Meet Rio Wiley Stinger

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rio Wiley Stinger.

Rio Wiley, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Rio Wiley Stinger, but Rio is just fine. I am a 24-year-old singer, songwriter, and teacher from Phoenix, Arizona. I was born and raised in the east valley of Arizona. As for many others, family, friends, and music are the most important things in my life. From the moment I was born, I have heard the statement “that sounds like a rockstar name” from easily over 500 different people, without exaggeration. I was always a charismatic and determined child. I remember having an affinity with speaking and performing in front of people. I put immense pressure on myself to achieve perfect grades and I loved school. I liked being different from the crowd as a child. My name was already built for it, so I thought why not embrace it.

I’ve been singing as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are of my mom and I in the car singing early 2000’s country songs on my way to elementary school. Although no one in my family had inclinations towards writing music or live performance, a baby grand piano sat as a furniture piece in my childhood home. I would never consider myself naturally talented in playing music because it took 15 years of practice, vocal coaching, triumphs, and failures to get to where I am today. I eventually began lessons on that piano when I was nine. After learning to read music and play by ear, I picked up guitar, bass, and drums from 11 – 15. During high school, I was consumed with varsity football, basketball, and baseball. I continued to play music at home but spent most of my energy trying to earn academic and athletic scholarships to college. I broke my collar bone in my last year as a QB in high school and heightened my focus on academics and music.

I also started a post-hardcore band ‘I Remember Burning’ when I was a senior in high school as a vocalist and songwriter. We went on to have some success locally, with the release of two records and opportunities to perform with Beartooth, Hail the Sun, & Ice Nine Kills. After I finished college, I Remember Burning was put on pause, and I pursued my solo career as the indie-pop artist Rio Wiley with songs I had written separately in years past. The first show I played was sold out at Crescent Ballroom in Phoneix. That started it all.

Since then, I have used Rio Wiley as my creative outlet to tour and release music. From 2016 to present, I have released over 50 songs and 10 music videos, been a part of four tours, and am excited to release my second full-length record in 2020. How do I fund all of this? I got my Master’s degree in Education when I was 22 and am currently a full-time K-8 school teacher (all subjects), while I write, record, & collaborate with artists around the world.

Fun Facts: I skipped 1st grade, got hit by a car when I was 16, and graduated from ASU before I could legally drink.

Has it been a smooth road?
The road to your goals is never smooth. Without trials and tribulations, I would have never had the endurance and determination to even try to realize a dream. Personally, I have been in relationships that have challenged my self-worth and identity. I have lost several people in my life to suicide. I also struggle with feelings of anxiety but am so content in the ways I manage them on a day to day basis. Anyone who struggles similarly is always welcome to message me.

Professionally, I have had run-ins, just like many other artists, with individuals who are solely interested in how they can take as much money from me as possible. It’s necessary to have experiences like that in the music industry to become more aware of your actual goals and who can actually help you reach them. My team has gone through many changes before the solidified version it is today. I have a Manager, Booking Agent, Guitarist, Bassist, Drummer, Video/Photo Artists, and I write, record, and produce everything. I am so excited to help my team reach their goals as well. It will come with many more struggles, but they always bring us closer.

We all struggle in different ways, and everyone is shaped to hold different breaking points. The power that comes from overcoming is truly remarkable. It’s important to me to support the ones you love as they struggle, too.

Tell us more about your work.
I think most fans of Rio Wiley would agree that there are two aspects of it that set me apart from other local artists in Phoenix. Firstly is the live performance. Given that I now write and record everything myself, there comes more freedom with how I can make the song sound when replicated in a live setting. Being a pop artist, a lot of my songwriting includes various synth and beat creation. When people watch me perform, I want them to receive more than what they heard on Spotify or Apple Music. They paid for a SHOW. Through the incorporation of live instrumentation into the vocal and synth-heavy songs, a Rio Wiley show becomes a dance and sing, rock concert. The sound itself is original and executed with technique and musicianship.

The second is the vast history I have with the Arizona music scene, having performed over 50 times at various venues across the valley. It has been seven years since I first took the stage in I Remember Burning. I have acquired the knowledge and skillset to draw, promote, and bring value to shows. I would also note how important it is to network and build good relationships with people. Being kind. Saying thank you. Acknowledging others and their accomplishments without expectation. These are all learned practices and skills I have used over the years to both stays humble, and connect with people in a meaningful way. We keep a spreadsheet of nearly every person we encounter who likes Rio Wiley to ensure we do our best to maintain a true relationship with our fans. And that, we are very proud of. (PS if you are a listener reading this, I love you sm. thank you for reading this far.)

Is there a specific memory from when you were younger that you really miss?
My mom took me to my first concert when I was eight years old. Keith Urban. Best time of my life. I love my mom. I started playing piano and guitar shortly afterward.

Pricing:

• Next Show: Desert Grey Music Festival 2019 – $10-20 – https://www.ticketfly.com/event/1880713-desert-grey-music-festival-mesa/

Contact Info:

• Website: iamriowiley.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/riowiley
• Facebook: facebook.com/riowiley
• Twitter: twitter.com/riowiley

Image Credit:
Haylee Finn

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