Bella Rios already has a musical past at just 18-years-old!
Known being inspired by the classic records she grew up on, Rios is most known for her rock-leaning originals and viral covers that she released throughout her high school years. She even traveled and performed with a professional children’s choir while receiving classical training for her voice and her piano skills!
Despite growing up with various music genres, Rios was left with confusion when it came to her personal artistic identity. Although she faced an artistic crisis, it did not slow her down. Instead, she was determined to find her artistic identity and gained inspiration to search for it. Rios began songwriting in every genre she knew which led to her finding her own sounds.
Proving she’s found her artistic self, her latest singles have shown her growth and success as they portray moody, powerhouse pop songs.
After two years of not making noise with her music, Rios spent time reimagining and redefining herself. The quarantine days did not prevent her from growing or searching for her artistic identity again. She challenged herself personally and artistically to reclaim a new identity. Thanks to this time spent reinventing herself, Rios discovered herself and her own sound which led her to release her latest single, “Bitter” which you can see in the video below!
Celeb Secrets virtually sat down with the 18-year-old artist as she discusses how she felt coming back after two years, the lessons learned, who inspired her latest song, and more! Keep scrolling to check out the Q&A.
Don’t forget to follow Bella Rios on Instagram @iambellarios • Facebook: @bellariosmusic • Twitter: @BellaRiosmusic
Celeb Secrets: Hi Bella, thanks for talking with us! First of all congratulations on “Bitter,” your new single! Tell us a little more about this song, what is the meaning of “Bitter?”
Bella Rios: “I don’t usually like to give too much detail about the personal meaning of a song because I truly believe every song, regardless of what it was intended to mean at its genesis, can vary in meaning vastly, dependent on who is listening to it. For me, “Bitter” was the result of pent up frustration I had with a certain friendship at the time. I had moved on in most ways, but still carried resentment with me. I needed that off my chest to truly move on. To me, the lyrics not only speak directly to the freedom I felt after letting go of my bitterness, but also to the things I learned from the end and aftermath of this relationship, about myself, self-assurance, and self-respect.”
CS: This is your first single after two years! How does it feel to release fresh new music, and what made you come back now?
BR: “To be completely honest with you, I’ve had “Bitter” and a bunch of other songs in my back pocket since the first few months of quarantine. Unsatisfied with the music I was previously releasing, I realized I needed time to just write in an attempt to find a sound that felt completely me that I could be proud of. Once I found that sound, in “Bitter” and other songs soon to be released, I was eager to get them out into the universe. I waited for a while, hoping that live venues would open again so that I could really embrace the new release process with accompanying performances, but as soon as I realized that COVID was not going away any time soon, I decided “Bitter” needed to be released ASAP.”
CS: Is there someone that inspired the creation of the song?
BR: Me:)
CS: The music video shows the total opposite of what your title ideally means, it’s full of color! What inspired you to choose such a colorful setting for the video?
BR: “Part of what I love so much about my new sound is that it is exactly the opposite of what people close to me would expect. I wanted to embrace that dichotomy that I saw in myself quite often: between the way I dress and my study habits, between the way I come off in public and the thoughts I have running through my head, between the me most people see and the me in my music. Just like “Bitter,” with its light pop production and seemingly contradicting biting lyrics, the music video needed to embody that balance, that contrast. The music and visuals needed to be me, to be real, and in my opinion, no one is completely one thing or one way.”
CS: These past years have taught us lessons and it has led us to discover new hidden talents, but you in particular discovered your own sound and artistic identity. Can you tell us a little more about that experience and how it happened?
BR: “I’ve been surrounded by music for as long as I can remember and have been signing other people’s music since I was 7 in classical and contemporary settings. At a certain point, after years of performing and channeling the writing of others, I wanted what I performed to be my own. I starting writing and performing original music at age 14 in pursuit of this. Still, something felt off. Something about what I was writing, the result of attempts to purely emulate the classic rock music I had imitated so often, was not “me” enough. I stopped performing my own music and frankly was incredibly frustrated, disappointed, and unsure of my passion. I didn’t write a full song for months. I couldn’t last long without it and knew I had to discover what sound felt right. During the months when COVID first hit, I began the more than a year long quest to find my sound. With the help of a very patient and talented producer and writer, I slowly worked through every possibly genre and song that had ever inspired me, using them as references for my own writing, hoping they would reveal my direction. Finally, “Bitter” was a result of one of those sessions.”
CS: Do you have more music you are planning to release?
BR: Yes!!! I have another single coming out next month!
CS: What message do you give those that might have become “bitter” during the pandemic and what message do you hope your audience gets out of your new song?
BR: “I think when one is stuck in a frustrating friendship, relationship, or situation like the pandemic, it is easy to get caught up in anger and resentment for your state. I realized, a little later than I would have preferred, that while you do not have control over the actions of others or greater situation you are in, you do have control over how you deal with it. Holding onto those negative emotions and allowing them to grow and consume you only stop you from moving on to see the good around you. While its normal and reasonable to feel it sometimes, I hope audiences know that its not worth the time and energy to be bitter.”
CS: You are just 18 years old with such a big passion for music. How do you want to inspire your generation?
BR: “In all sincerity, I’ve never really thought of myself as a huge inspiration for my generation. If I was to impart a message onto anyone, I would hope it was simply one of balance and patience with oneself. When it comes to passions, goals, and everything else life brings with it, I have been hard on myself in the past. I know this is a far from uncommon experience, and I know finding balance and patience is far easier said than done. It is, however, worth it. I don’t think anything else can be accomplished in a truly rewarding and joyful way until you can discover those two things.”
CS: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets (fun facts) about yourself and “Bitter” that we wouldn’t know?
BS: “I had a pixie cut just until my freshman year. There are MANY photos from that time that I would never like to revisit, especially when I had braces too.”
Let us know your thoughts on Bella Rios’ latest single “Bitter” by reacting below or sending us a tweet @celebsecrets.
