Artist: Riyah
Album: Ripped Jeans
Riyah (also known as her real name, Maria Kjær) will be releasing her debut EP Ripped Jeans on June 9th, 2023. The album will be available for streaming anywhere you get your music. If you can’t wait that long, Riyah has already released two singles from the EP: “Dead Rose” and “Perfect”. Both songs have music videos and stripped versions available on YouTube.
At only 16 years old, Riyah started out with the band Ivy Crown, which accumulated over 3 million streams, a national tour, and a spot at Copenhell music festival. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to the band’s momentum, and Riyah struck out on her own. She describes her music as fast paced dark songs about her tumultuous personal experiences, with Billie Eilish inspired hooks and rock riffage that sounds both familiar and fresh.
Ripped Jeans consists of five tracks: Outset; Make It Rain; Speechless; Dead Rose; and Perfect.
After the listening to the album, I personally didn’t get Billie Eilish vibes. To me, Riyah sounds like Olivia Rodrigo meets Evanescence—a unique mashup that somehow ends up sounding very cool.
“Dying Rose” deals with the pain of finding out someone you cared about isn’t who you thought they were. With lyrics like: “’Cause you are nothing but a dying rose/The one that burns the most/You are the ashes from a dead rose/No you are nothing but a dying rose/The one that burns the most/Hurts the most/You are nothing but a dead rose.” It’s raw and honest while still managing to be incredibly catchy. The music video for the track also seriously channels Evanescence, with Riyah dressed as a dark angel.
“Perfect” deals with toxic love—self-deprecating idolization of the person you have feelings for. Riyah sings: “I am created by/Your perfect/Your worth it/Always trying but I keep on hurting/Your perfect is disturbing/That’s how it is to be perfect for you”. The music video for the single features Riyah under a blacklight with glowing handprints all over her body.
My favourite song on the album is definitely “Make It Rain,” with lyrics like “You always make it rain/You’re drowning in your pain/You make me wear your shame.” If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of someone going down a bad road and trying to drag you down with them, you’ll probably relate to this song.
My only complaint about Ripped Jeans is a small one. The track “Outset” is giving “I’m not like the other girls” vibes. In fact, Riyah specifically sings: “Don’t pull off my clothes/I’m not one of those women.” Listen—I’m all for women staying true to their own personal values, asserting boundaries, making their own decisions about their body, etc.—but this can be done without putting other women down. Just my two cents.
Overall, I enjoyed Ripped Jeans, and you can check out Riyah on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.