By Cynthia Gross
Who said the best love songs are breakup songs? Alternative pop artist Rhett Repko’s latest single “Late Nights” is an upbeat, feel-good tune that celebrates the bliss of newfound love – a perfect addition to your summer playlist.
With a voice in his chest, a guitar on his shoulders, a band behind his back, and a kindred spirit by his side, Rhett is committed to creating music that makes audiences feel something. The honest, introspective lyrics of “Late Nights” provide a window into his heart, arousing feelings of joy, innocence, and freedom.
“I want ‘Late Nights’ to serve as a reminder that along with bad times, there are always good times in life,” explains Rhett. “I want people to either listen to the song and blissfully enjoy it while being in love, or I want it to be hopeful and something they can sing along with and dream about until they meet someone to fall in love with.”
Rhett, an Annapolis, Maryland native, had an undeniable first love: music. While taking a guitar class in high school, he experienced the power of music to connect and inspire others. His early influences include the Beatles and Nirvana. After earning a bachelor’s in music from UMBC under the guidance of Alan Wonneberger, Rhett formed his band and has never looked back. He enjoys overwhelming support from over 200 college and community radio stations across the country. His growing list of TV licensing network partnerships include VICE, MTV, Netflix, Discovery, and OWN.
“Records today tend to be produced to perfection, but those aren’t the ones we love,” Rhett notes. When asked how he retains a palatable balance of polished and organic in the studio, he explained that keeping some parts of the song “very human” is key.
“It’s a balance of knowing when to edit something and when to leave it as is. I remember while working on one of my songs with my producer, I sang an outro line that repeats four times. After playing it back, I noticed my voice cracked a bit on the fourth line. I told my producer, ‘Hey, let me just record that last line again real quick,’ and he looked at me and said, ‘but that was my favorite part.’” From that moment, Rhett understood the importance of letting emotion carry through the music.
“Feels good to love again, know that you’re my best friend,” Rhett sings in the chorus of “Late Nights.” Despite the sunny sentiment – whistling and all – “Late Nights” avoids coming off as saccharine thanks to Rhett’s thoughtful composition and authentic delivery. The song offers a welcome pick-me-up for lovers and dreamers alike, just ripe for summertime consumption.
This track has been added to our Alchemical Weekly YouTube Playlist.
Cynthia Gross is a freelance writer and award-winning spiritual pop artist based in Maryland. With more than a decade of experience as an executive ghostwriter, she understands the power of each individual’s voice to create positive, meaningful change.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
