Emerging: Rita Taylor
By Mattea Overstreet
Seventeen-year-old Rita Taylor has spent her life around music, and now she’s carving her path as a songwriter. Raised in Knights Ferry, Rita began composing music at 13 on guitar and piano. Now she has written more than 20 original songs, and recently completed a tour alongside her father, the acclaimed folk artist Willy Tea Taylor.
The way Rita’s songs carry soulful melodies with poignant lyrics reminds me of Cat Clyde, Mazzy Star and Faye Webster all in one. Her music feels intimate and timeless. Her sound, lyrics, and insights reflect an old soul behind a new voice.
MV: What do you think makes a song original or unforgettable?
Rita: Speaking from the heart and playing what makes you feel good. You can tell when something’s made to sound like someone else. Music isn’t supposed to sound or be a certain way. It’s free, like water. It can flow in any direction; you just have to guide it. Originality is about trying new ideas and going out of your comfort zone.
MV: Do you write for yourself or with listeners in mind?
Rita: I write for myself, but I also strongly consider how other people will hear it. I think about how I feel when I hear other people’s music. Almost everyone has a favorite song that makes them feel a certain way, from a guitar riff to a powerful lyric, or a beautiful melody. When I write, I try to channel what I feel when I listen to my favorite songs.
MV: What’s one song you wish you wrote?
Rita: “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” by Jeff Buckley. The emotion in his voice and lyrics…the power of the chords he uses…makes me want to write a song that makes people feel like how I feel when I listen to it.
MV: Is there a lyric of yours you’re especially proud of?
Rita: “What do you hear when you let your mind speak? Is it anger and fear, or is it salvation at its peak? So do pray tell me, what is it that you seek? Because fear and anger don’t have patience for the weak.”
Rita is performing her original music at every show she can, dreaming big, and saving for the day her songs make their way from her soul to the studio.
