RIVA TAYLOR is a British singer songwriter who recently released her latest offering ‘Magic’. She enlisted the support of producer Jakwob, who has worked previously with Celeste, Little Simz and Charlie XCX. After hearing the track for the first time, I wanted to learn more about this amazing artist so thought it would be good to feature her in our ‘Introducing’ section.

Read on to learn more about Riva’s influences, her ‘Come Dine With me’ menu choice and her views on what can only be described as a very male orientated festival lineup for 2021/2022…..

Your new single ‘Magic’ was released on 25th March, how does it feel to see it out there and how has it been received?

So great! I actually wrote it a few years ago and have been waiting for the moment to unleash it! People seem to be liking this vibe which always makes me happy. I’ve had some really nice reactions from followers and music press and that always means a lot. 

Your vocal style is unique, hypnotic and captivating, who would you cite as musical influences and do you feel that they have all helped to shape your sound?

Why, thank you! Dad always listened to Genesis, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox. Mum would listen to the more classic artists like Streisand, Karen Carpenter and Aretha Franklin. Big powerful female voices. I was definitely shaped by my youth but as I’ve got older I listen to everything and anything. I became obsessed with rhythm and blues in my late teens. And more currently I’m a huge fan of Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Adele. Again, big unique voices fascinate me. 

I just watched the videos for ‘Magic’ and ‘Celebrate’ and loved them both, do you work with the same team for your videos or do you chop and change them as required?

Actually, different teams for those two and I think you can tell! Directors are artists and they bring their own artistry to the vision and edit. I loved making those two videos! I’m pleased you like them both in their different feels. 

You wrote ‘Magic’ in Nashville and after reading other interviews, I see that you spend a lot of time in the USA, do you find that you are more productive writing in the USA or the UK? Why do you think this is?

I love to travel and write! So...as you can imagine the pandemic has felt a little stagnant at times. The US has always been a favourite place of mine so any excuse to get out there and I’m straight on a plane. I’ll always wrap a session or two in. But the music i've released over the past year has also been written and worked up in Berlin, Stockholm and Paris.

You worked with Jakwob to produce ‘Magic’, he has worked with some pretty impressive artists in the past, how did you two meet and will you be working with him again in the future?

I hope so! Jakwob is great and has a very easy way about him. I’ve worked with him on three tracks on the next album...’Magic’ being the first to be released! 

Is there a ‘magic (no pun intended) formula’ to writing killer tracks? if so, please share your tips….

Oh I wish there was! Writing to a formula that works will always get you a very good song but you need to keep mixing up that formula to keep it fresh. Does that make sense? I think Ed Sheeran achieves this brilliantly. Eg.) when he gave Beiber that song ‘Love Yourself’. At that moment in time, if he had released that song himself, it might have sounded like another very good Ed Sheeran track. Listening to the album he released after, he was planning to evolve musically. He was keeping himself relevant and keeping other brilliant songs he was writing, fresh by getting another voice to feature on them.... Great songs come out of nowhere when you’re least expecting them. Of course there are moments and feelings you can maximise on (if you’re high, low or reflective - write) and relationships you can harness if they work well. One thing I believe is you don’t have to be writing or working with the best writer or producer in the world to get your gold. It’s about chemistry. 

You’re preparing dinner for you and your friends, what’s on the menu?

I’ve got quite into Mexican recently (in a healthy way!). Bit of Ceviche, loads of avocado etc. It’s a sociable way of eating with lots of small bits and it means I can mostly prep before and have a margarita with friends and catch up! No one wants to be stuck in the kitchen missing all the fun (do they??) 

Looking at festival lineups for 2021/2022, I feel that female artists are still drastically under represented, why do you think this is?  

I can’t get my head around it. There are so many brilliant female artists and I think we need to keep the message being heard and relevant. Fortunately there are lots of women campaigning in the industry for just that. I like to have an answer for everything but this one leaves me stumped. 

The pandemic, lockdowns, restrictions etc have all taken a toll on our mental health over the past 12 months, what have been your coping mechanisms and have they worked?

Always like to keep ‘fit’ and active. Every morning I do something, be it a run, some yoga, or a hit (high intensity training) class. Variety is important to me when it comes to that and it seems to work. Like a lot of people suddenly faced by four walls day in, day out, I also decided to repaint and rally some pennies together to get some artworks, posters etc. that mean something to me and remind me of this time and of London (where I live).  I now have some vintage 1980s posters from the Tate and RA and have a ‘hallway of fame’ of some of my favourite musicians as b&w photographs. 

You’re an advocate for emerging talent in the arts, please tell me a bit more about the ‘Writing Rounds’ that you set up…. Are they still running?

They are. ‘Virtually’. This time has been a productive one for a lot of writers and they miss performing. While it’s never as easy doing these things online... we have fun. I still host these with my friend and songwriter Jeff Cohen in Nashville. It’s been great to hear all the songs that have been written over the past year. We’ve also been holding a competition for emerging talent. You can find out more at the Online Songwriters Circle on Insta. 

You’re working alongside an amazing array of industry heavyweights to create new music, do you tend to find that you learn something different from each person you interact with? What has been the biggest learning experience for you? When do you think your new music will be making an appearance?

Exciting news - more music is coming this month and next! In fact...I’m bringing you the album. Stay tuned. Always learn from everyone I work with, which I love! There is nothing better than coming away from a session with something new! But always be honest with what you think is my learning experience! It’s got the artists name on it at the end of the day and so the artist has got to feel it! 

They say “never meet your heroes” - have you met any of your heroes in the past? if so, how did you get on? (I interviewed Deborah Harry from Blondie a few years back and she was SO sweet, it made my year!) 

No WAY!!!! I love her and was lucky enough to see her live at the Roundhouse a few years back. She rocked it as you can imagine. I did  yoga in a class with Annie Lennox last year! I adore what she is about and if we  hadn't both been in  downward dog next to each other i might have told her. She is a wonderful, inspirational woman. I performed at the same festival Barbra Streisand was headlining at in 2019, I didn't try to make friends but to be close to an idol was cool!

If you had to flee your home and could only take three items with you, what would they be and why?

I love these questions! In no particular order: My passport (you can tell by now I’m a nomad), my kitten Dolly (my partner in crime and she’s been such a joy in lockdown these past  few months) my oversized handbag....i've been told that everything in it and that's pretty accurate. It would cover off laptop, phone, make up, wallet and headphones...and probably loads of stuff  i thought  i've lost that's hiding in its  depths somewhere!!. You can tell i'm clearly very attached to all the  new furniture i’ve added to my place over lockdown (hmmm!!) 

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give someone who is considering a career in the music industry?

Collaborate. Keep your eyes wide open. And your ears too, there are a lot people who will give you advice which you should hear...but listen to your gut and your soul when it comes to assembling your team and choosing your directions.

Finally, can we expect to see you performing at any live events once we are allowed to do so?

Oh it's shifting plates at the moment unfortunately and rescheduled concerts are being rescheduled again for next year but i'm planning a few intimate things over the next few months so stay tuned!

We’d like to thank Riva Taylor for being an absolute star and agreeing to answer our questions, we wish her all the very best for the future and of course, lots of new music including her album in the VERY near future.

To keep up date with her musical whereabouts, follow her on the socials below;

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