Russo

With the new year already in full swing, the rush of anticipation to receive new music from upcoming artists of the past year is slowly overwhelming fanbases. With newly formed band Russo, there has been an exponential growth in their following since their debut album release last July. With seasoned singer Cailin Russo—who has released a couple of singles, most notably 2017’s “September Rose”—as the band’s lead singer and songwriter, there are some solo projects that fans could use as a reference for what the new band would sound like. But as Local Wolves talked with Cailin, it was shared that the band was created during a creative transition period for the lead singer herself. Since their spur of the moment creation, the band has gone on tour in North America and the UK, and has opened shows for singers Jessie Ware and Madison Beer.

“The band was formed after I was auditioning players to play with me solo. Since that didn't really ever work out, I had already met a bunch of fabulous players and had written a new project full of live music ideal for a band, thus Russo was born,” said Cailin on the creation of RUSSO. On their debut record, House with a Pool, Cailin was the sole writer due to the spontaneous assembly of the group. Its lyrics stretch from stories of heartbreak to fierce independence, riddled with confidence within one’s sex appeal and unabashed bouts of desire. There’s no single genre the album can be placed under, which puts the band in a particularly advantageous spot from the get-go.

In the future, whichever direction they choose to follow musically won’t necessarily be expected, but it’ll be welcomed and embraced with new ears. This variety in their music is partially due to how Cailin approaches the artform: “My approach to music shifts constantly with the waves of my life. This past year has been has been so high and so low, and I think I was constantly trying to swim alongside the waves. I think continuity is maybe the most important thing as an artist, because we're constantly experiencing new things and wanting to share.”

Cailin’s high regard for continuity is reflected in a song that’s situated towards the end of the album. Entitled “Apeshit (Interlude)” and vastly different in sound than the rest of the album, this song was created as a solo project before RUSSO existed, but was incorporated into the debut album. “It was so undeniably me and I didn't want to completely let that part of myself go yet. We didn't want to commit to a whole project like that or even a full song, but it was it's own interlude as it is so special,” explains Cailin. By carrying through a piece of her previous project into a newly formed venture, Cailin was “riding the waves”—so to speak—with a reminder of how quickly plans can change and that there are still ways to continue while equipped with what you already have. And continue on is just what Cailin did with her new bandmates Haley Brownell, Sean Ritchie and Tyler McCarthy.

The process of getting music out and having live shows scheduled was just as quick as the creation of the band. When asked if there was pressure to put out music as soon as possible, Cailin replied that there definitely was: “We were offered an opportunity and started touring only a couple months after the band was formed. There wasn't much of a point (except practice and experience) to be touring without being able to offer music to our fans. The whole timing wasn't ideal, but it was a big opportunity and I believe it was what was meant to happen!” Since then the band has gone on tour around the United States and most recently around the United Kingdom. Their first show was opening for a singer who could rightfully be compared to the grit and sultriness of Cailin’s voice: Jessie Ware. “The only thing I can remember is being really scared, and then comfortable and then exhausted,” recalls Cailin.

As for the future of RUSSO, there seems to be no plans of slowing down. After a wild 2018 full of milestones that any new band would dream of, the new year holds endless possibilities There will definitely be new sounds, new collaborators and new imagery for this next season as we're constantly evolving and needing to explore different forms of expression and sound!” said Cailin. Until then, hold House with a Pool close and ride the waves into the future projects that RUSSO has got in the making.

I think continuity is maybe the most important thing as an artist, because we're constantly experiencing new things and wanting to share."