At just 21 years old, Colorado singer-songwriter and multimedia artist Riley Max is already building an artistic world that extends far beyond music. Her latest single, “Year One,” offers an intimate folk-pop reflection on mental and physical health struggles, pairing vulnerable songwriting with a uniquely creative music video that combines real-life footage with stop-motion animation.
Written during a particularly difficult period in her first year at Harvard University, “Year One” captures the uncertainty of trying to find yourself again while navigating major personal changes. Folk-drenched instrumentation gives the track an understated warmth, allowing Riley’s distinct voice and deeply personal lyrics to remain at the center.
“I wrote ‘Year One’ when I was having a really tough time during my first year at Harvard,” Riley explains. “I was coming back from having some issues with my vocal chords, and I was dealing with a lot of other mental and physical health issues, as well as being completely and totally responsible for my life for the first time ever. It was a lot.”
The experience left Riley questioning when—or even if—she would feel like herself again, both personally and musically. Looking back, however, the song has become a reminder of how far she has traveled since that difficult period.
“I wasn’t sure when—or if—I was ever going to start feeling like myself again, musically or otherwise,” she continues. “So this song means a lot to me, because every time I listen to it I remember how far I’ve come.”
The accompanying music video adds another dimension to that story. Combining real-life segments with stop-motion animation, the visual gives Riley another medium through which to explore the emotions behind the song. The animated portion was originally created as part of a class she took last year, but its impact quickly convinced her that it deserved to become part of a complete music video.
“It was so rewarding to be able to express my feelings through such a uniquely creative medium, and it really made me fall in love with stop motion animation even more,” she says.
That interest has since grown into a major part of Riley’s creative future. The animated segment featured in the “Year One” video is currently being exhibited at Harvard’s Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts as part of No Slop, No Second Screen: Animation–the hard-won image. Riley is also planning to pursue a stop-motion thesis during her senior year.
Music and visual storytelling have long been interconnected in Riley’s creative development. Her debut album, ROY G BIV, was written and recorded when she was just 18 and went on to receive acclaim from outlets including Atwood Magazine and Guitar Girl Magazine. Her sophomore album is scheduled to arrive this fall, marking the next chapter in her rapidly developing artistic career.
Now a rising senior at Harvard University, Riley studies Art, Film and Visual Studies while serving as music director of The Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones and appearing in a variety of musical theater productions. Her creative interests also extend into illustration and comics, with her experience as a cover artist and comic creator for The Harvard Independent informing the broader visual language behind her work.
Her upcoming undergraduate thesis will bring those interests together in the form of a fully animated short film, further establishing Riley as an artist who refuses to separate her different creative disciplines.
Musically, Riley draws from a wide range of influences, including the storytelling traditions of 90s romantic comedies and the sounds of 80s music she grew up around. “Year One” builds on that foundation with a contemporary indie-pop sensibility while retaining the intimacy of folk songwriting, making it a natural fit for listeners drawn to artists such as Joni Mitchell and Maggie Rogers.
More than simply another introduction to Riley’s evolving sound, “Year One” provides a window into the experiences shaping her as an artist. By turning a difficult chapter into music and then extending its story through animation, Riley Max demonstrates the kind of multidisciplinary creativity that continues to define her emerging career.