Photo from @riovaz by Kayla Menze
Five years after TikTok hit “Prom Night” launched Riovaz into stardom, the 21-year-old stands in constant innovation — each release a bold reinvention of his distinct sound. Impossible to tie down, Riovaz melds house, Jersey-club, dance tracks, and even alt-rock influences, creating his own space in the music scene — one he continues to redefine. Before I caught the LA stop of Riovaz’s long-awaited tour, we sat down to discuss his self-titled debut album, the production process, and what’s to come in his ever-evolving artistry.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity purposes
Anna: I heard you just came from Chicago, right? Like, just flew here. How was that?
Riovaz: Great. Yeah flight sucked, but the show was great.
Anna: Yeah, I was seeing that thinking, “Oh my god, time zone [switch] in the same day must be rough.”
Riovaz: Yeah, yeah. That shit was ass.
Anna: Speaking of that, before the show, how do you envision it going? I feel that the album is super dancey, super, high energy — like the crowds are lit.
Riovaz: They are, they are. Especially for LA — they go crazy. They’re kind of scary sometimes, like [they] get on stage and stuff. My previous shows, I would have to push them off stage, but I don’t know if that’s gonna happen tonight.
Anna: Besides your performances, what’s the craziest crowd you’ve been in?
Riovaz: Probably the festival ones. I performed at Knock2, [where] he brought me out for New York. There were like 2000 people there and the stage setup was crazy. That’s probably one of my favorite shows. The crowd was nuts.
Anna: Yeah, I love Knock2! I want to go to a show so bad. But anyways, speaking of performing the new album, I feel like this album is very different from your previous work. I read that you had talked about being influenced by Snow Strippers, The Dare, and like you said, Knock2. What are the influences that have evolved your sound?
Riovaz: For this album, I was listening to a bunch of things because that was [what was] popping off at the time, like 2023, 2022, and stuff. Throughout the years — man, it’s just Michael Jackson and shit. That’s the first thing I remember; that and a bunch of Spanish music my parents would play, Bachata and shit like that. My parents definitely put me on as a little kid, but I would give all the props to Michael Jackson. I wanted to be just like him when I was younger.
Anna: Did you do all the dances and stuff?
Riovaz: Yeah, yeah. I was him for Halloween!
Anna: Awe, I feel like that’s a veryyy quintessential kid experience.
Riovaz: Yeah, no word. I had a video. It was crazy.
Anna: I wanted to ask about the album cover because I noticed all the 3D printed stuff and super cool clay sculptures. Where did that idea come from?
Riovaz: I’ve always wanted to do some clay shit, and I knew this homie. I’m from Jersey City, so he [my brother’s homie] was like, 10 minutes away from the crib, and he does that for a living. We commissioned him for that shit, and he went crazy. That cover art is so fire. I just felt having it look like real life, but being a different version of myself — a cartoon version, clay version — would be so sick. And building upon that for my future releases would be cool.
Anna: How do you think that ties in thematically to the aesthetics of this album and your future work?
Riovaz: Maybe just to play on the room. My next cover art could be like a different side of the room that you’re not seeing, type shit.
Anna: Okay, new perspective! And then, I feel like the production on this album is very crazy.
Riovaz: Whooo, yeah that shit’s nice!
Anna: But, I read that you just started producing like last year, right? Especially for the last two tracks on the album which are self-produced, how do you think starting to produce has changed the way you approach creating music?
Riovaz: Because I see the other side of it. Before I did it, I just sang. Now I know what I want, and I know different words now so I can tell the producers what I want. It’s just a whole other world of music, another side that I’m familiar with now. So, it’s easier to communicate what I want.
Anna: I feel that, even before you began producing, you’ve always done a really great job of blending genres and exploring a wide variety of genres. I also read that you used to scour YouTube and online for beats. So now that you’re doing more of the production process, where do you want to take your sound?
Riovaz: Tracks like the outro of the album and a song called “warm face.” It’s a blend of guitar mixed in with electronic breakbeats. That’s where I see it going. It’s a different vibe, and I’ve never made music like that before. I think that comes with locking in with mainly one producer for the whole album, Frankie. When you’re working on a project with just one person, it’s easy to build out something new. I feel like that’s the way to do it, and that’s where I’m gonna take my music to the next level.
Anna: When going into that album, did you have any ideas of that specific sound you were going to create, or was that something that evolved?
Riovaz: It just happened over time, just working with him. I think one of the first references I was playing for him was Imogen Heap. That’s when I first met him though, and that just evolved into something on its own.
Anna: You’re dropping a new single soon, May 7th! What can fans expect from this new work and your future stuff too?
Riovaz: For this new song, I’m just talking my shit in a way. “Everybody’s Gone” is such a good topic to talk about because people come and go all the time. I feel like that’s starting to happen to me nowadays.
Anna: At your “big” age, haha.
Riovaz: Yeah, at my big age! Growing up and shit. Everybody’s leaving, coming — it’s crazy.
Anna: And then, do you have any dream collabs, dream places to play, anything that you’re looking for in this new era?
Riovaz: Dream collabs? Man, I want to work with Vic Fuentes, from Pierce The Veil. And then PinkPantheress, of course. If I work with Vic Fuentes, I made it. That’s it, I could die happy.
Anna: I was literally listening to them on the way here! They’re so good. And then, I’m gonna write a little intro blurb, but if you’re talking to other people who maybe don’t know your work, what are some tracks that are super pivotal to you?
Riovaz: “the Rake (can’t complain)” was pivotal for my career. I feel like I was starting to really learn how to sing then. That one and “God Save The Girl.” That’s when I really first learned how to sing. The way I sing now, I did not know how to sing like that before [then]. For example, [in] my song “I Feel Fantastic,” I didn’t know how to sing. So yeah, I would give the props to “God Save The Girl.”
Anna: What song do you think most exemplifies where you want to go with your music?
Riovaz: “warm face” or “Everybody’s Gone.”
Anna: Awesome! Is there anything else you want to mention?
Riovaz: Just the new single! That’s the main focus right now.
More coverage coming soon! For now, check out Riovaz’s self-titled, first album!
