R Rules delivers a rousing message of empowerment on debut single “DNY”
R Rules champions of women empowerment on their debut single “DNY”—out today via MCA Music Inc.
With its propulsive beats and hip-hop swagger, the Pinay quartet shows unwavering commitment to inspire young music listeners to stand up for what they believe in and encourage them to find their inner strength to go after what they want.
The song, which literally means “Don’t Need Ya,” puts a refreshing spin on empowerment anthems while taking into consideration the values, perspectives, and views of R Rules as individuals and as a collective. Aside from using their platform to inspire change and lift each other up, the Filipino girl group also shares that their latest track promotes love and kindness in any way or form, be it for your own self and for others who need it.
“DNY” is co-written by Kevin Yadao and Tiny Corpuz, and co-produced by Cursebox and Corpuz, with the goal to speak out against the impossible standards imposed to women and articulate the challenges that they go through towards claiming their space and earning respect.
With its masterful blend of music influences that range from hip-hop/R&B to K-Pop, EDM to top 40 music, “Don’t Need Ya” signals R Rules’ impressive pivot to diverse and eclectic modern sounds.
As R Rules’ maiden offering, it succeeds in translating their magnetic confidence into an astounding piece of work that sounds at par with contemporary global music trends but remains representative of their unique vision as artists. “Our plan right now, is just to get our music out there,” says the hound of alpha female swag. “We’re not here to compete. We just want to carve out a space for our empowering brand of pop music, and hopefully be taken seriously for who we are as a group.”
R Rules’ “DNY” is out now on streaming platforms worldwide via MCA Music Inc. Watch the music video here.
About R Rules
The story of R Rules is a story of how four women from two cultural backgrounds came together to become pop performers, working hard on their craft and finding ways to delight their audience. R Rules (formerly known as Japh Dolls) are composed of RIYO, RURI, REINA, RISA—all four of them, fluent in Filipino, English, and Japanese and are currently undergoing de rigeur trainee development program to hone their skills. The girls are now set to make an impact on the Philippine pop scene and, hopefully, the global music market.
Learning to sing like the musical pros
Reina grew up in Japan but is now based in Manila City. She hails from Tokyo and moved to the Philippines when she turned 19. Her mother is Filipina, and Reina recalls her mother’s musical tastes as being an inspiration. She wanted to sing like her mother’s favorite singers, who always hit the high notes and had powerful voices. When she had the chance, she moved to her mother’s homeland to pursue musical training.
Reina hopes that people will appreciate her story of how she moved to a place that was unfamiliar to her and had memorable experiences because of it. When we asked about her favorite singers, one of them, Ariana Grande, stood out. Reina says that Grande’s distinctive voice inspired her to aim for the same goal. She wants to collaborate with the YG Entertainment Group in South Korea, the people who are behind another group of artists she admires, Blackpink.
Trying it out and eventually enjoying the ride
Risa grew up in the Philippines as a person with two cultures. When she was finishing high school, she wanted to move to Japan for college because of a desire to explore her Japanese culture.
Risa’s musical tastes lean toward pop. What stood out for us, though, was her fondness for Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox project, where Bradlee and his bandmates reimagine contemporary pop music through different and older genres. She says that she can still reminisce about pop songs she likes but appreciate how they put a twist on it.
What Risa wants people to get from her story is how she wants us to value the people we love. Her story of loss and finding comfort and care in others is something that people can connect with.
Wanting to sing about what dreams are made of
Riyo grew up in Japan, where she finished high school. When she was six years old, she recalls that she wanted to be the pop singer Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus’s lead character from the Disney Channel show of the same name. She was often bullied at school, she also recalls. She had family problems since she was young when her parents divorced. Even if she sometimes wanted to give up, she kept on going. Her journey led her to Manila, where she also ended up being in a group.
Riyo was a tuba player in her junior high school band. She says that it was easy to master the tuba because it didn’t require reading chords, which was complicated for her. If it weren’t for her being signed to an acting agency, she would have continued being in her school’s music club. Her dream is to perform at the Met Gala someday. The annual event at the Metropolitan Museum of New York brings together fashion, music, and visual arts, and has become known for attendees in often flamboyant costumes. She wants her group to be there in outlandish costumes and prove to be the best!
Being part of a new musical family
Ruri, who also calls herself ARU or R. Performing was part of her life ever since she was young, and she joined singing contests of all sorts. She wants to grow as a performer, learning instruments like the guitar and the drums.
Ruri wants people to appreciate her story of being an independent woman who uses her talent to achieve her dreams. She connected with her Japanese girl group quickly because they share the same sense of humor and a deep understanding of each other. She says of her and her fellow R Rules members, “We are not just a girl group, we are sisters.”
Coming together to make music
R Rules marks the second time that our four singers have gotten together to make music. They were about to give up until they were given a bigger opportunity to work together. The group says that they have been giving 100% of their effort to working together, so they decided to give music one last shot. They don’t want to have any regrets later by doing this.
The women of R Rules hope to show that people from two different cultures can perform together in perfect harmony, not just musical. One group they all admire in common is the K-pop act Blackpink. The Korean girl group, they say, has a distinct aura and confidence they bring to performing. The group also appreciates how Blackpink’s members work hard and dedicate themselves to their craft.
R Rules’s short-term goals are to improve their singing and dancing. They also want to showcase their own material in the process of that musical growth. As for their long-term goals, they hope to become well-known internationally and perform in big festivals like Coachella, where people like Beyoncé have given very memorable sets.
R Rules wants people to be inspired and energized by their music. Most of all, they want us to believe in ourselves, and be strong enough to achieve whatever we want. This group of young performers is truly one to watch out for, not just for their talent, but for the stories they want to tell. We look forward to finding out what they have to offer.
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