day of my RL birthday which is October 2. I have not been around that long so I am very surprised I was chosen as your October Musician of the Month! It was really difficult for me as I am not very techy, but Mae and some of my friends helped me get set up. Getting used to my avi has taken awhile and it took a long time before I could even walk in a straight line,,lol. What I am good at is singing, so it was a blessing to be able to come here and sing through different clubs and meet lots of different people. Here I get to sing a lot of different genres and what I earn in Sl helps me to pay my bills, so I am very thankful.
Spike - You sing amazing rock songs as well as other genre's. Do you have any favourite's or the style of music you are most comfortable with and who influenced your choices of music?
Rye - Wow, thank you for the compliment Spike but actually I'm not really a rocker but I am really thankful that since I worked abroad, I had to learn to to sing different genres, I sing Jazz, standard, soul & R&B songs. I'm not really good at RAP music hahahaha. I really loved Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Incognito
Spike - Tell us a bit about your singing experiences outside of SL?
Rye - well, in RL I really miss it, because I have had chances to meet different people,and i have also had the chance to meet some celebrities. When I was working on the cruise ship I had the chance to sing with Jim Ed Brown, I also met Bob Kuban, Brian Mc Knight, Melinda Doolittle from the Voice. and even here in the Philippines I got the chance to perform with clubs owned by famous celebrities and politicians. I got the experience and the feel of singing on a large stage as well as stadiums, hotels, lounges. There has been lavish foods from events weddings,debuts etc, (I really love eating) and sometimes if they appreciate you, they will give you gifts aside from money. I'm more funny & bubbly in RL that's why I have lot of friends. Sometimes here in SL I am a bit confused because I am not good with computers, but I am willing to learn.
Spike - Rye, you do have a great following and I know from your early days here at The WoolShed that you have grown in popularity and its always a pleasure for me to hear you perform, If there is anything else you would like to share with your followers or I have forgotten to ask, please tell us here.
Rye - First of all, I'm really grateful to you Spike, because you're so understanding & considerate and you're willing to teach me. I remember the first time that I performed here, i didnt t have anyone who could help me with what I needed to do, but you're always so approachable and understanding to a newbie like me. That's why I' m still here. and I really like the ambience of The Woolshed. I love performing and am so happy that people like my music and come to my shows.
Thank You RyeShure