Beijing-based artist RVRIE, the moniker of producer, songwriter, and sound designer Zefan Gao, emerges with a debut project that feels as cinematic as it is deeply introspective. Blending ambient pop with alternative rock, his new album 'Reverie' unfolds as a personal exploration of memory, identity, and displacement, shaped by a life lived between cultures and emotional landscapes.
Rooted in classical training yet driven by expansive, film-like production, Gao’s music balances technical precision with raw vulnerability. Lead single 'Dark Waters' offers a striking entry point into this world, drawing on haunting imagery and layered instrumentation to explore the weight of nostalgia and the pull of the past.
So with the new album out now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Electric Guitar
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Rock bands from the 70s and the 90s.
What was the first album you remember owning?
“Nevermind” by Nirvana
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
“By This River” by Brian Eno
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Writing the daily pages every morning for lyrical ideas.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Apparat, Oneohtrix Point Never, Puma Blue.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Radiohead
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
When you can connect with people without having to talk, just through music.
And what is the most frustrating part?
That you have to post content on social media to get people to listen to your music in this day and age, for me it totally ruined the purpose and fun of making music.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Enjoy the process without proof of it’s going anywhere, make music for yourself, not for validation.
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RVRIE's new album 'Reverie' is out now. Check it out in the player below.