Ears Wide Open: Riah

Kevin Bronson on June 27th, 2019

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Riah is the nom de tune of Mariah McManus, a former country songstress and church singer who has now ascended to the heavens of atmospheric electronic pop. Her understated but crystalline debut EP as Riah, “Heartbreak Magic” (out Friday), is a collaboration with Grammy-nominated songwriter-producer-engineer Chad Copelin.

The L.A.-based singer-songwriter, 27, was earning plaudits for her vocals when she was back in her teens (she released her debut album at 19), and it’s the highlight of the six songs on “Heartbreak Magic,” her phrasing alternately unclouded and then wrapping itself into the restrained production for maximum effect.

The EP’s 1-2 punch of the lush opener “Growing Up” and the minimal, skittery title track are exemplary, pulling the listener in and out of a groove. It’s a slightly different vibe than on one single that brought Riah a lot of attention — “Lie,” the Shallou track on which she is featured (and which she sang with him at Coachella).

“When I play these songs live, I want them to be as fun and funky and full as possible,” Riah says of “Heartbreak Magic.” “I want to bring people the kind of sounds and textures and experiences you can only get from having real instruments and a live band that’s living in the moment together onstage every night.”

||| Stream: “Growing Up” and “Lie,” her collaboration with Shallou