Ep 232: How To Use Music As Inspiration & Therapy - Riopy (Classical Composer)

Self-taught composer-pianist RIOPY came to music in an extraordinary and unusual way. Following a childhood spent in an oppressive french cult, a young RIOPY found solace in music, improvising on the piano alone to escape the stress and anxiety of the real world. RIOPY left his home country at 18 years old and, after ten years of travelling, settled down in the UK. RIOPY’s fortunes changed when he was given an opportunity to study at Oxford Brookes University, and then gifted a steinway piano by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who recognized his need and potential. He has since channelled his troubled past into his music, which now serves as a source of solace to millions around the world.

RIOPY’s preceding trilogy of albums, RIOPY (2018), Tree of Light (2019) and Bliss (2021), have accumulated 600 million streams worldwide and achieved significant chart success, with more than 120 weeks for Tree of Light on the US’s Billboard classical chart. RIOPY’s composition Flo recently featured as a track on pop singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey’s latest album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd – which Rolling Stone described as a display of his “extraordinary talents”.

RIOPY’s fourth album, THRIVE, is the first to include strings alongside the evocative and powerful pianism which has earned him his ever-increasing international following. It is out on Warner Classics now.

RIOPY’s latest album, THRIVE, is out now

RIOPY returns to London on 26th June for a talk with the How To Academy

He’s currently performing a US tour