5 minute read
Raue
Grounded in DIY savvy and true believers in music’s universal power to spread connection, teen duo Raue is proudly carrying the rock torch forward.
It’s become a popular post-set question for two-piece band Raue (pronounced roo-ay). How do they maintain such a full sound as a duo? Paige Kalenian lets me in on the band’s secret: both band members have triggers to play added parts on command. “You’ll still hear the bass, lead guitars, and piano parts when you see us live,” explains Kalenian, the group’s vocalist and guitarist. Kalenian credits fellow musical duo Twenty One Pilots as a key inspiration for maintaining their minimal lineup. “I enjoy that it catches people off guard a lot.”
Hailing from Santa Cruz, Raue is a teen-powered grunge band, featuring Kalenian, 18, and drummer Jax Huckle, 17. Raue, Kalenian’s middle name, translates to “rough” in German. It’s a fitting descriptor for the music they play: a re-imagining of various strands of the ’90s rock universe for a brand new generation. Expect dashes of punk rock ingenuity, grunge lyricism, and alternative rock crunch.
“When I see that you’re still nothing / I feel it in your lies / I’m waiting for you to come around,” sneers Kalenian on “Come Around,” from the group’s early 2022 EP, Erase and Rewind. Waves of distortion soften to muted chords only to return, emanating a continued journey of tension and release. “It was just me, Jax, my parents, and my uncle. We had three iPhones and a little fisheye attachment,” she recalls of the song’s video shoot. “That was my first time editing anything like that before. It gave me a really solid foundation for our social media, because I was able to do a lot more once I figured that out.”
Reading through the video’s YouTube comments, it’s clear their hard work is paying off. But there was a time when Raue almost cratered before even gaining steam.
I had to sit back and remember that none of these people know each other. There’s people from Brazil, Italy, the United States, and Mexico. Everyone became friends, and that blew my mind. We’re super lucky to have such kind people as supporters and friends.
In early November 2021, Kalenian had a falling out with a former band member two weeks before a showcase for their management. She needed someone to step in quickly because of the fifty-fifty split required to trigger all elements of their performance. Thankfully, after her mother put out a call at work (she works in pro audio), Kalenian met Huckle, a co-worker’s family friend. He quickly got to work and mastered the band’s live repertoire and mechanics. They’ve been a tight twosome ever since. “It was very obvious that he was the right fit for the band,” adds Kalenian. “He’s been playing drums for eight or nine years, but his passion for music has been there even longer.”
Kalenian thinks back to her own passionate musical history. She remembers struggling to play her father’s guitar when she was a child because her hands were too small to properly work the fretboard and vividly recalls when she first heard “Basket Case” by Green Day in middle school. She started writing the band’s lyrics all over her arms, wishing they were tattoos.
“They were the tipping point of my music career,” she says. She spoke with her parents about how she saw music as a career and not just a hobby; they took her words to heart and began homeschooling her. Huckle is homeschooled as well. It’s a dynamic that provides the band with the flexibility and focus to truly dive into charting their long-term musical path. With a practice schedule that includes six-hour sessions four days a week, their focus is clearly apparent.
Kalenian’s mother also helped Raue connect with Grammy Award–winning record producer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Norah Jones, Modest Mouse), who manages the band and is executive producing their upcoming music. Their debut and follow-up EP were co-produced by Kalenian and Jack Shirley, best known for his acclaimed work with Deafheaven. In Shirley, Kalenian has found a producer who can ably translate her abstract thoughts into the proper sonic solution. King shares feedback on mixes but is always a resource more than a domineering voice. She maintains that she and Huckle control the band’s vision.
They’re preparing for a significant next step. Raue will help Volcom re-launch their entertainment division with a double single release in early 2023.
Rock may not be as potent as hip-hop with the masses stateside at the moment, but the sound is still very vibrant elsewhere. It’s an idea Kalenian knows all too well after developing friendships with fans from around the world. She remembers being stunned by their reach after she put out a message on social media for fans to join her on a call to wish Huckle a happy birthday. “I had to sit back and remember that none of these people know each other,” she recalls. “There’s people from Brazil, Italy, the United States, and Mexico. Everyone became friends, and that blew my mind. We’re super lucky to have such kind people as supporters and friends.”
Written by Brandon Roos
Photography by Ngozi Harrison
Instagram: rauemusic
