Vivi Rincon is making a “crash landing” into her latest musical endeavor
Graphic by Cate Lolan-Banks
By Minna Abdel-Gawad
21-year-old Vivi Rincon (she/her) is intimate, raw and honest in her debut EP, crash landing. The Houston native began her musical journey dancing but slowly learned to love the art of songwriting, eventually sharing these melodies to her TikTok audience. The indie pop singer has amassed thousands of followers for her ballads that explore the human condition, tapping into feelings of rage, hurt and comfort. On February 22nd, crash landing’s release allowed Rincon to share even more of herself with her loyal audience.
How did you begin your musical journey?
I was originally a dancer and I really wanted to be on Broadway. I would train for hours every day and it started getting a bit unhealthy for me mentally. To deal with these emotions I went to the piano and started writing. Writing became like therapy for me. I fell in love with songwriting, finding ways to put my feelings into words was so healing for me.
What was the push that caused you to release your first single “if we lived on the moon” in 2022?
I think it was the reaction that it received on Tik Tok. I posted the song when I hadn't even finished it. People really seemed to like it and it pushed me to release it as fast as I could, without losing the quality of the song of course.
How do you think you have grown as a musician since your debut single?
I have found my sound a lot more. “if we lived on the moon” was a great way to introduce myself to the world, but I realized that I really love leaning into the pop rock sound like some of the songs on the EP. I would love to continue exploring this sound in my next project.
crash landing is spectacular! How would you describe the EP?
It is about my love and heartbreak and pain and excitement and all of the intense emotions that come with being in a relationship. It’s not just about my relationship with my girlfriend, but It’s about my relationship with myself. The EP is about struggling with borderline and being honest about how it affects my life. I wanted to be as vulnerable as possible, I wanted to open up to my audience about what I go through because I find that it helps people, including myself.
Why the name crash landing?
I wanted the name to be an oxymoron, two words with opposing definitions coming together to create a new definition. I chose an oxymoron because it mirrors the extreme opposing emotions in the EP and I chose “crash landing” because it symbolizes how I feel a lot of the time. Barely making it, crashing to the ground, but still surviving.
You’re very honest throughout the EP, especially in “overflow” and "the party" . What inspires you to explore these very raw emotions through your music?
Therapy. Therapy has helped me so much in my life and it has also helped me to be more vulnerable, and to be confident within my vulnerability and myself.
You explore a lot of themes of self identity throughout crash landing, what about music as a creative outlet allows you to express yourself?
It is my favorite thing in the whole world. Songwriting is magical because I can write something that feels so extremely personal, an emotion that I feel like no one has ever experienced before, and then I’m wrong. People relate to it and it’s beautiful to have that connection.
You play around with your sound a lot on the EP, each song has a very distinct vibe, what inspired you both to explore your sound like that?
Working with Matt Martin and Rachel Caridi inspired me so much. They are such talented producers and they allowed me to explore different sounds within the EP. I also wanted to experiment with different sounds because honestly, it just felt right
There’s a very distinct 2010s indie pop sound especially with the muted guitar tones and echoey vocals— what inspirations do you draw from?
I love Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, Nessa Barett, badass female artists that aren’t afraid to be honest. I also am super inspired by latin music since I grew up in a Mexican-Venezuelan household. I listen a lot to Mana and Soda Stereo, two incredible, iconic latin rock bands.
Which track were you most excited about being out there and why?
My favorite track is “can’t breathe.” I am so proud of the lyrics on that one. They felt so real, I felt like I was able to put how I was feeling into words. I also think that Matt did such an incredible job on the production. I get so excited when I hear that song.
What was a highlight of recording the EP?
Working with my girlfriend Rachel on “if we lived on the moon.” She produced it and even sang harmonies on it and it honestly felt so magical. Being in love is a beautiful thing, and creating with someone you love is an incredible feeling.
What’s next for you following crash landing?
I am always writing and collaborating with people so I am just going to keep doing that. Keep doing what I love. I would love to release more music as soon as I am ready to. And performing! I love connecting with an audience through music.