About Bella Rios

Bella Rios is an unstoppable force. Hailing from the vibrant city of Chicago and now based in the musical crucibles of Nashville and New York City, her journey began at the tender age of five when she first began learning classical piano. Along the way, she soaked up her parents’ collection of musical greats like Queen, Fleetwood Mac, and Aerosmith, as well as contemporary icons of the era, like Adele, P!nk, and Lady Gaga. This mix of pop-rock influences is imbued in the singer/songwriter’s fearless music today. Bella’s lyrics, which deal with topics like the euphoria of love, crushing lows of heartbreak, and the vertigo-inducing peaks and valleys of mental health, are relatably clear-headed — calling to mind artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Reneé Rapp in their clever phrasing and fierce delivery.

In 2024 Bella released her debut EP, Sincerely,, an electrifying and authentic collection of songs that captures the joys, struggles, and vicissitudes of being a young person today.

On EP opener “Ever After,” Bella cheekily laments the end of a short-lived relationship with a boy who was admittedly “not worth her attention.” On the sassy breakup anthem, Bella deftly switches between candid verses that tell the story of romantic anticipation followed by disappointment, and a heart-thumping chorus in which she belts out her disapproval of the boy in question:

You’re a player and your friends know
I’m gonna say it to your face though
Maybe I wouldn’t have known
You took no time to replace me
I saw it on your friends’ phones
You’re such an asshole

“I wrote that song after my first big heartbreak. I felt like my world was crumbling. I desperately needed an angry breakup anthem, so I did my best to try and write one.”

“It’s Not Me It’s You” and “Nevermind” are a pair of empowering, complementary songs that speak to every type of falling out, from platonic to romantic.

The Sincerely, EP delves into more melancholic territory in “Walking in the Rain.” Bella wrote the poignant song specifically about struggling with the monotony and pressures of school life, though the sentiment will be familiar to anyone who has ever felt like they were in a rut. “I feel like a lot of people inevitably end up going through the motions some days, even when they’re trying to pursue their dreams.” The soaring chorus is a testament to the healing power of music itself.

Darkness is a subject she addresses more literally in “In The Dark,” a soothing, but moody track about counting her worries as she struggles to fall asleep at night. “I write to self-reflect. It helps me work through feelings I’ve chosen to ignore.”

Cause I go to sleep like I’m going to war
Ready for a battle that I always swore
I’d let go I’m not in control

In addition to writing and singing, Bella is is a talented musician, feeling at home at the piano and on the guitar and dabbling in instruments like saxophone and bass, as well as an accomplished performer, having spent her adolescence rocking the stage with cover bands, becoming intimately familiar with the songs of her favorite artists. “Music has given me a voice and a confidence that nothing else has. I’ve never thought, ‘I’m a badass,’ but that’s how I feel every time I’m on stage.”