In a recent conversation with OkayAfrica, she reveals the album has been two years in the making, but began developing far before that. Around five years ago, Rimon wrote a song titled “Children of the Night,” that she didn’t release and stayed as a demo.
“It’s a funny story,” she says, “but once I made that song and gave it the title, I just immediately knew— there was something about the title that really stuck with me. So I knew from that beginning, that whenever I’m gonna release an album, even if I didn’t have the music, I just knew that Children of the Nightwas gonna be the title.”
now
The music is like an intricate carpet and Rimon artfully weaves colors and contours into the soft tapestry of the album. Its titular opener sounds like something between Beyonce and SZA, a soulful treatise whose ghostly background vocals give it a sense of foreboding. “I’m on a mission, haven’t slept in time,”begins Rimon before launching into a rap-inflected flow, and the production becomes even more dramatic and pronounced as her tone rises.
Across the 12 tracks on Children of the Night, we hear this interplay between the artist’s vocals and the beats, a fine chemistry that rewards multiple listens. Whether it’s the bouncy invitation of “Go Crazy” or the brooding enchantment of “Flowers,” Rimon creates a loosely organized world around her chosen theme, embodying the truth that individuality takes on several forms. Tellingly, the features on the album — BEAM, Dylan Sinclair and Mereba — are in-tune with these thematic considerations, amplifying the 27-year-old’s stirring vision.
“Mereba is someone that I’ve listened to for a long time, she’s an artist I really look up to,” says Rimon. “I just reached out to her when I was in Los Angeles, this year actually, and I just hung out with her; she listened to the album, and I listened to some of her songs from her forthcoming album. There’s just a natural relationship already there because we share the same heritage.”
"What stories am I gonna tell if most of my life is just gonna be consumed by working? That’s not what I want and that’s also not what the people want to hear from me." - RimonPhoto by Louisa Meng.
She had initially considered a rapper for their collaboration, “Make Money,” but since the record is written from the perspective of an immigrant’s child, it made sense to “keep it at home,” says Rimon, “and have someone on the song that actually relates to the feeling and share the same background.” She continues: “For me, what’s important is, ‘does it make sense?’If a feature doesn’t make sense, it just doesn’t make sense. All of the features make sense sonically or story-wise.”
A standout quality of Rimon is her attention to cohesive storytelling. Just like her choice of features, the visual identity behind each musical offering has been stellar, informed by her love for photography and its cinematic potential. Her trio of EPs — BBYGIRL FOCU$(2018), I Shine, U Shine (2020) and Digital Tears(2021) — have been accompanied by arresting visuals that espouse Rimon’s flair for color and coordination. What imagery does Children of the Night reveal?
Rimon has spoken about the possibility of moving to the United States. She’s been on the road throughout her life, settling with her family in the Netherlands and thereafter living in Germany. Even now, she says, she’s still finding the balance between her individuality and the demands of creating art for a dedicated audience.
“Mentally, I don’t think that there’s a balance ‘cause I’m always thinking about a lot of things music-wise,” she says, “but I’ve definitely tried to create more of a physicalbalance, if that makes sense, and try to take care of myself better and not let this music or lifestyle take a toll on my body or myself. I have healthier habits.”
