Ripsime closes out 2025 by expanding the contours of her self-fashioned universe. Following a year defined by standout tracks like ‘Shamanic Faith’ and ‘Paradise’ from her ‘EP Capsule II’, the British-Armenian multi-disciplinary artist returns with a multi-pronged project: the re-release of her early works, the launch of her own imprint RIP Records, and a limited-edition art print that fuses her visual and musical worlds.
The re-releases reframe Ripsime’s early catalog as part of her ongoing evolution. From the intimate, acoustic folk of ‘I’ll Understand’ to the rock-electronic swagger of ‘Dare’ — co-written with The Psalms in Los Angeles, and the wistful soft-rock glow of ‘Colours of Your Eyes’, the collection underscores her uncanny ability to traverse genres while maintaining a singular, emotive voice.
‘Dare’ in particular encapsulates her playful, magnetic presence: a shimmering, cross-genre anthem that nods to Talking Heads, The Cure, and Kate Bush while retaining a forward-looking energy all her own.
We sat down with Ripsime to learn all about the story behind her craft, her inspirations and much more here at LOCK!
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Hey Ripsime, welcome back to LOCK! How are you doing?
Aww I’m good – thanks for asking?
What’s 2025 been like for you?
So transformative. It cracked me open in unexpected ways, but it’s left me feeling more myself than I have in years. I’ve shed a lot and it’s felt that anything that’s not aligned just… fell away! It wasn’t gentle, but its gave me a deeper honesty in my life (and music). That’s what it feels like anyway.
We love “Dare,” what is the story behind this track?
“Dare” is a track I wrote years ago in LA with a band called The Palms. We wrote and produced it in a day — about eight hours — they’re incredible. Back then it carried the energy of me leaving LA, so it’s a strange full-circle moment to re-release it now, before the year is through, and honour that version of myself. It was such an important time for me musically and creatively. LA was a beautiful kind of madness.
Your music feels so melancholic yet gritty all at once — who inspires you as an artist?
I’m inspired by so many different things — not just musicians. The way I produce feels a lot like painting, so sometimes visual artists, places, or experiences give me more texture than anything else. I grew up with a lot of my jazz so artists like Fats Waller and Louis Armstrong, but also a lot of strange, old psychedelic bands. I couldn’t name just one artist that inspires me… it’s more like a constellation.
Did this feel like the right way to close out 2025?
Absolutely. This year demanded a kind of ruthless honesty from me, so closing it with music that comes from a past life but done in my own way feels really right. It’s a ritual closing, a way of sealing this chapter before the year turns.
And finally, can you give us a sneak preview of what 2026 holds for Ripsime?
I’m excited. For the first time, I feel like I’m stepping into a life, a world – that actually feels like mine!! Visually, sonically, emotionally, I’m pushing myself as a producer and as a musician and I’m terrified, honestly. Really scared. But I’m also more excited than I’ve ever been. Freer than I’ve ever felt. I hope you can feel that in the music… and there might be a few special collabs woven in that too 🙂