Q&A: Ari Rivera Creates A Dreamy Soundscape with latest single "nap time"

Q&AMusic

Dec 11

PERFECT FOR THOSE COZY WINTER DAYS APPROACHING - Ari Rivera offers us a sweet and reflective tune “nap time”. Bringing in influences from James Taylor to Drake, Rivera creates a soft soundscape that allows the viewer a moment of peace, and an opportunity to hone in on Rivera’s charming vocals.

Pairing the track with a video made by friends, Rivera takes the viewer with him on a journey through the beautiful landscapes of the Bay Area, Rivera’s home turf. “nap time” serves as a preview into Rivera’s upcoming EP, out January.

As the artist continues to explore his sound, he creates a gentle and endearing soundscape for his listener. Read below to learn more about “nap time” and what 2023 has in store for Ari Rivera.

LUNA: How has this fall season been treating you?

RIVERA: I’ve been alright. Honestly, going through a lot of low lows but really cool happy shit too. Life is kinda just thrashing me around right now but I’m here for it. The sun going down so early has been tripping me out, 5:30pm feels like 9pm. And all my friends have been getting pretty sick! Couldn’t be me. Been making chicken soup for a few of them. My friend Aaron works the night shift at Raising Canes and he got hit with a bad flu, and was stuck in his room for a week or so feeling all sore. I've also just been making and sharing a bunch of art, probably the most I’ve ever done in my life. Just super grateful to be a part of the stories we’re sharing. Very excited for my friends too who have cool projects dropping in the coming months.

LUNA: Take us through the creative process for "nap time".

RIVERA: The song started at my friend's apartment. I picked up his nylon guitar and recorded some silly ideas on voice memos. I like writing on someone else’s instrument. Their sound and sensibilities live in that object somehow and it changes the way the music comes out. The first demo was titled Nolan’s nylon, after his beat-up nylon guitar (he calls it the Smoon guitar). Nolan is the best musician I know and an absolute sweetheart. He’s all over the record playing piano and his guitar (both of which were basically first takes).

I took the song that I had written to my friend Aaron, who had just moved to LA, and we recorded this really punk version of it with some cool ugly drums. The drums were recorded on apple earbud microphones, we were experimenting with trying to get character from a lofi source. That session was really cool because Aaron and I were just trying shit out, very inspired by Shawn Everett. Aaron’s kind of a mix guy and I was trying to push him to find ways to use janky recordings

Flash forward months later, we’d made 3 or 4 more songs and the EP was starting to take shape. We had done a few versions of nap time and were trying to figure out where it would sit on the project. Eventually, my friend Jason sent me a version where he had taken all of the drums off and immediately I knew that was it. I would listen to it on my bike ride to work everyday, in love with how much shine the instrumental parts got without the drums there. It’s a tender and nostalgic song, I don’t think it ever really needed drums (much to the dismay of my friend and manager Cameron, who really likes the drum version).

And then we did the video for it. Very last-minute scraped-together type beat. My friend Katherine Sun and I spent a day together in the bay shooting around where we grew up. I took a nap during that shoot when we had our lunch break. My friend Sean and I edited the thing and my buddy Kaleb did the colors. Final touch was Phoebe’s animations, which are just so beautiful. I remember when she sent me the flower animation and I geeked because of how excited I was to put it in. My friends mean a lot to me if it isn’t already apparent. They’re really what’s holding this whole thing together.

LUNA: Which set of lyrics are you most proud of?

RIVERA: I’ll joke that it’s the line that goes, “I could be fine for an hour or two, or three, or more”. I think originally I wrote it as , “or three, or four” and then I realized I sounded like Sesame Street. That one's cool because of how simple it is, and I mean it’s as honest as it gets. Really though, it’s gotta be the line about leaving flowers to dry. “I guess you’d rather see them die than rot.” That’s a true story, my s/o would hang flowers up to dry whenever I brought them a bouquet. I’ve had conversations about that line, there’s something in there about knowing that flowers are going to die from the minute they are cut, but choosing to prolong that life for a little bit of beauty. My friend Yair put it best, “being present to mortality being a beautiful thing you feel openly.”

LUNA: How have you seen your music, in particular the production side, evolve this past year?

RIVERA: I think I’m paying more attention to the recordings. More microphones, more fidelity. I just want to make shit that sounds thought out. But without killing the original sentiment. That’s been pretty important: capturing the source. Better performance and keeping the mics on, it can be easy for me to lose sight of the feeling. I’ve made music in a ton of different places this last year, figuring out that it’s all perfect and I don’t need anything else. I’m definitely trying to take more risks and write weirder music. Aaron, Kaleb and I made a song the other day about masturbating and it’s the most beautiful thing hahaha. It’s not like a Blink-182 tune though, actually just a really honest song about being down and wanting comfort. Still exploring and experimenting as much as I can. That’s where it’s all going, I think.

LUNA: Where does this new single stand with upcoming music? What can we expect from you in the upcoming months?

RIVERA: The EP is done and coming out in January. We’ve been working on it for so long. I think the last time we spoke, I was just barely starting to put things together. It was around then that I had made the first song from the project. Crazy to me how 2 years of toiling amounts to 16 minutes of music.

I’m super proud of the work, though. It’s the first time I’m able to listen back to the songs and think, “Wow, yeah that’s good.” And also insane to see how far we’ve come. I mean, we’ve got a long way to go to get to the standard that I want to be at, but everybody’s music is just getting better and better. I’m soooo excited for everyone to hear the EP. It’s very genuinely me.

And I’ve just been working a bunch with friends, as a producer and vibe contributor. My buddy Jerod has an incredible project coming out early next year that I’ve had the pleasure to help with. I’ve been writing more songs with Nolan and we’re working on a really cool project recorded onto cassette tapes. I think that I’ve become more comfortable making art and sharing it. Which is a good thing for me. And no plans of slowing down.

LUNA: Aside from music, what's been bringing you joy these days?

RIVERA: Baking bread. I’ve been baking so much bread. It’s the instant gratification that I need when I spend so much time wrapped up in tiny sound choices and roll-out plans. Can’t tell you how good making bread has been for me. And sharing it with friends!!!! Come on, that’s the best feeling ever.

I just bought a couple of proofing baskets too, and a lame. Really trying to step my game up. Cooking is probably my second favorite thing to do besides making art. And it’s way less stressful hahaha. There’s a line in there somewhere… something about making bread and having a friend tell you it tastes good.

LUNA: As we start to wrap up the year, what intentions do you have for the upcoming months?

RIVERA: I just want to be there for my friends and family. Winter blues sucks and I see it affecting a lot of people close to me. Making sure I call my sister is a must. Hugging the homies is a must. Ready to get this project out too, it’ll be here sooner than I expect. There’s nothing really riding on it, which is why I’m so ready to get it out. I can only hope that people feel it the way I do…

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