Born and raised on a farm in rural Sibley, Iowa, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Rochelle Riser didn't come from a family of artists—"just farmers and working-class people who could carry their part in the hymnal," she says. She grew up listening to songwriting aficionados like Carole King and Paul Simon and found her voice singing in choir and church. She moved to Nashville by happenstance at 18 to study music and psychology, but it wasn’t until a few years later she began to take her songwriting seriously. There, she began to pick up influences from songwriting legends like Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch and Willie Nelson, who inspired her with their vocal-centric tales of love and loss. 

 

Combining her newfound country and folk influences with the experiences of her Midwestern upbringing, Riser began to create her signature style. With expertly crafted storytelling, her lyrics paint vivid pictures, waxing poetic on everything from gas station culture and young romance to more taboo topics like reproductive rights and mental health. Her voice, which “spans the gap between ethereal heights and down-to-earth intimacy,” has drawn comparisons to Brandi Carlile, Stevie Nicks, and Alison Krauss.

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Rochelle Riser has released a series of singles, including 2023’s summer feel-good track “The Flood,” which found a place on Spotify’s Fresh Finds and Fresh Finds Folk playlists. Her music has been showcased on local radio stations from the Midwest to Nashville, where she’s played renowned stages like The Listening Room and Musician’s Corner. She was also featured in collaboration with the Belgian band Puggy on the motion picture soundtrack of the Netflix original film Big Foot Family. Riser is in the process of recording her debut project, set to release fall of 2025. “I’ve spent the last several years in Nashville building this core group of songs that show who I am as a writer and an artist, playing them out at dozens of rounds and shows,” she says. “I’m so excited for these songs to get a more permanent home.”