Today we’d like to introduce you to river lyons
Hi river, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m originally from detroit. My mother always kept us in active in different activities. As a kid I learned to read music, play the violin, and flute. When we moved, we lived in houston before settling in Lufkin, Texas. As a teen, I was involved in choir and traveled for uil competition. Upon graduation from HS, I attended PVAMU where I auditioned for their official concert chorale. During these years, I have traveled to two countries, worked with grammy nominated singers, and performed for huge crowds as a member of the concert chorale. I was also an equipment manager for the marching storm, a mentor, and modeling as a hobby. I seemed to always find myself around musicians and music. Upon graduating with a criminal justice bachelor’s degree, I started working with bobby billions as a background singer for his album at the time. This was my first time in a real studio, and my mind started to picture me behind the mic. So I begged, duck, who produced “Outside x MO3 ft Bobby Billions, to get me in the studio. From there we created 2 of my first singles, “oops my Bad” & “Mad &. Broke”. That’s where that chapter began.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I actually moved around often as a child. From Michigan, Mississippi, to Texas back to Michigan. Because I was always a new kid, I endured a lot of bullying. Especially in middle school. That was actually the first time I realized that I was actually different and people didn’t appreciate it. As a young girl, I made the decision to stopped perming my hair in the height of perming. So I had to learn to embrace my natural hair, stand up for myself, and accept my differences. I never felt like I belonged anywhere or that I fit in within any crowd of people. As I grow, I’ve used this to my advantage. When I started doing music, I felt validated immediately and because I struggled with not having a voice for so long, vulnerability came naturally for me. I think one thing that a lot of artists, myself included, struggle with is imposter syndrome. I work very hard against those fears by trying to stay motivated, even when I’m discouraged. That feeling just pushes me to do more and improve. When I started doing music, I felt validated immediately and because I struggled with having a voice for so long, vulnerability came naturally for me. It’s important for me to prove to myself that I will live my wildest dreams and do it as myself. Not what anyone else wants me to be.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a female rapper in Houston, Texas that’s from Detroit, Michigan. I’m known for having very lively performances and hard punchlines. I’m extremely proud of how far I’ve come in such a short period. I pride myself in being my authentic self and I’m known for being a genuine person. I also work very hard. Outside of music I work an overnight job consisting of 12 hr shifts. There are some pay periods where I will work 120+ hours to fund my music career. It’s the only thing I’ve ever done that makes sense and the only thing I didn’t quit on. I eat breathe and sleep music. Sometimes I’ll dream of a bar, wake up to write it down and finish the song when I wake up! My ability to understand and appreciate all forms of music helps me stand out amongst the crowd because a lot of people who do music these days don’t have a musical background. Because of this, it’s easy for me to find different rhythms and melodies hiding in the music. I’ve had tbe pleasure to work with artists like Big Jade and was featured in her video for “Lick”. Later down the road I’ve had the opportunity to open for her, Babyface Ray, TNEJAYPEE and Cash Money’s Saxksboy. When I finally I released my first music video September 2023 titled “Spin About You, it garnered 200k views in 3 weeks, which encouraged me to take music more seriously. And I’m honestly happy I did because recently I got recognition from Glorilla after doing a freestyle to her hit “Yeah Glo!” which I thought was crazy. She’s a real inspiration and I’m a huge fan. I also got a chance to perform a song for On The Radar, which is one of my favorite platforms for artists. Things like that just motivate me more to stay consistent and perfect my craft.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
My favorite quality that I possess has to be my ability to form bonds with people from all different walks of life. Because I am very understanding and introspective, people are drawn to me. I have a way of making people feel like family! Another thing is I am not envious of others. I think that envy and jealousy are normal feelings to have and depending on the person, it has the potential to breed resentment. This distracts you from what the emotion is TEACH you, that person has something you want and to get it you might have to work a little harder. I transform these feelings into inspiration and self-encouragement. and that’s what separates me from others. When people reach a level that I want, it shows me that my dreams are possible. Instead of being upset, I use it to propel me to the next level. It’s really important for me to be fully in touch with my emotions in order for me to learn how to regulate them and transform them into fuel. I never want to be so focused on another person’s success that I am distracted from my own achievements.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamriverlyons?igsh=dXFrOTYxdzFiZjN1&utm_source=qr
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lyonsriver
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@riverlyons?si=4uz5I7aZxzjWu2a6
- Other: https://youtu.be/NE5cxtbPIh4?si=tKflLZg4150MY9Gb
Image Credits
Calvin Schneider (@elcalvador)
Tyrese Green (@oso.shotme)
Evin Armstrong (@ea.visuals)
Oge Okeke (@the.uncommon.lens)
Nicholas Hunt (@bignickcxntstop)
Isaac Montoya (@monttyrockets)
