ICYMI: #WomanCrushWednesday IG Live featuring Shawney Rainne

BY LAURA HARPER/WWR Staff Writer

From spreading positivity to encouraging other creatives to embrace their art, few musicians can say they have used their music to make a profound impact quite as much as Shawney Rainne.

Rainne grew up on a farm in a strict household where listening to music was forbidden, so her future career was not to be expected. However, after finding a Maroon 5 CD on the side of the road during a run one day and then performing the songs for herself when she was home alone, it soon became apparent that she had a hidden talent waiting to come forth. Although she initially started her career on country music, she soon discovered her passion for mixing multiple genres such as pop, soul, and blues.

“I like to blend all kinds of genres and see what I come up with,” Rainne said.

Eventually, Rainne moved from her hometown to Nashville, Tennessee, simply because that seemed to be what a lot of other artists did, particularly within the country music genre.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” Rainne said.

Despite her uncertainty, moving to Nashville proved to be a good decision. There, Rainne was able to make many connections and fully commit to her music. She also started an organization called Everything But Country Music, or EBCM, which aims to provide opportunities for creatives in Nashville outside of country music.

Just recently, Rainne signed a new management contract and is currently in the process of rebranding. All of her songs have been removed from streaming platforms to be rereleased at a later time with a more strategic approach while she focuses more on the image she would like to portray to the public. In fact, she added “Rainne” to her name as a way to symbolize the spiritual journey she is undertaking through her music.

“Before, I was afraid that I would fail,” Rainne said. “I felt like I was being reborn.”

This rebranding initiative was sparked after Rainne had the opportunity to film on Siesta Key, a reality television show on MTV, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic. She always considered herself to be a perfectionist, and she realized that this trait was preventing her from being who she really was as an artist. Her new image is meant to reflect her newfound ability to embrace herself as she is.

“This is my true, authentic self,” Rainne said.

In learning to accept herself, Rainne has also developed a passion for helping other people embrace their true selves as well by lifting them up and encouraging them whenever possible.

“I just like to make people feel good about themselves,” Rainne said.

Upcoming, Rainne will be releasing a new song on August 25 inspired by the feelings of first falling in love with someone. Fans can also expect to find some remixes of her old songs coming in the near future.

In addition to her music, Rainne will also be hosting monthly EBCM events in Nashville that are open to any creatives who would like to attend.

For more on Shawney Rainne, you can check out the entire interview on the @OfficialWomenWhoRock IGTV channel on Instagram.