New Jersey singer-songwriter Rhonette Smith has released "Exhale", her first digital single in five years, in honor of World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2024). Rhonette is a strong supporter of normalizing conversations around mental health. In this track, she explores the physical sensations that come when experiencing anxiety and relief.
For the past 18 months, Rhonette has spent her time growing her songwriting repertoire in preparation for a return to the music sphere. She honed in on this single for its energy and the connection to mental health when deliberating which song to release after a lengthy time away from music. While listening back to tracks during her morning train commute, this was one song she kept coming back to. Rhonette was surprised by how much she liked the song. “After listening to my songs and hating them for so long, it was such a weird feeling to keep coming back to this one and still be excited about it. I hope other people can listen to it and relate to the words because I’ve learned that I’m not the only one who experiences these kinds of intense feelings.”
With producer Steve Kellner (Reality Suite, ToyMachine!) from The Burn Room, “Exhale” was elevated from a rough song sketch to an anthem. This was the songwriter’s first time working with a producer to this capacity and the collaboration greatly influenced the final result. “It was an incredible experience to work with Stephen,” Rhonette says. “My songwriting mentor Francesca de Valence (I Heart Songwriting Club) encouraged me to pursue this path, which made me so nervous because I’d never done it before. But after diving in, I’m so proud of the track we were able to produce as a result.”
Rhonette Smith is a New Jersey pop-rock artist who bares her whole soul by exploring the dark sides of depression, anxiety, shame, guilt, and fear in her music. She has been exploring these themes as far back as her first song released at age 15. As a college student, Rhonette continued to write songs and began performing solo until 2013 when she connected with fellow musicians to form the indie rock band Centennials. She led this band fearlessly for nine years, playing shows across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, releasing two EPs and one full-length record. In pursuit of a more personalized sound, Rhonette began performing and writing on her own again and released her solo full-length album Phantasmic in 2019. After a creative hiatus, Rhonette has thrown herself back into songwriting with major force, pursuing darker themes enriched with a heavier sound.
“Exhale” is availablae on all streaming platforms. In support of the release, Rhonette will be performing an acoustic set on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at Vinny’s Pizzeria in Kendall Park. For more on the artist, follow her on Facebook, Instagram, TicTok, X, Spotify, and YouTube.
