A Chat with Riwo (10.07.26)
With the release of her heartfelt new single ‘Hero Girl’, Riwo joins us to discuss empathy, emotional responsibility, and the stories that shape her evolving artistry. We talk about blending R&B and Afro-fusion, embracing vulnerability, and how her latest music marks the beginning of a fearless new chapter.
OSR: ‘Hero Girl’ explores the emotional pressure of always feeling responsible for saving others. Can you take us back to the moment the song first began to take shape, and what inspired you to tell this story?
Riwo: ‘Hero Girl’ was inspired by a period when I was equal parts frustrated and worried for my then partner, but also for a lot of men around me. I could see and feel a lot of pressure on them to make sure they’re ready and able to fix all of life’s troubles. In my relationship in particular, it was almost like he had this intense need to plan out every aspect of his life, which inadvertently meant he had to plan out my life as well. I started to feel quite resentful towards my partner, but on some level, I could relate to that need. Something about being the firstborn daughter has you feeling like you must be prepared to carry the weight of the world at all times. And granted, there’s nothing wrong with being prepared or supporting people you love, but that often comes with a lot of intensity. I feel that it’s unfair to project that same intensity onto someone else, however. That really is where the story of the song began, but it took a few years to properly materialize. It felt like an important perspective to share, especially for men like my then partner.
OSR: You have described writing the song from a place of empathy rather than heartbreak. How did approaching the experience with compassion influence both the lyrics and the overall mood of the track?
Riwo: Viewing it from the lens of empathy actually made the songwriting process a lot more fun. I’ve written a lot of heartbreak songs, and the relationship that inspired ‘Hero Girl’ did in fact end in heartbreak. However, the moment in the relationship I speak about was one in which I could honestly understand where my partner was coming from. We often hear the phrase “you are not always the hero in someone’s story”, or something along those lines, but contending with the fact that you might be the villain in your own story is not easy. So I knew I wanted the song to lean more towards empathy. I wanted the words and sounds to be warm and still completely honest. At the time of writing, I happened to be playing around with some Afro-inspired sounds and elements with my producer, Ari, so naturally ‘Hero Girl’ became this fusion of my usual R&B stylings with chill modern Afrobeats instrumentation.
OSR: Your music seamlessly blends R&B, soul, Afro-fusion, neo-soul, and contemporary Afrobeats. How has your sound evolved since your debut album, Grown Child, and where does ‘Hero Girl’ fit within that creative evolution?
Riwo: My sound has evolved quite a bit, and I am super excited to show that progression in my upcoming releases. My debut album, Grown Child, is a collection of songs that I wrote when I was as young as 10 years old until about age 17, and you can probably get that sense in the songwriting and choices I make on the album.
The album is part 1 of a trilogy. Each part speaks to a particular season of my life, and so ‘Hero Girl’ lies in part 2 of the trilogy. The sophomore project explores the season of my life when I am now becoming an adult. I’m learning about love, the intricacies of being a woman, and truly learning more about myself and how I’d like to show up in the world. I’m also learning and experiencing music even more holistically, which means I’m playing around with more styles and sounds. So ‘Hero Girl’ is one of the first releases where I get to share my exploration into this woman that I am becoming. It is truly exciting.
OSR: As someone who specialises in vocal composition and arranging, how do you approach building harmonies and vocal textures? What role did those elements play in shaping the emotional impact of ‘Hero Girl’?
Riwo: With the kind of music I do, harmonies are such an important type of ear candy, so layering vocals is one of my favourite parts of recording. My first thought is, what emotions am I going for here? Are we thinking dark and gloomy, or bright and warm? This helps me decide how I bend or blend the sounds in each vocal part. With ‘Hero Girl’, I was going for subtlety and warmth, so the harmonies are more sparse and laid back. This allows for a lot of space in the track, so the listeners can really hear and reflect on the lyrics, but also feel uniquely cozy when the layers come in.
OSR: You often describe your music as something that “hugs you while you cry and celebrates with you when you win”. How intentional is that philosophy when you’re writing, and how do you hope listeners feel after hearing ‘Hero Girl’?
Riwo: This philosophy runs through pretty much everything I write. My songwriting and music creation is rooted in my real-world experiences of joy, grief, love, faith, doubt, and so you can be sure to find something for each moment. ‘Hero Girl’ is quite layered in meaning and elements, so I hope listeners are able to groove to the music, feel like they just had a warm, happy hug, and also ponder on the words, all at once, without feeling bombarded in any way.
OSR: Your Nigerian heritage and your experiences living in Canada both influence your artistry. In what ways have those two worlds shaped your perspective as a songwriter and performer, particularly on this new release?
Riwo: Being able to exist in both worlds harmoniously is a gift that I don’t take for granted as an artist. I’m able to draw from my experiences on both sides of the world in my writing and in the way I interact with people. Growing up in Nigeria grounded me as an individual and taught me persistence. Living in Canada and becoming an adult here offered me a new way of thinking about the world and seeing the opportunities available to me. I’m able to morph into what my audiences need while still being true to myself, and it’s such a cool way to be an artist. I think this is part of why I love to fuse multiple styles in my music. ‘Hero Girl’ exemplifies this perfectly. I perform specific lines of the song true to my Nigerian way of phrasing words and utilize elements of both contemporary Afrobeats and modern R&B. The song, therefore, delivers in a way that it can appeal to all audiences.
OSR: ‘Hero Girl’ is the third single from your upcoming sophomore album. Without giving too much away, what themes connect this next body of work, and what can listeners expect that may surprise them?
Riwo: This next body of work meets me at the young adult stage of my life, so we’ll be exploring more themes of love and becoming. I’m also a lot more vulnerable and unafraid in my deliveries both sonically and lyrically on this next project.
OSR: You’ve collaborated with an impressive range of artists and continue to perform both as a solo artist and with Melafrique. How have those collaborative experiences influenced your own songwriting and creative confidence?
Riwo: Collaborating with other artists is one of the greatest catalysts to my growth as an artist. My songwriting has matured significantly to be more simple and clear. I used to think simple meant uninteresting, but I’ve quickly learned that less is more most times in songwriting. I’ve come to appreciate the value of editing down the work if needed. I’ve also found the beauty in allowing fluidity in my ideas. As a creative, my ideas are like my babies, and there’s this need to keep my babies close to my chest. However, I’ve learned through collaborations that it takes a village a lot of the time to create magic on the page or in the track, and there’s so much beauty in that.
OSR: Live performance has always been an important part of your musical journey. How does performing a deeply personal song like ‘Hero Girl’ differ from recording it in the studio, and what are you most looking forward to when audiences hear it live?
Riwo: In the studio, it’s just me, my producer, and the mic, so it’s easier to feel more removed from the vulnerability of people listening. When I’m singing the song in front of way more people, that’s a whole other ball game. It’s almost like: “well, here I am”; it feels a lot more scary for sure. I’m a firm believer in sharing your stories and experiences, though, ’cause you just never know who can relate, and who you might be able to speak to in that moment. I’m excited for audiences to vibe along with the music, pick up the words of the chorus, sing along, and hopefully think about the song randomly at like 5 AM the next day. I also love when people ask me questions after a performance, so I’m looking forward to the potential discourse that’d follow after performing ‘Hero Girl’ live.
OSR: Looking beyond this release, what do you hope people will remember most about this chapter of your career? Is there a message or feeling you hope listeners carry with them long after ‘Hero Girl’ ends?
Riwo: I want people to remember this moment in my career as the beginning of my fearlessness as an artist. I hope they think of me as the girl who did her thing until the world caught on, and it just made sense. Way beyond this release, I want listeners to think of a relatable storyteller when they think of me and my music. My goal is for my music to bring unity into the diversity of our crazy world. With ‘Hero Girl’, I hope listeners carry a sense of belonging with them long after the song ends.
Many thanks to Riwo for speaking with us. Find out more about Riwo on her Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Spotify.
