by izzy petraglia
photo by nick spanos
21-year-old singer-songwriter Bella Rios is living her dream. Her senior year as an economics major at Princeton University is currently underway, and through it all, she’s demonstrated her commitment to her musical career with the release of her latest EP Sincerely,. Rios draws inspiration from notable artists to channel her pop-rock sound, including Lady Gaga, Aerosmith, P!nk, Fleetwood Mac, Adele, and Queen. Unclear was able to chat with Bella about her recent EP, the connection she’s found between music and studying economics at Princeton, and what she has planned following her graduation. Read below to find out!
Your EP, Sincerely, is a beautiful collection of songs addressing the highs and lows associated with young adulthood. How has working on this EP helped you navigate difficult experiences you’ve had at this point in your life?
Bella: “I mean, this EP truly is made of a group of works that spans a fairly lengthy, developmental period of my life — with some of the tracks being written as early as my sophomore year of high school, and others as recently as this past school year. In that way, this EP has grown and morphed into its final state with me. It is the culmination of my human and artistic development, and the process of creating these songs, their videos, the art, etc, definitely helped me process all of the ups and downs that came with it. At every stage, making this music basically forced me to look inward, confront everything I was feeling and going through at the time. Without it and that introspection, I don’t think I would be the same person today.”
That being said, are there any messages you aim to send to listeners who may share experiences similar to your own through Sincerely,?
Bella: “I always say that my favorite part of music is that it can mean something so different to each listener, and even to the same listener at different points of their life or as they experience new things. So, I would say that I want listeners to take away whatever they need from the EP. That being said, I think that throughout the tracks, and as I look back on them, I am reminded of how important it is to be patient with yourself, especially as you struggle toward your goals or handle certain emotional stresses, and to also be understanding of others, what they might be going through. So, I guess if there was a message I would aim to send to listeners, it would be to constantly try to understand — yourself, your feelings, your growth, others, their interpretation of situations and experiences, etc. — because that is what these songs have allowed me to do — and that is how they have helped me grow.”
While being a musician, you’re also a senior at Princeton studying economics! How have you found balance within two?
Bella: “Oh Lordy — well — it has been tough, I won’t lie. I think, though, that what I have realized, as I have tried different balances and prioritizations of the two, is that both fulfill me. Going to Princeton has been a life long dream of mine, and putting time into my studies, friends, and all that makes me incredibly happy. But, for the brief period that I let my music fall to the wayside during my freshman year, I felt something was missing. I felt down in a way I hadn’t before. As important to my happiness as Princeton was, I knew I needed music to feel complete too. Ever since then, and especially when things get super busy at school, I remind myself of that feeling — that I need both to feel like myself, to feel like I’m pursing what makes me feel good.”
Throughout school, have you noticed any correlation between music and in economics?
Bella: “I think I’m drawn to the two, at least generally, for a similar reason — they help me make sense of the world around me. Of course, music on a more personal, emotional level. But both contribute to my perspective in monumental ways — from how I process breakups and treat friendships, to my understanding of fiscal policy. [laughs]
I also think that I approach the two similarly. Regardless of what’s in front of me, I am a pretty analytical, structured thinker, and I apply that in economics and music. Of course, it seems intuitive that economics requires that I break down, organize, and analyze data — but the same can be said for my songwriting. While it is a creative process, I break down every song into a ‘thesis statement’ or message, try to reflect on the emotions I felt or associate with each stage of the story I’m trying to tell, and organize the structure of the song to reflect that — this verse has to set up the foundations of the relationship because in verse two I want to get into what went wrong, this bridge needs to be a kind of relief from the intensity of the choruses to reflect my later interpretation of the situation, that kind of stuff.”
What did the songwriting process look like for Sincerely,?
Bella: “Like I mentioned earlier — Sincerely, has been a long time coming — I have been writing these songs for a while now. For each song individually, the process varied, whether I started with a bass line I liked, a melody I liked, a general concept I had in mind, or some combination of those things. But in each, I was intentional — in how the different melodic sections flowed together, in the various ways the lyrics could be interpreted, in how the production impacted the message I wanted to come across. I will say, though, that because they were written over the span of a few years, depending on when I wrote them originally, they reflect different pieces or portions of my emotional development and perspective, as well as my songwriting confidence.”
You’re currently getting ready to release acoustic versions of certain tracks off the EP! What prompted you to choose these songs versus others on the EP?
Bella: “It really was a combination of various things, from which songs I thought could be adapted best to, really, what songs were my personal favorites. While they are all my babies, ‘Ever After,’ ‘Walking in the Rain,’ and ‘In the Dark’ have always been extra special to me — and it just so happens that I actually initially wrote all of them to be acoustic — which now seems rather serendipitous.”
Additionally, do you find that the acoustic versions of these songs are more reflective of the songwriting process from when you were working on the EP as a whole, providing listeners with a more intimate listening experience?
Bella: “I think that the different production approaches achieve different things, bring different life to the songs. It’s exciting to explore and be able to share both types of performances because it gives the tracks even more opportunity to grow with the listener, like they did with me.”
Beyond the acoustic releases, what do you have planned for the rest of the year?
Bella: “LOADS! While finishing up my last year at Princeton, which is actually crazy to say, I have lots more coming — new music coming soon, performances, and other surprises.”
What are your biggest goals, personally and professionally, as a musician and following your graduation from Princeton?
Bella: “Well, that is a loaded question. But, what it comes down to for me is that for as long as I can remember, I have had two dreams, not ranked in order of importance… 1) to go to Princeton and 2) to pursue music. So, I guess, once I finish the first, I’m excited to finally be able to devote my all to the second.”
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Bella: “Thank you to anyone and everyone who has listened to my music, especially Sincerely,! I am so excited to share what’s coming! To keep up with releases, performances, and all that, you can find me everywhere @iambellarios.”