1 week ago
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21-year-old artist Rachel Diack — known by her stage name Ledbyher — fuses rap vocals, industrial instrumentals, and poetic lyricism. Her delicate delivery both contrasts and complements the electric production and gritty basslines, while syncopated hi-hat patterns add textural intricacy to the darker grooves of her drill-infused beat.
Of Indonesian-Scottish heritage, Ledbyher grew up in the Norfolk countryside before moving to London – a shift that lends a soft lilt to her urban sound. “I wrote more slowly and descriptively in Norfolk, but in London, I write faster and grittier,” she reflects. “I think the place I am at the time I put pen to paper affects my rhythm. I do miss singing in the fields!”
Her artist name originally came from Wordsworth's autobiographic epic poem The Prelude. “I see that it keeps changing meaning over time for certain people. If I'm being honest, I'm still figuring out what it means for me and I like that it's alive like that.”
Drawing from a broad spectrum of influences, from Shakespeare and Lana Del Rey to the raw energy of UK drill and her grandmother Sylvia, she weaves a rich tapestry of sound. “My parents listened to heavy metal and 2000s pop mostly. I remember my mum taking us to a Britney show on her Circus Tour, I remember being terrified, then leaving like a new girl.”
Her journey toward music was shaped by her background in film, which she also studied: “I’ve always been drawn to stories. Film showed me how to spotlight a slice of life, and music became another way to do that – like a short scene you can live inside for a while.”
On “WHAT’S THE REASON?”, a quiet, static hum of nostalgia hovers beneath the track, softening its cold, metallic edges. The interplay between synthesised drum production and vulnerable lyrics creates a subtle distortion, lending the song a shiny, industrial finish. It unfolds as a tension between fragility and grit, capturing moments of both tenderness and strain. Reflecting on her sound, Ledbyher shares “Most of my music is a mashup of juxtapositions – somewhere between soft and jagged.”
When asked what’s next for Ledbyher, she keeps her cards close to her chest, leaving us with a cryptic promise: “A series of unexpected appearances.”
English (US) · 