by mariah estran
photo by arnaud ele
The solitary moments the pandemic induced became common. A feeling of loneliness was hard to escape. But there is beauty in being alone, according to Italian artist Fil Bo Riva. His latest single, “Solo,” attests to that discovery. “I noticed that it gave me power, and it made me understand that being alone can be good,” he shares on the emotion.
Being alone in his apartment sparked a motivation to make music with the instruments he had around him. The result, a smooth self-reflection full of dreamy guitar progressions. As glossy keys and a careful drumbeat move the track as Fil sings: “It's easy to let go, but you gotta have a plan.”
Solitude is brought to light in the visual he created with director Arnaud Ele. The singer is seen floating on a bed in deep blue water, while scenes of lone adventures are portrayed in tranquility. There is peace found in being by oneself, and Fil Bo Riva is reminding us of that.
We spoke with the artist to learn more about “Solo.” He tells us how the track reset his mindset, how isolation sparked creativity, the music video, and what listeners can expect from his upcoming releases.
You’ve recently released your new single, “Solo.” I read that it was the term that, now, feels powerful to you. How did this track help you reclaim the beauty of being alone?
Fil Bo Riva: “I wrote the song in a situation where I wasn’t feeling too good about myself and what was happening in my life. But after writing it and leaving the song aside for a while, I noticed that it gave me power and it made me understand that being alone can be good. You just have to see the beauty inside of it, try to get the good things out of that feeling. Like when an end slowly evolves into a new beginning. When a loss becomes a new possibility and the idea of being alone all of a sudden is not that frightening anymore.”
Being by oneself became a common scenario last year. During this isolating time, you found yourself making music again. How did this time help spark your creativity?
Fil Bo Riva: “Honestly, it took me a while to get creative. Especially after my tour and all the festivals were cancelled. But once I started getting creative again, it was the only thing I really had. It kept me alive, I was living for it. It was a very nice feeling to get up in the morning and just write songs, produce, etc.”
The visual for “Solo” is breathtaking. What inspired the video, and how do you feel it elevates the track?
Fil Bo Riva: “Thank you! I had a vision, different mood boards for the video and for the whole design concept. After that we started looking for directors that would fit, and found Arnaud and Laura, who ended up directing the video. I didn’t know them before, but they really lifted the whole thing so much, they brought the vision and style. It turned out really great and it was a lot of fun doing it. The whole visuals are so important for the song and what I had in my head while writing it.”
You are set to release more tunes! What can fans expect from the rest of your upcoming music?
Fil Bo Riva: “I mean, it’s hard to say what they can expect! I can say that it’s gonna be fresh, new, exciting, somehow different, and I can’t wait!”
You have been releasing music since 2016. Now, five years later, how will your new music represent who you are as an artist currently?
Fil Bo Riva: “I’m trying to find out. Honestly, I still don’t know. I’m writing a lot of songs, trying to finish tracks that have been laying in my folders for months, years even. But I’m still looking for the overall concept. It's the most exciting thing but also the hardest in the very end. I’m taking a step back and trying to get the whole picture, trying to understand what it’s all going to be.”
You have recently played a few shows and have many more coming up! What has it been like to be on the stage once again?
Fil Bo Riva: “In the end, being on stage is what you’re working for when doing music. It’s the raw and honest part of the job. Getting the reaction from people, real humans. That was something that we all missed as artists and it's beautiful to see it's slowly getting back and even more beautiful to see that we all want it.”