I have been writing songs for over a decade now, but I never thought my songs were an accurate reflection of me, so I never recorded anything. I played in bands and sang at open mic nights but always kept my original songs to myself.
After going through a breakup from a long-term relationship, I needed something to sink my teeth into. I started writing songs that felt different from ones I’d previously written–I made a conscious effort to write a catchy melody with contrasting lyrics, like the Beatles song “Help”. I took this song to my brother Eddie Anthony and he helped me record it in his home studio. His guitarist friend Chris Coombs was over and graciously added some sweet electric guitar licks, elevating my acoustic song to something more pop-folk/Americana.
Through the process of writing this song, I was able to cope with my breakup. I have since recorded several other tracks and am releasing an EP by the end of the year. I took up the name Jesse Rivers as an homage to my late grandfather, Jesús Rios.
