We’re looking forward to introducing you to Mo Rivas. Check out our conversation below.
Mo, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
What’s most misunderstood about my business as a singer-songwriter is that people think it’s just about music. But for me, it’s never been just about songs; it’s about creating emotional medicine. It’s about building a bridge between what I live and don’t know how to say.
A lot of people think independent artists live off inspiration alone, but the truth is, this is an emotional enterprise. I’m my own brand, creative director, producer, accountant, therapist… and sometimes even my own audience when no one else is listening.
There’s also this assumption that being a “Mexican artist” means I have to sound a certain way. But I play with genres like they’re colors. One day I’m singing a sad ballad, the next I’m dancing to an afrobeat, and then I might write a powerful mariachi song just because I feel like it. That’s not lack of identity: that is my identity.
My business is honesty. And while that might not always be the most marketable thing… it’s the most valuable thing I’ve got.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Mo Rivas; I’m a Mexican singer-songwriter, storyteller, and emotional architect disguised as a pop artist. For over a decade, I’ve been writing songs that live somewhere between genres, between heartbreak and healing, between what hurts and what frees us.
My music blends Latin roots with global sounds, but at the core, it’s always about honesty. I don’t just write songs: I craft experiences that help people feel less alone. I believe music is medicine, and I treat every verse, every chorus, like a tiny remedy.
Right now, I’m working on expanding my latest album Menos Sola; a genre-fluid, deeply personal project that’s already resonating with listeners who’ve felt “too much” or “too different.” I’m also building my new band Moox, and dreaming up the next wave of stories I want to sing into the world.
Whether I’m on stage, in the studio, or writing on the floor of my living room; I’m just trying to turn emotions into sound, and sound into connection.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be,
I was a girl with too many feelings and not enough fear.
I sang on my own and didn’t let anyone listen but me.
I have to confess that I thought the sky was listening too, and maybe it was.
I was the weirdo who turned silence into songs,
who believed that love could change things,
who didn’t know how to be “normal”; thank God.
I wasn’t trying to be seen. I was just trying to be real.
Then the world said: “tone it down,” “pick a lane,” “be easier to sell.”
But deep down, that little girl is still here; messy, loud, soft, stubborn: writing her own rules in 4/4 time.
And every time I sing something true, I get a little closer to her again.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Many times. More than I could count actually. Living the dream isn’t how you imagine it; no one tells you it’s mostly uphill, lonely, and full of doubt. I’ve had moments where I gave everything and felt invisible. Where I questioned if it was worth it. But something always pulls me back; a message from someone who connected to a song, or a melody that won’t leave me alone. This path is hard, but I’d rather keep chasing something real than settle for something safe.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I try, but no; not completely. It’s impossible to be fully you through a screen or on social media. There’s just not enough space for all the layers, the contradictions, the quiet parts. What people see is real, but it’s only a fragment. The rest lives in my songs, in the silence between them, and in the moments no one posts about.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Writing songs no one’s heard yet. Building trust with people who might become lifelong listeners. Saying no to shortcuts. Choosing art over algorithms. All the invisible work: healing, growing, staying true. That won’t go viral, but will shape everything I create for the next decade.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mo-rivas.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morivasmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morivasm/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@morivasm
Image Credits
María Quintana
