Q&A: RYL0 Reaches the Summit of Pop Grandeur on "Gold"
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
FRESH OFF A HEADLINING SET A THE WHOLE EARTH FESTIVAL - electro-pop worldbuilder RYL0 has officially arrived at the peak of her most ambitious era yet with her new single, “Gold. Following the brooding, intense momentum of last month’s “Downfall,” which saw the artist waging war against her doubters in a self-edited, cinematic music video, "Gold" shifts the narrative lens to the mountain's summit. Produced by the powerhouse duo of RIAA Gold-certified Taydex and dance-music pro AOBeats, the track is an opulent, maximalist dance-pop anthem that seamlessly fuses thumping electro-house rhythms with sparkling synth design and sweeping guitar solos.
Rooted deeply in a thematic palette of Greek mythology and cinematic structure, a nod to her screenwriting roots, "Gold" acts as the ultimate hero's boon. RYL0 delivers a larger-than-life vocal performance, chanting a manifestation of wealth and victory so grandiose it sits on a knife's edge: is she speaking prophecy into existence, or mapping out a beautiful fantasy on the verge of rupture? Influenced by classic 2013–2015 EDM giants like Porter Robinson and Madeon, the single cements RYL0’s reputation as a cult-pop favorite capable of transforming deeply personal escapism into high-energy, universal dancefloor anthems.
Read below to learn more about the 40-page screenplay-style moodboard behind this new era, the studio chemistry with Taydex and AOBeats, and the hidden cautionary tales of King Midas woven into the track.
LUNA: You’ve described your last single, "Downfall," as a war against doubters as you pursue your goals, while "Gold" represents the summit of that mountain. Can you share more about the making of this track?
RYL0: Before we even started working on “Gold” in a room, I already had a pretty strong idea of the role I wanted this song to play, where it would fall in the tracklist of my upcoming project, and the sonic pillars I wanted to reference with the production. I definitely had 2013-2015 EDM classics on the moodboard, especially from Porter Robinson, Madeon, Zedd, and Avicii.
We also had Eva Honey in the room as a co-writer for the first session, and together we brainstormed how to drive the lyrical concept home and seamlessly blend the song into what we were conceptualising for the rest of the project. It took a few more sessions to see the rest of the song take shape as we refined all the specificities of the electrohouse influence. It was always a good song from the jump, but I’m also happy we took our time and allowed the song to transform.
As for the doubters mentioned with “Downfall”, that’s not about any one person in particular. I just feel like I’ve had enough things said to me (both in person and online) that have forced me to reckon with the fact that there are people out there who don’t believe in me at all, and probably never will. There are people out there I will never impress with my work ethic, and there are people who will never give me the time of day despite the quality of my output. I’ve noticed a lot of monitoring spirits in my vicinity over the years, and “Gold” is just the natural progression of ignoring judgement, moving forward, and staking my claim anyways.
LUNA: With the Greek mythology throughline connecting these singles, who or what do you identify with most in that pantheon? Are you a hero on a quest, or is "Gold" a nod to the Midas touch, where everything you want might come with a hidden cost?
RYL0: It’s both! It’s a direct reference to the cautionary tale of King Midas, but it’s also the “ultimate boon” moment right before the midpoint of this epic hero’s journey to pop stardom.
I’ve always been such an existential person, but even as a kid I’ve loved the idea of believing that at any possible moment, my life could change for the better. The idea of self-mythologizing my life has always helped me move through more dark mental places that I try not to dwell in for too long. Especially as an only child, I really relied on my imagination to break me out of my own head, and bring endless inspiration into my life.
I’ll admit that I have more than a few chips on my shoulders, but it keeps me going to think of my life as some sort of triumphant epic with something to prove. Percy Jackson obviously did a number on me, but I’ve also been using fantastical stories, fairy tales, and mythology as a form of escapism for as long as I can remember.
LUNA: "Gold" features production from Taydex and AOBeats - how did working with them help you achieve that specific "cocktail of euphoric pop grandeur" while maintaining the edge of your electro-pop roots?
RYL0: Tay and AO are the executive producers on the entire upcoming project, so I’ve been working with them for years now. We started the first sessions late 2023 and finished it up early 2025, and even then I’ve also worked with them individually prior to coming together for “Gold” and the rest of the songs from RY1.
That being said, we really got to know each other’s strengths in the studio and had a lot of room to explore this uniquely distinct blend of all of our tastes while creating together. Both of them are production wizards and can do anything so I trust them a lot, but Tay always brings a super cinematic feeling to everything while AO is such a dance music pro. Naturally, it was easy to find the balance between the two of them while I kind of led the charge of vibe curation. I came in with this grand plan full of references and research, and had no reason to doubt that the vision would come to life in their hands.
LUNA: You play a huge role in the creative direction of all of your work. How much of the visual aesthetic for this era was already in your head while you were creating "Gold"? Do you see the music and the visuals as one inseparable story?
RYL0: I’m always worldbuilding when making a new project so while the music is obviously the first priority, it has to be sonically immersive and visually evocative to truly represent the big picture in my mind.
When I was creating the concept of this next project, I only had 2-3 demos that felt super definitive of the era and used those as narrative touchstones to help build an entire story around that. I even made a 40-page moodboard back in October 2023 to help keep all my thoughts organized about the look, the feel, and of course the story.
I also approached the story as if I was writing a screenplay – studying the 3-Act Structure, Hero’s Journey, and creating outlines to make sure everything loosely made sense. Having minored in Screenwriting in college, I felt like I was putting myself right back to school.
“Gold” came together only after I had determined what was missing in the story, so even while writing it I had a really strong idea of what purpose it needed to serve musically, lyrically, and of course visually as well.
LUNA: You’re coming off a headlining performance at the Whole Earth Festival just as this single drops. How does the energy of a live crowd influence the way you want your "larger-than-life vocal bravado" to come across on a studio recording?
RYL0: Whole Earth Festival was super cute – my first college show experience and I got to debut a lot of unreleased stuff from RY1, including “Gold”. I’ve been performing “Gold” live for over a year now. My first time ever playing it live was for a sold-out show at the El Rey during my opening set for underscores back in 2024. It’s always a little nerve wracking to incorporate unreleased music into a setlist, but I’ve noticed how immediately “Gold” has been resonating with audiences and it feels really good to feel that I’m winning over people in real time with that one. It was definitely designed to be accessible while we were making the studio version, so that means it’s doing its job!
Now that it’s out though, I just want to hear people start singing it back to me, especially with the post-hook chant. It’s one of those moments we made in the studio with an audience in mind, so I’m hoping that starts happening soon.
LUNA: Who have you been listening to lately?
RYL0: The pop landscape is so well-rounded right now so I’ve been listening to all of the rising stars – Slayyyter, underscores, Ninajirachi, Pinkpantheress, Sophia Stel, That Kid, Frost Children, Eli, Jae Stephens, Adéla, Jane Remover, HorsegiirL, Chxrry… I recently discovered Natanya and think she’s great, and I’ve also been rinsing the new Namasenda album too. Outside of that, I’m always listening to Charli xcx by default, along with my own unreleased music.
LUNA: What’s the ideal setting for a first listen of this track?
RYL0: I would say anywhere is perfect as long as you’re moving. It’s an affirmational song first and foremost, so the act of being in motion and “going somewhere” really enhances the message; In the car on the way to work, at the gym on the treadmill, on the train on the commute back home, on a pensive walk through your favorite neighborhood – they all work. It’s a great song for the dancefloor too, but I definitely recommend a solo first listen.
LUNA: If "Downfall" was the climb and "Gold" is the summit, where does the narrative go next?
RYL0: It’s too soon to say! I’m just getting started and the narrative is still revealing itself to me. I’ve become a pretty superstitious person, so at the very least I know that everything that goes up, must eventually come back down.
I also know that I can get really paranoid when I focus too much on details that are out of my control, so I’m trying to make peace with all the alternate story endings and practice detachment as much as my ego will allow. It’s okay if I can’t stay on Mt. Olympus forever, but I’d also love to rest on my laurels while I catch my breath at the top, you know?
