AVA RIVELLO

What inspired you to blend the worlds of fashion, music, and digital content into one artistic identity?

When I was younger, I thought you had to choose one path and stick to it forever. As I got older, I realized creativity doesn’t work that way. I love music, fashion, and creating content, and each one allows me to express a different side of myself. Music is definitely where my heart is, but fashion and digital media have given me additional ways to tell stories and connect with people.

You started modeling at a very young age. How has the fashion industry shaped the way you express yourself as a musician?

Modeling taught me confidence, professionalism, and how to communicate visually, but it also helped me realize how much I value having my own voice. In fashion, you’re often helping bring someone else’s vision to life. With music, I get to share my own thoughts, emotions, and experiences. That freedom is what makes songwriting so special to me.

Your music feels very personal and emotionally raw. When you write songs like “No Good” or “(it was) never love,” how vulnerable do you allow yourself to be in the creative process?

Completely vulnerable. When I’m writing, I try to put myself back into the emotions I felt during that experience. If I’m writing about heartbreak, disappointment, or healing, I want to remember exactly what that felt like. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable, but I think honesty is what allows people to connect with a song. If I don’t believe what I’m singing, no one else will either.

You play guitar, drums, and piano. Which instrument feels the most connected to your emotions when creating a song?

Definitely my acoustic guitar. Most of my songs begin with me sitting down and playing guitar while working through ideas or emotions. There’s something very personal and immediate about it. It feels less technical and more like a conversation with myself, which is why so much of my songwriting starts there.

A lot of artists work with big teams, but you seem deeply involved in building your own sound and vision. How important is creative control to you?

Creative control is extremely important to me because my music is such a personal reflection of who I am. I love collaborating and learning from other people, but I always want the final product to feel authentic to my experiences and my voice. The more involved I am in the process, the more proud I am of the finished song because I know it genuinely represents me as an artist. Of course it takes a team to make it real, so I appreciate everyone that helps me along the way.

Your visual aesthetic is incredibly strong and cinematic. Do you usually imagine visuals while writing music, or does that come later?

Once I have the music and start writing the lyrics, I feel the visuals as I am writing or playing it. I feel like I can feel the emotions of a song, and how I feel while writing indicates the type of aesthetic or category that it fits into. The emotional feeling of the song usually tells me what the visual world should look like.

As someone growing up in the digital era, how do you balance authenticity with the pressure of constantly being visible online?

I think it’s important to remember that social media is a tool, not your entire life. I enjoy creating content, but I also believe it’s healthy to step away and focus on real life. Mental health is something I care deeply about, and constantly being online isn’t always good for anyone. I treat social media as part of my career, but I don’t let it define who I am as a person.

What do you think makes your generation connect so strongly with artists who are emotionally transparent?

A lot of teenangers or people my age believe that they are alone, or that no one else has been through what they’ve been through or felt the same way. When an artist shares something honest, it reminds people that they aren’t alone in what they’re experiencing. Emotional transparency creates connection because it breaks down the idea that everyone else has everything figured out. Sometimes hearing someone else’s story can help you understand your own.

Your sound combines edgy pop-rock energy with storytelling. Which artists or experiences have influenced that balance the most?

My influences come from a wide range of artists and genres. Paramore, Pierce The Veil, Staind, The Backseat Lovers, and Bruno Mars have all inspired me in different ways. Some inspire me through their songwriting, others through their performances or emotional honesty. Beyond music, my own life experiences have had the biggest impact. The songs I write are often shaped by personal challenges, relationships, and moments of growth that have influenced who I am today.

You are only at the beginning of your career, but you already seem very clear about your artistic identity. What kind of impact do you hope Ava Rivello leaves on people in the future?

I hope people remember me as someone who stayed true to herself and used her platform to help others feel understood. I want my music to encourage people to embrace who they are instead of trying to fit social standards. Mental health struggles, heartbreak, and self-discovery are experiences so many people share, and if my music can help someone feel less alone while they’re going through those things, that’s the impact I want to have.