Riley Max shares heartfelt and authentically honest new single “Year One”
Colorado born singer-songwriter and musician Riley Max has unveiled her latest single off of her forthcoming LP. Called “Year One”, the track follows her folk pop hit “Pockets”.
“Year One” is a musical journey through a tough year for the artist. She shares, “I wrote “Year One” when I was having a really tough time during my first year at Harvard. I was coming back from having some issues with my vocal chords, and I was dealing with a lot of other mental and physical health issues, as well as being completely and totally responsible for my life for the first time ever. It was a lot. I wasn’t sure when—or if—I was ever going to start feeling like myself again, musically or otherwise. So this song means a lot to me, because every time I listen to it I remember how far I’ve come.” The lyrics are authentic, raw and personal with Riley sharing her own story to help others going through a hard time.
The song incorporates melancholic vocals singing over wistful acoustic guitars and atmospheric musical backdrops. As the music progresses, drums begin to pick up, moody keys and gorgeous string arrangements are added. The song is heartfelt, transformative and important.
The single is shared alongside a music video pairing live shots with intriguing stop-motion animation created by Riley herself. She shares, “The animation was completed in a class that I took last year, and I knew immediately once I finished it that I had to turn it into a full music video, because I was really happy with the way it turned out. It was so rewarding to be able to express my feelings through such a uniquely creative medium, and it really made me fall in love with stop motion animation even more — to the point that I’m going to pursue a stop-motion thesis this year! It’s always a joy to be able to combine my many artistic loves.”
Take a listen to “Year One” now and get lost in the sound!