Born in Rome but raised in Dublin, Fil Bo Riva eventually decamped to Berlin in 2012 after a visit to the city. Spending time honing his singer/songwriting craft while busking, Riva also started to gain support slots for the likes of Matt Corby and Aurora before a meeting with producer Robert Stephenson would result in his first recorded material. Riva's heart-on-sleeve style and husky tones -- not unlike those of Tom Waits -- brought him to the attention of PIAS Germany, with whom he signed a deal in 2016. Riva released the first track from his sessions with Stephenson, "Like Eye Did," a few weeks later, with the EP If You're Right, It's Alright appearing in September. Although he spent much of his time touring after the EP, Riva eventually found time to write and record his debut album, Beautiful Sadness, which saw release in 2019. ~ Rich Wilson